An Improvement in or relating to Ordinary Screw Down Taps.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 9th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 10th Sept., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in or relating to Ordinary Screw Down Taps.
We, SEPTIMUS ALEXANDER PARKES, of "Holbrook," Park Road, Surbiton, Surrey,
and ORLANDO HENRY WAGNER, of John Street, Adelphi, Strand, London, Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for object the construction and employment of a follower
valve in the lower part of the barrel of an ordinary screw down tap, or screw down
stop cock said follower valve having a guide pin from each face, one to 11de in a
lower stem of the ordinary or upper valve and the other to ride in a hole provided
for it in the bottom closing plug so that the follower valve has free vertical up
and down play.
By this invention if the ordinary valve has to be removed for repair or renewal
of washer it can be taken out the water passage being then closed by the follower
valve without the necessity of running the water from a cistern or of cutting off
or closing the supply from the main
H GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said S A Parkes and OH Wagner.
An Improvement in or relating to Ordinary Screw Down Taps.
We, SEPTIMUS ALEXANDER PARKES, of "Holbrook," Park Road, Surbiton, Surrey,
and ORLANDO HENRY WAGNER, of John Street, Adelphi, Strand, London, Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:-
-
This invention relates to screw down taps operated by a screw handle, the object
being to provide such a tap with a follower valve which shall close the passage for
liquid and so prevent loss of water or necessitating the ordinary service being cut
off or of the cistern being emptied should the ordinary screw down valve be
removed for repairs or for a new washer to be fitted
For the purpose of this invention, we employ two valves in separate chambers
of the tap barrel, one valve, t.e the lower, has a pin projecting centrally from
each face, the upper pin is unusually long and fits a deep hole in the stem of the
TP11

page_text: upper valve, while the other or short pin fits a hole in a bottom closing plug.
Either valve has play to bear against its own seating, one valve being used for
shutting off the passage of liquid when the handle is turned in the proper direction,
and the other to automatically shut off the passage of liquid if the handle be un-
screwed too much, or if it be removed for any cause, such as for repairs of upper
valve or renewal of washer or otherwise.
When the upper valve is raised by the inthrust of water when the handle is
turned for the passage to open, the close fit of the upper pin of the lower valve
within the tall stem of the upper valve produces a suction of one to the other,
and this causes the lower valve to follow the upward travel of the upper valve,
aaid follower valve being also supported by a small quantity of water passing
through a hole provided in the bottom closing plug which water enters and charges
the space vacated by the up travel of the lower pin of the follower valve. The
lower valve can thus rise to follow the upper valve, and be in a sense suspended
so that the water passage of both valves is left open for the water to pass through
the tap.
When the upper valve has to be closed down upon its seat to shut off the passage
by turning the handle in the reverse direction the follower valve is forced down
thereby, and in this action the water in the space under the bottom pin of the
lower valve is forced back through the hole of the bottom plug into the lower
chamber.
Our invention is clearly represented on the annexed drawings.
Figure 1, sectional elevation of a screw down-bib tap with the loosely fitted
upper valve off its seat and the loosely fitted follower valve in position as raised
by suction and supported by water pressure to leave a clear waterway through
the tap.
Figure 2, sectional elevation of same tap with upper loose valve on its seat to
close the water passage and with follower valve forced down as far as it will go.
Figure 3, sectional elevation of same tap barrel with the loosely fitted follower
valve against its seating and the water passage shut off, such as when the upper
loose valve appliances have been removed for a new valve or packing to be fitted
or from other cause, the pressure of water then completely bearing against the
underside of the loosely fitted follower valve, which pressure and consequent
closure remain until the upper loose valve and its appliances are replaced and the
screwing down is being completed before the loosely fitted follower valve can move
from its closed or shut off position
Figure 4, sectional elevation of a stop cock with our invention applied
Figure 5, sectional elevation of a diaphragm tap with our invention applied.
Figure 6 plan of same
A, body or bariel of tap
B, water inlet C, water outlet. D, upper loosely fitted valve with hollow
stem E and screw down stem F for closing, and under control of water for open-
ing the through passage from inlet to outlet when the screw stem F 18 raised, the
extent of opening being determined by the number of rotations imparted to the
stom F by action on the hollow stem E, all in the well known manner.
G, the follower valve fitting loosely in the lower part of the barrel A and con-
sisting of a disc G with a long stem or pin I projecting centrally from the upper
face to enter a tubular portion of the stem E of the upper loose valve D and of a
pin K projecting centrally from the lower face to enter a hole in the bottom clos-
ing plug L, which hole when the plug 18 in position in conjunction with the
tubular portion of the stem E serves to guide the loosely fitted follower valve in its
vertical up and down motions.
The pin I just fits the tube of the stem E and when the upper loose valve D 18
raised to open the water passage, the loose follower valve G by the combined
action of grip on the pin I in the tube and the tendency of the inflowing water
to pass under the valve G cause a lift to said valve that it moves simultaneously
with the upper loose valve which it follows to the same extent as that of the

page_text: upper loose valve or until the loose follower valve G bears in direct contact with
its own seating H of the core M such as when the upper valve has to be removed
for any cause
We prefer that the follower valve shall not cut off the supply until the upper
plug N has been unscrewed about one eighth of an inch beyond its usual distance
The follower valve G does not necessarily require a leather or rubber washer and
it is really immaterial whether its face accurately fits against its seating or not
because only a slight escape of water could take place during the loose upper
valve's removal and of its replacement.
It is preferable however to make the face of the follower valve and its seating
coincide for accuracy of fit to prevent escape of water during the time the upper
loose valve 18 1emoved.
The long pin I of the lower or follower valve projects beyond the top edge of
the tap barrel, so that when the upper valve has been removed, should it fall fiom
any cause such as when the water pressure is reduced it can be lifted by the fingers
and the lower valve be put into contact with its seating
By this invention, if the loosely fitted valve has to be removed for repan or
renewal of washer it can be taken out, the water passage being then closed by the
follower valve without the necessity of running the water from a cistern, or of
cutting off or closing the supply from the main.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim 18.-
1. In a screw down tap having two loose valves, one of which is a follower valve
consisting of a disc G with a long pin I projecting and engaging within a tubular
projection of the upper valve, which tubular projection is within a tubular portion
of the stem F, and of a pin K within a bottom plug L secured in lower end of
barrel A, as and for the purposes specified
2. In a screw down tap having two loose valves, one of which is a follower
valve G having a long upper pin engaging a tubular pin of the upper valve and a
short lower pin engaging the bottom closing plug the uprising upper loose valve 1)
and serving as a stop valve for automatically closing the water passage should
the upper loose valve be lifted too high or on being removed from the tap for
repair or renewal of the upper valve washer, as specified.
3. In a screw down tap having two loosely fitting valves, the hollow in the
stem F at its lower end in combination with a hollow in the upper valve stem for
the engagement of the upper pin of the lower valve, as specified.
1
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H GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Septimus Alexander Parkes and Orlando Henry Wagner