CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MAIN COCKS FOR GAS AND WATER PURPOSES, BUT WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR MAN COORD FOR THE CONTROLING OF OTHER FLUIDS."
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Wells, Main Cock Maker for Gas, Water,
and other Purposes, of Wednesbury, in the County of Stafford, for
the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MAIN COCKS FOR GAS AND
WATER PURPOSES, BUT WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR
MAN COORD FOR THE CONTROLING OF OTHER FLUIDS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Wells at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on tho
4th July 1874.
I, JOHN WELLS, Main Cock Maker for Gas, Water, and other Purposes,
of Wednesbury, in the County of Stafford, do hereby declare the nature
of my said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MAIN COCKS FOB Gas
AND WATER PURPOSES, BUT WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR
MAIN COCKS FOR THE CONTROLING OF OTHER FLUILS," to be as follows (that is
to say):-

page_text: consists in contracting the body or barrel of the cock below the plug, the
contracted part having a concentric hole for a reduced portion of the
plug to pass through, on which part a square (or other angular shapo is
formed, which passes through a metal washer (by preference) of brass or
copper, whilst the reduced part of the plug extending beyond the square
or angular form is tapped for receiving the holding-in nut. It is desirable
also that the ground portion of the plug should not extend to the bottom
of the cylinder or ground recess in which it works, as it allows room for
regrinding without the base of the plug and bottom of the recess coming
in contact. This simple contrivance is calculated to greatly reduce the
friction on the action of the plug, simplifying the construction, and
diminishes the cause of leakage.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Wells in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WELLS, of Wednesbury, in the County of Stafford, Main Cock Maker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Fourth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Wells, Пer special licenso
that I, the said John Wells, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Wells, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for " CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MAIN COCKS FOR GAS AND WATER PURPOSES, BUT WHICH SAID
IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR MAIN COCKS FOR THE CONTROLLING OF

page_text: OTHER FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Wells, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: here shown, marked C, O. This reduction of the rubbing annular
surfaces reduces the friction, and as a consequcuce renders the turning of
the plug casy of control, and generally contributes to render main cocks
(so constructed) less liable to leakago at this part. The angular part of
the plug marked D I have represented square, but it may be of a
hexagonal or other polygonal shape to fit in union with the holo through
the washor B, so that they move together in the act of turning the
plug.
And as these general improvements are applicable to all cocks with a
through plug I have represented its adaptation to an ordinary water i
cock, as exhibited at Fig. 3, and in part section at Fig. 4. The working
surfaces of the face of the washer and lower working face of the cock
barrel marked F, F, are represented in close contact without the use of.
an intermediate leather or negative washer. In water cocks as thus
represented, where the plugs are intended to be controlled by the appli- 1
cation of the thumb and finger to the thumb picce of the plug, a marked
improvement will be found to result from this Invention by the caso
with which the plug may be turned for controlling the flow way.
I have not thought it necessary to further claborate my improvements,
which will be easily understood by cock founders, as well as by skilled 2
artisans accustomed in producing the necessary fittings for regulating or
controlling the main flow ways of gas, water, or other fluids, and will
also observe that this contraction at the base of main cock barrels (as
arranged) allows or permits the regrinding or fitting of the plugs, for in
every instanco I purpose leaving sufficient room between the working 2
ground surface of the plug and the internal contraction of the barrel
for this purpose, as also the reduced angular part of the plug and the
corresponding angular hole through the washer B to allow space for the
same purpose, that the nut G may hold down the plug to its work after
regrinding and fitting.
3
Having thus described the naturo of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be carried into effect, I wish it understood that
what I claim and seek to protect under these my in part recited Letters
Patent is, the contraction of the lower orifice of the barrels of main or
other through plug cocks below the ground surface or action of their 3

page_text: said respective plugs as herein described and set forth; without regard
to size, metal, or use for which such cocks may be applied...
In witness whereof, I, the said John-Wells,-have-hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of December, in the year
-of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM H. TAYLOR,
Olerk to J. S. Cockings,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
JOHN WELLS. (L.S.)