AN IMPROVED TAP OR COCK
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Campbell Robertson, of Gracechurch Street,
in the City of London, and William Cornwell White, of King Street,
Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED TAP OR COCK."
Sealed the 27th May 1863, and dated the 29th November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Campbell Robertson
. and William Cornwell White at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 29th November 1862.
We, JOHN CAMPBELL ROBERTSON, of Gracechurch Street, in the City of
London, and WILLIAM CORNWELL WHITE, of King Street, Regent Street,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED TAP OR COCK," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of an improved tap or cock, the object of which is to
render it self-closing in order to prevent the escape or waste of the contents
of a cask or barrel, or of water from ordinary household taps, or of any fluid
through accident or negligence in leaving the tap or cock open or turned
on. We propose to enlarge the upper part of the plug holder of the tap so
as to form a circular chamber, therein in which we propose to place a helical
spring, either of flat steel similar to a watch spring or of round wire, and to
fix the same to the interior surface of the chamber by means of a stop or
stud.

page_text: The plug of the tap is furnished with a similar stop or stud taking into a
slot cut in the other end of the helical spring, or in case of round wire taking
into a ring formed by turning over the end of the wire.
A moveable cap encloses the top of the chamber, and the under surface of
this cap has fixed or soldered thereto a small projection corresponding with
a stud on the top of the enlarged surface of the plug contained in the
chamber.
The action of the tap is as follows:-The spring is to be wound up by turning
the handle of the tap, after which the cap is to be let down into the chamber
and fastened therein. The stud on the upper surface of the plug abutting
against the projection on the lower surface of the cap serves to stop the
plug from turning beyond it, and the situation of the respective stops being
suitably arranged it will result that when the tap is turned against the action
of the spring to withdraw a liquid, the handle when released will be forced
round by the spring to the stop and close the tap.
According to the foregoing arrangements it is obvious that the tap can only
be opened by turning it in one direction, but we propose in some cases to modify
the principle of our Invention and to render the taps capable of being opened
by turning the handle in either direction.
To accomplish this we take away the stops on the upper surface of the plug
and the under surface of the cap, and in lieu of the helical spring we apply two
spiral springs, each fixed at the back of the interior of the chamber and each
passing half round the same and meeting in front, they are held in position by
means of a circular wire fixed in the chamber and around which wire the springs
are placed.
The plug is provided in front with a projection or stud taking into the
extremities of the spiral springs, by which means in whichever direction the
handle is turned the springs will when it is released force it back to its closed
position and retain it accordingly.
Instead of dividing this spring into two halves, it may consist of one entire
spiral coil, and the projection from the plug may be attached to the front or
central part thereof, whereby the same result will take place.
A modification of this arrangement may consist of a larger spiral fixed
vertically in the chamber and surrounding the plug, one of the central coils of
this spiral is to be attached to the projection on the plug when in its closed
position, whereby on turning the handle in either direction against the action
of the spring and releasing the same the spring will recover its position and
close the tap accordingly.

page_text: It is obvious that many other forms of springs may be adapted to the
Invention without departing from its principles. Vulcanized india-rubber may
be applied with advantage when desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Campbell Robertson and William Cornwell White in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
CAMPBELL ROBERTSON, of Gracechurch Street, in the City of London,
and WILLIAM CORNWELL WHITE, of King Street, Regent Street, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said John Campbell Robertson and William Cornwell White, Her special-
licence that we, the said John Campbell Robertson and William Cornwell
White, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we,
the said John Campbell Robertson and William Cornwell White, our
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 "AN IMPROVED TAP OR COCK,".
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Campbell-
Robertson and William Cornwell White, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Cornwell White, do hereby
declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-

page_text: .
This Invention consists of an improved tap or cock; the object of which
is to render it self-closing in order to prevent the escape or waste of the
contents of a cask or barrel, or of water from ordinary household taps,
or of any fluid through accidental circumstances, or negligence in leaving
the tap or cock open or turned on. We enlarge the upper part of the plug
holder of the tap so as to form a circular chamber therein, in which we
place a helical spring, either of flat steel, similar to a watch spring, or of round
wire, and fix the same to the interior surface of the chamber by means of a
stop or stud.
The plug of the tap is furnished with a similar stop or stud taking into
a slot cut in the other end of the helical spring, or in case of round wire taking
into a ring formed by turning over the end of the wire.
A moveable cap encloses the top of the chamber, and the under surface of
this cap has fixed or soldered thereto a small projection corresponding with
a stud on the top of the enlarged surface of the plug contained in the
chamber.
The action of the tap is as follows:-The spring is to be wound up by
turning the handle of the tap, after which the cap is to be let down into the
chamber and fastened therein. The stud on the upper surface of the plug
abutting against the projection on the lower surface of the cap serves to stop
the plug from turning beyond it, and the situation of the respective stops being
suitably arranged it will result that when the tap is turned against the action
of the spring to withdraw a liquid, the handle when released will be forced
round by the spring to the stop and close the tap.
According to the foregoing arrangement it is obvious that the tap can only be
opened by turning it in one direction, but we proceed to explain a method or
methods of making the taps capable of being opened by turning the handle in
either direction.
To accomplish this we take away the stops on the upper surface of the
plug and the under surface of the cap, and in lieu of the helical spring we apply
two spiral springs, each fixed at the back of the interior of the chamber
and each passing half round the same and meeting in front they are held in
position by means of a circular wire fixed in the chamber, and around which
wire the springs are placed.
The plug is provided in front with a projection or stud taking into the
extremities of the spiral springs, by which means in whichever direction the
handle is turned, the springs will when it is released force it back to its closed
position and retain it accordingly.

page_text: Instead of dividing this spring into two halves, it may consist of one
entire spiral coil, and the projection from the plug may be attached
to the front or central part thereof, whereby the same result will take
place.
A modification of this arrangement may consist of a larger spiral fixed
vertically in the chamber and surrounding the plug, one of the central coils
of this spiral is to be attached to the projection on the plug when in its closed
position, whereby on turning the handle in either direction against the action
of the spring and releasing the same the spring will recover its position and
close the tap accordingly.
The Drawings annexed shew a few examples of the application of our
Invention. Fig. 1 being a vertical section of a tap containing a helical spring
in the chamber.
a is the plug, and 6 a projection or stud thereon attached to which is the
spring c; when the plug is turned against the action of the spring c (the
other end of which is attached to the chamber) and released, it is returned
to its closed position by the spring and held against the projection d. Fig. 2
shews in plan view an arrangement of spiral spring in the chamber, the
spring is fixed at the point a, and the projection 6 on the plug actuates the
spiral in either direction, causing the plug when released to assume the
closed position. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 shew the component parts of a
plug chamber and duplicate spring actuators. The plug has a portion of
the periphery removed, as shewn at c, Fig. 3, leaving the two sides d
prominent in order to bear against the studs d', Figs. 6 and 7, which are
respectively upper and under plan views, and which are placed on the plug
in the chamber in a reversed position as shewn in the elevation Fig. 8.
Duplicate reversed helical springs are attached to the tongues e, Figs 6 and 8,
and the other ends thereof are held in a similar manner by the tongue f
Figs. 4 and 5, situated within the chamber g; h is a stop block against
which the projecting parts h¹, Figs. 6 and 7, bear.
The action is obvious; the tap may be turned in either direction, and
will be closed by one of the helical springs which surround each of the parts,
Figs. 6, 7, and 8. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the chamber; k, is a nick cut
in the periphery for a spring stop 1, Fig. 3, to enter by pressure of the finger,
and keep the tap open when a quantity of liquid is required to be with-
drawn.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention for
"An Improved Tap or Cock," and the manner in which the same is to be

page_text: performed, we do not limit ourselves to any particular form of springs appli-
cable to the purposes herein described, but what we claim as our 'Invention
and desire to be secured to us by the herein in part recited Letters Patent is,
the general combination and adaptation of parts described and shewn hereby,
or any modifications thereof, substantially the same for effecting the objects
herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Cornwell White, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of
our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
W. CORNWELL WHITE. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross..