IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS AND Cocks
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Augustus Thomas John Bullock, Lieutenant
Royal Navy, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS AND
Cocks."
Sealed the 23rd March 1858, and dated the 20th January 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Augustus Thomas
John Bullock at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 20th January 1858.
I, AUGUSTUS THOMAS JOHN BULLOCK, Lieutenant Royal Navy, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TAPS AND COCKS" to be as follows:-
Through the cross piece or handle and a short distance down the plug I
make an orifice, and another in the plug at right angles thereto. In these
I fit a spring which takes into a hole or catch in that part of the tap
in which the plug works, the intention being that the cock or tap may
not be opened by anything coming against and turning the handle by
accident. This Invention will be found of particular value when fitted
to gas cocks, the handle being held fast until the spring catch is
liberated. This can be effected by a finger or thumb of the same hand
applied to turning the cock.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Augustus Thomas John Bullock in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 20th July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
AUGUSTUS THOMAS JOHN BULLOCK, Lieutenant Royal Navy, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of Jannary, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Augustus Thomas Jolin Bullock,
Her special licence that I, the said Augustus Thomas John Bullock,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as J, thc said
Augustus Thomas John Bullock, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS AND COCкs," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Augustus Thomas John
Bullock, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Augustus Thomas John Bullock,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:
My Invention consists in adding a safety catch to cocks and taps so
as to prevent their being turned or opened by anything coming acciden-
tally in contact therewith. For this purpose I drill or form an aperture
through the handle, and down a certain distance of the plug I drill or
form a second aperture at right angles or nearly so thereto, and I make
a notch or groove in the top of the barrel of the tap. I place a rod in

page_text: the vertical aperture which acts upon a lever or bolt in the horizonta
aperture, and raises it out of the groove or notches in the barrel on
being pressed by the finger, as afterwards explained.
Figure 1, is a section of a cock or tap with my safety catch adapted
thereto; A, is the plug; B, the handle; through the plug A I drill an
aperture or passage a, which extends as far down the length of the plug
as may be required; and at the further end of the aperture I cut a
second orifice or passage b, at right angles thereto, or nearly so. C, is a
rod which works in the passage a, and terminates at top in a button c,
for the reception of which an opening is made in the handle or cross
piece B. D, is a lever or bolt which works in the passage b; its inner
end is inserted into an eye at the bottom of the rod C, while its upper
end rests in an aperture or groove cut in the edge of the barrel of the
tap. E, is a spiral spring fitted into the opening in the handle or tap
head directly under and pressing against the button c. When the cock
or tap is turned off the handle or cross piece is held fast in its position
by the bolt fitting into the groove or notch in the barrel, by which
means the unintentional turning of the tap or cock by any object coming
accidentally in contact with the handle and turning it is effectually pre-
vented, and the waste and accidents consequent thereon entirely avoided.
This safety catch will be found especially useful when applied to gas
cocks. When it is desired to open the cock the rod is pressed down
and the catch liberated by pressing the finger on the button.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my
improvements in cocks and taps the addition thereto of a safety catch
in order to prevent the accidental opening thereof, as herein before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Augustus Thomas John Bullock,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, the Ninth day of July, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
AUGUSTUS THOMAS JOHN DULLOCK, (L.S.)
Lieutenant R.N.