AN IMPROVED FAUCET
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting
Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED FAUCET."-A com-
munication from abroad by Isaac Carey, of Morristown, New
Jersey, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd June 1870.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED FAUCET," &
communication, to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to an improved faucet in which the valve is
kept closed by means of a. cam.
The object of the said Invention is the production of a faucet which
may be economically constructed, and which will not be materially

page_text: апестей by wear. The
operating parts is obviated, so that the difficulty occasioned by the
cutting away of the same by sand, which is contained in greater or
less quantity in most water, cannot occur.
use ΟΙ screws in connection With the
The said Invention is more especially designed to be applied to the
supply pipes of water meters, but may be advantageously used in all
cases where either a continuous or intermittent flow of water is required,
and also where the supply or flow requires to be varied in volume. The
main portion of the shell of the faucet may be of a cylindrical form,
and the lower portion of an inverted conical form.
The faucet is pro-
vided with a suitable eduction or discharge tube and induction tube.
Within the upper portion of the shell there is permanently fixed a
cylindrical chamber made somewhat less in diameter than the shell to
allow spaces or water passages to be formed between them, and these
passages communicate with the eduction or discharge tube. The induc-
tion tube passes through the cylindrical part of the shell, and com-
municates with the inner chamber. Within this chamber there is a fixed
cylindrical stem having a central portion within the said chamber, and
extending upward above the top of the shell. The portion of this stem
within the chamber is of greater diameter than the portion above the
said chamber, but a space is allowed all around between the stem and
the inner surface of the chamber. The valve is composed of two parts,
one being formed of india-rubber, leather, or other suitable elastic or
flexible material, and the other being of metal. The valve is allowed
to rise and fall freely between guides at the inner side of the shell. A
cap is fitted on the top of the shell having the upper part of the stem
passing centrally through it, the said cap being allowed to turn freely on
the said upper part as a centre. The under side of the cap has a cam
attached to or cast or otherwise formed in one piece with it.
is of a cylindrical shape, with its lower edge hollowed out at opposite
sides to form two prominent projecting parts. The valve is held down
upon the top of the chamber by this cam when the cap is so turned that
the said prominent parts bear upon the metallic part of the valve, but
when the cap is turned so that the said prominent parts will be more
or less away from the valve the latter will be raised by the pressure of
the water; the water will then pass through the induction tube into
the chamber and up out of the top thereof, and thence down through
passages into and out from the eduction tube. A very slight move-
the
This cam

page_text: ment of the cap will close the valve and admit of its opening, and the
flow or discharge of water is regulated by turning the said cap more or
less. By this arrangement it will be seen that there are no parts
liable to become deranged in use. The cap is held in position by a
screw nut and washer and screw cut on the upper part of the stem
which passes through the centre of the cap, the latter working on the stem
as a centre, and the washer being necessary to prevent leakage around
the stem through the cap. It is designed to have the portion of the cap
that rests on the top of the shell, and also the latter ground or made as
smooth as possible in order to prevent leakage between the
cap and shell.
The cap may have its edge serrated or milled to prevent the slipping of
the hand upon it, or may have a suitable handle attached to it. In lieu
of the stem a flange may be screwed on the top of the shell and arranged
to extend all around over the top of the cap, and retain the latter in the
proper position, and at the same time allow it to be turned..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,.
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st December 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM,
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton.
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that. I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert
Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 FAUCET," a communication to me from abroad by Isaac
Carey, of Morristown, New Jersey, United States of America, upon the

page_text: condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 accom-
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification :-
This Invention relates to an improved faucet in which the valve is
kept closed by means of a cam.
The object of the said Invention is the production of a faucet which
may be economically constructed, and which will not be materially
affected by wear. The use of screws in connection with the operating
parts is obviated so that the ordinary difficulty occasioned by the cutting
away of the same by sand, which is contained in greater or less quantity
in most water, cannot occur.
The said Invention is more especially designed to be applied to the
supply pipes of water meters, but may be advantageously used in all
cases where either a continuous or intermittent flow of water is required
and also where the supply or flow requires to be varied in volume.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is an exterior elevation of the said Invention; Figure 2 is
a vertical central section of the same; Figure 3 is a plan or top view
thereof with the cap removed; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the
aforesaid cam detached. Like letters indicate the same parts through-
out the Drawing.
A represents the shell of the faucet, the main portion a of which
may be of a cylindrical form, and the lower portion 6 of an inverted
conical form. Bis the eduction or discharge tube and C the induction
tube. Within the upper portion a of the shell A there is permanently
fixed a cylindrical chamber D, somewhat less in diameter than the
shell A to allow spaces or water passages c, c, to be formed between
them, and these passages communicate with the eduction or discharge

page_text: G is
tube B, see Figure 2. The induction tube C passes through the part a
of the shell A, and communicates with the chamber D as shewn clearly
in Figure 2. Within the chamber D there is a fixed cylindrical stem
E having a central position within the chamber, and extending upward
some distance above the top of the shell A. The portion & of this
stem within the chamber is of greater diameter than the portion e abovo
the said chamber, but a space f is allowed all around between the stem
and the inner surface of the chamber (see Figures 2 and 3). F is a
valve composed of two parts g and h, the former 9 being made of
india-rubber, leather, or other suitable elastic or flexible material, and
the latter being of metal. Tho said valve is allowed to rise and
fall freely between guides i, i, at the inner side of the shell A.
a cap fitted on the top of the shell A, and having the upper part e of
the stem passing centrally through it, the cap being allowed to turn
freely on e as a centre. The under side of the cap has a cam H
attached to or cast on or otherwise formed in one piece with it, this
cam may be described as being of a cylindrical shape with its lower
edge hollowed out at opposite sides to form the prominent projecting
parts j,j, as shewn in Figures 2 and 4. The valve F is held down
upon the top of the chamber D by the cam H, when the cap G is so
turned that the prominent pendent parts j, j, bear upon the metallic
part of the valve as shewn in Figure 2, but when the cap G is turned
so that the said prominent parts will be more or less away from the
part of the valve the latter will be raised by the pressure of the
water, the water will then pass through the induction tube C into
chamber D up out of the top thereof, and thence down through the
passages c, c, into and out from the eduction tube B as indicated by
the arrows in Figure 2. A very slight movement of the cap G will
close the valve or permit of its opening, and the flow or discharge of
water is regulated by turning the said cap more or less.
By this arrangement it will be seen that there are no parts liable to
become disarranged by use. The cap G is held in position by a screw
nut k, washer 1, and screw m cut on the upper part of the stem E which
passes through the centre of the cap, the latter working on the stem
as a centre. The washer 7 is necessary to prevent leakage around the
stem through the cap. It is designed to have the portion of the cap
that rests on the top of the shell A, and also the latter, ground or made
as smooth as possible in order to prevent leakage between the cap

page_text: and shell. The cap to facilitate its turning may have its edge serrated
or milled to prevent the slipping of the hand upon it, or may have a
suitable handle attached to it. In lieu of the stem E a flange may be
secured on the top of the shell A, the same being arranged to extend
all around over the top of the cap, and retain the latter in the proper
position while at the same time it allows the said cap to be turned.
This modification would be well adapted for swing or basin faucets, but
for general use I prefer the stem.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I wish it understood that I claim, 1
the cap G with the cam H in combination with the valve F, chamber D,
shell A and necessary induction and eduction tubes, all arranged to
operate substantially as described for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of December, in the 1
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
E. C. JACKSON.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)