AN IMPROVED FOUNTAIN FOR USE IN GAME PRESERVES, POULTRY YARDS, AVIARIES, AND OTHER PLACES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Kiddill, the younger, of Hertford, in the
County of Herts, Metal Worker, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
FOUNTAIN FOR USE IN GAME PRESERVES, POULTRY YARDS, AVIARIES, AND
OTHER PLACES.”
Sealed the 31st July 1874, and dated the 12th February 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Kiddill at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th February 1874.
I, JAMES KIDDILL, the younger, of Hertford, in the County of Herts,
Metal Worker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED FOUNTAIN FOR USE IN GAME PRESERVES, POULTRY YARDS,
AVIARIES, AND OTHER PLACES," to be as follows, that is to say:
This Invention consists in improvements in the construction of foun-
tains for use in game preserves, poultry yards, aviaries, and other places,
whereby such fountains are rendered much more portable than those
hitherto in use; they are more easily filled and emptied, the rapid
accumulation of twigs, leaves, and dirt in the water trough and the

page_text: fouling of the water by small birds washing therein are avoided, and the
risk of fracture of the fountains from the congelation and expansion of
the water they contain is greatly reduced.
The improved fountain may be made of any required size, and of any
suitable shape in plan, but I prefer to construct it circular in plan, and
of thin plates of any suitable metal.
The improved fountain is constructed of a conical cap, which is fixed
on the top of the body of the fountain; this body is formed of an
inverted truncated cone (strengthened if required by cross bars), the base
of the cap being larger than and overlapping the top of the body so as to
screen and protect the herein-after described water trough beneath from
falling twigs, leaves, and dirt. In the lower edge of the body I cut an
aperture of suitable size for the outlet of the water. On the base of the
body I fix a circular plate or disc; this disc is larger than the base of
the body, but smaller than the top thereof. On the under side of this
disc, which forms the bottom of the fountain, I fix a handle preferably
formed of a strip of metal, the ends of which pass through the said disc,
and are rivetted to the inner sides of the body of the fountain. In the
said disc and at the side of the handle I cut a hole, through which the
fountain is filled with water. This hole is closed by a water-tight plug
or a screw. Around the edge of the disc I fix a rim or band, the upper
edge of such band projecting above the top of the said outlet, the
space thus enclosed above the disc forming the water trough. The
lower edge of the said band extends a sufficient distance below the disc
to screen and protect the handle and plug, and serves as a funnel for
filling the fountain. A number of bars are fixed to the upper edge of
the said band and to the body of the fountain to prevent small birds
from fouling the water in the trough.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Twelfth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Kiddill, Her special licence
that I, the said James Kiddill, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Kiddill, 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 “AN IMPROVED
FOUNTAIN FOR USE IN GAME PRESERVES, POULTRY YARDS, AVIARIES, AND OTHER
PLACES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Kiddill, 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 James Kiddill, 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 Drawing hereto
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to
say :-
This Invention consists in improvements in the construction of foun-
tains or self-acting water troughs for use in game preserves, poultry
yards, aviaries, and other places, whereby such fountains are rendered.
much more portable than those hitherto in use; they are more easily.
filled and emptied, the rapid accumulation of twigs, leaves, and dirt in
the water trough, and the fouling and wasting of the water by birds
washing therein are avoided, vermin are prevented from drinking the
water, and the risk of fracture of the fountains from the congelation and
expansion of the water they contain is greatly reduced.
The improved fountain may be made of any required size, and of any
suitable shape in plan, but I prefer to construct it circular in plan, and
"

page_text: of thin plates of any suitable metal, but preferably of iron plates rivetted
together, the whole being afterwards galvanized.
The improved fountain is constructed of a conical cap, which is fixed
on the top of the body of the fountain; this body is formed of an
inverted truncated cone (strengthened if required by cross bars), the base
of the cap being larger than and overlapping the top of the body so as
to screen and protect the herein-after described water trough beneath
from falling twigs, leaves, and dirt. In the lower edge of the body I cut
an aperture of suitable size for the outlet of the water. On the base of
the body I fix a circular plate or disc; this disc is larger than the base of
the body, but smaller than the top thereof. On the under side of this
disc, which forms the bottom of the fountain, I fix a handle preferably
formed of a strip of metal, the ends of which pass through the said
disc and are rivetted to the inner sides of the body of the fountain.
In the said disc and at the side of the handle I cut a hole, through which
the fountain is filled with water; this hole is closed by a watertight
plug or a screw. Around the edge of the disc I fix a rim or band, the
upper edge of such band projecting above the top of the said outlet,
the space thus enclosed above the disc forming the water trough. The
lower edge of the said band extends a sufficient distance below the disc
to screen and protect the handle and plug, and serves as a funnel for
filling the fountain. A number of bars are fixed to the upper edge of
the said band and to the body of the fountain to prevent vermin from
drinking and birds from fouling the water in the trough.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention I will now
proceed to more particularly describe the same by reference to the
accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan; Figure 2, an
elevation; and Figure 3, a vertical section of my improved fountain or
self-acting water trough; and Figure 4 is a plan of the bottom of the
fountain seen from underneath. Similar letters in all the Figures repre-
sent similar parts.
a is the conical cap fixed on the top of the body 6 of the fountain; c
is the water trough; d is the outlet in the lower edge of the body b; e
is the circular plate or disc fixed on the base of the body; fis the
handle, the ends being rivetted to the inner sides of the body b, as seen
in Figure 3; g is the screw plug closing the hole through which the
fountain is filled; h is the rim or band fixed round the edge of the disc e,
and forming the water trough c above the disc, and serving also to