Improved Apparatus for Regulating and Limiting the Supply of Water from Water Mains to Service Pipes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1592-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Regulating and Limiting the Supply of
Water from Water Mains to Service Pipes.
I, JOSEPH JOHN TYLOR, of 2 Newgate Street, in the City of London,
Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
It is well known that in some cases, more especially abroad, and for comparatively
small supplies of water, meters are not used because of their expense, but that
instead thereof, a scaled tap is used intermediate between the service tap, or ball
tap, and the water main, or other source of supply, for the purposes of limiting the
supply of water to a customer, to a certain maximium quantity in a given time,
proportionate to the amount of fee or subscription paid by him. According to the
present invention, employ an apparatus of peculiar construction which may be
either screwed direct into the water main and have the service pipe connected
thereto, or be so arranged that it can be inserted into any suitable part of the service
pipe. This apparatus is constructed as follows:-
A body or casing of gunmetal or other suitable material is provided having a
perforated stem adapted to screw into a hole tapped in the water-main, or to be
connected to a pipe coming therefrom. Above the aforesaid stem the body.or
casing is widened out into a conical chamber which has a branch formed thereon
adapted to have secured thereto one end of the service pipe, the service tap, or the
ball tap, as the case may be. The lower end of the conical chamber is formed into
a valve seat round the passage leading from the bottom of the conical chamber
through the aforesaid stem. The upper part of this passage is tapped to receive the
lower screwed end of the stem of a valve adapted to close as nearly water-tight as
possible against the aforesaid valve seating. The upper end of the valve stem is
continued up through a cap screwed on to the top of the body or case, and is
furnished with a square or other means by which it can be turned from outside the
casing. The part of the spindle which passes through the aforesaid cap is screwed,
and the hole in the cap through which it passes is tapped to correspond. Into the
conical chamber is fitted a hollow conical plug provided with radial holes of
various sizes at the level of the branch leading to the service pipe or other outlet.
This conical plug is provided at top with notches or other means by which it can
be turned, by means of a suitable tool, into any desired position in the conical
chamber.
Assuming now that the apparatus has been screwed into the main for example,
that the service pipe has been .connected to the branch, that the valve is shut so
as to prevent water passing from the main into the service pipe, and that it is desired
to adjust the apparatus so that not more than a certain quantity of water can pass
to the consumer in a given time, the cap is then unscrewed and removed, and the
valve remains closed against its seat by the lower end of its stem being screwed into
the passage leading to the main. A proper tool can then be introduced, and the
hollow conical plug turned to bring that opening in it, which is of suitable size to
pass the required quantity of water, opposite the service branch. When that is
done, the cap is screwed on again, and the valve opened by turning its spindle so
that its screw threads will cause it to rise free of the passage leading from the main
and to close with its upper surface against the underside of the cap so as to prevent
leakage of water past the screw thread on the spindle where it passes through the
said cap.
Water can then flow to the service pipe, but only in quantity dependent
upon the size of the hole in the conical plug that has been brought opposite the
convico huanch

page_text: Should it be desired to alter the quantity that is to be allowed to pass in a given
time, the valve is first closed, then the cap is removed, and the position of the
hollow plug altered so as to bring the radial hole in it, which is suited to allow the
particular quantity of water to pass, opposite the service branch; then the cap is
replaced and the valve reopened. If it is desired to shut off the supply of water
entirely from that particular service without interfering with the adjustment
limiting the quantity supplied, it is only necessary to close the valve.
The proper position in which the hollow plug should be placed, to allow of the
passage of a certain quantity of water, may be indicated by figures marked on the
said plug, and a point marked on the body or case to which one of such figures must
be brought in order to bring the hole of the required size into position.
It will be understood that suitable means should be applied to prevent the
removal of the cap and the turning of the conical plug by unauthorized persons.
This apparatus can be used in place of the ordinary regulating ferrule and stop-
cock combined; and by it the regulation or adjustment of the maximum quantity of
water can be effected at once, without preliminary trial or experiment.
Dated this 20th day of May 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Regulating and Limiting the Supply of
Water from Water Mains to Service Pipes.
1, JOSEPH JOHN TYLOR, of 2 Newgate Street, in the City of London, Associate
Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, 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, that is to say :-
It is well known that in some cases, more especially abroad and for comparatively
small supplies of water, meters are not used because of their expense; but that
instead thereof, a sealed tap is used intermediate between the service tap, or ball
tap, and the water main, or other source of supply, for the purposes of limiting the
supply of water to a customer, to a certain maximum quantity in a given time
proportionate to the amount of fee or subscription paid by him. According to the
present invention, I employ an apparatus of peculiar construction which may be
either screwed direct into the water main and have the service pipe connected
thereto, or be so arranged that it can be inserted into any suitable part of the service
pipe, and in order that my said invention may be fully understood I will now
proceed to describe the same by reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings
in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus adapted to screw direct into a water
main,
Figure 2 a corresponding longitudinal section of same,
Figure 3 a section taken on line 1-1 of Figures 1 and 2 but with the part E F
removed,
Figure 4 a plan with the caps removed,
Figure 5 a plan with the upper cap only removed, and
Figure 6 a longitudinal section of a similar apparatus adapted to be inserted into
the service pipe instead of into the main.
A body or casing A of gunmetal or other suitable material is provided having a
perforated stem B adapted as in Figures 1 and 2, to screw into a hole tapped in the
water main, or, as in Figure 6, to be connected to a service pipe coming therefrom.
Above or beyond the aforesaid stem the body or casing A is widened out into a
conical chamber A' which has a branch C formed thereon adapted to have secured
thereto one end of the service pipe, the service tap, or the ball tap, as the case may

page_text: be. The lower end of the conical chamber A¹ is formed into a valve scat D round
the passage B leading from the bottom of the conical chamber A' through the
aforesaid stem B. The upper part of this passage is tapped to receive the lower
screwed end of the spindle or stem E of a valve F adapted to close as nearly water-
tight as possible against the aforesaid valve seating D. The upper end of the valve
spindle or stem E is continued up through a cap G screwed on to the top of the
body or case A, and is furnished with a square H or other means by which it can be
turned from outside the casing. The part of the spindle E which passes through
the aforesaid cap G is screwed, and the hole in the cap through which it passes is
tapped to correspond. Into the conical chamber A is fitted a hollow conical
plug I provided with radial holes J1 J2 J³ for example of various sizes at the level
of the branch C leading to the service pipe or other outlet. This conical plug is
provided at top with notches marked 1, 2, 3 in Figure 4, or other means by which
it can be turned, by means of a suitable tool, into any desired position in the conical
chamber.
Assuming now that the apparatus has been connected with the main by the stem B3,
either directly or indirectly, that the service pipe has been connected to the
branch C, that the valve F is shut so as to prevent water passing from the main
into the service pipe, and that it is desired to adjust the apparatus so that not more
than a certain quantity of water can pass to the consumer in a given time, the cap (+
is then unscrewed and removed and the valve F remains closed against its seat D
by the lower end of its stem being screwed into the passage 131 leading to the main.
A proper tool can then be introduced into the notches 1, 2, 3 and the hollow conical
plug turned thereby so as to bring that opening in it, which is of suitable size to
pass the required quantity of water, opposite the service branch C. When that is
done, the cap G is screwed on again, and the valve F opened by turning its spindle E
so that its screw threads will cause it to rise free of the passage B' leading from the
main and to close with its upper surface against the underside of the cap G so as to
prevent leakage of water past the screw thread on the spindle where it passes
through the said cap. Water can then flow to the service pipe through the
branch C but only in quantity dependent upon the size of the hole in the conical
plug I that has been brought opposite the service branch C.
Should it be desired to alter the quantity that is to be allowed to pass in a given
time, the valve F is first closed on to the seating D, then the cap G is removed and
the position of the hollow plug altered so as to bring the radial hole in it, which
is suited to allow the particular quantity of water to pass, opposite the service
branch C then the cap G is replaced and the valve F re-opened. If it is desired
to shut off the supply of water entirely from that particular service without inter-
fering with the adjustment limiting the quantity supplied, it is only necessary to
close the valve F.
The proper position in which the hollow plug I should be placed, to allow of the
passage of a certain quantity of water, may be indicated by figures marked on the
said plug as for example in the notches by which the said plug is turned and a point
or line K marked on the body or case A (see Figure 4) to which one of such
figures must be brought in order to bring the hole of the required size into
position.
The cap L is screwed on to the cap G and made liquid tight therewith by means
of the elastic washer M for the purpose of preventing the escape of water that may
leak past the screwed valve spindle E where the same passes through the cap G
either by reason of the valve F not fitting watertight against its seating D when
closed, or against the underside of the cap G when open, or by reason of the said
valve not being screwed up, when open, high enough to bear against the said
underside of the cap (.
It will be understood that suitable means such as a padlock or a sealed string for
example should be applied to prevent the removal of the cap G and the turning of
the conical plug I by unauthorized persons. It will also be understood that the
part of the spindle below the valve F must be provided with a screw thread which

page_text: forms a continuation of, and is of the same pitch as that provided on the part above
the valve in order that the screw thread below the valve may pass into the tapped
part of the outlet B' at the same rate that the upper part of the spindle moves in
-the cap G, otherwise the spindle would. jam; also that the screw, thread by which
the cap G is screwed on to the body or casing A must be of the same pitch as that
of the screw thread on the spindle E; and further that the holes through the
cap G and the upper part of the stem B must be tapped at one operation when the
cap G is in place on the body or casing A. The cap G may be prevented from
unscrewing off the body A by means of a set screw N.
This apparatus can be used in place of the ordinary regulating ferrule and stop
cock combined and by it the regulation or adjustment of the maximum quantity
of water can be effected at once without preliminary trial or experiment.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The improved apparatus for regulating and limiting the supply of water
from water mains to service pipes which consists of a body or casing having an inlet
passage connected with the main supply pipe, an outlet passage connected with the
service pipe or other service fitting, a valve with a screwed spindle or stem for
closing the inlet passage, a conical plug provided with holes of various sizes either
of which may be made to correspond with the outlet passage and a cap through
which the spindle of the valve is screwed, all arranged, combined and operating as
herein before described, and illustrated in the drawings.
Second. The improved apparatus for regulating and limiting the supply of water.
from water mains to service pipes constructed, arranged and operating substantially
as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 15th day of February 1999
J. J. TYLOR.
W. H. Beck,
Per G. E. Gunyou,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.