Improvements in or connected with Screw-down Taps.
Year: 1894

page_text: Dale of Application, 29th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 5th May, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Screw-down Taps.
I, JOHN THOMAS DARBYSHIRE, of Waverley Street, Beeston Hill, Leeds, in
the County of York, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to construct screw-down taps for use in connection
with water, steam and other fluids in such a manner that they are more efficient
in their action and less liable to become out of order than taps hitherto employed,
whilst at the same time taps constructed according to my invention will last
considerably longer than those at present in use.
Hitherto taps have been fitted with a loose valve, provided with a leather
washer, which washer on coming down onto the seat of the tap closes same, but on
the said leather washer becoming worn away, the valve itself comes into direct
contact with the seat, and by the continued wearing action of the valve, such seat
is quickly worn away or broken, thus rendering the tap useless. The leather
washer under this old system is mounted centrally on a pin, and not being
surrounded or otherwise held, it is readily broken and falls away, thereby quickly
rendering such tap unfit for use.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will proceed to describe
same with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which similar letters refer to
like parts in both figures. Figure 1 is a section of a tap constructed according to
my invention and shown in the open position, and Figure 2 is a similar view
showing the same tap in the closed position.
According to my invention I employ a loose valve A provided with a shoulder B
and a projecting ring C, the said valve A being loosely held at the base of the
regulating screw D, by means of its spindle Ẽ which enters within the lower
portion of the said screw D. In the seat F of the tap I form a recess, into which
insert a ring G of vulcanized fibre, or other suitable material. The pressure of
the water or other fluid tends to keep the valve A up to the end of the screw D
and thus the said valve A follows the screw D in its movements up and down.
When it is required to close the tap, the valve A is moved downwards through
the medium of the screw D, when the projecting ring C comes in contact with the
ring G in the seat F, thus effectually stopping the flow, as shown at Figure 2.
On turning the screw D in the opposite direction, the valve A is forced upwards
by the liquid pressure away from its seat F, thus allowing a free flow through the
tap, as shown at Figure 1.
It will be readily seen that in course of time the ring G of vulcanized fibre will
be worn down, and the projecting ring C of the valve A in entering the recess in
the seat F would come in contact with the base of the said recess, if it were not
for the shoulder B of the valve A coming in contact with the surface of the
seat F, and thus the danger of grinding a hole through or breaking the bottom of
the seat is entirely obviated; and by replacing the ring G on it becoming worn
away, the life of the tap is considerably prolonged.
Taps constructed as above described are exceedingly simple in construction, and
efficient in their action, at the same time they are not liable to get out of repair as
is the case with taps hitherto employed.

page_text: 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:-
1. The centre piece A, having a shoulder B and a projecting ring C, substan-
tially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The recess in the seat F, filled with a ring G, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
3. The employment of a loose valve having a shoulder and a projecting ring, in
combination with a recess formed in the seat of a tap, such recess containing a
ring of suitable material, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The general arrangement, construction and combination of the various parts
forming the tap, substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 29th day of March 1894.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicant.