IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO WATER- CLOSETS AND OTHER PLACES IN REGULATED QUANTITIES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO MEASURING THE FLOW OR PASSAGE OF FLUIDS, AND PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF COCKS OR TAPS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Thomson, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, Plumber,
and John Murray, of the same Place, Brassfounder, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO WATER-
CLOSETS AND OTHER PLACES IN REGULATED QUANTITIES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO MEASURING THE FLOW OR PASSAGE OF FLUIDS, AND
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
COCKS OR TAPS."
Sealed the 27th December 1864, and dated the 28th June 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Thomson and
John Murray at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 28th June 1864.
We, THOMAS THOMSON, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, Plumber, and JOHN MURRAY,
of the same Place, Brassfounder, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATER
TO WATERCLOSETS AND OTHER PLACES IN REGULATED QUANTITIES, WHICH IMPROVE-
MENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO MEASURING THE FLOW OR PASSAGE OF FLUIDS, AND
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF COCKS
OR TAPS," to be as follows:-
The water for the time to be used flows from a reservoir or other source to
the interior of a spherical or other close chamber through passages capable of
being closed by a sliding cover affixed to the chamber, to which is also affixed

page_text: the cover of other or the outlet passages in communication with the pan of
the closet, or other place to be supplied. The sliding of the chamber in one
direction admits water therein, whilst the air escapes by a float valve from this
chamber until it is filled with water, and then the water acts on this float
valve to close it, and retain the chamber filled. But on moving the chamber
in the opposite direction the inlet passages for the water thereto are closed,
the air valve and the outlet passage for the water are opened, and the water
flows from the chamber, and so on. The size of the chamber is the measure
of the quantity of water employed each time of action, and as such the
apparatus may be employed with a suitable index to indicate the times of
motion for measuring water or other fluids. The chamber may be stationary,
and the sliding motion be given to internal supply, and outlet tubes or cover
or other valves may have motion given to them simultaneously through the
chamber.
By one valve arrangement we employ, holes are formed in concentric tubes,
one to slide in or upon the other, and the passages through them are opened
by the holes of one being brought over or coincident with those of the other.
The packing of the outer tube is effected by that tube being turned out or
recessed internally from one end to the extent desired, a ring packing is then
forced down to the bottom of this recessed part, and upon it a metal ring, and
then another packing and another metal ring, which by bars is connected to
another metal ring, and then another ring packing is placed in position, and
upon it another metal ring, and then a ring screw, by which the amount of
tightening desired may be given to the packings. This valve arrangement is
applicable to cocks or taps generally by forming the outer tube with capability
of communicating for the passage through it with the two sides of a divided
internal tube.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Thomson and John Murray in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 28th December 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wе, THOMAS
THOMSON, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, Plumber, and JOHN MURRAY, of the same
Place, Brassfounder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of

page_text: Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Thomas Thomson and John Murray, Her special licence that
we, the said Thomas Thomson and John Murray, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Thomson and
John Murray, our 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
MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO WATERCLOSETS AND OTHER PLACES
IN REGULATED QUANTITIES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO MEASURING
THE FLOW OR PASSAGE OF FLUIDS, AND PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO
APPLICABLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF COCKS OR TAPS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Thomas Thomson and John Murray, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and
seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 we, the said Thomas Thomson and John Murray,
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 thereof, that is to say:-
The water for the time to be used flows from a reservoir or other source to
the interior of a spherical or other close chamber through passages capable of
being closed by a sliding cover affixed to the chamber, to which is also affixed
the cover of other or the outlet passages in communication with the pan of
the closet or other place to be supplied. The sliding of the chamber in one
direction admits water therein, whilst the air escapes by a float valve from.
this chamber until it is filled with water, and then the water acts on this float
valve to close it, and retain the chamber:filled. But ou moving the chamber
in the opposite direction the inlet passages for the water thereto are closed.
the air valve and the outlet passage for the water are opened, and the water
flows from the. chamber, and so on. The size of the chamber is, the measure
of the quantity of water employed each time of action, and as such the
apparatus may be employed with a suitable index to indicate the times of
motion for measuring water or other fluids. The chamber may be stationary,
and the sliding motion be given to internal supply and outlet tubes or

page_text: cover or other valves may have motion given to them simultaneously through
the chamber.
By one valve arrangement employed by us holes are formed in concentric
tubes, one to slide in or upon the other, and the passages through them are
opened by the holes of one being brought over or coincident with those of the 5
other. The packing of the outer tube is effected by that tube being turned
out or recessed internally from one end to the extent desired, a ring packing
is then forced down to the bottom of this recessed part, and upon it a metal
ring, and then another packing and another metal ring, which by bars is con-
nected to another metal ring, and then another ring packing is placed in 1
position, and upon it another metal ring, and then a ring screw, by which the
amount of tightening desired may be given to the packings.
But that the Invention may be better understood, we will by the aid of the
accompanying Drawing proceed to describe means pursued by us.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
1
Figure 1 shows a section of apparatus constructed according to our improve-
ments. a, a, represents the close chamber or vessel, the size of which acts as
the measure of the quantity of water, or it may be other fluid passed through
it. The water or other fluid for the time to be used flows direct from a water
main, or from a suitable reservoir or other source into the upper portion of
the tube 6, which is divided from the lower portion of that tube by a par-
tition 6', and this water or other fluid passes from the upper portion of the
tube 6 into the chamber a through passages 62 therein, when those passages
are brought opposite corresponding passages c, c, of one of the tubes e, and
the water or other fluid passes away from the chamber or vessel a through 2
the passages d, d, in the other of the tubes e, and the passages 63 in the lower
portion of the tube b, when the chamber a and parts thereof are shifted to
The
bring the passages opposite the passages d, d, in the other tube 6.
lower portion of the tube is connected directly to the feed pipe. When neither
the passages bare opposite the passages c, nor the passages 63 opposite the 8
passages d, d, no fluid will pass either into or out of the chamber a.
tubes e, e, in which are formed the passages or holes c, c, and d, d, are
attached to the chamber a, and they respectively surround or are concentric
with the upper and lower portions of the tube b, and each of them is formed
with similar packing adapted to admit of these outer tubes e with the
chamber a sliding closely upon the internal tube b, or of the internal tube b
sliding within the chamber a for the opening and closing of the passages into
and from the chamber a, The packing to each of these parts e, e, is similarly.
The

page_text: formed by the application, first, of a ring packing E¹ of leather or other
suitable elastic material, upon which is placed a metal ring D, and thei
another ring of leather or other suitable flexible material E, and there are
other rings g, g, connected together by bars g', and then another ring E³, and
then a screw ring F, by which the desired amount of tightening may be pre-
served. In use the chamber a may be moved to and fro in either direction
as far as the stops 64 on the tube b, or the tube 6 may be moved in the
chamber a. The tube H carries a float valve H¹, which remains open for the
escape of air until it is raised by the rising of fluid in the vessel a, when the
float acting on the elastic substance applied to the under side of the passage H*
closes it.
Figure 2 shows a modification of part of the apparatus. In this casé à, a,
represents a portion of the measuring chamber or vessel; b, the discharge
tube, which is capable of sliding in the packing y carried by the chamber a;
h is a weighted valve, the under side of which is fitted with a washer of.india-
rubber or other suitable material h³, and a feathered guide h; a', a¹, are rests
for the valve, and a², a², guides to it. The valve h is shown open, the egress
for the water being the space between the washer h¹ and the upper end of the
tube 6, as indicated by the arrows. On moving the chamber a downwards
towards the cheek or rest i, the upper edge of the tube 6 will be raised against
the india-rubber or other flexible material h¹, and the passage from the
chamber a will be closed.
Figure 8 shows another modification of parts. In this case a, a, represents
a portion of the measuring chamber as before; 6, part of the inlet tube,
which is furnished with a threaded end, on which is screwed the support for
the guides s, s, which receive the arms o, o, of the valve h, and by which that
valve is suspended. The stuffing box E supplied with packing E' is affixed
to the chamber a, and at its upper side it projects, as shown at R, R, into
this chamber. The difference between this arrangement and the last is that
in this the valve is open when the chamber is down, and in the last when it is
up; the valve h is shown open, as indicated by the direction of the arrows.
The chamber a is resting on the stop i. On moving the chamber a upwards
the projections R, R, are brought to bear on the washer ¹ to receive the
weight of the valve h, and thereby close the outlet passages as before.
Some of the advantages arising out of the application of our improvements
to waterclosets are, simplicity of action, regulated supply without waste, com-
bined with a perfect flushing. The use of ball cocks, waste pipes, and other
of the ordinary appliances is rendered unnecessary, whilst from the operating
parts being enclosed within the chamber a, facility for tampering with them is

page_text: avoided, and yet repairing when necessary is easily accomplished by the most
inexperienced. The size of the chamber a is a measure of the quantity of
water employed each time of action, and as such, apparatus arranged according
to our improvements may be employed with a suitable index to indicate the
times of motion for measuring water or other fluids. These valve arrange:
ments are applicable to cocks or taps generally by forming the outer tube with
capability of communicating for the passage through it with the two sides of
a divided internal tube.
Having thus described our improvements and means which we adopt in
carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood, that we do not
confine ourselves to the precise details shown and described, as these may be
varied; but what we do claim is, the adaptations or combinations of means or
apparatus and methods of operating for the purpose of supplying water to
waterclosets and other places in regulated quantities, and the application
thereof to measuring the flow or passage of fluids, and to the construction of
cocks or taps, substantially as explained.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Thomson and John Murray,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-fourth day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-four.