A Self-locking Arrangement for Gas and other Cocks.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 1st Apr., 1891-Accepted, 2nd May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Self-locking Arrangement for Gas and other Cocks.
We, SAMUEL HARRISON, of 9, Slater Street, Pendleton, in the Borough of
Salford, Foreman Meter Repairer, and JOHN TOMLINSON SHEARD, of 6, Howard
Street, Eccles New Road, in the Borough of Salford, Gas-works Superin-
tendent, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for A SELF-LOCKING
ARRANGEMENT FOR GAS AND OTHER COCKS to be as follows:-
Our invention has for its object to enable the plug of a plug cock, as used for
gas, water or other fluid, to be fixed, locked, secured or fastened in any desired
position in such a manner that it cannot subsequently be moved from that position
without the permission or sanction of the person so fixing, locking, securing or
fastening it; or, if unduly interfered or tampered with, without shewing evidence
of such interference.
The invention has reference to plug cocks in which the plug is moved to open or
close the cock by means of a moveable key or spanner fitting on to the squared
head of the plug; and it consists of a key or spanner so constructed as when placed
in one position on the head of the plug allows of its being moved in the ordinary
manner, but in another position it interlocks with the upper part of the barrel of
the cock so as to prevent the plug from being moved; and the top of the plug and
of the boss of the key or spanner being sealed with wax it becomes impossible to
alter the position of the key or spanner and so to move the plug without first
breaking the seal.
In carrying out our invention we cast, attach or fix to the underside of the boss
of the key or spanner one or more studs, pins, pegs or projections, and, the boss
being somewhat deeper than in an ordinary key or spanner, we hollow out the extra
depth on the upper side of the boss so as to form a circular recess or hollow for a
purpose which will be explained further on; or, if desired, the key or spanner may,
apart from the stud or studs, pins, pegs or projections on the underside of the boss,
in nowise differ from the ordinary form of key or spanner.
In an ordinary plug cock, such as is herein before described, the plug of the cock
is prevented from describing more than half a circle, and so being turned beyond
the point at which the cock is shut off or closed, in the following manner: The
barrel of the cock, at its upper part, is cut away for a short distance on half of its
circumference, and in the hollow thus formed a projecting pin or stud on the
periphery of the plug travels to and fro, the plug being thus stopped from turning
at the two extreme points where the pin or stud comes in contact with the uncut
portion of the barrel, the cock being shut off or closed when the plug is in either of
these two positions.
The operation or working of our invention may now be described. In order to
fix, lock, secure or fasten the plug of a cock when shut or closed, so as to prevent
its being opened without the permission or sanction of the person so fixing, locking,
securing or fastening it, we place the key or spanner on the head of the plug in such
a manner that the stud, pin, peg or projection on its underside is in contact with
the uncut part (already described) of the barrel of the cock at the opposite point
on its circumference to that at which the pin or stud on the plug of the cock is
itself in contact, thus the plug is prevented from turning in one direction by its own
pin or stud and in the other direction by the stud, pin, peg or projection on the
underside of the key or spanner. The upper side of the boss of the key or spanner
and the top of the head of the plug we then cover with wax and seal in the ordinary
manner so that the key or spanner cannot be removed or interfered with without the
seal being broken. In order to prevent the seal being broken by the key or spanner

page_text: being accidentally or inadvertently interfered with, without fraudulent intention,
we prefer to hollow out the upper part of the boss of the key or spanner (made
deep enough to allow of its projecting above the head of the plug) and fix or secure
the key or spanner to the head of the plug by means of a thin metal plate fitting
into the hollow thus formed and firmly held down upon the head of the plug by
means of a small screw, the plate and screw being then sealed with wax as
previously described.
If it be required to fix, lock, secure or fasten the plug of a cock when fully or
only partially open we cast, attach or fix two studs, pins, pegs or projections at
opposite points on the underside of the boss of the key or spanner, and in such
positions as to be in contact with both extremities of the uncut portion (already
described) of the barrel of the cock, thus preventing the plug from being moved
in either direction-the key or spanner being afterwards sealed in the manner
already described.
To prevent the plug of the cock, when locked, from being taken out of the
barrel, thus obtaining a clear way through the cock, the projecting pin or stud on
the plug may be caused to interlock, when the cock is closed, in a hollow recess
formed for the purpose in the uncut portion (already described) of the upper part
of the barrel of the cock.
When the cock is not required to be locked the key or spanner hereinbefore
described may be turned upside down, in which position it acts exactly like an
ordinary key or spanner.
Dated this 30th day of June 1890.
S. HARRISON.
JOHN T. SHEARD.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Self-locking Arrangement for Gas and other Cocks.
We, SAMUEL HARRISON, of 9, Slater Street, Pendleton, in the Borough of
Salford, Foreman Meter Repairer, and JOHN TOMLINSON SHEARD, of 6, Howard
Street, Eccles New Road, in the Borough of Salford, Gas-works Superintendent,
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:-
Our invention has for its object to enable the plug of a plug cock, as used for
gas, water or other fluid, to be fixed, locked, secured or fastened in any desired
position in such a manner that it cannot subsequently be moved from that position
without the permission or sanction of the person so fixing, locking, securing or
fastening it; or, if unduly interfered or tampered with, without shewing evidence
of such interference.
The invention has reference to plug cocks in which the plug is moved to open or
close the cock by means of a moveable key or spanner fitting on to the squared
head of the plug; and it consists of a key or spanner so constructed and fitted on
to the head of the plug as in one position to allow of the latter being moved in the
ordinary manner but in another it interlocks with the upper part of the barrel of
the cock so as to prevent the plug from being moved, and the top of the plug and
of the boss of the key or spanner being sealed with wax or protected by a locked
cover it becomes impossible to alter the position of the key or spanner and so to
move the plug without first breaking the seal or forcing the lock.
The invention is in two parts: the first part provides for securing or locking
a cock when closed only, and the second for securing or locking it in any position
either open or closed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which similar letters indicate corresponding parts in all the
figures.

page_text: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a key or spanner for securing or locking a
cock when closed and Figure 2 a plan of the underside of same. Figure 3 shews
the application of the key or spanner to the cock. Figure 4 is a plan of a key or
spanner for securing or locking a cock either open or closed and Figure 5 a view
of part of the key or spanner not shewn in the plan. Figures 6 and 7 shew in
elevation and section respectively the application of the key or spanner to the
cock.
In carrying out the first part of our invention we cast, attach or fix to the under-
side of the boss a¹ of the key or spanner A¹ a stud, pin, peg or projection B, and,
the boss a¹ being somewhat deeper than in an ordinary key or spanner, we hollow
out the extra depth on the upper side of the boss so as to form a circular recess or
hollow for a purpose which will be explained further on; or; if desired, the key or
spanner A' may, apart from the stud, pin, peg or projection B, in nowise differ
from the ordinary form of key or spanner.
In an ordinary plug cock, such as is hereinbefore described, and as shown in
Figure 3, the plug of the cock is prevented from describing more than half a
circle, and so being turned beyond the point at which the cock is shut off or closed,
in the following manner: The barrel D of the cock at its upper part is cut away
for a short distance on half of its circumference, and in the hollow thus formed a
projecting pin or stud c on the periphery of the plug travels to and fro, the plug
being thus stopped from turning at the two extreme points d d where the pin or
stud c comes in contact with the uncut portion of the barrel, the cock being shut off
or closed when the plug is in either of these two positions.
The operation or working of our invention may now be described. In order to
fix, lock, secure or fasten the plug of a cock when shut or closed, so as to prevent
its being opened without the permission or sanction of the person so fixing, locking,
securing or fastening it, we place the key or spanner A¹ on the head of the plug
in such a manner that the stud, pin, peg or projection B on its underside is in
contact with the barrel of the cock at one extreme point d while the pin or stud c
on the plug of the cock is itself in contact at the other extreme point d, thus the
plug C is prevented from turning in one direction by its own pin or stud €9 and in
the other direction by the stud, pin, peg or projection B on the key or spanner.
The upper side of the boss of the key or spanner and the top of the head of the
plug we then cover with wax and seal in the ordinary manner, so that the key or
spanner cannot be removed or interfered with without the scal being broken. In
order to prevent the seal being broken by the key or spanner being accidentally or
inadvertently interfered with, we prefer to hollow out the upper part of the boss a¹
of the key or spanner (made deep enough to allow of its projecting above the head
of the plug) and fix or secure the key or spanner A' to the head of the plug C by
means of a thin metal plate E fitting into the hollow thus formed, and firmly held
down upon the head of the plug C by means of a small screw F, the plate E and
screw F being then sealed with wax as previously described.
To prevent the plug of the cock, when locked, from being taken out of the
barrel, thus obtaining a clear way through the cock, the projecting pin or stud c on
the plug may be caused to interlock, when the cock is closed, in a hollow recess
formed for the purpose at one of the extremities d d of the hollow on the upper part.
of the barrel of the cock.
When the cock is not required to be locked the key or spanner hereinbefore
described may be turned upside down, or moved one quarter of a circle on the
plug, in which position it acts exactly like an ordinary key or spanner.
In carrying out the second part of our invention, that namely of enabling the
plug of a cock to be locked, secured or fastened in any position open or closed, we
dispense with the stud, pin, peg or projection B on the underside of the key or
spanner and also with the projecting pin or stud c on the periphery of the plug of
the cock. Instead thereof we perforate the boss a² of the key or spanner A² with
two slots G G concentric to the opening for fitting on to the squared head of the.
plug, and provide a metal plate H having two ears or projections h h which pass.

page_text: t
2
.
.
through the slots G G and abut against the extremities d d of the uncut portion of
the barrel of the cock. On the head of the plug C we securely insert, attach or
fix a screwed spindle I projecting through the boss a² of the key A² and the metal
plate H and provided with a winged nut K for enabling the metal plate H to be
firmly held down upon the key or spanner A2 on the head of the plug. To enable
the plate H to grip the key or spanner A² we make the two parts where they meet
with serrated or roughened surfaces. When the pressure of the winged nut K on
the metal plate H is released the cock may be freely opened or closed by means of
the key or spanner A2; but when it is screwed firmly down so as to cause the metal
plate H to grip tightly upon the key or spanner A2 the plug C of the cock is
secured or fastened in what position soever it may be, and cannot be moved there-
from to open or close the cock without first releasing the pressure of the winged
nut K on the metal plate H. Instead of the screwed spindle I fixed on the plug
and provided with the winged nut K an ordinary screw may be employed inserted
through the metal plate and the key or spanner into a suitably prepared orifice on
the head of the plug.
To secure the cock from interference we enclose the top of the key or spanner
containing the winged nut K and screw I in a suitable case or cover L protected
by a padlock, or if desired the arrangement of sealing the same with wax as before
described may be adopted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a plug cock actuated by means of a moveable key or spanner, the method
of securing or locking the plug of the cock, when closed, by a projection on the key
or spanner abutting against the barrel of the cock, which prevents the plug from
being turned in one direction, while a pin or stud on the plug itself abuts against
another portion of the barrel, preventing the plug from being turned in the other
direction substantially as herein shewn and described.
2. In a plug cock actuated by means of a moveable key or spanner, the method
of securing or locking the plug of the cock in any position open or closed by means
of two projecting ears or studs passing through slots in the boss of the key or
spanner and abutting against the barrel of the cock, and capable of being held or
secured in one position relative to the key or spanner and the plug and barrel of
the cock by means of a screw or a nut on a screwed spindle or other equivalent
means in the manner substantially as herein shewn and described.
3. In a key or spanner for actuating a plug cock the stud or projection B for the
purpose herein shewn and described.
4. In a key or spanner for actuating a plug cock the slots G G, the plate H with
ears or projections hh, the screwed spindle I and nut K for the purpose herein
shewn and described.
5. The construction of a key or spanner for securing fixing or locking the
plug of a plug cock either open or closed in the manner substantially as herein
shewn and described.
Dated this 28th day of March 1891.
S. HARRISON.
JOHN T. SHEARD.