Improvements in Multiple Water-supply Taps and Accessory Fittings for Baths, Lavatories, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 10th Nov.. 1898-Accepted, 17th Dec., 1898
Improvements in Multiple Water-supply Taps and Accessory
Fittings for Baths, Lavatories, and the like.
I, JOHN SHANKS, of Tubal Works, Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to provide improved constructions and
combinations of water-supply taps, adapted for giving convenient control of hot
and cold water, and for directing hot or cold water or mixtures thereof to various
parts in connection with baths, lavatories, and the like; and comprises modifications
suitable for various situations and requirements.
An improved tap for delivering hot or cold water or both from one nozzle comprises
a cylindrical box having in its circumferential parts inlets for hot and cold water and
an outlet to the delivery nozzle. External screw caps give access to inlet spaces in
which are arranged disk valves to close with the pressure, springs being added
to prevent displacement and insure closing. Each valve is made with a spindle
projecting into the cylindrical box; and an eccentric is fitted to act on the spindles
for opening the valves, this eccentric being turnable by means of a spindle fixed to
The
it and extending out through a stuffing box in the cover of the valve box.
inlet spaces communicate with passages connected to the supply pipes, and, with the
pipes may be arranged in various positions relatively to the box and delivery
nozzle.
In the modification which has been described the delivery outlet is without a valve;
but when the water is required to be directed to one or other of two or more delivery
nozzles, or parts such as for supplying the bath, spray, douche, shower, or wave,—the
outlets connected by pipes to the several nozzles, are provided with valves which
may be opened or closed as required by means of eccentrics or segmental eccentrics or
cams all on the same or on separate spindles. The cylindrical valve box may be
vertical, horizontal, or inclined. The outlet ports from the valve box, of the passages
or pipes to the various delivery nozzles or parts may be closed by sliding covers
centered on pins in convenient positions near the ports, these covers having projecting
parts on them to be acted on by the seginental cams or equivalent parts on the main
valve spindle. In connection with the valve spindle a pointer is arranged to move
over a disk having words on it showing the position into which the spindle
is to be turned to open the communication with whatever delivery nozzle is
desired.
In other modifications the valve box is provided with separate hot-water and cold-
water inlets and valves, and the distribution to several passages and pipes is effected
by means of a central conical plug of wide angle, with cavities in its conical surface
to form communications with several ports from which passages extend to pipes
leading to the several delivery nozzles or parts. Or there may be separate valves for
the outlets from the valve box as well as for the hot-water and cold-water supplies
into it. In order to render such arrangement compact and with the several valves
near together, they are disposed with the valve spindles inclined alternately in
opposite directions to avoid interference of the spindle handles with each other.

page_text: Valve boxes such as herein before described with hot-water and cold-water inlets
and several outlets, are by preference fixed horizontally at the wall sides of the
baths and at about the middle of the length of the bath; they may however if
desired be placed vertically or in any other convenient position. The valve apparatus
may be provided with an external cover, with only the handle or handles projecting
such cover being made with recesses for soap or other articles.
In some cases a simplified modification of the combined hot-water and cold-water
tap may be combined with the other parts. In this modification the valve box is in
two parts made to be screwed together. In the upper part there is an inlet for (say)
hot water with an annular port arranged to be closed by an annular valve screwed
externally to work in an internal screw in the valve box, and moved by an external
handle. When the valve is open the water finds its way by a lateral passage down
into the outlet space in the lower part of the valve box. In the lower part there is
an inlet port for the cold water, which is arranged to be closed by a disk on the lower
end of a spindle which extends up through the upper valve to an upper external
handle, the spindle being at one part screwed externally to work in an internal screw
formed in the central part of the valve-box body within the upper annular port.
Dated this Twelfth day of February 1898.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
Improvements in Multiple Water-supply Taps and Accessory
Fittings for Baths, Lavatories, and the like.
I, JOHN SHANKS, of Tubal Works, Barrhead, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Sanitary Engineer, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to provide improved constructions and
combinations of water-supply taps, adapted for giving convenient control of hot
and cold water, or mixtures thereof to various parts in connection with baths,
lavatories, and the like; and comprises modifications suitable for various situations
and requirements.
Examples of my improved taps are shown on two accompanying sheets of
explanatory drawings which are hereinafter referred to. In these drawings the same
reference letters are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are
repeated.
An improved tap, shown in Figures 1, and 2, which are vertical sections as
at right angles to each other, is for delivering hot or cold water, or both from one
nozzle, and comprises a cylindrical box, A, having in its circunferential parts
inlets, B, C, for hot and cold water, and an outlet, D, to the delivery nozzle.
External screw caps, E, give access to inlet spaces in which are arranged disk
valves, F, to close with the pressure, springs, G, being added to prevent displace
ment and insure closing. Each valve, F, is made with a spindle projecting into
the cylindrical box; and an eccentric, H, is fitted to act on the valve spindles for
opening the valves, this eccentric being turnable by means of a handled
spindle, J, fixed to it and extending out through a stuffing box in the cover of
the valve box. The valve inlets, B, C, communicate with the supply pipes; and
with the pipes may be arranged in various positions relatively to the box, A, and
the delivery outlet, D, and nozzle. Figure 3, is an elevation of an example in
which the inlets and outlets are arranged somewhat differently from what is shown
in Figures 1, and 2.

page_text: In the modification which has been described the delivery outlet, D, is without a
vaive; but when the water is required to be directed to one or other of two or more
delivery nozzles or parts, such as for supplying the bath, spray, douche, shower, or
wave, the outlets, I), connected by pipes to the several nozzles, are provided with
valves, F, which may be opened or closed as required by means of eccentrics, or
segmental eccentrics, or cams, H, on separate spindles, or all on the same spindle, J,
as shown in Figure 4, which is a sectional elevation of such a multiple delivery
arrangement. The cylindrical valve box, A, may be vertical, horizontal, or
inclined.
As shown in sectional elevation in Figure 6, the ports of the outlets, D, from
the valve box, A, of the passages or pipes to the various delivery nozzles or
parts, may be closed each by a sliding cover, K, (shown enlarged and in inverted
plan in Figure 5) centered on a pin in a convenient position near the port, the
cover having projecting parts, L, on it to be acted on by a segmental cam
equivalent part, M, on the main valve spindle, J.
or
In connection with the valve spindle, J, a pointer, N, is arranged, as shown in
Figure 7, to move over a disk having on it words or numbers to show the position
into which the spindle is to be turned to open communication with whatever delivery
nozzle or nozzles is desired.
In order to render snch arrangement compact and with the several valves near
together, the valves are disposed with their spindles inclined alternately in opposite
directions as shown in Figure 8, to avoid interference of the spindle bandles with
each other.
In a modification shown in vertical section in Figure 9, on Sheet 2, of the
drawings. The valve box, P, is provided with separate hot-water and cold-water
inlets, B, C, and valves, Q, and the distribution to several passages, D, and pipes
is effected by means of a central conical plug, R, of wide angle, with cavities in
its conical surface to form communications with the ports of the several passages, D.
Or there may be separate valves for the outlets from the valve box as well as for the
hot-water and cold-water supplies into it.
Valve boxes such as herein before described, with hot-water and cold-water inlets
and several outlets, are by preference fixed horizontally at the wall sides of the baths
and at about the middle of the length of the bath; they may however be placed
vertically or in any other convenient position. The valve apparatus may be provided
with an external cover, Z, with only the handle or handles projecting, such cover
being made with recesses for soap or other articles. An example of such a cover is
shown in Figures 11, and 12, which are views as at right angles to each other.
In some cases a simplified modification of the combined hot-water and cold-water
tap may be combined with the other parts. In this modification which is shown in
vertical section in Figure 10, the valve box is in two parts, S, T, made to be
serewed together. In the upper part, S, there is an inlet, B, for (say) hot water with
an annular port arranged to be closed by an annular valve, U, screwed externally to
work in an internal screw in the valve box, and moved by an external handle, V.
When the valve is open the water finds its way by a lateral passage down into the
outlet space, D, in the lower part, T, of the valve box. In the lower part, T, there
is an inlet port, C, for the cold water, which is arranged to be closed by a disk, W,
on the lower end of a spindle, X, which extends up through the upper valve, U, to a
separate external handle, Y, the spindle, X, being at one part screwed externally to
work in au internal screw formed in the central part of the valve-box body within
the upper annular port.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved construction of multiple water-supply taps herein before described

page_text: 2. The improved construction of multiple water-supply taps herein before described
with reference to Figure 4, of the accompanying drawings.
3. The improved construction of multiple water-supply taps herein before described
with reference to Figures 5, 6, 7, of the accompanying drawings.
4. The improved construction of multiple water-supply taps herein before described
with reference to Figure 8, of the accompanying drawings.
5. The improved construction of multiple water-supply taps hereinbefore described
with reference to Figure 9, of the accompanying drawings.
6. The improved construction of multiple water-supply taps herein before described
with reference to Figure 10, of the accompanying drawings.
7. The placing of multiple water-supply taps with their fittings at about the
middle of the wall side of a bath and with or without a cover as herein before
described with reference to Figures 11, 12, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Ninth day of November 1898.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.