AN IMPROVED. SYSTEM OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING AND DISTRIBUTING WATER TO AND IN HOUSES AND OTHER PLACES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Henry Johnson at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th June 1882. Communicated to
him from abroad by Anthelme Dumas of Paris in the Republic of France.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "AN IMPROVED. SYSTEM OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING AND
DISTRIBUTING WATER TO AND IN HOUSES AND OTHER PLACES." A communication
to me from abroad by Anthelme Dumas of Paris in the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to an improved system of and apparatus for supplying
and distributing water in and to houses and other places and it has for its object
obviating the disadvantages of the systems at present in use by the employment
of a simple and inexpensive arrangement of apparatus capable of working with
regularity and precision.
The water pipes usually employed in dwellinghouses are subjected owing to
the pressure of the water to sudden shocks giving rise to noises which are a source
of annoyance to the inhabitants especially at night-time and which also strain
the joints cause leakages and occasionally completely flood the premises. Moreover
these pipes being of considerable diameter the operations connected with placing
them in position cause great damage to walls and partitions and necessitate the
employment of skilled workmen.
According to this Invention water pipes or conduits of relatively small diameter
not exceeding about one quarter of an inch internal diameter are employed
whereby the shocks suddenly arresting the motion of the column of water are
diminished and the pipes are rendered capable of being laid in any convenient
position in a similar manner to gas pipes without damaging the building or
requiring the assistance of special workmen
It is evident that if the delivery cocks were placed directly on pipes of this
description the water would not be delivered in sufficient volume for general
purposes For this reason it is proposed to employ special reservoirs provided
with suitable cocks as hereinafter described
In carrying out this Invention closed tanks or reservoirs of suitable form and
dimensions are provided at points where the supply of water is required.
The cover of the reservoir is connected to two pipes one of which comparatively

page_text: of small diameter and provided with a stop cock serves to conduct water to the
reservoir whilst the other pipe leading to a cock of special construction herein-
after described serves to supply air to the same reservoir. The bottoin of the
reservoir is provided with a water discharge pipe leading to the same cock as the
air pipe hereinbefore described
In order that the flow of water from the reservoir may take place it is necessary
that the volumo of water drawn through the discharge cock should be replaced
as fast as it escapes by a corresponding volume of air otherwise a partial vacuum
would be formed in the reservoir and the flow of water would be consequently
impeded
The air and water may be allowed to enter the reservoir through the bottom of
the reservoir if preferred in which case the air inlet pipe must be continued up to
the upper part of the reservoir.
The discharge cock is constructed in a peculiar manner in order to allow of the
entrance of air to the reservoir simultaneously with the discharge of water from
the same reservoir. This cock contains two separate channels one for the
discharge of water the other for the admission of air and each of these
channels are provided with a valve pressed against its seat by a spring. These
valves are lifted from their seats simultaneously by means of a cam worked by
a handle
In order to draw water from the reservoir the cam must be turned by means
of its handle so as to press or lift both the valves from their seats the form of the
cam being such that the parts are returned automatically to their original position
by the action of the valve springs directly the handle is released. When the valves
are open the water flows out from the reservoir through one of the passages and
air enters tho reservoir through the other passage.
Water is supplied to the reservoir in a continuous manner through the small
pipe hereinbefore referred to and takes the place of the water drawn out by
continuing to flow after the discharge cock is closed. The reservoir presents
the advantage of maintaining a uniform pressure at the discharge cock and
preventing the water from rushing out violently directly this cock is opened.
According to another arrangement the reservoir is surmounted by a chamber
containing a float and a suitable supply pipe feeds the latter with water which
when the reservoir is full also enters the chamber above through a suitable con-
necting pipe and lifts the float causing it to close an opening for the admission
of air in the upper part of the said Chamber.
When water is allowed to escape through the outlet pipe the float descends
opening the air inlet and closes it again When the water from the supply pipe
hns refilled the reservoir and chamber The opening in the upper part of the
chamber communicates with an overflow pipe to carry away the excess of water
in case the float fails to act properly. This overflow pipe also serves to admit air
to the reservoir According to another arrangement the reservoir is placed in a
horizontal position and is supplied with water at its upper part by a small inlet
pipe as in the arrangements herein before described The water is drawn off from
this reservoir through a cock provided with two channels acting in a similar
manner to the passages hereinbefore described. The plug of this cock is traversed
by two passages one being for the admission of air and the other for the escape
of water. These two passages communicate (when the cock is open) on the one
hand with corresponding passages in the socket or body of the cock leading to the
reservoir and on the other hand with similar passages in a tubular nozzle which
forms a continuation of the plug and projects at right angles to the axis of the
latter.
When the parts are in the position for drawing off water the water escapes
through one of the passages in the plug whilst air enters the reservoir through
the other. The plug is turned round in order to close the passages by means of
the nozzle.
A water supply valve which may be readily applied to tanks or reservoirs of

page_text: ordinary construction may be arranged as next hereinafter described. A float in
the reservoir operates a rod by means of jointed connecting rods and levers.
This rod acts on a valve consisting of a diaphragm of india rubber, leather or other
suitable material so arranged that when it is depressed by the rod it cuts off the
communication between the water supply passages leading to the reservoir.
In this case also an overflow pipe is employed which provides for the admission
of air as well as the escape of water consequently in case the valve fails to act the
sides of the reservoir are not subjected to excessive pressure and the excess of
water is carried away by the said pipe. The valve may be arranged in a special
chamber above the cistern or tank.
The reservoirs may be combined with a filter in which case a cock of peculiar
construction is employed for feeding and cleaning the filter and another special
cock serves for drawing off the filtered water.
The plug of the former cock presents three passages which by turning the plug
may be made to communicate with corresponding passages in the body of the cock.
One of the latter passages communicates with the interior of the filter on the one
hand and with the supply pipe on the other hand The other passago in the body
of the cock communicates with the water supply pipe on the one hand and with
the interior of the reservoir on the other hand.
When the Plug is in the position for supplying the filter with water one of the
openings in the plug connects the passage leading from the opening in the supply
pipe with the passage leading to the filter into which the water is delivered by a
pipe provided with lateral perforations. After traversing the filter the water
enters the reservoir in a filtered condition whence it is drawn off as required by
means of the discharge cock. The water entering the reservoir compresses the air
contained in the latter and if allowed to escape through a cock of ordinary
construction would rush out with considerable force. In order to prevent this a
cock provided with two passages is employed. When this cock is opened the
compressed air escapes through one of these passages which communicates with
the top of the reservoir. Equilibrium of pressure being thus established the water
flows out through the other passage under a pressure corresponding to the level of
the water in the reservoir.
For cleaning the filter the plug of the first mentioned cock must be turned to
such a position as to connect the passage leading from the supply pipe with the
passage leading to the reservoir and to connect the passage leading to the interior
of the filter with a discharge pipe leading to the sink for example.
The water thus passes through the filter and cleans it.
The ends of the pipes are joined and the connections with branch pipes are made
according to this Invention in the manner next hereinafter described. For
example in case it is required to join the ends of two pipes an intermediate or
connecting piece is employed consisting of a plain central part with ends provided
with right and left handed screws and terminating in conical extremities.
The end of the pipe is first passed through a nut having an internal flange.
A sleeve or collar provided with a flange is then passed over the end of the
pipe with the flange turned towards the said end. This end is then enlarged to
correspond with the conical end of the connecting piece and the nut is then
brought down over the sleeve and screwed on to the said connecting piece. The
other pipe is secured to the opposite end of the connecting piece in a similar
manner
In order to screw up the nuts and cause them to force the ends of the pipes
against the ends of the connecting piece it is simply necessary to turn the said
connecting piece by means of the central portion.
In order to empty the pipes (in case for example of frost) purge cocks are
applied to the pipes by means of a tube forming a continuation of the pipe and
provided internally with a right handed screw at one extremity and with a left
handed screw at the opposite extremity the axis of the said tube being at right
angles to the cock The pipe is divided at its lowest point and the two ends of

page_text: pipe are joined to the tube by means of two connecting pieces similar to those
heroin before described with the exception that they are not provided with cones
at the ends which screw into the tubo
In order to connect a branch pipe to a pipe containing water under pressure
without cutting off the water a stirrup of improved construction is employed.
This stirrup consists of two plates each provided with a groove or channel which
when the plates are bolted together over the pipe form a recess containing the
portion of the pipe passing through the stirrup. This recess may be lined with
feather india rubber or other suitable material to provent leakage. A hole is
formed in one of these plates communicating at one end with the groovo or
channel and at the other end with a socket provided with a female screw. Tho
pipe to which the branch is to be connected is placed between the plate which are
then pressed together by means of screws so as to nip the pipe between them A
cock is then screwed into the socket and a hole is then bored in the pipe by
means of a drill passed through the cock. When the hole is made the drill must
be quickly removed and the cock closed. The branch pipe is then connected to
the cock by a joint formed as hereinbefore described with reference to the
connecting pieces