Improvements in Gas Taps.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Taps.
I, ARTHUR THOMAS PHYTHIAN, of Marriott's Court, Spring Gardens,
Manchester, Cotton Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my aid
invention to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in providing the plug of an ordinary gas tap with an
adjustable collar or nut forming a stop for arresting the rotation of the plug at any
desired point when turned in one direction which may be so adjusted as to prevent
the gas being absolutely turned off but give a glimmer of light of any desired size;
the ordinary pin or stop serving to arrest the rotation of the plug for completely
turning off the gas when turned in the opposite direction by which means I produce
a gas tap possessing the advantages of an ordinary tap and those of a "glimmer
tap and dispense with the necessity of a separate tap for completely shutting off
the gas and a separate tap for simply diminishing the supply to give a "glimmer
as heretofore.
"
"
The pin or stud aforesaid is affixed to the plug in the usual manner and has for
its abutment an ordinary shoulder on the tap body whilst the collar or nut before
mentioned is adapted to screw onto the plug and is provided with a sloping pro-
jection corresponding to a sloping face or abutment on the body of the tap. By
screwing or unscrewing the collar or nut on the plug it will be readily apparent
that the two sloping faces may be caused to meet earlier or later and so the
extent to which the gas is to be turned off or on may be readily and effectually
determined.
It will now be obvious that by turning the plug in the direction of the ordinary
shoulder the supply of gas may be completely turned off but on turning such plug
in the opposite direction the rotation of the plug is arrested before it reaches the
point of cut off by the sloping projection on the adjustable collar coming against
the sloping face on the tap body thus preventing the gas being completely cut off
and so giving a "glimmer."
A modification of my improvements consists in forming a groove or channel in
the body of the tap which extends not quite half way round the inner circumference
of the tap body and a similar groove or channel in the plug which extends not
quite half way round the circumference of the plug. In this modification the
usual stop or pin is used and on turning the plug in one direction the supply of gas
is completely shut off but on turning the plug in the opposite direction the supply
is simply diminished sufficient gas being allowed to pass to the burner through
the channels or grooves (which at this point come opposite each other) to give a
'glimmer.'
66
"
A further modification consists in forming a small bye-passage in the plug
leading into the main channel or passage the exit of which is mouthed or enlarged
so that before the outlet end of the main passage becomes covered up by the tap
body the communication through the bye-passage will become opened. The
entrance of the main passage or channel is also mouthed or enlarged so as to ensure
a supply of gas to the bye-passage when uncovered by the tap body. This arrange-
ment requires one of the shoulders forming an abutment on the tap body to be
brought nearer the point at which the gas is fully on so as to cause the bye-passage
to come in exact register with the outlet passage.
Dated this 24th day of December 1891.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Taps.
I, ARTHUR THOMAS PHYTHIAN, of Marriott's Court, Spring Gardens,
Manchester, Cotton Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :--
My improvements consist in providing the plug of an ordinary gas tap with an
adjustable collar or nut forming a stop for arresting the rotation of the plug at any
desired point when turned in one direction which may be so adjusted as to prevent
the gas being absolutely turned off but give a "glimmer " of light of any desired
size; the ordinary pin or stop serving to arrest the rotation of the plug for com-
pletely turning off the gas when turned in the opposite direction by which means I
produce a gas tap possessing the advantages of an ordinary tap and those of a
glimmer" tap and dispense with the necessity of a separate tap for completely
shutting off the gas and a separate tap for simply diminishing the supply to give a
glimmer" as heretofore.
"
"
The pin or stud aforesaid is affixed to the plug in the usual manner and has for
its abutment an ordinary shoulder on the tap body whilst the collar or nut before
mentioned is adapted to screw onto the plug and is provided with a sloping pro-
jection corresponding to a sloping face or abutment on the body of the tap. By
screwing or unscrewing the collar or nut on the plug it will be readily apparent
that the two sloping faces may be caused to meet earlier or later and so the extent
to which the gas is to be turned off or on may be readily and effectually
determined.
It will be obvious that by turning the plug in the direction of the ordinary
shoulder the supply of gas may be completely turned off but on turning such plug
in the opposite direction the rotation of the plug is arrested before it reaches the
point of cut off by the sloping projection on the adjustable collar coming against
the sloping face on the tap body thus preventing the gas being completely cut
off and so giving a "glimmer."
A modification of my improvements consists in forming a groove or channel
in the body of the tap which extends not quite half way round the inner cir-
cumference of the tap body and a similar groove or channel in the plug which
extends not quite half way round the circumference of the plug. In this modi-
fication the usual stop or pin is used and on turning the plug in one direction
the supply of gas is completely shut off but on turning the plug in the opposite
direction the supply is simply diminished sufficient gas being allowed to pass to
the burner through the channels or grooves which at this point come opposite
each other to give a "glimmer."
A further modification consists in forming a small bye passage in the plug
leading into the main channel or passage the exit of which is mouthed or enlarged
so that before the outlet end of the main passage becomes covered up by the tap
body the communication through the bye passage will become opened. The
entrance of the main passage or channel is also mouthed or enlarged so as to ensure
a supply of gas to the bye passage when uncovered by the tap body. This
arrangement requires one of the shoulders forming an abutment on the tap body to
be brought nearer the point at which the gas is fully on so as to cause the bye
passage to come opposite the outlet passage.
On the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 illustrates a gas tap with my improved adjustable ring or collar shewn
applied thereto.

page_text: Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the body portion of the tap shewing the
inclined stop.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew the plug and ring separately.
Figs. 5 to 11 illustrate modifications.
A (Fig. 1) designates my improved collar or nut which is milled as illustrated
or formed square or hexagon shape to facilitate adjustment on the screwed plug B
of the tap. Said collar is formed with the inclined or sloping edge C either as
shewn in Fig. 1 or as shewn in Fig. 5 corresponding by preference to a slope or
incline D on the body of the tap.
The collar is screwed onto the screwed portion of the plug previous to its being
placed in position in the body of the tap.
The movement of the plug may be arrested at any desired point between the
"full-on" to the "shut-off" position according as the inclined surface on the collar
is set to meet the inclined surface on the body of the tap which is readily effected
by simply screwing or unscrewing the collar.
The plug may be arranged to shut off the supply of gas on being turned in both
directions or it may be arranged to shut off absolutely in one direction but in the
other direction to simply diminish the supply of gas to give a "glimmer."
The shoulder E and pin E' serve to arrest the movement of the plug on the
"turn-out" side.
It will be obvious that any suitable form of shoulder or stop may be formed on
the collar or tap body but I prefer the sloping face aforesaid.
The angle or slope of the incline on the collar differs from that of the screw
thread on the plug, either more or less acute, to. cause the collar to bind on the
screws when in contact with sloping face on tap body.
A lock nut or collar may be mounted upon the tap plug to fix the ring when set
to the desired point.
In accordance with the modifications shewn in Figs. 6 to 9 I form a groove F in
the plug and a similar groove G in the body of the tap, the former opening into
the main passage of the plug at H and the latter opening into the passage of the
tap body at I. On turning the plug say in the direction indicated by the arrow
the gas is shut off, and the light turned out, but on turning the plug in the reverse
direction the main passage of the plug is closed and a communication opens through
the grooves F and G (see Fig. 9) and thus a "glimmer" is obtained.
In this modification the ordinary stop J acting against shoulders K is used for
arresting the plug.
In accordance with the modification shewn in Figs. 10 and 11 a bye passage Lis
formed in the plug leading from the main passage M, the exit end of which is
mouthed or enlarged as illustrated.
Likewise the entrance end of the main passage M is mouthed or enlarged so that
on the plug being turned in the direction of the arrow and its movement being
arrested by a shoulder on the tap body, brought near the full-on point, the exit
end of the main passage is covered, but a communication remains open through the
bye passage and thus a "glimmer" is obtained.
On turning the plug in the opposite direction the gas is completely shut off.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
--
1st. The use and employment of a collar or nut, screwing upon the plug of a gas
tap with a sloping face in combination with by preference a sloping face or incline
on the tap body substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and
illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
2nd. In a gas tap the use and employment of groove F formed in the plug and
the groove G formed in the tap body substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.

page_text: 3rd. In a gas tap the bye passage L and main passage M in conjunction with a
stop or shoulder acting in the manner as and for the purpose substantially as set
forth.
Dated this 27th day of September 1892.
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicant.