AN IMPROVED COCK OR TAP AND FLUSHING APPARATUS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Parsons and James Attree, both of
Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Engineers, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED COCK OR TAP AND FLUSHING APPARATUS."
Sealed the 1st June 1858, and dated the 3rd December 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Parsons and'
James Attree at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 3rd December 1857.
We, WILLIAM PARSONS and JAMES ATTREE, both of Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED COCK OR TAP AND FLUSHING APPARATUS," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention so far as relates to the cock, consists in forming the plug in
the shape of a hollow cone and with apertures for the outflow of water at the
back of the cone formed in front of the apex of the cone; the cone is free to
move to and fro within certain limits in a hollow barrel, closed at one end and
open at the other to allow of the passage of liquid through it. The water
enters the barrel through an orifice in the upper part thereof, which is formed
conical at that part and affords a seat for the hollow conical plug. In order
to admit liquid the hollow conical plug is forced back, when the liquid will
flow in through the orifice in the barrel. To stop the inflow, the plug
is drawn forward into its seat and closes the aperture in the barrel. The
openings in the front of the plug allow of the passage of any liquid there
may be in the barrel and at the back of the plug.

page_text: Our flushing apparatus is constructed as follows:-We fit such a tap as that
before described inside a cistern, and connect a float or ball on the end of a
lever to the outer end of the conical plug. To the opposite side of the ball to
which the lever is connected we fix an eye, through which a rod connected to
another lever hereafter mentioned is passed, and up and down which rod the
float is free to rise and fall, the extent of the fall being limited by a knob
formed on one end of the rod. The lever to which the float rod is connected
is centered upon the inner end of another lever, the outer end of which has a
wire or pull attached to it. The outflow valve is also connected to the float
rod lever in such manner, that upon the commanding wire being pulled, the
float is first raised to close and to keep closed the inlet, and the outlet valve is
immediately afterwards raised to permit of the discharge of the whole contents
of the cistern; on releasing the commanding wire the outlet valve falls, the
float also falls and allows of water entering the cistern to the height regulated
by the ordinary action of the float.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Parsons and James Attree in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 3rd June 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
PARSONS and JAMES ATTREE, both of Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said William Parsons and James Attree, Her special licence, that we, the said
William Parsons and James Attree, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said William Parsons and James Attree, 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 ex-
pressed, 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 "AN IMPROVED COCK OR TAP AND FLUSHING APPARATUS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Parsons
and James Attree, or one of us, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of our or their hands and

page_text: seals, 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 William Parsons and James Attree, do
hereby declare the nature of our 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
Our Invention so far as relates to the cock is illustrated in Figure 1 of the
said Drawings, and consists in forming the plug in the shape of a hollow cone
or tapered figure a, and with apertures 6 shewn in dotted lines for the outflow
of water at the back of the cone. The plug is free to move up and down
within certain limits in a hollow barrel c closed at the upper end and open at
the lower, to allow of the passage of liquid through it. The water enters the
barrel c through an orifice d in the upper part thereof, which is formed conical
at that part, and affords a seat for the hollow plug a. In order to admit liquid the
hollow plug is forced up, when the liquid will flow in through the orifice d in
the barrel. To stop the inflow, the plug is drawn downward into its seat and
closes the aperture d in the barrel. The spaces e, e, between the triangular
faces of the lower end of the plug, shewn separately and in section in Figure 2,
allow of the passage of any liquid there may be in the barrel and at the back
of or within the hollow portion f of the plug.
Our flushing apparatus is constructed in preference as follows:-We fit
such a tap as that before described inside a cistern A, shewn in section in
Figure 3, and connect a float or ball B on the end of a rod C to the outer end
of the plug a.
A lever D supported in bearings at the sides of the cistern A
carries at or near its extremity a second lever E, to the outer end of which a
hook F is attached. This hook as the lever E is raised takes hold of the rod
C and raises the ball. The lever E to which the float rod is connected
is centered upon the inner end of the lever D, and the outer end of the lever
D has a wire or pull attached to it at G. The outflow valve H is also
connected to the lever E in such manner that, upon the commanding wire
being pulled, the float B is first raised to the position shewn in the Drawing,
in order to close and to keep closed the inlet, the outlet valve H is im-
mediately afterwards raised by continuing the pull to permit of the discharge
of the whole contents of the cistern. On releasing the commanding wire, the

page_text: outlet valve H falls, and the float B also falls and allows of water entering the
cistern to the height regulated by the ordinary action of the float.
In order to improve the flushing action of our apparatus, we prefer to form.
the cistern with an inner bottom Babove the other, as shewn in Figure 3.
The space between the two bottoms becomes filled when the outlet valve H
is opened, and thus a sufficient outflow of water is secured.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,-
First, the construction of a cock or tap essentially as herein-before.
described, and illustrated in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Second, the construction of a flushing apparatus, by combining a float with
inlet and outlet valves, and an arrangement of compound levers essentially as
herein-before described and illustrated in the Drawings hereunto annexed,
whereby the inlet valve is first closed and the outlet valve raised im-
mediately afterwards.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Parsons, have hereunto set my.
hand and seal, this Third day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-eight.
WILLIAM PARSONS. (L.s.)