IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS, TO BE USED FOR OR IN THE MANNER OF STOPCOCKS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF DRAWING OFF AND STOPPING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS
Year: 1840

page_text: TO. ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
BRIDGE COWELL, of Lower Street, in the Parish of Saint Mary Islington,
in the County of Middlesex, Ironmonger, send greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by Petition, humbly represent unto Her present most
Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, that I had invented "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TAPS, TO BE USED FOR OR IN THE MANNER OF STOPCOCKS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF
DRAWING OFF AND STOPPING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS;" and Her said Majesty, being.
willing to give encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be for
the public good, was graciously pleased, by Her Royal Letters Patent ünder
the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing
date at Westminster, the Second day of December, One thousand eight hun-
dred and forty, in the fourth year of Her reign, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, to give and grant unto me, the said Henry Bridge Cowell, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her especial license, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I or they, by myself or themselves, or by my or
their deputies, servants, or agents, or such others as I or they should agree with,
and no others, during the term of fourteen years from the date of the said
Letters Patent, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend
my, said Invention within that part of Her said Majesty's Dominions called.
England, Her Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in
such manner as to me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, shall seem
meet; and as that I or they shall enjoy the whole profit, benefit, commodity,
and advantage arising by reason of the said Invention during the said term of
fourteen years; and for that end Her said Majesty requires and strcitly comï-

page_text: mands all Her subjects whatsoever, within England, Wales, and Berwick-
upon-Tweed aforesaid, that they shall not; neither directly nor indirectly,
make, use, or put in practice my said Invention, or any part thereof, nor in
anywise counterfeit, imitate, or resemble the same, nor make any addition
thereto or subtraction therefrom, whereby to pretend himself or themselves to
be the inventor or inventors thereof: And whereas the said Letters Patent
contain a proviso obliging me, the said Henry Bridge Cowell, particularly to
describe and ascertain the nature of my said, Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent, as in and by the same (reference being thereunto
had) will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry Bridge Cowell, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in manner following, and by the aid of the two
Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
Figure 1, Sheet I. of the said Drawings, is a longitudinal vertical section;
Figure 2 a lateral elevation; Fig. 3. a transverse vertical section; and Figure 4
a horizontal plan of a tap or stopcock constructed according to part of my said
improvements. A is the body of the tap or stopcock, being the hollow hori-
zontal tube or passage through which the fluid is to flow when the passage
through the tap is opened, in which case the fluid will run out at the lower
end. of the mouth G. B is the head of the tap within which the passage
through the said tube or body A is continued by turning downwards in the
manner of a spout at a; and the lower orifice of that spout a is closed (when
it is required to stop the passage through it) by a moveable stopper D, which
is suspended at the lower ends of two upright connecting links b, b, one at
each side of the spout a, which links pass down through holes or sockets.in
the metal of the head B, one at each side thereof, the upper ends of those
two links b, b, being connected to a piece of metal or collar d, e, which is
situated above the head B, and which collar is fitted around the neck of the
screw E, so that the screw can turn round freely within the collar d, e; but
when the screw E is turned round by its handle F (and, in consequence, rises
or falls by action of its spiral threads) that motion of the screw will raise or
lower the collar d, e, and with it (by means of the side links b, b,) the stopper
D will be also raised or lowered with a corresponding, motion, so as either to
bring the same up into close contact with the border edge round the orifice-of

page_text: the spout a, in order to stop the passage thereof, or else to remove the stopper
D downwards away from the said orifice, in order to open the passage thereof,
in which latter case the fluid will be at liberty to flow through the orifice a,
and make its escape therefrom on all sides at the space which is opened
between that orifice and the stopper D, by the lowering down of the same;
and the fluid which so escapes around all sides of the said orifice will be
collected within the hollow mouth G, so as to run out in a compact stream from
the lower orifice thereof. The spiral thread is formed around the lower end of
the screw E, and is fitted into a corresponding spiral thread formed within a
hollow at the upper part of the mictal of the head B; but which hollow has
no communication with the interior passage through the body A of the cock,
nor with the continuation thereof within the head B, nor with any part of the.
interior passage whereto the fluid which is to be drawn off or to be stopped
can have any access, when the passage through the body A is closed in con-
sequence of drawing up the stopper D, by turning the screw E in the manner
already described. The collar d, é, (see the perspective Figure 5) is made in
two pieces put together side by side around the neck of the screw E, with a
half-round hole in each piece d and'e, at those sides thereof which meet when
they are joined together, and the two half-round holes then form one round
hole to receive that neck. The two pieces d and e are fastened firmly together
by two screws n, n, which unite the two pieces into one collar. The upper
ends of the two upright connecting links b, b, are reduced to small necks,
which are held between the two pieces of the collar d, e, being received in
small half-round holes made therein in the same manner as is done with the
neck of the screw. The lower ends of the upright links b, b, are reduced to
small necks in the same manner as their upper ends; and the stopper D is
connected with the lower ends by those necks being received in notches
formed in the circumference of the stopper D, at opposite sides of the centre
thereof. The stopper D is of an oval form, its narrowest breadth across the
oval being just sufficient to cover the border edge around the orifice of the
spout a, in order to close that orifice; but the lengthways of the oval of
the stopper D is sufficient to reach out as far as the two links b, b, and it is
at the ends of the oval that the aforesaid notches for the reception of the
necks at the lower ends of those links b, b, are made. When the links b, b,
are inserted into their intended places within their sockets or holes through
the metal of the head B, they are thereby retained from separating further
asunder, and therefor the necks at their lower ends cannot get out from the
notches at each end of the oval of the stopper D. The mode above described
of joining the two connecting links to the stopper D at their lower ends, and

page_text: to the collar d, e, at their upper ends, by means of small necks which are
formed in the ends of the links as aforesaid, permits of so much lateral play
at those junctions as will ensure that the stopper, when it is drawn up by action
of the screw, cannot fail to accommodate itself to the border around the orifice
of the spout A, in order to make close and true contact therewith. The
upper surface of the stopper D, which is to make that contact, may be covered
with a facing piece r, of leather, india rubber, or other suitable substance, or
with lead or soft metal, according as the tap is to be used for cold fluids or for
hot fluids; and such facing piece r may be made so as to be easily removeable
if desired, in order that when it becomes worn it may be renewed by a fresh
facing piece. For this purpose the notches at the two ends of the facing
piece r, which notches fit to the lower ends of the two connecting links b, b, in
order to keep the facing piece r in place upon the stopper D, may have one
side of each such notch cut away so as to admit of removing the facing piece
laterally, in order to take it away, and then put another into its place. And
note, in case of a facing piece r being used, the stopper D may have a hole
through the centre of it of the same (or nearly the same) size as the orifice
of the spout a, in order (when the facing piece r is removed) to admit of intro-
ducing a feather or piece of cane, stick, or whalebone as a probe to go up
through the said hole into the orifice a, and so far up the hollow within the
body A of the cock, as may be necessary for clearing out the passage by dis-
lodging any matter which may have stuck therein. When the screw E is
turned back by its handle F, and it lowers the stopper D, in manner already
described, in order to open the passage through the orifice of the spout a
there will be sufficient space left around the circumference of the oval stopper
D, and within the mouth G for the fluid to escape freely; and the form of
the mouth G is adapted to collect the escaping fluid into a stream which runs
out at the lower orifice of the mouth G. The said mouth G may be fitted to
the lower part of the head B by screw surrounding the spout a, so that by
unscrewing the mouth G it can be removed, in order to give access to the
stopper D for removing the facing piece therefrom, and replacing it by a
new one, also for clearing out the passage in the manner already explained;
and after the mouth G is so removed, then, if desired, the other parts may be
separated, by withdrawing the two screws n, n, which unite the two pieces d
and e of the collar d, e; then those two pieces can be separated and removed
from around the neck of the screw E, and from around the necks at the upper
ends of the two connecting links b, b, whereupon those links will become entirely
disconnected, and they can then be withdrawn from their holes or sockets
through the head B, by lowering the stopper D downwards.; and when the

page_text: stopper D, with its two connecting links b, b, is so withdrawn, the interior
passage through, the body A and head B can be cleaned out, even though
there is no hole through the stopper D, also the facing piece r thereof may be
removed, and another put into its place. That way of renewing the facing
piece r may be practised in case the notches in the ends of the facing piece r
are not cut away at one side of each notch as herein-before mentioned, such
cutting away being for the purpose of enabling the facing piece to be
removed laterally without taking the parts of the cock asunder in the manner
now.describing. Note, the body A and head B of the tap, with its spout a,
are formed in one casting or piece of metal without having any soldered or
other joint at any part whereto the fluid which is to be stopped by the
stopper D can have access when stopped thereby, and therefore leakage is
prevented. The stopper D is drawn upwards by its two connecting links
b, b, with all the power of the screw E, so as to bring the facing piece r
forcibly in contact with the lower end of the spout a; and the border
edge around the orifice of that spout a is made truly flat to apply to the
facing piece r, which, from its softness, becomes imprinted by the end of the
spout a, so as to make a tight fitting thereto. When the screw E is turned
back, and lowers the stopper D, to remove it from its contact with the end of
the spout a, as already described, then a very free passage will be opened for
the fluid to flow through. The stopper D is drawn upwards in a contrary
direction to the flow of the fluid, in order to stop the same.
Figure 6, Sheet I., is a lateral elevation, Figure 7 a longitudinal vertical
section, and Figure 8 a transverse section, of a tap or cock similar to that
already described, but adapted to be opened by a key for what is called a
lock-up tap or cock. The same letters of reference denote the same parts as
in the preceding Figures. The construction of all the parts is the same as
already, described, except the handle F of the screw E, for in lieu thereof the
upper end of the screw E is formed with some peculiar shape, to which shape
the interior of the key R is fitted in the usual manner of lock-up-taps; 'and
when the key R is applied to the screw E the same can be turned by the
key R, in order to open or close the passage for the fluid, in the same
manner as is done by the handle F, according to the foregoing description.
The screw E, with the collar d, e, are enclosed within a circular casing S,
which is fastened on the top of the head B of the tap, by screwing or other-
wise, and secured by inserting a side screw, or by soldering in the usual
manner, of the like part of lock-up taps or cocks; and the top or covers of
the casing S has a hole through it of a proper shape and size to admit the
key R; but the said top or covers is not fixed fast to the circular casing S, as

page_text: is usual, but is fitted into the upper end of the circular casing S, so as to be
capable of turning round therein, in order that the said top cover 8 may
go round with the key and with the screw E when the same are turned.
Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12, Sheet II., represent a tap or stopcock similar to
that already described, but adapted for what is called a ballcock for a water-
cistern, because it is provided with a hollow copper ball to float on the surface
of the water in the cistern, in order to close the passage through the cock
when the cistern becomes filled full, and to open that passage as the surface of
the water in the cistern subsides. The same letters of reference are used to
denote the same parts as in the preceding Figures; and the construction of all
the parts is nearly the same as already described, except that the screw E is
placed in a horizontal instead of a vertical position; and in lieu of the handle
to turn the screw E, a lever T, having the hollow copper ball V at the end
of it in the usual manner of the like parts of ballcocks, is fixed fast on the
square at the end of the screw E, so as that the ball V (by floating on the
surface of the water in the cistern) will, by its lever T, give the requisite
turning motion to the screw E for opening and closing the passage through
the cock, when required, in the same manner as in the cock herein-before
described is to be done by turning the handle; also the orifice of the mouth G,
where the water which passes through the cock is to run out, is at the lower
side thereof, as is shown by g, in the Figures, Sheet II. And in ordinary ball-
cocks, as well as in the construction of ballcock above described, the floating
of the ball on the surface of the water begins to close the passage of the
the water through the cock long before the cistern is full, and in consequence
the final completion of the filling of the cistern is greatly retarded, because of
the small and diminishing stream which is allowed to flow through the cock
when the cistern becomes nearly filled. To remedy that defect, the ballcock
represented in Sheet II. may have an additional ball Z and lever z applied to
it, also a stick or detent w, having a tooth t to catch into a notch or notches
cut in the circumference of an enlarged head on the end of the screw E, that
click w being mounted on a centre pin a, which is fixed into the collar d, e,
and the action of the click w being to catch with its tooth t in the said notches
whenever (by subsidence of the water in the cistern) the ball V and its lever
T descends, so as to turn back the screw E, and open the passage through
the cock, in order to admit water into the cistern; the click w, having so
caught, will prevent the ball from rising, although the surface of the water
in the cistern rises, but the said ball will be kept submerged until the cistern
becomes quite filled, and then the surface of the water reaching the second
ball Z, and raising the same upwards, will lift up the click w about its centre

page_text: of motion x, so as to disengage its tooth t from the notch in the enlarged head
of the screw E, and leave the same at liberty, whereupon the ball V, being
under water, will rise suddenly by its power of flotation, and by its lever T
will turn the screw E round, so as to close the passage of the cock all at once.
And note, there may be two, three, or more notches cut in the circumference
of the enlarged head of the screw E, at suitable places around the same, for
the tooth of the click w to catch into, in order to detain the screw at
different periods of the opening of the passage of the cock. One of those
notches may be caught when the ball V has (by subsidence of the water in the
cistern) turned the screw so far back as to open the passage of the cock only
one third of its full passage, the next notch being caught when the said
passage is two thirds open, and the last notch being caught when the said
passage is fully open. The effect of these notches will be to detain the ball V
at or near to the place to which it has descended.by subsidence of the water in
the cistern, whether that subsidence be less or more. And the action of the
second ball Z will be the same as above described (as soon as ever the cistern
is quite full) to release the click w, and set the screw E at liberty to be turned
by the floatation of the large ball V. Note, there should be some stop to limit
the too great descent of the ball V; that may be done by a stop pin fixed into
the collar d, e, and projecting out therefrom, so as to meet a prominent beak
at the lower part of the enlarged head of the screw E. The projecting end of
one of the connecting links 6 will answer the purpose of such stopperin. The
screw E for the ballcock should be made with its spiral threads of a very
rapid obliquity, in order that the extent of angular motion which will be given
to the lever T by the floating of its ball von the surface of the watern in the
cistern may be sufficient to open and close the passage through the cock. For
this reason the screw E for the ballcock may be made with three distinct spiral
threads winding around its circumferance, such as is called a three-threaded
screw, whereas for taps or cocks as herein-before described two such spiral
threads will be sufficient for the screw E, the same being what is called a
double-threaded screw, or in some cases a single-threaded screw may be used
for the screw E. The lever z of the second ball Z is not fixed fast to the
screw E of the cock, but the end of the lever z has a round hole through it,
which is fitted on a round part of the end of the screw E beyond the enlarged
head thereof. The other lever T has a square hole through it to fix fast on
the square end of the screw E, beyond the round part aforesaid. The form of
the hole through each of the levers is shewn separately in Figure 9. The
lever T is fixed fast on the square end of the screw E by inserting a cross pin
in the usual manner of fixing the like lever to a common ballcock. The

page_text: other lever becomes thereby secured in its intended place upon the round
part of the screw E, which screw can turn round independently of the lever z,
and that lever has a pin fixed into it at 8, Figure 9, so as to project out
laterally from the lever z in a horizontal direction towards the cock, in order
to enter into an oblong opening or slit q in the click w for the purpose of
lifting up that click about its centre of motion a as soon as the ball Z begins
to be lifted by floating on the water; but whenever the said ball Z is not
borne up by floating on the water the weight of that ball and its lever
becomes operative to bear the click w downwards, so that its tooth-t cannot
fail to catch into the notches in the enlarged head of the screw E for the
purpose already described. And note, the ball Z and lever'z may be made
very light, and the ball Z of a small size, because very little force is requisite
for bearing down and lifting the click w, so that it may perform its intended
office in manner above described.
Figures 13, 14, and 15, Sheet I., represent another kind of tap or stopcock
constructed according to part of my said improvements. A is the body of the
tap; B, its head; and a, the spout through which the fluid is to run down and
make its escape when the passage through the cock is opened, in which case
the fluid will run out at the lower end of the spout a. D is the moveable
stopper fitted in the manner of a piston into the cylindrical hollow of the head
B, so as to move up and down therein by action of the screw E, whereof the
spiral threads are fitted into the centre of the cap M, which surmounts the
head B, and by turning the screw E round by its thumb piece at top the
stopper D can be pressed down, in order that its under surface may cover over
and effectually close the upper orifice of the spout a, and at the same time
also cover the annular orifice of the circular or annular channel e, e, whereby
the horizontal passage through the body A communicates with the vertical
passage through the spout a. That circular or annular channel e, e, is formed
within the head B, and passes all around the spout a in the manner of a ring
encompassing that spout, but without communication with the interior thereof.
The channel e, e, communicates with the passage A at one part of the circum-
ference of the ring or annular channel e, e, which part is adjacent to the said
passage A, so that the fluid which comes through the passage A will flow
freely all round the outside of the spout a in the channel e, e; and whenever
the stopper D is drawn up by turning back its screw E, then the fluid will
pass upwards through the annular orifice of that channel e, e, in a hollow
circular stream, all round the spout a, which stream, striking beneath the
under surface of the stopper D, will be thereby turned downwards into the
upper orifice of the spout a, so as to descend through the interior hollow of

page_text: that spout and run out at the lower orifice thereof; but when the stopper D is
forced downwards by turning the screw E its under surface will be pressed
into very close contact with the circular border or margin around the upper
orifice of the spout a, and also in contact with the exterior circular border or
margin around the annular orifice of the channel e, e. The under part of the
stopper D is covered with a facing piece r of leather, or of india rubber or of
other yielding substance, which will, by its simultaneous contact with the said
two circular borders or margins, effectually close all passage through the
.circular orifice of the channel e, e, as well as through the spout a. The said
facing piece r, of leather, india rubber, or other substance, is formed circular
around its outer edge, and fits into the hollow within the head B of the cock
in the manuer of a piston, as already mentioned; but the fitting part around.
the circumference of that stopper will not be liable to leakage, because the
fluid never has access to the said fitting part of the stopper D except when the
passage through the cock is opened. in consequence of the stopper D being
drawn upwards by turning back its screw E; and whereas in such case the
Buid has a free passage through the cock, there will be little or no pressure to
urge the fluid to leak upwards around the circumference of the stopper D;
but when the stopper D is pressed down by force of its screw E to bring its
under surface into close contact with the two circular margins around the
annular orifice of the channel e, e, (as before mentioned), then the passage of
the fluid through the annular orifice of the channel e, e, being effectually
stopped by such contact, the fluid cannot flow to the fitting around the circum-
ference of the stopper D so as to exert pressure which can cause leakage of
the fluid upwards around that circumference. The upper part of the stopper
D is made of metal, and to the under side thereof is fixed the circular disk r,
of leather or other substance, which fits into the hollow of the head B in the.
manner of a piston, as already mentioned, and which disk of leather or other
substance serves as a facing piece to the under side of the stopper D. The
said disk r is fixed to the upper or metal part of the stopper by one screw
inserted upwards through the centre of the disck r, with the head of that
screw below the same, and the point thereof screwing up into the aforesaid.
metal part of the stopper D; wherefore, by withdrawing that screw, the said
disk r, which serves as a facing piece to the stopper D, can be removed when
worn and replaced by a new facing piece. The cap M, which surmounts the
head B, is fixed thereon by a screw nut around the outside of that head, so
that the cap M can be readily removed by unscrewing it in order to withdraw
the stopper D from its place within the hollow of the head B. The lower:

page_text: end of the screw E is so connected with the upper or metal part of the stopper
D as that the said stopper will be drawn upwards as well as pushed down-
wards within the hollow of the head B by the force which is exerted either
way by the screw E when the same is turned backwards and forwards by
its thumb piece at top, but the stopper D is not obliged to turn round within
the hollow of the head B by such action of its screw E; and the stopper,
being left at liberty, will not turn with the screw, but will draw straight
upwards and downwards in the hollow within the head B. The lower end of
the screw B is reduced to a circular pivot, which is fitted through a corre-
sponding hole in a small dovetail piece y, and the lower end of the pivot is
enlarged by rivetting to form a head countersunk below that piece, which
piece y is received into a corresponding dovetail notch at the upper side of the
metal part of the stopper D, and by that means the stopper D becomes
connected with the screw E, so as to be drawn up as well as pushed down
thereby; but nevertheless the stopper D, when withdrawn from its place in the
hollow of the head B, can be disconnected from the screw E by sliding the
dovetail piece y out of its dovetail notch aforesaid. Note, taps or cocks, such
as Figures 13, 14, and 15, may be made to open with a key to serve as
lock-up taps or cocks, in the same manner as already described in respect to
Figures 6, 7, and 8. Taps or cocks constructed according to the said improve-
ments, as herein-before described, may be made in various forms to suit
different purposes, and of such metals and materials as are or may be used in
making ordinary taps or cocks which are to be used for the same or similar
purposes, provided that the essential characters of the improvements are not
departed from, the said essential characters being as follows, and being the
improvements which I claim as the new Invention thereof the exclusive use
is granted to me by the aforesaid Letters Patent :-
First, as regards the taps or cocks herein-before described and represented
by Figures 1 to 12 in the Drawings hereunto annexed, the new Invention
consists in applying the screw by force, whereof the stopper is to be closed or
drawn into its place in the manner herein-before described, whereby the said
screw is situated wholly at the outside of the passage by which the fluid is to
flow through the cock or tap, so that the screw (having no communication
with that passage) cannot cause any leakage of the fluid; also the force of
the screw is transmitted to the stopper by means of two connecting links
extending from opposite sides of the stopper to a collar fitted on the neck of
the screw, and the action of the screw so applied and transmitted closes the
said stopper by moving the same in a direction contrary to the flow of the

page_text: fluid through the tap or cock, so as to bring the said stopper iuto close contact
with the margin around an orifice of the passage, in order to stop that passage
without having any moving part within that portion of the passage through
the tap or cock to which the fluid can have access before it arrives at the said
orifice which is so closed; also the said portion of the passage through the
body and head of the cock or tap being formed of one piece of metal without
any junction to which the fluid can have access before it arrives at the said
orifice which is so closed; also the stopper having a moveable facing piece, as
herein-before described, which can be renewed when required. And,
Second, as regards the tap or ballcock herein-before described, and repre-
sented in Sheet II., the new Invention consists in applying to such a cock a
second ball, and also (in connexion therewith) a click or detent to catch into
suitable notches in such manner as to prevent the passage for the fluid
through the cock from being closed (by a gradual action of the ordinary ball)
until the cistern is quite full, and then the said second ball operates to release
the said click or detent, in order to allow the passage to be closed all at once
by a sudden action of the ordinary ball, as herein-before described. And,
Thirdly, as regards the tap or cock herein-before described, and represented
by Figures 13, 14, and 15, Sheet I., the new Invention consists in applying
the stopper so as (by force of a screw) to close an annular orifice of the
passage through the tap or cock, the said screw operating by moving the
stopper in a direction contrary to the flow of the fluid through the said annular
orifice, so as to bring the said stopper into close contact with the two circular
margins around such annular orifice in order to close the passage; also the
stopper having a moveable facing piece, as herein-before described, which can
be renewed when required.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bridge Cowell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and forty-one

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the First day of June, in the
fourth year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said Henry
Bridge Cowell came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and
acknowledged..the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above. written. And also the Instrument
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the
fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
⚫ Inrolled the Second day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
forty-one.