IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS FROM CONSTANT SUPPLY PIPES OR VESSELS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hosken, of No. 58, Fenchurch Street, in
the City of London, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS FROM
CONSTANT SUPPLY PIPES OR VESSELS."
"
:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hosken at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th January 1871,
'
I, JAMES HOSKEN, of No. 58, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS FROM
CONSTANT SUPPLY PIPES OR VESSELS," to be as follows :-
1
This Invention has for its object improvements in automaton apparatus
for controlling the flow of liquids from constant supply pipes, or vessels,
and relates to the use in combination of a tap or plug and two suitably
guided spindles or plungers. One of these spindles or plungers which
for clearness I will call the "main valve spindle," carries a valve which
when closed against its seat prevents the passage of liquid through the.

page_text: apparatus. The lower end of this spindle is formed or provided with a
piston or plunger fitting fairly within a corresponding cylindrical chamber,
and the passage or way through the spindle and piston when open
establishes a communication between the interior or main body of the
apparatus and the cylindrical chamber.
The other spindle or plunger which I term the " small valve spindle"
is formed or provided with a valve for closing the passage or way through
the main valve spindle and is connected with the moving parts of the
tap or plug, so that the opening or closing of the tap or plug will
simultaneously open or close the passage or way thro' the main valve
spindle. When this passage is open liquid admitted thro' the tap
or plug passes down thro' the spindle into the lower part of the
cylindrical chamber and by its pressure against the lower side of the
piston or plunger raises the spindle and main valve so as to allow liquid
to pass thro' the apparatus until by the continued rising of the main
valve spindle it comes in contact with the small valve spindle, whereupon
the aperture in the main valve spindle is closed and the weight of the
two spindles in conjunction with the difference of pressure in the two
chambers causes the spindles to move downward and thereby to force the
liquid from the cylindrical chamber upward by the annular space between
the cylindrical chamber and the plunger or piston and out by the spout
or eduction passage of the apparatus. This downward movement of the
two spindles continues until the tap or plug is closed without the
slightest concussion, and the main valve by coming in contact with its
seat closes the passage through the apparatus. The apparatus is provided
with a removeable cap or cover which enables the working parts to be
examined cleaned, and repaired when' necessary.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Hosken in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th July 1871.
TO ALL TO. WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HOSKEN, of 58, Fenchurch Street, in the City of London, Engineer; send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of January, in the year
i

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said James Hosken, Her special licence that
I, the said James Hosken, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said James Hoskên, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
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 “IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC Apparatus
FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS FROM CONSTANT SUPPLY PIPES OR VESSELS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Hosken,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and 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 I, the said James Hosken, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 (that is to say) :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in automatic apparatus
for controlling the flow of liquids from constant supply pipes or vessels,
the construction of which will be understood by reference to the
accompanying Drawings, and the description thereof which follows.
The same letters of reference are used to denote similar parts in each of
the several views.
1
Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the centre of an automatic apparatus,
constructed according to my Invention, for controlling the flow of liquids
from constant supply pipes or vessels; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of
the apparatus through the line A, B, of Fig. 1, with the handle in a
horizontal position; Fig. 3 is an elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an
elevation of the valves and valve spindle n, and the piston t; Fig. 5
is a transverse section of Fig. 4, through the line C, D; Fig. 6 is a
vertical section through the centre of a simplified modification of
apparatus constructed according to my Invention; Fig. 7 is a transverse
section of the apparatus through the line A, B, of Fig. 6, with the handle

page_text: in a horizontal position; Fig. 8 is an elevation of Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a
vertical section through the centre of another modification of automatic
apparatus, constructed according to my Invention; Fig. 10 is an
elevation of Fig. 9.
The main body a of the apparatus is formed with an inlet opening b,
and an outlet or spout c. The opening 6 is provided with a tap or
plug d, having a handle e and a couple of arms f, f, formed at their
extremities, with lugs or projections g, g.. These lugs take into a
circular groove h, formed around the lower part of the adjustable tubular
guide i of the upper or small valve spindle or plunger k. The adjustable
tubular guide i shields the spindle or plunger & from the pressure of the
liquid and fits and is capable of vertical movement within the remove-
able cap or cover l, and the spindle or plunger k, which carries at its
lower end the valve m, in like manner fits and is capable of vertical
movement within its adjustable guide or shield i. The main valve
spindle n has a passage or way o made through it, and is formed with
ribs or feathers p bearing against the interior of the annular guide q,
whose upper surface is provided with a seat r (made by preference of
leather or india-rubber) for the valves, which latter is formed with the
spindle n as shewn. The lower end of the spindle n is provided with a
piston t, fitting fairly within the corresponding cylindrical chamber u.
In the positions of the parts as shewn in Fig 1 the passage or way
through the apparatus is closed. By raising the handle or levere the
tap or plug d will be opened, and the valve m with its spindle k and
adjustable guide or shield i simultaneously raised, so as to open the
passage or way o, whereupon the liquid admitted through the tap or
plug d will pass down through the spindle n into the lower part of the
cylindrical chamber u, and by its pressure against the lower side of
the piston t will raise the spindle n and its valve s, so as to allow liquid
to pass through and leave the apparatus by the outlet or spout c, until
by the continued rising of the spindle n it comes in contact with the
valve m of the spindle k, whereupon the aperture in the spindle n will
be closed, and the weight of the spindles k, n, in conjunction with the
difference of pressure in the two chambers, causes the spindles to move
downward, and thereby to force the liquid from the chamber u upward
by the annular space between it and the piston t (which fits easily), and
out by the outlet or spout c. This downward movement of the parts k
and n will continue until the passage or way to the outlet or spout is
closed.

page_text: In the simplified modification illustrated at Figs. 6, 7, and 8, the tap
or plug d, spindle or plunger k, valve m, guide or shield i, cap or
cover l, and valve seat r, in combination with the main body a, are used
without the lower valve spindle, piston, and chamber. The Drawings.
shew the position of the parts when the passage or way through the
apparatus is closed. It is opened by raising the handle e, whereupon
liquid entering through the tap or plug d will pass through the apparatus
and out by the outlet or spout c, the flow of liquid continuing until the
downward movement of the spindle and valve consequent upon their.
weight combined with the suction of the water or liquid passing through
the apparatus brings the valve against the seat r, thereby closing the
passage or way, which may be again opened by turning the handle e, so
as to lower the guide or shield i over the valve spindle k, and then
turning the handle e in the reverse direction, thus raising the guide
or shield i, and with it the valve m.
According to the modification represented at Figs. 9 and 10 the
spindle or plunger k, valve m, guide or shield i, cap or cover l, valve
seat r, and main body a, are used in combination without the tap or
plug d. The upper part of the guide or shield i passes through a
leather packing v, held in position by a' screwed plug w in the cap
or cover l, whose exterior is formed with a thread x, fitting the
corresponding female screw in the cap or handle e, which latter is
attached to the. guide or shield i as shewn. The parts of the apparatus
are shewn in the Drawings in that position which obtains when liquid
is flowing, through which it will continue to do until the downward
movement of the spindle and valve, consequent upon their weight
combined with the suction of the water or liquid passing through the
chamber brings the valve in contact with the seat r, thereby closing the
passage or way through the apparatus. To open the passage or way
the cap or handle e is turned so as to lower the guide or shield i over
the valve spindle k, whereupon the cap or handle e is turned in the
reverse direction, thus raising the guide or shield i, and with it the
valve m, thereby opening the passage or way and allowing liquid to pass
through the apparatus as before.
And having now fully described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be or may be per-
formed or carried into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that
I do not claim as being separately new, the several parts composing

page_text: the apparatus, but what I do claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The combination of parts forming the apparatus for controlling the
flow of liquids, as herein described and shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
of the accompanying Drawings.
2. The combination of parts forming the apparatus for controlling the.
flow of liquids, as herein described and shewn in Figures 6, 7, and 8
of the accompanying Drawings.
E
3. The combination of parts forming the apparatus for controlling the
flow of liquids, as herein described and shewn in Figures 9 and 10 of 1
the accompanying Drawings.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hosken, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
JAMES HOSKEN.
(L.S.)