Improvements in or relating to Water Taps.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 17th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 189.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Water Taps.
I, CHARLES HATCH COE of 138 Crystal Palace Road East Dulwich S.E.
Commercial Traveller do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
My invention has for its object to provide a simple means whereby the water
supply pipes may remain empty during frosty weather, or at such times as occasion
may demand and yet allow water to be drawn as required from the main; or to
let the water flow through as usual, or to cut off the water altogether at will;
thus obviating the inconveniences arising from the bursting of the pipes.
To accomplish this I join on to the supply pipe, at a point as near to the main as
convenient a cock or tap of peculiar construction; the plug of this cock or tap
having two curved passages through it, and between these two curved passages,
and in the same plane, there is a straight passage through its width; the centres
of the respective two openings of each individual curved passage have between
them one quarter of the circumference of the plug at this part; the convexity
of these curved passages being turned towards the straight passage, which is
placed symmetrically with regard to the two curved passages. The shell into
which the plug enters has three openings, two of which are opposite to each
other and correspond to the openings of the supply pipe, when cut to admit the
cock or tap, and the other opening is for delivery, placed at a quarter circle
distance from the supply openings. This cock or tap is operated as follows,-in
the ordinary condition the straight passage is in a line with the pipe; but when
the cock or tap is turned one eighth to the left, the water is shut off from the
main and one opening of one curved passage is brought opposite the opening of
that portion of the pipe leading to the cistern and the other opening of the
curved passage opposite the outlet of the cock or tap, so that the pipe can be
emptied; one eighth turn more to the left and the pipe is entirely closed;
another one eighth turn to the left and water can be drawn from the main as
required, one opening of the other curved passage being opposite the opening of
the pipe from the main and the other opening of the passage, opposite the outlet
of the cock or tap; so that the pipe is closed during nearly one quarter of a
revolution of the cock or tap. A pin or stop may be provided to prevent the
cock or tap being turned too far. When the water is being drawn from the pipe
which communicates with the cistern, a pailful or so of water drawn from the
cistern will allow the ball cock to fall and thus let air into the pipe, so that it can
be emptied.
The same effect may be produced by a cock or tap of somewhat similar character,
but which is actuated by a screw, in which case, the two curved passages and the
straight passage are cut through the plug in three different vertical planes; the
plug is moved backwards and forwards in the shell by means of the screw, so that
the opening of either passage can be brought opposite the openings of the pipe and
outlet as in the former case.
Dated this 13th day of January 1899

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
. Improvements in or relating to Water Taps.
1, CHARLES HATCH COE of 138 Crystal Palace Road East Dulwich S.E.
Commercial Traveller do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object to provide a simple means whereby the water
supply pipes may remain empty during frosty weather, or at such times as: occasion
may demand and yet allow water to be drawn as required from the main: to let the
water flow through as usual or to cut off the water altogether at will; thus
obviating the inconveniences arising from the bursting of the pipes.
To accomplish this I join on to the supply pipe, at a point as near to the main as
convenient, a cock or tap of peculiar construction, the plug of this cock or tap
having two curved passages through it and between these two curved passages and
in the same plane, there is a straight passage through its width; the centres of the
respective two openings of each individual curved passage have between them one
quarter of the circumference of the plug at this part; the convexity of these
curved passages being turned towards the straight passage which is placed
symmetrically with regard to the two curved passages. The shell into which the
plug enters has three openings two of which are opposite to each other and corre-
spond to the openings of the supply pipe when cut to admit the cock or tap and the
other opening is for delivery placed at a quarter circle distance from the supply
openings. This cock or tap is operated as follows:-In the ordinary condition the
straight passage is in a line with the pipe; but when the cock or tap is turned one
eighth to the left, the water is shut off from the main and one opening of one curved
passage is brought opposite to the opening of that portion of the pipe leading to
the cistern and the other opening of the curved passage opposite the outlet of the
cock or tap, so that the pipe can be emptied; one eighth turn more to the left and
the pipe is entirely closed; another eighth turn to the left and water can be drawn
from the main as required, one opening of the other curved passage being opposite
the opening of the pipe from the main and the other opening of the passage
opposite the outlet of the cock or tap; so that the pipe is closed during nearly one
quarter of a revolution of the cock or tap. A pin or stop may be provided to
prevent the cock or tap being turned too far. When the water is being drawn
from the pipe which communicates with the cistern, a pailful or so of water drawn
from the cistern will allow the ball cock to fall and thus let air into the pipe so
that it can be emptied.
I will now proceed to more particularly describe my invention by aid of the
accompanying drawings, reference being had to the letters of reference marked
thereon.
Figure 1 shews the cock or tap in elevation in which A A is the shell, B B the
plug, Ca pin or stop to prevent the plug being turned in the shell more than
three eighths of a complete revolution. G is the outlet from which water is
delivered. HI are the respective openings of the shell which correspond to the
pipe to which the tap is affixed.
In Fig. 2, which is a part sectional elevation, the passage D is cut straight
through the diameter of the plug; the passages E F are placed symmetrically with
regard to the passage D and have, the centres of their respective openings at a
distance from each other of one quarter the circumference of the section of the plug
made by a plane at right angles to its axis; L K are the opposite ports of the
shell.
Fig. 3, which is a section at right angles to the axis of the plug, shews what may
be termed the normal condition of the plug in the shell, the water from the main
flowing through the cock or tan to the house

page_text: In Fig. 4 the plug having been turned one eighth to the left and the openings of
the passage
F being brought opposite the port K and the outlet port M, the water
can be drawn from the pipe leading to the house.
In Fig 5 the plug has been turned one eighth more to the left and the water is
shut off altogether from the house.
One eighth turn more to the left as in Fig. 6 and water can be drawn from the
main; the openings of the passage E being brought opposite the port L and the
port M and on the plug being turned back to the position shewn in Fig. 5 the water
is again shut off.
In a modification of the plug, the parts N N (Figs. 3 to 6) are cut away in which
case the section would be as shewn in Fig. 7, and this plug would act in the saine
manner as the plug shewn in section in Figs. 3 to 6 if turned in its socket in the
way described. I, however, prefer a plug made as shewn in Figs. 3 to 6, because
there is not so much dead water to remain in the plug and there is a greater area
of metal in the plug in contact with the socket.
In constructing this tap care must be taken that the plug is made of sufficient
diameter to allow the distance between the openings of the passages E D and FD
respectively to be greater than the width of the ports, so that in turning the plug
the ports are well covered when required.
I am aware that these objects have been accomplished by other means, but what
is new in a water tap is making the plug in one piece with three independent
passages herein specifically described, which cannot be turned in its shell through
more than three cighths of a complete revolution and by which water can be drawn
from the main, after the pipe leading to the cistern has been emptied, without any
water entering said pipe.
The reason that no water can enter said pipe after being emptied is that the plug
itself being restricted to three eighths of a complete revolution, the straight
passage D which in a normal condition was in a line with ports L and K can also
have only three eighths of a complete revolution and it requires more than this for
passage D to come again sufficiently in a line with ports L and K for water to pass.
To allow water to enter the pipe, the plug must be turned back to its normal
condition as in Fig. 3.
Having now 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 :-
A cock or tap, the plug of which is made of one piece of metal and has three
independent passages as described.
171 1
1000
CHARLES HATCH COE.