IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE DRAUGHT OF WATER FROM CONSTANT SUPPLY PIPES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Hammond Bentall, of Heybridge, near
Maldon, in the County of Essex, Agricultural Implement Manufacturer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE DRAUGHT
OF WATER FROM CONSTANT SUPPLY PIPES."
Sealed the 28th April 1868, and dated the 14th December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Hammond
Bentall at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 14th December 1867.
I, EDWARD HAMMOND BENTALL, of Heybridge, near Maldon, in the County
of Essex, Agricultural Implement Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE DRAUGHT
OF WATER FROM CONSTANT SUPPLY PIPES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain novel arrangements of apparatus for
enabling water companies to afford a constant supply and augmented quantity
of water to their customers without the risk of waste or the appropriation of
an undue quantity. These objects I effect by the use of a closed or air-tight
vessel from which the water is to be drawn; this vessel when the water
reaches a given line will allow no water to pass through it; but so soon as

page_text: the water has been exhausted, or partially exhausted by being drawn off, a
fresh supply will find its way into the vessel.
When adapting the Invention to a public or street supply I enclose within
a pillar or other structure, and at a suitable elevation, a cylindrical or other
shaped vessel which is closed at top and bottom; the bottom is shaped like
an inverted hollow cone to allow deposits to collect and discharge at a central
opening; the casting forming the bottom of the vessel is provided with a
valve seat, in which are formed inlet and outlet ports, and these are covered
by a slide valve which works in a valve box, fitted also with a coupling for
receiving the inner end of the supply pipe. Coupled to the valve rod is a
hand lever which rocks on a fixed fulcrum, and is intended to operate the
slide valve; or in place of the slide valve seat valves may be employed.
When the valve is depressed it opens a communication between the valve.
box. and the vessel, and when raised the supply is cut off and the water con-
tained in the vessel is free to escape through the outlet port. The discharge
continues only so long as the valve is up or there is water in the vessel.
When the handle is let go the valve will close the outlet port and allow the
vessel to refill. In order to permit of the closed vessel filling, an air pipe leading
from the bottom to near the top of the vessel is provided, and a valve or plug
carried by a lever fitted with a float serves to close this air pipe when the
vessel is full. As soon however as the water level falls the plug or valve will
rise and allow a free access of air to fill the vacancy caused by the discharge
of water from the vessel.
When adapting the Invention to a constant house supply the close cover is
fitted with a gauge nipple, the bore of which must be regulated to suit the
rate of supply required. It will be convenient to give ready access to this
gauge nipple by means of a screw set in a line therewith, and which closes a
bend of the supply passage; by withdrawing this screw the nipple may be
removed and replaced by one of larger or smaller gauge, and for the protection
of the water company this screw should be sealed. An air tube fitted with a
stopper operated by a float will in this instance also be used, and the discharge
will be at the centre of the conical bottom through a tap of any approved
construction. By this arrangement the admission of water to the vessel will
take place only while it is partially empty and when full the supply will cease;
if however by carelessness the tap is left on no more than the regulated
supply can pass through the vessel, and thus excessive waste will in any case
be effectually prevented.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Hammond -Bentall in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
HAMMOND BENTALL, of Heybridge, near Maldon, in the County of Essex,
Agricultural Implement Manufacturer, send greeting.
"
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Hammond Bentall, Her special licence that I, the said
Edward Hammond Bentall, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Edward Hammond Bentall, my 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
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 "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING
THE DRAUGHT OF WATER FROM CONSTANT SUPPLY PIPES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edward Hammond Bentall, 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 Edward Hammond Bentall, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to certain novel arrangements of apparatus for
enabling water companies to afford a constant supply and an augmented
quantity of water to their customers without the risk of waste or the appro-*
priation of an undue quantity by individual consumers. These objects I effect
by the use of a closed or air-tight vessel (from which the water is to be
drawn), so fitted that either the supply thereto and the discharge therefrom.
will not be contemporaneous, or if contemporaneous the supply will, even
.

page_text: "
under the most adverse circumstances, be limited to a certain maximum
allowance.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 shews in side elevation, and. Fig. 2,
in vertical section, my Invention as adapted to a public or street supply.
Enclosed within a pillar A is a cylindrical vessel B which consists of a tube
of enamelled wrought iron closed at top and bottom with cast-iron ends. The
bottom B¹ which is cast on or rivetted to the, tube is shaped like an inverted
hollow cone to allow deposits to collect and discharge at a central opening;
this casting is provided with an extension B* forming a valve seat, in
which are inlet and outlet ports a and b,; these ports are covered by a slide,
valve c which works in a valve box C made fast by screws to the, extension B*
the valve box is formed with a screwed coupling for receiving the inner end,
of the supply pipe D. is the valve rod of the slide valve c,, and coupled to
it is a hand lever E which rocks on a fixed fulcrum and is intended to operate
the slide valve, or in place of the slide valve seat valves may be employed.
Cast on or rivetted to, the upper end of the cylinder B. is a flanged ring B
which rests on a lip, formed at the top of the pillar to carry the vessel from
which the water is to be drawn, and fitted to this ring is a removable cover B³
of cast iron by which access is gained to the interior, of the vessel. An
ornamental cap A closes the top of the hollow pillar A. The weight of the
hand; lever E serves to depress the valve c, and when depressed it opens a
communication between the valve box and the vessel B. By lifting the lever E
the valve will be raised and the supply will be cut off. The water contained
in the vessel will then be free to escape through the outlet port, and the
discharge will continue only so long as the valve is up, or while there is
water in the vessel. When the handle is let go the valve will close the outlet
port and allow the vessel to refill. In order to permit of the closed vessel
filling, an air pipe F is provided; this pipe communicates at its lower end
with, the atmosphere, and leads from the bottom to near the top of the vessel;
at its upper end this pipe, is fitted with a socket f, to which is hinged a lever G;
this lever carries at one end a valve or plug 9, and at the other a lever fitted
with a float gl.. As, the vessel, fills, the float will rise,, and the lever will then
bring, down the valve, and close. the air pipe. As soon however as the water
level falls the plug, or valve will rise and allow a free access of air to fill the
vacancy caused. by the discharge of water from the vessel.
When adapting the Invention to a constant house supply the supply pipe
or channel is fitted with a gauge nipple, the bore of which must be regulated
to suit the rate of, supply, required.
Fig. 3, shews, in vertical, section, a continuous, house supply, cistern fitted

page_text: according to this Invention. The cistern is formed of a tube A of sheet iron
galvanized or enamelled and closed at top and bottom with castings B, C.
The cover B is cast with a port for the admission of the supply, and screwed
into the centre of the casting C (which is made conical to gather the deposit
to the centre) is screwed the discharge tap D of any ordinary or approved
construction. E is the supply pipe screwed into the cover B, and below it is a
screwed opening (closed by a screw plug F) leading to the port and in a line
with a screwed hole leading into the cistern; in this hole a hollow screw or
nipple G is screwed, the hole through the same being of such diameter that
it will allow only a given quantity of water at the ordinary pressure to pass
through it per hour. This system, like that first described, I fit with an air
pipe, as at H, which is controlled by a valve and float carried by a rock lever I.
The object of the screwed plug F is to give ready access to the gauge nipple G,
which could not be reached through the bend of the supply passage. By
withdrawing the screw plug F the nipple may be removed and replaced by
one of a larger or smaller gauge as required. For the protection of the
water company this screw plug F should be sealed to prevent the gauge
nipple being tampered with. By the above-described arrangement the
admission of water to the cistern will take place only while it is partially
empty, and when full the supply will cease. If however by carelessness the
tap is left on no more than the regulated supply can pass through the cistern,
and thus excessive waste will in any case be effectually prevented.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improved Apparatus
for Controlling the Draught of Water from Constant Supply Pipes," and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be
understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,
controlling the draught of water from constant supply pipes by apparatus
constructed and operating as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Hammond Bentall, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Eleventh day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
E. H. BENTALL. (L.S.)