Improvements in Faucets.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 29th Jan.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Faucets.
I. PATRICK K. O'Lally, of No. 267, Washington Street, Boston, in the County
of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:.
This invention relates to faucets for water or other liquid supply pipes in which
the liquid is under pressure, or for drinking-fountains, water-coolers, etc. The
invention has for its object, among other things, to provide a simple and durable
faucet the valve-opening device or lever of which is located between the valve
and the delivering end or nozzle of the faucet, and is arranged so that the use
of expensive stuffing-boxes and packing is avoided. The invention consists in the
improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.
Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation, showing one form of faucet in which my
invention is embodied.
Figure 2 is a sectional view. showing the valve as raised to allow the free
passage of liquid.
Figure 3 represents a sectional view, and Figure 4 a side view, showing another
embodiment of my invention.
Figure 5 represents an elevation, and Figure 6 a sectional view of another
embodiment of my invention.
Figures 7 and 8 represent sectional views of a modification.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
My improved faucet comprises a casing of any approved pattern, having a
downwardly projecting discharge-spout or nozzle b. Within the casing is a valve
seat to receive a check-valve e having a stem e¹. Thus far the fancets shown in
all the figures are similar. Now referring more particularly to Figures 1. 2. 3.
and 4, the means for raising the valve consist of a lever f pivoted by a pin g to
the nozzle and having a portion within the nozzle, the end of the valve-stem c¹
resting upon said portion. The lever has an external portion projecting from the
exterior of the nozzle, so that if the edge of a drinking-glass or a cup be pressed
against said external portion to displace it from its normal position and raise it.
the valve will be lifted and the liquid allowed to flow until the cup is removed.
when the lever will drop. The lever plays in a recess or slot in the spout, and
when made as shown in Figures 1 and 2, has two fingers h h', which close the
recess and prevent the liquid from escaping through the same.
The upper
finger h, which rests against the inner wall of the spout, also acts as a stop to
prevent the lever from swinging down from its horizontal position.
The construction shown in Figures 3 and 4 is generally similar to that above
described, the form of the lever being somewhat different and only one finger h
being employed, this limiting the downward movement of the lever.
g represents an elongated stop or abutment affixed to the nozzle and projecting
therefrom in the same direction that the lever f projects, the stop or abutment q
being in close proximity to the lever, so that a vessel such as a beer-mug, a portion
of which is indicated by dotted lines at k, pressed upwardly against the lever f,

page_text: will strike the stop or abutment g, and will be arrested by the latter. The lower
edge of the lever f is inclined relatively to the lower edge of the stop or abut-
ment g, so that at the outer portion of the lever its lower edge is nearer to the
corresponding edge of the abutment than at the inner portion of the lever. It
will be seen, therefore, that when the vessel that is used to raise the lever is
held at a considerable distance from the nozzle, as shown in Figure 3, the upward
movement of the lever by the vessel will be less than when the vessel is held at
a point nearer the nozzle, as shown in Figure 4, so that when it is desired to have
only a minimum opening of the valve, as when the beer is lively, the vessel is
held so that it will bear against the upper portion of the lever; but when the
beer is comparatively flat, and a greater opening is desired, the vessel is held so
that it will bear against the inner portion of the lever.
operator is thus
of the mug
enabled
by
varying
the
position
result in drawing the beer.
The outer end of the stop or abutment
The
vessel
k,
to
produce
the
desired
or
is preferably provided with a down-
wardly projecting car to form a bearing for the mouth of the mug and prevent
it from slipping off from the abutment q
& represents a strainer, which extends across the interior of the faucet at a point
above the valve and is adapted to intercept particles of foreign matter which may
be present in the liquid, thus preventing such foreign matter from being engaged
with the valve to interfere with the closing thereof. The strainer may be of
perforated sheet-metal, wire-gauze, or any other suitable material. As here shown.
it is clamped between two separable parts of the valve-casing, in a manner which
will be readily understood, without further description.
In the construction shown in Figures 5 and 6, the lever is pivoted to the nozzle
at a point between its ends, and has a shorter arm on which the valve-stem beara
and a longer arm projecting from the nozzle. In this case, the projecting portion
of the lever has to he depressed to open the valve, and is not adapted to be operated
by a vessel or cup. It is often desirable to provide means for holding or focking
the valve open, so that the operator can leave the faucet with the liquid flowing.
I have shown several means for accomplishing this result, one being shown in
Figures 1 and 2, another in Figures 5 and 6, and a third in Figures 7 and S.
Referring to Figures 5 and 6, mm m represent a series of ratchet-teeth formed
on the nozzle b. n represents a dog or pawl pivoted at a to the lever f and
adapted to be moved into engagement with one of the ratchet-teeth m, ns shown
by dotted lines in Figure 6. The lever f is arranged so that its outer end must
be depressed to raise the valve, as above stated. The pressure of the liquid against
the valve tends to force the inner end of the lever downwardly, and its outer end
upwardly; hence said pressure holds the dog in engagement with the ratchet-
teeth. It will be seen that the lever and valve are thus locked, the valve being
open, and that the extent of the raising or opening of the valve is determined by
the height of the ratchet-tooth with which the dog n is engaged.
In Figures 1 and 2, the lever is provided with a series of ratchet-teeth m², and
a dog, is pivoted at to the casing and has a knife-edge formed to engage
one of the teeth m³, the dog having a longitudinal slot through which the lever f
passes. When the lever is raised and it is desired to lock the lever and valve
with the latter open, the dog is swung outwardly and engaged with one of the
ratchet-teeth m³. as shown in Figure 2.
In the faucet shown in Figures 7 and 8, I employ a lever for operating the
valve. It is pivoted at gl to ears on the exterior of the spout b, and its portion
within the nozzle is a curved upwardly projecting arm on the end of which the
valve-stem rests. The external portion of the lever stands in a vertical or inclined
position, beside the nozzle. When the edge of a vessel is pressed sidewise against
the said external portion, it throws the latter toward the spout, and causes the
curved arm to raise the valve for the free passage of the liquid. The same
result may be produced by pressure of the operator's finger against the external
portion of the lever.

page_text: The lever may be held displaced to keep the valve open, by means of a
detent pivoted to the upper arm of the lever, and which may be thrown up so
as to engage a shoulder on the nozzle, when the lever is pressed inwardly, as
shown in Figure S.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple faucet,
in which the valve is closed, except when a vessel or the finger is pressed against
a lever connected with it, and that when such pressure is exerted, the valve is
raised by a direct pressure, without binding or frictional resistance, the only friction
developed being that caused by the swinging of the lever on its pivot, which is
very slight.
It will be seen that in each of the above-described constructions, the valve.
raising portion of the lever is within and surrounded by the nozzle, so that it does
not scatter the stream issuing from the nozzle.
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:-
1. A faucet having a downwardly projecting nozzle, a downwardly closing valve
in said nozzle, a lever pivoted to the nozzle and having a valve-raising portion within
and surrounded by the nozzle below the valve, and an external portion outside the
nozzle arranged to be displaced from its normal position by pressure applied out-
side the nozzle, the displacement of the lever raising the valve from its seat, while
the location of the valve-raising portion of the lever within the nozzle prevents
the lever from scattering the liquid discharged.
2. A faucet having a downwardly projecting nozzle, a downwardly closing valve
in said nozzle, a lever pivoted to the nozzle and having a valve-raising portion
within and surrounded by the nozzle below the valve, and an external portion out-
side the nozzle arranged to be displaced from its normal position by pressure
applied outside the nozzle, the displacement of the lever raising the valve from its
seat, and an adjustable detent for holding the lever and valve in their displaced
positions.
3. A faucet comprising a spout having a valve-seat, a check-valve on said seat,
and a lever pivoted to the exterior of the faucet at a point above the mouth of
the spout and extending along the exterior of the spout toward said mouth in
position to receive displacing pressure from a vessel surrounding the spout. the
lower end of said lever being provided with an arm projecting upwardly into the
said mouth and engaged with the valve.
4. A faucet having a downwardly projecting nozzle, a downwardly closing valvo
in said nozzle, a valve-raising lever pivoted to the nozzle and projecting laterally
therefrom, and arranged to he operated by upward pressure against it, and a fixed
elongated stop or abutment extending beside the lever and arranged to arrest the.
upward movement of a vessel pressed against the lever to open the valve, the lower
edge of the lever being inclined relatively to the stop or abutment, so that the
extent of the upward movement of the lever may be determined by the distance
of the acting portion of the vessel from the nozzle.
5. A faucet having a downwardly projecting nozzle, a valve-raising lever pivoted
to the nozzle, a series of ratchet-teeth on one of said parts, a pivoted dog or pawl
on the other part, said ratchet-teeth and pawl co-operating in holding the lever
in a series of different positions, and a valve bearing on the lever and adapted to
be supported thereby in a corresponding series of positions.
1
1
1997
PATRICK KELLY O'LALLY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.