In- PROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Mann, of No. 107, Holley Street,
Dalston, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of “In-
PROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES."
Sealed the 22nd December 1871, and dated the 17th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Mann at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th October 1871.
I, ALEXANDER MANN, of No. 107, Holley Street, Dalston, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR VALVES," to be as follows :—
The object of this Invention is to construct a tap or valve applicable
for delivering regulated quantities of water to wash basins, lavatories,
sinks, cisterns, closets, and for other purposes where it is required to
pass or draw off regulated quantities of water.
For this purpose I
employ a valve carried by a stem with which is combined a spring
acting to draw the valve up to its seat, and with which is also combined

page_text: a controlling apparatus as herein-after described to govern the speed at
which the valve is allowed to close after being opened.
The following is the manner in which I prefer to construct the tap or
valve. The supply or inlet passage of the tap is on the same side of the
valve seat as the valve itself, and the outlet passage or spout is on the
opposite side. The stem of the valve is prolonged upwards through
the waterway of the valve, through the outlet passage, and through a
chamber above it, in which is contained the spiral spring, this spring
acts upon a head at the upper end of the valve stem and draws the
valve up to its seat. The stem is also prolonged below the valve and
has a cup-shaped piece of vulcanized india-rubber secured around it
below the valve seat, and within the supply or inlet passage of the tap is
a cylindrical chamber closed at bottom and the elastic cup fits within
this chamber. Holes are formed through the upper end of the
cylindrical chamber for the passage of fluid to the interior of the
chamber, and to the waterway of the valve. When the valve is pressed
downwards by pressing on the head of the valve stem, the elastic
cup
is
carried down with it towards the lower end of the cylindrical chamber
the water at the bottom of this chamber then passes freely between the
cup and the cylinder. When the head of the valve stem is no longer
pressed on, the valve is drawn towards its seat by the spiral spring before
mentioned, and the speed at which the valve can close is controlled by
the speed at which water can pass to the lower part of the cylindrical
chamber through a small passage in the valve stem, this passage rises
up from the bottom of the stem and passes out at its side just above the
elastic cup. The waterway through this passage can be diminished to
any extent desired by causing the end of an adjusting wire to enter
more or less into the passage. The wire passes up through the stem
and screws into a screw thread at its upper end, the upper end of the
wire is formed into a head by which it can be turned, and the wire so
screwed up or down. The head of the wire is covered over by a screw
cap or button, which screws on to the top of the valve stem and the
valve is depressed by pressure applied upon this cap or button. By the
arrangement of tap or valve above described, not only can the amount
of water delivered by the tap be adjusted by the speed at which the
valve closes after being opened, but in addition the concussion caused by
sudden closing is entirely avoided, rattling and liability of breakage of
the supply pipes is avoided, and also if a disc of vulcanized india-rubber

page_text: be employed as the seating of the valve and a cup of the same material.
as the cup of the regulator, the tap or valve may be used either for hot
or cold water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Mann in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MANN, of No. 107, Holley Street, Dalston, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexander Mann, Her special licence.
that I, the said Alexander Mann, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Mann, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS. IN TAPS OR
VALVES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander
Mann, 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 Alexander Mann, 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 :-
The object of this Invention is to construct a tap or valve applicable
for delivering regulated quantities of water to wash basins, lavatories,
sinks, cisterns, closets, and for other purposes where it is required to

page_text: pass or draw off regulated quantities of water. For this purpose I
employ a valve with which is combined a controlling apparatus to:
govern the speed at which the valve is allowed to close after being
opened.
In order that the nature of my Invention may be fully understood,
and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
:
Figure 1 is a side view; and Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of a
tap or valve constructed according to my Invention. a is a flanged.
socket, connected at one end to the source of supply in any convenient
manner; at the other the delivery spout 6 is fixed with screws, the
joint being made with a washer of leather or vulcanized india-rubber,
which also serves as a seating for the valve d; the valve closes in the
direction of the flow, and a coiled spring e acts upon the valve stem d²,
tending to draw the valve up to its seat. The stem d also projects on
the other side of the valve, and has a cupped leather or vulcanized
india-rubber cup ƒ fixed upon it. This cup works in a cylindrical
chamber g closed at the end furthest from the valve, and at the other
there are openings by which the water from the supply is able to enter.
The chamber is fitted, as shewn, into the mouth of the flanged
socket a. There is a passage d* through the valve stem a", from one
side of the cup f to the other, and the size of this passage is adjustable
by means of the screw plug h, which is accessible from the end of the
stem & by removing tho cap i. The action of the apparatus is as
follows:-When the cap i is pressed upon the valve d is removed from-
its seat, and at the same time the cup fis moved towards the closed
end of the chamber g, the water in the chamber freely escaping all
around the edges of the flexible cup. The water then flows past the
valve d, and is delivered at the spout 6, and it continues to run until
the valve is allowed to return to its seat. This it can only do as the
chamber slowly fills with water through the adjustable passage d*,
for the flexible cup ƒ will not allow it to pass its edge in this direction.
Thus it will be seen that by suitably regulating the plug h the amount
delivered during the time that the valve is closing can be controlled at
pleasure.
'
By the arrangement of tap or valve above described not only can
the amount of water delivered by the tap be adjusted by the speed¨at

page_text: which the valve closes after being opened, but in addition the concussion
caused by sudden closing is entirely avoided, rattling and liability of
breakage of the supply pipes is prevented, and also if a disc of vulcanized
india-rubber be employed as the seating of the valve, and a cup of the
same material as the cup of the regulator, the tap or valve may be used
either for hot or cold water.
described. -
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Mann, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 15th day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.