OR TAPS." IMPROVEMENTS IN COCKS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Harrison, of 7, Sackville Place, in the City
of Dublin, Brassfounder, for the Invention of
OR TAPS."
IMPROVEMENTS IN COCKS
Sealed the 5th May 1868, and dated the 14th November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Harrison at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th November 1867.
I, RICHARD HARRISON, of 7, Sackville Place, in the City of Dublin, Brass-
founder, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN COCK OR TAPS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in cocks or taps suitable
either for high-pressure water taps or cocks for steam, air, or gases under
pressure, the object being to obtain an efficient steam or fluid tight cock or
tap without the use of a stuffing box or packing, as hitherto required for that
purpose. The thoroughfare through the cock is closed by means of a valve
resting upon a horizontal valve seat, with a packing or facing of leather, in
some cases applied either to the face of the valve or to its seat, or the valve
may be conical and fit a conical valve seat, in which case all packing will be dis-
pensed with; this valve is opened and closed by means of a screw spindle, which
is either carried by the valve and works inside a female screw made in a conical
cap rotatated by the usual "crutch;" or the screw spindle may engage with a
[Price 6d.]

page_text: female screw made in the centre of the valve itself, in which case the crutch
for turning the screw spindle is fitted directly thereon, and a conical portion or
enlargement is formed on the upper part of the spindle, which is caused to fit
accurately into the chamber of the tap or cock, which is also tapered or made
conical to correspond to the said enlargement. The accurate fitting together
of these two conical surfaces prevents any leakage from the cock, and obviates
the necessity for the usual stuffing box or packing. The valve itself is
prevented from rotating whilst under the action of the screw spindle by
having a square or other suitably shaped guiding stem formed on its under
side, which engages into a corresponding chamber or recess in a hollow
screwed cap which closes the lower part of the body of the tap or cock.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Harrison in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, RICHARD
HARRISON, of No. 7, Sackville Place, Dublin, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, 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 Richard Harrison, Her special license that I, the said Richard Harrison,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Richard Harrison, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COCKS AND TAPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Richard Harrison, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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 Richard Harrison, do hereby declare
the nature of said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in cocks or taps suitable
either for high-pressure water taps or cocks for steam, air, or gases under
pressure, the object being to obtain an efficient steam or fluid tight cock or
tap without the use of a stuffing box or packing, as hitherto required for that
purpose. The thoroughfare through the cock is closed by means of a valve
resting upon a horizontal valve seat with a packing or facing of leather in
some cases applied either to the face of the valve or to its seat, or the valve
may be conical and fit a conical valve seat, in which case all packing will be
dispensed with; this valve is opened and closed by means of a screw spindle,
which is either carried by the valve and works inside a female screw made in
a conical cap rotated by the usual "crutch," or by a removable key, if
preferred; or the screw spindle may engage with a female screw made in the
centre of the valve itself, in which case the crutch for turning the screw spindle
is fitted directly thereon, and a conical portion or enlargement is formed on
the upper part of the spindle, which is caused to fit accurately into the
chamber of the tap or cock, which is also tapered or made conical to cor-
respond to the said enlargement. The accurate fitting together of these two
conical surfaces prevents any leakage from the cock and obviates the necessity
for the usual stuffing box or packing. The valve itself is prevented from
rotating whilst under the action of the female or male screw by having a
square or other suitably shaped guiding stem formed on its under side, which
engages into a corresponding chamber or recess in a hollow cap which closes
the lower part of the body of the tap or cock.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall
refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure of the Drawings represents an external side elevation of one
arrangement of tap or cock constructed according to my said Invention and
adapted to a crook-nosed cock for directly drawing off liquids; Figure 2 is a
sectional elevation of the same.
In this modification A represents the body of the tap or cock, and B the
valve, which is here shown as a flat disc faced with leather or other suitable
material d, and fitting against a flat valve seat C. If desired the leather or
other facing a may be applied to the valve seat in lieu of to the valve itself.
The upper end of the valve spindle has a screw thread D formed on it, and

page_text: works in a female screw or cap E, which acts as a fixed nut, being secured to
and rotated by the "crutch "F; this cap or nut E is made conical at the top,
and is ground or otherwise accurately fitted into the internal conical seat c, c,
in the upper end of the chamber A or main body of the cock. The lower end
of the valve spindle is made square or hexagonal, or of any other equivalent
form, as shown at G, and fits into a correspondingly shaped cap H screwed on
to the lower part of the body A, the object being to prevent the valve spindle
from turning when acted on by the cap or nut E. On turning the crutch in
one direction the valve D will be lowered and the thoroughfare of the cock
opened, as shewn in the Drawing, the arrows indicating the direction of the
flow; simultaneously with the opening of the valve the conical cap or nut E
has a tendency to close tight against its conical seat at c, c, and thus prevents
without the aid of packing any escape or leakage of water through the opening
for the crutch stem.
In Figures 3 and 4 the valve B is made conical or mitre-shaped, and fits a
ground conical valve seat C, leather or other facing being thus dispensed with.
In Figure 3 the screw spindle D is attached to the crutch, and its screwed
portion works in a female screw b made in the valve B itself, the valve being
prevented from rotating by having its lower part G made square, hexagonal,
or of some other equivalent form, and fitting into a correspondingly shaped
cap H.
In this modification the conical part E, which fits fluid-tight against
the conical seat c in the top of the chamber or body A of the cock is a mere
enlargement or shoulder formed on the screw spindle D.
In Figure 4 the construction is similar to the cock shewn in Figure 2, with
this exception, that a conical or mitre-shaped valve and seat are substituted
for the flat leather-faced valve and seat of the first described arrangement.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The peculiar constructions and arrangements of cocks, taps, or valves,
as herein-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Second. The use in high-pressure cocks or taps of a conical metal seat in
the upper part of the body thereof in conjunction with a corresponding conical
nut or cap containing a female screw, and rotated by the ordinary" crutch"
or otherwise, for the purpose of opening and closing the valve and maintaining
the opening for the spindle liquid and gas tight without the aid of packing,
substantially as herein-before described.

page_text: Third. The use in high-pressure cocks or taps of a conical metal seat in the
upper part of the body thereof in conjunction with a corresponding conical
shoulder or enlargement on the screw spindle, which opens and closes the valve
for the purpose of maintaining it liquid and gas tight, substantially as herein-
before described.
Fourth. The use in combination with the arrangements herein set forth of
means for preventing the rotation of the valve spindle or valve when acted
upon by the internal conical nut or the screw spindle, substantially as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Harrison, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the 8th day of May, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-eight.
RICHARD HARRISON. (L.S.)