IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND WORKING VALVES FOR BATHS, WASH STANDS, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Harlow, of Stockport, in the County of
Lancaster, Brass Founder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONSTRUCTING AND WORKING VALVES FOR BATHS, WASH STANDS, AND
OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 12th December 1853, and dated the 27th June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Harlow at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 27th June 1853.
I, ROBERT HARLOW, of Stockport, in the County of Lancaster, Brass
Founder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND WORKING VALVES FOR BATHS, WASH
STANDS, AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in a novel arrangement of valves, by which
hot and cold water can be admitted separately or simultaneously to a
bath or wash stand. Two spindle valves (for the hot and cold water)
are placed within reach of a lever projecting from a rod, this lever acts
upon a guide plate connected to the valve by a vulcanized india-rubber

page_text: tube, which acts as a spring to. force the guide plate up after it has
been pressed down. Another valve for the off pipe is also placed
within reach of the same pressing-down lever, consequently the same
handle can operate upon all the valves.
In those cases where only one or two valves, or in others where
more than three valves, are required, the same construction and the
same apparatus for working them may be emploved.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Harlow in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 27th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ROBERT HARLOW, of Stockport, in the County of Lancaster, Brass
Founder, send greeting."
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Harlow, Her special licence that
I, the said Robert Harlow, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Robert Harlow, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, 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 CON-
STRUCTING AND WORKING VALVES FOR BATHS, WASH STANDS, AND OTHER
PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert
Harlow, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Harlow, 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, that is to say:
My Invention consists, first, in the application of tubes made of
vulcanized india-rubber, or other elastic material, to the spindles of
valves, in order to dispense with stuffing boxes; and, secondly, in a new
combination of parts for working the valves of baths, wash stands, and
other purposes; and in order that my Invention may be fully under-
stood, and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the
means pursued by me, reference being had to the annexed Drawing,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, is an elevation, partly in section, of one mode of applying
my improvements; Figure 2, is another elevation; Figure 3, a plan of
the same; and Figure 4, a plan of the dial to indicate the position of the
valves. In these views a, is the spindle of the cold water valve; b, the
spindle of the hot water valve; and c, the spindle of the waste water
valve. In Figure 1, the cold water valve is shewn in section; on referring
to this view it will be seen that the valve seating marked d, is made in
the end of a screwed boss projecting from the chamber e; a', is the
valve projecting from the spindle a, and a², is a nozzle to which the
cold water supply pipe is screwed; a³, is a tube of vulcanized india-
rubber, or other suitable elastic material, tied above to the spindle a,
and below to a boss projecting from the chamber e; this tube prevents
the escape of any water or other liquid, thereby dispensing with a
stuffing box. The other valves and valve seatings are made in a
similar manner. The spindles a, b, and c, are equidistant from the
centre shaft f, to which is fixed a tappet f¹, acting on the tops of the
spindles a, b, and c, to depress them when required; the shape of the
tappet f, is seen best in Figure 1; the centre of it is now in a line with
the centre of the spindle a, consequently the valve a¹, is open; as
soon as the attendant by moving the handle f2, removes the tappet f¹,
from the top of the spindle a, the tube a', acting like a spring, raises

page_text: the spindle a, so as to bring the valve a', against its seating d, and as
the pressure of the water is on the back of the valve it is evident that
the valve will remain closed until the tappet f¹, is again made to
depress the spindle a. On referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that the
hot and cold water valves unite in the chamber e, and that the. pipe
which conveys the hot and cold water to the bath or wash stand is
screwed in the ordinary manner to the branch e. The waste water
from the bath or wash stand is conveyed by a pipe attached to the
nozzle. c, and passes off by another pipe in connexion. with the
branche In Figures 2, and 3, the tappet f¹, is on the spindle c, of the
waste valve, consequently, the waste valve is open, and the handle f², is
over the corresponding index on the dial shewn in Figure 4; the hot
and cold water valves are closed by the action of the spring tubes a³,
and 63, and by the pressure of water on the valves. I wish to remark
here, that a greater or less number of valves may be worked by the same
arrangement, and that the valves may be placed nearer together, or the
tappet f, may be broader, so that more than one valve may be opened
at the same time. The valves may also be made in such wise that
they will be opened by the action of the elastic tubes above described,
and closed by the action of the tappet f¹.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I declare that I claim as of my Invention,
first, the elastic tubes marked a, b, and c', when used in the manner
and for the purposes described; and, secondly, the improvements in
working the valves for baths, wash stands, and other purposes, as shewn
and described.
In witness whereof,. I, the 'said Robert Harlow, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, tliis. Twenty-sixth, day, of December, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
ROBERT HARLOW. (L.S.)