IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC MEASURING COCKS, AND IN APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William John Clucas Joughin at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th February 1881.
WILLIAM JOHN CLUCAS JOUGHIN, of Walthamstow, in the County of Essex,
Insurance Clerk. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC MEASURING COCKS, AND IN
APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH."
"
My Invention is designed for the measuring of fluids as drawn off from any cock,
tap, or valve, and for the automatic closing of such cock, tap, or valve, to prevent
overflow or waste when a required quantity of fluid has been drawn.
My apparatus consists of a cock, tap, or valve of any suitable form through
which liquid can only pass when the cock or valve is open by the turning of a
plug with a water way through it, or other suitable means.
In the water way
beyond the cock is fixed a water wheel or turbine, so that the passing flow of liquid
causes the said wheel or turbine to revolve. The spindle of the water wheel or
turbine outside the cock is fitted with a small pinion which may gear into a wheel.
On the shaft of this wheel is a second pinion, which gearing into a rack, closes the
plug or valve of the tap or cock. The pressure or pull of the hand is required by a
suitable button, handle, or lever to open the tap, cock, or valve, which is then
automatically shut to the point of closing by the revolving wheel or turbine as
described. In order to ensure the final and complete closing of the tap, cock, or
valve, I use a sliding balance weight, which at the moment of last closing falls into
a position of over balance, and thus ensures the continuation and completion of the
closing movement after the flow of liquid has ceased.
I do not restrict myself to the geared connection between the revolving water
wheel or turbine and the plug cock, as described, but may use a screw and worm
wheel gearing or other equivalent mechanical means as long as the movement of
the water wheel or turbine is utilised automatically in conjunction with the over
balance weight to close the cock, tap, or valve; the overbalance weight is brought
back to its former position by the pressure of the hand to re-open the cock, tap, or
valve.
I may make the cock, tap, or valve capable of measuring any desired quantity
at will by providing several handles, levers, or buttons to be moved by the operator,
or if only one handle, lever, or button be provided, according to the distance
through which the operator moves it.

page_text: In order to effect the instantaneous opening of the valve or orifice through the
cock, which at the same time may itself move with a regular and gradual
movement, I may provide a special valve in the plug which remains closed, and
retaining the flow until allowed to open by the concluding portion of the gradual
travel of the cock. The closing of this valve is also promptly effected by the first
portion of the gradual closing motion of the cock. The said valve may be of the
form known as the gridiron, in which one set of bars slides over another similar
set, the relative positions of the interstices and bars (determined by the revolution
of the plug) releasing or cutting off the flow; or it may be in the form of a hinged
valve free to open by the force of the water at a certain point of the revolution of
the plug, and closed by the impact of the water way when the plug is further
revolved in the same direction.