USRE7877E - Improvement in street-sprinklers - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOREY F. BANOBOFT, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ANDREW B. YETTER, OF NEW YORK CITY.

IMPROVEMENT lNSTREET-SPRINKLERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 124,

657, dated March 19,1872; Reissue No. 7,877, dated September 11, 1877; application filed July 11, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOREY F. BANCROFT, of Worcester, Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Street-Sprinklers, of which the following is a specification:

The object of my improvementisto relieve the driver of a street-watering cart from the necessity of using either hand for operating the valve mechanism which controls the supply of water to the sprinkler.

My invention consists primarily in a valveactuating lever or bar, which is arranged in front of the tank, and projects above the footboard in convenient proximity to the drivers seat, and is adapted to be operated by the foot of the driver, who thus has his hands left free for the management of his team.

My invention also includes devices for facilitating the operation in like manner of two or more valves for separately controlling thesupply of water to two or more separate compartments in a divided sprinkler.

Finally, my improvement embraces certain details of construction incidental to the main object of my invention, and which are fully set forth in the following description.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention as applied to a watering-cart having a sprinkler divided into three compartments, and hence having three valves for admitting water into the sprinkler.

Figure 1 is a view of the front end of the water-tank. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the tank through the line a; a: on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the tank through the line y 3 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a rear view, on an enlarged scale, of the foot-lever and latch devices. Fig. 5 is a plan of the same, on a like enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the water tank or reservoir of a streetsprinkling cart, provided with the usual drivers seat B and foot-board O. Passages or pipes D D D, are provided for supplying water from the tank to the several compartments of a perforated semicircular discharger, made as described in Letters Patent No. 101,700, granted to John A. Bancroft et aL, April 12, 1870. The pipes D D D are closed by valves E, made of rubber or metal, and having long upwardly-projecting spindles E, which are provided with vertical bearings through the ends of the horizontal arms a, which project from the rear side of the upright standards F. Bell-crank levers G are pivoted to the tops of the standards F. The horizontal arm of each of the levers G is connected with the upper end of the valve-spindle E, by means of the short pitman or link b. The upright arm of each of the levers G is pivoted to the end of one of the valve-rods H. The three valverods extend forward through stufling-hoxes I arranged in the front end or head A of the tank. These stufling-boxes are made of the form shown, and are screwed into openings formed in the head A, until "their external flange rests against the outer surface of the head. The packing-nuts J are screwed into the boxes I from the interior of the tank, and the packing within the boxes I forms watertight joints and prevents leakage around the rods H, which latter, being made smooth, can be easily slid back and forth through the boxes for operating the valves E, and thus opening and closing the passages D.

The forward end of each of the rods H is attached, by means of a link, d, to one of the foot-levers K, which have their lower ends pivoted in studs f, secured to the lower part of the head A, while their upper ends project up through a slot in the central part of the foothoard O, in the manner illustrated in the drawing. The side levers are turned inward above their junction with the valve-rods, so that all the levers pass through the foot-board in close proximity to each other. The center lever is provided with a cross-head, e, at its upper end, and the side levers are turned outward at a level with the cross-head of the center lever, to form a sufficient space for the foot, beyond which their extremities are turned upward to form side lugs, as shown at c. A portion of the ends of the cross-head c are extended past the rear corners of the side levers, so that by placing his foot on the cross-head e the driver can press forward all three of the levers to gether. A double spring-latch, L, is attached to the foot-board G, the two ends of which extend back through the spaces between the levers, as indicated, and when the levers are when the valves vers in the position indicated by dottedlines,

Fig. 2, thus keeping the valves E open until thelatchis tripped and the. levers'released be instantly closed by, the

wi action of the coiled wiresprings M, which'are arranged around the valve-rods H, with one of their ends pressing against the packing-nuts J, and the others against the pins m, set through the rods.

bined with the levers or rods on the exterior of the tank or in. the interior. Weights-may also be used for. closing the'valves,owhen desired; but I prefer the construction herein shown.

If the driver desires to shut of the water from one side of the discharger while passing carriages, or. while running near the sidewalk, he. releases the lever corresponding to the side he desires to shut, by springing the upper end of said lever outward, so that itiwill' pass by the end of the cross heade, and if he desires to shut ofl all the water he trips the latch. L by pressing dbwn its rear end with: his heel.

may be provided for that purpose, so as to hold one of said sidelevers independentoftheeentral lever. In lieu of the spindle-valves, E'E', as herein shown, a simple clapper-valve may be used in connection with the bell-crank, le: vers G and valverods H. The, running-gear or truck of the waterin g-cart, bein g, of ordinary and well-known construction, is not shown in the drawings, andI, therefore do not deem it necessary to describe. it.

It will be seen that by means of the valvegear and the foot-lever arranged in combination with the valve-gear, described, the driver can ftlie foot-board.

easily-and oonvenientlyrregnlate and control the supply' ofi waterito the .sprin klen while Heeping his position upon the seat B. The driver thus has both hands free for the management of his team.

L am awarathat agate; has been. arranged atthe junction of, the eduction-pipe with the l sprinkler, and-that such gate has-been operated by means of a pitman connecting with a hori- ,zontal lever RIVOISOditOB standard on the top ofthe tank and extending forward to the front .ofithe tank, and there connected with a treadle vmounted upona horizontal, pivot just above 1 do not, therefore, claim, broadly, a valve in a street-sprinkler adapted to be operated by the foot of the driver.

I. claim as my invention in, awateri'ng-cart or street sprinkler 1'1. A valveffor controlling; the flow of water from a tankinto a sprinklenanda valve-rod for operating suohvalve,in combination with a stufling-box L i'n the forward end of the pose set forth.

2. The combinatiomwith the tank in astreetsprinkler, oftwo onmore valverods and, two or morev footeleveraaholding mechanism, and

jaclosing mechanism, whereby either one or more of the valves isadaptedi to be independas herein shownand operate either one or more of the valves-with hisfeet, and thus can F ently opened or closedby the footof the driver, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination: of the valve-rods H, arrangedfthrough stalling-boxes in the front end ,ofuthe tank, with the foot-levers K0 a, latch device L,,and' spring M, substantially, as and for the purposes setfort 4. The, combination and relative arrangement, with. the passages D and valve-rods H, of. thespindle-valves EE', standardsF and a, bell' crank levers G, and links 6, substantially J as shown and described.

, LOREY E. BANOROFT. Witnesses:

. HENRY. L. PARKER,

LOUISE PROUTY.

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