IMPROVE- MENTS IN CASKS AND IN APPARATUS FOR STORING AND DRAWING-OFF LIQUIDS AND SEMI-FLUID MATTERS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Ritchie at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th May
1867.
I, CHARLES RITCHIE, of Upper Tulse Hill, Brixton, in the County of
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CASKS AND IN APPARATUS FOR STORING AND DRAWING-OFF LIQUIDS AND
SEMI-FLUID MATTERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in casks and in apparatus
for storing and drawing-off liquids and semi-fluid matters. I introduce into
the head of a cask or similar vessel a recessed socket having at the bottom an
opening into the cask or vessel, and at the top a lid or cover which may be
secured by a lock; through the opening at the bottom of the socket a tube
slides in which a tap is formed in the manner herein-after described. The
tap is thus able to slide in and out, so that a cask can safely travel without the
tap being removed, but with it pushed back into the socket and enclosed by.
the cover or lid. In a similar way the bung may be arranged in a socket in
the side or bulge of the cask, and the bung may serve also in place of a vent
peg, being made tubular for some distance up, and with a hole at the side

page_text: leading into the internal hollow, so that when the bung is drawn up a short
distance air can enter freely into the cask or vessel, but when it is pushed
down the cask or vessel is closed air-tight.
The tap which I employ consists of a tube, it may be of metal or other
material; it is fitted into a socket in the cask or vessel either to slide, as
herein-before described, or be screwed therein, or it may be more permanently
fixed on the lower side of it there is a spout or nozzle. Within this tube is
an inner tube of porcelain or other incorrosive material; it fits accurately
within the first tube, and it is closed at the outer end. The inner tube is
capable of being turned round by means of a key or handle, and in this way a
hole in it is brought to coincide with the spout or nozzle of the outer tube or
case, and the liquid then flows; the hole in the inner tube is, however, made
considerably smaller than the spout or nozzle so that this is not wetted, and the
liquid passes direct from the incorrosive inner tube to the glass or receiver,
into which the liquid is drawn; in this way the liquid is not liable to be
tainted as when ordinary taps are used, and the liquid alternately wets and
dries upon a metal spout or nozzle.
In some cases I arrange the outer tube with two or more nozzles on its
side communicating with different vessels, and in the inner tube I form
openings corresponding with the nozzles on the outer tube; these openings
are not, however, in the same line, so that when the inner tube is in one
position the liquid is able to flow from one of the vessels with which the tap
is connected and in another position from another of the vessels, and so on, or
in a similar way liquid may be drawn from two or more vessels simultaneously;
or for this purpose two or more separate taps may be employed connected
together side by side, and with the inner tubes geared together so as to turn
simultaneously by means of spur wheels. In this manner a compound tap
may be constructed to admit air into the cask at the same time that liquid is
drawn out from it; the two taps may in this case communicate with one
common stem.
Where it is desired to heat or cool liquids after they are drawn from a cask
or vessel, I employ a vessel in which is a rising and falling piston; this is
connected with the cask or vessel containing the liquid, and within the con-
necting tube is another tube so as to form a tap, as already described. When
the tube is turned in one position the piston vessel fills, and when it is turned
into another position the contents are drawn off. When it is desired to-beat
the contents of the piston vessel a lamp may be placed beneath it, or to cool
the contents it may be surrounded by a freezing-mixture_contained_in_an'
outer vessel; by this means a measure of the liquid may be heated or cooled.

page_text: without exposing it to the air until it is required for use. For storing semi-
fluid matters I also employ a vessel with a piston in it, and an opening near
the bottom capable of being closed by a screw cap to draw off the material;
the piston is forced down by a screw. The screw may form part of the
instrument, or may be mounted on a separate frame.