IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLIANCES FOR FILLING INTO AND DRAWING LIQUIDS FROM CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS AND FOR EXCLUDING. THE AIR FROM SUCH VESSELS WHEN EMPTY
Year: 1867

page_text: of Down, in Ireland, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPLIANCES FOR FILLING INTO AND DRAWING LIQUIDS FROM CASKS AND OTHER
VESSELS AND FOR EXCLUDING. THE AIR FROM SUCH VESSELS WHEN EMPTY."
Sealed the 31st December 1867, and dated the 3rd July 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John McKibbin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd
July 1867.
I, JOHN MCKIBBIN, of Mount Pottinger, in the County of Down, in
Ireland, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said. Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLIANCES FOR FILLING INTO AND DRAWING LIQUIDS FROM
CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS AND FOR EXCLUDING THE AIR FROM SUCH VESSELS WHEN
EMPTY," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention consists in a ring or bushing fitting
tightly into the bung hole, and having on the inner side a minor screw into
which a plug with a major screw is fastened. The ring or bushing has at
the lower edge an internal rim which prevents the screw plug from passing
through it. A small perforation is made in the screw plug near the bushing
to admit air into the vessel when requisite, the lower orifice of the perforation
being covered by the internal rim of the bushing when the plug is screwed
tightly against the rim.

page_text: The second part of my Invention consists in a ring or bushing fitted tightly
into the tap hole, and having on the inner side a minor screw, into which are
fastened a plug with a major screw introduced from the inner end of the
bushing, and a tap also with a major screw introduced from the outer end of
the bushing; this tap has a tongued piece fitting another in the plug, so
that while the tap is being screwed into the bushing the plug is being screwed
partially out of the same into the vessel. The portion of the plug thus
entering the vessel is perforated so as to allow the liquid to pass through it to
the tap.
the
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John McKibbin in the Great Seal Patent Office on
3rd January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I. JOHN
MCKIBBIN, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, in Ireland, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of July, 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, thé said
John McKibbin, Her special licence that I, the said John McKibbin, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
McKibbin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLIANCES FOR FILLING
INTO AND DRAWING LIQUIDS FROM CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS AND FOR EXCLUDING
THE AIR FROM SUCH VESSELS WHEN EMPTY," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John McKibbin, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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 John McKibbin, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, 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 Invention consists of two parts. The first part relates to a contrivance
for plugging the bung holes of casks and other vessels so as to exclude the air
therefrom when empty, and to admit the necessary air into the same when
drawing off any contained liquid without removing the plug from the bung
hole.
The second part of my Invention relates to a contrivance for plugging the
tap holes of casks and other vessels so as to exclude the air therefrom when
empty, and to prevent the passage of any contained liquid thereout save
when required, and for removing the plug by means of a tap constructed
for the purpose when it is desired to draw off any of the contained liquid.
In performing the first part of my Invention I use. a ring or bushing of
brass or iron or other similar metalic substance equal in depth to the thickness
of the staves of a cask or other vessel, and furnished at one extremity with an
outer rim or flange, as in common use, and at the other extremity with an
inner rim or flange, which I prefer to be grooved. The ring or bushing may
be fastened tightly into the cask by means of a flanged nut screwed from the
inside of the cask upon the adjacent end of the ring or bushing, or by a major
screw turned on its outer or convex side. Two perforations in the outer rim
or flange admit the legs of a suitable lever, by means of which the ring or
bushing can be moved round or held firmly in the bung hole when fixed in its
place.
The perforations afterwards serve to admit screw nails to hold the
ring or bushing firm; or the same object may be effected by means of pins
or snugs fixed horizontally upon the perimeter of the rim or flange.
The above-described ring or bushing has on the inner or concave side a
minor screw, and into this I turn a closely fitted hollow plug of brass, or iron,
or other similar metallic substance furnished with a major screw, which is
adjusted to the form and dimensions of the minor screw in the ring or bushing;
through this hollow plug I make a perforation diagonally, having one orifice
at the surface exposed to the atmosphere, and the other at or near the inner
edge of the side formed with the major screw. An axial pin or snug is pro-
vided in the hollow of the plug, so that the plug may be displaced or removed
by a key or lever fitting upon the pin.. When the plug is screwed tightly
down upon the inner (grooved) rim or flange of the ring or bushing, the
inner orifice of the perforation in the plug is covered or closed by the inner
(grooved) rim or flange, so as to prevent the passage of air or liquid through
the plug; when the plug is turned a rotation or two by the reversed move-
1. +

page_text: ment of the key or lever the air will pass through the perforation and along
the groove of the minor screw of the ring or bushing into the cask or other
vessel.
In performing the second part of my Invention I use a ring or bushing of
brass, or iron, or other similar metalic.substance equal in depth to the thickness
of the head of a cask or other vessel, and furnished at one extremity with an
outer rim or flange. The ring or bushing is fitted tightly into the head of the
cask or other vessel, with the rim or flange at the outer side of the cask, by
similar means and in a similar manner to that already described in connection
with the ring or bushing for the bung hole; this, ring or bushing has on the
inner side a minor screw extending from the flanged extremity almost to the
opposite extremity, and into it from the flanged extremity I turn a hollow
plug equal in length to the depth of the ring or bushing; the hollow plug is
furnished with a major screw extending from one end along nearly half its
length; the remaining portion of the plug is perforated by a number of holes,
and a head is afterwards soldered to or fixed on the plug at the extremity
adjoining the perforations, so as entirely to cover the end of the ring or
bushing. A washer of lead or other soft metal or suitable material placed
between the head of the plug and the ring or bushing makes the joint or
closing tight and impervious. In the end of the hollow plug opposite the
head cut two or more slots or grooves to admit an equal number of spuds
or tongues on the tap. I use a tap having a short tail furnished with a major
screw, which is adjusted to the form and dimensions of the minor screw of
the ring or bushing, and with two or more spuds or tongues at the end of it.
A shoulder is turned upon the tail of the tap at a suitable distance from the
tongued end thereof, and the flanged end of the ring or bushing is bevelled off
at the inner side to admit the shoulder on the tap in order that when the tap
is screwed tightly into the ring or bushing the joint or closing may be tight
and impervious. The ordinary position of the plug in the ring or bushing is
with the head of the plug in close contact with the end of the ring or bushing.
When it is desired to draw any of the contained liquid out of the cask or
other vessel the tail of the tap is placed in the ring or bushing with the spuds
or tongues at its extremity set into the slots or grooves at the contiguous end
of the plug. The tap and plug are thus together screwed into the cask or
other vessel, and the perforated portion of the plug is thereby exposed to the
contained liquid, which then passes through the plug into the tap; while the
tap is being removed the plug is drawn with it into its original position, the
head thereof being brought into close contact with the end of the ring or
bushing.

page_text: In order that the said Invention may be more particularly described I shall
refer to the Drawings on the Sheets hereunto annexed, the same letters
of reference indicating the same or corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Sheet contains the Drawings of the first part of my said Invention..
Figure 1. is a vertical section of the ring or bushing shewing the flanged nut
or major screw and the outer rim or flange, the inner grooved rim or flange,.
and the minor screw on the inner side of the ring or bushing, and a similar
section of the hollow plug, shewing the major screw, the perforation for
admitting air. and the pin or snug Figure II. is a side view of the ring or
bushing shewing the outer rim or flange and the flanged nut or major screw
for fixing it tightly into the cask or other vessel; Figure III. is also a top
view shewing the ring or bushing without the plug; Figure IV. is a top or
front view of the ring or bushing also showing the outer rim or flange, and
showing the hollow plug with its pin or snug, and two perforations in the rim
or flange for the purposes above described.
The key or lever for adjusting
the plug is shewn on Figures I., II.. and IV. a is the ring or bushing: b is
the flanged nut; c is the grooved rim or flange; d is the outer rim or flange;
e is the hollow plug; to f¹ is the perforation; g is the pin or snug, and h
the key or lever.
Sheet 2 contains the Drawings of the second part of my Invention.
Figure 1. is a side view of the ring or bushing shewing the outer rim or
flange, the major screw on the outer side, and the head of the hollow plug:
above it is a side view of the tap shewing the short fail with major screw, the
rounded shoulder, and one of the spuds or tongues; Figure II. is a top or
front view of the ring or bushing with the plug inside it shewing the bevelled
edge of the ring or bushing and the slots or grooves in the end of the plug;
Figure III. is a vertical section of the ring or bushing with the tap inserted
and the hollow plug driven into the cask or other vessel, and shewing the
shoulder of the tap pressed tightly into the bevelled edge of the rim or flange,
a spud or tongue caught in a slot or groove of the hollow plug, and the per-
forated portion of the plug exposed in the cask; Figure IV. is a side view of
the tap and ring or bushing put together and shewing the perforated portion
of the hollow plug exposed. a is the ring or bushing; b is the outer ring or
flange is the head of the plug: c', the washer attached to the head of the
plug is the tail of the tape is a spud or tongue in the tail; f is the
shoulder on the tap is the plug; h, h, are the slots or grooves in the
plug.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that I do not claim as of my
Invention or the exclusive use of the several parts of the appliances herein-
before described and referred to, except when the same are used in and
for the purposes of my said improvements, which I hereby declare to consist
in constructing,
First, a ring or bushing arranged with an inner rim or flange, and fastened
in the manner and for the purposes above described.
Secondly, a plug or bung arranged with a perforation and adjusted to a
ring or bushing, so as to admit the air at pleasure into a vessel, in the manner
and for the purposes above described.
Thirdly, a plug arranged with perforations, a screw thread, and slots
adjusted to a fixed coupling ring or bushing, and moved by a tap arranged
with a shoulder, a screw thread, and spuds or tongues, in the manner and
for the purposes above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John McKibbin, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Signed and sealed in the presence of
HUGH HYNDMAN,
Solicitor & Patent Agent,
Belfast.
JOHN MCKIBBIN. (L.S.