CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN COCKS OR TAPS FOR DRAWING OFF FLUIDS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas William Atlee, Druggists' Factor, of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN COCKS OR TAPS FOR DRAWING OFF FLUIDS."
Sealed the 24th June 1862, and dated the 27th December 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas William Atlee
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th December 1861.
I, THOMAS WILLIAM ATLEE, Druggists' Factor, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN COCKS OR TAPS FOR DRAWING OPP FLUIDS," to be as
follows (that is to say) :-
My improvements in taps consist in forming a spiral thread or groove, or
threads and grooves around the shanks of taps which otherwise may be of
any ordinary construction. The use of the spiral thread or groove, or threads
and grooves before referred to, is to permit such taps being applied or
removed by being screwed in or out through the cock usually placed in the
proper position for receiving the tap or cock for drawing off their contents;
and in giving effect to this Invention, the shank is cast hollow in the ordinary
way, but terminating in a point with a series of radial holes placed around
near the end for the fluid to flow through, and in applying this tap,
mend the cork to be slightly but centrally punctured or partially removed
when the pointed end of the shank must be thrust in, and the tap turned in the
I

page_text: proper direction until sufficiently screwed in through the cork, so that the radial
holes before referred to formed at the small end of the shank shall have
passed through the cork into the vessel, otherwise the liquor would not be
able to flow.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas William Atlee in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WILLIAM ATLEE, Druggists' Factor, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas William Atlee, Her special license that I, the said Thomas
William Atlee, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Thomas William Atlee, 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
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN COCKS OR TAPS FOR DRAWING OFF FLUIDS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas William Altee, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas William Atlee, 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 improvements in cocks or taps to be used for drawing off the contents
of casks or barrels, consist in forming the same with a spiral groove or thread,
or grooves and threads, around the shank of such taps, or that part that
passes through the cork or wood of the vessel into the interior. This screw
or worm may be formed in any desirable way, either by being moulded and

page_text: cast with the general formation of the tap, or formed by soldering around the
shank of the tap one, two, or more regular spiral wires, according to the
number of threads or worms that may be desired, or the wormed part may
be formed separate, either of brass, steel, or other metal, and soldered or
otherwise secured to the action or front part. The delivery pipe, barrel of
the tap, plug, and means of actuating the same, may be like the ordinary'
construction of taps now in use, or of any approved pattern or design. In
some cases I purpose tapping that portion of the shank that comes to or near
the outside of the barrel with a fine thread, and applying to the same a
suitable adjustable collar, with a projecting flange on that part immediately in
front of the cask or barrel when in use, for the purpose herein-after stated.
The use of the spiral screw, before referred to, is to permit such taps being
applied to or removed from any cask where the use of a tap may be required
to draw off its contents, the same being applied and removed by being screwed
in or out through the cork, usually placed in the proper position for receiving
such appliances, or through the wood itself, if necessary, the inner end of
the shank being formed with small perforations for allowing the fluid in the
cask to flow through the tap in the process of drawing off; but the extreme
end of my improved tap I terminate in a sharp point, for easily puncturing
and worming itself in and through the cork or wood of the vessel, so that in
applying this improved tap to casks or barrels, which may be done even by a
lady, without the slightest danger of wasting the fluid or soiling her dress,
and without the use of any tool of implement, for the tap has simply to be
pressed into the centre of the cork in which it is intended to pass, and turning
it around, it will worm its way through the cork or wood of the cask like a
gimlet or nail passer, tightening itself by its taper form at every turn, and
when such taps have adjustable collars, as before referred to, applied to them,
the collar must be turned around, until the face of its flange is brought in
close contact with the external portion of the cask through which the shank
passes, thereby forming additional strength or security for holding the tap in
position, rendering it less liable to become loose by frequent use or tight
action of the plug in opening or closing the flow way of such taps.
But in order that I may be well understood as to the nature and object of
my Invention, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed,
reference being made to the figures and letters marked thereon.

page_text: desired; the part extending from A to B. forms the novel portion of my
improved tap, as used and applied for drawing off the contents of casks and
vessels. I state this because I believe small taps of peculiar shape and con-
struction, but nevertheless having the shank wormed, have been made and
applied to glass bottles, for the better controlling and permitting the escape
of aerated waters, or waters highly impregnated with gas, such as soda water,
lemonade, &c. The spiral here shown is represented as having been cast and
formed of the same metal as the tap, but the pitch of which and number of
threads may be varied, as desired.
Fig. 2 is identical with Figure 1, with the exception that the part of the
shank between C, D, and E, F, is formed parallel, and tapped with a fine
thread, as here shown, over which the adjustable collar shown in section
marked G, G, works in or out as may be required, as, for instance, supposing
the taper or spiral shank H, H, be screwed into the cask to the depth
indicated by the line marked K, L. In that case the collar must be reversed
until the face of the flange M, N, is brought also in contact with it, and by this
means taps much used and applied to large vessels will be more securely held
or adjusted when required. Fig. 3 represents an end detached view of the
collar marked G.
Having thus given a general description of my improvements in taps, I
wish it understood that I do not claim the use of spiral threads applied to the
shanks of taps; but what I claim, and wish protected by these my in part
recited Letters Patent, is the application of taps constructed with threads or
spiral grooves formed on the taper face of the shank to the drawing off of
fluids in wooden casks.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas William Atlee, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
THOMAS WILLIAM ATLEE. (L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM LOACH,
Clerk to James S. Cockings,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.