IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TAPS AND VALVES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward John Collis, of Stourbridge, in the County of
Worcester, Mining Engineer, and John Deakin Ready, of Wolverhampton, in
the County of Stafford, Brassfounder, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward John Collis and
John Deakin Ready at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
3rd February 1881.
EDWARD JOHN COLLIS, of Stourbridge, in the County of Worcester, Mining
Engineer, and JOHN DEAKIN READY, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Brassfounder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TAPS AND VALVES."
This Invention relates to the description of taps and valves which are required
or which may be desired to be fixed in place, while the vessel or other article to
which they are to be fixed contains the fluid to be drawn off. The improvements
refer to the parts which form the connection with the vessel or other article.
The object of the Invention is to enable such taps and valves to be fixed in place
without the liability of the fluid to be drawn off spurting out, as is the case in
fixing taps and valves of the ordinary construction.
We will describe our Invention, by way of instance, as applied to a tap for a
beer cask, upon which its application for other purposes will be obvious.
A bush is fixed permanently in the head or other part of the cask, and is faced
at its inner and outer end and screwed internally. A valve is placed at the inner
end of the bush, and held thereto by means of a screwed plug within the bush
aforesaid, which said plug is capable of turning on the axis of the valve. The
valve is thus held up against the inner face of the bush, and prevents the liquor
from running out when the tap is not inserted into the cask.
The tail of the tap
has a faced collar to bear against the outer face of the bush, and is screwed for a
certain length at the back of the collar, the remainder being plain and perforated
as an ordinary tap. The extreme end of the tail of the tap is shaped to fit a
corresponding part of the screwed plug aforesaid, so that as the plain end of the
tail is inserted into the bush and is turned round, as for screwing up, it unscrews

page_text: the plug and commences to force back the valve from off its seat. Almost simul-
taneously, however, with the plug commencing to be unscrewed, and before any
appreciable leakage can come through the plug, the screw on the tail of the tap
engages with the screw in the bush. The tap is then screwed up, unscrewing the
plug out of the bush, and passing the perforated part of the tap quite into the
cask, at which point the faced collar on the tail of the tap is screwed up tightly
against the outer face of the bush. A projecting rim is formed around the back
end of the tail of the tap, which forces open two or more spring catches, projecting
from the plug, as the tail is inserted into the bush. These spring catches hold
securely on to the projecting rim aforesaid, and prevent the valve and plug from
falling off when carried back into the cask. As the tap is unscrewed out from the
bush the plug is screwed in again, bringing the valve back on to its face, and the
valve may be tightly screwed up by the tap after its screw is disengaged from the
screw of the bush. A moderately strong pull will then draw the projecting rim
aforesaid out of the spring catches, and no further liquid can be drawn from the
cask until the tap is again inserted.
The part of the tap in front of the faced collar may be of any ordinary
construction.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward John Collis and John Deakin Ready in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 3rd August 1881.
EDWARD JOHN COLLIS, of Stourbridge, in the County of Worcester, Mining
Engineer, and JOHN DEAKIN READY, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Brassfounder. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TAPS AND VALVES."
This Invention relates to the description of taps and valves (i.e., valves used in
lieu of taps) which are required, or which may be desired, to be fixed in place while
the vessels or other articles to which they are to be fixed contain the fluid to be
drawn off.
The object of the Invention is to enable such taps and valves to be fixed in place
without the liability of the fluid to be drawn off spurting out, as is the case in
fixing taps and valves in the ordinary manner.
There are two modifications of our Invention, both of which we will describe,
by way of instance, as applied to a tap for a beer cask, upon which the application
for other purposes will be obvious.
According to the first modification of our Invention a bush is fixed permanently
in the head or other part of the cask, and is faced at its inner and outer end, and
screwed internally. A valve is placed at the inner end of the bush and held
thereto by means of a screwed plug within the bush aforesaid, which said plug is
capable of turning on the axis of the valve, or is formed solid with or is fixed rigidly
to the valve. The valve is thus held up against the inner face of the bush and
prevents the liquor from running out when the tap is not inserted into the cask.
The tail of the tap has a faced collar to bear against the outer face of the bush, and
is screwed for a certain length at the back of the collar, the remainder being plain
and perforated as an ordinary tap. The extreme end of the tail of the tap is
shaped to fit a corresponding part of the screwed plug aforesaid, so that as the
plain end of the tail is inserted into the bush and is turned round, as for screwing
up, it unscrews the plug and commences to force back the valve from off its seat.
Almost simultaneously however with the plug commencing to be unscrewed, and
before any appreciable leakage can come through the plug, the screw on the tail of
the tap engages with the screw in the bush. The tap is then screwed up, unscrewing
the plug out of the busb, and passing the perforated part of the tap quite into
the cask, at which point the faced collar on the tail of the tap is screwed up tightly
against the outer face of the bush. A projecting rim is formed around the back
end of the tail of the tap, which forces open spring catches projecting from the
plug as the tail is inserted into the bush. These spring catches hold securely on to
the tail of the tap aforesaid, and the projecting part aforesaid effectually prevents
the valve and plug from falling off when carried back into the cask. As the tap
is unscrewed out from the bush the plug is screwed in again, bringing the valve
back on to its face, and the valve may be tightly screwed up by means of the tap
after the screw of the latter is disengaged from the screw of the bush. A moderately
strong pull will then draw the projecting rim aforesaid out of the spring catches,
and no further liquid can be drawn from the cask until the tap is again inserted.
The part of the tap in front of the faced collar may be of any ordinary
description.
The tap (or valve in lieu of the tap) is the part ordinarily removable from the
cask, the bush, screwed plug, and inside valve not being removed out of the cask
except for repairs.
According to the second modification of our Invention the tail of the tap is
screwed back from the faced collar thereon for only about half the distance through
the bush, the tail terminating at this part in an end shaped to fit the inner end of

page_text: the screwed plug on the valve. The plug on the valve is about the same length as
the screwed bush, and is thus screwed out only partially from the bush when the
tap is screwed fully in. The part of the plug which screws back into the cask is
perforated to allow the liquor to pass into a central passage down the axis of the
plug which communicates with a corresponding passage in the tail of the tap. In
this modification also the valve may be tightly screwed up against its face by
means of the tap after the screw of the latter is disengaged from the screw of the
bush. In this modification also the tap (or valve in lieu thereof) is the only
part ordinarily removable out of the cask, the rest being removed therefrom only
for repairs.
Having thus stated the nature of our said Invention, we will now proceed more
particularly to describe the manner of performing the same, and in doing so will
refer to the accompanying Drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating the first modification of
our Invention as applied to a tap for a beer cask. A is the head of the cask; B, a
metal bush screwed permanently into the cask, and screwed internally, as shewn ;
C, a collar thereon to bear against the outside of the head of the cask; and D an
octagonal part projecting from the collar C, upon which to apply a spanner for
screwing in the bush; E, is a tap, and F a faced collar thereon. The part of the
tap in front of the collar F may be of any ordinary construction.
G is an
india rubber or other washer at the back of the collar F, and is pressed up into a
recess in the face of the part D, as shewn, when the tap is in place; H is a screwed
part on the tail of the tap, by which the tap is held in the bush B; J is a plain
tapering part on the tail of the tap having perforations, as shewn; K is a valve,
and La screwed plug fixed thereon, or formed solid therewith, or swivelled thereto,
the latter arrangement being shewn in section by Figure 2, which shews the
bush B with the tap withdrawn, and the valve K closing in the inner end of the
bush B; M is a pin, shewn by detached view, Figure 3, of which a is a collar fixed
upon or formed solid with a square part of the più; b is a washer riveted against a
shoulder on the pin, shewn by the section, Figure 2; N is an india-rubber washer
let into a recessed part in the face of the valve K; o, o, etc., are a set of four
springs projecting forwards from one common plåte carried upon the square part of
the pin M at the back of the collar a. The forward ends of the springs o, o, etc.,
are curved, as shewn, so that as the end of the tap is inserted into the bush (the
valve being then in the position shewn by Figure 2) a projecting rim c around the
end of the tail of the tap presses out the inner ends of the springs; the tap being
then passed backwards until the back end is against the collar a, the inner ends of
the springs will bear, as shewn, in a groove d, which passes around the tail of the
tap. A square opening is formed through the end of the tail of the tap corresponding
to the square of the pin M, and as the tail of the tap is forced back wards the round
tapering part e of the pin M guides the square opening through the tail of the tap
on to the square f of the pin. As the tap is then turned, as for screwing up, the
plug L, which is upon the square g of the pin M, commences to be unscrewed, forcing
the valve K backwards from the inner face of the bush. Almost simultaneously
with, but slightly after, the plug, commencing to be unscrewed, the screw H of the
tap engages with the screw through the bush. The tap is then screwed up so that
the collar F forms a tight joint with the outer face of the bush B, by which time
the tap and valvė K are in the position shewn by Figure 1, the valve being held
to the tail of the tap by means of the springs o, o, etc., which thus prevent it from.
falling off into the cask, the projecting rim c acting as a catch to the springs in case
the ends slip out of the groove d. To remove the tap and close the valve the tap
is simply unscrewed, bringing the plug L back into the bush B. When the plug L
is screwed back with the washer N against the inner face. of the bush, the screw H
of the tap will have just cleared out of the bush, and by continuing to turn the
tap, as in unscrewing, the plug L may be, tightened further into the bush, thus
tightening up the valve against the inner face of the bush. The valve K and
washer N are shewn to be upon a round part of the pin M, and thus do not turn
.
:

page_text: while being tightened up or loosened back from the inner face of the bush, but the
valve K and plug L may be formed solid with the pin M, and turned therewith if
desired, the springs being held to the plug or pin in any convenient manner.
After the valve has been screwed back tightly against the inner face of the bush a
smart sudden pull readily disengages the tail of the tap from the springs o, o, etc.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating the second modification
of our Invention as applied to a tap for a beer cask. A is the head of the cask;
B, a metal bush, which in this case is shewn fixed permanently into the head of the
cask by means of pins a, a, etc. (Figure 6); C is a collar on the bush, and D an
india-rubber or other washer for forming the joint on the outer face of the head.
The tap, collar, and washer correspond respectively to those marked E, F, and G,
Figure 1. The bush B is screwed internally, as shewn. H is the tail of the tap,
the screwed part of which extends for only a part of the distance through the bush;
J, J, are teeth or projections on the tail of the tap,-which gear with corresponding
projections J, J', at the inner end of the plug L. The plug L is shewn formed
solid with the valve K. In Figure 4 the tap is shewn fixed in place, with the
valve K screwed back from the inner face of the bush. Liquor can then run from
the cask through the perforations shewn towards the back end of the plug L into
the central opening M of the plug, and thence. into a corresponding opening in the
tap. Figure 5 shews the valve K screwed with the washer o back against the inner
face of the bush. When in this position the teeth on the end of the plug L are
nearly flush with the outer face of the bush, so that the plug can be slightly
unscrewed by means of the tap before the screw on the tail of the tap enters the .
screw in the bush; Figure 6 is a front elevation of Figure 5, shewing the opening M
down the axis of the plug, and also the teeth J, J. The plug L is shewn solid
with the valve K, but it may be swivelled thereto if desired.
.
We have described and illustrated both of the modifications of our Invention,
but we prefer to use the second described modification, as being the simpler of
the two.
We have described and illustrated our Invention as applied to a tap for a beer.
cask, but its application will now be sufficiently obvious, without need for further
description, to other purposes in which taps and valves (i.e., valves used in lieu of
taps) are required or may be desired to be fixed in place while the vessels or other
articles to which they are to be fixed contain the fluid to be drawn off.
Having now stated the nature of our said Invention, and particularly described
and ascertained the manner of performing the same, we declare that what we claim
as our Invention and desire to secure by the herein before in-part recited Letters
Patent is,―
1st. The construction and employment of apparatus for enabling taps and valves
(used in lieu of taps) to be readily and safely fixed to beer casks and other vessels
and articles containing the fluid to be drawn off, when such apparatus is composed
(1) of an internally screwed bush fixed permanently to the cask or other vessel or
article; (2) of a screwed tail to the tap (or valve in lieu thereof) enabling it to be
screwed within the bush, and a shaped end to the tail to take into a correspondingly
shaped end of a plug hereinafter mentioned; (3) of a valve to bear against the
inner face of the bush; and (4) of a screwed plug either swivelled to or formed
solid with, or fixed rigidly to the last mentioned valve, and shaped at its inner end
to take into the correspondingly shaped end on the tail of the tap (or valve used in
lieu thereof), and thus be screwed or unscrewed within the bush by means of the
tap (or valve in lieu thereof), substantially as herein described.
2nd. The construction and employment of apparatus by which the valve K. and
plug L may be moved backwards altogether clear of the bush B, and the perforated
end of the tap (or valve in lieu thereof) be passed into the cask or other vessel or
article, substantially as herein described and illustrated by Figures 1, 2, and 3, for
the purpose set forth.
3rd. The construction and employment of apparatus, substantially as herein
described and illustrated by Figures 4, 5, and 6, for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 4th. The combination of a screwed plug L with a valve K, substantially as
herein described and illustrated by Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5, for the purpose set
forth.
5th. The employment, in apparatus of the description illustrated by Figures 1 to
3, of the springs o, o, etc., substantially as and for the purpose herein described, and
as shewn by Figures 1 and 2..
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward John Collis, for myself and on behalf
of the said John Deakin Ready, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twenty ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.
EDWARD JOHN COLLIS. (L.S.)
Witness,
HENRY CHILTON,
Clerk to Stephen Watkins, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E.,
Office for Patents,
Wolverhampton.