IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR DRAWING BEER OR SIMILAR LIQUIDS FROM CASKS OR OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR DRAWING BEER OR
SIMILAR LIQUIDS FROM CASKS OR OTHER VESSELS," A communication from
abroad by Alexander Josephus Spencer, of San José, California, United States
of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th March 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
APPARATUS FOR DRAWING BEER OR SIMILAR LIQUIDS FROM CASKS OR OTHER
VESSELS." [A communication from abroad by Alexander Josephus Spencer, of
San José, California, United States of America.]
The object of this Invention is to supply an apparatus whereby a glass of beer or
other fermenting liquor inay be drawn without having the glass partially filled
with foam or froth, as is the case with faucets generally in use, and without passing
air into the cask or other vessel or allowing gas to escape, thereby keeping the beer
good and under pressure until the contents of the cask are used up.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a receptacle or chamber
which is connected with a faucet, and a pipe extends into the receptacle; this pipe
communicates with the pipe leading from the cask or other vessel containing the
liquor by means of a groove made longitudinally in a plug. Another pipe leads from
the said receptacle to the faucet with a branch leading to a gas-reservoir, and
the aforesaid plug besides being provided with the groove has three openings
corresponding with the openings in the three pipes above named, so that by
turning the plug the openings therein may be brought opposite to the corresponding
pipe, and beer may be drawn either directly from the cask through the pipe leading
therefrom or from the aforesaid receptacle through the pipe which extends therein,
or gas may be drawn from the aforesaid reservoir when desired through the pipe
in connection therewith. Within the plug is fitted a hollow stem also provided
with holes corresponding with the holes in the plug. The lower portion of this stern
is made polygonal, extending down to a flaring apron for a purpose hereinafter
explained. The upper and round portion of the stem is of a diameter something
less than the interior diameter of the plug. In the upper end of this stem is a
female screw, fitting over a short screw in the upper portion of the hollow of the
plug, by which means the stem is held in position and is capable of being turned

page_text: in the plug, so as to throw the openings out of register with the three pipes, and
cause the beer or other liquid to flow down outside of the stem until it strikes the
flaring apron, whereby it is passed in the form of a thin film into the tumbler or
glass, carrying with it a portion of the air caught beneath the film, thereby giving
additional "life" to the beer.
The spigot at the cask being opened the beer flows into the bottom of aforesaid
receptacle, the gas of the beer rising in the top of the same, and a portion of it
passing through a pipe fills the gas-reservoir. After the receptacle is filled the spigot
at the cask is closed and the faucet is opened; the pressure of the gas in the upper
part of the receptacle will force the beer back through its pipe and through the
faucet into the tumbler or glass. If it be desirable to add more gas to the beer it
will only be necessary to give a slight turn to the plug so as to bring one opening
opposite the pipe leading to the gas-reservoir and open a cock, by which means
gas is allowed to escape from the gas reservoir through the faucet into the tumbler
or glass. When it is desired to add more "life" to the beer without increasing the
gas it is only necessary to give a slight turn to the stem and close the threo
openings, when the beer will strike against the stem, pass down on the outside, and
shed itself as before described, carrying with it a portion of the air caught beneath
the film, thereby giving additional "life" to the beer. A cabinet may be provided for
the protection of the receptacle, and may be utilized as a cooling chainber for the beer.
I may modify the said Invention as follows, that is to say:-A tube leads from
the keg or cask of beer and rises above the counter. On the end of this tube is
secured the faucet having a plug provided with a passage. The receptacle of glass
or other suitable material is attached to the lower part of the faucet by any well
known means, and may be supplied with a cock for the purpose of emptying or
cleaning when necessary. A cock of this kind may also be used for drawing off
beer when desired. A tube extends from the faucet downwards into the receptacle
to a point near its bottom, and through this tube the beer enters the receptacle,
and while the gas and foam or froth rise to the top of the receptacle the clear
liquid settles below. By turning the plug a communication will be established
between the receptacle and the discharge-cock, the communication with the cask
being cut off. Then by opening another cock the clear beer in the bottom of the
receptacle is by the pressure of the gas in the upper part forced out through the
tube and a nozzle. Should it become necessary to temper the beer to suit the taste
of the customer it is only necessary to open a passage by a quarter turn of the last
named cock, which allows any desired quantity of the gas to escape from the
receptacle, and by another slight turn of the cock the gas passage is again closed
and the passage from the tube is opened for the escape of the beer through the
nozzle. It is evident that two or more nozzles may be attached to one faucet to be
used at the same time by simply touching the arms of the faucet and attaching as
many discharge cocks as may be needed.
In another modification the receptacle is placed above the faucet ; a tube extends
therein to a point near its top. The plug has a passage way similar to that in the
modification above described. The tube passes down into the forward portion of
the faucet and is provided with a stop-valve.
It is evident that the cock can be turned so as to open a passage for the beer
from the cask into the receptacle, and the latter will become filled with the liquid
only to a point below the upper end of the tube, as the accumulation of gas in the
upper part of the receptacle will arrest the rise of the beer at about that point. In
this position several glasses of beer may be held in the receptacle ready to be drawn
off. If the cock be turned the beer in the receptacle will run off under pressure of
the gas in the the top of the same, and no gas will escape nor any air be admitted
into the cask. If desired the gas can be discharged through a tube by opening the valve.
Again it is evident from the construction described that a free communication
between the cask and the discharge nozzle may be had without passing through
the receptacle.

page_text: A
FOR DRAWING BEER OR SIMILAR LIQUIDS FROM CASKS OR OTHER VESSELS."
communication from abroad by Alexander Josephus Spencer, of San José, California,
United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to furnish an apparatus whereby a glass of beer
or other fermenting liquor may be drawn from a cask or other vessel without
having the glass partially filled with foam or froth, as is the case with faucets
generally in use, and without passing air into the cask or vessel or allowing gas to
escape, thereby keeping the beer good and under pressure until the contents of the
cask are used, and the said Invention consists in the devices and combinations
hereinafter explained and illustrated in the Drawing, in which,―
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the said Invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same.
Figures 3 and 4 illustrate details hereinafter described.
Figure 5 illustrates in sectional elevation a modification of the said Invention.
Figure 6 is a vertical section illustrating a further modification thereof; and
Figure 7 is a side elevation of part of Figure 6.
A represents the pipe leading from the beer-cask to the faucet B, and C repre-
sent the pipe leading from the faucet into the globe D. These two pipes are
connected by a groove a made longitudinally in the plug E. The pipe F leads from
the globe D to the faucet B, and a branch G extends to a gas-reservoir H. The
plug E provided with the groove a has openings a¹, c, and f, corresponding with
the openings in the pipes A, C, and F, so that by turning the plug E the openings
a, c, or may be brought opposite to its corresponding pipe, and beer inay be
drawn either directly from the cask through the pipe A, or from the globe through
the pipe C; or gas may be drawn from the reservoir H when desired through the
pipe F. Within the plug E is fitted the hollow stem I, also provided with holes
corresponding with the holes a', c, and fin the plug. The lower portion of this
stem is inade polygonal, and extends down to a Haring apron J, as shown in
Figure 3, for a purpose hereinafter explained. Figures 3 and 4 show the parts
differently constructed, that is to say, in Figure 3 the upper and round portion of
the stem is of a diameter somewhat less than that of the interior of the plug. In
Figure 4 the upper end of this stem is a female screw fitting over a short screw in
the upper portion of the hollow of the plug. By this construction the stem is held
in position, and is capable of being turned in the plug to adjust the openings a',
and fout of register with the pipes A, C, and F, and cause the beer to flow down
outside of the stem until it strikes the flaring apron J, whereby it is passed in the
form of a thin film into the glass or other vessel in which it is to be received,
carrying with it a portion of the air caught beneath the film, thereby giving
additional "life" to the beer.
C,
The operation of this faucet is as follows, viz.:-The spigot of the cask being
opened the beer flows through the pipe A, groove a, and pipe C into the bottom of
the globe D; the gas of the beer rises in the top of the said globe, and a portion of
it passing through the pipe G fills the reservoir H. After the globe is filled the
spigot at the cask is closed, and the faucet B is opened; the pressure of the gas in
the top of the globe D will force the beer back through the pipe C and through the
faucet B into the glass or other receptacle. If it be desirable to add more gas to
the beer it will only be necessary to give a slight turn to the plug E to bring the
opening opposite the pipe F and open the cock h, whereby gas is allowed to

page_text: escape from the reservoir H through the faucet into the said glass or receptacle.
When it is desired to add more "life" to the beer without increasing the gas it is
only necessary to give a slight turn to the stem I and close the openings a', c, f,
when the beer will strike against the stem, pass down the outside thereof, and
descend, as above described, carrying with it a portion of the air caught beneath
the filin, thereby giving additional "life" to the beer. The cabinet K is provided
for the protection of the globe D, and may be utilized as a cooling chamber for the
beer.
In Figure 5 I show a modification of the said Invention, wherein the same is
provided with a different plug. In this Figure A is a tube leading from the keg
or cask of beer, and rising above the counter. On the end of this tube is
secured the faucet B, having the plug E provided with the passage e. D is a glass
or other suitable globe attached to the lower part of the faucet at b by any well
known means. The said globe may be furnished with the cock d for the purpose
of emptying or cleaning the same when necessary. A cock of this kind may also
be used for drawing off the beer. The tube C extends from the faucet downwards
into the globe to a point near its bottom, and through this tube the beer enters the
said globe, the passage-way being arranged as shown, and while the gas and foam
rise to the top of the globe the clear liquid settles below. By turning the plug E
communication may be established between the said globe or vessel and the
discharge cock, the communication with the cask being cut off; then by opening
the cock E¹ the clear beer in the bottom of the globe is by the pressure of the gas
in the upper part forced out through the tube Cand nozzle e¹. Should it become
necessary to temper the beer in any manner to suit the taste of a customer it is
only necessary to open the passage G by a quarter turn of the cock E¹ to allow any
desired quantity of the gas to escape from the globe, and by another slight turn of
the cock the gas-passage is again closed, and the passage from the tube C is opened
for the escape of the beer through the nozzle. It is obvious that two or more
nozzles may be attached to one faucet to be used at the same time by simply
branching the arms of the faucet and attaching as many discharge-cocks as may be
needed.
In another modification of this Invention a globe or other suitable vessel is placed
above the faucet. This arrangement is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.
A (Figure 6) represents the pipe leading into the cask, or it may be connected
with the cask, as shown in Figure 7, the cask being for convenience located
beneath the counter. The faucet B is provided at its upper side with a'glass or other
suitable vessel D, into which extends the tube C to a point near its top. The
plug E has a passage-way similar to that shewn in Figure 5. The tube C passes
down into the forward portion of the faucet, and is provided with a stop-
valve K.
It is evident that the cock E can be so turned as to open a passage for the beer
from the cask into the vessel or receptacle D, and the latter will become filled with
the liquid only to a point below the upper end of the tube C, as shown in Figure 6,
as the accumulation of gas in the upper part of the said vessel will arrest the rise
of the beer at about that point. In this position several glasses of beer may be
held in the said vessel ready to be drawn off. Now if the cock be turned as shown
in Figure 6 the beer in the vessel D will run off under pressure of the gas in the
top of the same, and no gas will escape, nor will any air be adinitted into the cask.
If desired the gas can be discharged through the tube C by opening the valve K.
Moreover it is obvious that a free communication between the cask and the
discharge-nozzle H may be had without a passage through the vessel D.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,-
First. The globe or vessel D and the pipes in combination with the faucet B,
provided with the plug having the holes a and c and groove a, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth,

page_text: Second. The globe or vessel D and the pipes A and C, in combination with the
pipes F, G, the gas-reservoir, and the faucet B, provided with the plug E having
the holes a', c, and f, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Third. The faucet provided with the plug having the groove a and holes a¹, c,
and, in combination with the hollow polygonal stem provided with the flaring
apron, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. The improvement in beer-faucets comprising the faucet B provided with
the plug, as shown in Figure 5, and the cock in combination with the vessel D and
pipe C, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fifth. The improved apparatus consisting of the faucet B, the vessel D, the pipes,
and the valve, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
In witness whercof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.