Improvements in Bung or Tap Hole Fittings for Casks or Barrels.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1899-Accepted, 1st Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bung or Tap Hole Fittings for Casks or Barrels.
I, WILLY HOMANN, of No. 14, Anders Strasse, Düsseldorf, in the German Empire,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
-
My invention relates to improvements in bung or tap hole fittings for casks
or barrels which obviates the use of the ordinary cork plug, and consisting almost
entirely of metal, can be easily and effectively cleaned and conveniently handled.
The invention provides an inexpensive but efficient device capable of ready removal
whenever desired.
More particularly my invention refers to that class of bung or tap hole fittings
in which the valve in the interior of the fitting is actuated from outside, by the
screwing in of the tap.
My invention consists in certain improvements in the construction of such bung
or tap hole fittings which are improvements are fully described hereafter with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the bung or tap hole with its improved fitting con-
structed according to this invention;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of same and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation,
Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a modified construction of the bung or tap hole
with its fitting,
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the same and
Fig. 6 is a rear elevation.
Fig. 7 is a front elevation of another modification in the construction of the
bung or tap hole fitting.
Fig. 8 is a sectional view of same and
Fig. 9 is a rear elevation.
Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of another modified construction of the bung or
tap hole fitting.
Fig. 11 is a view of the part D, as illustrated in Fig. 10, seen from below.
Fig. 12 is a section on the line a-a of Fig. 10, and
Fig. 13 is a plan of Fig. 10, the tap being removed.
With reference to Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, G is the bushing
into the bore of which is inserted an annular piece D, which is internally screw-
threaded for the reception of the tap h. The piece D presses against a packing
ring F placed at the bottom of the bore of the bushing G, and provided with an
eccentric opening to permit the discharge of the contents of the cask when the
piece D is brought into the proper position. A ring C screwed into the bushing G
secures the piece D in position permitting it, however, to be rotated. The bore of
the annular piece D has at its lower end a lateral branch i, communicating with the
eccentric opening in the packing ring F which on rotating the piece D can be
brought to communicate with an eccentric opening B in the bushing G. The
packing ring F, being secured to the piece D, is forced to turn with it and to close
or open the opening B respectively.

page_text: The operation of the device is as follows;-After the tap has been completely
screwed into the piece D its further rotation will cause the piece D to rotate with
it until said piece D is brought into the position illustrated in Fig. 2, when the
contents of the cask may escape through the eccentric opening B in the bushing G;
the eccentric opening in the packing ring F, the lateral branch i of the bore
of the piece D; the bore of the piece D and through the hole in the tap h. A
rotation of the piece 1 to about 900 is necessary to cover and uncover the opening B
and this movement is determined by means of a screw E inserted in the bushing G
and having its head projecting into a groove in the piece D see Fig. 3; the
two extremities of this groove k indicating when the opening B is covered or
uncovered respectively.
The modification illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6 differs from the construction described
with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 by arranging the bore eccentrically in the annular
piece D, thus the lateral branch i of the bore of the piece D described above is
dispensed with, as by rotating the piece 1) to about 180° its eccentric bore will be
directly opposite to the eccentric opening B in the bushing G. The stop E in
this construction is arranged so as to project into a groove k in the bottom surface
of the piece D; this groove being semi-circumferential to permit the rotation
of the piece I to about 180°. The manner of the operation is identical with that
described before; Fig. 5 showing the bung-hole in the closed position.
The modification illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9 differs from the construction, shown
and described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 in the following respect. The
annular piece D projects through a central opening in the bushing G into the cask
and is provided on the part inside the cask with a spiral-shaped guide groove H
as shown in Fig. 8. A rod K-vertically-movable in a suitable hole m, in the bush-
ing G, carries a valve M with spring N for closing the bore of the annular piece 1.-
The rod K is further provided with a lateral arm the bent extremity J of which
guides in the spiral-shaped groove H L is a tube connecting the two parts of the
bent arm K
The operation of this modified device is as follows; After the tap-h-has-been-
completely screwed into the piece D its further rotation will rotate the piece D
and by reason of this rotation of the piece D and of the spiral-shaped groove H
the extremity. J of the lateral arm of the rod K will be forced to move in said
groove H, thereby, supposing the bung to be closed, partly withdrawing the rod K
from its guide hole m in the bushing G and consequently opening the valve M.
The stop E determines the two extreme positions of the annular piece D as before
described. On rotating the tap h in the opposite direction the rod K will again
"enter fully into the guide hole m, thereby closing the valve M, as the bent
extremity J of the lateral arm of the rod K assumes its original position.
1
The modification illustrated in Figs. 10 to 13 differs from the construction shown
and described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 in the following respect. In order to
make the position of the tap or cock independent of the position of the annular
piece the latter in the present modification is composed of two parts D and D', as
shown in Fig. 10. The top part D is provided at its lower surface with a pro-
jection J as shown in Figs. 10 and 11; this part D is rotated by the tap h in a
manner similar to that described with reference to Figs. 1 to 9. The bottom
part D is provided with two projections working in co-operation with the projec-
tion J. One of these projections, P is provided with a vertical slot into which
enters a pin U, secured to the piece D¹ this slot and pin arrangement permits
the lower part of the projection P to fall into a cavity R provided in the bottom
part of the bushing G, whereupon the projection J on piece D is free to move in
either direction until it meets the projection T on the piece D'. By pressing
against the projection the position of the part D¹ is altered thereby closing the
bung-hole. Arojection P is pivotted to the piece D¹ so as to form two different
arms of unequal length may be substituted for the projection with pin and slot
arrangement already described in which case the longer arm would drop into the
cavity R, the shorter arm permitting the projection to pass over it.

page_text: The manner of operation of this modified arrangement is
as follows.
The tap his ag before inserted into the piece D until it causes it
to partake in its rotary motion, whereby the projection J is brought
to bear against the movable projection P of the piece D' thereby
causing the latter to turn with it. As soon as communication between the
eccentric opening B in the bushing G and the tap hole is established the movable
projection P will have arrived at the cavity R into which it drops, thus allowing
the projection J to pass over it and to alter the position of the piece D and with
it the tap has desired. By bringing the projection J to bear against the projec-
tion T and subsequently rotating the piece D₁ the bung hole may again be closed.
During this rotation the projection P will leave the cavity R thus allowing the pro-
jection J by pressing against it to again move the piece D¹ so as to open the
bung hole. A rotation of the piece D to about 180° is required to open and close
the bung hole a stop E moving in a semicircumferential groove determining the
two extreme positions as herein before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A bung or tap hole fitting constructed arranged and adapted to operate sub-
stantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.
2. A bung or tap hole fitting constructed arranged and adapted to operate sub-
stantially as described with reference to Figs. 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.
3. A bung or tap hole fitting constructed arranged and adapted to operate sub-
stantially as described with reference to Figs. 7 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.
4. A bung or tap hole fitting constructed arranged and adapted to operate sub-
stantially as described with reference to Figs. 10 to 13 of the accompanying
drawings.
1000
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.