IMPROVEMENTS for an Invention of APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH BEER ENGINES' AND TAPS OR COCKS FOR PREVENTING WASTE WHEN LIQUID IS DRAWN THEREFROM.
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clarence Edwards, of 206, Lambeth Road, Lambeth,
in the County of Surrey, and Matthew Stobbs, of Grosvenor Road, Pimlico,
" IMPROVEMENTS IN
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of
APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH BEER ENGINES' AND TAPS
OR COCKS FOR PREVENTING WASTE WHEN LIQUID IS DRAWN THEREFROM.".
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clarence Edwards
and Matthew Stobbs at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
14th January 1880.
WILLIAM CLARENCE EDWARDS, of 206, Lambeth Road, Lambeth, in the County
of Surrey, and MATTHEW STOBBS, of Grosvenor Road, Pimlico, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH
BEER ENGINES' AND TAPS OR COCKS FOR PREVENTING WASTE WHEN LIQUID IS
DRAWN THEREFROM."
When drawing beer from a beer engine, or liquid from a tap or cock, a small
quantity of beer or liquid remains in the nozzle of the engine or of the tap or cock
after the pull of the engine has been released, or the tap or cock turned off, and as
the person drawing the beer or liquid would have to wait a few seconds for this
small quantity to run out it is usually allowed to run to waste. The object of our
Invention is to prevent such waste.
According to one arrangement of our apparatus, we construct of metal or other
suitable material a cylindrical or other shaped box or chamber having inlet and
outlet passages. In the mouth of the inlet passage we form the seating for a
conical or other shaped valve. The valve has a spindle secured to it, and opens
downwards, and is retained on its seat by means of a coiled spring placed upon the
spindle, the spindle passing through a bar fixed across the box or chamber, which
serves as a guide for the valve spindle and to confine the spring, the spring being
between the valve and the bar. We make the box or chamber in two or more
parts to facilitate the adjusting of the valve mechanism.
The apparatus is screwed or otherwise secured to the nozzle of the engine or of
the tap or cock, but we may deem it expedient to fix our valves between the outlet
of the cylinder of the pump and the outlet of the nozzle of the engine.
So long as the engine is at rest, or the tap or cock turned off, the spring will
press the valve upon its seat and so retain any beer or liquid that may be between

page_text: the nozzle and the pump of the engine, or between the nozzle and the plug of the
tap or cock; but when the engine is operated, or the tap or cock turned on, the
pressure of the beer or liquid will overcome the power of the spring, force the valve
from its seat, and allow the beer or liquid to flow into the box or chamber and
through the outlet passage, the valve being returned to its seat by the power of the
spring when the pressure of the beer or liquid upon the face of the valve is relieved,
and preventing the outflow of the beer or liquid which is usually wasted.
It is obvious that several modifications may be made in the apparatus above
described, without departing from the nature and object of our Invention; for
example, we may place the valve upon the outlet passage instead of upon the inlet
passage, and place a plate or collar upon the spindle for the spring to bear against ;
or we may use a clack valve instead of a conical valve; or we may use two or
more valves, or two valves working in combination with each other, instead of one
valve as circumstances may require; we may also use flat or other shaped springs
in place of coiled springs, or instead of forming the valve seat on the inlet or
outlet passage of the box or chamber we may form it upon a separate diaphragm,
carrying the bar for guiding and bearing the spindle and spring, or carrying the
clack or other valve or valves so that the valve mechanism may be made separately
from the box or chamber, and may be secured therein by means of screws or
otherwise. The valves may be of metal or of india rubber, or of other suitable
material, or they may be a combination of metal and some other suitable material,
or they may be wholly of india rubber, leather, or other suitable material.
According to another arrangement we make the inlet passage to extend into the
box or chamber, and use the lower end of it for a valve seat. The valve is a
circular disc with two or more lugs extending on opposite sides to travel in corre-
sponding slots (if required) cut in the sides of the inner portion of the box or
chamber. A coiled spring is between the valve and a contracted part of the outter
casing.
According to another arrangement we secure a bar across the outter casing, and
place a disc of india rubber between the bar and the valve seat, so that the pressure
of the beer or liquid may cause the disc to collapse on each side of the bar.
According to another arrangement we make our apparatus telescopic by
forming a flange upon the lower extremity of the inlet passage, and also a flange upon
upper part of the casing to slide upon the inlet passage, a coiled spring being placed
between the two flanges. An india rubber or other disc is secured in the casing
to form the valve, and is forced downwards by the pressure of the beer or liquid,
the spring carrying it back to its seat when the pressure is relieved.
We may also use a simple india rubber valve or ball attached to the nozzle, with
a "leech bite" or other cut in its lower part, the pressure of the beer or liquid will
open the cut and the elasticity of the india rubber will cause the cut to close when
pressure is relieved.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Clarence Edwards and Matthew Stobbs in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 13th July 1880.
WILLIAM CLARENCE EDWARDS, of 206, Lambeth Road, Lambeth, in the County
of Surrey, and MATTHEW STOBBS, of Grosvenor Road, Pimlico, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH
BEER ENGINES' AND TAPS OR COCKS FOR PREVENTING WASTE WHEN LIQUID IS
DRAWN THEREFROM."
When drawing beer from a beer engine, or liquid from a tap or cock, a small
quantity of beer or liquid remains in the nozzle of the engine or of the tap or cock
after the "pull" of the engine has been released or the tap or cock has been turned
off, and as the person drawing the beer or liquid would have to wait a few seconds
for this small quantity to run out, it is usually allowed to run to waste. . The
object of our Invention is to prevent such waste, and for attaining our object we
have devised the following arrangements of apparatus :—
The first arrangement of our apparatus is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. We
construct of a suitable material, but by preference of brass or of gun metal, a
cylindrical or annular box or case a, a¹, having an inlet passage b and an outlet
passage c. The box or case is comprised of two parts, the upper part a being
united to the lower part a¹ by means of a screwed joint, a disc c', beneath which
is formed a valve seat d, being inserted in the recess in the lower part a¹ of the
box or case before the upper part a is screwed in. The valve e has a spindle f
secured to it. The valve opens downwards by pressure of liquid above the
apparatus, and is kept up to and returned upon its seat by means of a coiled or
helical spring g placed upon the spindle f. The power of the spring g. is obtained
by means of a nut h screwed upon the spindle f. The nut also retains the spring
upon the spindle.
The apparatus is screwed to the nozzle of the engine or of the tap or cock.
So long as the engine is at rest, or the tap or cock is turned off, the spring g will
hold the valve e upon its seat, and so retain any beer or other liquid that may be
between the nozzle and the pump of the engine, or between the nozzle and the
plug of the tap or cock; but when the engine is "pulled" or the tap or cock is
turned on, the pressure of the liquid will overcome the power of the spring, force
the valve from its seat, and allow the liquid to flow through the outlet passage c.
The valve will return to its seat by the power of the spring when the pressure of
the liquid upon the valve is relieved, and will imprison the liquid which is usually
allowed to run to waste.
Figure 3 is a slight modification of the apparatus just described. In this Figure
the spring g has been coiled upon a cylinder instead of upon a cone, and the disc c¹
is thicker, and is chamfered upon its upper side, as at k, to facilitate the passage of
the liquid. In other respects Figure 3 resembles Figure 2.
Another arrangement is shewn in Figures 4 and 5. This apparatus is telescopic.
The box or case is made in 2 parts as before, a disc m, having 4 lugs n and
carrying the valve e, being held between them. The box or case a, a', slides
bodily upon a central tube o which is screwed into the nozzle of the engine, or of
the tap or cock. The lower extremity of this tube o forms the seat for the valve.
The coiled or helical spring g which returns the valve to its seat is confined
between a shoulder at the upper part of the box or case, and a flange p formed
around the central tube.
In this arrangement the box or case a, a¹, with the valve e, m, is forced
downwards by the pressure of the liquid, the spring 9 carrying it back to its
seat when the pressure is removed.
Figures 6 and 7 illustrate another arrangement of apparatus according to our

page_text: Invention. The box or case a, a', is similar to Figures 1, 2, and 3, and is intended
to be attached to a nozzle in the same manner. In this arrangement a valve seat q
is formed upon the inlet passage, and another valve seat r upon the outlet passage.
The two valves e and e¹ are connected together by jointed levers 8, and the helical
spring g which holds them upon and returns them to their seats has a tendency to
force them asunder. Two slotted barst are held in the junction of the upper and
lower parts of the box or case a, a', and the pins in the joints u which project
on each side of the joints travel in the slots u¹ when the valves are operated.
Allowance is made for the spring g to pass between the slotted bars. It will be
understood from the Drawing, Figure 7, that when the valve e is depressed from
the valve seat q by the force of the liquid, the joints u in the levers 8 will diverge
and the valve e¹ will be raised from the valve seat r, and so the liquid will flow
The converse will take place when the pressure of the liquid
through the outlet c.
is removed.
The part of the valves which bears against the valve seats may be of india
rubber, or leather, or of other material which will make a good liquid tight
joint.
The arrangement of apparatus shewn in Figures 2 and 3 can, by a slight
modification, be adapted to an ordinary tap or cock, the tap in a cask of beer
for example, so as to dispense with the plug of the tap. The spring g upon the
spindle must be sufficiently strong to resist the pressure of the liquid, and the
spindle is prolonged, and passing through a stuffing box is made to protrude
through the top of the tap, and to terminate in a button or knob. To draw liquid
it is only necessary to depress the top of the spindle f, whereby the valve e
will be opened, and upon removing the pressure from the top of the spindle,
the spindle will rise, the valve will return to its seat, and the flow of liquid will
be stopped.
Having now described our Invention, and the means by which it is to be carried
into effect, we declare that what we consider novel and claim as our Invention are,
the combinations of apparatus herein described and illustrated, as and for the
purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Stobbs, for myself and on behalf
of the said William Clarence Edwards, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.