Improvements in Tap-hole Bushes and Valves.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 8th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tap-hole Bushes and Valves.
1, CHARLES HARGRAVE of Bondgate Grange, Ripon in the County of York,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improved bushes consist of four principal parts-the outer shell, the valve
seat, the valve and the spring. The tap which fits into the bush and engages with
the valve is another or fifth part; but with the construction of the tap my present
invention is not concerned.
The parts which constitute the bush may be described as follows:-The shell is
of metal and is adapted to screw into a hole formed in the cask to receive it; it has
a flange on the outer side which when the bush is in place abuts on the exterior of
the cask and screws passed through holes in the flange into the wood or other
material forming the cask prevent the bush from unscrewing. The bush has a
shoulder within it to form an abutment for the spring.
The valve seat enters the shell at its inner end and is screwed tightly into its
place; it has two (or it might be other number of) passages through it from the
outer to the inner side. There is a cavity on the inner side of the valve seat; the
passages lead out from this cavity. The rear wall of the cavity forms the inner end
of the valve seat; it is finely perforated and it serves as a strainer to prevent solid
matter passing from the cask into the cavity. The front face of the valve seat is
concave to receive the valve.
The valve is conical and it fits the valve seat, it also has two (or other number
of) passages through it which when they coincide with the passages in the valve
seat give passage to the liquor from the cask to the tap which is inserted into
the bush. The outer face of the valve and the flange of the shell are suitably
formed to receive the tap so that when the tap is inserted and turned partly round
it brings the passages in the valve and seat to coincide. Similarly by turning the
tap in the opposite direction the passages are separated and the outlet is closed.
The spring is a helix of wire abutting at its inner end upon a shoulder on the
valve and at its outer end against a corresponding shoulder within the bush.
The valve as above described is convex and the seat is concave but this arrange-
ment may
be reversed and a concave valve fitting upon a convex valve seat may be
employed.
Dated this Second day of December 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tap-hole Bushes and Valves.
I, CHARLES HARGRAVE of Bondgate Grange, Ripon, in the County of York,
Gentleman, 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 :-
·
This invention relates to tap hole bushes so arranged that the removal of the tap
closes a valve contained in the bush; whilst on the other hand the application of
the tap opens the valve in the bush. A tap hole bush in accordance with my
invention is represented by the annexed drawings.

page_text: Figure 1 is a front view of the shell of the bush.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the shell.
Figures 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections of the valve seat and parts in immediate
connection therewith.
Figure 5 is an elevation of the valve and Figures 6 and 7 are end views of the
same.
Figure 8 is a side elevation and Figure 9 is an end elevation of a portion of the
tap which the bush is adapted to receive.
Figure 10 is a longitudinal and vertical section of the bush and tap as the parts
appear when they are locked together ready for use. The tap is shewn partly in
elevation.
a is the shell, a¹ a flange upon it with holes to receive screws for fixing, a³ is a
thread cut upon the exterior of the shell to screw into the tap hole, or the shell may
be otherwise fixed, a' is a socket in the shell to receive and hold the tap; it has
sectional screw threads within it at a at; a is a diaphragm with a heart shaped
hole in it through which a key like projection from the tap can enter. a is a screw
thread within the shell to receive the valve seat the valve seat can if desired be cast
of a piece with the shell. The valve seat and the cavity in connection with it are
shown at Figures 3 and 4. is a screw to engage with the threads as in the shell,
it is cut upon the exterior of the part in which is formed the seat properly so called
and which is marked b¹ or as before stated the valve seat may be cast with the
shell. is the cavity behind the seat and 63 is the rear wall of this cavity. The
part is perforated to serve as a strainer and it screws on to the part in which is the
valve seat. 6 is a passage through the valve seat by which the liquor passes out
when the valve and tap permit; more than one such passage may be provided.
6 is a notch to limit the movement of the valve 6 is a flange within the part 6* to
abut upon the valve and keep it to its seat.
The valve has a conical or convex surface at c adapted to the form of the valve
seat and it has one or more passages through it as at c' for the liquor to flow when
this passage is brought to coincide with the passage or passages in the valve seat.
The outer face of the valve at c is made triangular or it might be square or
diamond shaped in form to receive a corresponding key like projection upon the
tap is a stud on the valve which is received into the notch &; this notch limits
the are through which the valve can turn. At the valve abuts upon the internal
flange if desired a spring may be provided to abut upon the valve but I have not
found this to be necessary in practice.
The boss in rear of the tap has divided screw threads upon it at d¹ d' and these
are adapted to engage with the threads a. is a key like projection from the
boss of the tap it is capable in one position of passing through the hole in the
diaphragm a³ and in this position also the screw threads d' and a* can pass without
engaging. At the same time also the triangular projection on the face of the valve
at c² enters the corresponding recess in the key. A quarter turn of the tap causes
the threads d' and a* to engage and to compress the washer e between the surfaces
on which it abuts, thereby making a tight joint. The same quarter turn of the tap
moves the valve round until the passages and e' coincide. Then on opening the
tap liquor can flow from the cask.
Similarly it will be seen that the act of removing the tap from the cask turns the
valve in such manner that the passages and c¹ pass away the one from the other
and leave no open waterway.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
A tap hole bush to be automatically opened by the insertion of a tap and closed

page_text: by the removal of the same and consisting of an outer shell to be fixed in the cask
a valve seat and cavity with a perforated rear wall and a conical or convex valve
fitted into the cavity the whole arranged substantially as described.
Dated this Second day of September 1892.
CHARLES HARGRAVE.