Improvements in Bungs or Stoppers and Taps.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 19th Dec., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bungs or Stoppers and Taps.
I THEODOR HILLER of 75–76 Jaergerstrasse Berlin in the Empire of Germany
Merchant 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 improvements in bungs or stoppers and taps and the
object of the invention is the construction of a bung or stopper or tap which will
fit bung holes of different sizes and can be rapidly and conveniently moved without
injury thereto. The lining or stopper hitherto used for stopping bung holes that
is to say the metallic walls used as a protection for the staves can be dispensed
with by using my improved hung or stopper. The latter is based upon a principle
according to which india rubber discs are expanded by tightening the nut which is
placed upon the pin passing through these discs in such a manner that the
periphery of the india rubber discs tightly pressed against the periphery of the
bung hole in the barrel.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.
Figure 1 is a plan of my improved hung or stopper when not in use. Figure 2
being a side view thereof.
Figure 3 shows the bung when in use.
Figure 4 is a section of the bung when not in use.
Figure 5 is an underside view and Figure 6 a side view of a modified
construction of my improved bung. Figure 7 is a plan of a bung provided with a
further modification, Figure 8 being a side view of the same. Figure 9 shows the
bung in use. Figure 10 is a longitudinal section of Figure 8.
Fi
Figure 1 illustrates in section the mode of using a bung constructed in
accordance with my invention as applied to a tap and when not in use.
Figure 12 is a view of a tap fixed in a barrel according to Figure 11.
Figure 13 shows a view partly in section of a tap constructed according to this
part of my invention. Figure 14 shows the key used. Figure 15 shows the tap.
Figures 16 and 17 show several forms of plugs somewhat different from that shown
in Figure 13.
My improved bung or stopper consists of a shell a the bottom a' of which is
furnished with a central opening a having a quadrangular cross section (Figure 4).
The cover of the shell a is formed by means of a disc b which is furnished with a
central perforation the size whereof corresponds to the diameter of the inner space
of the shell. The sides of the opening & form a slant surface 6. A quadrangular
peg c is passed through the shell being furnished at its upper end with a screw
thread. An india rubber disc d of suitable thickness is placed over the peg cor
the latter is furnished with several india rubber discs of various degrees of
elasticity which are separated by metal discs 5. The lower disc is advantageously
of soft material so that it may quickly expand and form a stopper to arrest the
liquid. Against the india rubber discs is laid the tightening plate which is firmly
fixed upon the peg c by means of the nut g. In the shell a is arranged a nut h
which fully fills up the inner space of the shell. To operate the nut the same is
furnished with two perforations h' and ' in which a key fits. The cover 6 of the
shella is provided with dovices which prevent the bung from turning when inserted
in the barrel and after the nut h is tightened. These devices consist as far as the
bung illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 is concerned of lugs fixed to the cover band
provided with perforations for the passage of screws or other means of fastening.

page_text: In Figures 5 and 6 the cover bis furnished upon its lower surface with a pin i and
cutting edges which ensure the tight fitting of the bung to the barrel.
When a barrel is to be closed with a bung of the kind described it is introduced
in its unused state (Figure 2) in the bung hole when the nut is tightened by a
spanner or key causing the pin c to be raised and to press together the india rubber
disc with the aid of the plate fin cousequence whereof the latter disc assumes the
shape shown in Figure 3 and thus closes the bung hole in an extraordinarily tight
manner. If the screw nut is now turned by the key in a direction contrary to
the former it causes the pin c to sink and the india rubber plate to return to its
former position the bung being removed without being damaged in the least.
To prevent the barrel from being opened by unauthorized hands a plug is
insertod in the opening of the cover or this opening is closed in any other suitable
manner so that the release of the nut h becomes impossible without authorization.
In Figures 7 to 10 the pin c is furnished at its upper end with a right handed
screw thread and with a left handed screw thread at its lower part and it enters by
its lower end into the tightening disc. The head of the pin is provided with two
perforations whereby the special nut is dispensed with as the pin c engages
directly in the tapped portion of the shell a. When the pin is turned by the key
or spanner it causes the india rubber disc to be pressed doubly i.e. from the top.to
the bottom as well as from the bottom to the top.
In Figures 11 and 12 the tightening is effected by turning the nut & furnished
with handles. The india rubber disc d'is entirely mounted on the pipe and the
nut forms its bearing. In the shell of the tap is provided an india rubber disc
arranged upon the pin c and so calculated as regards its periphery that a quarter
of a turn of the pin c closes the tap and at the same time compresses the india
rubber disc until the latter is tightly fixed to the shell and thus forms a perfect
closing which prevents the objectionable after dripping of the liquid out of the tap
shell. The pin c and the india rubber disc are furnished with a passage through
which the liquid pлsses.
In Figures 13, 14, and 15 the closing or compressing of the india rubber disc is
effected in an upward as well as in a downward direction, the pin being in this case
furnished at its upper part with a left handed screw thread and with a right handed
screw thread at its lower part.
Figures 16 and 17 show tapered plugs which diffor one from the other by the
shifting of the sorew thread either onto the tightening plate or onto the foot of
the plug.
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 :-
1. A bung or stopper or tap fitting bung holes of different sizes consisting of a
pin c carrying an india rubber disc d and a tightening plate on the one side and
provided with a nut h on the other this india rubber disc being compressed by
tightening the nut so as to be firmly fitted against the material of the staves
substantially as shown and described.
2. In the bung such as above claimed the arrangement of a shell a surrounding
the nut whose bottom plate rests on the india rubber disc while the cover of the
same is furnished with a central perforation the conical walls of which are designed
to receive a plug whereby the unauthorized removal of the plug is prevented sub-
stantially as shown and described.
3. In bunga such as above claimed the arrangement of a peg furnished at the top
and at the bottom with a left and a right handed screw thread respectively the
upper screw thread fitting in the shell a and pressing when properly turned the
india rubber disc downwardly as well as upwardly or expanding the said disc
substantially as shown and described.
4. The use of the device claimed in Claims 1 or 3 for closing the plugs of tap

page_text: shells wherein a peg c and a disc d representing the plug are furnished with a
passage the latter diso having such a diameter that by giving one quarter of a
turn to the peg e the disc d is tightly pressed and the tap closed at the same time in
order to prevent the subsequent or future dripping of the liquid substantially as
described and shown and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 29th day of August 1891:
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Patentee.