Improvements relating to the Taps and Vents of Beer Casks and other Vessels..
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Aug.,
1899
Complete Specification Left, 10th May, 1900-Accepted, 16th June, 1900
Improvements relating to the Taps and Vents of Beer Casks
and other Vessels..
I, WILLIAM FRASER, of "Dovedale," School Road, Moseley, near the City of
Birmingham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention consists of improvements relating to the taps and vents of beer
casks and other vessels, my object being to provide for the ready and convenient
tapping and venting of the cask or vessel, and for the automatic closing of the
vent aperture, and also of the tap aperture on the withdrawal of the tap there-
from when the vessel is empty.
In the application of my invention I employ a metallic or other socket piece
in place of the usual cork for closing the tap aperture, such socket having a
thread cut around its exterior for screwing into the tapped or screwed aperture
in the cask head, without dismantling the barrel. The outer end of the socket
is provided with a flange having a grooved outer face through which I insert.
pegs or stop pins to prevent accidental unscrewing, subsequently filling in the
groove with a lead or other ring or stopping.
Within the socket I screw a hollow plug, having in its interior a ball or other
valve which is forced on to a rubber ring seating by means of a spiral spring
preferably arranged on the side of the valve remote from the interior of the
vessel. The interior of the plug at its outer end is bored to receive a wooden
or other beer or like tap of the usual construction, the portion of such tap or cock
which fits within the plug being preferably provided with one or more rubber
or other joint rings.
On driving the tap into the plug its inner end will abut against a stem from
the valve arranged within the interior of the plug as herein before described, and
will push such valve from its seating and thus allow the beer or liquid contents
of the cask or other vessel to pass through to the interior of the tap. The dis-
charge from the tap is controlled in the ordinary manner. As a liquid tight
Joint is formed between the tap and the plug by means of the rubber or other
rings before the valve is pushed from its seating, there will be no escape of the
liquid when inserting the tap such as is frequently experienced when fapping a
cask in the ordinary manner. The end of the plug within the cask is fitted
with a detachable extension pipe, closed at its outer end but suitably perforated
to serve as a strainer for the liquid to pass through before reaching the valve.
On the withdrawal of the tap from an emptied cask the valve is automatically
closed by the action of its spring herein before described.
with
I sometimes arrange projecting lugs on the exterior of the tap to engage
corresponding retaining grooves of a spiral or other form within the plug.
When the plug is screwed completely home within its socket its outer face
falls just below the outer face of the socket head or flange: 1 thus avoid any
projecting obstruction, and further, as the plug cannot then be withdrawn with-
out the use of a box spanner, any tampering with it during transit is rendered
the more difficult.

page_text: Within an annular groove on the outer face of the plug I insert a ring of lead
or other material to which a metallic label and seal plate can be readily secured
by means of small pegs; such label and seal plate can be hinged on one side if
required to a projection from the socket head or flange, a projection on the
opposite side serving as a locking engagement.
To permit of the employment of taps of varying sizes with the one plug, I
screw or otherwise form the aperture in the front end of the said plug to receive
screwed or other ferrules or false noses of such sizes as are required to fit
the taps.
23
For the proper venting of the cask or vessel I employ a metallic plug for
screwing into the cask or into a socket (such as herein before described) fixed to
the cask; placing in its interior a glass ball or other valve which is pressed on to a
rubber ring seating by means of a spiral spring retained in position by a perforated
closing cap on the inner end of the plug. By pressing the ball away from its
-seating air can obtain access to the cask but on the removal of such pressure the
valve is automatically closed. Instead of a spiral spring I sometimes employ a
tube like guard for the valve, having its upper end slitted and pressed inward
to such a form as will embrace the lower part of the valve and serve as a spring
to retain the same on its seating. I also sometimes employ such a device with
the tap fittings herein before described, and in each case I may employ a spherical
or other valve formed either partially or entirely of rubber thus enabling me to
dispense with the rubber seat rings.
To prevent loss of liquor in venting the cask I sometimes arrange in com-
bination with the valve herein before described, a hollow stem or plug constructed
in the manner of an ordinary cock plug so that on turning it in a certain direc-
tion any liquid passing the valve will be discharged through the stem into a
receptacle held adjacent thereto.
1000
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and
25, Cross Street, Manchester,
Agents for the Applicant..
Improvements relating to the Taps and Vents of Beer Casks
and other Vessels.
I, WILLIAM FRASER, of "Dovedale," School Road, Moseley, near the City of
Birmingham, Engineer, 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 consists of improvements relating to taps and vents such as
are employed with beer casks and for other services, my object being to provide
for the ready and convenient tapping and venting of the cask or vessel, and for
the automatic closing of the vent aperture, and also of the tap aperture on the
withdrawal of the tap therefrom when the vessel is empty.
On the two accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter
referred to.--
Figure 1 is an elevation with half in section, representing a beer tap and
fittings as constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention; Figure 2
is an end view of the same.

page_text: Figure 3 is an elevation with part in section, and Figuré 4 an end view of my
vent fittings.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation and Figure 6 an end view, showing a modified
form of my improved tap fittings.
The same reference letters in the different views indicate the same paris.
In the application of my invention to the construction and arrangement of a
beer or other tap I employ a metallic or other socket piece as A in place of the
usual cork for closing the tap aperture, such socket having a thread cut around
its exterior for screwing into the tapped or screwed aperture in the cask head B,
without dismantling the barrel.
Within the socket A I screw a hollow plug C, having a seating formed at its
inner end for the reception of the valve D which is forced on to such seating by
means of a spiral spring E arranged within the casing F which is preferably of
aluminium. The interior of the plug towards its outer end is bored to receive a
wooden or other tap G of the usual type, the portion of such tap or cock which
fits within the plug being preferably provided with one or more rubber or other
joint rings as g.
On driving the tap G into the plug C its inner end will abut against projecting
pegs as d from the valve D arranged within the interior of the plug as herein-
before described, and will push such valve from its seating and thus allow the
beer or liquid contents of the cask or other vessel to pass through to the interior
of the tap. The discharge from the tap is controlled in the ordinary manner.
As a liquid tight joint is formed between the tap and the plug by means of the
rubber or other rings g before the valve is pushed from its seating, there will
be no escape of the liquid when inserting the tap such as is frequently experienced
when tapping a cask in the ordinary manner. The casing or pipe F is fitted to
the end of the plug C within the cask as shown, and such pipe is closed at one
end but is suitably perforated to serve as a strainer for the liquid to pass through
before reaching the valve D. On the withdrawal of the tap from an emptied
cask the valve is automatically closed by the action of its spring E.
I sometimes arrange projecting lugs on the exterior of the tap to engage with
corresponding retaining grooves of a spiral or other form within the plug, so
that the tap can be screwed instead of driven into position as hereinbefore
described.
When the plug C is screwed completely home within the socket A its outer
face falls flush or just below the outer face of the socket head or flange; I thus
avoid any projecting obstruction, and further, as the plug cannot then be with-
drawn without the use of a special tool or spanner, any tampering with it during
transit is rendered the more difficult.
To permit of the employment of taps of varying sizes with the one plug,
screw or otherwise form the aperture in the front end of the said plug to receive
screwed or other ferrules or "false noses" of such sizes as are required to fit the
taps.
Instead of arranging the valve D to seat upon the inner end of the plug C as
herein before described, I sometimes arrange the valve seat upon the inner end
of the casing or pipe F; the valve is then lifted from its seat, against the action
of a spring, by the abutment of the inner end of the tap G against a stem pro-
jecting from the valve.
For the proper venting of the cask or vessel I employ a metallic plug as H
(Figures 3 and 4) for screwing into the cask or into a socket A¹ fixed to the cask,
placing in its interior a valve D¹ which is pressed on to its seating by means of a
spiral spring E¹ retained in position by a perforated closing cap F¹ on the inner
end of the plug. By pressing the valve away from its seating air can obtain
access to the cask but on the removal of such pressure the valve is automatically
closed. For the opening of the valve D' I sometimes fit a screw within the
centre of the plug H, the sides of such screw being removed to permit of the
passage of air.

page_text: In the modified form of my tap fittings shown at Figures 5 and 6, I employ a
socket A2 having a tapered aperture through it to receive the conical casing J.
In the outer end of the said casing J I screw a valve seating K for the reception
of the valve L which is automatically closed by the pressure of liquid at the back
of it. On screwing an ordinary tap into the outer end of the seating K, the
valve L is forced from its seating by the abutment of the inner end of the tap
against the valve projection L¹. I sometimes employ the casing J with its valve
and valve seating without the socket A², connecting the said part J to a pipe
leading from the source of supply.
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.Tap and vent fittings for beer casks and for other services constructed and
arranged substantially as described and as illustrated.
2. The combination with a beer or other tap of a socket A and a hollow
plug C having a valve D seating upon its inner end and the perforated casing F
screwed or otherwise secured upon it, substantially as and for the purposes
described and as illustrated.
3. The combination with a tap, of a casing J, valve seating K, and valve L
which is automatically opened when the tap is fitted within the outer end of the
said seating K and automatically closed when the tap is withdrawn therefrom,
substantially as described and as illustrated.
5. A vent for beer casks and other services comprised by the combination
with a valve D¹ of a plug H within which the valve is seated and to which the
perforated closing cap F is attached, substantially as described and as illustrated.
Dated this 101,1
1000
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and
25, Cross Street, Manchester,
Agents for the Applicant.