Year: 1887

page_text: 1, JULIUS EDWARD WAIZENOKER of 18 Munster Square, Regents Park, London,
in the County of Middlesex, Watch and Clock Maker, 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:-
The ordinary water, beer, or wine tap, needs to be carefully locked, or as it is
termed "turned off" after it has been used to draw liquid.
Owing to inadvertence, haste, or carelessness, this necessary duty is often forgotten,
or imperfectly performed, and a considerable waste of the liquor then ensues.
Moreover in the case of taps on oil cisterns, which taps being lubricated with the
oil, are often extremely easy to turn on or off, it sometimes happens that the pressure
of the oil will force the plug round, and open the tap when no-one is near, and much
loss necessarily results.
The necessity of seeing to this "turning off" or "locking" of the tap is entirely
removed by my safety self-locking tap, which by means of a coiled spring, closes
automatically and cannot by any means be left open.
This coiled spring resembles the spring of a small clock, being formed of a steel
tape properly tempered. It is coiled around the upper end of the plug of the tap
several times, and has one end attached to a pin on the plug, while the other end clips
a pin formed on the barrel, or chamber in which the plug works. Its pressure forces
the plug firmly into its closed, or "locked" position. A stop is provided to prevent
the plug passing round too far in either direction. This stop may be formed at either
end of the plug, but by preference I have placed it at the upper end where in the
case of beer, or wine cocks, it is covered and concealed by the cap or tube, which is
placed over the spring and the end of the plug. A disc or washer is placed on the
plug above the spring.
The plug being firmly held by the spring in the closed, or "locked" position; if it
is required to open the tap the key is turned halfway round, when the "way," or
aperture in the plug being in the open position, the liquid flows through the tap.
In the case of wine, beer, oil, or other like liquids, and in order to prevent the
possibility of waste, through the tap being inadvertently allowed to remain on too
long, I employ the tap by preference without any catch, or trigger to hold it open, so

page_text: that the person drawing the liquid must hold the tap open while the liquid is flowing.
In the case of water-taps, or those taps used in places where much liquid has to be
drawn, or a little waste may be of no consequence, a catch or trigger can be easily
attached to the tap when desired, so as to hold it open, and thus release the hand of
the person in attendance.
My self-locking tap can be made either "night" i.e. with fixed key, or with loose
key as preferred. In the case of taps such as beer or wine taps made with a loose
key, I construct the plug larger at the lower end, so as to be "ground in" from
below. A screw of the usual kind is tapped in below the plug, and holds the plug in
position, while it also allows it to be tightened, or slackened as preferred. This
method of forming the tap renders it impossible for anyone to open it by turning the
lower end of the plug, as is often done with beer taps ground in from above, and with
the end of the plug projecting beneath.
This is however a detail. of minor importance as my self-locking taps can be made
both ways as preferred, and according to the purpose for which they are intended, and
whether they are to be "night" or with loose keys.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1. is a
loose key.
longitudinal section of one of my self-locking taps, adapted for a
Fig. 2. is a section of the cap or tube which covers the spring.
Fig. 3. is an elevation of the plug shewing coiled spring and stop pin.
Fig. 4. is a detached plan of the coiled spring.
Fig. 5. is a plan view of the upper end of the plug without the spring, shewing the
stop pin, and the recess in which it works.
Fig. 6. is a washer placed on the plug to keep the spring in its place.
A is the plug.
B " spring.
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stop-pin.
recess in which C works.
screw which holds the plug in place.
pin on the barrel of the tap which holds one end of the spring.
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 tap furnished with a coiled spring which is so attached to the plug of the
tap that the said plug is held firmly in the closed position as herein explained and
set forth.
(2.) A self-locking tap so constructed that unless forcibly held open it closes
automatically and remains closed until again forced open as herein described and
set forth.
Dated this 29th day of September 1887.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, London,
Patent Agent.