Improvements in Tapping Cocks.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Aug., 1889-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tapping Cocks.
I HARRY LANGTON of Thorpe End Brewery, Melton Mowbray, in the county of
Leicester, Brewer, 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 certain improvements in tapping cocks.
Such fittings as usually constructed whether the cock is open or shut are always
open at the discharging aperture, and hence, particularly when used for beers cordials
or other sweet or viscous liquids a disadvantage arises in that insects, dust, mould
and other objectionable matters get into and remain in the said aperture to the
detriment of the discharge when the cock is opened.
The object of the present invention is to provide simple and inexpensive means by
which the said disadvantage may be automatically prevented on each operation of
the cock: To this end I provide a covering device for the discharge aperture of
suitable shape and dimensions, and I so arrange it that when the cock is shut it
closely covers the aperture but when the cock is opened the action of opening
automatically turns aside the device and so uncovers the discharge aperture: thus
the entrance thereinto of any extraneous matter is impossible.
The covering device may take the form of a tongue rigidly fixed to and moving
with the rotary cock, or it may be otherwise operated thereby the former arrange-
ment of the invention is clearly illustrated by the annexed drawings as applied to an
ordinary beer barrel tap. Figure 1 is an elevation, Figure 2 is an end view thereof,
and Figure 3 is a part inverted plan showing covering device. Tis the tap barrel, P the
rotary plug or cock, C is the cover piece or tongue which is fixed rigidly to the lower
part thereof at right angles to the port of the plug the piece C is made of suitable
length breadth and form such as in Figure 3 so to completely cover and efficiently
close the discharge aperture D when the cock is shut as in Figure 1; it may be of
brass gunmetal hardwood or any suitable material. When the cock P is opened the
cover is also simultaneously turned aside from the aperture as in Figure 2 the
action being automatic and certain.
By another arrangement the covering piece may be a lever_centered on the barrel
and its shorter arm operated by a cam on the rotary plug P or it may be geared
therewith.
The drawings illustrate the invention as applied to a bent nosed tapping cock,
but it may be applied to straight nosed or other cocks by suitably curving or
forming the covering piece C, and the device may readily he applied to tapping
cocks as generally constructed by simply adjusting the proportions of the usual
washer and screw at foot of plug.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A tapping cock provided with a device for automatically covering or
uncovering its discharge aperture at each operation of the cock substantially as

page_text: 2. The improvement in tapping cocks consisting in the provision of a covering
device for the discharge aperture rigidly fixed to and rotated with or otherwise
operated by the rotary plug thereof substantially as and for the purposes described
and illustrated.*
Dated this 21st do of 100m
J. C. CHAPMAN, Fel. Inst. Patent Agents,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.