IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS AND VENTS ADAPTED TO CASKS AND BARRELS CON- TAINING LIQUIDS, AND IN SAFEGUARDING SUCH TAPS VENTS AND CONTENTS
Year: 1885

page_text: and Contents.
We JOSEPH BURCH of Adsworth Grove, Stockport in the County of Chester,
Consulting Mechanician, and WILLIAM JOSEPH HALL of 3 Market place Stockport
in the County of Chester, Grocer, do hereby declare the nature of our Invention.
for IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS AND VENTS ADAPTED TO CASKS AND BARRELS CON-
TAINING LIQUIDS, AND IN SAFEGUARDING SUCH TAPS VENTS AND CONTENTS to be
as follows:-
The object of this invention is to enable brewers, merchants, dealers and others,
to deliver or store beer, wine, spirits, and other liquids, in casks and barrels per-
manently furnished with taps and vents, each cask being safeguarded by a shallow
box shield that covers the tap and vent, and when closed or shut down is secured
by a suitable lock, so that instead of using a key to open the tap in the usual way,
we use a key to unlock the shield, the cover whereof when shut lies close and
parallel to the head of the cask, and is protected from injury by the fore-edge of
the chime To this end our invention consists in
First So constructing the tap that its transverse body, when the tap is fixed in
the head of the cask, instead of being upright is set in a horizontal position, and
close to the head of the cask-The plug of the tap is tubular and closed at both
ends, and the liquor having entered through the side of the plug when the tap is
opened, instead of flowing directly through it in the usual way, runs internally
along its tubular passage towards its largest end, which end projects from the body
of the tap and is preferably made square, and the liquor there escapes through a
screw-threaded opening on the opposite side-Into this opening the end of a small
tube about 3 or 4 inches long is securely screwed, its free end being suitably beut
to give the desired direction to the liquid as it flows out-By means of this tube,
which also answers the purpose of a key, the plug of the tap is operated-When
the tube is turned down to a horizontal position, projecting from the head of the
cask, the outflow passages (viz) in the body of the tap and in the plug respectively,
are brought into communication, and then the outflow takes place through the tube,
but when the tube is raised to an upright position close against the head of the cask,
the outflow is cut off, and the tap is closed.

page_text: The vent we propose to use in this combination is self closing, and is kept open
so long as pressure is applied to its extreme end. Both the tap and the vent are
screw-threaded to engage with corresponding screw-threads formed in bushes per-
manently fixed respectively, one in the tap hole and the other in the vent hole at
the opposite sides of the cask head, as described in the Provisional Specification
that accompanied our accepted application No 16083 A.D. 1884.
Second. This part of our invention relates to the shield we employ for safe-
guarding the liquid contents of casks and barrels, and which consists of two parts
(viz:) a thin rectangular foundation plate, which is permanently fixed to the head
of the cask about midway between the two holes occupied respectively by the
bushes which receive the tap and the vent; and the shield, which consists of a
long hollow cover that is jointed by one edge to the corresponding side of the
foundation plate, and when shut down it incloses the body of the tap at one end
and the vent at the other-At its midlength it is furnished with a suitable lock,
which is shot or fastened by a spring when the cover of the shield is closed and
pressed down-A key is required to unlock the shield which, when opened, leaves
the tap and the vent free, and the former can then as before described be operated
by simply drawing the free end of the tube forward and pressing it down to a
horizontal position, and the vent when required is opened by simply pressing upon
its extreme end.
In the case of large casks or hogsheads when safeguarded permanent taps and
vents are required, instead of making the shield of sufficient length to reach across
the head from side to side, it will be advisable to use two short shields, one adapted
to cover and protect the tap, and the other to cover and protect the vent, each
being hinged to a separate foundation plate, and separately furnished with a
suitable lock.

page_text: Improvements in Taps and Vents Adapted to Casks and Barrels
Containing Liquids, and in Safeguarding such Taps, Vents,
and Liquid Contents.
WO JOSEPH BURCH of Adswood Grove, Stockport in the County of Chester,
Consulting Mechanician, and WILLIAM JOSEPH HALL of 3 Market Place, Stockport
in the County of Chester, Grocer do hereby declare the nature of our Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS AND VENTS ADAPTED TO CASKS AND BARRELS CON-
TAINING LIQUIDS, AND IN SAFEGUARDING SUCH TAPS, VENTS, AND LIQUID CONTENTS,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be. particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
The chief object of our invention is to enable Brewers, Merchants, Dealers and
others, to deliver to their customers or to store beer, wine, spirits, and other liquids
in casks and barrels permanently furnished with taps and vents, the contents of
each cask being safeguarded by a shallow box shield locked and sealed, and so
hinged or affixed to the head of a cask that it will cover the tap and vent and
completely shut them in when closed, in which position it is secured by a suitable
spring lock, so that instead of using a key to open the tap in the usual way, we
use a key to unlock the shield, the hollow cover whereof when closed shuts against
the head of the cask, and is protected from injury by the chime, the fore edge of
which projects beyond. We use bushes screw threaded inside and out to line the
tap hole, and the vent hole respectively, as described in the Specification of our
invention No 16083 the screw threads on the stein of the tap and on the vent corre-
sponding, so that they may be taken out and cleaned when a cask is empty, or as
often as required without any risk of wearing or injuring the holes. An escutcheon
is fitted on the shield to cover the keyhole, in which position it is secured by a
seal that keeps it in place during transit or otherwise, and until the cask is
stillaged and the shield opened for drawing, previous to which the scal must be
broken and scraped off.
The following conditions govern the dimensions of and the manner in which the
several parts of the invention have to be arranged within a very limited space.
These consist in forming in metal the shield as shallow and compact as possible
consistent with the strength required. The chime of a 9 gallon cask projects
1 inch beyond the outer surface of the head, thereby forming a circular recess and
across this recess we fix the shield which, at its midlength should not exceed
the of an inch in thickness, and the ends which enclose the tap and vent respec-
tively, ought not to exceed one inch, so that if a cask is stood on end and the
shield happens to be underneath it will be well protected by the chimne. But
when the cask is placed upon a stillage in position for drawing, the delivery or
outflow must take place about 2 inches or more beyond the fore edge of the chime
in order that mugs or measures may be held beneath, and to effect this it is.
nccessary that the delivery spout or tube of the tap be capable of movement when
the shield is opened, so that its free end may be drawn forward and pressed down

page_text: to a horizontal position projecting the required distance from the head of the cask;
and this movement of the tube (one end whereof is fixed to the plug of the tap) is
availed of for turning off the outflow when the free end of the tube is raised in
position to be covered by the shield, or for turning on the outflow by drawing
down the free end of the tube when the shield is opened. The tap we have
contrived for the purposes of our invention is much smaller and lighter than an
ordinary tap, as it has simply to be screwed into the bush that lines the tap hole,
and is never intended to be driven into the tap hole by a maul or mallet in the
usual way.
The advantages derivable from the use of our invention by consumers will
consist in the trouble of tapping and expense of the tap saved and also the wasto
which often happens when tapping a cask; no boring a hole for a vent peg, or
Also
causing the beer to lose its freshness or flavour by carelessly leaving it out.
Merchants Dealers and Brewers will find that mustiness or sourness in empty casks
will not occur, so that scouring and firing will not be required, the atmosphere
being always excluded when the shield is closed.
Fig. 1 on the drawing hereto annexed, represents a side view of the Shield A
affixed by means of the foundation plate A¹, to a section of the head of a cask
marked B; B' marks the staves and B' the chime; the tap C, the delivery tube D,
and the vent E, showing faintly underneath.
Fig. 2 exhibits a plan of the shield A affixed to the head of a cask; any compact
form may be given to the shield but that which is shown on the drawing is the
most approved. F marks an escutcheon fixed on the top of the shield to cover and
The tap C, the delivery.
protect the keyhole, and G marks the place for the seal.
tube D, and the vent E showing faintly underneath.
Fig. 3 exhibits the section of a shield on the head of a cask, and shews beneath
it an end view of the tap C with its delivery tube D; the dotted tube D' indicating
its position when drawn forward and pressed down for the purpose of bringing
the outflow passage respectively in the tap C and in its plug C¹ into communi-
cation for drawing-C marks the end of the stem of the tap inside the cask.
D' marks a piece of cork or other suitable substance, so attached to the underside
of the shield, that when the latter is closed, the cork or substance will press against
the open end of the tube and close it against the atmosphere. D³ denotes a spring
that maintains the pressure of the end of the delivery tube D' against the cork
when the shield is closed. A marks the foundation plate, which is shown to be
securely fastened on the cask head by screws. H marks the hinges that connect
the shield to the foundation plate; these hinges may be fitted either inside or
outside the shield. I denotes the central position for a spring lock and I' marks
the keyhole. We use a good spring lock of suitable construction that will fasten
the shield by a spring catch at the time it is closed, but requires a key to open it.
The lock may be attached either to the foundation plate or to the shield, but
excepting its position and spring fastening it forms no part of the invention.
E marks the vent which is included in our said former Patent No 16,083, but
instead of as heretofore making the hole for the vent bush direct through the
cask head, we bore it aslant in the direction indicated in the Figs. 1 and 3. The
end of the vent inside the cask is marked E'.
Fig. 4 exhibits a plan of the shield fixed on the cask, the top of the shield being
removed shows the sides and ends in section. In this figure all the parts inclosed
by the shield are seen in position, (viz) the tap C; the delivery tube D attached
to C, which marks the end of the plug of the tap; the foundation plate, fixing
screws, and hinges; the place I for the lock, and the vent E.
Fig. 5 exhibits a longitudinal section of the tap, with its stem C' screwed into
the tap hole bush, the outflow passage being opened throughout by the position of
the delivery tube, which is seen projecting from the head of the cask, in the
manner shown by the dotted tube D' appended to Fig. 3.
The end of the shield A, shown in an open position, is seen in this figure jointed
to the foundation plate A¹.

page_text: Fig. 6 represents a transverse section of the tap, showing the position of the
plug C when the outflow passage is closed, and which is always the case when
the delivery tube is inclosed by the shield as seen in Fig. 3.
Fig. 7 represents a transverse section of the tap, showing the outflow passage
open. It will be seen at J, by the Figs. 5, 6 and 7 that the outflow passage
through the side of the barrel of the tap and of the plug respectively, is contracted
in one direction and widened in the other, so as to form a rectangular narrow slot,
in order that tho communication of the passages, and the cut off may take place
suddenly and near the outward end of the movement of the delivery tube, when
it is moved or changed to and from the horizontal position.
Fig. 8 represents on a small scale the end of a large barrel or hogshead furnished
with two short shields, one of which covers the tap and delivery tube, and the
other the vent. These shields are shown hinged outside, each is to be furnished
with a suitable spring lock, and both to be opened by the same key. Escutcheons
will be fitted to cover their respective keyholes, and they will be secured by seals
as described, with reference to Fig. 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what'
we claim is
First. We claim the construction and use of a hollow shield or shields of approved
shape, furnished with a suitable lock or locks and hinged or otherwise attached to
a foundation plate or plates to be fixed to the head of a cask or barrel for the
purpose of inclosing or shutting in and protecting the tap and the vent, after the
manner and to effect the objects herein set forth.
Second. We claim the construction and use of a tap that is furnished with a
movable spout or delivery tube so attached to the plug of the tap that it will cut
off the outflow when placed in a vertical position beneath the protecting shield, and
open the outflow passage when the shield is unclosed and the tube pulled forward
and pressed down to a horizontal position, the delivery then taking place from the
free end of the tube, all after the manner and to effect the purposes herein set
fortb.
Third. We claim the placing of the vent at the end of a cask in a slanting
position, as shown by Figs. 1 and 3 on the drawing hereto annexed.
Fourth. We claim the so placing and fixing a piece of cork or other substance
within the protecting shield, that when the latter is closed, the said cork or
substance assisted by a spring, will press against the open end of the delivery tube
and thereby prevent the ingress and egress of the atmosphere, and the evaporation
or drying up of the moisture within.
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