and other similar Vessels.
Year: 1884

page_text: and other similar Vessels.
I, JOHN STEEN of High Street and Queen Square Wolverhampton Belting
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR WITHDRAWING LIQUIDS FROM CASKS AND OTHER SIMILAR
VESSELS to be as follows:-
The purpose of my invention is to facilitate the tapping of Casks or barrels and
to obviate the injury commonly arising from the entrance of atmospheric air by
the tapping hole when the stopping of it by a cork or stopper is omitted at the
time the tap is taken out of the empty vessel.
To
In this case as is well known most frequently a purifying process is necessary to
fit the cask for further use, by removing a fungoid growth which usually occurs
and which is occasioned by the entrance of atmospheric air through the tapping
hole. This refers most generally to casks which are used for Malt liquor.
attain my object I arrange a Valve opening inwards at the end of the portion of
the bore of a tube which is inserted through the tap hole of an ordinary Cask or
barrel and fixed therein by means of a screwed head piece which is securely
attached to the outward end of the said tube. From its outward end the tube
has a conical bore lined with wood and shaped to correspond with the Spigot of
any ordinary beer tap which fits tightly into it. Beyond this conical part the
bore is made cylindrical of a sufficient diameter to leave a Valve seat at the
junction of the cylindric and conical parts of the bore, and of sufficient length to
permit the instion inwards of the Valve and piston to the extent of about two
inches from its seat, also to form a guide for the same. The Valve is supplied with
a spring made preferably of India Rubber, attached to the Valve by the Piston
rod, the end. of which passes through the inner end of the cylinder, and keeps it
tightly closed until the tap is inserted for the purpose of drawing off the contents
of the Cask. The proportions of the conical part of the tube into which the tap is
inserted in the act of tapping the Cask, are such as to cause the end of the Spigot
to project when driven home, beyond the Valve seat, and thus lift the Valve
sufficiently to admit the liquid contained in the Cask to the bore of the tap
through holes in the cylinder made for that purpose, the spring yielding
sufficiently to this end,

page_text: When the tap is taken out of the Cask, the spring attached to the Valve closes
it at once unto its seat and thereby effectually excludes air, rendering unnecessary
the application of a cork or Stopper to the tapping hole.
The apparatus according to my invention thus consists of a tube fitted to a head
piece at its outer end, to fix it into the Cask, and having a bore commencing at
the outer end forming a hollow cone, to receive the Spigot of an ordinary beer
tap, then widening out to a Cylinder of such diameter as to leave a Valve seat
around the inner and smaller end of the Cone, and of such length as to form a
guide to the Valve when it is moved inwards, by being lifted from its seat by the
Spigot of the tap in the act of tapping the Cask. The Valve being kept tight on
its seat by a spring having sufficient elasticity to allow of the Valve being lifted
by the protrusion of the Spigot beyond the Valve seat when the Cask is tapped.
The tube and Valve may be made of Wood, Metal, Vulcanite, or other suitable
material, or a combination of them.

page_text: and other similar Vessels.
I, JOHN STEEN, Printer & Stationer, & Leather Belting Manufacturer &c. &c.
of Queen Square, and High Street Wolverhampton do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WITHDRAWING LIQUIDS
FROM CASKS OR OTHER SIMILAR VESSELS and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
I will describe my invention by referring to drawings in which the same letters
refer to similar parts. A. A. Fig. 1. 2. 3. is a tube shewn in longitudinal section,
made preferably of wood & fitted with a metallic head piece or washer B by
means of which it is attached with screws to the head F of the barrel or Cask.
C Fig. 1 is a conical Valve having a guiding Stem passing through a bush G in the
end of tube A. O is a spring formed of a series of india rubber discs of such
form & thickness as to allow sufficient compression for the Valve to be raised by
the insertion of the Spigot of the cock E as shewn, so as to permit the liquid to
flow into the perforations at D & be withdrawn through the cock from the barrel.
When the cock is removed from the barrel the springs O' closes upon the end of
the tube A. & by excluding atmospheric air prevent the formation of mould &
fouling of the barrel. The end of the tube A is fitted with the bush G which
forms a guide for the stem of the Valve C and is secured in its place by cross pins
or screws to resist the force of the springs C₁ Another method of carrying out my
invention is shewn at Fig. 2 & 3. In this form instead of making use of a conical
or plate Valve lifting in the direction of the bore of the tube A I use a hinged
Valve by preference faced with India Rubber & pivoted on one side of the bore of
the main tube A as at H Fig. 2 & 3. so that it may open wide enough to allow the
end of the Spigot of the cock E to pass by. Vide Fig. 3 A blade spring G
Fig. 2 & 3 is secured to the tube A at its lower end, and its free end resting upon
the Valve H above the pivot of its hinge, closes it when the tap or cock E is
withdrawn, Vide Fig. 2. By this arrangement should a cork be, by accident or
design inserted into the tapping hole, i.e. tube A it may be pushed into the interior
of the barrel by the act of inserting the tap or cock. Fig. 3 shows the tap properly
placed in position for use for drawing off contents of the barrel. I do not limit
myself to the exact details described. The form & arrangement of the hinge of
Valve and the spring being capable of great variation.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
The use of Valves substantially as set forth in the drawing Fig. 1. for the
purpose of excluding air from the interior of barrels when when the tap or cock is
removed from the tapping hole.
D
Jan of T1002