IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TAKING OFF EXCESSIVE PRESSURE FROM THE INTERIOR OF BEER CASKS AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES CONTAINING FERMENTABLE LIQUORS OR THE LIKE
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I PETER DUFF at the Office for Patents, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TAKING OFF EXCESSIVE PRESSURE FROM THE
INTERIOR OF BEER CASKS AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES CONTAINING FERMENTABLE
LIQUORS OR THE LIKE" to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a simple and effective safety valve or
apparatus to allow of the escape of the gas or liquor from casks in which beer or
other fermented liquor is contained when the pressure of such has reached a point.
dangerous to the existence of the cask.
It consists of a plug made hollow in the interior and provided with a coarse
screw thread on the outside for screwing into the cask. The top of the plug
covering the hollow interior is provided with one or more small holes, preferably a
number of perforations through which the gas or liquid may escape. The hollow
interior of the plug is internally screwed and into the end is screwed a second plug
which forms a seating for a valve adjusted inside the hollow interior of the main
plug, and kept to its seat by a spiral or other suitable form of spring. A hole
through the small internal plug communicates with the interior of the cask. The
valve is preferably circular with a projection on top to engage with the spring, and
an angular spindle at bottom projecting through the plug to form a guide; though
a ball or flap valve, or one of other known construction, might be employed.
The several smaller parts are best made of a metal that will resist the action of
the liquid, I prefer to make the body of malleable cast iron though they may be
made of other metal or even of wood, and they may be attached together and to
the cask in various ways though I prefer in the manner described, as that appears
to me to be the simplest.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, PETER DUFF of 41 Hilton Street, Birkenhead in the County of Chester,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR TAKING OFF EXCESSIVE PRESSURE FROM THE INTERIOR OF
BEER CASKS AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES CONTAINING FERMENTABLE LIQUORS OR
THE LIKE" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to provide a simple and effective safety valve or
apparatus to allow of the escape of the gas or liquor from casks in which beer or
other fermented liquor is contained when the pressure of such has reached a point
dangerous to the existence of the cask.
Referring to the annexed drawings:-
Figure 1 shews a sectional elevation of the apparatus and
Figure 2 an elevation of a barrel partly in section, shewing the apparatus in
position.
A is a plug preferably of metal, hollow in the interior, and provided with a
coarse screw thread a on the outside, for screwing into the cask.
The top B of the plug covering the hollow interior is provided with one or more
small holes or perforations b, through which the gas or liquid may escape. The
hollow interior of the plug is internally screwed, and into the end is screwed a
second plug c, which forms a seating for a valve D adjusted inside the hollow
interior of the main plug, and kept to its seat by a spring E of spiral or other
suitable form. A hole c through the small internal plug communicates with the
interior of the cask. The valve D is preferably circular with a projection e on top
to engage with the spring, and an angular spindle d at bottom, projecting through
the plug to form a guide, though a ball or flap valve, or one of other known
construction, might be employed. The projectione projecting through and beyond
the plug has this additional advantage, that when the barrel is in the stillage and
the liquor will not run well owing to a partial vacuum forming in the interior, the
pressure can be almost equalised by momentarily lifting the valve by this spindle.
It will be obvious that the hollow plug may be made open at the top, and closed
at the bottom, a cap or plug being screwed to the top, but the arrangement shown
is preferable, inasmuch as it is less exposed to be tampered with, or to receive
injury from the handling of the casks.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare what
I claim is
1st An apparatus for taking off excess of pressure from the interior of beer casks
and other like articles, consisting of a hollow screwed plug perforated at top and
closed at the other end preferably by a plug which is screwed or fitted into it

page_text: forming a seating against which a valve is held by the pressure of a spring,
substantially as and for the purposes described.
2nd The improvement in apparatus for taking off excessive pressure from the
interior of casks, and other like articles which consists in continuing the spindle of
the valve, or its equivalent, to the outside, whereby the same can be also used to
prevent a negative pressure or partial vacuum when in the stillage, substantially
as described.