AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE QUANTITY OF LIQUID WITHDRAWN FROM VATS, CASKS, OR OTHER RECEPTACLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Francis Walsh, of Kinsale, in the County of
Cork, Ireland, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
INDICATING THE QUANTITY OF LIQUID WITHDRAWN FROM VATS, CASKS, OR
OTHER RECEPTACLES."
Sealed the 7th May 1880, and dated the 19th November 1879.
"AN.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Francis Walsh at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th November 1879.
ROBERT FRANCIS WALSH, of Kinsale, in the County of Cork, Ireland.
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE QUANTITY OF LIQUID WITHDRAWN
FROM VATS, CASKS, OR OTHER RECEPTACLES."
This Invention relates to improved means and apparatus designed to shew the
quantity of liquid withdrawn from vats, casks, or other receptacles, and is especially
applicable for use in cellars, bars, restaurants, and other places where liquids
are sold.
The apparatus will enable users of taps to ascertain at a glance the number of
pints, gallons, or other recognised measures drawn from a known quantity during
any specified time, and will so act as a check upon fraud or dishonesty.
In order to effect this object I make a tap or outlet tube of brass or other suitable
metal or material, which is inserted into the lower end of the vat, cask, or other
receptacle containing the liquid. An ordinary cock is fitted to this tap or outlet
tube close to the vessel, where the tube is bent downwards, and is continued in a
vertical direction for a few inches, more or less, or thereabouts, according to the
size of the tap, where it is again bent and continued horizontally for about the same
distance, where another cock similar to the first is fitted.
In the horizontal part of the tap or outlet tube a socket having a female screw is
cast in one with the tap or tube itself. A glass tube or cylinder is held in a
graduated casing of brass, copper, or any other suitable material with a male screw
at the lower end. This casing is screwed into the socket above mentioned.

page_text: The screw at the end of the graduated casing is for the purpose of allowing for
any irregularity or inaccuracy in the capacity of any particular style of vat or
cask of known size, as the casing may be only partly screwed in, leakage being
prevented by means of one or more washers. I graduate a different casing for
each different sized vat, cask, or vessel, as required.
The manner in which this apparatus acts as an indicator or register of the
amount of liquid drawn off (and consequently of liquid left contained in the vessel)
is very simple.
When driving the tap into the vessel containing the liquid both cocks are closed.
When the tap is inserted the cock nearest the vessel is opened, and the liquid will
rise to its own level in the glass tube or cylinder above mentioned.
When it is desired to draw off liquid the second cock is opened, and any quantity
allowed to run out. The liquid will fall in the receptacle containing it, and
consequently in the glass tube, and the quantity drawn off will be indicated by the
graduated casing or guage.
The form of the tap and method of mounting the tube may be varied.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed.
by the said Robert Francis Walsh in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th May 1880.
ROBERT FRANCIS WALSH, of Kinsale, in the County of Cork, Ireland.
"AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE QUANTITY OF LIQUID WITHDRAWN
FROM VATS, CASKS, OR OTHER RECEPTACLES."
This Invention relates to improved means and apparatus designed to show the
quantity of liquid withdrawn from vats, casks, or other receptacles, and is especially_
applicable for use in cellars, bars, restaurants, and other places where liquids
are sold.
The apparatus will enable users of taps to ascertain at a glance the number of
pints, gallons, or other recognised measures drawn from a known quantity during
any specified time, and will so act as a check on fraud or dishonesty.
In order to effect this object I make an outlet tube of brass, or other suitable
metal or material, which is inserted into the lower end or bottom of the vat, cask,
or other receptacle containing the liquid. To this outlet tube is fitted a valve
worked by a screw spindle. From this outlet tube another tube passes in a
horizontal direction, where an ordinary cock is fitted.
In this horizontal tube a socket having a female screw is cast in one with the
tube itself. A glass tube or cylinder is held in a graduated casing of brass, copper,
This
or any other suitable material, and having a male screw at its lower end.
casing is screwed into the socket above-mentioned, or it may be secured to the
socket by means of a screw coupling.
I graduate a different casing for each different sized vat, cask, or vessel, as
required, or I form the casing triangular or of other form in section, and graduate
each face as desired. The manner in which this apparatus is applied to a cask or
vessel containing liquid, and acts as an indicator or register of the amount of liquid
drawn off (and consequently of liquid left contained in the cask) is very simple.
The outlet tube is driven or screwed into the vessel containing the liquid; the
valve is at this time closed, and the horizontal tube is then connected to the outlet
tube by the screw coupling. The vertical casing containing the glass tube is then
connected by another screw coupling to the socket in the horizontal tube, and on
the valve being opened in the outlet tube the liquid will rise to its own level in
the glass tube or cylinder above-mentioned. When it is desired to draw off liquid
the cock is opened, and any quantity allowed to run out. The liquid will fall in
the receptacle containing it, and correspondingly in the glass tube, and the quantity
drawn off will be indicated by the graduated casing or guage.
The form of the tap and method of mounting the tube may be varied.
The accompanying Drawings show different views of my apparatus in the form I
find it most advantageous to adopt.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a vertical section showing my apparatus
fitted to a cask (the top and bottom only of which are indicated by dotted lines),
a being the outlet tube, to which is fitted the valve a' carried by the spindle a²,
and moved to and fro by the small hand-wheel a³; b is the horizontal tube, secured
to the outlet tube by a screw coupling b; and c is the cock fitted to the end of
the horizontal tube; d, the socket cast with the horizontal tube, and into which
is secured either by means of a screw coupling d (or otherwise, as above described)
the graduated casing e containing the glass tube or cylinder f.
In order to regulate the atmospheric pressure, and to prevent a vacuum forming
within the receptacle containing the liquid, a brass or other metal tube g is screwed
into the top of the cask, and connected with the casing containing the glass tube,
where I insert a small cock h to act as an inlet for air, as may be required.

page_text: In the vertical section of my apparatus is shown the means by which a perfect
adjustment of the gauge is obtained. For this purpose, to the end of the outlet
tube is applied a lock nut i, and when the outlet tube is adjusted by hand
sufficiently accurately it is locked in position by screwing up the lock nut against
the cask, thereby holding the outlet tube firmly and securely in position. Fig. 3
is a transverse section (at 1, 1, Fig. 1) of the glass tube and casing which I find it
most convenient to adopt.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to carry out my Invention precisely as detailed above and shown in the
accompanying Drawings, as it is evident the same may be modified without
departing from the nature of my Invention. I do not claim any of the above parts
separately, which are old and well known, but what I consider new, and therefore
claim, is the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of apparatus
for indicating the quantity of liquid withdrawn from vats, casks, or other recep-
tacles, substantially as herein before described and represented in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Francis Walsh, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ROBERT FRANCIS WALSH. (L.S.)