IMPROVEMENTS IN VENT PEGS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Theodore Dawson of N° 7 Jeffreys
Square in the City of London for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENT
PEGS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Theodore
Dawson at the Office of, the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th July
1883.
WILLIAM EDWARD THEODORE DAWSON of N° 7 Jeffreys -Square in the City of
London "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENT PEGS
"
According to my present invention I construct vent, pegs with a chamber
separated from the outer air by a caoutchouc tube or diaphragm having one or
more slits therein, which slits remain closed when no pressure is exerted on one
side or the other but which will open to the pressure of air or gas either from
without or within.
The construction of such vent pegs which I employ by preference is as follows..
A tubular stem formed to enter the yent of the cask or receptacle, has, inserted
into its enlarged upper open end a tightly fitting cap to which is attached a length
of caoutchouc tubing closed at its inner end, the interior of which communicates
by a hole in the cap with the outer. air while, the space in the stem surrounding
the tube can communicate with the interior thereof by a slit in the tube. Thus,
when liquid is withdrawn from the cask the air passing in through the interior of
the tube forces the slit open and enters the cask, while when the suction ceases,
the slit closes and effectually prevents any further ingress or egress of air. When
it is required to permit the escape of gases from as well as the entrance of air into
the cask, the vent peg may be provided with two such tubes the interior of the
one communicating with the outer air while that of the other communicates with
the interior of the cask. Or a single slit tube may be employed, open at both ends
and provided with a ball valve which, according as the pressure is from without or
within, is made, to seat against a flange at the one end or the other end of the
tube.
Or, according to another arrangement, a caoutchouc diaphragm having a slit
therein may be made to separate the interior of the vent peg into two chambers.
one of which communicates with the outer air and the other with the interior of
the cask.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Theodore Dawson in the Patent Office on the
11th January 1884.
WILLIAM EDWARD THEODORE DAWSON of N° 7 Jeffrey's Square in the city of
IMPROVEMENTS IN VENT-PEGS"
London tr
According to my present invention I construct vent pegs with a chamber
separated from the outer air by a caoutchouc tube or diaphragm having one or
more slits therein, which slits remain closed when no pressure is exerted on one
side or the other, but which will open to the pressure of air or gas either from
without only, or both from within and from without.
The construction of such vent pegs which I employ by preference is as follows.
A tubular stem formed to enter the vent of the cask or receptacle, has inserted
into it enlarged upper open end a tightly fitting cap, to which is attached a length
of caoutchouc tubing closed at its inner end, the interior of which communicates
by a hole in the cap with the outer air, while the space in the stem surrounding
the tube can communicate with the interior thereof by a slit in the tube. Thus,
when liquid is withdrawn from the cask, the air passing in through the interior
of the tube forces the slit open and enters the cask; while when the suction ceases,
the slit closes, and effectually prevents any further ingress or egress of air.
When
it is required to permit the escape of gases from, as well as the entrance of air
into, the cask, the vent may be provided with two such tubes, the interior of the
one communicating with the outer air while that of the other communicates with
the interior of the cask. Or a single slit tube may be employed, open at both
ends and provided with a ball valve which, according as the pressure is from
without or within, is made to seat against a flange at the one end or the other end
of the tube.
Or, according to another arrangement, a caoutchouc diaphragm having a slit
therein may be made made to separate the interior of the vent peg into two
chambers, one of which communicates with the outer air and the other with the
interior of the cask.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shews a vertical section of one form of my
before described improved vent peg; Figs. 2 and 3 shew detached views of the
B and caoutchouc tube C.
cap
The tubular stem A, having its lower end formed to enter the vent of the cask,
has fitted into its upper open end a cap B having attached to it the small
caoutchouc tube C closed at its lower end by a plug D. The interior of the tube C
communicates by a hole E formed in the cap with the outer air, and it has one or
more longitudinal slits, C₁, so that, when liquid is withdrawn from the cask, the
outer air will be drawn in through hole E and slit C¹, while, when the suction
ceases, the slit will close, cutting off the communication between the outer air and
the cask.
Instead of a caoutchouc tube, a hollow sphere might be employed, communicating
with the hole E, and having one or more slits.
Instead of closing the lower end of the tube C with a solid plug, it may be
provided with a tubular plug as at D¹, fig. 3, in which is a small ball valve, so
that, should any gaseous pressure occur in the cask, it will lift the valve and
escape through the tube C and hole E into the outer air.
3
Fig. 4 shews a modified construction in which the tubular stem A is formed
with a shoulder to receive a tightly fitting partition F, on which are fixed two
caoutchouc tubes C C such as above described, and small passages G G are formed

page_text: obliquely through the partition F, by means of which the upper tube C is made to
communicate with the space below the partition, leading to the cask, while the
lower tube is made to communicate with the space above the partition leading to
the outer air. Thus air will be drawn into the cask through the slit of the lower
tube C while any gaseous pressure in the cask can escape through the slit of the
upper tube C. Fig. 5 shews a modification of this arrangement in which the
tubes C are not in line with each other and have straight passages through the
partition.
In the arrangement shewn at fig 6, the one part of the tubular stem A is
separated from the other part by a caoutchouc diaphragm H, mounted-in a frame I,
and having a slit H¹ as shewn in front view at fig. 7 so that either air can be
drawn into the cask through the said slit, or gases can escape from the cask
through it, the slit remaining closed when not subject to pressure on either side.
The frame I may either be formed in one with the cap B, as at fig. 6 or it may be
separately introduced, as at fig. 8.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim-
First-Constructing vent pegs with a tubular partition of caoutchouc or other.
flexible material, having one or more slits formed therein, one side of the said
partition being in communication with a passage leading to the atmosphere
and the other side being in communication with a passage leading to the
interior of the cask or other vessel substantially as and for the purposes herein
set forth.
Second-The construction of vent pegs as herein described with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said William Edward Theodore Dawson have here-
unto set my hand and seal this ninth day of January in the year of our Lord,
one thousand eight hundred and eighty-four.
WILLIAM EDWARD THEODORE DAWSON (L.S.)