IMPROVE- MENTS IN VENT PEGS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philip James Howlett, of Ellison Road,
Streatham, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN VENT PEGS."
Sealed the 5th December 1871, and dated the 13th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left. by the said Philip James Howlett
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 13th October 1871.
I, PHILIP JAMES HOWLETT, of Ellison Road, Streatham, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENT PEGS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in vent pegs. For
this purpose I form the peg hollow except at its head or upper end, and
I make it by preference of wood; below the point where the hollow of
the peg terminates, a hole or holes are formed through its sides for
admitting air to the hollow interior; where these holes are formed
through the sides a groove is turned around the peg, and to close the
i
:

page_text: passage of air through the holes a ring of vulcanized india-rubber is
caused to embrace the peg and lie within the groove.
When it is desired to allow air to pass through the peg to the interior
of a cask, the ring, which is circular in section or nearly so, is either |
slightly raised or is rolled away either upwards or downwards from out
of the groove before mentioned into another groove formed to receive it;
and it rests in this groove whilst beer or liquid is being drawn off from
the cask. The ring is then rolled back into the groove wherein the air
holes are formed, and again closes the holes and shuts off air from the
cask. The ring being circular in section is readily rolled to and fro as 1
above described.
The peg
is by preference made of a tapering form so that it may be
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Philip James Howlett in the Great Seal Patent :
Office on the 13th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PHILIP
JAMES HOWLETT, of Ellison Road, Streatham, in the County of Surrey, .
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Philip James Howlett, Her special
license that I, the said Philip James Howlett, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Philip James
Howlett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENT PEGS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Philip James Howlett, my executors or adminis-

page_text: trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
-
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Philip James Howlett, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
This Invention has for its object improvements in vent pegs. For
this purpose I form the peg hollow, except at its head or upper end,
and I make it by preference of wood. Below the point, where tho
hollow of the peg terminates, a hole or holes are formed through its
sides for admitting air to the hollow interior. Where these holes are
formed through the sides a groove is turned around the peg; and to
close the passage of air through the holes a ring of vulcanized india-
rubber is caused to embrace the peg, and lie within the groove.
When it is desired to allow air to pass through the peg to the interior
of a cask; the ring, which is circular in section or nearly so, is either
slightly raised or is rolled away either upwards or downwards from out
of the groove before mentioned into another groove formed to receive it,
and it rests in this groove whilst beer or liquid is being drawn off from
the cask. The ring is then rolled back into the groove where the air
holes are formed, and again closes the holes and shuts off air from the
cask. The ring being circular in section is readily rolled to and fro as
above described. The peg is by preference made of a tapering form, so
that it may be driven in in the ordinary manner.
11

page_text: when rolled away, so as to expose the vent holes. The ring in this vent
peg
is intended to be rolled downwards; but this may be varied, or in
place of rolling the ring away so as to uncover all the holes, it may be
rolled away on one side only, and then held by the finger whilst the
vent holes are required to remain open.