Improvements in Stoppers and Taps for Beer-barrels or the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left. 19th June. 1891-Accepted. 15th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stoppers and Taps for Beer-barrels or the like.
We, JOSEPH HELLIWELL and ISRAEL HELLIWELL, both of Well Street,
Keighley in the County of York, Builders and Contractors, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows, that is to say:-
or the
It relates to improvements in stoppers and taps for beer-barrels
like and consists of so constructing said stoppers and taps that by their
employment, corks, for stopping said barrels or the like as is well known, are
entirely dispensed with, and the process of tapping or fixing the taps to said
barrels is considerably facilitated and that without the possibility of any of the
contents of said barrels during the process of tapping being lost by way of
escapement.
This is attained by making use of a kind of sleeve or bush of metal, that is made
to fit within the opening vacated by the cork, said sleeve or bush being made to
extend for a suitable distance within the barrel while at its other or outer end is
formed a flange to fit to the outer surface of the barrel's end, said flange having
openings for the insertion of screws or nails as means for attaching or fixing same
to the barrel.
The inner surface of the bush above described is screwed, or has a fine spiral
thread formed upon it, so that a screwed plug may be fitted therein, upon or into
the outer end of which are formed projections or recesses to correspond, in order to
afford a suitable coupling, for the recesses or projections formed on the outer end of
the tap's projecting end which is also screwed on its outer surface so that it
might fit within the bush in the same way as does the screwed plug above
described.
Between the projecting end of the tap and the screwed plug appropriate openings
are arranged for so that the contents of the barrel may pass therethrough as herein-
after described and for the same purpose in like manner, holes or openings are formed
radially through the inwardly projecting end of the bush at an appropriate distance
from its said end.
Now when the plug is within its bush at a position so that its outer end will be
flush or nearly so with the outer end of said bush the contents of the barrel will be
prevented from escaping through said bush but by coupling the outer projecting
end of a tap, constructed as above described to said plug and rotating same so that
the plug will be rotated and by its screw be caused to recede within said bush and
by continuing this rotary movement until the plug has receded sufficiently far
within its bush that the screwed part of the projecting end on the tap has reached
and entered said bush into which it is screwed by the still continued rotary motion
thereof, so soon as the screwed plug has receded within the bush sufficiently far
that the radial openings in same are left clear the contents of the barrel will
commence to pass therethrough, and by the opening intervening the plug and the
taps projecting end will be allowed to flow up to the tap's valve or ordinary rotary
plug by turning which in the well known manner the said contents may be allowed
to freely flow from the barrel.
Again when it is desired to displace the tap from the barrel, as when the beer or
like contents are exhausted by unscrewing or rotating same in a direction contrary to
that necessary for its fixing or attachment thereto the screwed plug is also rotated
and will move within its bush so as the tap is finally released, the plug will have
moved to fill the opening, preventing the entrance in that direction of any dirt flies
etc., in this manner effecting an object greatly desired by all users of barrels or the
like as is well understood.

page_text: When the above described plug is required to be used in connection with a bush
that completely fills the opening through which the fluid it has to stop, has to pass
as when used in connection with a common water pipe grooves are cut longitudinally
on its outer surface through which the fluid may at all times pass, this passage being
prevented by a flange formed on its outer end abutting against the end of the pipe
or bush into which it fits.
A suitable opening or projection is formed in the outer end of the plug to form a
coupling for a corresponding projection or opening made on the tap.
The outer end of the fixing part of the tap is made large enough to fit over the
flanged plug so as to be screwed upon a flange on the bush the screwed part of
which runs in a different direction, or is of a contrary hand of thread, to that upon
the plug.
When the plug is screwed tightly into its bush its shoulder prevents any leakage,
while when the tap is brought to be mounted in its proper position by rotating it to
screw it upon the bush's flange, the plug will be rotated and released from holding
the fluid, in this manner any desired pressure or quantity of fluid may be regulated
or allowed to act upon and pass through the tap.
Dated this 18th day of September 1890.
JOSEPH HELLIWELL.
ISRAEL HELLIWELL.
Per Samuel Hey,
Arent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stoppers and Taps for Beer-barrels or the like.
We, JOSEPH HELLIWELL and ISRAEL HELLIWELL, both of Well Street
Keighley in the County of York, Contractors, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object, the construction of an apparatus suitable for
connecting to barrels, vessels, or to pipes, and arranging same in such a manner,
that a tap may be inserted into the same, or withdrawn therefrom without allowing
liquor to escape from the interior, and to so construct the same, that the plug, or
stopping medium may be removed for the purpose of washing and drying of the
barrel, or other vessel.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1. represents an elevation of a tap screwed into a bush inserted into
timber forming the end of a vessel or barrel, and constructed according to my
invention.
Fig. 2. is a section through the bush and plug stopper and partly through
the tap.
Fig. 3. is a section through the bush with the plug stopper screwed into position
for stopping the flow of liquid from the vessel; the cap is screwed into the bush for
further security.
Fig. 4. is a view of a portion of a tap showing the connection between the same
and screwed plug for operating the latter.
Fig. 5. is an end view of the screwed plug stopper, and
Fig. 6. an end view of the bush with the cap screwed in position.
The bush A. may be threaded at B. for insertion into timber or metal vessels,
or may be plain and driven into the same, and further secured by screws passing
through the flange C. And in order to effect a liquid tight joint a washer D. of soft
material is interposed between the flange C. and vessel.
A portion of the bush A. within the vessel is perforated at E. and in the
threaded hole of same is inserted a screwed plug stopper F. the threads of which
exactly fit the internal threads of the said bush. In the end of the sorewed plug

page_text: stopper F. is formed a slot hole G. extending some distance therein, and into which
fits the prong H. of tap J. the said prong being of such length as to engage with
the said slot hole before the thread of the tap engages with the internal thread of
the bush A.
When the plug stopper F. is in the position as shown by Fig. 3. it will be seen
the communication with the interior of the vessel is stopped, and as a further
precaution for preventing the escape of liquor from the vessel during transit or
storage, a cap K. is screwed into the bush with a washer or ring of soft material R.
interposed between the flanges.
On the removal of the cap K. from the bush A. and inserting the prong H. of
the tap J. into the slot hole G. of the plug stopper F. and screwing the tap into the
bush to the position shown by Fig. 2. the plug stopper F. will then have been
moved inwardly a sufficient distance to be clear of the perforations E. through the
bush A. thus allowing the contents of the vessel to flow through, whenever the plug
of tap J. is opened.
By these arrangements, the plug stopper F. is operated automatically whenever
the tap J. is screwed into or unscrewed from the bush A. On screwing the taps into
the bush, the plug is moved inwardly, thereby opening communication with the
interior of the barrel or vessel through perforations E. and on unscrewing same, the
communication is closed by bringing the plug stopper F. into a position somewhat
as shown by Fig. 3. thus by these means, the plug stopper is actuated and occupies
a relative position corresponding with that of the tap.
Another advantage obtained by arranging the plug stopper F. in the manner as
hereinbefore described is, that when used in conjunction with barrels containing beer
and the like, on the barrel becoming empty, the plug stopper can be withdrawn
entirely from the bush A. thus facilitating the necessary washing and drying
operations of the interior of the barrel, without the removal of the bush A. there-
from, thus allowing air to have free access through the interior an advantage not
possessed by other automatic stoppers operated by taps or other means arranged
and constructed in the manner as hitherto.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination of parts forming the complete apparatus arranged in a
manner substantially as and for the purpose herein before set forth and illustrated by
the accompanying drawings.
2. In combination with a bush A. of a plug stopper F. arranged so as to be
operated by a tap or similar instrument on the insertion or withdrawal of the same
from the bush in the manner as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 18th day of June 1891.
JOHN WAUGH,
Agent.