Improvements in Means for Tapping Casks and Barrels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 16th May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Tapping Casks and Barrels.
I, GEORGE JONATHAN PORTER, of 73 High Street, Medford, in the County of
Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman,
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 relates to a new and improved apparatus for drawing off liquids,
and has for its object, among other things, to provide means whereby upon the
removal of the delivery tube from the plug, the valve will be automatically
locked. The invention consists in the novel features of construction, and relative
arrangement of parts fully described in the Specification, clearly illustrated in the
drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying one sheet of drawings, in which like
characters indicate like parts in all the figures, wherever they occur.
In the drawings,-
Fig. represents a front elevation of an apparatus made in accordance with my
invention, the lower portion thereof being shown in vertical section.
Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of the plug, and the position of the flange on
the key and tube when the latter is inserted into the plug.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the exterior cam flanges and the interior
lugs.
Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the
direction of the arrow.
Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the position of the parts when
the tube has been seated in the bushing and the valve turned.
Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively, horizontal sectional views on the line 7-7
of Fig. 1, showing the openings in the valve and diaphragm. In Fig. 6 these
openings are shown out of communication with each other. In Fig. 7 these
openings are shown as registered, and forming a passage-way into the barrel or cask.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the plug and valve, the plug being in section, and
the apertures in the plug and valve registering as in Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the plug on the line 9-9 of Fig. 5.
Fig. 10 is a detail view of the key.
Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1, showing
the means for preventing the valve from being turned in the wrong direction
when the tube is inserted, and before the tube is turned to lock it in position.
In apparatus for drawing off beer and other liquids, as at present constructed,
should the operator forget to turn the key before removing the tube from the tap
or plug, a large quantity of the liquid escapes and is lost before the valve can be
closed. Experience has shown that it is not safe to rely upon the memory of the
operator, and that some provision should be made whereby the removal of the tube
will automatically close the valve. My invention accomplishes this end, and makes
it impossible to remove the tube without closing the valve.
represents a tube of the conventional shape and proportions, provided near its
top with a pipe communicating with the interior of said tube, the pipe f¹ being
provided at its free end with screw threads r in order to couple the pipe with a
hose, or with another pipe that leads to the vessel to be filled. The interior of this
tube f is hollow, as shown. Mounted in this tube is a key e provided at its upper
end with a handle e', and at its lower end with an enlargement r having a socket
of a shape to fit the stem of the valve hereinafter described. A stuffing-box f' is

page_text: mounted upon the top of the tube surrounding the shank of the key e. The
lower part of the tube is provided with an exterior flange 3 and at its lower end
on its exterior with cams f. A-packing ring or washer is preferably mounted
upon this tube immediately below the flange f³. The interior of this tube at its
lower end is provided with a lug opposite one of the cams f arranged to engage
similarly disposed flanges, upon the exterior of the enlargement of the key.
The key can be turned in the tube, but is not designed to be withdrawn except by
removal of the stuffing-box.
a represents a tap or plug provided upon its exterior with screw-threads a¹ for
engaging the sides of the aperture or bung-hole of the cask or barrel in which the
tap or plug is to be secured. This plug is provided upon its exterior with a
diaphragm a perforated as at a to form a passage-way from the interior of the
cask or receptacle to which the plug is attached. Formed in the center of this
diaphragm is an aperture d* in which is mounted the stem d' of a valve d. This
valve d is disc-shaped, of a size to fit the interior bore of the plug, and provided
with holes d' to register with the apertures a in the diaphragm when the valve is
in a certain position. By turning the valve, the unperforated portion of the
diaphragm will cover the openings in the valve, and the unperforated portion of
the valve will cover the openings in the diaphragm, and so close communication to
the interior of the cask. The valve makes a ground joint against the diaphragm
across the plug. The valve is forced into place by a strainer b, provided with the
usual apertures &', and with exterior screw-threads at its upper end,, which
engage interior screw-threads & at the lower end of the plug. The strainer should
be screwed up against the valve tight enough so that the latter will not be displaced
accidentally, but will only move when positively actuated through the medium of
the key.
The tap or plug is provided on its upper end with interior segmental cam-shaped
flanges as leaving spaces a not occupied by said flanges, and in which the cams f
on the tube can be inserted. The stem of the valve as shown, has a reduced
portion d. This is provided upon its exterior with any desired arrangement of
flanges or grooves to engage correspondingly shaped parts upon the interior of the
key. I have shown the stem of the valve provided with a groove d', a similarly
shaped projection de being formed upon the interior of the key. I do not desire to
limit myself to the particular shape or location of these registering parts. The
object of having the construction just referred to, is to ensure the tube and key
being inserted into the plug in the same way each time. Until the corresponding
parts on the stem of the valve and the interior of the key register, the tube cannot
be dropped into the plug.
The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows. The stem of the valve
being in the position shown in Fig. 4, for example, the tube with the key is inserted
into the plug, the cams passing down through the spaces a' not occupied by the
cam-shaped flanges as. The interior of the flanges a are formed to fit snugly the
sides of the tube. As the tube is dropped into the plug, the corresponding parts of
the key and valve-stem will register and interlock. The tube is then given a
quarter turn in the direction of the arrow (see Fig. 4), the cams f engaging the
cam-shaped flanges as, and forcing the washer a firmly against the plug, and thus
sealing the parts together. This movement of the plug throws the projection
the interior of the tube round to the position shown in Fig. 5, and the cams f
under the cam-shaped flanges a. The key is then turned in the same direction
until the flange on the exterior of the key strikes the lug ³. This movement of
the key turns the valve and makes the apertures or openings d' therein register
with the openings a in the diaphragm a. When it is desired to close the valve,
the key is turned opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow, as shown
in Fig. 4, until the flange opposite the flange engages the lug at the point
indicated in Fig. 5.
on
Suppose, however, the operator bad started to remove the tube without first
turning the key, the lug 3 would engage the flauge r on the key, and as the tube

page_text: was turned to make the cams register with the spaces a the lug would be
brought to the position shown in Fig. 4. This movement of the tube by means of
the lug and flange engaging will turn the key and valve back to the position
shown in Fig. 4, and thus close the valve. In this position, the tube may be
withdrawn from the tap or plug.
It is to be observed that the cams f' on the tube and the cam-shaped flanges a
on the plug have their butts or wide ends in engagement of necessity when the
tube is inserted. When the tube is turned, the tips of these parts engage. This
arrangement prevents the tube being turned in the wrong direction that is,.
in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, so that each.
time the tube is inserted and turned the part will occupy the position shown
in Fig. 5, otherwise, the turning of the tube to seat the same would open the valve..
Of course, this direction could be reversed. To prevent the valve from being
opened after the tube is inserted, but before it is turned into place, I cut away a
portion of the periphery of the valve d as shown at d' a distance equal to the travel
of the valve to make the openings register. With this cut-away portion d'engages.
a pin a in the plug. When the valve is closed these parts have the relative
position shown in Fig. 11. Now, the tube being inserted, it is manifestly
impossible to turn the valve in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow..
After the tube is turned to the position shown in Fig. 4, the valve is prevented
from being turned in the wrong direction both by the pin a and also by the lug³
engaging the flange. The engagement of the parts and prevents movement
of the valve in the wrong direction after the tube is seated, but would not
prevent it before the tube is turned. To provide for this, I employ the construction
referred to in Fig. 11.
The amount of travel of the valve is unimportant. It may be provided with two-
holes, as shown, or more, and may be given a quarter of a turn to make the holes
of the valve register with those in the diaphragm, or it may be arranged to have
less movement.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have invented an exceedingly simple
and efficient form of apparatus for the purpose in hand, one in which it is
impossible for the parts to be inserted unless the valve is closed, one in which the
tube must be turned in one direction each time, one in which the valve is prevented
from movement in the wrong direction, and one in which the turning of the tube
to make the parts fregister with the spaces a ensures the closing of the
valve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. An improved faucet, comprising in its construction a plug, a valve mounted
in said plug, a tube constructed and arranged to engage said plug, a key mounted
in said tube, co-acting means upon said key and tube whereby turning of the tube
for its removal will operate said key to close said valve, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
2. An improved faucet, comprising in its construction a plug, cam-shaped flanges
upon said plug, a tube provided upon its exterior with cams arranged to engage
said flanges, said parts being constructed and arranged to prevent the tube from
being turned in the wrong direction, a valve mounted in said plug provided with
means for preventing its movement in a wrong direction, a key mounted iu said
tube and engaging said valve, and co-acting means between said tube and key
whereby the turning of the tube to remove the same ensures the closing of the
valve, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. An improved faucet, comprising in its construction a plug, a valve mounted in
said plug, a tube constructed and arranged to engage said plug, a key mounted in
said tube, complemental interlocking parts formed on said key and valve, and a lug

page_text: on the interior of said tube arranged to engage flanges on the exterior of said key,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 22nd day of January 1896.
GEORGE JONATHAN PORTER.
-Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.