IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS AND OTHER APPARATUS FOR FILTERING AND DRAWING OFF LIQUIDS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wilkinson, of the Town and County
of the Town of Nottingham, Frame Work Knitter, for the Inven-
tion.of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS AND OTHER APPARATUS FOR FILTERING
AND DRAWING OFF LIQUIDS."
2.1
Sealed the 17th May 1858, and dated the 1st January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wilkinson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st January 1853.
I, WILLIAM WILKINSON, of the Town and County of the Town of
Nottingham, Frame Work Knitter, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS AND OTHER APPARATUS
FOR FILTERING AND DRAWING OFF LIQUIDS" to be as follows:-
T
Figure 1, represents a tap A, with an air tube B, which is opened
and closed by the plug of the tap.
Figure 2, shews à tap with an air tube through it, with a valve a,
fitted, to the air tube so as to allow air to enter, but prevent the passage

page_text: Figure 3, shews a filtering vessel A, composed of glass, metal, or other
suitable substance. It consists of a perforated cylinder, filled with
perforated diaphragms, and covered with one or more thicknesses of
linen or other textile fabric a, a. This vessel is fitted inside the cask
or barrel B, containing the liquid to be drawn off, and the tap is fitted
into the vessel so as to draw off the contents of the cask after passing
through the filter. For some liquids I use an additional cylinder, and
cause them to traverse both before going into the tap.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Wilkinson in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 1st July'1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM WILKINSON, of the Town and County of the Town of Not-
tingham, Frame Work Knitter, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors; give and
grant unto me, tho said William Wilkinson, Her special licence that
I, the said William Wilkinson, my executors, administrators, and as-
.signs, or such others as I, the said William Wilkinson, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TAPS AND OTHER APPARATUS FOR FILTERING AND DRAWING OFF LIQUIDS,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Wilkin-
son, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Wilkinson, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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, reference being had to the Draw-
ings hereunto annexed, that is to say:
My Invention consists, firstly, in manufacturing cocks, taps, and,
other similar apparatus for drawing off liquids, of glass, or of a com-
bination of metal and glass, according to the purposes to which such
articles are to be applied. Figure 1, of the Drawings hereunto
annexed represents a glass tap constructed according to my Invention.
I take a quantity of molten glass, and press or coat it in suitable,
moulds, which give to the tap its external shape. The passage for the
liquid may be either blown in the usual manner in forming articles of
glass, or it may be bored out after the tap or cock has been cast and
properly annealed. The plug A, is formed separately and carefully
ground into the "keyway," and secured in its place by a metal nut B.
The cap may be made of metal, if found desirable.
Secondly, my Invention consists in certain methods for admitting air
into a cask containing liquid when it is desired to draw off the whole or
any portion thereof, such apparatus being opened or closed by the plug of
the tap. Figure 2, represents a method which I adopt for effecting this
object. A, is so much of a barrel as is necessary to shew this part of my
Invention. B, is the tap for drawing off the liquid; and C, the plug. D, is
a small metal tube, which is screwed into the upper part of the barrel,
and communicates with the interior thereof. E, is a plug, which is
passed through the upper part of the tube D, and has drilled' through
it a hole of about the same diameter as the interior of the tube. This
plug has formed upon one end of it the eye a, to which is fastened the
one end of a cord or wire F, which is continued along the top of the
barrel and passed through the eye b, and brought down the front of the
barrel, and again passed through a second eye c, and is finally secured to
the plug C. When it is desired to draw off the liquid contained in
the barrel by turning the plug of the tap, such action partially winds the
end of the string around it, and so causes the plug E, of the small tube
3D, to be drawn forward until the hole in the plug coincides with the

page_text: Bore of the tube, when air is immediately admitted into the interior of
the barrel, and the' drawing off of the liquid accelerated. f, is a collar
upon the plug E, to prevent it from being drawn too much out of the
tube. When sufficient liquid has been drawn. off, and 'the plug.C,
turned so as to cut off any further flow. of the liquid, the plug, E, is:
drawn back into the position shewn in the Drawing by means of a
india-rubber or other suitable spring G, which is attached to the plug.
and barrel whereby the admission of air into the barrel is prevented.:
Figure 3, represents another method of admitting air by means of air.
tubės passed through the tap and communicating with the barrel at
one end, and at the other with orifices cut through the plug of the tap.
and opening into the atmosphere. These tubes are closed by valves a, a,.
(one only of which is seen in the Drawing.) opening into the barrel, só
flat when the plug is turned for drawing off the liquid such action
shall open the orifices in the plug and admit the air into the barrel.
The valves a, a, prevent the outflow of the liquid.
Thirdly, my Invention has relation to an improved filtering vessel,
composed of wood, glass, metal, or of a combination of either of such
substances. This filter may be either placed inside a barrel or.cask
containing wines, beers, and other liquids, and in communication with
the tap or cock, so as to filter the liquid as it is drawn off. Or the
filter may be used separately, and applied to the filtering of dyes and
other liquids. Figure 4, represents my improved filter, shewn applied
to a barrel. A, A, is an outer cylinder, composed of any suitable
material, and perforated with holes to allow the liquid to percolate
through to the interior. This cylinder is filled with perforated discs,
covered with one or more thicknesses of linen or other textile fabric.
The tap B; for drawing off the liquid is placed in communication with
the filter, as shown. Figure 5, represents this filter applied to the
filtering or cleansing of dyes and other similar liquids. A, is the cylinder,
which, for liquids containing any acid, should be formed of wood or
other substance not acted upon by the acid... This cylinder is per
forated and filled with perforated discs, as before explained, and is
supported upon the ring a, a, held in the centre of the reservoir or
cask B, by the projecting arms d, d. The liquid to be filtered is poured

page_text: into the upper and open portion of the filter, and gradually percolates
into the interior of the reservoir B, from which it may be finally drawn
off by the cock C. When the filter has become too much clogged up
with impurities the discs may be taken out and washed, when it will be
again ready for use.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the construction of cocks, taps, and other similar apparatus
for drawing off liquids, of glass, or of a combination of metal and glass,
as hercin-before described, and represented in the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Second, I claim the arrangements for admitting air into the interior
of casks or barrels containing liquid, to be drawn off as herein-before
described, and represented in Figures 2, and 3, of the Drawings here-
unto annexed. And,
Third, I claim the improved filtering vessel, constructed in the
manner herein-before described, and represented in Figures 4, and 5,
of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wilkinson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
WILLIAM WILKINSON. (L.B.)
Witness, ALFRED Cox.