Improvements in Automatic Closing Devices for Tap Holes
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1891-Accepted, 11th Aug., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Closing Devices for Tap Holes,
1, JOHN CUSSONS STEELE, of Thornhill Post Office, in the Township of
Vaughan, in the County of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, Hotel-
keeper, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved device for closing tap holes of barrels and
casks and similar articles after they have been emptied of their contents and the
object of the invention is to provide an automatic device whereby the tap hole may
be closed after the contents of the barrel or cask have been emptied so as to
preserve the interior of the vessel free from mould or from getting sour through the
exposure of such interior to the action of the air if the hole were left open and it
consists essentially of a spring ball stopper suitably connected to the interior of the
end of the barrel provided with a suitable guide-way and designed to be thrust
aside by the insertion of the end of the tap so that it will not interfere with the tap
while being used, as hereinafter more particularly explained.
Fig. 1, is a sectional perspective view through a barrel or cask showing my
device secured in position and thrust to one side by the end of the tap.
Fig. 2, is a similar view showing my device completely closing the tap hole.
Fig. 3, is an enlarged sectional detail through the end of the barrel, cask or
vessel, showing the position of the stopper when closing the hole.
In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each
figure.
A, is the body of the barrel, and, B, the end.
C, is the tap hole, and, D, the tap, and, E, the ordinary cork.
In Fig. 1, the end of the tap, C, is shown extending inwardly into the barrel
through the hole.
F, is a stopper preferably made spherical in shape and of any suitable yielding
material, such as cork or rubber.
G, is a spring wire rod, which is preferably secured at one end to the barrel by
being bent at the end and by staple, g. The free end of the wire spring rod, G,
extends through the ball, F, which ball is secured in position by the washers, f.
N, is a bushing which extends around the rod, G, within the ball, F.
I, is a guiding staple or wire which is preferably at the side, I, more inclined
from the surface of the end of the barrel than the other side. The guiding
staple, I, is situated between the fastened end of the spring wire rod, G, and the
tap hole, C, preferably slightly to one side of the direct line between these two
points.
It will be seen that when the barrel is filled that the tap when thrust into the
tap hole, C, will force the cork, E, into the barrel and force to one side the
ball, F, on the end of the spring wire rod, C, this being accomplished through
the medium of the guiding staple, I, which will only permit the ball, F, to travel
to one side. It will thus be understood that the hole of the tap, D, will not be
interfered with by the ball, F, so as to in any way impede the free passage of the
liquor through such tap when the cock of the tap is turned on.
Instead of providing the guiding staple, I, the end of the tap, D, might be
inclined or bevelled so as to thrust the ball, F, to one side when the tap is forced
through the hole at the interior of the barrel, but this would necessitate all taps
being made in this manner and I prefer using such a device as the guiding staple, I,

page_text: I preferably bevel off the inner edge of the tap hole, C, so as to permit the ball to
fit closely up against such tap and thereby hermetically seal the hole.
From this description it will be seen that I provide a very simple and cheaply
constructed device which will immediately upon the tap being withdrawn close up
to the hole and hermetically seal it so that it will be impossible for any air to get to
the interior of the cask or vessel and thereby injuriously or detrimentally affect the
dregs of the cask or vessel by the air turning them sour or acting upon them in
such a way as to cause such interior to become mouldy.
Although I show the stopper spherical, of course it will be understood that any
other shape will answer my purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a barrel, cask or other vessel the combination with the tap hole, of a spring
stopper, and means whereby it is thrust aside when the tap is forced through the
hole into the interior and is brought again to cover such hole when the tap is
removed.
2. In a barrel, cask or other vessel the combination with the tap hole of the
ball, F, suitably secured on the end of the spring wire rod, G, secured on the end of
the barrel as and for the purpose specified.
3. In a barrel, cask or other vessel the combination with the tap hole, of the
ball, F, secured on the end of the spring wire rod, G, and means for guiding the
ball to one side when the tap is thrust in, as and for the purpose specified.
4. In a barrel, cask or other vessel the combination with the tap hole, of the
ball, F, secured on the end of the spring wire rod,.G, and the guiding staple, I,
arranged as and for the purpose specified.
5. The combination with the tap hole having the bevelled inner edge, c, as
specified, of the ball stopper, F, secured in the end of the spring wire rod, G, as
and for the purpose specified.
6. The combination with the tap hole having the bevelled inner edge, c, as
specified, of the ball stopper, F, secured in the end of the spring wire rod G, by
the washer, f, and the bushing, H, surrounding the wire within the ball, F, as and
for the purpose specified.
Dated this 6th day of July 1894.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.