Improvements in Corking or Stoppering, Sealing, and Protecting the Tap Holes of Barrels, Casks, or other Vessels, and in Apparatus connected therewith.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 30th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Corking or Stoppering, Sealing, and Protecting the
Tap Holes of Barrels, Casks, or other Vessels, and in Apparatus
connected therewith.
I, EDWARD HAZLEHURST, of St. Thomas Street, Oldham, in the County of
Lancaster, Brewer's Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention is designed to dispense with corks in the corking or stoppering
of barrels casks and other vessels and at the same time provide for the more
adequate sealing and protecting of the same.
It consists essentially of a hollow plug or bush to be inserted in the barrel to
form the tap hole constructed with an internal groove fitted with a packing washer
of rubber or other material and formed with a shoulder at the inner edge of the
groove of less diameter than the outer edge into which a flanged disc is driven and
expanded so that whilst resting against one edge or shoulder of the groove the
flange is expanded against the other shoulder or edge and thus held in position.
In carrying out the invention I construct the hollow plug or bush to be screwed
into or otherwise affixed in the end of the barrel. Near the mouth of the bush
I form an internal groove with the edge or shoulder at the inner side higher or
of less diameter than the edge or shoulder at the outer side. A flanged disc is
inserted to rest upon the higher shoulder the flange when inserted being expanded
beyond the lower shoulder which it has passed in being inserted.
The groove is
filled with a packing or ring of rubber or other material and thus when the disc
is inserted in position and the flange thereof expanded a watertight joint is
secured.
The interior of the hollow bush is slightly tapered to expand inwards from the
higher or inner shoulder of the groove to present no obstruction to the passage
of the disc inwards after being dislodged from the groove in the operation of
tapping the barrel.
The flanged disc is preferably stamped from sheet metal and when inserted in
position completely closes the orifice of the bush and seals it.
The flanged disc is driven in and the flange expanded by a special tool formed
with an expanding end which consists of a split or loose ring on a tapered plug
which as the plug is driven against the disc is caused to expand and press out the
flanges of the disc. The tapered plug is preferably fitted to the end of a hollow
holder or spindle with the ring upon it and between it and the end of the holder
the tapered end being secured by a pin or screw.
This disc is inserted by this or any other convenient tool.
The barrel is tapped in the ordinary way by driving the end of the tap against
the disc with sufficient force to dislodge it and drive it past the shoulder of the
groove against which it rests into the interior of the barrel or cask.
It is of course obvious that this method of corking or stoppering may be applied
to other vessels than barrels.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Corking or Stoppering, Sealing, and Protecting the
Tap Holes of Barrels, Casks, or other Vessels, and in Apparatus
connected therewith.
I, EDWARD HAZLEHURST, of St. Thomas Street, Oldham, in the County of
Lancaster, Brewers Traveller, 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 additional improvements relating to the tapping of
barrels or other vessels upon the Letters Patents already granted to me Nos. 9948
of 1890, 4497 of 1891 and 17934 of 1891 and is designed to dispense altogether
with corks in the corking stoppering or closing of the tap holes of barrels casks or
other vessels and at the same time provide for the more adequate sealing and
protecting of same.
It consists essentially of a hollow plug or bush to be inserted in the barrel to
form the tap hole constructed with an internal groove fitted with a packing washer
of rubber or other material and formed with a shoulder at the inner edge of the
groove of less diameter than the outer edge in combination with a flanged disc
which is driven into the groove and expanded so that whilst resting against one
edge or shoulder of the groove the flange is expanded against the other shoulder
or edge and thus held in position and in special tool constructed with an expanding
end by which the disc is driven into the bush and the flange expanded into its
place in the groove therein.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1. Side elevation of bush.
Fig. 2. Front elevation of same.
Fig. 3. Longitudinal section.
Fig. 4. Transverse section.
Fig. 5. Section of sealing disc.
Fig. 6. Front elevation of same.
Fig.
7. Sectional elevation of bush in barrel end with tap in position therein.
Fig. 8. Elevation of special tool showing its position in bush when driving in
the sealing disc.
Fig. 9. Longitudinal section of same.
Fig. 10. Longitudinal section of modified form of tool.
Fig. 11. End view of tool shewn in Fig. 10.
The hollow plug or bush A is constructed with an external screw thread by
which it is secured to the end of the barrel or it may be otherwise affixed in the
end of the barrel. Near the mouth or outer edge of the bush A is formed an
internal groove B with the edge or shoulder b at its inner side higher or of less
diameter than the edge or shoulder at its outer side. The groove B is fitted
with a ring or packing C of rubber or other material.
A flanged disc D is inserted into the mouth of the bush A and driven in until
the back rests against the inner and higher shoulder and the flange d is then
expanded or forced outwards until it compresses the packing ring C and its outer
edge is driven past the outer shoulder or edge 61 of the groove it is thus securely
held in position and a watertight joint is formed.
The interior of the hollow bush A. is slightly tapered to expand inwards from the
higher or inner shoulder of the groove B to present no obstruction to the passage
of the disc inwards after being dislodged from the groove in the operation of
tapping the barrel.
The flanged disc D is preferably stamped fron sheet metal and when inserted
in position completely closes the orifice of the bush and seals it.

page_text: The flanged disc is driven in and the flange expanded by a special tool formed:
with an expanding end such as shown in Figs. 89 or 10.
The expanding end may be formed of a split or loose ring E on a tapered
plug F the end of which fits into a hollow socket or holder G. As the plug F is
driven against the disc D its tendency is to slide into the hollow socket G the ring E.
is thereby driven up the tapered plug and expanded and the flanges of the disc D
pressed or forced out thereby. The plug is secured in position by a screw or
pin f. Instead of a loose ring such as E the end of the socket G may be split and
formed with a bead g the driving in of the plug as before expanding the end of the
socket and pressing or forcing out the edges of the flange with which it comes in
contact.
The sealing disc D is inserted in position by this or any other convenient tool
constructed such as an expanding reamer or similar tool the end of which can be
expanded when in position.
The barrel is tapped in the ordinary way by driving the end of the tap against
the disc with sufficient force to dislodge it and drive it past the shoulder of the
groove against which it rests into the interior of the barrel or cask.
It is of course obvious that this method of corking or stoppering may be applied
to other vessels than barrels.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. A stopper seal or protector for the tap holes of barrels consisting of the com-
bination of a hollow bush to be inserted in the barrel provided with an internal
groove, a packing ring inserted in the said groove and a flanged disc driven therein
and the flanges expanded against the packing substantially as described and shown.
2. A tool for inserting the sealing disc Ď and expanding its flanges when in
position provided with an expanding end consisting of the combination of a tapered
plug and hollow socket with split ring or end substantially as described and shown
in Figs. 8 to 11.
Dated this 29th day of December 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents..