Improvements in and relating to Measuring and Indicating Taps.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 30th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Measuring and Indicating Taps.
I, ARCHIBALD WELSH, of the Firm of Archibald Welsh and Company, of Carrick
Brass Works, in the Town and County of Ayr, Brassfounder, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in and relating to
measuring and indicating taps and has for its object the enabling of liquids- or
spirits to be run off from a cask or other store vessel in pre-arranged measured
quantities and also by part of the improvements the indicating to the eye of the
height of liquor in the cask or vessel.
In carrying into practice the improvements of this invention a three way tap
of special construction is used for insertion by screwing or otherwise into the lower
part of the barrel or other store vessel containing the liquid. This tap is preferably
formed of a shape curving downwards and then outwards so as to bring the
measuring vessels on a level with the bottom of the cask and has a downwardly
projecting nozzle for the delivery of the liquid and two ducts leading upwards one
from each side to the measuring vessels, also a duct leading upwards to the indicat-
ing tube, to be described, when that is used. The key or plug of the tap which is
preferably horizontal when in position and held in place by a ring screwing into
the front of the tap is pierced by three ducts leading from the inner end of key to
ports in its sides corresponding to the three ducts.
Two of these ports are opposite each other and the third is midway between them
while a bye pass groove is formed on the key at the opposite side.
The measuring vessels which may be of any desired size as say for spirits one to
contain one half of a gill and the other one quarter are formed preferably of glass,
and are mounted on each side of the tap on the top of the ducts leading therefrom.
These measuring vessels are each fitted on the top with a cylindrical casing covered
in by a
float
air hole and containing a
screw cap pierced with an
valve to close said air hole when the desired quantity of liquid has.
entered the vessel. The float valve may be of any suitable form but
is preferably formed as a small disc with bevelled edge to fit the edge of the air
hole in cover which is bevelled as a valve seat and having a guiding spindle to pass
up through said air hole. This valve is carried by a cork or hollow float to lift it
when the liquid rises within the casing and so hermetically close the air hole and
stop the inflow of liquid and also prevent it escaping.
In order that the height of the liquid within the store vessel may be indicated
to the eye another tap is screwed or otherwise inserted at or near the top of the
vessel and connected by a glass gauge tube to the lower tap, the upper tap being
fitted with a screwed plug to close the opening by which the glass tube is inserted.
This indicating tube and its duct in the tap may however be dispensed with.
The action is as follows. When the key of the tap is in its closed position it has

page_text: the bye-pass groove at the lower part over the outlet nozzle, and its three ports are
open to the ducts to the measuring vessels and indicating tube. An eighth of a
turn of the key to either side opens communication between one of the measuring
vessels and the outlet nozzle at same time cutting it off from the store vessel while
a half turn opens communication between the store vessel and the outlet nozzle so
that liquid may be run off without going through the measuring vessels. An extra
key may be fitted transversely in the tap behind the first mentioned key with an
outlet nozzle for running off liquid from the store vessel without requiring to turn
the three way key.
Improvements in and relating to Measuring and Indicating Taps.
I, ARCHIBALD WELSH, of the Firm of Archibald Welsh and Company, of Carrick
Brass Works, in the Town and County of Ayr, Brassfounder, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being made to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings:—
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in and relating to
measuring and indicating taps and has for its object the enabling of liquids or
spirits to be run off from a cask or other store vessel in pre-arranged measured
quantities and also by part of the improvements the indicating to the eye of the
height of liquor in the cask or vessel.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended one sheet of illustrative drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation
of the appliance partly in section and broken at its centre part, Figure 2 a front
elevation of the same also broken at its centre part, Figure 3 is a side view partly
in section of the key or plug of the measuring tap, Figure 4 a view of the inner
end of the same, and Figure 5 a view broken away at top and bottom of one of the
measuring vessels partly in section to show the arrangement of the valve.
These drawings illustrate an arrangement more specially designed for the
measuring and delivery of spirits in quantities of one half of a gill or one quarter
of a gill but the capacity of the measuring vessels is capable of variation to any
desired extent and any liquid may be measured in a similar manner.
Referring to these drawings:-
In carrying into practice the improvements of this invention a three way tap A
of special construction is used for insertion by screwing or otherwise into the lower
part of the barrel or other store vessel B containing the liquid. This tap A is
preferably formed of a shape curving downwards as at A' and then outwards so
as to bring the measuring vessels C C on a level with the bottom of the cask B
or nearly so and has a downwardly projecting nozzle A2 for the delivery of the
liquid and two ducts A leading upwards one from each side to the measuring
vessels CC, also a duct A leading upwards to the indicating tube D to be described,
when that is used. The key or plug a of the tap which is preferably horizontal
when in position and held in place by a ring a screwing into the front of the tap A
is pierced by three ducts a³, a², a³ leading from the inner end of key to ports all,
a, in its sides corresponding to the three ducts.

page_text: Two of these ports all, all are opposite each other and a third all is midway
between them while a bye pass groove a is formed on the key at the opposite side.
A stop a is also provided which works in a recess 6 in the tap body and prevents
the key a from being turned too far when running off the liquid from either
measuring vessel.
The measuring vessels C C¹ which may be of any desired size as say for spirits,
one to contain one half of a gill and the other one quarter as in the design illus-
trated are formed preferably of glass, and are mounted on each side of the tap A
on the top of the iluets A3 leading therefrom. These measuring vessels are each
fitted on the top with a cylindrical casing C² covered in by a screw cap C³ pierced
with an air hole C5 and containing a float valve e to close said air hole when the
desired quantity of liquid has entered the vessel. The valve c may be of any suit-
able form but is preferably formed as a small disc with bevelled edge to fit the edge
of the air hole in cover which may be bevelled as a valve seat or as shown, conical
in form and closing the air hole by pressing on the rubber ring 04, and having a
guiding spindle c to pass up through said air hole. This valve is carried by a
cork or hollow float of metal or other material to lift it when the liquid rises
within the casing C2 and so hermetically close the air hole (and stop the inflow of
liquid and also prevent it escaping.
A small cock or tap C is screwed into the top of the casing C² to prevent escape
of air or liquid when desired.
In order that the height of the liquid within the store vessel B may be indicated
to the eye another tap or a support D¹ is screwed or otherwise inserted at or near
the top of the vessel and connected by the glass gauge tube D ao the lower tap A,
the upper tap being fitted with a screwed plug De having a small air hole to close
the opening by which the glass tube D is inserted, or as shown at D2 the glass tube
may be provided with the air hole. This indicating tube and its duct in the tap
may however be dispensed with.
The action is as follows:-When the key a of the tap A is in its closed position
it has the bye pass groove a' at the lower part over the outlet nozzle A2, and its
three ports all are open to the ducts A³ A3 A4 to the measuring vessels C (1
and indicating tube D. An eighth of a turn of the key to either side opens com-
munication through one of the ducts A between one of the measuring vessels and
the outlet nozzle A at same time cutting it off from the store vessel B while the
tap may be so arranged that a half turn opens communication between the store
vessel and the outlet nozzle so that liquid may be run off without going through
the measuring vessels. It is preferred however as illustrated to fit the tap A with
an extra two way key E placed transversely in the tap behind the first mentioned
key with a duct E' for running off liquid from the store vessel through the nozzle A+
without requiring to turn the three way key.
A quarter turn of the key E opens communication between the store vessel B and
the nozzle A while shutting off the measuring vessels but when in its normal
position as illustrated it permits the contents of the store vessel to flow to the
measuring vessels C C¹.
When desired a single measuring vessel can be fitted on the tap instead of two,
the arrangement of the tap and key being the same or similar.
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
First. Measuring and indicating taps constructed and arranged all substantially
as herein described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Second. In measuring and indicating taps the construction or arrangement and
combination of the parts all substantially as herein described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
Third. In measuring and indicating taps the construction and arrangement of
the three way key a all substantially as herein described and illustrated by
Figures 1, 3, and 4 of the accompanying. drawings.

page_text: Fourth. In measuring and indicating taps the construction and arrangement
of the parts of the measuring vessels C C all substantially as herein described and
illustrated by Figures 1, 2, and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 20th December 1000
"
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents,