AN IMPROVED TAP FOR DRAWING OFF AND MEASURING LIQUIDS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Howarth, of Rufford, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED TAP FOR DRAWING OFF AND MEASURING
LIQUIDS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Howarth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th January 1876.
THOMAS HOWARTH, of Rufford, in the County of Lancaster.
FOR DRAWING OFF AND MEASURING LIQUIDS."
"AN IMPROVED TAP
My improved tap is intended more especially to be used by retail dealers for the
purpose of measuring liquids in small quantities, and I construct the tap with a
hollow plug which will form in itself the measurer for the quantity of liquid
required to be drawn off. This plug is of conical form, and fits into and turns in a
conical shaped chamber (ground to receive the plug), which forms part of the body
of the tap.
The outer end of the conical chamber is closed by a screw cap or in any other
convenient manner, and to the outer end of the hollow plug is attached a stem or rod,
which projects through water-tight packing in the screw cap of the conical chamber,
and to the outer end of this stem or rod a handle is attached, wherewith to turn the
plug.
The conical chamber and the hollow plug are both provided with suitable inlet
and outlet openings and air holes, which are so arranged that while the inlet opening
of the hollow plug is open and the plug is being filled, the outlet opening is closed,
and vice versa.
If desired the liquid may be drawn off through the tap without measuring
through openings in the hollow plug suitably placed for that purpose.

page_text: My improved tap for drawing off liquids is intended moro especially to be used
by retail dealers for the purpose of measuring liquids in small quantities. To this
end I construct the tap with a hollow plug, which will form in itself the measure
for the quantity of liquid to be drawn off. This plug is of conical form, and fits
into and turns in a conical shaped chamber (ground to receive the plug), and which
chamber forms part of the body of the tap.
The outer end of the conical chamber is closed by a screw cap in any convenient
manner, and to the outer end of the hollow plug is attached a stem or rod, which
projects through water-tight packing in the screw cap of the conical chamber, and
to the outer end of this stem or rod a handle is attached wherewith to turn the
plug.
The conical chamber and the hollow plug are both provided with suitable inlet
and outlet openings and air holes, these openings being so arranged that while the
inlet opening of the hollow plug is open and the plug is being filled, the outlet
opening is closed, and vice versa.
If desired the liquid may be drawn off through the top without measuring it.
In this case the liquid is drawn off through other openings in the hollow plug
suitably placed for that purpose.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved tap,
showing its external appearance; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the
same; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken in the line 1, 2, of Figures 1 and 2.
In Figures 2 and 3 a is a hollow conical plug closed at its inner end, and
provided with two openings a' and a², for the purpose of admitting the liquid from
tho barrel or cask to the interior of the tap. The conical plug a is inclosed in a
conical chamber b, which is provided with a spout b', through which the liquid is
allowed to run out from the interior of the tap into a glass or other vessel placed
there to receive it. The conical chamber is secured in any convenient manner
in a hollow body c, which has an opening c¹ at its rear end to admit the liquid from
the cask through an opening 6 (in the upper side of the conical chamber b), from
whence it passes into tho interior of the conical plug a, a space between the conical
chamber b and the body c having been provided for the purpose, as shown in the
Figures. The conical plug a is provided with a spindle d, which passes through a
suitable stuffing box, and has a handle attached thereto for the purpose of
turning the same. The hollow body c has a screw formed thereon, so that it may
be screwed into a hole in the wooden cask, a part of which is shewn at e, Fig. 2.
The conical plug a has other openings mado in it for drawing off the liquid from
the interior and for admitting air thereto. It will be seen that the conical plug a
being hollow is of considerable capacity compared to ordinary taps, and this capacity
may vary in size according to the quantity desired to be measured and drawn off
at each turn of the handle.
The operation of the various parts is as follows:-When the conical plug a is
, turned so as to bring the opening al opposite to the opening be in the conical
chamber b, the liquor will run from the cask through the hollow body c into the
interior of the tap and will fill the same, the air from the hollow plug escaping
into the cock through a hole made in the body c. This motion of the conical plug &
will have brought the exit opening a into the dotted position at in Fig. 2, and will
consequently have closed the tap, and thus prevent any of the liquid from running
out. Then by turning the conical plug a back again into its original position, as
shewn at Figures 2 and 3, the exit opening will be brought opposite to the spout b²,
and the measured contents of the follow plug will be allowed to run out into any
vessel placed there to receive it. The same motion of the hollow plug will bung
the air hole in the upper side of the plug opposite to a corresponding hole
the conical chamber b, and will allow air to pass into the interior of the plug, so
that the liquid contained therein may run out freely.
in
If it be desired to draw off the liquor from the cask in an uninterrupted stream
(without measuring it in small quantities), then the conical plug a (being in the
position shewn in the Drawings) must be turned so as to bring the opening a
°

page_text: opposite to the opening be in the conical chamber b. By so doing the opening a at
the upper side of the conical plug a will be brought into the position of the opening a³
shewn in the Drawing. The liquid will thus be allowed to run freely from the cask
through the tap and out at the spout 6' without being measured.
Having now described my Invention of "An Improved Tap for Drawing off and
Measuring Liquids," and having explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent, adapting to taps (for drawing off liquids) a hollow plug of such a
capacity, and so constructed, arranged, and operated as above described, that the
liquid can be drawn off in measured quantities, as herein set forth, without the use
of any vessel, receiver, or measuring chamber (other than the hollow plug itself)
either in connection with the tap or separate therefrom.
In witness whereof, I the said Thomas Howarth, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
THO. HOWARTH. (L.S.)