Improvements in Beer Barrel and other similar Taps.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th May, 1891-Accepted, 4th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Beer Barrel and other similar Taps.
THOMAS DIPPLE, of 69 Bloomsbury Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Brassfounder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of vent taps, used in
ale, beer or stout barrels, or other similar purposes, and consists of improvements
in connection with the automatic vent inlet, also in the plug of the tap, in the key,
the stop pin, and in the general construction and arrangement of the said taps.
Generally, in taps of this character, the vent inlet has been provided by drilling
from the front of the tap, a hole straight through, the body, and through the plug,
when the latter was turned "open." This drilled hole at the front, has then to be
filled up by a screw pin.
The front part of this hole being thus filled up, the front part of the vent inlet is
then made by drilling a vertical hole at the front of the tap bib, under the driving
hend or "peg" leading to the said through hole in the plug,
In my invention, however, I dispense with this through hole, both in the body of
the tap, and in the plug, and also the loose front making up pin, and in lieu thereof,
I form for a given distance around the plug, and at such part lying opposite to or
against the vertical inlet hole, a semicircular or bevilled groove, so that when the
tap is "opened," the one end of this groove shall be fair to the vent hole in the
interior of the tap, and the other end fair with the vertical hole at the outside,
thus affording an air passage to the interior, while the tap is open. Upon closing
the tap however, the solid part of the plug, covers the said vent hole, preventing
a further admission of air.
Again, in arranging for, and making the key, I proceed somewhat as follows:-
The upper part of the plug is formed socket wise, that is, the key is made to enter
into it. This admits of some variation, but I prefer it as follows:-A hole is
drilled down the plug, making as it were, the plug at such part, tubular. A central
pin is also formed within this hole. This hole is extended to a depth, a little below
the upper edge of the body (when the plug is in position). A portion of the upper
part of the body is now cut away, forming a stop range, and at such part a pin is
inserted through the plug, which, upon the outside forms the stop pin, (or, as it is
sometimes called, the nighting pin) while upon the inside, it extends to the central
pin, forming a turn pin or catch for the key.
"
The key is now made of a barrel form, to enter the socket part of the plug, and
At the one
having a central hole up it, to take on to the central pin aforesaid.
side of the key barrel, a groove is cut, which, when the key is inserted into the
plug, takes on to the turn pin or catch, by which the plug is turned to " open or
closed." In some instances, instead of there being a central pin and the stop pin
upon the one side, the said central pin may be dispensed with, and the stop pin
carried right across the hole, in which case the groove in the barrel of the key, is
carried right across to suit, no central hole being necessary.
By this arrangement, the cap which secures the plug in position, and protects
the upper end of the plug, is very much shortened, than is usual, less expensive,
and simple to make.
In some cases, if preferred, instead of putting the vertical inlet vent, at the front
of the tap, it may be arranged upon the side of the same, in combination with a
groove upon the plug, a quarter round its circumference.
The key as described will also be applicable to ordinary taps.
CHARLES T. POWELL.
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Beer Barrel and other similar Taps.
I THOMAS DIPPLE, of 69 Bloomsbury Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Brassfounder, 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 improvements in the manufacture of vent taps, used in
ale, beer or stout barrels, or other similar purposes, and consists of improvements
in connection with the automatic vent inlet and the plug of the tap, in the key, the
stop pin, and in the general construction and arrangement of the said taps.
Generally, in taps of this character, the vent inlet has been provided by drilling
from the front of the tap, a hole straight through, the body, and through the plug,
when the latter was turned "open."
This drilled hole at the front has then to be filled up by a screw pin.
The front part of this hole being thus filled up the front part of the vent inlet is
then made by drilling a vertical hole at the front of the tap bib, under the driving
head or peg to the said through hole in the plug.
22
In order to more particularly explain this my invention have appended here-
unto an illustrative sheet of drawings upon which are figures and letters of reference,
similar letters referring through the several views to the same thing or part, and
in which:-
Fig. 1, is a general sectional elevation of the tap.
Fig. 2, is a part sectional plan view at A-B (Fig. 1,) showing air vent passage
'when the tap is closed.
Fig. 3, is a sectional plan view at C-D (Fig. 1) showing the stop action.
Fig. 4, is a part sectional plan view at A-B (Fig. 1) showing air vent passage
when the tap is open.
Fig. 5. is a detached sectional elevation of the plug.
Fig. 6, is a plan view of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7, is a sectional plan view of the plug on line E-F.
Fig. 8, is a sectional plan view of the plug on line G-H.
Fig. 9, is a sectional plan view of the plug on line 1-J.
Fig. 10, is a detached part sectional front view of the key.
Fig. 11, is a side view of the key.
Fig. 12, is a sectional plan view of the key on line K-L.
a, is the body of the tap, b, is the plug, e, is the vent pipe, d, is the entrance air
vent passage, e, is the key. Opposite to the vent pipe e, is placed the inner part of
the air vent d. In line with this entrance vent and the pipe c, I form the part
annular groove around and upon the plug, so that at all times, whether the tap
is open or closed there is an open communication from this said groove, to the
external air, by means of the vent d. This groove, however, extends sufficiently
far round the plug, that when the tap is opened (see Fig. 4) there is a com-
munication from the exterior air through the groove f, to the vent pipe c, and
thence to the contents of the barrel. Upon closing the tap (as seen in Figs. 1 & 2)
the air inlet supply is cut off from the pipe c.
By this means the fouling or furring up of the usual through hole in the tap is
obviated, and at the same time affords ready means of keeping the parts perfectly
clean.
وي
Again. In arranging for and making the key I proceed somewhat as follows:-
The upper part of the plug b, is formed socket wise, that is, the key is made to
enter into it. This admits of some variation, but I prefer it as follows:- -A hole
is drilled down the plug, making as it were, the plug at such part, tubular. A
central pin, is also formed' within this hole. This hole is extended to a depth, a
little below the upper edge of the body (when the plug is in position). A portion

page_text: of the upper part of the body is now cut away, from i, to j, see Fig. 3, forming a
stop range, and at such part a pin k, is inserted through the plug, which, upon the
outside forms the stop pin (or, as it is sometimes called, the nighting pin) while
upon the inside, it extends to the central pin h, forming at 1, a turn pin or catch for
the key.
The key e, is now made of a barrel form, to enter the socket part g, of the
plug, and having a central hole m, to take on to the central pin 4, aforesaid.
At the one side of the key barrel, a groove or slot n, is cut, which, when the key
is inserted into the plug, takes on to the turn pin or catch 1, by which the plug b,
is turned to open or "closed."
In some cases, instead of there being a central pin and the stop pin upon the one
side, the said central pin may be dispensed with, and the stop pin carried right
across the hole, in which case the groove in the barrel of the key, is carried right
across to suit, no central hole being necessary.
By this arrangement, the cap o, which secures the plug 4, in position, and
protects the upper end of the plug, is very much shorter than is usual, less expensive,
and simple to make.
P, is a spring, used for the purpose of keeping the plug firmly down in its
working position. 7. is a set screw for preventing the removal of the cap o.
In some cases, if preferred, instead of putting the vertical inlet vent, at the front
of the tap, it may be arranged upon the side of the same, in combination with a
groove upon the plug similar to the groove f, a quarter round its circumference.
The key as described will also be applicable to ordinary taps.
As will be readily seen, this arrangement of the plug and the key is most simple
to make, and at the same time does not require a very fine adjustment or fitting of
the key to the particular plug, so that the said keys will be much more general in
their application than those of usual make.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is
1. The combination in taps, of the body of the tap having air vent entrance
passage d, and air pipe e, or their equivalents, with the plug b, having the part
annular groove f, substantially as described and illustrated and for the purposes
specified.
2. The combination in taps, of the body a, having stop range i, j, and the key e,
with the plug b, having pink, which forms also the turn pin 7, substantially as
described and illustrated and for the purposes specified.
3. The combination in taps, with the plug 6, having the pin parts k, & l, of the
key e, having open slot way », substantially as described and illustrated.
4. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting this my
improved tap substantially as set forth and illustrated.
Dated this 12th day of May 1891
CHARLES T. POWELL,
12, Cherry Street, Birmingham, Applicant's Agent.