Improvements in Cocks, Vents, and like Fittings.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 17th June. 1895-Accepted, 17th Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cocks, Vents, and like Fittings.
We, HENRY HATTON, Tanner, The Barton Taunery, THOMAS WILLIAM
NAYLER, Engineer, and GEORGE NAYLER, Engineer, both of Friars Street and
all of Hereford, in the County of Hereford, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :—
This invention relates to improvements in cocks, taps, vents, and like fittings for
casks, tanks, jars, bottles, and for other services.
The object of our invention is to construct a cock, vent or like fitting, for attach-
ment to a cask or other vessel, that may be very readily opened when required,
and as readily and effectually closed when all or sufficient of the liquid has been
withdrawn.
In carrying our invention into effect in the construction of a cock for attachment
to a beer or other cask or barrel, we construct the body of the cock, preferably in
the form of a hollow cone, from metal, earthenware, glass, wood or other suitable
material. The smaller end of this hollow cone is closed but its larger end is open
and has a circular or other flange formed with or attached to it. The cone is
inserted within an aperture formed preferably at one end of the cask or barrel, the
flange alone projecting on the exterior of the cask. We secure the cone to the
cask by means of screws or other fastenings passing through or attached to
the flange.
Within the cone we insert a plug, suitably turned or shaped for making a working
fit therein, and having a central hole extending from the top nearly to the bottom
end where it meets side passages extending to the exterior of the plug. At the
outer end of the plug we connect a detachable spout or mouthpiece, and retain the
plug in position by means of a cover plate or flange, bolted or otherwise attached
to the flange of cone.
For the purpose of turning or operating the cone we provide a suitable key, to
fit within a small chamber or recess formed in the cone and plug in such a manner
that on the operation of the key the plug is turned or revolved. At the lower end
of the cone we form holes or apertures which we so arrange that when the plug is
turned to one position the mouth of the side passages of the plug are brought
adjacent to the cone apertures, and the liquid can thus flow freely into the interior
of the plug and from thence through the mouthpiece or spout. When the plug is
turned away from this position the mouths of the side passages are removed from
the cone apertures and thus further escape of the liquid is prevented, and the
external or atmospheric air is unable to obtain access to the interior of the cask.
The key hole or passage in the front cover plate or flange is so formed that the
key can be inserted and withdrawn only when the plug is in its closed or sealed
position; the act of withdrawing the key thus serves to keep the cask closed.
In the application of our invention to jars, bottles, and like vessels, we screw or
otherwise secure the hollow cone to the neck or other part of the vessel, or it may
be cast, blown, or formed in one with the vessel.
Instead of employing independent vents, we sometimes provide a vent in connec-
tion with the cock or top by fitting a small pipe from the cock to the top of the

page_text: cask or tank, and so arrange it that when the cock is opened air is admitted through
the pipe to the top of the contained liquid.
Dated this 14th day of September 1894.
MARKS & CLERK,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.
improvements in Cocks, vents, and like Fittings.
We, HENRY HATTON, Tanner, The Barton Tannery, THOMAS WILLIAM
NAYLER, Engineer, and GEORGE NAYLER, Engineer, both of Friars Street and
all of Hereford, in the County of Hereford, 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 cocks, taps, vents, and like fittings for
casks, tanks jars, bottles, and for other services.
The object of our invention is to construct a cock, vent, or like fitting, for attach-
ment to a cask or other vessel, that may be very readily opened when required
and as readily and effectually closed when all or sufficient of the liquid has been
withdrawn.
In the accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings
Figure 1. is a part sectional elevation of our improved arrangement of cock and
key, and
Figure 2. is an end elevation of the same.
Figure 3. is a sectional elevation of a modified form of our tap.
Figure 4. is a detail view of the end of our spout key.
Figures 5 & 6 are front and end elevations of a combined end nut and strainer.
Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of our tap arranged for driving or screwing into
a bung hole plug or into the barrel direct, having a vent pipe carried up the cask.
Figure 8 is our tap as shewn in Figure 7 driven or screwed in, in an inclined
direction in the barrel and has a circular or other flange formed with or attached
to it. The cone is inserted within an aperture formed preferably at one end of the
cask or barrel, the flange alone projecting on the exterior of the cask, and we
sometimes secure the cone to the cask by means of screws or other fastenings
passing through or attached to the flange.
We
When constructing our cock for screwing into the barrel direct we form a screw A¹
upon the outside of one end of the body and within the hollow body we place
a plug B working into the conical chamber of the barrel of the cock.
secure this plug B to the body A by means of a nut and washer M L carried
upon the end of the plug and we place a shield or cap strainer D over the end
of the body which projects into the liquid. The holes in the strainer allow the
liquid to enter through the port or passages O into the interior of the plug and
then to pass through the key spout c when this spout is placed into the end of the
plug and suitably turned.
Within the barrel or cone we insert a plug B suitably turned or shaped for
making a working fit therein, and having a central hole extending from the top
nearly to the bottom end where it meets side passages or ports O extending to the
exterior of the plug. At the outer end of the plug we connect a detachable spout
or mouth-piece c and we retain the plug in position by means of a cover plate or
flange, bolted or otherwise attached to the flange of cone.
For the purpose of turning or operating the cone we provide a suitable spout
key its end e¹ made to fit within a small chamber groove or recess 6 forined in the
cone and plug in such a manner that on the key being turned the plug is turned or

page_text: revolved also.
At the lower end of the body of the end of the tap we form holes
or apertures O which we so arrange that when the plug is turned to one position
the mouth of the side passages Of of the plug are brought adjacent to the body
apertures, and the liquid can thus flow freely into the interior 6 of the plug and
from thence through the mouthpiece or spout c. When the plug is turned avay
from this position, the mouths of the side passages are removed from the cone-
apertures and thus further escape of the liquid is prevented, and the external or
atmospheric air is unable to obtain access to the interior of the cask.
The key hole or passage in the front of the plug or flange is so formed that
the hollow key with its lug c¹ can be inserted and withdrawn only when the plug is
in its closed or sealed position. We make a channel A2 within the barrel near the
end and we provide a slot or passage or passages within the outer face for enabling
the key lug or lugs.to pass through into this circular chamber when this plug can
be turned. To prevent the plug being turned too far we insert a stop a³ for the
Ing to bear against when it reaches the open position. Upon turning the key after
it has been introduced into the channel the lug c' moves round in the groove until it
is brought against the stop a3 at which position the outlet port O' is opposite the
inlet port O and the air venting hole A2 which we form upon the plug is also
opposite the air vent passage or air pipe hole e.
In the application of our invention to jars, bottles, and like vessels, we screw or
otherwise secure the hollow cone A A¹ to the neck body or other part of the vessel,
or it may be cast, blown, or formed in one with the vessel.
Instead of employing independent vents, we provide a combined vent E e in
connection with the cock or top by fitting a small tube E from the cock to the top
of the cask or tank, and so arrange it that when the cock is opened air is admitted
through the passage b into the passage e to tube E and delivered to the top of the
contained liquid, thus entirely obviating the bubbling up of air through the liquid
within the vessel.
We vary the shape of our cock body and the form of the plug and its passages
or ports to suit the vessel or liquid which is to tapped, and we make the shield or
guard D sometimes as a plain thimble like cap as at G having perforations g within
it for straining and having the end thickened up to serve as a nut for keeping the
plug in position. Similarly we modify the form of our key spout to suit the
opening within the head of the plug, employing two lugs c¹ on the end c of the spout
or making the shape such that it may turn the plug at one position only, and also
that it can only be withdrawn when the plug port hole is closed to prevent the
escape of the liquid.
When employing a plain driving or screwing body, as at H Figures 7 and 8 we
drive or screw the cock into the barrel from the exterior of the cask, in an inclined
direction as shown, or otherwise, so that when the key spout is turned the liquid is
allowed to run out downwards, while when the plug is turned to prevent the escape
of liquid the spout stands above the bottom of the barrel, and is in a convenient
position for being left with the key, which we form preferably as a pipe socket K
upon the diverted end of the hollow plug, remaining in place.
Instead of employing an air tube E inside the barrel we may place an air tube or
pipe outside the cask and take it through a top vent hole above the liquid, the tube
or pipe being bent to suit any desired position of the vent hole.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is ;-
1. The combination of a spout key with a lug or lugs for entering into a slot or
slots formed within the plug, the bore of the body of the cock being also formed
with a groove or grooves, for enabling the lugs to pass through so as to enter a
path or channel in which the lugs may turn for the purpose of opening or closing
the drawing off passage or passages of the cock, substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 2. In a cock or tap for application to barrels and other vessels, the arrangement
of an air inlet passage within the cock plug which is placed in connection with a
tube or pipe by the plug being turned for the purpose of leading the air above the
liquid within the vessel or barrel, substantially as hereinbefore described and as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. The improvements in taps or cocks for drawing off liquids, substantially as
herein before described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of June 1895
MARKS & CLERK,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.