IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUNGS AND VENTING APPARATUS
Year: 1885

page_text: Apparatus.
I AUGUSTE LAMART of Beaumetz-les-loges, in the republic of France, Gentleman
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BUNGS AND VENTING APPARATUS" 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 bungs and
faucets and the invention consists of a new or improved construction of bungs
which can also be used as faucets. The improved bung is applicable for the
preservation of liquids in casks but principally of beer and allows of the admission
of air when the liquid is drawn off if there he no internal pressure and prevents
the escape of gas so long as it is below a certain pressure, which pressure can be
regulated as required.
In order to enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe the same
by reference to the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a section of a bung constructed according to my invention and
figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are details of the internal parts of the bung.
A is a cup or hollow casting screw threaded on its interior surface B and having
a valve-seat C, a recess D, to allow of the play of a valve and a tube E for the
admission of air or the escape of superabundant gas the said tube also serves to
hold the wooden bung G (shewn in dotted lines) by means of a nut F, as shewn at
figures 23 and 24; the tube E, may be replaced by a cylindrical or conical thread
screwing into the wooden bung. A ring H of leather or india rubber is provided.
on the seating C. I is the part which carries the valve; a piece of leather or india
rubber J, is fixed thereto and forms a clack valve K, whereby the opening is kept
closed and is only opened by the pressure of the external air; the valve is kept in
position by a small thin flat spring L. This spring may be more or less curved by.
bringing the screws by which it is fixed nearer to or farther from the centre. A
recess M provided with holes serves to allow the external air coming through the.
valve K to pass. A disc Q, which can be screwed into the cup or hollow casting A
by means of a key engaging in two holes is provided with a recess (as shewn at Q¹).
in which is placed a spring N which presses on the valve By screwing this disc
the spring can be more or less compressed and the pressure thereby regulated.
When the pressure has been regulated by means of a pressure-gauge a screw
entering the side of the cup or hollow casting A, serves to fix the disc Q. A hole R,

page_text: in the cup or hollow casting A, allows of the admission of air or the escape of
gas By this arrangement barrels of beer may be transported without danger as
the liquid cannot escape when the barrels are being rolled.
By means of an iron wire, a screw, or in any other manner the bung can be
padlocked to the cask as this apparatus when once regulated does not require to be
modified or removed so that the liquid after being put in the cask or barrel may
be placed any where without risk of it being adulterated.
Figures.9, 10, and 11 represent views of the upper side and figures 12, 13, and 14
views of the underside of an arrangement which allows of the bung above described
being made entirely of metal.
In the cover S, is first placed the coil spring N, figure.4, then the part I figure 5,
on which the valve bears and next the ring H, figure 7, and the collar T, is screwed
to obtain the required pressure; this collar serves the purpose of the seat C, and
the recess D, figure 1; the cover containing the various parts is then screwed over
the part U, which is adapted to be secured to the cask or barrel.
The cover S can be removed from the part U without affecting the regulating of
the bung in order to cleanse the cask or for other purposes. The pressure can be
regulated by the cover S, by screwing it to a greater or less extent over the
part U; the collar T, is loose in the cover and the rim V. of the part U, serves as
a support for it I sometimes however regulate the pressure by means of a screw
passing through the top of the cover S, and bearing on the coil spring.
X, figure 15, represents a wooden bung for screwing on the cover S, figure 9,
which contains the various parts shewn at figures 4, 5, and 7. The farther the
bung is screwed over the cover, or the cover over the bung the greater is the
pressure obtained.
The parts shewn at figures 10 and 11 are thus dispensed with. The seat C, D,
figure 1, is situated at the surface X and a hole replaces the pipe E, figure 1-A
modification of my arrangement is shewn at figures 17, 18, 19, and 20. The part K
is fixed by bolts on the stave of the cask; the covers L, M, figures 18 and 19
contain the spring, the part on which the valve rests and the collar above described.
The part N, can replace the part K, its external thread allowing of it being screwed
into the stave of the cask by means of a key the points of which are inserted in
the holes P. In the interior of this piece is screwed one of the covers L or M
containing the various parts.
Figure 21 is an elevation and figure 22 a section of another modification of my
improved bung.-This bung P, is made entirely of wood; in the interior thereof
the ring is first placed as well as the part on which the valve rests and the spring;
the metallic cover Q, figure 21, is then fastened thereon by screws.-The springs
must be of suitable strength according to the degree of pressure it is required to
obtain but this pressure can be regulated by means of a screw adapted to the top
of the cover This arrangement can be modified at small cost by the means
shewn at figures 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 16.
In the wooden bung A, figure 26, I form a groove in order to obtain a seat B, on
which is placed leather or india rubber and above is fixed a flat spring as shewn
at C and D, figures 28 and 29-In figure 16, this spring can be more or less bent
by shifting the clamp A, and fixing the screw C on the moveable piece B; or the
pressure can be regulated by a spring of suitable strength. The escape of the gas
when the pressure is too great takes place by raising the spring-In order to
secure the parts from accidents and also to prevent them being interfered with and
to enable the bung to be easily struck the cover E, is fixed on the bung by means
of screws. The bung shewn at G, is similar in construction, with the exception
that the seat for the spring forming the valve is placed at the side in order to
dispense with a metallic cover.
In adapting the improved bung shewn at figures 1 to 7 as an automatic faucet
I reverse the position of the parts as shown at figures 30 and 31 and dispense with
the wooden bung G, figure 1; the pipe E is lengthened and curved and I thos
obtain the faucet A figure 80. Instead of employing the valve hereinbefore

page_text: described I can make use of a ball of india rubber or other suitable material as
shewn at figure 81.
The arrangement shewn at figure 32 consists of a vertical tube A on which is
fixed a rod B which supports the lever C, which lever is provided with a valve D,
to which india rubber or leather is fixed. At the end E, of this lever is attached
a spring F, which at the other end is fixed to a ring G, which is raised or lowered
by means of a nut H working on the screw threaded tube A.-The lower end of
the tube A is conically tapped to allow of fixing the tube in the wood of a cask
stave. It will be obvious that the more the spring is extended by lowering the
nut H the greater will be the pressure on the valve D which pressure can be thus
regulated and the gas only be allowed to escape at a desired pressure.
When there is a vacuum in the cask and it is required to admit air therein it is
merely necessary to press on the end C, of the lever.
Figure 33 shews a similar apparatus to that shewn at figure 32, but having the
tube so curved that on the valve D can be placed another valve K, which is kept
closed by its own weight and which only opens when there is a vacuum above
caused by drawing off the liquid from the cask on which it is placed.
When it is required to draw off the liquid quickly and the valve in rising will
not admit of a sufficient supply of air a further supply can be admitted by pressing
on the lever C in a similar manner to that above described with reference to
figure 32.
•
The arrangement shewn in figures 34, 35 and 36 consists of an iron tube A having
its lower part conically screw threaded to allow of its being passed through the
wood or cylinder to receive a nut. It is provided at its upper part with a valve
seat B and a tube C. On the valve seat B is placed a valve E, which is provided
with india rubber on its under side and is perforated with holes through the centre
one of which passes a rod F having at its lower part a small valve G, held in place
by a spring E. This valve is pressed against the seat B by the spring I which is
compressed by the cover K which is screwed into the tube C by means of a key
with two projections. This apparatus can be adapted to a bung as shewn in
figure 36 at L¹.
It will thus be seen that the apparatus placed in a bung allows of rolling a
cask provided with this bung without the liquid running out as the small valve G
in the case of the cask being turned over will lie close up against the large valve E.
Should there be an insufficient supply of air in the cask when drawing off the
liquid, the outside air pressing on the valve G, through the holes of the valve E,
causes the weak spring H to yield.-Air is introduced during the drawing off but
can no longer enter when the operation is finished as the spring H brings back the
valve G to its seat.
When there is an excess of pressure in the cask the valve E, rises and compresses
the spring I and the excess of gas escapes through the hole L.
The apparatus shewn at figures 37, 38, and 39 is constructed on the same
principle as that last herein before described. The air enters through a valve
similar to that shewn at F, E, H, G, figure 35, and the part E, of this valve forms
the bottom of the cylinder M.
The internal pressure is kept in by the spring N, which at the part O is provided
with india rubber and bears upon the hole provided in this part of the cylinder M.
The tension of the spring N, is regulated by a toothed wheel P, placed on the
square spindle of the spring and which by pushing it engages with a tooth having
a point Q.
The arrangement of valve shewn at figure 40 is like that shewn in figure 39
fixed in the cup shaped receptacle P, which is screwed onto the cylinder Q.
The internal pressure is kept back by the spring R which closes the opening S
by an india rubber stopper.
The tension of the spring is regulated by raising or lowering the ring T which
will remain fixed at any desired point by means of the screw thread formed on
the iron tube.

page_text: Figures 41 and 42 shew a similar arrangement to those hereinbefore described
except that it consists of two cylinders attached to each other and communicating
by means of the hole L
On the small cylinder is placed a screw threaded rod having a screw-head B
which serves to attach the spring E.
Between the spring and the screw-head is placed a slide F, in the middle of which
is a slit or opening which allows of it moving freely backwards and forwards to
regulate as required the spring which stops the hole C.
The valve differs from that of the other apparatuses by having a piece of cork
placed thereon.-The apparatus being placed on a bung the cask can be turned-
When the liquid enters the apparatus it causes the piece of cork to rise and close
the valve.
The arrangement shewn in figures 43, 44 and 45 consists of a curved tube A,
having at one end a conical shaped copper cap B, having a recess C, for the valve
seat D, which by means of an oval opening E, passes round the tube A. The valve
seat receives a valve as represented in figure 32 or as represented at L, figure 44
which is opened by air coming from below and is closed by its own weight.
This valve seat is fixed to the cap B and to the hook F by a screw which passes
through the hook G of the valve seat.
By reason of the conical screw thread made in the hook the screw serves both
as a support and as a hinge.
The pressure of the seat D, on the cap is regulated by screwing or unscrewing
the nut I, against the spring H. ·
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
1. In a faucet or bung to be inserted in a wooden bung before drawing off the
liquid from a cask the herein described arrangement of two valves kept closed by
means of adjustable springs, one of which valves opens from the pressure of the
outer air, and the other from the pressure of gas within the cask, substantially as
herein before described.
2. In a faucet or bung of the description, claimed in claim 1, the arrangement in
which one of the valves of the form shewn and described is situated upon the
other valve which is of a flat shape substantially as described and shown in the
accompanying drawing.
3. In a faucet or bung of the description claimed in claim 1, the hereinbefore
described arrangement of two valves, the valve spindle of the smaller of which
passes through a perforation or opening in the larger valve, and is provided with a
spring over the said valve substantially as described and shown in the accompanying
drawing.
Dated the 28th day of August 1885