Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 15th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 21st Oct., 1887
I, GEORGE CHISHOLM Junior of the Town and County of Stirling, North Britain,
Brassfounder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention which relates to an improved Tap for measuring spirits and other
liquids, used for discharging casks or other vessels of their contents in certain fixed
quantities, preferably in gills; half gills, and quarter gills, the same tap being
employed for measuring the three beforementioned quantities, consists of a plug cock
of novel construction, the inlet branch on the casing being at right angles to the axis
of the plug, the said plug being vertical and the discharge taking place vertically
downwards when the cock is fitted to a cask or other vessel and is in operation. The
plug has a double casing, an annular space being left between the two for the
discharge. These casings are connected at the top round the whole circumference
by brazing or otherwise and also near the bottom at one side around the inlet orifice,
there being no direct communication between the entrance and discharge orifices.
The inner casing forms the seat for the hollow slightly tapered plug and fits the same
accurately, it has three apertures at different points of its circumference, which we
will call 1, 2, 3; 1 is the inlet, 2, at the same level as 1, and communicating with
the already mentioned annular space, is used when measuring the quarter gill, and 3,
which is placed higher than the others, is the port through which the liquid passes
into the annular space, when drawing off the gill and half gill-The plug has three
apertures at different levels and different points of its circumference, and is internally
fitted with two pipes of different diameters, the smaller being within the greater, the
said pipes passing upwards to different fixed heights within a glass receiver, attached
to the top of the plug. The smaller internal pipe is only a communication with the
lowest aperture, the greater internal pipe only with the intermediate aperture, and
the plug which may be represented as a third pipe, only with the top aperture.
A small conical valve, with just sufficient cork attached to give the necessary floating
power to the same, and placed within a metal guard is used to prevent the liquid from
escaping through a small air hole at the top of the glass receiver, when the tap is fully
charged. The plug is kept in position by a screwed end, which is covered by a

page_text: tapered tail piece secured to the outer casing making a neat finish of the tap and
contracting the discharge orifice to a convenient diameter. The relative positions of
the plug and casing when charging and discharging the tap are indicated in two
ways. First, by having the measures marked legibly on the glass receiver, the one
wanted being always at the opposite side of the tap from the inlet, and facing the
operator. Second, by a stop fixed to the plug at a certain point above the casing,
the said stop or indicator facing the operator when charging, and coming into contact
with a projecting piece on the top of the casing when drawing off the gill or half gill.
As the stop does not operate when measuring the quarter gill, the aperture 2 already
mentioned, on the inner casing, passes through a greater part of the circumference
of the said casing than the others to allow sufficient margin for a slight variation of
relative positions between the plug and casing when drawing off the said quantity.
The tap is operated in the following manner. To charge the tap the bottom hole
in the plug is made to coincide with the inlet orifice, when the liquid passes up the
beforementioned smaller pipe, and fills the receiver, plug and internal pipes, the whole
containing one gill.
Assuming the tap to be always fully charged before commencing any of the
following operations, and the stop on the plug always facing the operator, then if a
quarter gill is required to be drawn off the plug is revolved through a quarter of a
revolution to the left of the operator, the bottom hole in the plug is then opposite
2 aperture in the inner casing, and the liquid is drawn off through the smaller internal
pipe, until it reaches the level at the top of the said pipe when the discharge ceases;
the level of the internal pipes being arranged to give the required quantities. If half
a gill is required then the plug is revolved through half a revolution to the left, when
the intermediate hole in the plug coincides with the bottom part of 3 aperture on the
inner casing, and the liquid is run off through the larger internal pipe until it reaches
the level of the top of the said pipe when the discharge ceases. When it is desired
to measure a gill, the plug is revolved a quarter of a revolution to the right, the top
hole in the plug then coincides with the upper part of 3 aperture in the inner casing,
and the liquid is run off through the plug until the tap is emptied.
I desire it to be understood that the casing before referred to may be made in two
seperate parts, an inner, and an outer casing. The inner casing being detached from
the outer, and having cut thereon the requisite channel or groove for the discharge
of the liquid between it and the outer casing. Both casings are made to fit accurately
and to revolve. The outer casing can be detached from the inner, when it is desired
so to do, and when the tap is in operation, the outer casing is made fast or secured to
the inner casing by a pin or other equivalent.
Dated this 14th day of December 1886.
D. DRYSDALE AUSTIN,
101, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Petitioner's Agent.

page_text: 1, GEORGE CHISHOLM Junior of the Town and County of Stirling, North Britain,
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 :-
My Invention has for its object to provide an improved Tap for measuring spirits
and other liquids, used for discharging casks or other vessels of their contents in
certain fixed quantities, preferably in gills, half gills and quarter gills, the same Tap
being employed for measuring the three beforementioned quantities.
In order that my said Invention may be properly understood and readily carried
into effect I will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections of a liquid measuring Tap constructed in
accordance with my present Invention.
Figure 1 shews the tap constructed with a double casing A A¹, in one casting,
whilst Figure 2, presents the casing in two separate pieces, and has the upper part of
the receiver B broken off and the tapered pieces C and D, removed. Figure 3 is an
elevation of the inner casing A¹ represented in section at Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a
plan of Figure 2, through line E F.
My Invention consists of a brass or other metal plug cock or tap of novel con-
struction, the inlet branch G, on the casing A, being at right angles to the axis of the
plug H, the said plug H, being vertical, and the discharge taking place vertically
downwards, when the cock is fitted by the tapered pieco D, or its equivalent being
inserted into a cask or other vessel, and is in operation. The plug H has a double
casing A A', an annular space J, as represented at Figure 1, being left between the
two for the discharge. These casings A A', are connected at the top round the whole
circumference by brazing or otherwise, and also near the bottom at one side around
the inlet orifice G, there being no direct communication between the entrance and
discharge orifices G and C. The inner casing A', forms the seat for the hollow
slightly tapered plug H, and fits the same accurately. It has three apertures at
different points of its circumference, which I will call 1, 2, 3; 1 is the inlet; 2, at
the same level as 1, and communicating with the already mentioned annular space J,
is used when measuring the quarter gill, and 3, which is placed higher than the others
is the port through which the liquid passes into the annular space J, when drawing off
the gill and half gill. The plug H, has 3 apertures 4, 5 and 6, at different levels, and
different points of its circumference, and is internally fitted with two pipes K. L, of
different diameters, the smaller K, being within the larger L, the said pipes K. L.
passing upwards to different fixed heights within a glass or metal receiver B, attached
by a cup shaped ring, or by any other equivalent means, to the top of the plug H.-
The smaller internal pipe K, is only in communication with the lowest aperture 4, of
the plug, the greater internal pipe L, only with the intermediate aperture 5, and the

page_text: plug H, which may be represented as a third pipe, only with the top aperture 6.-
A small conical valve M, with just sufficient cork N, attached to give the necessary
floating power to the same, and placed within a metal guard O, is used to prevent the
liquid from escaping through a small air hole P, in the metal cup Y, at the top of
the glass or metal receiver B, when the tap is fully charged, the said conical valve M,
being floated into its seat as the liquid rises.-Immediately on commencing to
discharge the liquid from the tap the valve M falls from its seat, and air rushes in.-
The plug H, is kept in position by a screwed end Q, which is covered by a tapered
tail piece C, secured to the outer casing A, making a neat finish to the tap, and
contracting the discharge orifice to a convenient diameter. The relative positions of
the apertures in the plug H, and casing A³, when charging and discharging the tap
are indicated in two ways. First, by having the measures marked legibly on the
glass or metal receiver B, the one wanted being always at the opposite side of the tap
from the inlet branch G, and facing the operator.-Second, by a stop R, fixed to the
plug H, at a certain point above the casing A, the said stop or indicator R, facing
the operator when charging, and coming into contact with a projecting piece S, on
the top of the casing A, when drawing off the gill or half gill. As the stop R, does
not operate when measuring the quarter gill, the aperture 2, already mentioned on
the inner casing A¹, passes through a greater part of the circumference of the said
casing A', than the others, to allow sufficient margin for a slight variation of relative
positions between the orifice 4, in the plug H, and the opening 2, in the casing A¹,
when drawing off the said quantity.
The tap is operated in the following manner. To charge the tap, the bottom hole 4,
in the plug H, is made to coincide with the inlet orifice G, when the liquid passes up
the before-mentioned smaller pipe K, and fills the receiver B, plug H, and internal
pipes K. L. and closing the conical air valve M.- The total capacity of the receiver B,
and plug H, equals one gill, but may be made equivalent to any other standard
measure of capacity.
Assuming the tap to be always fully charged before commencing any of the
following operations, and the stop R, on the plug H, always under the same
circumstances facing the operator, then if a quarter gill is required to be drawn off
the plug H, is revolved through a quarter of a revolution to the left of the operator,
as may be seen in plan at Figure 4, the letters a, b, c, representing respectively the
words gill, half gill and quarter gill, engraved on the receiver B, a, representing the
gill, b, half gill, and c, quarter gill, the bottom hole 4, in the plug H, is then opposite
aperture 2, in the inner casing A', and the liquid is drawn off through the smaller
internal pipe K, until it falls into the receiver B, to the level of the top of the said
pipe K, when the discharge ceases; the level of the internal pipes being arranged to
give the required quantities. If half a gill is required, then the plug H, is revolved
through half a revolution to the left, when the intermediate hole 5, in the plug H,
coincides with the bottom part of aperture 3, on the inner casing A¹, and the liquid
is run off through the larger internal pipe L, until it reaches the level of the top of
the said pipe L, when the discharge ceases. When it is desired to measure a gill, the
plug H, is revolved a quarter of a revolution to the right, the top hole 6, in the
plug H, then coincides with the upper part of aperture 3, in the inner casing A¹, and
the liquid is run off through the plug H until the receiver B and plug H, are emptied,
the internal pipes K and L, remaining full of liquid.
I desire it to be understood that the casing before referred to may be made in two
separate parts as shewn at figures 2, 3 and 4, an inner A', and an outer casing A,
the inner casing A¹, being detached from the outer A, and having cut thereon the
requisite channels or grooves shown at Figure 3, for the discharge of the liquid
between it and the outer casing A. The outer casing A, is made fast or secured to
the inner casing A', by a screw threaded ring T, and pin U, or other equivalents.―
The inner casing A', is fitted accurately to its seating or outer casing A, and can
revolve within the same on withdrawing the pin U, from its recess e, in the inner
casing A', the said pin U, being employed for locking the two casings A A', together
when measuring the gill, half gill, and quarter gill. The principle object for having

page_text: the two casings A. and A¹ fitted accurately is to allow the tap if required to run off
any quantity of liquid direct from the barrel or supply pipe. This is accomplished by
simply unlocking the inner casing A¹, and rotating it through a quarter of a
revolution, until the groove or channel V, coincides with the inlet orifice G, when a
direct passage or communication is formed between the inlet G and outlet C.-To
ensure that the inner casing A¹, is rotated promptly and accurately through the
required angle a suitable portion of the screw-threaded part at the top of the outer
casing A is cut away to allow a pin W, which is secured to, and projects outwards
from the inner casing A¹, to rotate freely through a quarter of a revolution, within
the so formed recess. When this rotation occurs in one direction the pin W strikes
against one of the vertical sides of said recess, the groove V, being then exactly
opposite the inlet orifice G, and the tap arranged to run off any quantity of liquid
direct from the barrel or supply pipe. On turning the casing A¹, in the reverse
direction, the pin W, comes in contact with the other vertical side of the recess and
the pin U, being then exactly opposite the recess e, is forced into the same by the
expansion of the spiral spring Z, confined within the tube d, thereby locking the two
casings A and A', together. The tap is then arranged to allow the measured quantities
of liquid to be drawn off.
By removing the internal pipes K and L, and having only one inlet and one outlet
in the plug H, and casing A, it can be easily seen that if desired the tap may be thus
employed to measure one quantity only, either a gill, half-gill or quarter-gill, the
internal capacity of the receiver B, and hollow plug H, being made to any standard
measure required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and the system, mode or manner in or under which the same is or may be used or
practically carried into effect, I will observe in conclusion, that what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is.-
First. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improved
tap for measuring spirits or other liquids, substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Second. In liquid measuring Taps the arrangement of the receiver B, attached to
the hollow plug H, and provided with an air valve M, as herein before described and
for the purpose specified.
Third. The internal pipes K and L within the plug H, and receiver B, in combi-
nation with the double casing A A', substantially as and for the purposes set forth
with reference to the annexed drawings.
D. DRYSDALE AUSTIN,
Applicant's Agent.