A Shield or Valve for the Tap Holes of Casks.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr.. 1891
Complete Specification Left. 13th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Shield or Valve for the Tap Holes of Casks.
1, LEONARD MANSFIELD, of 12 Tresillian Terrace, Cardiff, in the County of
Glamorgan, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists in an improved appliance for guarding the tap holes of
casks as hereinafter described. It is designed more especially to close tap holes
after withdrawal of taps and so to prevent fouling of casks by admission of air.
The appliance consists of a valve of india-rubber expanded over and contracted
upon the inner end of a metallic bung which fits a hole made for its reception in
one end of the cask.
The valve is divided by two incisions crossing one another at a right angle. The
bung is secured to the cask by screws, or it may be screw-threaded and be screwed
bodily into place.
The valve normally lies against the inner face of the bung and closing the tap
hole at the inside of the cask. When a tap is driven into the hole the valve is
spread at its divisions by the stem of the tap, the inner end of which passes beyond
the valve which embraces the stem and thus prevents the escape of any liquid
contained in the cask.
On the withdrawal of the tap the valve closes as soon as the tap stem has passed
free of it and thus the tap hole is guarded by the valve which prevents access of air
to the interior of the cask.
Dated this 13th day of Auril 1891
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol Bank Buildings, Bristol, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Shield or Valve for the Tap Holes of Casks.
1, LEONARD MANSFIELD of 12 Tresillian Terrace, Penarth Road, Cardiff, in the
County of Glamorgan, Consulting and Mechanical Engineer 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide a shield or valve for the tap holes of
casks, barrels, and similar receptacles containing beer or other liquids of a like
character whereby all fouling in the cask or barrel is entirely prevented, no corks
in the tap holes being required, thus causing a considerable saving in expense, at
the same time there is no loss of beer or similar liquid as is at present the casc
when tapping a fresh cask by foreing an ordinary tap with the blow of a mallet or
similar tool, and frequently disturbing beer, and making the same unfit to drink for
a considerable time as is the case with the present method of tapping casks, now
in general use.
The valve portion of this apparatus is equally applicable to all kinds of pumps
where a check or other valve is required.
And in order that my invention may be more clearly understood and carried
into practice I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which similar letters and figures indicate corresponding
parts throughout.
Figure is a side elevation of a portion of a cask or barrel showing a tap
affixed thereto, having my improved appliance in connection therewith.

page_text: Figure 2 shows a front view with the tap removed.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of Figure 1, and
Figure 4 is an end elevation of Figure 3.
In order to enable me to carry my invention into practice I take an ordinary
cask or similar vessel illustrated at D, formed of metal or other suitable material
and to this metallic disc, 1 attach a rubber valve A of such a size and shape as to
readily admit of an ordinary tap (being forced therein which tap (when in
position will be found perfectly impervious to the escape of any liquid contained in
the cask or barrel D.
The rubber valve or shield is of a conical shaped form having four (more or less
if desired) strengthening ribs F running in direction of its length, extending from
the flange to the end thus forming crop or compressing ring E, at the termination
of conc.
In this crop a number of incisions are formed, in this case four, in
such a manner as to admit of the insertion of an ordinary beer or similar tap C
passing into the aperture provided for its reception. The inside points of the
strengthening ribs F are curved upwards thus assisting to compress the aperture
formed for the insertion of the tap C, and effectually closing the valve when the
tap is withdrawn, thereby entirely preventing all fouling of the cask or barrel.
The pressure of the liquid also assists in closing the valve, either when the tap is
removed, or in position whereby the use of corks is entirely dispensed with, the
conical shape of the valve causing the same to fit so close as to prevent all waste
of liquor. The back portion of the metallic disc B is dovetailed, the rubber ring
of the valve being of a corresponding shape so that when the ring of the valve is
passed over the dovetailed portion of the disc a perfectly liquour tight joint is
made thus preventing any possible leakage, and at the same time preventing any
possible displacement of the vdve. It will be seen that the whole of the valve is
inside the wood end of the barrel by referring to the accompanying drawings,
and by tinning the metallic disc B and securing the same to the barrel, by screws
or other suitable means, all possible chance of corrosion is prevented.
I wish it to be clearly understood that although I have described this invention
as applied to a beer cask or barrel, the same is equally applicable to all kinds of
pumps where a check or other valve is employed as no stops or guards are required
in the action thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The combination and arrangement of a shield or valve A having a metallic
dise B, provided with incisions H for the reception of a tap C, the compressing
ring E and ribs F, together with the dovetailed portion G substantially as herein
described and shown, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 12th day of January One thousand eight hundred and
LEONARD MANSFIELD.