A Combined Bung and Valve, and a Vent Peg therefor.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Oct., 1891-Accepted, 7th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Combined Bung and Valve, and a Vent Peg therefor.
I LOUIS LAMS of 31 Boulevard Henri IV, Paris in the Republic of France,
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention as follows:-
The improved bung consists of a body having the dimensions and strength of an
ordinary bung. This body is perforated, the perforation being cylindrical nearer
the outer side and conical towards the inside; it carries on the inside a valve of
truncated conical shape on the upper or smaller end of which are arranged grooves.
A spiral or other spring is located in this valve and supported by a bridge fastened
to the bung by two screws. The spring being slightly pressed keeps the valve in
the conical opening which forms a seat.
To open the valve a conical or tapered removable vent peg is placed into the
hole in the bung; this vent peg is tubular and in its sides are grooves similar to
those of the smaller end of the valve. It should be fastened by a cord and a tack
either to the cask or to the bung.
By pressing on the top of the vent-peg and twisting the same slightly in order
that it may fit tightly, it pushes the valve back and the air enters the cask passing
through the hole of the vent peg, the grooves and the open space left between the
valve and the body of the bung. To interrupt the passage of the air, it is
sufficient to withdraw the vent peg, the valve under the action of the spring closes
the orifice and the cask is hermetically closed. The valve may be a solid or a
hollow cone with suitable spring, or it may be formed of an elastic plate pressing
against the inner edge of the hole in the bung or it may be a flap-valve.
In order to avoid inconvenience from the swelling of the wood, which might
prevent a perfect hermetical closing of the valve, a metal seat may be placed in
the conical part of the hole of the bung, this seat is intended to receive the valve.
Two collars fit tightly between the seat and the body of the bung, so that an
empty space is left between the seat and the body, closed hermetically at each end
by the collars, this permits the body to swell without damaging the seat of the
valve.
Dated this 7th day of January 1891.
HERBERT & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Combined Bung and Valve, and a Vent Peg therefor.
I, LOUIS LAMS, of Villa St. Loui, Lambersart near Lille, late of Paris in the
Republic of France, Manufacturer, 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 remedy the inconveniences attending the
bungs or valves as now used in drawing wine, beer, cider, and other liquids from
casks.
These manifold inconveniences are too well-known to require special mention.
My improved valve enables the required quantity of air or even liquid to be
introduced into the cask without the employment of any special tools and without
the risk of spoiling the receptacle and to obtain an air-tight closing as soon as the

page_text: admission of air is no longer necessary to assist the discharge of liquid from
the cask.
This improved valve consists of a body A Figs. 1 and 2 of any suitable size
and power and of either round, square or other desired shape. The body A has a
partly cylindrical and partly tapering perforation and carries a truncated conical
valve B grooved on its smaller end surface. A spiral spring C is located within
this valve and retained by a cross-piece or bridge piece D secured to the body A
by two screws E. The spring being slightly compressed holds the valve within
the tapering perforation where it forms a tight joint.
A conical removable stopper or plug F (Fig. 3) connected with the bung is
perforated and provided at its lower part with grooves similar to those formed in
the smaller end of the valve. It should be attached either to the bung or tap or
to the cask by a string and pin. The bung thus constructed is fitted to the cask
in the ordinary way. To avoid clogging or obstruction, the bung unless stoppered
up by a metal plug may be protected by means of a plug such as K (Fig. 5)
especially when carried from place to place. To tap a cask (the tap being in
position) the removable plug F is inserted into the bung-hole and slightly turned
and pressed in so as to be retained in place by wedging action. When it meets
the valve and forces it back air enters the cask through the opening provided in
the plug or stopper Fand through the grooves and the free space between the
valve and the body of the bung. To cut off the admission of air it is sufficient to
remove the plug F, when the valve under the action of the spring will at once
close the orifice so that the cask is tightly closed.
Such is the principle of my invention which may be applied in a variety of
ways the construction being correspondingly modified as instanced by the accom-
panying drawings.
Fig. 4 shows a removable plug or stopper provided with any suitable number of
longitudinal grooves V.
Fig. 5 shows a hollow indiarubber valve I fitted or lined with a metal cap
adapted to sustain the pressure of the spring C.
Fig. 6 shows a solid valve L retained by a flat spring M to which it is secured
by a screw N and which is itself secured by screws O.
Fig. 7 shows a bung P the cylindrical or tapering orifice of which is closed by a
stopper R of indiarubber or other suitable material sustaining the pressure of a
spring or diaphragm Q.
Fig. 8 shows a cast or moulded bung U with a cast valve V retained in position
by flat springs W supported upon the heads of screws X. A metal faucet Z is
attached to the bung.
Fig. 9 represents a bung similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but embodying all the
improvements which practice suggests. To make allowance for the warping of the
wood which might destroy the perfect tightness of the valve, a valve-seat B¹ is
placed within the bung A'. This seat is adapted to receive the valve C₁, two
washers H, G forming a joint between the said seat B' and the body of the bung,
and a free space being left between the two, though tightly closed by the joints, so
as to allow the body of the bung to swell without interfering with the efficiency of
the joint. This is the most perfect type of bung constructed according to the
principle of this invention. A stopper or plug I¹ is provided both with a central
perforation and longitudinal side slots so that when the valve is forced back
liquid may be poured out from the cask owing to the air admitted through the
said slots.
Fig. 10 shows a valve 7 retained in place by a spring G" wound round its
spindle, which arrangement enables faucets or taps such as E" to be conveniently
fitted to it.
The body of the bung and the stopper or plug may be made of wood, iron,
cast-iron, metal, or other suitable material, the body being either screw-threaded
or smooth, as required. The valve may be of wood, metal, indiarubber or other
suitable material,

page_text: 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 :-
:-
1. The combination with a bung of a valve and vent peg adapted to admit or
cut off the supply of air substantially as described.
2. In apparatus such as described the combination with a bung or body such
as A having an opening through it of a valve such as B C¹ or I fitting into said
opening a bridge piece D and spring C substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus such as described the combination with a bung or body such
as A valve B Cor I bridge piece D and spring C of a vent peg such as F or U
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In apparatus such as described the combination with a bung or body such
as A having an opening through it of a valve such as L and spring M substantially
as described and illustrated in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In apparatus such as described the combination with a bung or body such
as A having an opening through it of a valve such as Q R and vent peg such
as T substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 7 of the accompanying
drawings.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts_constituting the complete device
substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 8 of the accompanying
drawings.
7. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete device
substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 9 of the accompanying
drawings.
8. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete device
substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 10 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1891
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.