Self-adjusting Appliance for Drawing Off the Contents of Barrels and Closing the Opening.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 29th June, 1895-Accepted, 21st Sept.. 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Self-adjusting Appliance for Drawing Off the Contents of Barrels
and Closing the Opening.
I, WILLIAM PLATTEN of 44 Edward Street, in the City of Sheffield,
Provision Dealer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows: :-
This invention relates to an appliance for use in drawing off the contents of
barrels of ale and the like, and for stoppering the opening in the barrel.
The chief object of the invention is to provide an appliance that will first draw
off the liquid at a high point, and will gradually fall with the liquid until it rests
upon the bottom of the barrel.
I propose to use a length of straight or slightly curved metallic tube attached to a
short length of flexible tube to which either directly or by means of a tap the lead
pipe of the beer pull or other pump is attached.
The front end of the metallic tube is perforated for the passage of the liquid,
and the end is closed by a screw-on cap to which is secured a piece of cork, or other
floating contrivance.
The tap hole of the barrel is provided with an elastic tubular washer through
which the metallic tube and a portion of the elastic tube can be pushed.
When the barrel is filled the tubular washer is stopped by the unscrewed metallic
cap the float being inside the barrel. When required for use the end of the metallic
tube is screwed into the open end of the cap through the tap hole and is then pushed
forward into the barrel. When a portion of the flexible tube has entered the barrel
the float raises the metallic tube, so that the perforations are at the highest point,
and as the liquid is gradually withdrawn the perforated end of the tube also falls
until it rests upon the bottom of the barrel.
When the barrel is empty, the pipe is drawn out until the cap is drawn within
the tubular washer in the tap hole, and the float prevents any further movement,
the pipe is then unscrewed from the cap, and a plug may be screwed into the cap
if desired.
Dend L
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1004
ROBT. F. DRURY,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Self-adjusting Appliance for Drawing Off the Contents of Barrels
and Closing the Opening.
I, WILLIAM PLATTEN of 44 Edward Street, in the City of Sheffield,
Provision Dealer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same has to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an appliance for use in drawing off the contents of
barrels of ale and the like and for stoppering the opening usually called the tap-hole
into the barrel.
The chief object of the invention is to provide an appliance that will first draw

page_text: letters of reference indicate similar parts in any of the figures in which they
occur.
Fig. 1, represents a section of the end of a barrel fitted with my apparatus.
Fig. 2, section of small portion of end, with pipe removed, and hole closed.
Fig. 3, enlarged views of rubber socket.
Fig. 4, metal cover plate.
Fig. 5, section of rubber socket, and cover plate.
Fig. 6, rod used for removing plug.
In carrying out my invention as shown in the drawings I take a length of metallic
tube A, and a length of flexible tube B, and fasten them together, the metallic tube
preferably being slightly curved as shown.
Near the end of the metallic tube I pierce a number of holes C, and the extreme
end is provided with a screw thread upon which is screwed what I term the plug
and float D.
The plug may be a piece of metal tube d', which is screwed internally to
correspond with the end of the tube A, and with the screwed end of the rod R,
Fig. 6.
The float d', may be made of any suitable material, such as cork, which is
preferred for this purpose on account of it being tasteless.
The flexible tube B, may be connected outside the barrel with the usual lead pipes
leading to the beer machine syphon or otherwise as desired.
The tap hole of the barrel is provided with an elastic tubular washer or socket E,
preferably made of the configuration shown in the various figures and separately in
Fig. 3. It has a washer-shaped front e', and the back of the tubular socket piece
is enlarged at 2, for its better security in the barrel end F, the central opening
fits tightly over the tubes A; and B. For protection I use a metallic cover-
plate G, shown in Figs. 4 and 5, which prevents damage to the part e', of the
rubber or flexible socket E.
The appliance being fixed and the barrel filled or partly filled with liquid, the
metallic tube A, is raised by the buoyancy of the float a², to the position shown in
Fig. 1, and as the liquid is withdrawn it falls until it reaches its lowest position
indicated in dotted lines in the same figure. Thus the contents can be drawn off
without tilting until the barrel is practically empty.
The pipe A, is now drawn through the rubber socket piece E, until the plug d¹ is
inside and the float d abuts tightly against the rim e.
The pipe A, may now be unscrewed and taken away, and to prevent the plug
being accidentally thrust into the barrel a screw with a large head I, Fig. 2, inay
be screwed into the plug.
When it is desirable to inspect the inside of the barrel the screw H, is removed
and the rod R, Fig. 6, is screwed into the plug which can then be forced back into
the barrel and after inspection the plug can be drawn back and screwed into
position.
If the barrel has been filled and is required for use the screw H, is removed
and the metallic pipe A, (with the flexible pipe B) is screwed into the plug, the
pipe with the float may then be forced through the rubber socket into working
position.
A tap should be placed upon or in connection with the outer end of the pipe B,
or other like means used to prevent escape of the liquid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The apparatus for drawing off the contents of barrels and for closing the
tap-hole, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

page_text: 2. As an appliance for drawing off the contents of barrels, a partly flexible tube
provided with perforations for the passage of the liquid, in combination with a
float that will regulate the position of the said tube in the liquid as hereinbefore
described and shown.
Dated the 21st day of June 1895.
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicant.