Improvements relating to Stoppers and Taps for Casks and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements relating to Stoppers and Taps for Casks and the like.
WILLIAM HARROP, Engine Tenter, of No. 1, Jane Street, Denton, in the County
of Lancashire, do hereby declare the nature of 'this invention to be as follows;-
Improvements relating to stoppers and taps for casks and the like, to be made
of brass or any other metal, (woods,) or compounds.
The stopper and tap is in several parts. The stopper is a fixture to cask and
is fastened by meanes of screws or bolts or any other meanes. The said stopper
holds at inner end a moveable plug, which holds in its place a spring and valve
with rubber washer.
The first or fore part of the tap screws into the stopper and holds and guides
a spindle that runs through from latter part of tap which is connected by means
of a union to first or fore part of tap. The latter part of tap holds a spindle
which is worked by means of a small wheel, which if turned to right opens the
said valve in stopper and lets the contents of cask flow through the stopper and
fore part of tap into the latter part of tap to out let which is a union or nozzal
screwed on to latter part of tap. The first union that connects the fore and
latter part of tap allowes the nozzal or out let to be placed in any position
viz. upwards downwards or sideways thus allowing any connection in pipes or
tubes, to be carried in any direction.
By turning the foresaid wheel to left allows the spring in stopper to close
the valve and thus shut off the liquor. Thus the tap can be removed from
stopper and placed in any other cask holding (a stopper) with out disturbing
or loss whatever of contents of casks.
Dated this 19th day June 1899
WILLIAM HARROP,
No. 1, Jane Street, Denton.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Stoppers and Taps for Casks and the like.
I, WILLIAM HARROP, of No. 1, Jane Street, Denton, Lancashire, Engine
Tenter, 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;-
This invention relates to the tapping of casks and the like and to the auto-
matic closing of such casks after filling and before tapping or after the tap is

page_text: inserted and removed, and with the aid of the accompanying drawings which
illustrate the invention in detail 1 will proceed to describe the same with the
assistance of the various figures and letters of reference marked thereon.
Fig. 1 represents an exterior side view of the improved tapping device coupled
to the device for closing the cask and shewing by dotted lines the relation
thereof to the cask:
Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5, 6 illustrates details separately.
According to my invention, I, provide the tap hole in the cask with a metal
liner or bush (A) which has a flange (B), and, by preference, screws into the
wood and is fixed by a series of screws through the holes (C). The bush is also
threaded internally and into such bush I introduce a further bush or stopper (D),
which is also formed with a flange (E) with screw holes (E) through which the
screws used for fixing the bush (A) also pass, and by which both flanges (B)
and (E) are securely connected to the cask. The said flanges also have
holes (*) (**) into which a tool may take for screwing or unscrewing the
bushes.
Within the stopper or bush (D) is a valve seating (F), a valve (G) and a
spring (I), and the end of the bush is closed by a screwed plug (1): The spring
lies between the plug and the valve and by its pressure and in the absence of any
contracting force holds the valve against the seating. In the wall of the bush (D)
and beyond the valve seating, are holes (J) which open into the cask.
With the cask full, and the valve (G) on its seating under pressure of the
spring (H) and the liquor behind, it effectively seals the outlet. To further seal
the outlet provide a screw threaded plug (K) which screws into the open end
of the bush or stopper (D).
To tap a barrel fitted with the stopper as aforesaid I employ a tap (L) which
is furnished with a screw threaded portion (M) corresponding in size to the
internal diameter of the stopper (D) and by which, after the plug (K) has been
removed the said tap may be coupled to the stopper as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
The tap also comprises an outlet (N) with tail pipe (0) for coupling to the pipe
of a beer engine, and the connections of the tap body are such as to allow of the
tail pipe swivelling to different positions. Within the tap and passing through
gland (P) is a spindle (Q) and upon the spindle is a screw thread which screws
through a correspondingly screw threaded part of the tap body, and the end of
the spindle passes through a guide (R) and lies directly in line with and
opposite the stem or wings (G) of the valve (G) as illustrated in Fig. 2.
The rotation of the spindle (Q) by its handle (Q) causes it to press against
the said stem or wings of the valve, and thereby push the valve (G) from its
seating. The instant this is done the liquor in the cask flows into the tap and
out through the outlet (N), the guide (R) as shewn in Fig. 2 being cut away
at each side to allow the liquor to pass. If desired the guide may be dispensed
with.
Upon reversing the rotation of the spindle (Q) it allows the valve (G) to close,
and thus reseal the cask.
With the unscrewing of the tap from the stopper (D), say when the cask is
empty, and replacing the plug (K) the cask is ready for removal from the
'stillage.
For examination of the cask and like purposes the stopper (D) is removed
from the bush (A) which then allows unobstructed access to the interior of the
barrel, and in such way I provide for the three main requirements of brewers
and users, viz. (1) ready tapping of the barrel without the risk of spilling the
liquor; (2) the automatic closing of the barrel after filling and before tapping or
after the removal of the tap; and (3) the ready inspection of the interior of the
barrel. Other advantages lie in the convenience in removing the tap and resealing
the barrel when the latter is only partially empty and the easy removal of the
stopper for renewal or cleaning.

page_text: The parts are preferably of gun metal but may be of wood or other
suitable materials.
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. An automatic cask or like closing and tapping device consisting of a bush
fitting into the tap hole and stopper fitting into the said bush and within which
latter is a valve seating, a valve and spring, and in the sides of which is a series
of holes substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and illustrated
on the accompanying drawings.
2. An automatic cask or like closing and tapping device of the kind set forth in
Claim one, in combination with a tap adapted to be coupled to the stopper
aforesaid, and comprising a spindle by which the valve in the stopper may be
pushed off its seating, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated this 13th day of March 1900.
WILLIAM HARROP.
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents for Applicants, 55, Market Street, Manchester.