IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel John Bartlett, of Maidstone, in the County
of Kent, Watch and Clock Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TAPS."
Sealed the 3rd May 1864, and dated the 10th November 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel John Bartlett at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th November 1863.
I, SAMUEL JOHN BARTLETT, of Maidstone, in the County of Kent, Watch
and Clock Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certainimprovements in the construction of taps
suitable for urns, beer cocks, and other purposes where a simple and cheap tap
is required.
The improved tap consists of a tube with a discharging lip or spout
branching out from the under side thereof, a little distance from the end of the
tube, which is open throughout. Into the front end of this tube, which is
made slightly tapered internally, is fitted in the same axial line with the bore
of the tap a correspondingly tapered hollow plug, the plug being held fluid-
tight in its place by a helical spring enclosed in a cap screwed on to the end
of the tap. A lateral aperture is made in the hollow plug, coinciding with the
exit passage of the tap, and this lateral aperture is so placed, that the plug
must be given a half turn in order to open or close the tap in lieu of only a
[Price Sill

page_text: quarter turn as in other taps. In some cases, as for example, when intended
for urns, a bent handle is attached to the end of the plug, and passes through
a central hole in the cap, but for beer barrels and other purposes where a key
tap is required, the handle is dispensed with, and the end of the plug itself
has a chamber formed in it, which will receive an ordinary cash-box key, by
which the plug may be turned, thus dispensing with the cumbrous brass keys
hitherto employed.
The advantages afforded by this tap are quick draught, non-liability to
leakage, easily taken to pieces for cleaning or repair, and great simplicity of
construction.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel John Bartlett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th May 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
JOHN BARTLETT, of Maidstone, in the County of Kent, Watch and Clock
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Samuel John Bartlett, Her special license that I, the said Samuel
John Bartlett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Samuel John Bartlett, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Samuel John Bartlett, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one
of them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel John Bartlett, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to; be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
taps suitable for urns, beer casks, and other purposes where a simple and cheap
tap is required.
The improved tap consists of a tube with a discharging lip or spout
branching out from the under side thereof, a little distance from the end of
the tube, which is open throughout. Into the front end of this tube, which
is made slightly tapered internally, is fitted in the same axial line with the
bore of the tap, a correspondingly tapered hollow plug, the plug being held
fluid-tight in its place by a helical spring enclosed in a cap screwed on to the
end of the tap. A lateral aperture is made in one side of the hollow plug
coinciding with the exit passage of the tap, so as to admit of the plug receiving
a half turn when opening or closing the tap, in lieu of only a quarter turn, as
in other taps. In some cases, as for example, when intended for urns, a bent
handle is attached to the end of the plug, and passes through a central hole in
the cap, but for beer barrels and other purposes where a key tap is required,
the handle is dispensed with, and the end of the plug itself has a chamber
formed in it, which will receive an ordinary cash-box key, by which the plug
may be turned, thus dispensing with the cumbrous brass keys hitherto
employed.
The advantages afforded by this tap are quick draught, non-liability to
leakage, easily taken to pieces for cleaning or repair, and great simplicity of
construction.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
I shall refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Diawings hereunto
annexed, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
Figures.
Fig. 1 of my Drawings represents a longitudinal sectional elevation of my
improved tap as adapted for a tea or coffee urn; Fig. 2 is a similar view of
the tap constructed as a key tap suitable for a beer cask; and Figure 3 is an
end view of the same.
A is the tube or main body of the tap, and B is the discharging lip or spout.
This tube A is made entirely open throughout, but its front end is made
slightly tapered internally toreceive thecorrespondinglytapered hollow plug C.
D (Fig. 1) is a bent handle, secured to the closed end of the hollow plug C
for the purpose of turning the same. In Figs. 2 and 3 this handle is replaced

page_text: by the keyhole or oblong recess D, sunk into the end of the plug for the
admission of an ordinary drawer or cash-box key for turning the plug. The
plug is held in its place by a screwed cap E fitting on to the screwed end of
the body of the tap, a helical spring a being inserted inside the cap, and made
to bear against the end of the plug with a view to holding the plug by a
yielding pressure in its proper place. b is a lateral opening made in one side
of the hollow plug, which coincides with the discharging lip or spout B. On
referring to the Drawings it will be seen that a full half revolution may be
given to the plug C each time the tap is opened or closed, whereas with the
ordinary plugs not more than a quarter of a revolution should be given thereto
in opening and closing the tap.
When used as a beer tap, the usual vent plug may be dispensed with by
having a hole drilled in the top of the tap when open, through the tap and
through the hollow plug.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would 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 peculiar construction of tap plug, and the mode of combining
the same with the tap body, as herein-before described and illustrated by. my
Drawings.
Second, the making of a keyhole or chamber in the plug of a tap, whereby
facility is afforded for opening and closing the plug by means of an ordinary
cash-box key, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel John Bartlett, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Ninth day of May, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-four.
SAMUEL JOHN BARTLETT. (L.S.)