CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TAPS FOR DRAWING OFF FLUIDS, AND THE MEANS OF APPLYING THE SAME TO CASKS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas William Atlee and George Jobson Atlec,
trading under the Style or Firm of Atlee and Son, of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers and Druggists' Factors,
for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
TAPS FOR DRAWING OFF FLUIDS, AND THE MEANS OF APPLYING THE SAME
TO CASKS."
Scaled the 7th October 1871, and dated the 8th April 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas William Atlee
and George Jobson Atlee at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 8th April 1871.
WC, THOMAS WILLIAM ATLEE and GEORGE JOBSON ATLEE, trading
under the Style or Firm of Atlee and Son, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturers and Druggists' Factors, do hereby declare
the nature of our said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF TAPS FOR DRAWING OFF FLUIDS, AND THE MEANS OF APPLYING
THE SAME TO CASKS," to be as follows (that is to say) :-
:―
Our improvements consist in applying to the end of the shank of the
tap that enters the barrel a hardened steel cutter, which may be formed
upon the most approved shape either as a gimlet, auger, or centre bit,
the centre being wormed to facilitate its entering the wood. This auger
or other suitable cutter is of sufficient size as to allow a large portion

page_text: of the shank of the tap to follow readily through the orifice made by
the said cutter when applied to the end or other part of a cask or vessel,
and the said cutter being turned around bodily with the tap until a
hole is bored through the wood permits a parallel portion of the shank
to follow and pass in through the same orifice, to be followed up by an
enlarged screwed part of the shank terminating with a broad flange.
Thus it will be seen that by applying a tap so constructed to any part
of a wood cask or vessel, and the tap being turned around, the cutter
at its apex is brought into operation, boring a hole for its own reception,
permitting the major part of the shank to be passed into the vessel,
when the enlarged, slightly tapered, screwed part comes into operation
by the continuous turning of the tap in a central line with its shank,
the screw bedding itself into the wood, holding the tap firmly in
position, the screwing being continued until the flange of the tap (on
which a leather washer may be placed) is brought in contact with the
surrounding external surface of the wood through which the shank of
the tap has passed. The front or flow way of the tap may be variously
formed and regulated as desired, rendering unnecessary the providing of
any striking part in applying the tap to casks or vessels.
To facilitate the application and withdrawal of taps so constructed
to or from casks or vessels we construct an iron socket so fashioned as to
encompass the front part of the tap to facilitate the holding of it in
position, and at the ends of this socket we form, by preference, holes for
receiving levers or handles. By this means we impart to the tap the
facilitics equivalent to the cross handle of an auger to control and render
the application or withdrawal of the tap simple and casy.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas William Atlee and George Jobson Atlec
in the Great Scal Patent Office on the 7th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, THOMAS 30
WILLIAM ATLEE and GEORGE JOBSON ATLEE, trading under the Style
or Firm of Atlec and Son, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturers and Druggists' Factors, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of April, in the year of 35

page_text: our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Thomas William Atlee and George
Jobson Atlee, Her special license that we, the said Thomas William
Atlee and George Jobson Atlec, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas William Atlee and George
Jobson Atlce, our exccutors, administrators, and 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TAPS FOR DRAWING OFF
FLUIDS, AND THE MEANS OF APPLYING THE SAME TO CASKS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas William Atlee and
George Jobson Atlee, by an instrument in writing under our hands and
scals, 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 we, the said Thomas William Atlee and George
Jobson Atlee, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement (that is to say)
Our improvements consist in applying to the end of the shank of the
tap that enters the barrel a hardened steel cutter, which may be formed
of the most approved shape, either as a gimlet, auger, or centre bit, the
centre being wormed or otherwise to facilitate its entering the wood;
this auger or other suitable cutter is of sufficient size as to allow a large
portion of the shank of the tap to follow readily through the orifice
made by the said cutter. In applying a tap so constructed to the end or
other part of a cask or vessel, the said cutter being turned around bodily
with the tap removes the wood until a hole is bored through, and
permits a parallel portion of the shank of the tap to follow and pass in
through the said orifice, to be followed up by an enlarged screwed part
of the shank, terminating with a broad flange. Thus it will be seen that
by applying a tap so constructed to any part of a wood cask or vessel,
and the tap being turned around, the cutter at its apex is brought into

page_text: operation, boring a hole for its own reception, permitting the major part
of the shank to be passed into the vessel, when the enlarged (slightly
tapered) screwed part comes into operation by the continuous turning of
the tap in a central line with its shank, the screw beds itself into the
wood, and the screwing being continued until the flange of the tap (on
which a leather or other washer may be placed) is brought in complete
contact with the surrounding external surface of the wood through
which the shank of the tap has passed, makes the application thoroughly
secure and firm. The front or flow way of the tap may be variously
formed and regulated as desired, rendering unnecessary the providing of
any striking part in applying the tap to casks or vessels by the process
of driving.
To facilitate the application and withdrawal of taps so constructed to
or from casks or vessels we construct fixed handles or a portable iron
socket, so fashioned as to encompass or engage the front part of the tap
to facilitate the holding of it in position; and at the ends of this socket
we form holes for receiving handles, by which means we impart to
the tap the facilities equivalent to the cross handle of an auger to
control and render the application or withdrawal of such taps simple
and easy.
But in order to convey a clear impression or knowledge of our
Invention, we will describe the same in connection with the Drawings
hereunto annexed, adopting the form of auger for removing the wood
most approved in practical use (that is to say) :-
Fig. 1 represents a tap constructed generally according to our improve-
ments, omitting the striking part ordinarily applied in the front, and
applying the steel auger apex to the shank marked A, which will (by
ordinary pressure and revolution of the tap through the central dotted
line b and c (when applying the same to a cask or vessel) remove the
wood, permitting the shank to enter as far as the screw d, d, and by
continuing the revolution of the tap the screw d will bite and worm
itself into the wood of the cask until the washer shown in dotted lines,
marked e, is brought in contact with the face of the portion of the cask,
whether head or stave, to make it secure, taking care that the flow of
the tap F is in a downward direction for the proper delivery of the fluid
when the interior of the plug of the tap has been turned for that purpose.
To facilitate the process of applying and removing such taps we in
some cases, when preferred, provide a portable socket, such as exhibited

page_text: in a side and top view at Figs. 2 and 3; the central part may be
produced conveniently of malleable cast iron, and fitted with terminable
head handles, marked G and H; the opening I is intended to engage the
neck, marked J of Figure 1, but by lengthening the barrel of the tap
and delivery pipe, as at Fig. 4, equivalent power or means is afforded
with the construction of the tap to permit its application and withdrawal
without portable means or leverage being applied.
Figs. 5 and 6 represent a tap constructed according to our improve-
ments, with a curved delivery pipe, to which tap we have formed
handles K and L, for affording leverage for application and withdrawal,
the key way barrel and delivery pipe being as ordinarlly constructed.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner
in which the same may be carried into effect, we wish it understood that
we do not purpose limiting ourselves to the metal of which the tap
proper may be composed, nor to the shape of the part A as here
represented (but which we believe to be the best), as it may be of an
ordinary centre bit, gimlet, or other equivalent form, so long as it is
capable of making a clear and suitable circular orifice of the desired size
for the shank M of the tap to pass in; nor do we purpose confining
ourselves to any particular form for the tap proper and additions thereto,
or portable auxilliary for affording the controllable power for boring
casks and screwing in or removing such taps, as the same may be
diversified without affecting the object of our Invention.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas William Atlee and George
Jobson Atlee, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixth day
of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-one.
THOMAS WILLIAM ATLEE. (L.S.)
GEORGE JOBSON ATLEE.
(L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM LOACH,
Clerk to James S. Cockings,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.