IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR COCKS "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Defrios, of Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury,
London, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TAPS OR COCKS "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Defries at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th August 1883.
SAMUEL DEFRIES, of Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR COCKS "
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of the Taps or Cocks
termed Tapping Cocks used by Publicans and others for drawing off beer or other
liquid or fluid from Cellars and other places.
Among the disadvantages attending the use of the ordinary tapping cock are:-
that when connected by a pipe or tube with a beer engine, or pump, it cannot be
disconnected from the Cask, or other vessel, into which it has been introduced and
be inserted into another without removing its cap and lining by the aid of a
wrench, (which is often not at hand when wanted) whereby the pipe or tube is
left free to discharge its contents, which mostly run off to waste while the tube
encumbers the ground; the ordinary tapping cock has also the further defect that
its plug is often dislodged and the circle of the tap bulged by the blows given upon
the butt of the Tap in driving it into the cask or vessel.
In my improved Tapping Cock these defects are obviated; it may be readily
removed from one cask or vessel to another without the loss of any of the liquid
which may at that time be in the pipe or tube connecting it with the beer engine
or pump, no dislodgment of plug and bulging of its seat can take place in driving
it into the cask, it has no cap or lining which must necessarily be removed before
it can be driven into a fresh cask, and it permits of the tubes or pipes connecting it
with the engine being suspended with their contents until the tap is required for
insertion into a fresh Cask
I propose to obtain these advantages by making my improved Tapping Cock
with a shank closed or solid at the butt and with a branch or connection to

page_text: receive any suitable form of Cock, the outlet of this cock being provided with any
convenient union for attaching thereupon the tube or pipe leading to the engine
or pump.
Thus, the plug and seat of the cock not being in the shank cannot be injured by
blows upon the butt and the tube or pipe not being attached to the butt of the
shank but to the cock which is on a branch thereof, there is no necessity for its
removal in order to drive the shank into the cask by striking on its butt.
An additional advantage offered by my construction of Tapping Cock is, that
the pipe or tube connecting it with the engine or pump is always primed and no
time is lost in obtaining suction when a fresh cask or vessel is tapped.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Defries in the Patent Office on the 5th February 1884.
SAMUEL DEFRIES of Great Russell Street Bloomsbury London in the County of
Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR COCKS"
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of the Taps or Cocks
termed Tapping Cocks, used by Publicans and others for drawing off beer or other
liquid or fluid from Cellars and other places.
Amongst the disadvantages attending the use of the ordinary tapping cock are:-
that when connected by a pipe or tubo with a beer engine or pump, it cannot be
disconnected from the cask or other vessel into which it has been introduced and
be inserted into another, without removing its cap and lining by the aid of a
wrench (which is often not at hand when wanted); whereby the pipe or tube is
left free to discharge its contents, which mostly run off to waste while the tube
encumbers the ground; the ordinary tapping cock has also the further defect that
its plug is often dislodged and the circle of the tap bulged by the blows given upon
the butt of the tap in driving it into the cask or vessel.
In my improved Tapping Cock these defects are obviated; it may be readily
removed from ono cask or vessel to another without the loss of any of the liquid
which may at that time be in the pipe or tubo connecting it with the beer engine
or pump, no dislodgment of plug and bulging of its seat can take place in driving
it into the cask, it has no cap or lining which must necessarily be removed before
it can be driven into a fresh cask or vessel, and it permits of the tubes or pipes
connecting it with the Engine being suspended with their contents until the tap is
required for insertion into a fresh cask.
I obtain these advantages by making my improved Tapping Cock with a shank
closed or solid at the butt and with a branch to receive any suitable form of cock,
the outlet of this cock being provided with any convenient union for attaching
thereupon the tube or pipe leading to the Engine or pump.
Thus, the plug and seat of the cock not being in the shank cannot be injured by
blows upon the butt, and the tube or pipe not being attached to the butt of tho
shank, but to the cock which is on a branch thereof, there is no necessity for its
removal in order to drive the shank into the cask by striking on its butt.
An additional advantage offered by my construction of Tapping Cock is that the
pipe or tube connecting it with the Engine or pump is always primed and no time
is lost in obtaining suction when a fresh cask or vessel is tapped.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing
Figure 1. Is an illustration representing a Tapping Cock as usually constructed.
Figure 2. Shows the combination and general arrangement of any improved
Tapping Cock.
:
Figures 3 and 4 Illustrate the application of my improved Tapping Cock for the
purpose of connecting casks with a beer engine or pump, and,
Figure 5. Shows a similar application of the ordinary Tapping Cock
A indicates the shank of the Tapping Cock of my Invention
B is the Butt of same
C Branch or connection for cock
D the Cock
E Cap or nut
F Pipes or tubes leading from casks to Engine or pump.
G The casks.
H hooks for carrying pipes or tubes.
I Chain sling for supporting pipe or tube when taken out of Cask

page_text: It will be seen that by turning off the cock D the contents of the pipe F are
retained therein and that the shank A may be removed from the cask G without
the possibility of any liquid escaping from this pipe, which may if desired be hung
up to the hook H by the chain sling I while a fresh cask is being put in place, and
then the shank A may at once be driven into it by striking upon the butt B, from i
which a cap and lining would havo required removal if the ordinary Tapping Cock
had been used, as at Figure 5, before the driving in could have been effected, and
even should this butt B be struck by a bammer or piece of metal instead of a
mallet the cock D cannot be injured, it being carried above the shank on the
branch C, and therefore not in a position to be injured by blows given on the butt.
When taking the connecting pipe or tube to a distance I may place the cock in
a horizontal, inclined or any convenient position, as for example at Figure 6, and
use a leather sling to support it where desirable
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention and in
what manner the same is or may be performed, I desire it to be understood that 1
I may make my improved Tapping Cock of any suitable metal or materials, that I
do not bind myself to any particular form or shape of shank or cock, and may use
whatever kind of union I may find most convenient for connecting the cock with
the tube or pipe leading to the Engine or Pump, and that what :-
I Claim as secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is :-
The use of a Tapping Cock composed of a shank A. having a solid or closed Butt B
and a branch or connection C carrying a cock D substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown upon the accompanying Slieet of Drawing
In witness whereof I the said Samuel Defries have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Eighth day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred 2
-and-eighty-three:-
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