Improvements in Tap Hole Fittings for Casks and in Taps or Couplings adapted to such Fittings.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 7th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 12th Oct., 18 9
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tap Hole Fittings for Casks and in Taps or
Couplings adapted to such Fittings.
I JAMES BARDSLEY of the Union Brass Works, Oldham, in the County of
Lancaster, Brass Founder and Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention
to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to fittings adapted for application to the tap holes of
casks in order to facilitate the tapping or insertion of discharge appliances and to
ensure the closing of the openings on the withd wal of such discharge appliances.
Such a fitting as co structed previously to my Invention has had a valve opening
inwards and kept closed by means of a spring excepting at the times when a tap has
been in position. The tap has been adapted to screw into the fitting and to open
the said valve when the tap has been screwed home. As the tap has had to be rotated
when being screwed into position there has been no certainty that the tap would be
in a convenient position when fully screwed home. When constructing the parts
according to my Inven ion 1 provide the tap or coupling with screwed sleeve which
is mounted to revolve upon the tap or coupling and is provided with arms or is
otherwise adapted to be turned.
1
This sleeve is mounted between two collars and on the outer face of one of these
collars is an elastic washer. When the tap or coupling is screwed home this washer
makes a joint with a seating which I form in the interior of the tap hole fitting An
ady intige arising from this construction is that the said seating being inside the
firting is not so liable to be damaged is when formed on the exterior of the fitting.
In the cases of casks which are to be connected with pumps I can dispense with a
tap. In such a case a coupling provided with a sleeve as atoresaid and formed at its
inner end to act upon the valve in the fitting is first coupled or joined to the pipe
leading to the pump.
The end of the coupling is then inserted into the tap hole fitting and the sleeve is
turned whereby the end of the coupling forced forward into the fitting and the
aforesaid washer is pressed against the seating. Just before the joint is made the
valve 13 pushed open. On the withdrawal of the coupling the valve closes.
preferred the coupling may be provided with a tap.
If
Bit taps can be provided with the coupling sleeve the tap branch being adapted to
receive the same. Such taps can be inserted very quickly and by inexperienced
persons without loss of liquor or fluid or with a very slight loss the bib being left in
the proper position. I prefer to provide the tap hole hitting with a fine wire gauze
strainer
Dat doe at 1000
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tap Hole Fittings for Casks and in Taps or
Couplings adapted to such Fittings.
I JAMES BARDSLEY of the Union Brass Works, Oldham, in the County of
Lancaster, Brass Founder and Finisher, 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 and accompanying drawings :-
My Invention relates to fittings adapted for application to the tap holes of casks in
order to facilitate the tapping or insertion of discharge appliances and to ensure the
closing of the openings on the withdrawal of such discharge appliances.

page_text: Such a fitting as constructed previously to my Invention has had a valve opening
inwards and kept closed by means of a spring excepting at the times when a tap has
has been in position
The tap has been adapted to screw into the fitting and to open
the said valve when the tap bas been screwed home As the tap has had to be
rotated when being screwed into position there has been no certainty that the tip
would be in a convenient position when fully screwed home When constructing
the parts according to my Invention I provide the tap or coupling with a screwed
sleeve which is mounted to revolve upon the tap or coupling and is provided with
arms or is otherwise adapted to be turned
In order that my Invention may be fully understood I will describe the same with
reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Fig 1 represents a longitudinal
section of a coupling for connecting a cash with a pump Fig 2 represents 'he
coupling as applied to a cask Fig 3 ilustres a modification suitable for cases 'n
which the contents of a cask are drawn off without the aid of a pump
The coupling
consists of two principal parts A and B the intention being that the former shall be
fixed in position before the cask is sent out to the consumer the part B being applied
in the ordinary operation of "tapping" the cask. The tap hole of the cask is provided
with a fitting c to receive the part A
In Fig this fitting is adapted to be
screwed or attached to the outer side of the cask head. In big 2 the said fitting is
applied to the inner side There is also a difference in that in Fig 1 the part A is
screwed into the fitting e where as in Fig 2 the said part is attached by means of a
bayonet joint as indicated in Fig 4 an elastic ring d making a tight joint. The
part A extends into the cask in the form of a skeleton shell a which is covered with
fine gauze as seen in Fig 2. Inside the said shell is a sliding spindle d upon which
is mounted a spiral spring e which is compressed between a screw plug a' which
closes the end of the shell and a valve f which is ground to fit a seating formed in
the shell a the said spring keeping the valve tight against its seating and thereby
preventing the flow of liquor fiom the cask. I do not claim the part A as being
novel The part B in the case of Figs. 1 and 2 is provided with a coupling pipe 6 to
which is attached the pipe leading to the pump. Upon this coupling pipe is mounted
a screw coupling g which is formed with handles g¹ whereby it can be conveniently
rotated and is screwed externally to suit a screw thread formed in the end of the
part A. This coupling screw is kept in place by means of a collar which is brazed
or secured to the pipe the coupling screw turning easily between this collar and a
shoulder at 6'. The outer face of the collar is provided with a washer of leather or
elastic material h¹ which when the coupling is screwed fully home within the end of
the part A bears against a seating which forms the bottom of the recess into which
the said coupling-screws as-seen in Fig. 1. An advantage arising from this con--
struction is that the said seating being inside the fitting is not so liable to be
damaged as when formed on the exterior of the fitting.
The end of the pipe b
extends into a chamber into which the liquor passes when the valve is opened.
The coupling pipe B is applied in the following manner.
When it is desirable to tap the cask [to use the ordinary term] the screw
coupling is entered into the end of A and is turned by means of the handles g¹
the screw coupling revolving upon the pipe b without turning the same. The action
of the screw coupling forces the end of the pipe b forward into the chamber : until
the pipe end comes into contact with the valve f and pushes it open.
The parts are so proportioned as that the valve does not commence to open
until the coupling is nearly home so that a quick turn of the coupling pushes the
valve open and at the same time forces the washer h¹ tightly against its seating
thereby preventing the escape of liquor, The liquor flowing into the chamber › passes
into the pipe 6 through slots or perforations in the pipe one of these slots appearing
in Fig. 1 If preferred the pipe b might be provided with a tap but I do not
consider such an addition to be necessary or desirable.
The example illustrated by Fig. 3 differs in that the pipe 6 is provided with a
bib instead of being adapted to couple to a pipe A pusher spindle k is mounted
within the pipe b and passes out through a gland b³. A lever handle / 18 hinged to

page_text: a projection upon the pipe and is adapted when operated upon to push the spindle k
inward The coupling is applied exactly in the same manner as in the case of the
example first described but in the case of Fig. 3 the coupling can be screwed fully
home without the valve f being opened in the slightest degree. To draw off liquor it
is only necessary to act upon the handle so as to push the spindle inward against the
valve which is pushed open and the liquor discharges through the bib.
As this coup-
ling valve has not a ground plug it is less liable to get out of order than an
ordinary tap especially as it is applied without driving or blows and also it can be
inserted very quickly and by inexperienced persons without loss of liquor or fluid or
with a very slight loss the bib being left in the proper position.
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 19:-
(1) The cask couplings or valve cocks constructed and acting substantially as set
forth and indicated herein before and in the accompanying drawings.
(2) In combination with the part A or a suitable modification of the same a pipe b
upon which is mounted a screw coupling 9 substantially as and for the purpose set
forth and indicated.
(3) In combination with the part A the pipe the coupling g adapted to screw
into the end of A the washer with its seating the pipe 6 being adapted to push open
the valvef when the coupling is nearly screwed home substantially as set forth and
indicated.
Dated this 6th day of August 1889.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.