NEW OR IMPROVED TAPS AND VALVES COMBINED.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Ashton, of Falcon House, Salterhebble,
near Halifax, in the County of York, Common Brewer, for the
Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED TAPS AND VALVES COMBINED.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Ashton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th November 1875.
I, HENRY ASHTON, of Falcon House, Salterhebble, near Halifax, in
the County of York, Common Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED TAPS AND VALVES COMBINED,"
to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to enable brewers and retailers of ale
or porter to draw from two casks simultaneously and in any desirable
proportions, or separately from either; as, for instance, when the ale or
porter in one cask has become too stale, old, or hard for use, then by
drawing from another cask of ripe or new ale or porter to mix with it
the former is rendered usable, also for mixing ale and porter, or mild
and bitter beer, or other liquids when required. For this purpose I
combine two taps and valves with one outlet, or two separate inlets with
plugs and valves to one outlet.

page_text: These combined taps are each constructed with a recess or enlarge-
ment of the passage betwixt the inlet and the plug, and in each of these
recesses is placed a marble or round ball or other valve to act as a check
valve to prevent the ripe liquor from passing into the stale, old, or hard
when not drawing by the pump, the pressure of the ripe acting on the
ball or other valve will close the passage.
Both inlets and outlets are constructed with ordinary coupling joints,
so that the same may be readily disconnected with one or both casks,
and connected to others, or disconnected from one pump and connected
to another.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Ashton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th May 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
ASHTON, of Falcon House, Salterhebble, near Halifax, in the County of
York, Common Brewer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five,
in the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Ashton,
Her special licence that I, the said Henry Ashton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Ashton, my executors, 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 "NEW OR IMPROVED TAPS AND VALVES COMBINED,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Ashton,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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
"

page_text: 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 Henry Ashton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 Sheet of Drawings : —
The object of this Invention is to enable brewers and retailers of alc
or porter to draw from two casks simultaneously and in any desirable
proportions, or separately from either; as, for instance, when the ale or
porter in one cask has become too stale, old, or hard for use, then by
drawing from another cask of ripe or new ale or porter to mix with it
the former is rendered usable, or for mixing ale and porter, or mild and
bitter beer, or other liquids when required. For this purpose I combine
two taps and valves with one outlet, or two separate inlets with plugs
and valves to one outlet.
These combined taps are each constructed with a recess or enlarge-
ment of the passage betwixt the inlet and the plug, and in each of these
recesses is placed a marble or round ball or other valve to act as a check
valve, to prevent the ripe liquor from passing into the stale, old; or hard
when not drawing by the pumps; the pressure of the ripe acting on the
ball or other valve will close the passage.
Both inlets and outlet are constructed with ordinary coupling joints,
so that the same may be readily disconnected with one or both casks,
and connected to others, or disconnected from one pump and connected
to another.
In order that this Invention may be more clearly understood I herein
give reference to a Sheet of Drawings of a tap or valve constructed
according to the said Invention.
Fig. 1 is a front view, partly in section; Fig. 2 is a side view of the
same; and Fig. 3 is a cross section taken at the line a, b, in Fig. 1.
A and B are the two inlets connecting to two casks of ale or porter, one
ripe and the other stale, with ordinary coupling joints C and D; E and
F are ordinary plug taps, with loose handles; and G is the outlet for
connecting to the pumps, with coupling joint H.
It will be observed in these sections of the Drawings that the inlets
are formed or constructed with a recess or elongated cavity or enlarge-

page_text: ment of the passage in cach to contain a marble or round ball I, which
when there is any back pressure plugs the inlet or closes the passage,
and so prevents the ripe liquor from passing into the stale cask, and
thereby disturbing the sediment, so that the liquor can be drawn bright|
to the end. The taps can be regulated so that any desirable proportion
from either cask can be drawn at one time or from one cask separately.
The ball valve is guided in its movement by ribs J, and there is a
grating K provided to prevent the passage of hops or seeds.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and shown
by Drawings in what manner the same is to be carried into practical
effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise details of construction or arrangement as shown and described,
as I may construct the inlets with the recess or enlarged passage or
cavity therein and the ball valve separately and in such manner as to
be attached to any existing taps and pipes used for the same or similar
purpose, nor do I claim the combination of two inlets and one outlet
with taps and valves, as I am aware such is not new, but what I do
claim as my Invention is,―
Firstly. The construction and use of ball valves in manner substan-
tially as shewn by the Drawings and described herein.
Secondly. The combining of two such valves with ordinary plug taps
in manner and for purposes as herein described and shewn by the
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Ashton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Signed, sealed, and delivered
by the within-named Henry
Ashton, in the presence of
WM. TASKER,
Patent Agent,
Halifax.
HENRY ASHTON. (L.S.)