A Self Acting Closure or Stopper for Stoppering the Tap Hole of a Barrel on the Inside.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Self Acting Closure or Stopper for Stoppering the Tap Hole of a
Barrel on the Inside.
I FRANK HENRY WILLIAMSON 15 Beech Avenue, Sherwood Rise, Nottingham
Lace Designer and I GERVAS HENRY MATTHEWS Queen's Elms, West Bridgford,
Nottingham Traveller 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 :-
The invention relates to a self acting closure or stopper for stoppering the tap
hole of a barrel on the inside.
The system of closing the object of this invention applies to barrels, & therefor
prevents any damp, dirt, or anything injurious to the inside of the barrel, entering
the tap hole when the barrel is empty.
The liquid can be withdrawn as soon as the tap is fixed in the barrel, & when the
tap is withdrawn, the tap hole is immediately closed, thus the barrels will always
be kept free from dirt & damp.
This closure being composed of wood or glass &c. & metal (the metal if
necessary may be encased in leather) there is no fear of any adulteration of
liquids.
This closure does not bring about any change in the barrel. To leave no doubt
as to its formation and-working the following description refers to the accompanying
drawing.
Figure 1 of this drawing is a vertical section of a tap hole of a barrel provided
with our system of closure.
Figures, 2, 3, 4, 5 represent detached each of the constituent parts of this
closure.
Figure 6 represents the invention when the tap is fixed in the barrel.
A represents a rim of wood which is fixed round the top of the tap hole Z on
the inside of the barrel, having its inner side curved from a to y (if necessary the
inner side from a to y may be coated with cork).
B represents the stopper which is made of hard solid wood, glass or any other
material suitable for the purpose, the lower part of B from a to a¹ is curved, to fit
into the curved part of A indicated by y on the top B is provided with two small
pieces of wood a² & a³, to prevent the spring C from slipping off B.
C is a spring made of any kind of metal suitable for the purpose (if necessary
C may be encased in leather, which is fastened by a screw or screws on to the
barrel at the point c', from c¹. C is curved right over D & presses tightly on to B
between a & a so as to keep B tightly pressed into the curved part of A indicated
by_x. y.
D represents two upright pieces of wood fixed to the barrel, between which
the arm of B is fastened, by a small metal pin passing through the two uprights D
& the arm of B at the point d, so as to allow B to rotate backwards & forwards.
The final closing is effected by an ordinary cork E.
The opening is effected by the stopper B being pushed back, by the cork E,
when driven into the barrel by the tap, & B having its lower part curved, & the
spring C pressing on B, pushes the cork away (the cork falling into the barrel)
& B then rests on the end of the tap (as shown in Fig. 6) & allows the liquid to be
withdrawn (when the tap is turned on,) & when the tap is taken from the barrel C
forces B back into the curved part of A indicated by xy thus rendering the barrel
perfectly air tight.
It is thus evident that dirt & damp is prevented from entering the barrel when
empty.

page_text: Having now described and ascertained the nature of our said invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :
1. A system of closure composed of wood or glass &c. & metal (the metal if
necessary to be encased in leather, rendering barrels air tight & preventing dirt
& damp from getting into the barrel when empty the said system being characterised
by the combination, of a rim of wood A fixed round the top of tap hole Z
having its inner side curved (if necessary the inner side may be coated with cork)
a wood or glass &c. stopper B having its lower part curved from a to a¹ to fit into
the curved part of A, a metal spring C (if necessary C may be encased in leather)
which is fastened on to the barrel, & two small wooden uprights fixed on the barrel.
The whole arranged and working substantially in the manner and with the object
described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 12th day of October 1893.
FRANK HENRY WILLIAMSON.
GERVAS HENRY MATTHEWS.