IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO THE HOLES OF CASKS OR BARRELS THROUGH WHICH THE CONTENTS ARE DRAWN OFF, AND TO THE VENT HOLES, TO PREVENT THE CASKS OR BARRELS FROM BECOMING FOUL "
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Beach, of Woodfield, Oaken in the County
of Stafford for an Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO
THE HOLES OF CASKS OR BARRELS THROUGH WHICH THE CONTENTS ARE
DRAWN OFF, AND TO THE VENT HOLES, TO PREVENT THE CASKS OR BARRELS
FROM BECOMING FOUL
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Beach at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th October 1882.
WILLIAM HENRY BEACH of Woodfield, Oaken, in the County of Stafford,
IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO THE HOLES OF CASKS OR BARRELS
THROUGH WHICH THE CONTENTS ARE DRAWN OFF, AND TO THE VENT HOLES, TO
PREVENT THE CASKS OR BARRELS FROM BECOMING FOUL."
My Invention has for its object to dispense with a plug or cork stopper for the
tap hole or hole of a cask or barrel through which the contents are drawn off, and
to provide means for closing both the tap hole and the vent or spile hole when the
tap is withdrawn, and the Invention consists in the employment of valves for the
tap hole and vent which open inwards when the tap is driven in to permit the
access of air and allow the contents to flow out freely, and close automatically on
the withdrawal of the tap so as to prevent the cask or barrel from becoming foul
or musty.
The valve for the tap hole which closes against a suitable seat placed over the
hole within the barrel, may be a conical, a ball, or other kind of valve, and a cork
or india rubber seat would be provided to ensure a tight closure. One form of the
device consists of a hollow cylindrical casing or cap flanged to fit tightly against
the inner surface of the cask over the tap hole, in which position it is secured by
screws or otherwise, this casing or cap being of sufficient length to receive within
it the end of the tap stem which is driven in through the barrel. The opposite
end of this casing has an aperture or seat to receive a conical valve carried upon a
solid or tubular stem which slides and is suitably guided in the said casing and

page_text: has a spring upon it compressed between the end of the casing and the inner head
of the valve stem. When the tap is inserted it forces back the valve stem and
opens the valve, the contents of the barrel then having access to the tap through
the aperture of the valve seat and around or through the valve stem, according as
it is solid or hollow. The valve inay however be carried on a stem or rod guided
in an open casing or cage whose flanged end is secured to the barrel, and which
carries the seat for the valve. A spring presses the valve against its seat as before,
and the tap when driven into the barrel presses the valvo inwards to permit the
contents of the barrel to pass off.
In the case of a ball valve, the ball is received in a seat fixed over the tap hole
as before and plays within a slotted cage and is pressed into its seat by a spring
behind it. The ball is preferably made of glass or other hard substance and closes
against a seat of cork, indiarubber, or other suitable material and may be attached
to a central guide rod passing through the end of the casing or cage.
The vent hole would be preferably in the flanged end of the casing which would
be furnished with a short tubular portion having an aperture for the passage of the
air, and fitted with a plug or valve on the end of a rod connected to the valve of
the tap hole for closing the aperture when the tap is withdrawn. To prevent the
escape of the contents of the barrel, a tube may be carried up from the aperture to
the upper part of the barrel

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Henry Beach in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th April 1883..
WILLIAM HENRY BEACH of Woodfield, Oaken, in the County of Stafford.
"IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE APPLIED TO THE HOLES OF CASKS OR BARRELS
THROUGH WHICH THE CONTENTS ARE DRAWN OFF AND TO THE VENT HOLES TO
PREVENT THE CASKS OR BARRELS FROM BECOMING foul."
My Invention has for its object to dispense with a plug or cork stopper for the
tap hole of a cask or barrel or the hole through which the contents are drawn off,
and to provide means for closing both the tap hole, and the vent or spile hole when
the tap is withdrawn, and the Invention consists in the employment of valves
for the tap hole and vent which open inwards when the tap is driven in to
permit the access of air and allow the contents to flow out freely and close
automatically on the withdrawal of the tap so as to prevent the cask or barrel from
becoming foul or musty.
The Invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings
which show different forms of the apparatus;
The valve for the tap hole which closes against a suitable seat placed over the
hole within the barrel, may be a conical, a ball, or other kind of valve, closing
against an indiarubber or other seat to ensure a tight closure. One form of the
device consists of a hollow cylindrical casing or cap a Figure 1 flanged to fit.
tightly against the inner surface of the, cask over the tap hole (with a cork or
leather washer interposed between the two) in which position it is secured by
screws or otherwise, this casing or cap being of sufficient length to receive within
it the end of the tap stem b which is driven in through the tap hole. The opposite
end of this casing has an aperture or seat c to receive a conical valve d carried
upon a tubular stem e which slides in the said casing and has a spring f upon it
compressed between the end a¹ of the casing and the inner head e' of the valve
stem. This valve stem e is guided by the aperture in the end a¹ and by the
head e¹ and is provided with openings e² just in front of the valve d. When the
tap is inserted it strikes against a nib or guard g on the end of the valve stem
which it forces back thereby opening the valve, the contents of the barrel then
having access to the tap through the apertures e and the valve stem. Instead of
being tubular, the stem may be solid and of triangular section; or-the valve stem
may be a plain rod as in Figure 3 with a disc e¹ to guide it and compress the
spring, the disc being perforated, as in Figure 4, and the rod sliding through a
guide of the form shown in Figure 5 fixed beneath the valve seat. h is a guard to
prevent the valve clogging, being a perforated tube attached to the valve and
sliding externally upon the casing a.
In Figure 6 the valve seat is at the flanged end of the casing and a spring f
presses the valve against the seat as before, and the tap when driven into the
barrel presses the valve inwards to permit the contents of the barrel to pass off.
In this case the valve seat is made separate from the casing and is countersunk in
a recess in the base of the casing. The valve and its seat which are shown
separately in Figures 7 and 8, are preferably made of porcelain or earthenware and
their faces are truly ground to one another, and the conical periphery of the valve
seat is ground into its recess in the casing to make a tight joint.
Figure 9 is an external view, and Figure 10 a longitudinal section of a ball
valve arrangement. The ball d is made preferably of porcelain or glass and is
received in a seat c of indiarubber held in the casing a which is perforated at the

page_text: sides as in Figures 6. 9 and 10. The seat is received in a recess in the casing and
is held in place by a loose ring which is slightly coned and ground tight into
the casing u The ball is closed against its seat by the spring f which is of tho
form shown and has one end continued centrally through it and passing through
the end of the casing.
In Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 all the parts are represented as being made of metal
which should be plated or coated to prevent chemical action, but by suitably
modifying their form and dimensions the casing and the valve might be made of
carthenware ns are those represented in Figures 6 to 10. (Figures 1 to 6) is the
vent hole in the flange of the casing a which is furnished with a tubular guide
fitted with a plug rod m connected to the valve d, as in Figures 1. 2 and 6, or to
the spring fas in Figures 9 and 10, for closing the vent when the tap is with-
drawn. The vent hole is L shaped and one branch leads out at the top of the
flange of the casing a, and to prevent the escape and disturbance of the liquor,
bamboo or other tube is connected to this branch of the vent hole and carried up
above the level of the liquid. When the tap is withdrawn the vent is closed by
the rod m sliding, past the aperturo of this up cast tube. A hole is bored through
the cask to meet the vent hole and a loose vent peg n may be provided to close
it when not drawing off the liquid. I do not however in all cases provide a vent;
but may use the apparatus for closing the tap hole alone.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is.
1st The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the device for
automatically closing the tap hole of a cask, substantially as represented in the
respective figures of the drawing.
2nd, A device for automatically closing the tap hole of a cask consisting of a
hollow casing to receive the end of the tap stem provided with a valve seat and
fitted with a spring pressed valve moving in a direct line with the tap and
adapted to be forced off and to close against its seat, substantially as shown and
described.
3rd The particular construction and arrangement of the parts constituting the
device for automatically closing the tap hole of a cask, substantially as shown in
Figures 67. 8. 9. and 10.
4th The combination with the respective arrangements of tap hole closing
device of the vent hole and valve for. closing the same, operated by the motion of
the tap hole valve substantially as shown and described.
In. Witness whereof I the said William Henry Beach liave hereunto set my
hand and seal this ninth day of April,. A.D. 1883.
WIEL REACH (ra)