Improvements in Taps for Brewers' Barrels.
Year: 1899

page_text: WALLACE EDWIN LIGHTWOOD, Machinist, 49, Dearman Road, Sparkbrook,
Birmingham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
The said barrel tap consists of two parts.
First Part. Is a round piece of brass 14in. in length and 1ins. wide, with
1in. boring through tapped with a machine cut quick thread, and flange on,
in which two small holes are made for screws to prevent same turning round
in barrel. The flange being on the outside. This part will be a fixture in
barrel. The tap, itself will be taken out when barrel is cleaned, to allow steam
to escape, when cleaned, the tap will be replaced, and barrel filled ready for
use.
Part II. Is the tap, which is 3ins. long, with machine cut thread on to screw
into the above. The back part which enters barrel, having small holes round,
same as ordinary taps, to allow beer to flow into it. The front part of tap has
a small thread on, and made so that the brewers pipes now in use can be put
on same as at present, beyond thread is a hexagonal flange, about ins. thick
which serves as a nut for wrench to tighten same into first part.
Inside the tap there is a rod ins. thick and 14in. long, at each end is attached
a brass button. The front one perforated with small holes is smaller than the
back one, which is inside, coming flush up to a ledge, and kept in place by a
steel coil spring, and thus; by pressing back front button, which is done by
inserting pipe, the beer is allowed to run into it, when the pipe is unscrewed
off, the spring presses button back to its former place and the barrel becomes
airtight again.
Dated this 14th day of Tonuan 1800
Improvements in Taps for Brewers' Barrels.
WALLACE EDWIN LIGHTWOOD, 49, Dearman Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
0 the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:
This invention relates to taps for beer barrels, or similar vessels, and the
object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class which is adapted
to be operated so as to discharge the contents of the barrel or vessel by simply

page_text: screwing or connecting a pipe or pipe coupling faucit or similar device
thereof.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improve-
ment are designated by numerals of reference, the said drawing being a sectional
side elevation of a part of a beer barrel, and also showing any improved tap
connected therewith in section.
In the drawing forming part of this specification, I have shown at 5, an
ordinary beer barrel having a head 6, and in practice, I secure in said head
the ordinary bung casing 7, which is provided with an interior screw thread 8,
and with a flange 9, by means of which it is secured to the head of the barrel.
I also provide a tap consisting of a tubular casing 10, which is adapted to
be screwed into the bung casing 7, and which is preferably provided with a
flange or rim 11, to which a wrench may be applied, and the outer end of which
is screw threaded as shown at 12.
The inner end of the tubular casing 10 is closed by a screw threaded cap 13,
and said casing 10, of the tap is also provided adjacent to the bung hole 7,
when the tap casing is secured into position, with annular rows of perforations 14,
and outside of said annular rows of perforations with an interior valve seat 15,
and placed in said tap casing 10 is a plunger valve 16, between which and the
cap 13 is a spiral spring 17, the plunger valve 16 is provided with a stem 17^,
which projects outwardly, and is provided with a disc-shaped head 18, free to
move in the tap casing 10, and of a diameter substantially equal to the inner
diameter of said tap casing, and said head 18 is provided with perforations 19.
In the normal position of the plunger valve 16, it is seated by the spring 17
on the valve seat 15, and the barrel or vessel will be closed as will be readily
understood. And by forcing the plunger valve inwardly the ports or passages
formed by the perforations 14 will be opened, and the contents of the barrel or
other vessel will flow out through the tap as will be readily understood.
I have shown at 20, a pipe coupling such as is usually employed in connection
with tubes or pipes used on beer barrels and similar vessels, and this coupling
is provided with an annular flange 21, and a cap screw 22, is mounted on the
coupling 20 and provided with an inwardly directed flange or rim 23 at its
outer end which engages the flange or rim 21 on pipe coupling 20, and when
said cap screw is screwed on to the outer end of tap casing 10 the inner end
of the pipe coupling 20 will be forced inwardly as shown in the drawing, and
the contents of the barrel, cask, or other vessel will flow out through the ports
or passages formed by the perforations 14 and through the perforations 19 in
the head 18 of the plunger valve stem 17, and through the pipe coupling 20
as will be readily understood.
It will be apparent that the plunger valve may be operated by screwing an
ordinary faucet into the outer end of tap casing, and by means if this construc-
tion, the pipe coupling, faucet or other device which is used for drawing off
the contents of the barrel, cask, or their vessel may be detached at any time,
and this operation will result in the seating of the plunger valve, and will
securely close the tap so as to retain the contents of the vessel, and the barrel
or other vessel may be moved from point to point without danger of the
contents therein escaping.
1
This device is simple in construction and operation and is perfectly adapted
to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and it will be apparent that
changes in and modifications of the construction described may be made without
departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.
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 is:
I. A device of the class described, comprising a bung casing screw threaded

page_text: interiorly, a tap casing which is adapted to be screwed there into, and the inner
end of which is perforated, and provided with a valve seat outside of said
perforations, a spring operated plunger valve mounted in the inner end of said
tap casing and adapted to be seated on said valve seat, said plunger valve being
provided with a stem which projects outwardly, substantially as shown and
described.
II. A device of the class described comprising a bung casing screw threaded
interiorly, a tap casing which is adapted to be screwed thereinto, and the inner
end of which is perforated and provided with a valve seat outside of said
perforations, a spring operated plunger valve mounted in the inner end of said
tap casing and adapted to be seated on said valve seat, said valve seat plunger
valve being provided with a stem which projects outwardly, and means for
operating said stem, substantially as shown and described.
III. A device of the class described, comprising a bung casing screw threaded
interiorly, a tap casing which is adapted to be screwed there into, and the inner
end of which is perforated, and provided with a valve seat outside of said
perforations, a spring operated plunger valve mounted in the inner end of said
tap casing and adapted to be seated on said valve seat, said plunger valve being
provided with a stem which projects outwardly, and means for operating said
stem, consisting of a head which is mounted thereon and adapted to fit in said
casing, and which is provided with ports or passages substantially, as shown
and described.
Dated this 16th
1900