An Improved Cock or Tap for Drawing off Liquids from Inverted Bottles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 9th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 15th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Cock or Tap for Drawing off Liquids from
Inverted Bottles.
I, JOHN SULLIVAN, of 4 Wharton Street, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan,
Marine Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists in a cock or tap by the use of which labour and trouble
are saved in serving out wines, spirits and other liquids, more especially in public
drinking bars and similar places.
The cock or tap is designed so that liquids can be drawn from bottles when
turned upside down or inverted.
Accordingly, the bottles may be kept inverted in suitable brackets or racks and
the desired quantity of liquid is drawn off from any such bottle through the cock
or tap without moving the bottle from its inverted position.
The cock or tap is fitted with an air tube which extends into the tap nozzle at
the side of which the said tube terminates in an orifice open to the atmosphere.
Communication with the air through the said orifice is governed by a plug which
also, at another point, controls the flow of liquor from the tap nozzle. A bung or
stopper of cork for fitting the appliance in the bottle is securely fixed upon the
nozzle. Prior to inverting the bottle the original cork is removed and my improved
cock or tap is applied, the air tube being inserted in the liquid and extending nearly
to the bottom of the bottle. The cork bung or stopper is firmly pressed into the
bottle nose, and the bottle is then inverted and placed in a bracket or rack, the plug
of the tap being closed.
When it is required to draw off a quantity of liquor from the bottle the plug of
the tap is turned accordingly and the passage for the liquor through the nozzle is
opened simultaneously with that for admitting air to the air tube by which air is
conveyed to the upper end of the inverted bottle. Similarly, the act of " turning
off" the liquor tap cuts off the flow of air.
The air admitted to the bottle is imprisoned therein and hence the liquor is not
so liable to deteriorate in quality as under the present system.
Dated this 7th day of May 1892.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol Bank Buildings, Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Cock or Tap for Drawing off Liquids from
Inverted Bottles.
I, JOHN SULLIVAN, of 4 Wharton Street, Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan,
Marine Engineer, 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 :-
This invention consists in a cock or tap by the use of which labour and trouble
are saved in serving out wines, spirits and other liquids, more especially in public
drinking bars and similar places.
The cock or tap is designed so that liquids can be drawn from bottles when
turned upside down or inverted. Accordingly, the bottles may be kept inverted in

page_text: suitable brackets or racks and the desired quantity of liquid is drawn off from any
such bottle through the cock or tap without moving the bottle from its inverted
position.
The cock or tap is fitted with an air tube which extends into it and communicates
with a channel continued through the tap and open at the lower end to the
atmosphere.
Communication with the air through the said channel is governed by the tap
plug which also, at another point, controls the flow of liquor from the tap nozzle.
A bung or stopper of cork for fitting the appliance in the bottle is securely fixed
upon the tap neck. Prior to inverting the bottle, the original cork is removed and
the improved cock or tap in which this invention consists is applied; the air tube
being inserted in the liquid and extending therein to the bottom thereof. The
cork, bung or stopper is firmly pressed into the bottle nose, and the bottle is then
inverted and placed in a bracket or rack, the plug of the tap being closed.
At such times as it is required to draw off liquid from the bottle, the plug of
the tap is turned accordingly and the passage for the liquid through the nozzle is
opened simultaneously with that for admitting air to the tube. The air ascending
in the tube is conveyed to the upper end of the inverted bottle where it acts from
behind upon the liquid which is thus enabled to flow out through the passage pro-
vided therefor in the tap. Similarly, the act of closing the tap stops the further
admission of air.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings
Fig. 1 represents an elevation of my improved cock or tap.
Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the tap and of a bottle fitted therewith.
The tap, though primarily designed for drawing liquids from inverted bottles,
jars, and the like, may be used for such vessels when lying horizontally or inclined
at any angle.
The tap has, in addition to the channel a for the passage of liquid, a second
channel b extending through it, open at the lower end and communicating at the
upper end with a tube b The same plug c controls both channels a and b.
Embracing the neck d of the tap is a hollow bung or sheathe of cork or other
suitable substance.
In applying the tap to a bottle, jar or the like, the usual cork or bung of such
vessel is removed and the tap substituted and closed. The tube must be
sufficiently long to extend nearly to the bottom or inner end of the bottle or other
vessel to which it is applied. After the tap has been inserted the vessel may be
inverted or turned upside down and placed in a suitable rack or bracket. To
facilitate the action of the tap a small quantity of liquid may be first poured out
so as to leave a corresponding space at the bottom of the bottle. The act of
turning the tap plug to draw off the liquid through the channel a admits air to the
vessel by the channel b and tube b'.
The air thus admitted acts behind the liquid and enables it to flow out through
the channel a as required. When, by turning back the plug, the channel a is
closed, the further supply of air is simultaneously stopped. The bottle or other
vessel is not moved from its position and moreover the contents remaining in the
bottle are not so liable to deteriorate as under the practice of removing the cork at
cach application to the bottle.
In applying the tap to bottles and other vessels placed horizontally or inclined,
the nozzle of the tap is turned or otherwise shaped to suit the circumstances, as is
also the case with the air tube.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what ]
claim is:-
A cock or tap having, in addition to the passage for liquids, a second and
separate channel extending through it and continued in the form of a tube of a

page_text: length varying with the bottle or other vessel to which the appliance is to be fitted;
both channels being controlled preferably by one and the same plug arranged for
simultaneous opening or closing both channels, substantially as hereinabove described
with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 1st day of March 1893.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Chartered Patent Agent.