Improvements in Automatic Vent Pegs or Apparatus for Beer Casks or the like purposes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 10th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Vent Pegs or Apparatus for Beer Casks
or the like purposes.
I WILLIAM SMITH of 10 Stockwood Crescent Luton in the County of Bedford
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to vent pegs or apparatus for automatically admitting air
to the interior of beer barrels or the like purposes my present invention being
especially applicable to and adapted for automatically admitting air to large beer
(or the like) casks in public house or the like cellars as the beer (or other liquid)
is intermittently drawn off by the beer engine or the like pumping appliance or
otherwise and thereafter my apparatus automatically closes and remains so until
more liquid is drawn off.
For this purpose I arrange and construct my automatic vent apparatus as
follows
A vertical part (advantageously coned) of the apparatus is screwed or driven
into the substance of the barrel or cask and is hollow or has a passage through it
vertically the top of this vertical part or tube communicates with and is attached
to a cross tube forming a sort of T-piece.
The outer end of one arm (or both) of the T-piece is turned down or has a
descending tube connected (or this cross piece or cross tube may be curved down-
wardly at both ends) the lower end of one (or both) of which arms terminates in a
suitable inlet valve or has an inlet valve arranged and mounted therein so that
when a partial vacuum is created in the cask by the withdrawal of the liquid the
suction thus caused will raise the inlet valve and draw in as much external air as
is required whereupon the valve will at once fall back on its seat again and close
the vent aperture until more liquid is pumped out or drawn off whereupon the same
action as above described will again take place.
A valve constructed as follows I find suitable for my purpose viz. :-
A glass or other ball rests in a cone shaped or concave seating formed in the part
of the vent apparatus before described to act as the valve so that the suction from
above will readily raise or move said glass or other ball and allow air to enter and
immediately the said suction ceases the ball will fall back (of its own gravity) upon
the seating and so close the vent aperture automatically.
Or an ordinary "flap" valve consisting of a hinge plate opening upwards may be
arranged and mounted as desired.
D
1
1001
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Patentee.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Vent Pegs or Apparatus for Beer Casks
or the like purposes.
I, WILLIAM SMITH of 10, Stockwood Crescent, Luton in the County of
Bedford, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to vent pegs or apparatus for automatically admitting
P 91

page_text: air to the interior of beer barrels or the like purposes my present invention being
especially applicable to and adapted for automatically admitting air to large beer
(or the like) casks in public house or the like cellars as the beer (or other liquid)
is intermittently drawn off by the beer engine or the like pumping appliance or
otherwise and thereafter my apparatus automatically closes and remains so until
more liquid is drawn off.
For this purpose I arrange and construct my automatic vent apparatus as
follows:-
A vertical part (advantageously coned) of the apparatus is screwed or driven
into the substance of the barrel or cask and is hollow or has a passage through
it vertically the top of this vertical part or tube communicates with and is
attached to a cross tube forming a sort of T piece.
The outer end of one arm (or both) of the T piece is turned down or has a
descending tube connected (or this cross piece or cross tube may be curved down-
wardly at both ends) the lower end of one (or both) of which arms terminates in a
suitable inlet valve or has an inlet valve arranged and mounted therein so that
when a partial vacuum is created in the cask by the withdrawal of the liquid the
suction thus caused will raise the inlet valve and draw in as much external air as
is required whereupon the valve will at once fall back on its seat again and close
the vent aperture until more liquid is pumped out or drawn off whereupon the
sanie action as above described will again take place.
A valve constructed as follows I find suitable for my purpose viz. :-
A glass or other ball resting in a cone-shaped or concave seating formed in the
turned down part of the vent apparatus before described to act as the valve so that
the suction from above will readily raise or move said glass or other ball and
allow air to enter and immediately the said suction ceases the ball will fall
back (of its own gravity) upon the seating and so close the vent aperture
automatically.
Or an ordinary "flap" valve consisting of a hinge plate opening upwards may
be arranged and mounted as desired.
The accompanying drawing illustrates the manner of carrying out my said
present invention:-
Figure 1 is a double or T shaped vent peg, and
Figure 2 is a modification thereof.
a is the vertical upright tube the upper end thereof terminating in the cross
tube (or piece Figure 1) 6 the outer ends of which are turned downward and
descend as shown.
The passage c in the upright a communicates continuously through the arm b
Figure 2 or one or both arms & Figure 1 and out through the end thereof at the
air inlet d.
But although for the sake of example in Figure 1 I have shown a valve in both
ends of the piece-yet I may if desired only have one inlet and valve therein
the other end being made solid or otherwise closed and air-tight.
The glass or other ball frests on the seating g and is kept in position by gravity
and the surrounding walls of the valve chamber.
The valve casing may be made to slide or screw on and off as shown.
Upon suction arising in the passage c (communicating with the interior of the
barrel) the valve fis lifted and air flows in at d and passes to the interior of the
barrel and as soon as equilibrium is reached then the ball f drops and closes
the passage c automatically.
Internal pressure in the barrel serves to press the valve more tightly on its
seating.
My improved vent peg should be fixed and used in a vertical or nearly vertical
position in order to ensure its automatic action.
By thus constructing a vent peg of tubes as described I am enabled to produce
an effective article and one moreover capable of being easily cleaned and
economical and simple to manufacture.
1

page_text: 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 :-
1. A vent peg constructed in the form of a T piece viz. with an upright main
tube having on the upper end and extending both sides thereof a transverse tube
which latter has a descending end or ends thereto one (or more) of which latter
contains a valve-of any suitable construction-capable of rising and normally
resting by gravity on its seating substantially in the manner and for the purposes
hereinbefore described and set forth.
2. As a modification of the invention claimed above-I claim the apparatus such
as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings hereunto annexed substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 5th day of Auct 1800
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.