CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR COCKS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, CHARLES HENRY ANCILL, of 61, Victoria Street, Small Heath, Warwickshire,
Pattern Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN TAPS OR COCKS" to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in taps or cocks for withdrawing
liquids from casks and for other purposes and my said Invention consists in the
improved means whereby the plug of such a cock or tap can be effectually locked
in its closed position thus preventing the surreptitious withdrawal of the contents
of the cask or the passage of fluid through the tap or cock.
By my Invention a tap or cock can either be used as a "locking" tap or cock
that is one in which the plug is automatically locked when turned to its closed
position and has to be unlocked by a special key or it can be used simply as a
"night" tap or cock that is one in which the plug is provided with a stop which
simply prevents its being turned too far in either direction.
For the purposes of my Invention I provide in the plug of the tap or cock a
locking bolt whose axis is preferably at right angles to and crosses the axis of the
said plug. The said locking bolt is situated preferably in that part of the plug
which is between the top of the casing of the tap or cock and the inlet and outlet
holes thereto. The said locking bolt is preferably of cylindrical shape fitting
within a cylindrical hole in the said plug and at one end thereof I provide a coiled
or other spring which bears against the said casing and the said locking bolt and
tends to force the latter end ways. When the plug is in its closed position one end
of the said locking bolt is caused to project through the side thereof and to take
into a corresponding hole in the said casing and thus to lock the plug. The plug.
can be unlocked by means of a key shaped preferably similarly to a key for an
ordinary lock having a cylindrical stem and a lateral projection at one end which
passes down a vertical hole in the said plug above or at the side of the said locking
bolt. By inserting and turning the said key in the said hole the said lateral
projecting part at the end thereof catches against a projecting part of the said bolt
and, compressing the spring, forces it backwards withdrawing its projecting end
from the bole in the casing so that the plug can be turned to open the tap or cock.
I prefer to arrange the key and the locking bolt so that when the former is turned
to its extreme position its lateral projection is parallel with the axis of the locking
[Price 8d.1

page_text: bolt; the locking bolt will then be prevented from moving forwards to lock the
plug until the key is turned or withdrawn.
Instead of using a key which operates the locking bolt by being partly turned
round as above described I may use a key which acts as a lever and forces back the
bolt by being pressed towards the axis of the plug.
My Invention is applicable to all kinds of plug taps or cocks whether they
be such as are provided with plain plugs or such as are known as gland taps or
cocks.
In combination with the locking bolt above described I prefer to use a cap which
is screwed on to the casing and covers the nut at the bottom of the plug to prevent
its being tampered with.

page_text: I, CHARLES HENRY ANCILL, of 61, Victoria Street, Small Heath, Warwickshire,
Pattern Maker, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
drawing and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in taps or cocks for withdrawing
liquids from casks and for other purposes and my said Invention consists in the
improved means whereby the plug of such a cock or tap can be effectually locked
in its closed position thus preventing the surreptitious withdrawal of the contents
of the cask or the passage of fluid through the tap or cock.
By my Invention a tap or cock can either be used as a "locking" tap or cock
that is one in which the plug is automatically locked when turned to its closed
position and has to be unlocked by a special key or it can be used simply as a
night" tap or cock that is one in which the plug is provided with a stop which
simply prevents its being turned too far in either direction.
"
My Invention is applicable to all kinds of plug taps or cocks whether they
be such as are provided with plain plugs or such as are known as gland taps or
cocks.
For the purposes of my Invention I provide in the plug of the tap or cock a
locking bolt whose axis is preferably at right angles to and crosses the axis of the
said plug. The said locking bolt is situated preferably in that part of the plug
which is between the top of the casing of the tap or cock and the inlet and outlet
holes thereto. The said locking bolt is preferably of a cylindrical shape fitting
within a cylindrical hole in the said plug and at one end thereof I provide a coiled
or other spring which bears against the said casing and the said locking bolt and
tends to force the latter end ways. When the plug is in its closed position one end
of the said locking bolt is caused to project through the side thereof and to take
into a corresponding hole in the said casing and thus to lock the plug. The plug
can be unlocked by means of a key shaped preferably similarly to a key for an
ordinary lock having a cylindrical stem and a lateral projection at one end which
passes down a vertical hole in the said plug above or at the side of the said locking
bolt. By inserting and turning the said key in the said hole the said lateral
projecting part at the end thereof catches against a projecting part of the said bolt
and, compressing the spring, forces it backwards withdrawing its projecting end
from the hole in the casing so that the plug can be turned to open the tap or cock.
I prefer to arrange the key and the locking bolt so that when the former is turned
to its extreme position its lateral projection is parallel with the axis of the locking
bolt; the locking bolt will then be prevented from moving forwards to lock the
plug until the key is turned or withdrawn.
Instead of using a key which operates the locking bolt by being partly turned
round as above described I may use a key which acts as a lever and forces back
the bolt by being pressed towards the axis of the plug.
On the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section and
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a wine tap constructed according to my Invention the

page_text: tap being closed and locked; Fig. 3 is a part sectional plan of the same on line X. X.
of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 represents the same parts as Fig. 3 the bolt being in its unlocked
position ready for turning the plug to open the tap; Fig. 5 is a part sectional side
elevation and Fig. 6 a part sectional plan of the same tap unlocked and open;
Fig. 7 represents in front elevation, end elevation and plan the locking bolt
separately and Fig. 8 is a separate view of the key for the same; Figs. 9 and 10
are part sectional elevations of a modified form of the tap represented by the
preceding Figures; in Fig. 9 the tap is shewn closed and locked and in Fig. 10
closed and unlocked.
Similar letters refer to similar parts in Figs. 1 to 8, both inclusive.
A is the plug of the tap or cock having a hole a¹ in which fits the locking bolt B.
C is a coiled spring bearing against the casing D and tending to force the locking
bolt B endways. When the plug A is in its closed position (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3)
one end of the locking bolt B is caused by the spring C to project through the
side of the plug A and to take into a corresponding hole d in the casing D and thus
to lock the plug A. The plug A can be unlocked by inserting the key E in the
hole a which cominunicates with the locking bolt B (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3) and
then turning it partly round (see Fig. 4) when the lateral projection e¹ of the key E
will catch against the projecting part bs of the locking bolt B thus compressing the
spring C and withdrawing the projecting end b¹ from the holed so that the plug A
can be turned to open the tap (see Figs. 5 and 6). When the tap is closed (sec
Fig. 4) the locking bolt B is prevented by the lateral projection e¹ from moving
end ways to lock the plug until the key turned or withdrawn It will be evident
that various forms of keys may be employed for forcing back the locking bolt to
unlock the plug without departing from the nature of my Invention; for instance
instead of the key E which operates by being turned on its axis as above described
a key F may be employed (see Figs. 9 and 10) which acts as a lever and forces
back the locking bolt B by being pressed towards the axis of the plug.
In combination with the locking bolt above described I prefer to use a cap G
which is screwed on to the casing D and covers the ordinary nut H, at the bottom
of the plug A, to prevent the nut H being tampered with.
When applying my Invention to plug taps and cocks other than wine taps
I construct and arrange the locking bolt similarly as above described with
reference to a wine tap, such modifications only being made as are necessary to
adapt the locking bolt to the particular tap or cock with which it is used.
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:
1st The employment, in the plug of a tap or cock, of a locking bolt so
constructed as to maintain the plug in its "closed" position and to be capable
of being operated from without to allow of the plug being turned to its "opened
position when required as herein described.
2nd The improved means of locking and unlocking the plug of a tap or cock
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
3rd The application and use with means for locking and unlocking the plug of a
tap or cock as described, of a cap secured to the casing of the tap or cock so as to
cover the nut on the bottom of the plug as and for the purpose herein described.
Dated L
c
11000