Improvements in Bushing and Faucets for Casks, Barrels, and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1897-Accepted, 11th Sept., 1897
[Communicated from abroad by THE AMERICAN FAUCET Co., a Corporation duly.
organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State. of
California, of 16 Chronicle Building, in the City and County of San Francisco,
California, U.S.A.]
Improvements in Bushing and Faucets for Casks, Barrels, and the
like.
i, VICTOR FALLON FEENY of 60 Queen Victoria Street, in the City and County
of London, Patent Agent, 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 relates to certain improvements in bushing for barrels and casks,.
and like devices. It consists essentially of a longitudinally moving double-acting.
valve operated by a faucet or key to open and close upon turning the faucet
axially, and to remain locked when the faucet is removed; in improvements in
the construction of the faucet, and in details of construction which will be more
fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Jigure 1, is a longitudinal section of this device and its connections.
Figure 2 is an end view of the valve.
Figure 3 is a modification of this device.
Figure 4 is an end view of the faucet.
Figure 5 is an end elevation of the bush.
In the application of this invention a bushing A is employed which is adapted
to fit into the opening in the barrel or cask, and which, in the present instance,
is shown as provided with screw-threads, so that it may be screwed in and
permanently secured in the cask.
The outer end of the bushing is here shown with an annular flange, the inner
face of which is undercut or bevelled inwardly as shown at a so that it may be
seated in a corresponding groove made in the cask and form a tight joint to
prevent leakage around the bushing.
The inner end of this bushing which projects into the cask is screw-threaded
and has a cap a removably attached to it. This cap has a central opening B in
the smooth surface of the end, which opening serves for the passage of the liquid
when the valve is opened, as will be hereafter more fully explained. The inner
face around this opening forms a seat for the inner end of the valve.
.
An annular shoulder C is formed within this end of the bushing A, and has a
washer D forming a seat, at a short distance from, and opposite to the seat in the
cap a² so that the valve E may be moved to close against either seat, or to stand
between the two when it is opened for the passage of liquid through it.
The valve E has a stem, the central part of which is enlarged and screw-threaded
at e to turn in a similarly. threaded portion. near the inner end of A, so that by
turning the valve it may be moved to close against either seat.
Figure
Figure 4 is an end view of the faucet.
Figure 5 is an end elevation of the bush.
In the application of this invention a bushing A is employed which is adapted
to fit into the opening in the barrel or cask, and which, in the present instance,
is shown as provided with screw-threads, so that it may be screwed in and
permanently secured in the cask.
The outer end of the bushing is here shown with an annular flange, the inner
face of which is undercut or bevelled inwardly as shown at a so that it may be
seated in a corresponding groove made in the cask and form a tight joint to
prevent leakage around the bushing.
The inner end of this bushing which projects into the cask is screw-threaded
and has a cap a removably attached to it. This cap has a central opening B in
the smooth surface of the end, which opening serves for the passage of the liquid
when the valve is opened, as will be hereafter more fully explained. The inner
face around this opening forms a seat for the inner end of the valve.
An annular shoulder C is formed within this end of the bushing A, and has a
washer D forming a seat, at a short distance from, and opposite to the seat in the
cap a² so that the valve E may be moved to close against either seat, or to stand
between the two when it is opened for the passage of liquid through it.
The valve E has a stem, the central part of which is enlarged and screw-threaded
at e to turn in a similarly threaded portion, near the inner end of A, so that by
turning the valve it may be moved to close against either seat.

page_text: When it is closed to prevent the escape of the contents of the cask, it closes
against the seat D; when it is opened it stands at a point intermediate between
the valve seats B and D, and passages are provided for the escape of the liquid
which enters through the opening at B, thence around the valve, and thence
through the interior of the bushing as shown by arrows in Fig. 1.
When the valve is forced inward so as to seat at the inner end and close the
opening at B, it places the bung or bushing in condition for the pitching of the
barrel or cask, by preventing any ingress of the pitch through the opening B.
As soon as this pitching has been completed, the valve may be again returned to
its normal position so as to close upon the seat D, or to be opened therefrom for
the escape of the liquid which can thereafter always flow through the opening
at B, and thence around the valve, and through openings to the interior of the
hollow valve stem F, which extends into the interior of the bushing A and has its
inner end provided with a head of any suitable description which will allow the
key or faucet to engage with it when introduced into the bushing A so that when
the key or faucet is turned, the valve may be opened to or from its seat.
It will be understood that the stem or head of the valve may be formed in any
well known or desired form, either triangular, rectangular, or star-shaped, with any
number of points, preferably multiples of the smallest number, which may be
formed upon the opposing coupling or connection, and the inner end of the key
or faucet G is provided with a correspondingly shaped plug or socket which will
fit the end of the valve whenever the key or faucet is introduced.
Figure 1 shows the male portion of the coupling upon the valve stem, and the
female portion on the key or faucet.
This key or faucet has inclined or bevelled lugs g which engage corresponding
lugs c in tne interior of the bushing A, so that when the faucet is turned, the
action of the bevelled lugs upon each other will cause the faucet to be drawn
inward and a tight joint maintained between the disc H of the faucet and the
raised annular seat I within the bushing. The object of this is to make a tight
joint at this point when the faucet is first introduced and before it is turned
enough to move the valve E from its seat. The disc H is of soft rubber or other
material, and its central opening fits snugly around the faucet shank. The disc H
is enclosed within an annular cap J which prevents its being crushed or forced
out of place by pressure so as to cause leakage. This cap J also turns loosely
about the faucet shank so that when the faucet is turned to lock it in the bushing,
the soft disc H remains stationary upon the seat I while the faucet shank turns
within the cap and any rubbing friction takes place between the cap and faucet
and not upon the disc. A pin or lug K Fig. 4, is fixed to the faucet shank at
such a point that it will strike the end of one of the lugs c in the bushing when the
faucet is connected and in proper position so that it is only necessary to introduce
the faucet shank until the washer H rests upon the seat I, then turn the faucet a
quarter of a revolution, which will ensure a tight joint at that point, and at the
same time, by the engagement of the faucet end and valve, the latter will be
turned and moved away from its seat to allow liquid to flow through into the
faucet, the escape from which is controlled by any usual form of plug or cock.
The valve E is of such a length that it will not seat to close both the openings
at B and D at one time, but it may be closed against either of said seats or
openings by turning it in a proper direction.
Its periphery is screw threaded and it fits in corresponding threads in the
interior of the bushing A so that when its end is engaged by the faucet or key to
turn it, it may be advanced or retracted to close against either of the seats.
It is normally closed against the seat D to prevent the passage of liquid, and it
is open when moved away from this seat and standing intermediate between B
and D.
The liquid enters freely. through the passage B and thence passes around the
valve Deither by forming channels in the sides of the bushing or casing A
through which the liquid may flow, or by slotting, cutting away, or forming

page_text: channels in the sides of or through the valve itself, or in any other suitable or
desirable manner, the object being simply to provide a space through which the
liquid can pass around the valve, and thence escape through the opening within
the hollow valve stem and into the chamber of the bushing whence it passes out
through the faucet whenever the valve is opened.
By this construction the valve can be operated to open or close the passage for
the discharge of liquid, in a very simple manner, and when the cask or barrel is
to be pitched it is only necessary to turn the valve by the aid of a properly shaped
key, as previously described until the inner face is closed against the seat at the
inner end of the bushing, thereby entirely closing the opening B and preventing
any pitch or material from the interior of the cask entering the valve.
As soon as the work is completed, the valve may be withdrawn, leaving the
opening B free and the valve closed against the seat D.
It will be understood that the seat against which the valve closes at D may bo
forined of rubber or other suitable material, and it may either be affixed to the
seat at D or it may be carried upon the valve by being properly vulcanized thereon,
the object in either case being attained when the two faces are brought together.
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 I
claim is,
1. A bushing fitting a cask or receiver having a cap on the inner end with a
central aperture and an interior valve seat, a second seat opposed thereto within
the bushing and forming a space between the two, a valve movable between the
two seats, and passages through which liquid may pass when the valve stands
intermediate between the seats, a chamber within the bushing adapted to receive
the inner end of a faucet, a head upon the valve stem and a correspondingly shaped
formation upon the inner end of the faucet which will engage the head of the
valve stem when the faucet is introduced, inclined lugs in the interior of the
bushing and also around the faucet barrel adapted to engage and lock the faucet
simultaneously with the movement of the valve when the faucet is turned, and a
washer adapted to make a tight joint between the faucet and the bushing, said
washer having an enclosing cap turnable upon the faucet barrel, whereby the
latter is movable within the washer after the latter has become seated.
2. A bushing for casks having two opposing valve seats, a screw-threaded valve
turnable and adapted to close upon either valve seat or be opened for the passage
of liquid, male and female coupling ends upon the valve stem and the inner end
of the faucet, lugs in the bushing and passages in the faucet sufficiently wider
than the lugs, through which the latter pass when the faucet is introduced,
whereby the faucet may be turned and adjusted to enable the couplings to engage.
Dated this 22nd day of July. 1897.