IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLIANCES FOR STOPPING THE TAP HOLES OF BARRELS AND IN TAPS FOR SAME
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I SAM HILL Times Works, Holly Street, Sheffield in the County of York
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPLIANCES FOR STOPPING THE TAP HOLES OF BARRELS AND IN TAPS FOR SAME,
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in appliances to be fitted in casks and
barrels for the purpose of stopping the tapholes, and as a means of enabling barrels
or casks so provided to be easily and safely tapped, and to avoid the constant
damages that casks are subject to from "tapping" by the ordinary method of
driving the taps in by a hammer or mallet.
It consists of a short tubular plug of any suitable material or metal, having an
external and internal screw thread, and extending backwards so as to form a cage
for a spiral spring, openings being formed in the sides to admit the liquid.
A collar round the outside prevents the appliance being screwed into the cask
too far, and is of a suitable shaped to be turned by a spauner or key.
The hole in the plug is preferably coned at the back to receive a plug valve,
which is forced into its closed position by the spiral spring beforementioned.
The valve may be of any suitable shape or material, but I prefer to make it
coned in front, and with an elastic ring contracted into a groove, to fit against the
coned opening in the plug.
.
Thus until the tap is inserted, and the cask "tapped" the tap hole is securely
closed by the valve, which is pressed to its seat by the action of the spring and the
gaseous pressure on the liquid.
The tap may be an ordinary plug tap with a barrel provided with a screw thread
to take into the internal thread of the plug, so that when screwed through the
plug, the end of the tap forces back the valve and allows the liquid access to
the holes in the tap. A simple form of tap to be used in combination with the
appliance beforementioned, is made to screw into the plug, but not to disturb the
valve-This tap has no turn plug like ordinary taps, but has a horizontal valve
rod, projecting in front with a suitable head or button, and of sufficient length to
act upon and push back the valve from its seat when sufficient pressure is applied
to the head or button. The valve rod may when desirable be operated by a screw,
so that it can be left with the valve open; this is useful for beer pumps and for
other purposes.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, SAM HILL Times Works, Holley Street Sheffield in the County of York
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPLIANCES FOR STOPPING THE TAPHOLES OF BARRELS, AND TAPS FOR SAME and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say :—
My invention relates to improvements in appliances to be fitted to casks and
barrels for the purpose of stopping the tap holes, and as a means of enabling
barrels or casks so provided to be easily and safely tapped and to avoid the
constant damages that casks are subject to, form "tapping" by the ordinary
methord of driving the taps in by a hammer or mallet.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood I annex a sheet of
drawings illustrating same, in which the same letters of reference indicato the same
or similar parts in all the figures.
•
Fig. 1. is and elevation of and appliance for stoppering the tap hole of a barrel.
F. 2. is a section of the same.
Fig. 3, is a removeable appliance for drawing of the contents of a barrel by means
of a pump, when screwed into N° 1.
Fig. 4, is a screw tap to be used in conjunction with Nº 1.
Fig. 5, is a push tap to be used in conjunction with N° 1.
In carrying out my invention I make a short tubular plug A of any suitable
material or metal, but preferably of some non-corrosive metal, or metal coated with
a non-corrosive metal or alloy, provided with an internal and an external screw-
thread, the external thread B, being to screw into the wood end of the barrel C, the
internal thread D, is to engage with corresponding threads E upon the taps or
similar appliances.
The tubular plug extends backwards forming a chamber for a spiral spring F;
suitable openings being formed to allow the liquid to pass through, at G, and a
stopper H closes the opening in the end.
The collar I prevents the plug being screwed in too far, and is of a suitable
shape to be turned by a spanner or key.
At the termination of the internal threads a shoulder J is formed, either flat or
coned, to receive a valve K which is pressed against it by the spring F,
I do not bind myself to any particular shape of valve but prefer to make it as
shown, having an elastic ring contracted into a groove, to fit against the shoulder
or seat J.
Thus when the above described plug is screwed by means of its sharp external
thread into the tap-hole, and the collar I presses the elastic washer L, against the
barrel end, it is impossible for the contents of the barrel to escape, as the valve is
not only forced to its seat by the action of the spring but also by the pressure of
gas acting on the liquid.
Figures 4 and 5 represent a simple form of tap to be used in conjunction with
the above described plug.

page_text: In both the said taps there is a valve rod M, for forcing back the valve K that
in Fig. 4, is operated by the screw N, and that in Fig. 5, by the direct action of
pressing on the knob O; In the appliance shown in Fig. 3, which is arranged for
connecting to the pipe of a beer engine or pump, the rod M-is actuated by a screw,
so that the valve can be left open as long as required.
A tap of the ordinary plug type, but having a sufficient length of external screw-
thread E, may be used instead of those shown in Figs 4 and 5.
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 appliance for stopping the taphole of barrels, as hereinbefore described
and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
2nd The taps or appliances to be used in conjunction with the before described
tubular stopper, as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figs 3, 4 and 5.