GB2149387A - Cask or barrel tap - Google Patents

Abstract

A cask or barrel tap 10 formed of stainless steel consists of a first part 11 having a tapered portion 14 which can be driven into a cask or barrel 16 through a plugged hole, the part 11 having a flow control valve 21, and a second part 12 provided with a non-return valve 42 and an adapter 35 which is connected to the first part 11 by a quick release connector 13. The adapter 35 may be straight, curved or T-shaped. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cask or barrel tap This invention relates to a cask or barrel tap which can be driven into a cask or barrel through a plug provided on the cask or barrel.

Conventional cask or barrel taps are manufactured from brass and provided at their outer end with a screw threaded connector for connecting a conduit thereto. The screw thread is prone to be damaged when the tap is driven into a cask or barrel and also when the tap is removed therefrom. Also taps have to be produced having differently shaped outlet ends to suit the layout of the feed conduit to which the tap is to be connected and many different sizes of screw threaded connectors are used which means that the manufacturer has to have stocks of the many different taps available. Legislation more and more requires that the lead content of materials used in the construction of apparatus for handling beverages, such as beer, be reduced and therefore the use of brass as a material is becoming less and less favourable.Attempts have been made to coat or plate brass taps with nontoxic materials but in the main, this has proved to be unsuccessful as the bore of the tap is not completely coated or plated. Also, when a tap is to be removed from a cask or barrel the screw threaded connector has to be disconnected and the head of liquid in the feed conduit is lost.

According to the present invention there is provided a cask or barrel tap comprising a first part having a tapered portion which can be driven into a cask or barrel through a plug provided on the cask or barrel, said first part being provided with a flow control valve, a second part provided with a non-return valve unit and an adapter connected to the nonreturn valve, and a quick release connector connecting the adapter to said first part.

In use, the non-return valve prevents the head of liquid in the conduit from escaping when the second part is disconnected from the first part through the quick release connector thus enabling the second part to be quickly connected to a first part of another tap connected to another cask or barrel without loss of liquid when changing the conduit from one cask or barrel to another cask or barrel.

Differently shaped adapters can be provided to adapt the tap to different layouts of conduit and therefore only a selection of adapters need be stocked to be used with a tap of the present invention.

The tap can be formed of stainless steel thus avoiding the use of brass.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of an example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a tap according to the present invention shown extending through a plug into a cask or barrel and connected to a feed conduit; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through part of the tap; Figure 3 is a plan view of part of the tap; Figure 4 is a view on one end of the tap with the operating lever of the valve removed; Figure 5 is a transverse section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Figure 6 is a side elevation of on form of an adapter used in the tap; Figure 7 is a side elevation of a different adapter; and Figure 8 is a side elevation of another different adapter.

The cask or barrel tap is generally indicated at 10 and comprises a first part 11 formed substantially of stainless steel and a second part 1 2 which are connected together by a quick release coupling 1 3. The part 11 has a tapered portion 14 which can be driven through a plug 1 5 provided on a cask or barrel 1 6. The part 11 has a longitudinal bore 1 7 which at its forward end is closed by a screw threaded plug 1 8. Received within the bore 1 7 is a tubular gauge filter 1 9. The part 11 is provided in the region of the filter 1 9 with a plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced a part slots 20 through which the liquid in the cask or barrel 1 6 flows via the filter 1 9 into the bore 1 7.

The tapered portion 14 is serrated so as to grip the plug 1 5 when driven therethrough.

The other end of the part 11 is provided with a flow control valve 21 which consists of a part spherical valve member 22 mounted in two seatings 23 preferably formed of P.T.F.E.

each having an "O"-ring seal 24. The valve member 22 and seatings 23 are retained in the part 11 by a screw threaded retainer 25 having at its outer end a frusto-conical surface 26. The valve member 22 is connected to an operating spindle 27 which is retained on the part 11 by a plate 28 secured by screws 29 whose heads protrude above the upper surface of the plate 28. Secured to the spindle 27 by a retaining screw 30 is an operating lever 31 which on its bottom surface is provided with two arcuate slots 32 in which the heads of the screws 29 are received. The heads of the screws 29 thus act as limit stops for the operating lever 31. Provided on the part 11 are pair of wings 33 and projections 34 which form part of the quick release coupling 1 3.

The part 1 2 comprises an adapter 35 which can either be a straight adapter as shown in Fig. 6, or a T-piece adapter as shown in Fig.

7, or a bend adapter as shown in Fig. 8. The adapter 35, whatever its shape, has a frustoconical portion 36 provided with a sealing ring 37 received in a groove 38 and a flange 39 which is engaged by a member 40 which forms the other part of the quick release coupling 1 3 and which is provided with an inwardly directed projections 41 which in use engage with the projections 34 to form a bayonet type coupling.

Secured to the adapter 35 is a non-return valve 42 which allows the liquid to flow from the tap 10 to a conduit 43 but which prevents flow in the opposite direction. The nonreturn valve 42 may be of any suitable form.

The member 40 is provided on its exterior with a projection 44 which is abutted by the lever 31 when the valve 21 is in the open position so that if the member 40 is rotated to disconnect the coupling, the projection 44 will move the lever 31 to cause the valve 21 to be moved to the closed position.

In order to install the tap 10, the quick release coupling 1 3 is disconnected, the valve 21 rotated to the closed position and the part 11 is driven through the plug 1 5 by striking the rear end of the part 11 with a mallet. If the rear end of the retainer 25 is damaged in the process this will not adversely affect the sealing with the adapter 35 because the sealing ring 37 seals against the frusto-conical surface 26. The member 40 is then connected to the part 11 and the valve 21 is rotated to the open position. When the cask or barrel 1 6 becomes empty, the valve 21 is closed and the quick release coupling 1 3 is disconnected. Liquid in the conduit 43 is prevented from escaping by means of the non-return valve 42 and the part 1 2 can be immediately connected to another part 11 of a similar tap already inserted into another full cask or barrel 16.

The adapter 35 shown in Fig. 7 will be connected to two non-return valves 42 leading to two conduits 43. The adapter 35 can easily be changed for one of another shape.

The member 40 is provided with wings 45 which are used to rotate the member 40.

Claims (9)

1. A cask or barrel tap comprising a first part having a tapered portion which can be driven into a cask or barrel through a plugged hole provided in the cask or barrel, said first part being provided with a flow control valve, a second part provided with a non-return valve and an adapter connected to the nonreturn valve and a quick release connector connecting the adapter to said first part.

2. A cask or barrel tap as claimed in claim 1, in which the first part includes a filter through which the liquid flows into the first part.

3. A cask or barrel tap as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the quick release connector comprises a bayonet type coupling.

4. A cask or barrel tap as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the flow control valve is provided with a manually operable lever and the quick release connector is provided with a projection which if the connector is moved to disconnect the second part from the first part with the valve in the open condition, moves the lever to cause the valve to be moved to the closed condition.

5. A cask or barrel tap as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the first part and the part of the connector provided on the second part are each provided with pairs of tranversely extending wings to enable the connector to be manually operated.

6. A cask or barrel tap as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the control valve comprises a spherical valve member mounted in two seatings received within a longitudinalbore in the first part, the seatings being retained in the bore by a retainer in screwthreaded engagement with the first part.

7. A cask or barrel tap as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the adapter is straight or curved or T-shaped.

8. A cask or barrel tap as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the first part and second parts are formed of stainless steel.

9. A cask or barrel tap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.