Today in 1867, US Patent 62864 A was issued, an invention of Thomas Marsh, for his “Beer Faucet.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
The invention herein described can be advantageously used for tapping a cask which .contains beer or other fluid confined under pressure. ‘The common method of tapping a beer cask, employed, is, first, to force inward, to the distance perhaps of half the thickness of the head of the cask, the plug which is always inserted in a hole made in one of the heads” for this purpose, and then placing the faucet or spigot upon its end against the plug so partially driven in, with a well-directed blow replug the hole with the end of the faucet. and at the same operation expel -into the interior of the Cask the former plug which filled the hole. It often happens that the pressure exerted by the beer is so great as to be able to resist the introduction of the faucet, especially if the latter is not exactly fitted to the hole, in which case the contents of the Cask will escape. The invention ‘described is intended to afford a convenient and certain means for tapping a cask in place of the means above described.
