MENTS IN ELASTIC LININGS FOR CLOSED VESSELS FOR CONTAINING LIQUIDS, FOR INSTANCE, BEER CASKS
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Otto Wolff at the Office of the
A communication
Commissioners of Patents on the 1st February 1881.
by Theodor Remus, Manufacturer of Metal Goods, of Plauen, near Dresden.
OTTO WOLFF, Engineer & Patent Solicitor, No. 12, Schloss Strasse, in the
"IMPROVE-
City of Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony and German Empire.
MENTS IN ELASTIC LININGS FOR CLOSED VESSELS FOR CONTAINING LIQUIDS, FOR
INSTANCE, BEER CASKS." [A communication by Theodor Remus, Manufacturer of
Metal Goods, of Plauen, near Dresden, aforesaid].
This Invention relates to improvements in elastic linings for closed vessels for
containing liquids, such, for instance, as beer casks and the like.
In order to protect liquids, which are injuriously affected by the action of
atmospheric air, owing to their losing their flavour on the partial emptying of the
cask, I provido such vessels or receptacles with an elastic or pliant lining, which
I apply in the following manner :-The cask may be formed of two halves attached
to each other by means of angle iron rings or hoops and screw bolts, so as to form
a watertight cask.
The elastic lining is applied, say, to the upper half of the said cask, and it lies
snugly against the inner walls thereof, and is held at its edge between the abutting
ends of the halves of the cask, so that the lining also serves as an air and water-
tight packing for the edges of the two abutting halves of the cask.
If applied to a cask of ordinary construction, the edge of the lining is forced into
a groove in the widest part or bilge of the cask by means of a metallic ring.
In each case, assuming the cask to be vertical, the liquid in the cask will occupy
the space below the said lining.
If the liquid is to be drawn off a cock is inserted in a spile hole in the lower part
of the cask, and a vent is opened in the lead of the cask.
The air which now enters the cask from above does not come in contact with the
liquid, but acts on the lining; consequently if only a portion of the liquid is
drawn off and part left in the cask, the air can exercise no prejudicial action on the
same.
A further advantage of the elastic lining is found in such cases where the liquid
is forced or pumped up from below into rooms on a higher lever, such, as for

page_text: instance, is the case in public houses, inns, or hotels, where the beer is drawn from
casks standing in the cellar.
In this case a cock from the lower half of the cask is connected to a tube which
leads to the bar, and a cock screwed or otherwise fastened into the vent hole of the
cask is connected to a water pipe and cistern, so that the beer is forced out of the
cask by the simple pressure of the water on the elastic lining.
This Invention may be applied to an ordinary cask without fixing the said
lining, as in the before described arrangements to the interior of the cask. The
lining in such case is folded together and inserted into the cask by the vent hole.
For this purpose the lining has the form of the interior of the cask, and is so
fastened air tight in the venthole by means of the cock that on filling the cask
with beer, the said elastic lining expands and assumes the form of the cask.
In this case either air or water pressure can be employed to empty the cask.
By employing water as the pressure agent the further advantage is obtained,
that the beer or other liquid in the cask is kept cooler in warm weather or in
warm rooms than when air is admitted.
Instead of the lining being fastened in the cask by means of the cock, a suitable
ring can be employed for this purpose and the cock or bung inserted in this ring.