IMPROVEMENTS. IN METALLIC CASKS OR VESSELS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Reid Gray; of Glasgow,. in the County of:
Lanark, North Britain, Tinsmith, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS.
IN METALLIC CASKS OR VESSELS."
Sealed the 2nd June 1868, and dated the 4th December 1867..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Reid Gray at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th December 1867.
I, ROBERT REID GRAY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Tinsmith, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC CASKS OR VESSELS," to be as follows,, that is to.
say:
This Invention relates to the making of metallic casks or vessels in an..
improved manner, and so as to coutain greater quantities of liquid or other
substances relatively to their external dimensions than such vessels as hitherto..
constructed. The Invention is applicable to metallic vessels such as are
ordinarily made of a cylindrical form and with external strengthening rings
at the ends, the rings and flanged edges of the ends usually projecting beyond.
the ends, whilst the rings also project to the extent of their thickness beyond
the sides.
The Invention consists in dishing the ends or making them balge outward.
at the centre and to a distance therefrom as near the sides as convenient, and

page_text: in applying the strengthening rings so as to be externally flush with the
external surface of the body of the vessel.
The Invention is also applicable to other than eylindrical forms, but such
forms are the simplest and most convenient. In practically carrying it out
the sheet metal shell forming the cylindrical body of the vessel is made with
a check or rebatement at each end to receive the external ring, and an internal
bead is also formed in it to prevent the ends from being forced too far
inwards. The ends are formed with the usual cylindrical flanges fitting inside
the cylindrical body, but instead of the ends extending flatly across as ordi-
narily from the inner parts of their flanges they are made to bulge outwards,
and thus take advantage of the end spaces ordinarily wasted. The end made
in this way presents an annular groove just inside its flanges as viewed
from the outside, and in this groove the outlet tube with its screw stopper
may be conveniently placed, so as not to project beyond the plane of the
extreme ends. A handle for lifting the vessel by is formed by fixing a bar
across a depression made for the purpose in one of the ends.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Reid Gray in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS. SHALL COME, I, ROBERT'
REID GRAY, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Tinsmith,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Robert Reid Gray, Her special licence that I, the said Robert
Reid Gray, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Robert Reid Gray, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully-
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC CASKS OR VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst
otliers) that I, the said Robert Reid Gray, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing: under my, or their, or one of their hands and

page_text: seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Reid Gray, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, that
is to say:
'My said Invention relates to the making of metallic casks or vessels in an
improved manner, and so as to contain greater quantities of liquid or other
substances relatively to their external dimensions than such vessels as hitherto
constructed.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the
same may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended a Sheet of
explanatory Drawings, to be berein-after referred to and representing a
metallic cask as made with my improvements.
My Invention is applicable to metallic vessels such as are ordinarily made
of a cylindrical form and with external strengthening rings at the ends, the
rings and flanged edges of the ends usually projecting beyond the ends, whilst
the rings also project to the extent of their thickness beyond the sides.
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of my improved cask; Figure 2 is a vertical
section, and Figure 3 is a view of the bottom as inverted.
My Invention consists in the first place in dishing the ends A, B, or making
them bulge outwards in the manner shown in the Drawing. In the case of
the bottom end B, the bulging part extends from the centre to a distance
therefrom as near the sides as convenient, but in the case of the top end A,
a concavity C is formed at the centre, and the bulged part extends from such
concavity to the same distance from the centre as in the other end. A bar D
is fixed across the concavity C to form a handle in a manner which has been
in use heretofore; but as the concavity was formerly made relatively to a
more inward surface the bulging gains as much internal space at the top end
(A) as at the bottom end (B).
My Invention consists in the second place in applying the strengthening
rings or hoops E, F, so as to be externally flush with the external surface of
the body G of the vessel.
In practically carrying out my Invention the sheet metal shell forming the
cylindrical body G of the vessel having been bent into the cylindrical form
and seamed at the joint, has its ends successively submitted to suitably shaped

page_text: rollers, which form at each end a check or rebatement to receive the external
ring E or F, and also an internal bead h, which prevents the end A or B
from being forced too far inwards. The ends A, B, are shaped by means of
suitable dies in a press with the usual cylindrical flanges fitting inside the
cylindrical body and with the bulging parts berein-before described, such
bulging parts taking advantage of a large portion of the end spaces which.
have hitherto been wasted. Each end made in this way presents an annular
groove just inside its cylindrical flanges as viewed from the outside, and in this
groove the outlet tube I with its stopper may be conveniently placed so as
not to project beyond the plane of the extreme ends. In putting the parts
together the ring or hoop E or F being pushed half on the end A or B. is
put in, and then the ring and the end are bammered home together. The
joints are then compressed or closed by rollers or other suitable tools, and the
whole is finished in the usual way.
My Invention is obviously applicable to other than cylindrical forms, but
such forms are the simplest and most convenient..
Having thus particularly described my said Invention; and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I have to state that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details herein described or delineated; but that what I
believe to be novel and original and claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the making of metallic.
casks or vessels with the ends dished or bulged outwards, substantially as
herein-before described, and the applying of the strengthening rings upon
rebatements so as to be externally flush with the external surface of the body,
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Reid Gray, have hereunto set
my band and seal, this Second day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow..
ROBERT R. GRAY. (L.S.)