AN IMPROVED STAND OR SUPPORT FOR CASKS, BARRELS, AND SIMILAR VESSELS CONTAINING BEER, WINE, SPIRITS, OR OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Matthew Matthews and
Ebenezer Banton Burr at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
17th September 1879.
JAMES MATTHEW MATTHEWS, of Baker's Row, Whitechapel, in the County of
Middlesex, and EBENEZER BANTON BURR, of Copeland Park, Walthamstow, in the
County of Essex. "AN IMPROVED STAND OR SUPPORT FOR CASKS, BARRELS,
AND SIMILAR VESSELS CONTAINING BEER, WINE, SPIRITS, OR OTHER LIQUIDS."
Our Invention relates to an improved stand or support for casks, barrels, and
similar vessels containing beer, wine, spirits, or chemical and other liquids.
Its object is to provide means whereby when once the vessel has been placed
in the position it is to occupy for the liquid to be drawn therefrom, the said vessel
will be tilted automatically at the rear as the liquid is drawn out, thus avoiding
the necessity of tilting by manual labour or otherwise, as heretofore practiced, and
the shaking or disturbance of the liquid which, in many cases, causes the same to
be mixed with sediment and unfit for use.
In carrying the said Invention into practice, and when constructing the said
apparatus or stand for use by publicans and in stores and warehouses, we provide
a stand which is made with a base plate of metal or other suitable material, at each
end of which there is a vertical tubular pillar or post. There is also a cradle or
supporting piece which extends across from one of the said posts to the other, the
said cradle being concave along the portion between the posts to receive the rear
end of the barrel. The two outside ends of the cradle are straight, and at the lower
surface of each of these ends I provide a downwardly projecting rod, which rods fit
into the aforesaid tubular posts so that the rods and posts are in telescopic con-
nection. A spiral spring is furnished around the posts and rods, and is of such a
strength and so arranged that when the cask is full the said springs are compressed
by the weight of the cask and its contents, but as the latter are drawn out the
springs gradually expand in proportion as they are relieved from pressure, and the
rear end of the cask is consequently gradually, gently, and evenly raised and the
liquid is caused to flow to the front end of the cask, so that there is always a
sufficient quantity of the liquid at that end to be drawn out at the tap or other
drawing device so long as the cask contains any liquid within it. The said stand

page_text: or support is placed at the rear end of the cask, the front end of the same being
supported upon a block or piece of wood as is usual.
When adapting our Invention for the use of householders and others who do not
require to move the stands from one spot to another, as is the case with publicans,
and in warehouses and the like, we somewhat modify the construction of the
apparatus, that is is to say, we so construct it that the whole of the barrel or other
vessel is supported thereby, the rear portion being provided with a spring or springs
as above described.
In some cases we may employ flat or coiled springs instead of spiral springs, in
which case the construction will be modified in a manner that will be obvious to
any one accustomed to mechanical appliances.