Year: 1899

page_text: I, FRANZ XAVER MAYER, of 91, Schwanthalerstrasse, Munich, in the Empire
of Germany, Assistant Steward, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
As is well known repairs are frequently necessary in beer casks because the
bung hole becomes leaky owing to the frequently recurring opening and closing
and therefore the entire bung-hole stave must be replaced.
This drawback morcover cannot be obviated by the frequently used bung-hole
sockets or bushes as the latter easily become loose in their threads and chemical
compounds are formed with the oak wood.
To form the stave in question simply of metal or other hard material would now
be the most rational course for the desired object, but by this means other advan-
tages would be lost which are as is well known inherent in wood casks in view
of beer or wine, and also numerous other commercial and practical reasons would
speak against the use of such staves.
The construction of the stave forming the object of the present invention is
such that the drawbacks mentioned at the commencement of this specification
are thoroughly removed whilst the wood characteristic of the stave is preserved
unchanged to the fullest extent, so that thus in addition to the said advantage
the stave may be pitched and scorched and is also capable of being trimmed and
the grooves (croze) set or widened according to the height of the casks to be
formed.
This improved construction consists as follows:-
The inner part of the stave which comes in contact with the contents of the
cask is formed of a wooden body, surrounded by a metallic part in such a way that
both the outer face and also the two narrow edges of the wooden part are covered
by the metal and the outer surface extends at least so far that on the cask being
hooped up the metal part projects above and below over the ribs or bands.
This metallic part also serves to form an undamageable bung-hole lining
for which object it is thickened at a suitable place at an inwardly projecting
part which extends preferably over the entire width of the metal part.
The metal part can also form a lining for the hole of the draw-off spigot
The metal part is held firmly against displacement on the wood parts by means
of ribs or ridges and its hold may be further secured by means of the insertion
of suitable wood screws.
The main point in this construction is the retention of the property of wood
staves of being adapted to be cut off above and below according to the height of
the cask to be formed, and this is attained by giving the metal part a socket-
shaped form (in cross section, U-shaped) in consequence of which it only covers
the outer surface (to an extent up to a little under the hoops) and the two narrow
sides (where it engages in the joint).
In consequence of this formation it is possible to allow the wood body of the

page_text: stave to project to any suitable extent above and below the metal casing which
of course has for a consequence to impart to said stave a similar capability of
being fitted as was the case with the wood stayes hitherto employed.
The stave can be trimmed or cut off above and below similarly to a.wood stave
and the grooves can be displaced or widened which according to ordinary ideas
is impossible with all metal staves the use of which for similar purposes was
herein before mentioned.
Such a cask combines therefore the properties of metal and wood and may be
employed for casks of various size.
I, FRANZ XAVER MAYER, of 91, Schwanthalerstrasse, Munich, in the Empire
of-Germany, -Assistant Steward, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described.and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
As is well known repairs are frequently necessary-in-beer-casks-because the
bung hole becomes leaky owing to the frequently recurring opening and closing
and therefore the entire bung-hole stave must be replaced.
This drawback moreover cannot be obviated by the frequently used bung-hole
sockets or bushes as the latter easily become loose in their threads and chemical
compounds are formed with the oak wood.
To form the stave in question simply of metal or other hard material would now
be the most rational course for the desired object, but by this means other advan-
tages would be lost which are as is well known inherent in wood casks in view
of beer or wine, and also numerous other commercial and practical reasons would
speak against the use of such staves.
The construction of the stave forming the object of the present invention is
such that the drawbacks mentioned at the commencement of this specification
are thoroughly removed whilst the wood characteristic of the stave is preserved
unchanged to the fullest extent, so that thus in addition to the said advantage
the stave may be pitched and scorched and is also capable of being trimmed and
the grooves (croze) set or widened according to the height of the casks to be
formed.
This improved construction of the stave is shown in the accompanying draw-
ings, Fig. 1 being a longitudinal section, Fig. 2 a cross section, and Fig. 3 a
perspective view showing the croze, and it consists as follows:-
The inner part of the stave which comes in contact with the contents of the
cask is formed of a wooden body b, surrounded by a metallic part a in such a
way that both the outer face and also the two narrow edges of the wooden part
are covered by the metal and the outer surface extends at least so far that on the
cask being hooped up the metal part projects above and below over the ribs or
bands.
This metallic part also serves to form an undamageable bung-hole lining c
for which object it is thickened at a suitable place at an inwardly projecting
part which extends preferably over the entire width of the metal part.
The metal part can also form a lining for the hole of the draw-off spigot e.
The metal part is held firmly against displacement on the wood parts
by

page_text: means of ribs or ridges & and its hold may be further secured by the insertion
of suitable wood screws.
The main point in this construction is the retention of the property of wood
staves of being adapted to be cut off above and below according to the height of
the cask to be formed, and this is attained by giving the metal part a a socket-
shaped form (in cross section, U-shaped) in consequence of which it only covers
the outer surface (to an extent up to a little under the hoops) and the two narrow
sides, where it engages in the joint, see Fig. 2.
In consequence of this formation it is possible to allow the wood body of the
stave to project to any suitable extent above and below the metal casing, which
of course has for a consequence to impart to said stave a similar capability of
being fitted as was the case with the wood staves hitherto employed.
The stave can be trimmed or cut off above and below similarly to a wood stave
and the grooves can be displaced or widened which according to ordinary ideas
is impossible with all metal staves the use of which for similar purposes was
herein before mentioned.
Such a cask combines therefore the properties of metal and wood and may be
employed for casks of various size.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is tó be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
A cask stave consisting of a wooden body (b) forming the inner side and a
metal part (a) strengthening the bung-hole, which metal part is of U-shaped
section and engages over the outside and the two narrow sides only so far that
when hooped up it fits below the hoops and between the joints, and allows the
wood body to freely project above and below, substantially as herein before
described.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.