Improvements in the Heading of Herring Casks and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Heading of Herring Casks and the like.
I, PETER JENSEN of 77 Chancery Lane in the County of London Patent Agent
do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me from abroad
by Peter Thams Buschmann of Throndbjem Norway Merchant) and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This present invention relates to the heading of herring-casks and the like in an
improved manner, so that the cask may be opened with case and without knocking
the hoops off or loosening them, as is now necessary in order to remove the bottom
piece, for the contents to become accessible. By this old manner of constructing
the head it also becomes necessary to leave the cask open after it has been opened
once or at all events to leave it insufficiently closed; whereby the contents will be
more or less exposed to the influence of the atmosphere and to the entry of dust into
the cask so that in most circumstances the contents, that are seldom consumed at once
will be spoiled within a short time.
To avoid these evils I construct a head which is provided with a round hole of
sufficient size to give easy access to the interior, and this hole I close with a cover
which fits in the hole and is provided with a swinging locking piece, which corre-
sponds with wedges on the circumference of the hole. For the smallest casks the
removable cover is made of the size of the head or interior end of the cask or
barrel.
In the drawings are shown three modifications of the invention.
1
Figures 1 and 2 show the improved head as it is preferably used for large casks.
Figures 3 and 4 show the same as used for smaller casks, and Figures 5 and 6 as
preferably used for the smallest size casks.
The head A for greater casks, shown in Figure 1 in plan view and in Figure 2 in
cross section (the cover being lifted up) has a central hole a, with conical circum-
ference, which fits exactly to the cover. The cover B has in its centre a bolt b, which
is screwed into the wood and serves as a fulcrum for the swinging locking piece C,
the ends c of which extend outside of the cover and are wedge-shaped. On the
head A itself are fastened two wedge pieces E, which correspond with the locking
piece C, so that when this latter is swung underneath the wedges E the cover B will
be pressed down into the conical hole of the head A whereby the same will be tightly
closed. To make a better fit a piece of cloth may be inserted between the cover and
the head. The two wedge-shaped pieces F serve by opening the cask to facilitate the
withdrawing of the cover, as this latter may stick too fast in the hole; the locking-
piece is then swung, so that the ends will engage with the blocks F and by knocking
the piece Cup against the inclined surface of the blocks F the cover B will be
lifted up.
In Figure 3 is shewn plan of a head for smaller casks (the cover being left out) and
Figure 4 is cross section of the same (the cover shewn in lifted position). In this
instance I prefer to arrange the locking piece inside of the cover, it being
fastened on a central bolt b¹ provided with a handle on the outside, so that the locking-
piece C may be turned thereby. As will be more clearly seen of Figure 3 there
is cut out at a notch on both sides of the hole, so that the crosspiece C may be
passed through to the inside of the head where the curved wedge-pieces E are
mounted. In this instance I prefer not to make the hole in the heading conical,
but I make preferably a flange on the cover as shewn in Figure 4, corresponding with
an annular recess in the head on the bottom of which a ring of rubber or the like is
placed serving as packing.

page_text: For very small casks I mahe the removable cover of the size of the head as
shown in Figure, 5, showing cross-section of the head secured in the cask. Figure 6
shews plan of the cask, the head being removed. In this instance the cover B
extends all over the cask bottom. The cover is made similar to the one shewn in
Figure 4, but the locking-piece C is placed on the outside like the locking-piece C
in Figure 2. The cask is made somewhat wider at the upper end, whereby a
shoulder is formed for the flange of the cover, and on opposite sides are made
two notches having at the bottom an extension sideways with wedge-shaped
upper sides, which, as will easily be understood serve as locking wedges in con-
junction with the locking-piece (2
In some instances I also prefer to make the locking piece like a cross, in which
instance there will have to be four wedges E or grooves f¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim as the invention communicated to me is :-
:
First Constructing herring çasks and the like with removable end cover or head
provided with a cross bar the ends of which can be turned in under wedge pieces for
securing it in place substantially as set forth.
Second The constructions of cover or head for herring casks and the like shewn
on the drawing.
Dated this 28th day of September 1889.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.