IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING FUSTY AND OTHERWISE IMPURE CASKS, AND IN SEASONING NEW CASKS AND TIMBER TO BE MADE INTO CASKS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ralph James Fremlin, of Maidstone, in the
County of Kent, Brewer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PURIFYING FUSTY AND OTHERWISE IMPURE CASKS, AND IN SEASONING NEW
CASKS AND TIMBER TO BE MADE INTO CASKS."
Scaled the 26th August 1873, and dated the 19th March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ralph James Fremlin
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 19th March 1873.
I, RALPH JAMES FREMLIN, of Maidstone, in the County Kent,
Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for “Im-
PROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING FUSTY AND OTHERWISE IMPURE CASES, AND IN SEASONING
NEW CASKS AND TIMBER TO BE MADE INTO CASKS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in purifying fusty and
otherwise impure casks and in seasoning new casks and timber to be
made into casks. For this purpose bisulphite of lime mixed with water
is employed heated by steam, or it might be hot air being blown into
or through it, or being otherwise heated. For purifying or seasoning a

page_text: cask, thic cask is filled with water containing bisulphite of lime; a pipe
is then introduced into the cask through the ordinary bung hole or other
aperture, and steam is blown through the pipe into the liquid; sulphurous
acid absorbed in water may also be used together with steam or
hot air in the manner above described, and if thought desirable lime
may be added to the solution of sulphurous acid. By thus treating
casks they are at a small expense quickly and effectually rendered fit
for use.
cask, the cask is filled with water containing bisulphite of lime; a pipe
is then introduced into the cask through the ordinary bung hole or other
aperture, and steam is blown through the pipe into the liquid; sulphurous
acid absorbed in water may also be used together with steam or
hot air in the manner above described, and if thought desirable lime
may be added to the solution of sulphurous acid. By thus treating
casks they are at a small expense quickly and effectually rendered fit
for use.
Timber to be made into casks may also be scasoned in a like manner
by an application of bisulphite of lime or sulphurous acid diluted with
water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Ralph James Framlin in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 18th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RALPH ]
JAMES FREMLIN, of Maidstone, in the County of Kent, Brewer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the ?
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Ralph James Fremlin, Her special
license that I, the said Ralph James Fremlin, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ralph James Fremlin,
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 PURIFYING FUSTY AND OTHERWISE IMPURE CASKS AND IN
SEASONING NEW CASKS AND TIMBER TO BE MADE INTO CASKS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Ralph James Fremlin, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: 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 Ralph James Fremlin, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in purifying fusty and
otherwise impure casks, and in seasoning new casks and timber to be
made into casks. For this purpose bi-sulphite of lime mixed with
water is employed heated by steam, or it might be hot air being
blown into or through it, or being otherwise heated. For purifying or
seasoning a cask the cask is filled with water containing bi-sulphite of
lime, a pipe is then introduced into the cask through the ordinary bung
hole or other aperture, and steam is blown through the pipe into the
liquid. Sulphurous acid absorbed in water may also be used together
with steam or hot air in the manner above described. By thus treating
casks they are at a small expense quickly and effectually rendered fit
for use.
Timber to be made into casks may also be seasoned in a like manner
by an application of bi-sulphite of lime or sulphurous acid diluted with
water.
The following is the manner in which I prefer to carry out my Inven-
tion to purify a fusty or impure cask to render it again fit for use:-
:-The
head of the cask to be treated is first removed and the whole of the
inside of the cask scrubbed or otherwise cleaned. The head is then
replaced and the cask nearly filled with water; to this is added about
three pints of bi-sulphite of lime or the same quantity of sulphurous
acid per barrel (36 gallons), and the cask quite filled with water, I prefer
to use the hottest available water throughout the process, by which time
is saved and the effect more rapid.
The apparatus for the purpose of heating the water in the cask I
prefer to be arranged as shewn by the accompanying Drawing, but any
system which is found to raise to and sustain the water at a high tem-
perature or boiling point may be adopted.
In the Drawing A represents a water supply pipe, to which is attached
a flexible hose B to convey the water to the casks; C is a steam pipe

page_text: connected with an ordinary steam boiler and having branch pipes D, D,
projecting from it at intervals, on each branch is a tap D* to regulate
the passage of steam through it. To the end of each branch pipe is
fitted a flexible hose E having a piece of metal pipe G perforated with
holes attached to it. A cask having been charged as above described
one of these perforated pipes is inserted into the bung hole and steam
is injected through it, the supply of steam being controlled by the
tap D. The cask is subjected to the process for about two hours and is
then emptied, and if not considered to be thoroughly cured then it is
subjected to a further treatment for a period varying according to the
condition of the cask with a fresh supply of water and bi-sulphite of
lime or sulphurous acid.
For the seasoning of new casks the process is similar to that above
described, the operator regulating the quantity of bi-sulphite of lime
or sulphurous acid, and the time of treatment according to the time
the ale or beer or other liquid would be required to remain in the cask.
I generally find that from half an hour to one hour with one pint of
bi-sulphite of lime or sulphurous acid per barrel (36 gallons) sufficient.
The specific gravity of the bi-sulphite of lime I am in the habit of using
is about 1.055 and of the sulphurous acid about 1·033.
Timber to be made into casks may be placed into vats and treated
in a similar manner, the timber being by preference first cut approxi-
mately to shape, I fowever prefer to treat the finished casks as above.
described.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim the
method herein described of seasoning casks and of treating fusty or
impure casks to render them fit for use, also the treating wood to be
made into casks in a similar manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ralph James Fremlin, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
RALPH JAMES FREMLIN. (L.S.)