IMPROVEMENTS IN Self- ACTING APPARATUS FOR TILTING OR SUSPENDING CASES AND BABRELS." ACTING APPARATUS FOR TILTING OR SUSPENDING CASKS AND BARRELS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cooper, of Stockport, in the County of
Chester, Mechanic, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN Self-
ACTING APPARATUS FOR TILTING OR SUSPENDING CASES AND BABRELS."
ACTING APPARATUS FOR TILTING OR SUSPENDING CASKS AND BARRELS,'
2
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Cooper at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st November 1875.
I, JOHN COOPER, of Stockport, in the County of Chester, Mechanic,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SELF-ACTING APPARATUS FOR TILTING OR SUSPENDING CASKS AND BARRELS,"
to be as follows:-
My improved apparatus consists of a light frame suspended to the
wall of the cellar; this frame supports an axle, on which is fixed a
ratchet wheel and a bush, to which is secured one end of a volute spring,
the other end of which is secured to a box fixed to the frame. The end

page_text: of the bush forms the half of a clutch box, and the other half of the
clutch box is cast on a scroll loose on the axle; to this scroll the end of
a cord or chain is secured, the other end of which is secured to the cask
or barrel to be tilted. When the spring is tightened up by turning the
axle the halves of the clutch box are brought together, so that the
tension of the spring acts on the cord or chain and keeps it taut. As
the contents of the cask or barrel are drawn off, and the weight thereof
is reduced, the spring gradually winds the cord or chain on the scroll,
and causes the cask or barrel to be tilted to a corresponding extent
until all the contents are drawn off. In order to prevent the axle being
turned round in the wrong direction I make taper catches on the face of
the ratchet wheel, and corresponding catches on the key by which it is
turned.
nied by the said John Cooper in CITC
on the 28th April 1876.
CICA Deal Fa
VEICO
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
COOPER, of Stockport, in the County of Chester, Mechanic, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Cooper, Her special
licence that I, the said John Cooper, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Cooper, 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
SELF-ACTING APPARATUS FOR TILTING OR SUSPENDING CASKS AND BARRELS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Cooper, my

page_text: the inner end is provided with a slot, into which the hooked stud g
catches when the axle c is turned round to wind up the spring, but
when the axle is turned in the contrary direction the hooked stud passes
under the end of the spring without injury. To the axle care cast or
forged snugs h, which form the half of a clutch box, and the other half
of the clutch box is formed on the boss of the scroll i, which is loose,
and capable of being moved to and fro on the axle c. The ratchet
wheels and are also fixed on the axle c, and each ratchet wheel is
provided with a catch marked respectively j¹ and k¹; the teeth of these
ratchet wheels are set in opposite directions. To the smaller end of the
scroll is connected the upper end of the cord or chain 7, to the lower
end of which is attached a filbow, which may be slided on the cord or
chain to adjust its length. After the cord or chain has been passed
through the hooks m and n connected to the ends of the cask or barrel
it is secured to a hook projecting from the scroll i, as shewn in Fig. 1.
The mode of operation is as follows:-Before the spring fis wound
up the catch must be put in gear with the ratchet wheel j, and the
catch k³ must be thrown out of gear; the scroll i must be moved side-
ways to disconnect the clutches on its boss from the snugs ; the
attendant then winds up the spring by turning the handle e, and when
the spring is brought to the required state of tension the clutch box is
thrown into gear, and the catch is brought into gear with the ratchet
wheel while the catch j' is thrown out of gear; the spring now acts
on the scroll, and keeps the cord or chain / taut, and as the spring is not
sufficiently strong to lift the end of the cask or barrel when full it is
evident that so long as the cask or barrel remains full and until the
required quantity has been drawn off it lies horizontally on the stillage,
as shewn by full lines in Fig. 1. As soon however as the contents of
the cask or barrel have been drawn off to the required extent, and the
weight thereof is reduced, the spring gradually turns the scroll round
and winds the cord or chain on to the enlarged portion of the scroll,
thereby tilting the cask or barrel until all the contents are drawn off,
when it assumes the position shewn in dotted lines.
In order to keep the spring ƒ in proper working condition I put a
certain quantity of oil in the box d, which is provided with a lid, as
shewn best in Fig. 4; this oil lubricates the spring, and keeps it in
order.

page_text: Having thus stated the nature and particulars of my Invention I
declare that I claim, the general combination and arrangement of the
parts forming a self-acting apparatus for tilting or suspending casks or
barrels, and particularly the volute spring f, or other equivalent, acting
in the manner and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cooper, have hereto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-six.
JOHN COOPED
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