Improvements in Devices for Resisting Internal Pressure in Casks and other like Vessels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1893-Accepted, 1st July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Resisting Internal Pressure in Casks
and other like Vessels.
.
A communication by CARL WELLHÖFER, Sole Proprietor of the Firm of Mich.
Wellhöfer, of Heidingsfeld, near Wurzburg, Bavaria, Cask Makers.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 :-
This invention has for its object to strengthen the resistance which ordinary
wood casks and other like vessels, of the larger as well as of the smaller kinds, are
capable of offering to the bursting action of the enclosed liquids, with their
development of gases often at a very high pressure, without necessitating any
essential alteration in the formation of the cask itself, so that even old casks in any
condition may obtain advantage from this invention. The weak point of casks,
especially of large casks, was and is always the bottom; whilst the circumference
or the belly of the cask is firmly bound with iron, the bottom stands without further
fastening loose in the cask, being only firmly inserted in the groove; the only thing
which secures its resistance to internal pressure is its slight somewhat inward
projecting curve. This is the point to which this invention is particularly
applicable.
On the accompanying drawings, there is provided, in Figure 1, for the bottom of
the cask, a suitable strong bar r formed of wood, iron, or any other rigid material,
this bar r must be exactly fitted to the curve of the bottom of the cask and is
finally firmly pressed or keyed against the bottom by means of a long iron bolt e.
The position for this bolt e is arranged in the heads of the staves, the so called frogs,
and is strengthened by bushes c of iron or other suitable material. In order to
yield greater security, each of these bushes may be gripped by the attachment l,
which is then let into the barrel staves and firmly screwed to the same, and finally
held down by the heading hoop. If the mode of fastening with a straight bored
bolt el, as shown on the left hand side in Figure 1, does not suit, a fixed bolt e can
also be employed, placed vertically to the heads of the staves, for holding the bar r,
see Figure 1 on the right hand side. The bar r may be made of wood coated with
iron, Figure 1, or also of iron of any shape suitable therefor, as shown as an example
in Figure 2. In this case, r is bent out of Viron and passed between the heads of
the cask and lies close to the actual bottom curve, and is arranged so as to allow of
its being drawn tight afterwards.
This is shown on the left hand side as done by means of a screw, whilst on the
right hand side it is performed by means of a wedge bolt. In the first case, the
part of the bolt which projects from the bush is provided with a screw thread on
which a nut loosely moves. The latter presses, when suitably turned, against a
block i which is inserted in the crown of the V iron, by which means the bar is
pressed against the centre of the bottom of the cask in a suitable direction.
In the case of the bolt e* in the bush c³, when the bolt is driven into the latter,
the arrangement is such that the wedge-shaped part of the bolt e presses on the
botton wedge which is firmly connected with the bar and presses the bar r on the
bottom of the cask. The wedge bolt is stopped as soon as this work is done by
means of the screw fastener x, which freely works in a slot of the wedge e and is
inserted in the bottom.wedge.

page_text: By these various arrangements, the bottom of the cask has in its centre a
powerful buttress directly over its curve into which, as stated, the band r exactly
fits and directly over the longitudinal fibres of the wood of the bottom, whereby
the resistance of the bottom of the cask against internal pressure is considerably
strengthened. As two ends are usual in each cask, which may each be provided
with a bar, it results, by logical sequence, that the bar does not require any
particular support, for, as each bar must be tightened towards the inside of the
cask, that is to say, both bars against each other, this may be performed in the
simplest manner, by means of one screw for each which engages each bar in its part
which projects beyond the heads of the staves and connects both bars, the rear and
the front one, one with another, and, in the same way, the ends of the bars are
connected with a screw, and finally both screws are drawn together as may be
required, so that the ends of the casks are secured against internal pressure. This
is visible from Figure 3 without further explanation. The one end is omitted and
a piece of flat iron d is laid over the bar r, the ends of which flat iron, which project
over the heads of the casks, the tightening screws engage.
The other bar, which is not shown, is made in the same way. If this arrange-
ment be continued still further, it results that these tightening screws may be
available for other purposes. If hoop iron or steel bands be employed instead of
round iron for the screws, to which the screws may be rivetted or fastened in any
other suitable manner for the purpose of being drawn tight, and are then drawn
quite close to the stave heads as shown in fand, Figure 3, on the screws of these
bands being tightened, they press on the belly band and the staves firmly, and the
more so the tighter they are drawn. By this means, the resistance of the circum-
ference or the belly of the cask is increased, and simultaneously also a new hoop,
"the longitudinal hoop," is formed for the cask.
The bars require to be of no particular width, and therefore need, even for
large casks, on both sides at most only one such band screw or one longitudinal
hoop. As then it appears preferable to make the longitudinal hoops in the same
way as the belly hoops to pass round the cask longitudinally at a suitable distance
apart in order to allow of the cask being laid, the bottom harris either laid on
flat, or entirely omitted, and a support employed therefor either round, or of other
suitable form.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 show various arrangements of the longitudinal hoops round
the cask. These are made of hoop iron or steel bands or the like, but may also be
made of wire rope.
All these longitudinal hoops, unless some special reason
prevents, are wrapped round the cask in one continuous hand. Each longitudinal
hoop must be provided with at least one (or more if necessary) tightening devices
which consist in a double spindle, as shown in Figure 4, that is, one with a right and
left thread, and nuts m fixed to the hoop, Figure 4, or in a connecting link
provided with a right and left screw and a bolt fitting the nuts and attached to the
ends of the hoop. Further, a simple screw may also be employed as will be shown
later on in Figure 6.
P also
In order that, when tightening the longitudinal hoop over the heads of the staves,
there may be no sharp corners, saddle rests, or even rollers with as large curves as
possible, as shown in Figure 7, may be employed which facilitate the sliding or
slipping of the hoop f
In Figure 4, all the longitudinal hoops placed round the cask must naturally
cross in the centre of the bottom, and for this purpose the bar or corresponding
support must be made in such a way that no longitudinal hoop interferes with
another one.
The bar is therefore made with recesses or grooves, each of which
is intended for a given hoop and is so formed that no hoop rests on the other one,
but each hoop, when tightened up, only rests on the bar or support and presses
this latter against the bottom, by which means the required strengthening of the
bottom against the internal pressure is attained.
If the crossings of the longitudinal hoops on the bottom of the cask are to be
avoided, a suitable strong iron ring a is arranged as shown in Figure 6 in the centre

page_text: of the same, on or in which the ends of the longitudinal hoops are firmly fixed.
For hoops which have the tightening device p, the ring a is formed of a round
section in which the ends of the respective longitudinal hoops p' to p' are hooked.
In the case of the longitudinal hoops to 1, the above named tightening device
may be used with simple screws in order to make use of all the forms of application.
The bar a then rests with its end part u flat on the bottom of the cask, as shown
on a larger scale in Figure 9. For each hoop there is arranged on the ring a lug
or eyelet o, in the case of the screwed ends of the longitudinal hoops to with
round holes, and for the hoops to with simple slots in which the hoop ends,
which are not provided with screws, are simply inserted, so that the heads or cross
bars attached thereto are held therein. As the ring bears directly on the bottom
of the cask, it serves also at the same time as a bar, and for this reason it fits
exactly to the curve of the bottom or is suitably supported. The higher its lugs
are, that is to say, the more they stand away from the bottom of the cask, the
greater will be the angle of the pull of the hoop between the heads of the stares
and the tightening device as shown in Figure 5 and the stronger the ring will fulfil
its purpose as a buttress for the bottom of the cask.
A support of wood is simply arranged for the round ring as a bottom buttress,
which is then pressed by the longitudinal hoops, when tightened up, firmly on the
bottom of the cask.
For all other arrangements of the longitudinal hoop, as well as for those herein-
before enumerated, bars and supports may be omitted if the longitudinal hoops
which extend over the bottom of the cask or their parts, when drawn up, are
suitably stayed or propped and thereby the resistance of the bottom of the cask
is increased.
The longitudinal hoops may also be fastened to or engaged with the tightening
device of the belly hoops, in order to strengthen the belly as well as the bottom
of the cask in their resistance. This is shown in Figure 5. The longitudinal hoop v
(Figure 8) when tightened up, grips the belly hoop t.
For this purpose, the
longitudinal hoop vis provided with a claw k, by means of which it grips the belly
hook underneath, as is shown on a larger scale in Figure 8. For greater security,
the claws are formed in several parts, in case one part breaks, another maintains
its hold. The longitudinal hoop v passes over the belly of the cask to the bottom,
connects with a further band so that it continues as one hoop, and engages on the
other side with the same belly hoop diametrically opposite to where it starts, and
thus forms a certain counterpoise. For this purpose at least two bands must be
used, that is to say, one hoop must engage with one and the same belly ring.
The rear tightening hoops then always serve as a support for the front end and
vice versa, the front tightening hoop for the other end, whether one or more hoops
are employed or not. For security's sake, there must always be arranged behind
the tightening device of the belly hoop which is engaged, a second, a reserve hoop,
which is shown in Figure 5 in dotted lines. If it happens that two longitudinal
hoops, that is to say, four hoop bands, fall in both directions in one and the same
longitudinal plane, on each side of the cask, a band must be divided or forked in
order that the hoop band which leads to the other end may pass through the first
as is the case in the middle bands z and z¹ shown in Figure 5. The mode of
fastening between the longitudinal and the belly hoops may further be completed
in any suitable manner by means of rivets, screws, etcetera, as long as the durability
of the hoops is not thereby weakened.
The longitudinal hoops may also be engaged in special plates or attachment
devices instead of in the cross hoops, which plates, etcetera, may be inserted in the
cask staves or mounted on these latter.
This mode of fastening is shown at g, Figure 5. Flat irons and 6¹ are longi-
tudinally let into the staves of the belly of the cask, and are there screwed down
in a suitable manner; they have at certain distances cross slots h in which the
clutches of the longitudinal hoops engage.
For each of the longitudinal hoops (or for two of the hoop straps) two such pieces

page_text: of flat iron are necessary, which stand opposite one another vertically to the bottom
of the cask and lie in a plane intersecting the centre of the bottom of the cask.
The flat irons may also be arranged along the whole length of the stave from
one cask head to the other, and the result is that two longitudinal hoops or four
hoop straps fall in one plane in opposite positions.
In place of the flat iron 6 and 6, any other suitably shaped iron or support may
be used, the connection of the longitudinal hoops with the same may also be
established by means of rivets, screws and the like.
As already stated at the commencement, these devices for resisting internal pressure
are applicable for all casks even for old ones. The latter especially, considering
the length of their existence, may derive special advantage from this arrangement,
still the position of their storage in cellars, owing to walls and so forth, is so limited
that the rear end of the cask is not at all accessible, and any handling of the cask
is impossible, for this reason, special means must be employed.
In Figures 10 to 11 on Sheet 2, the former shows the rear and the latter the
front end of the cask, in the horizontal plane of which round the centre of the cask
a wire rope is drawn tight, unless a chain, hoop iron, or the like be preferred. If
the internal pressure is not extraordinary, it is only necessary to pass the rope s
round the cask whilst the rear end of the cask is considered as inaccessible.
The preparation for this requires two supports such as shown in Figures 12 and 13.
This support forms an elbow, on the shortest arm w of which one, and, on the longer
arm wel, two rollers are arranged for the wire rope. Both arms may also be made
movable on a hinge, as shown in Figure 12. The rollers y lie, as shown in cross
section, Figure 13, in a box in which loops n are arranged in order to prevent
the wire ropes from falling out. The loops n are removable and are inserted with
their points, Figure 13, in the grooves I running vertically in the box, where
they then spring into holes II, Figure 12.
The wire rope s is drawn into two such supports in such a way that the two short
arms w of the support stand opposite one another. These two supports are then
attached to a cord or chain in such a way that they are suspended in a level position
from which they can be let down from the upper side of the cask to the rear
end, in such a way that the longer arm w' slides over the staves and the shorter
arm w over the head of the cask, whilst the above named hinged part assumes the
sectional angle of the heads of the staves until the central diametral plane of
the cask is attained, or the wire rope has reached the correct line of tension,
where the two supports are firmly hooked, so that they hang down astride at both
sides of the cask as shown in Figure 10. The wire rope is then drawn completely
round the cask, whilst the saddle rest described in Figure 7 and easily applicable
in this case is mounted on the front stave heads and the wire rope is drawn tight.
Before, however, the latter is done, the wooden wedge-shaped bottom bar (or
support) III, shown in Figure 10, must be let down from the rear side of the cask,
and be firmly suspended in such a way between the bottom of the cask and the wire
rope, that it (the bar III) assumes the proper height and the wire rope rests in a
groove in the bottom bar prepared for the same. As the tightening device IV is
arranged in the centre of the front bar, Figure 11, the latter is fitted according to
the curve of the bottom and is recessed in the centre in order to allow the tightening
device IV to revolve so that the tightening device may be drawn fully tight in
order to form, in the usual manner, a resistance to the internal pressure.
The above mentioned hinge, or similar transportable longitudinal hook-rest or
support w and w¹ may be also made in another manner which will be hereinafter
described, and may be conveniently attached to the heads of the casks before the
tightening of the longitudinal hoop takes place, without making their hold dependent
on the above named suspending chains. Figure 17 shows this more in detail.
The two rests to and wo³, arranged opposite one another on the same side of the
belly of the cask, are placed in position by two workmen, each of whom simul-
taneously takes hold of the end of a chain V and hooks the same to a suitable hook
arranged on the support. In order that, by the hooking on of the chain, a drawing

page_text: back of each rest towards the head of the cask may be brought about, these chains
are provided, at one or more points, with spiral springs VI VI, which render
possible an extension of the chain when suitably pulled or drawn at both ends
during the hooking on, whereby the power of each of the expanded chain
springs IV IV is exerted one against the other. As the rests w² and w³ are arranged
for this purpose in such a way that their hinged parts are not capable of opening
beyond 90 degrees, they form to a certain extent hooks, which, when the chains are
tightened up in the direction of the pull, firmly rest on the heads of the casks.
The tightly drawn chain admits at the same time of an exactly lineal fixing of the
direction of connection of both rests parallel to the longitudinal direction of the
cask.
When the two supports herein before named have been fastened on one side of the
belly of the cask, two supports are affixed to the opposite side of the cask in a
similar way, so that all four supports lie in one plane, intersecting the centre of the
cask bottom. The longitudinal hoop (chain, cord, etcetera) must be passed and
fixed over the supports precisely as hereinbefore described.
In order that the wire rope may be well gripped and often drawn tight, each end
of the same is provided with a tightening device, such as shown in Figure 14. Two
long rounded and roughened jaws VII and VII are connected in the one-sided
or forked hinge VIII. These jaws VII grip the wire rope, which is firmly
screwed into their roughened channel LX by means of the bolt X.
The bolt X
has on each jaw shank VII or VII a tapering washer XI, and is arranged in a
slot XII, and is connected with the hook IV of the tightening device. If this
latter come into action, therefore, it tends to draw on the bolt X, and, as the shanks
of the jaws, as shown in Figure 14, stand behind further apart, the bolt is also
drawn backwards in the slot, and the two shanks VII and VII are more strongly
pressed together and grip the wire ropes more firmly, the stronger the pull is on
the bolt IV.
Finally, the wire rope may also be employed in such a way that the whole cask
is equally girdled by it, the wire rope forming a single combined band which is
only intersected by the tightening device. The wire rope may also be used as an
endless band like a driving belt, if the tightening device be not connected with the
wire cord, but is arranged so as to act directly on the cord. It is of course beyond
question that the wire rope may be employed in precisely the same manner as the
band hoop, as was described for this latter in Figures 4, 5 and 6, and be arranged
so as to cross on the centre of the end, or by being fastened to the ring 7, Figure 6,
or even both methods may be employed simultaneously as was the case with a
flat hoop, the ring a being arranged in front, whilst they are arranged crosswise at
the rear end. It is evident, when the latter method is employed, that the longi-
tudinal hoop is continuous whether it consists of wire rope or hoop iron, and for
this reason only a single tightening device is required.
As wire rope is more flexible than hoop iron, and allows of being bent at any
angle, the binding of the cask with the wire rope s may be done in the manner
shown in Figure 15. In this case, the wire rope engages in a hook or lug
arranged on the cross bar XIII, if the roller XIV, as shown in the lower part, be
not deemed preferable, from there the rope passes to the head of the cask, over the
guide roller at s¹ formed in the manner shown in Figure 7, and from thence over
the belly of the cask to the rear end at s², and over the latter to as shown in
dotted lines, from thence again to the front at the upper end of the cask head at **,
from thence over roller XIV to , then s and s to the rear end, where it crosses
the first cord, and then runs towards over the cask belly back to the tightening
device IV. The whole wire rope thus forms two longitudinal bands, which are
drawn taut or stretched by a single tightening device IV. It is in fact not
impossible to extend the wrapping further, and to form four longitudinal bands with
a single rope, if a horizontal bar be connected with the vertical cross bar XIII on
which a roller may be placed at each side, over which rollers the wire rope may be
drawn taut in the manner described in the previous case.

page_text: It is of course evident that the securing of the bottom by means of a bar or
the buttressing may be done in a similar manner as in the cases herein before
described.
Figure 16 has a somewhat similar arrangement to Figure 15, but the modifi-
cation is introduced of not inserting the tightening device in the wire rope, but
placing it between the rollers XIV. These latter are placed on head pieces, which
are arranged on the round bar r and slide in the same; the tightening is performed
by means of the double spindle m which has a right and left hand thread, and which
suitably engages in the head pieces of the rollers, the rollers XIV are thereby
approached, and constantly draw tighter the wire rope which, as already stated, is
in this case an endless one. In this arrangement also it is possible to pass more
than two longitudinal bands with an endless cord round the cask, as each additional
roller XIV employed increases the wrapping by one longitudinal band. In this
case also like the preceding cases, this is apart from the device for securing the
cask bottom as well as the circumference against internal pressure.
In the case of small casks, longitudinal hoops of the same shape as belly hoops
may also be employed as shown in Figure 18, by forcing, by means of a pressing
device, the previously exactly fitted longitudinal hoop s, over the cask in such a
way that it tightly encloses the cask staves, and rests on the cask head at four
points XV, which lie in one plane with the axis of the height of the cask. These
longitudinal hoops are then supported on the cask end by means of a cross bar r,
and are attached thereto by means of clamps XVI, as well as to the cask staves.
In order to protect the edges of the head of the cask against the compression of
the longitudinal hoop, the transverse hoops XVII lying next to these edges are
made somewhat broader, and project over the edges of the cask head, so that the
longitudinal hoop can no longer bear on the unprotected wood. Of course it is
evident that any suitable number of such longitudinal hoops may be employed for
one and the same cask; they must, in that case, merely cross at the ends.
In the same way as the longitudinal hoops, which particularly impart solidity to
the sides of the cask, special cross hoops independent of the belly hoops may also
be arranged round the cask, and brought into connection with the latter hoops.
Figure 19 shows how. two longitudinal bands and sb, and the cords of two cross
hoops and s, each pair of which lies in one plane, engage with a short piece of
endless chain I arranged on the belly of the cask, and the attachments or pulling
points of which stretch the chain into the form of a square, connecting lines drawn
from the points of attachment of similar pairs of hoops form the diagonals of the
improvised chain square.
On the belly of the cask diametrically opposite to the chain 1, the cords of the
above named longitudinal and cross hoops are attached to a similar chain.
In consequence of the drawing taut of a cord of a longitudinal hoop by means of
a tightening arrangement, the diagonals of the chains on both sides are extended,
and, on the other hand, the other vertical diagonals shortened, and thereby the
cords of the corresponding cross hoops are drawn firmly against the cask belly, and
their resistance is thereby increased.
The rests to answer the same purpose as the rests w³ and w³ in Figure 17 but
instead of rollers, grooves are formed to receive the bands and sb. These rests
are shown in Figure 22 on a larger scale.
The endless chain here employed, in place of which wire rope, or other flexible
material may be used, may be inserted and arranged within four rollers arranged
on a common frame, in such a way that, between each two rollers, a piece of the
chain appears in the form of a loop s°, see Figure 21, wherein the cords of the hoops
are then suitably hooked.
If wire ropes or cords are employed for formning the hoops, the longitudinal hoops
may also be used simultaneously as cross hoops, by arranging a support with
rollers, Figure 20, on the cask belly in line with the longitudinal hoops, the rollers
then enabling the longitudinal bands to be bent off at right angles, and carried
crosswise over the cask as transverse bands.

page_text: A similar roller support is arranged opposite this branching off place, by means
of which (opposite roller support) the cross band is again deflected into a longi-
tudinal plane, and either brought back to the end of the cask from which it started,
or carried further to the other end. In this latter case, the band returns, in the
way it came, to the starting end, and tightening devices are only inserted at one or
both ends. In the former case, on the other hand, where the longitudinal or cross.
band only embraces one half of the cask, Figure 20, s, or Figure 24, s, the other
half of the cask must, in order to establish an equipoise of strain, be embraced by
a similarly formed longitudinal and cross band, Figure 20.
The rollers belonging thereto are then arranged on both sides of the belly of the
cask on one and the same support, which thereby becomes the common engaging or
coupling point for the longitudinal or transverse bands of the separate halves of the
cask.
The variations in the mode of girdling the casks with one or more longitudinal
or transverse bands are extremely numerous, according as more or fewer cords are
employed, or as the guide rollers are arranged on the belly of the cask.
Figure 23 shows one of the methods of deflecting, by means of which one and the
same band encircles the whole cask.
The tightening up of the longitudinal hand on the end of the cask may, as
hereinbefore stated, be done in various ways. A peculiarly effective form of
construction is shown in Figure 26 of the accompanying drawings.
It consists of a piece of flexible spring or flat steel 2, on which guide rollers or
slide pieces 3, which can be adjusted so as to be higher or lower, are mounted.
The steel spring 2 easily adapts itself to any curve of the cask end, and is firmly
pressed thereon by the longitudinal hand s running over the guide pieces 3.
Figure 25 shows, further, a handy form of construction for cask head supports, if
it be at the same time attached to the cross bar. In that case, a hinge piece + is
arranged at both ends of the cross bar r, in which hinge pieces levers 5 move.
These levers rest, when turned down horizontally on the head of the cask, and they
terminate with the edge of the same. At their end points 6, they are made thicker
and grooved, for the object of rendering them suitable for inserting the longitudinal
band therein. The handling of the cross bar as support for the longitudinal band
in combination with the cask head support is hereby considerably simplified.
Another practical form of construction for cross bars which are fastened in the
cask heads without being encircled by longitudinal bands will now be described in
detail.
This form of construction is shown in Figures 27, 28 and 29.
There are two bore holes in the cask head, each of which relates to a separate
stave, and these holes each receive two bolts 7, which are further given a firm hold
both on the outside and the inside by means of plates 8 or 9 let into the wood. On
the inside, a round bar 10, provided with lugs, is placed horizontally over the two
bolt euds, which (bar 10) is kept away from the cask head by means of washers il
previously placed on the bolts. The nuts 12 on the bolts maintain this round bar
in a fixed horizontal position. Two flaps 13 move on this round bar, between
which flaps the cross bar r is firmly held by any suitable means, in the drawing by
means of the bolt 14.
The advantage of this system of bolting consists in the circumstance that the
heads of two cask staves serve as support for the cross bar, and thereby the danger
of the bursting of the cask head, when the internal pressure is great, is removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what claim is :-
1. A device for resisting internal pressure in casks and other like vessels, con-
sisting of a suitable number of bars let into two or more opposite stave heads, or
suitably fixed therein, which (bars) fit either directly on the cask bottom, or are

page_text: supported by means of suitably shaped wood or other blocks, substantially as
described.
2. A device for resisting internal pressure for casks and the like vessels, con-
sisting of one or more hoops, iron bands, wire ropes, etcetera, suitably arranged in
or on the heads of the staves, and embracing the cask in a longitudinal direction,
which hoops, etcetera, may be drawn tight or pressed over the cask by means of
tightening devices, and supported on the cask bottom by means of wood or other
blocks, substantially as described.
3. A form of construction of the internal pressure resisting device specified in
Claim 2, for casks and the like vessels, in which the longitudinal hoops only
embrace one half of the cask, or are fastened to other attachment devices arranged
on the staves of the cask, substantially as described.
4. A form of construction of the device specified in Claim 2, for casks and other
like vessels, applicable for those where the cask heads are only with difficulty
accessible, characterised by the arrangement of transportable hinged cask head
supports, which, after the wire ropes, iron hoops or the like, have been previously
inserted therein, may be let down from both sides over the cask heads, and retained
by means of chains or the like, after which the wire rope, hoop iron, etcetera, which
affords the resistance to the internal pressure, may be drawn in a longitudinal
direction towards the front over the cask and suitably fastened, whilst a wedge is
inserted between the rear end and the wire rope for the purpose of support, by
being let down in a similar manner from above.
5. A form of construction similar to that described in Claim 4, in which,
however, two transportable supports lying opposite one another on one and the
same side of the belly are attached, before the longitudinal hand is drawn taut, by
means of the hooking up of a chain, this latter having springs which are expanded
in the support by pulling both ends of the chain during the attachment, so that the
supports are drawn apart, their hinged parts being arranged so as not to open
beyond 90 degrees and thus to engage like hooks with the heads of the casks.
6. A form of construction of the device for resisting internal pressure specified
in Claim 2, in which the two ends of the wire rope, with eventually the insertion
tightening device, are fastened by a clamp device consisting of two hinged
jaws connected with one another, which grip one end of the wire rope, and may be
roughened on their clamping surfaces, which jaws may be pressed together by
means of a bolt and nuts, the gripping action being increased (on the bolt being
pulled by the other end of the wire rope) by means of wedge shaped discs placed
under the bolt head and nuts.
of a
7. A form of construction of the device for resisting internal pressure in casks
and other like vessels, specified in Claim 2, in which the cask is girdled by any
suitable number of longitudinal and transverse bands or hoops, which are intersected
at one or more crossing points, and there connected by their ends to a common
coupling device.
8. A form of construction of the device for resisting internal pressure for casks
and other like vessels, specified in Claim 2, in which the cask is surrounded
longitudinally and transversely by one or more wire ropes, or bands of some other
flexible material, in such a way that each longitudinal band curving round a slide
piece at some suitable place on the cask belly, is carried forward as a transverse
band, and, after continuing thus for a suitable extent, is again altered into a
longitudinal band, such deflecting being able to be repeated as frequently as may be
desired.
9. A form of construction of the support mentioned in Claim 1 for the longitudinal
hoop on cask bottoms, characterised by spring or flexible bars or plates being
employed on which supports or slide pieces for the longitudinal hoop (which
supports can be fixed higher or lower) are arranged.
10. A further form of construction of the support specified in Claim 1, for the
longitudinal hoop on the cask bottom, and the fixing of this hoop on the cask heads,

page_text: characterised by cross bars being employed on which the cask head supports for
the longitudinal band or hoop are hinged, so as to allow of their being folded down
over the cask head.
11. A form of construction of the device specified in Claim 1 for resisting
internal pressure in casks, or the like vessels, in which the cross bar on the bottom
is held by two movable flaps fastened at its ends, which flaps are inserted in a
suitable holding device let into two or more of the staves of the cask.
Dated this 4th day of May 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.