IMPROVEMENTS IN CASKS, PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Duncan and John Boyd, both of
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Patent Cask Manufac-
turers, and John Barker, of Knotty Ash, near Liverpool aforesaid,
Doctor of Medicine, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASKS,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Duncan,
John Boyd, and John Barker at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 3rd November 1853.
We, GEORGE DUNCAN and JOHN BOYD, both of Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Patent Cask Manufacturers, and JOHN BARKER,
of Knotty Ash, near Liverpool aforesaid, Doctor of Medicine, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASKS,
AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CASES," to be
as follows:-
These improvements consist, firstly, in bevilling, hollowing, and
grooving wood casks. The manner in which this is to be effected is to

page_text: place the cask upright on a horizontal circular plate, teethed round the
edge, and to be turned by a worm wheel, so as to make the cask travel
in a circular mode; a turned hoop is now placed over the upper end of
the cask, which hoop is allowed to revolve in the inside of a stationary
ring so as to keep the cask in a perfectly true, steady, and vertical
position. From above the cask a slide is fixed carrying a spindle,
having placed on its lower end a small circular saw for the purpose of
cutting the cask to its proper length. Directly underneath, the saw is
placed a circular plane with three plane irons in it, one for cutting the
chine at the end of the cask, another for cutting the hollow, and the
third for making the groove for the head. This machine is called a
crosing machine. Secondly, in giving the hoops a suitable flue or cone.
This is effected by two steel rollers having two unequal planes, the top
one fluted so as to indent itself-into one-side of the iron hoop, making
that the widest side and longest surface. This machine is called a
"coning machine." Thirdly, in proving casks. by means of an air
pump, effected by, in the first place, pouring a small quantity of water
into the cask, and then by revolving the cask, making the whole of the
interior wet, and then forcing air into the cask. Fourthly, in cutting
out the heads of casks, and at the same time giving the necessary bevil
for fitting into the groove. This is effected by means of putting the
rough head in between two circular vertical plates that turn slowly
round, fitted to the frame of which are two rocking frames carrying
two circular saws, which enter the wood at angles opposed to each
other. This machine is called the improved heading machine. Fifthly,
in jointing the staves, and giving to each as cut the suitable bevil and
bulge necessary for the form of the cask. This is effected by means of
a deep guide fixed on a saw table against which the wood travels; this
guide is made deep enough so as to cut a number of staves and one and
the same time. This machine is called an improved "stave cutter."
Sixthly, in jointing the heading by means of passing: pieces of wood
backwards and forwards on a saw table by the side of a guide, inter-
sected in the middle by a revolving chopper placed vertically. This
machine is called the improved "jointer:" Seventhly, in-manufacturing
casks in which the staves are alternately straight and bevilled; instead

page_text: of being all bevilled, as is now the case, by which great labor and
expence is saved. Eighthly, in manufacturing casks of corrugated iron.
The corrugated: iron is first prepared in sheets of the breadth of the
cask required, and then sawn into suitable lengths for half the required
éask, the two halves being fastened together by strips of metal at the
points of junction; or the cask may be formed out of one sheet, the one.
side overlapping the other, and being rivetted to it; the heads of these
casks may either be of wood or of iron.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Duncan, John Boyd, and John Barker
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
GEORGE DUNCAN and JOHN BOYD, both of Liverpool, in the County.
of Lancaster, Patent Cask Manufacturers, and JOHN BARKER, of
Knotty Ash, near Liverpool, Doctor of Medicine, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors;
give and grant unto us, the said George Duncan, John Boyd, and John.
Barker, Her special license that we, the said George Duncan, John
Boyd, and John Barker, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said George Duncan, John Boyd, and John
Barker, our executors, administrators, or 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 CASKS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF CASKS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said George Duncan, John Boyd, and John Barker, by an instru-
ment in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal
of one of us, should particularly describe and, ascertain the nature of
-

page_text: the said Invention, and in what manner the 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 we, the said George Duncan, John Boyd, and
John Barker, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying Drawing, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say:
Our said Invention relates to certain improved machinery for con-
structing wooden casks, and to the manufacture of corrugated iron
casks, and consists, firstly, in certain arrangements of mechanism for
bevelling, hollowing, and grooving wooden casks. This is effected by
placing the cask upright on a horizontal circular plate, formed with
teeth round the edge, and actuated by a worm wheel, so as to cause the
cask to travel in a circular course; a turned hoop is then placed over
the upper end of the cask, which hoop is allowed to revolve in the
inside of a stationary ring so as to keep the cask in a perfectly true,
steady, and vertical position. Above the cask is placed a slide carrying
a spindle, fitted at its lower end with a small circular saw for the pur-
pose of cutting the cask to its proper length. Directly underneath this
saw is placed a circular plane with three plane irons in it, one for
cutting the "chine" at the end of the cask, another for cutting the
hollow, and the third for making the groove for the head. Secondly,
in giving the hoops a suitable flue or cone. This is effected by two steel
rollers having two unequal planes, the top one flushed so as to indent
itself into one side of the iron hoop, making that the widest side and
the longest surface. Thirdly, in proving casks by means of an air
pump, which is accomplished by first pouring a small quantity of water
into the cask, and then causing it to rotate, thereby wetting the whole
of the interior; air is then forced into the cask by the pumps above
mentioned. Fourthly, in cutting out the heads of casks, and at the
same time giving the necessary bevel for fitting them into the groove.-
This is effected by placing the rough head between two circular vertical-

page_text: plates; having a slow rotatory movement communicated to them. These
plates are carried by a suitable frame, to which are attached two rocking
frames carrying two circular saws, which enter the wood at angles
opposed to each other. Fifthly, in jointing the staves and giving to
each when cut the suitable bevel and bulge necessary for the form of
the cask. This is effected by means of a deep guide fixed on a saw
table against which the wood travels; this guide is made deep enough
so as to cut a number of staves at one and the same time. Sixthly, in
jointing the headings by means of passing pieces of wood backwards
and forwards on a saw table by the side of a guide, intersected in the
middle. by a vertical revolving chopper.. Seventhly, in manufacturing
casks in which the staves are alternately straight and bevelled, instead
of being all bevelled as is now the case, by which great labor and
expense is saved. Eighthly, in manufacturing casks of corrugated
iron. The corrugated iron is first prepared in sheets of the breadth of
the cask required, and then sawn into suitable lengths for half the
required cask, the two lialves being fastened together by strips of metal
at the points of junction; or the cask may be formed out of one sheet,
the one side overlapping the other, and being rivetted to it; the heads
of these casks may either be of wood or of iron.
Figure 1, on our Sheet of Drawings represents a partial section and
elevation of a corrugated iron cask (the section being taken along the
line A, B, in Figure 2) as described under the eighth head of our
Invention; and Figure 2, is a corresponding plan of the same. The
cask in this case is composed entirely of iron, the sides being made of
one sheet of corrugated iron A, bent round into suitable form, and
united by an overlap joint and rivets at B, B. An aperture or bung
hole is left at C for the purpose of filling the cask, if liquids are
required to be contained therein. The ends of the cask are composed
of circular plates or discs of corrugated iron D, which may be rivetted
at their peripheries to the wrought iron hoop or ring E. To this hoop
is also rivetted the upper and lower edges of the plate forming the
sides of the cask. Casks of this material may be constructed of any
form, but we prefer the cylindrical form, both for its strength and
simplicity of construction.

page_text: What we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as
'the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent, is,
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery and
casks, as herein-before described.
Second, the application and use of corrugated iron for the construc-
tion of casks, either in combination with wood or alone, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Barker, on behalf of myself
and of the said George Duncan and John Boyd, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of April, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
JOHN BARKER, M.D. (L.S.)