IMPROVEMENTS IN CLEANSING AND PURIFYING CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Allen, of Burton-on-Trent, in the County
of Stafford, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLEANSING AND
PURIFYING CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 21st June 1867, and dated the 24th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Allen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
December 1866.
I, EDWIN ALLEN, of Burton-on-Trent, in the County of Stafford, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLEANSING AND
PURIFYING CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for object the cleansing and purifying of casks and other
vessels which have become foul or affected by reason of acidity, mould, fust,
or other cause.
I first ascertain or test the state of each cask or vessel by smelling, and
classify them according to the amount and nature of acidity, mouldiness, fust,
or stench therein..

page_text: The first class includes vessels affected by acidity. I cleanse or purify these
by employing pulverized soda, preferring to use from 12 lbs. to 15 lbs. to each
vessel of thirty-six gallons, and I fill the vessel with water and close the
openings therein. I prefer hot water from 150° to 200°, according to the
external or atmospheric temperature. I allow the solution to remain in
the vessel from two days to a week, according to the degree of acidity; I then
withdraw the liquid and refill the vessel with hot water which I allow to remain
therein from two to twenty-four hours, depending in some measure on the
thickness of the vessel. I again withdraw the liquid and after having unclosed
the openings I allow or cause the vessel to dry and cool; it will then be fit for
reception of ale, beer, or other liquid. The solution may be used repeatedly
until its alkaline properties are considerably exhausted and it may be employed
economically when used repeatedly by adding soda thereto at each alternate
employment, preferring 4 lbs. to 6 lbs. soda to each vessel of thirty-six
gallons.
Class 2. Herein I employ a solution of soda, preferring 10 lbs. soda to
each vessel of 36 gallons, and then I proceed as before, or I use the solution
of class 1 or the above alternate solutions.
Class 3. Herein I employ the solution used in classes 1 and 2, exhausting
it as stated, and I proceed as previously mentioned.
For cleansing and purifying mouldy vessels I insert pulverized soda,
preferring to use 10 lbs. to 15 lbs. to each vessel of 36 gallons, and I fill each
vessel with water, preferring hot water, and I allow the solution to remain
therein from three days to a week, according to the state of mouldiness; I
then draw off the solution and refill the vessel with hot water, boiling it in the
vessel by any suitable contrivance, but I recommend a flexible tube applied
to a steam apparatus with a stop-cock or the like to control the supply of
steam.
For the removal and cleansing of fust, stench, or effluvia I proceed in a
similar manner as for removing and cleansing mouldiness.
Some vessels may be filled with the solution a week prior to the application
of boiling water within the vessel. I repeat the solution and boiling processes
until the vessels are relieved from all unpleasant effluvia and rendered sweet
and wholesome.
I employ a cock or valve in carrying out my Invention consisting of two
chambers; the upper chamber overlies the lower one, and a seat is turned or
bored out of the metal which separates the two chambers, which seat is fitted
with a valve or plug which has its lower side turned to fit true to the seat

page_text: which receives it. The upper or top side of the valve or plug is turned up, and
has a hole in the top which receives the lower end of a screwed spindle,
which lower end has a groove round it; this groove receives the ends of two
small screws screwed through the sides of the upper part of the plug, by which
means the plug is secured upon the screw spindle, but the spindle is capable
of turning round in the plug. The screwed spindle is cut or made with a
square thread and is passed through a cap tapped to receive it, which cap also
has a screw thread cut on its outer side, whereby it is firmly screwed into a
projection on the top side of the upper chamber of the cock or valve. The
cap with the square thread is also provided with a cap screwed on its upper
end, and bored out somewhat larger than the upper unscrewed stem of the
square threaded spindle first mentioned, such said hollow part forming a
stuffing box for the stem of the spindle, which has its top end squared for the
reception of a hand lever.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edwin Allen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
ALLEN, of Burton-on-Trent, in the County of Stafford, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Edwin Allen, Her special licence that I, the said Edwin
Allen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Edwin Allen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 CLEANSING AND PURIFYING CASES AND OTHER VESSELS, AND IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Edwin Allen, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in

page_text: 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 I, the said Edwin Allen, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, that
is to say:-
My Invention has for its object the cleansing and purifying of casks and
other vessels which may have become foul or affected by reason of acidity,
mould, fust, or other cause.
I first ascertain or test the state of each cask or other vessel by smelling, and
classify, arrange, or divide them into three separate classes according to the
amount and nature of their acidity, mouldiness, fust, or stench.
The first class includes vessels affected by acidity. I cleanse or purify these
vessels by employing pulverized soda, preferring to use from 12 to 15 lbs. to each
vessel of 36 gallons, and I fill the vessel with water and close the openings
therein. I prefer to use hot water of from 150° to 200° Fahr., selecting the exact
degree according to the external or atmospheric temperature which prevails at
the time, that is to say, I use the water at the lower temperatures within the
above range in summer and at the higher temperatures within this range in
cold weather. I allow the solution to remain in the vessel from two days to
a week according to the degree of acidity, the former period being generally
sufficient unless the acidity has penetrated the vessel deeply, then in such case
more time is required to eradicate it therefrom; I then withdraw the liquid and
refill the vessel with hot water, which I allow to remain therein from two hours
to twenty-four hours, the time depending in some measure on the thickness
of the vessel. I then withdraw the liquid and place the vessel in a convenient
place for drying it, opening the bung and cork holes or other openings therein,
and I cause the vessel to dry and cool, for which purpose I either expose it
to the atmosphere or to hot air, or place it in a warm dry situation. When
dry and cool the vessel will be fit for the reception of ale, beer, or other
valuable or drinkable liquid. The solution may be re-used repeatedly in a
similar manner until its alkaline properties are considerably exhausted, and
the solution may be employed more economically by thus repeatedly using it
and adding soda thereto at each alternate employment, that is to say, on the
3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th uses, from 4 lbs. to 6 lbs. of soda to each vessel of 36
gallons each.

page_text: Class 2.
Herein I employ a solution of soda, preferring or recommending
10 lbs. of soda to each vessel of a capacity of 36 gallons, and then I proceed as
before, or I use the solution used in Class 1, or the previously indicated
alternate solutions.
Class 8. Herein I employ the solutions used in Classes 1 and 2 until the
alkali is considerably exhausted as stated, and I proceed as previously
mentioned.
For cleansing and purifying vessels affected with mouldiness I insert
pulverized soda, recommending 10 lbs. to 15 lbs. soda to each vessel of 36
gallons capacity, and I fill up each such vessel with water, using hot water by
preference, and I allow the solution to remain in the vessel for from three days
to a week according to the state of mouldiness of the vessel; I then draw off
the solution and refill the vessel with hot water, boiling it in the vessel by
means of any ordinary contrivance, but preferring especially the use of a
flexible tube applied to a steam apparatus provided with a stop-cock or its
equivalent contrivance to control the supply of steam.
For the removal and cleaning of fust or other stench or effluvia I proceed in
a similar manner as described for the removal and cleansing of mouldy vessels,
allowing the vessels when I consider the fust, stench, or effluvia obstinate or
inveterate to be filled with the solution a whole week prior to the application
of boiling water within the vessel, and I repeat the solution and boiling
processes until the vessels are relieved from the unpleasant effluvia and
rendered perfectly sweet and wholesome.
I employ a cock or valve in carrying out my Invention consisting of two
chambers; the upper chamber overlies the lower one and a seat is turned
or bored out of the metal which separates the two chambers; such seat is fitted
with a valve or plug which has its lower side turned to fit true the seat which
receives it. The upper or top side of the valve or plug is turned up and has a
hole in the top which receives the lower end of a screwed spindle, which lower
end has a groove round it; this groove receives the ends of two small screws
passed through the sides of the upper part of the plug, by which means the
plug is kept secured upon the screwed spindle, but yet the spindle is capable
of turning round in the plug. The screwed spindle is cut or made with a
square thread, and is passed through a cap tapped to receive it, which cap
also has a screw thread cut on its outer side, whereby it is firmly screwed into
a projection on the top side of the upper chamber of the cock or valve. The
cap with the square thread is also provided with a cap which is screwed on its
upper end, and which is bored out somewhat larger than the upper unscrewed

page_text: stem of the square threaded spindle first mentioned, such hollow part forming
a stuffing box for the stem of the spindle, which has its top end squared for
the reception of a band lever.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same with reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 represent apparatus constructed according to my Invention,
and which I employ as above described.
Figure 1 is a section of the cock or valve which consists of two chambers A
and B; the upper chamber A overlies the lower chamber B in such manner
that a seat may be and is turned or bored out of the metal which separates
the two chambers. This seat is fitted with a valve or plug C, which has its
lower side turned to fit true the seat which receives it. The upper or top side
of the valve or plug C is turned up, and has a hole in the top which receives
the lower end of a screwed spindle D; this lower end of the spindle has a
groove round it which receives the ends of two small screws E passed through
the sides of the upper part of the plug C, by which means the plug is kept
secured upon the screwed spindle D, and yet the spindle is capable of turning
round in the plug; this screwed spindle is cut or made with a square thread
and is passed through a cap F tapped to receive it; this cap also has a screw
thread cut on its outside, whereby it is firmly screwed into a projection on the
top side of the upper chamber A of the cock or valve. This cap F is also
provided with a cap G screwed on its upper end, which upper end is bored
out somewhat larger than the upper unscrewed stem of the square threaded
spindle first mentioned, the part so bored out forming a stuffing box for the
stem of the spindle D. This spindle D has its top end squared for the
reception of a hand lever D'. This cock or valve constructed as described is
screwed to one end of a pipe proceeding from a boiler or other vessel capable
of supplying steam at the required pressure; and the cock has also screwed in
its outer end one end of a short length of pipe, which has a screw thread
tapped at the other end to receive the connecting rod II at one end of a
flexible tube I, shown at Figure 2, which tube is attached to a metal tube K
inserted in the cask or other vessel to be cleansed.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the method of cleansing or purifying casks and other vessels, sub-
stantially as described.

page_text: Second, the arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improved
ock or valve or apparatus herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Allen, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-second day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witnesses,
WILLIAM EBENEZER CLARKE,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
EDWIN ALLEN. (L.S.)