IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC BUNGS FOR PRESSURE VESSELS OR VATS, SPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO BREWERS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Victor Amedeé Houdaille, of No. 82, Boulevard
Sébastopol, Paris, in the Empire of France, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC BUNGS FOR PRESSURE VESSELS OR VATS,
SPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO BREWERS."
Sealed the 13th August 1869, and dated the 16th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Victor Amedeé Houdaille
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th February 1869.
I, VICTOR AMEDEÉ HOUDAILLE, of No. 82, Boulevard Sébastopol,
Paris, in the Empire of France, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC BUNGS FOR PRESSURE VESSELS
OR VATS, SPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO BREWERS," to be as follows:-
My improved metallic bungs are intended as substitutes for those in
general use at the present time, the advantages of my system being that
none of the compressed air contained in the vats or barrels is allowed to
escape, consequently the liquid does not become flat, and preserves its

page_text: quality and strength to the last; nò vent hole is required, so that the
barrels or vats are not defaced with the boreings, and one metallic bung
will last out several barrels.
The bung consists of two parts, that is to say, the body, which at its
shank is screw cut and fixed into the bunghole after being previously
dipped in resin or other glutinous matter; and, secondly, the plug, whose
shank also terminates in a screw for fitting into the interior of the body,
which is furnished with screw threads for the purpose. The top of this
plug is square or any other polygonal form admitting of being turned by
a key, or it may be semicircular with an opening in the centre for the
inscrtion of a shaft for turning it as desired. Below the flange of the
body is a washer of india-rubber or gutta percha effectually preventing
the admission of air into the barrels or vats. The plugs are of two kinds,
single and double; the single has already been described and is intended
for use when the barrels or vats are being removed or not in use, and the
second to be employed when it is intended to draw off the liquid. The
lower part is similar to the first named, and is bored its whole length
down the centre, but the top terminates in a screw fitting into a cap,
having in its centre a small cylindrical tube bearing a rim at the bottom
for carrying an india-rubber or gutta percha tube for conducting the air
necessary for producing the requisite pressure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Victor Amedeé Houdaille in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 14th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, VICTOR 2
AMEDEÉ HOUDAILLE, of No. 82, Boulevard Sébastopol, Paris, in the
Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, hearing date the Sixteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the 3
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and' successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Victor Amedeé Houdaille, Her special
licence that I, the said Victor Amedeé Houdaille, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Victor Amedeé
Houdaille, my executors, administrators, and assigns, 'should at any time 3

page_text: 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 METALLIC BUNGS FOR PRESSURE VESSELS OF
VATS, SPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO BREWERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Victor Amedeé Houdaille, my executors or ad-
ministrators, 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 saine 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 Victor Amedeé Houdaille, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to
say:
My improved metallic bungs are intended as substitutes for those in
general use at the present date, the advantages of my system being that
none of the compressed air contained in the vats or barrels is allowed to
escape, consequently the liquid does not become flat, and preserves its
quality and strength to the last; no vent hole is required, so that the
barrels or vats are not defaced with the borings, and one metallic bung
will last out several barrels.
The bung consists of two parts, that is to say, the body, which is screw
cut at its shank and is fixed into the bung hole after being previously
dipped in resin or other glutinous matter; and, secondly, the plug, whose
shank also terminates in a screw for fitting into the interior of the body,
which is furnished with screw threads for the purpose. The top of the
plug is square or any other polygonal form admitting of being turned by
a key, or it may be semicircular with an opening in the centre for the
insertion of a shaft for turning it as desired. Below the flange of the
body is a washer of india-rubber or gutta percha effectually preventing
the admission of air into the barrels or vats. The plugs are of two kinds,
single and double; the single has already been mentioned, and is intended
for use when the barrels or vats are being removed or not in use, and the
double to be employed when it is intended to draw off the liquid. The

page_text: lower part is similar to the first named, and is bored its whole length
down the centre, but the top terminates in a screw fitting into a cap;
having in its centre a small cylindrical tube bearing a rim at the bottom
for carrying an india-rubber or gutta percha tube for conducting the air
necessary for producing the requisite pressure.
The accompanying Drawings will clearly illustrate my system, which
consists of two essential parts, that is to say, first, the body A (see
Fig. 1, which represents a bung of this description in a complete state,
and a section of which is shown by Fig. 2), and, secondly, of the cap or
plug B. The body consists of a socket with exterior denticulations or
grooves P, so that when the bung is once fixed in the barrel or vat,
having previously dipped it in resin or other glutinous matter, it adheres
so tenaciously to the barrel that the grooves P effectually prevent its
removal without taking the barrel to pieces, the closure being so
hermetical that it prevents the smallest quantity of air passing between
the body and the wood of the barrel. The interior of the body is
furnished with screw threads V for receiving the screw of the head or
plug V¹; this latter is of one single piece, shown in Fig. 3, the upper part,
which in the Drawing is square but may be made any other polygonal
form, admitting of the adaptation of a key for removing or fixing it as
desired. The upper part of the plug B may be made as in Fig. 4, in
which case it is turned by means of a small metal shaft passed through
the opening O. Below the flange D is placed a leather or india-rubber
washer or rundle C to prevent the passage of air into the vat or barrel.
The plug represented in Figs. 3 and 4 is intended for use while the
barrels are being conveyed or moved, and is replaced by that represented
by Fig. 5 when it is intended to draw off the liquid. This double plug
is screw cut at the lower part V" for fitting the screw V; this is also
supplied with a washer C below the flange D, serving to intercept any
passage of compressed air into the interior of the barrel. The upper part
has a screw fitting in the screw threads V₁ arranged inside the crown,
see Fig. 6. The double plug, Fig. 5, is bored down its centre e its whole
length so as to give to the barrel all the requisite pressure of air for
drawing off the liquid. The head, Fig. 6, has in its centre a small
cylindrical tube with a rim at the lower part, shown in Fig. 7, and
serving to maintain the end of the india-rubber or gutta percha tube
employed for conducting the air necessary for producing the requisite
pressure.

page_text: By the foregoing description it will be observed that my system of
bung advantageously replaces those in present use, and does away with
the opening or vent for admitting the air, and thus preserving the
barrel; and experience has proved that beer especially is improved by
the adoption of my system, as there is no loss of air, and consequently
the liquid does not become flat, and preserves all its strength and
quality.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim and desire to
secure is, the system of bung herein described and illustrated by the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Victor Amedeé Houdaille, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
VICTOR AMEDEE HOUDAILLE. (L.S.)