CASKS OR VESSELS FOR HOLDING LIQUID OR SOLID MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING SUCH CASKS OR VESSELS
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Wyburn at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 10th July 1880.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROBERT WYBURN, of Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex.
CASKS OR VESSELS FOR HOLDING LIQUID OR SOLID MATERIALS, AND IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR CONSTRUCTING SUCH CASKS OR VESSELS."
My Invention relates to wooden vessels, such as casks or barrels used for the
purpose of holding water or other liquids, gunpowder, flour, or other powders or
granular substances, or other materials. It has for its objects improved methods
of constructing such vessels so that they are very light, cheap, durable, and easily
made, as compared with vessels for the like purposes as ordinarily heretofore
made and used. My Invention consists essentially of a novel method of constructing
a cylindrical wooden vessel, for which purpose I take a sheet of thin wood,
preferably cut by a knife from a log in the well known way in which veneers are
commonly cut, and of a thickness which may be varied according to the size of the
vessel which is to be made and the purpose to which it is to be applied. I cut
the sheet to the desired shape, the length of its upper and lower edges being equal
to the circumference of the vessel, and its breadth equal to the height of the latter
from end to end, and I cut it so that the longitudinal grain of the wood runs
diagonally from one of the longer edges to the opposite one, the angle which it
makes with the said edges being varied according to the character of the wood
and of the vessel to be made, and the ends being parallel or nearly so with the
direction of the grain. I then take another thin sheet of wood similar to that
already described, but having its grain and its ends running diagonally in the
opposite direction. I place these two sheets in contact together and cement them
together by a suitable cement sufficiently waterproof and flexible, such as a solution
of india rubber, or india rubber and gutta percha in a suitable solvent, or marine
or other glue. I then bend the compound sheet thus formed round a cylinder or
mandrel, corresponding in size with the interior of the barrel, the diagonal edges of
the two sheets fitting upon and being cemented to each other so as to form a
perfect cylinder. I prefer in some cases in order to ensure the moro perfect adhesion
of the two thin pieces of which such cylinder is composed as described, do drive a
sufficient number of metal or other nails or rivets through them; after the cylinder
has been formed, the ends of such rivets being hammered down and closed. Such
nails or rivets assist in holding together the sheets of wood and preserve the surface.

page_text: from injury. At a sufficient distance from each end of the cylinder, made as
described, I insert a narrow ring of wood or other material, upon which I fit a disc
of wood or other sufficiently strong material which forms the head of the barrel or
vessel, waterproof cement being preferably interposed between them, and outside
cach disc or head I insert a second ring of wood or other suitable material, and 5
I preferably attach the rings described to the vessel by nails or rivets, and in
order to secure them more firmly in their places I sometimes drive on at each end
of the vessel a cylindrical hoop of metal or wood.
By the method of construction described, a cylindrical cask or vessel is produced,
having great strength and lightness, and at the same time very cheap, and simply 1
and easily made. If desired it may be varnished or coated with any suitable
varnish both inside and outside, and openings may be made where necessary.
Instead of the arrangement described for attaching-the--heads, a.narrow_and
shallow groove may be formed round the inner sheet of wood which forms the
cylinder as described, at a sufficient distance from each of its ends, the discs which 1
form the ends of the vessel having their edges reduced in thickness so as to fit into
these grooves, preferably with the interposition of waterproof cemont, and being
retained there by hoops of metal or wood fixed on outside the vessel, or in other
convenient way.
The upper end of the vessel made as above described may have an opening near 2
one side, a second moveable disc having a corresponding opening being superposed
upon it, so that the latter can be readily turned round for the purpose of opening
or closing the apertures, whilst it is retained in its position by a hoop or ring fixed
above-it-in-the end of the cylinder. Handles for carrying the vessels, and made of
any suitable material, may be attached in any convenient positions.-
Instead of the cylinders constructed in the manner above described being closed
at both their ends, one end may be left open, a hoop or ring of metal boing
preferably fitted ovor and rivetted or otherwise attached to it, so that the vessel
can be used as a pail.
2
If the vessels are to be used for conveying hot water, the cement used must not 3
only be waterproof, but must also be sufficiently capablo of withstanding heat.
Vessels constructed according to my Invention may be used for containing and
carrying all kinds of liquids, or they may be used to contain gunpowder, being
practically water-tight, or they may be used for carrying flour, sugar, or other dry
granular materials, for which purpose in some cases the cement by which the thin 3
sheets of wood are cemented together may be omitted; or they may be used for
packing, storing, and transporting any other kinds of mineral or other materials or
stores.
The vessols may be made elliptical or other convenient shape, instead of
cylindrical; and instead of the method of construction described, one of the thin 4
sheets of wood may first be bent round to form a cylinder, the second of such
sheets being then bent over and cemented to the first and fixed to it in the way
described.
Instead of two, three or more such sheets may be superposed and attached
together.
A thin sheet of metal or other flexible material may be arranged between the
thicknesses of wood.
I sometimes make the head at one end of the vessel removeable, for which
purpose I fit into the end of the vessel a ring or hoop of metal or other suitable
material, having a flange at its inner end. A loose disc of wood or other material 5
rests upon the flange and is secured by two or more projections formed upon or
fastened to the outer part of the ring, corresponding notches being made in the
end of the disc, so that when the latter is inserted and turned partly round it is
held down by the projections.
In order to make the cylinders of thin wood as above described, I sometimes 5
make a hollow cylinder, preferably of cast iron, the inside of which corresponds in
size and shape with the outside of the wooden cylinder, and I bend round and

page_text: insert into this hollow cylinder one of the thin sheets of wood. The second sheet
is then bent round and introduced inside the first, with the interposition, if required,
of cement, and I then force a cylinder parallel or alighty tapering, into the wooden
cylinders, so that they are expanded and compressed together. The outer cylinder
is provided with openings by which the nails or rivets can be inserted and
hammered down against the inner cylinder. The latter may have a longitudinal
opening along its side, so that its circumference may be expanded or roduced as
desirod; or instead of a cylinder a short cylindrical ring may be used, passed along
into different positions as required.