IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOSING OR COVERING DRUMS OR CASKS FOR CONTAINING CAUSTIC SODA AND OTPER LIKE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Harry Mort, of Widnes, in the County of
Lancaster, Alkali Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CLOSING OR COVERING DRUMS OR CASKS FOR CONTAINING CAUSTIC SODA AND
OTPER LIKE SUBSTANCES"
Sealed the 28th February 1879, and dated the 10th December 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Harry Mort at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th December 1878.
FREDERICK HARRY MORT, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Alkali Manu-
facturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOSING OR COVERING DRUMS OR CASKS FOR
CONTAINING CAUSTIC SODA AND OTHER LIKE SUBSTANCES."
My Invention has for its object providing a cheap, ready, and efficient means of
effecting a tight closure of the metallic drums or casks employed for containing
caustic soda and other like substances.
According to the ordinary method bolts and nuts and other devices requiring
manipulation are employed, and these devices apart from the trouble and incon-
venience which attends their use entail additional expense. Now, my Invention
consists in forming on or attaching to the lid or cover a pendent projection or
projections, which when the drum or cask is filled with caustic soda and the lid or
cover is applied extend down to any required depth into the liquid in such a
manner that as the caustic soda solidifies by cooling the shrinkage of the same will
cause it to tightly fit and grasp the projection or projections, and thus firmly secure
the lid or cover to the drum or cask."
The projections (when more than one are employed) may be attached to the lid
or cover either by passing a strip of metal through slits in the lid or cover or

page_text: otherwise, and when only one is used it may be attached to the lid at the centre in
any convenient manner. The pendent projection or projections may be notched,
barbed, curved, or provided with appendages, with the view of increasing the hold
or adhesion thereon or thereto of the solidified material contained in the drum or
cask.
The pendent projections afford facilities for branding so as to admit of the
identification of the brand should the lid or cover be broken and lost, the pendent
projections remaining intact until the drum or cask is delivered to the consumer
even although the lid or cover should become severed therefrom and lost.

page_text: Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a drum or cask for containing caustic
soda with the lid or cover secured thereon by means of a pendent projection,
according to my said Invention; Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same;
Figure 3 represents an elevation of the pendent projection detached; and Figure 4
is a similar view to Figure 3, but illustrating a slight modification in the arrange-
ment with the view of facilitating the opening of drums or casks for the purpose of
obtaining samples of their contents.
A (Figures 1 and 2) is the drum or cask, having in the top thereof an opening a
which is closed by a lid B of suitable size to cover the opening. This lid is fitted
with a pendent projection C (shewn detached in Figure 3) which assuming the
drum or cask to have been filled with caustic soda extends down to a sufficient
depth into the liquid in such a manner that the caustic soda as it solidifies by
cooling will be caused to tightly fit and grasp the projection C, and thus firmly
secure the lid B to the drum or cask A.
The pendent projection C in the example illustrated is bent at b, so as to increase
the hold or adhesion thereon or thereto of the solidified material contained in the
drum or cask, but it may be notched, barbed, or otherwise shaped or provided with
appendages for like purpose. The mode of connecting the pendent projection
with the lid may likewise be varied. The projection C, shewn detached in
Figure 3, is simply provided with a head c, which serves to hold the projection
suspended from the lid. In the case of drums or casks for sampling purposes it
may be found more convenient to make the head c in the form of a nut (as shewn
in Figure 4), the upper end of the projection being screw threaded for its reception,
as by this means increased facility is afforded for opening the drum or cask in order
to obtain samples of its contents.
When the drum or cask has been opened, and it is required to temporarily reclose
it, any suitable device may be used for the purpose.
Two or more pendent projections may be employed for each lid either constructed
and connected to the lid in a similar manner to the single pendent projection or in
any other suitable manner.
The brand or mark of the manufacturer of the contents of the drum or cask may
be stamped upon the pendent projection or projections which remain intact until
the drum or cask is delivered to the consumer, even although the lid or cover

page_text: should become detached and lost, the brand or mark is thus rendered capable of
identification even in the case of accident to the lid or cover.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original and
therefore claim às the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
The employment for closing or covering drums or casks for containing caustic
soda and other like substances of lids or covers, having an internal projection or
projections arranged in such a manner that the contents of the drum or cask as they
solidify by cooling will be caused to tightly fit and grasp the projection or pro-
jections and thus firmly secure the lid or cover to the drum or cask, all substantially
as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Harry Mort, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
FRED. H. MORT. (L.S.)