Improvements in Apparatus for use in Steaming and Seasoning Curing Casks.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 24th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 1st Mar.,
1890
TRUVIDIONAL DI
CATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for use in Steaming and Seasoning
Curing Casks.
I, JAMES GILLIES of the firm of James Gillies & Co. Brewers' Engineers, Glenpark
Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows :-
This Invention relates to apparatus for use in the operation of steaming and
seasoning or curing casks the improvements having mainly for object to provide for
the employment of steam of considerable pressure in order to render the steaming
process applicable for sweetening or curing beer casks which have become sour or foul.
To that end I immerse the cask to be operated on in water or other fluid in a closed
cylinder or other vessel and whilst charging the cask internally with steam under pressure
apply the same steam pressure to the surface of the said fluid so that the internal and
external pressures may be equalized and the tendency to blow out the ends of
the cask which is incident to the steaming operation as ordinarily practised is
obviated.
In carrying out the invention 1 employ a cylinder or drum of a size sufficiently
large to admit an ordinary cask and having a removable end or doorway fitted with a
watertight door which is closed after the cask is put in.
Water inlet and outlet orifices and pipes are provided and an overflow pipe is
connected to a tubular casing secured to or formed on the upper side of the cylinder or
drum said pipes being provided with cocks or valves so that when the drum is filled
the water supply may be cut off and after the steaming operation the drum may be
drained. Within the tubular top casing to which steam is admitted by a pipe provided
with safety and. stop valves, is an inner tube or nozzle the end of which is passed down
to and enters the bung hole or bush in the cask a suitable packing ring being
provided to form a steam tight joint when the nozzle is screwed down which is done
by means of a screw spindle passing through a stuffing box in the tubular casing and
having a hand wheel outside.
The tubular nozzle piece is perforated near its upper end in order to admit the
steam to the interior of the cask and as the steam within the tubular casing also acts
on the surface of the water which passes up from the drum thereinto an equal pressure
is established on the internal and external surfaces of the cask whilst the hot live steam
which acts upon the internal surface and serves to remove or destroy fungi and organic
impurities in the wood is not permitted to come into direct contact with the external
surface. For the purpose of discharging air and water resulting from condensation
from the interior of the cask as well as for admitting chemical re-agents when such
are required in curing or seasoning casks, a central pipe is carried through the steam
casing and nozzle and is fitted so as to be capable of being raised or lowered within
the cask. One branch on this pipe carries off air and water of condensation when
the pipe is lowered to drain off the latter and a second branch is fitted with a
filler through which chemical re-agents may be poured and sprayed into the cask.
whilst the pipe is raised, a stop valve being fitted on each branch so that the one may
be closed whilst the other is open to the interior of the cask.
Dated this Twenty fourth day of Anil 1880
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for use in Steaming and Seasoning or
Curing Casks.
I, JAMES GILLIES of the firm of James Gillies & Co. Brewers' Engineers, Glenpark
Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to apparatus for use in the operation of steaming and
seasoning or curing casks the improvements having mainly for object to provide for
the employment of steam of considerable pressure in order to render the steaming
process applicable for sweetening or curing beer casks which have become sour or
foul. To that end I immerse the cask to be operated on in water or other fluid in a
closed cylinder or other vessel and whilst charging the cask internally with steam
under pressure apply the same steam pressure to the surface of the said fluid so that
the internal and external pressures may be equalized and the tendency to blow out
the ends of the cask which is incident to the steaming operation as ordinarily practised
is obviated.
As represented in the accompanying drawings in vertical section at figure 1 and in
elevation at figure 2 the apparatus which I employ in carrying out the invention
consists of a cylinder or drum A, of a size sufficiently large to admit an ordinary
cask B, and having a removable end or doorway fitted with a watertight door A³,
which is closed after the cask is put in.
Water inlet and outlet orifices and pipes C, C', are provided and an overflow pipe D, is
connected to a tubular casing E, secured to or formed on the upper side of the cylinder
or drum A, said pipes being provided with cocks or valves so that when the drum is
filled the water supply may be cut off and after the steaming operation the drum may
be drained. Within the tubular top casing E, to which steam is admitted by a pipe F,
provided with a stopivalve f (and on which, or on an extension of the casing is a safety
valve G,) is an inner tube or nozzle H, the end of which is passed down to and enters
the bung hole or bush in the cask a suitable packing ring being provided to form a
steam tight joint when the nozzle is screwed down which is done by means of a screw
spindle I, passing through a stuffing box or collar in the upper end of the tubular
casing E, and having a hand wheel J, outside.
The tubular nozzle piece H, is perforated near its upper end as represented at
figure 3, in order to admit the steam to the interior of the cask and as represented at
figure 4, it is fitted loosely in a guide ring ', which engages feathers on the nozzle
and so that whilst it is prevented from turning the steam passes freely between it and
the tubular casing and acts on the surface of the water which passes up from the drum
into the casing E whereby an equal pressure is established on the internal and external
surfaces of the cask whilst the hot live steam which acts upon the internal surface and
serves to remove or destroy fungi and organic impurities in the wood is not permitted
to come into direct contact with the external surface. For the purpose of discharging
air and water resulting from condensation from the interior of the cask as well as in
some cases for admitting chemical re-agents in curing or seasoning casks, a central
pipe K, is carried through the steam casing E, and nozzle H, and is fitted so as to be
capable of being raised or lowered within the cask. One branch k, on this pipe carries
off air and water of condensation when the pipe is lowered to drain off the latter and
a second branch k', is fitted with a filler through which chemical re-agents may be
poured and sprayed into the cask whilst the pipe is raised, a stop valve being fitted on
each branch so that the one may be closed whilst the other is open to the interior of
the cask.
In cases in which it may be found preferable to inject the chemical re-agents into
the cask by means of the live steam I fit a vessel L, for. holding such re-agents on the
steam pipe F, as represented at figure 1. Screw spindles M, passing through the
drum A, and provided with curved shoes m, bearing on the cask may also be provided

page_text: to hold down the cask against upward pressure due to its buoyancy on its admission
of water.
Having now particularly describe and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of parts constituting the improved apparatus for use in steaming
and seasoning or curing casks substantially as herein before described.
2. In apparatus for use in steaming and seasoning or curing casks the employment
of a closed vessel in which the cask operated on is immersed in a fluid and is subjected
externally to approximately the same pressure as that of steam admitted by pipe con-
nections to the interior of the cask substantially as described.
Dated this Twenty-third day of January 1890.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.