Improvements in Bungs for Casks or Barrels.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1897-Accepted, 29th Jan., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bungs for Casks or Barrels.
I, SIMON SCHILAMGEN, of No. 1011, Ogden Avenue, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois,
United States of America, Manufacturer, 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:-
-
My invention relates to bungs for barrels, casks and the like, and its object is
to provide an inexpensive but efficient device absolutely gas-tight and capable of
ready removal whenever desired.
In the drawing Fig. 1 is a sectional view of my bung in open position; Fig. 2
a sectional view of the bung closed; Fig. 3 a view in elevation of the wrench
device; Fig. 4 a plan view of the end thereof; Fig. 5 a sectional view on line 5
of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 a sectional view of a modified form of bung.
The bushing A, preferably of metal, is the one ordinarily in use, and is provided
with screw threads a to firmly secure it in the opening of a barrel or the like.
The bung proper comprises a sleeve B surrounded by a ring C of rubber or other
flexible material. The exterior of the sleeve has heavy threads or corrugations to
firmly hold the rubber ring. This ring is preferably cup-shaped, and provided
with a depending portion c, and with a central opening.
The bung body or plug comprises a hollow cylindrical piece D), having external
screw-threads received by internal screw-threads in the sleeve. The plug has an
inwardly extending stem D¹ passing through the opening in the rubber ring which
serves as a stuffing device to prevent leakage of gas around the stem.
Upon the end of the stem a circular disk E is swiveled, and preferably provided
with a cap e, soldered thereto or otherwise attached so as to be gas-tight to prevent
gas escaping from the barrel or keg.
The plug has two opposite slots d d' communicating at the bottom with two
slots or ways also oppositely arranged as illustrated in Fig. 5, and at right
angles to the slots d d¹.
The key-wrench F is provided at its ends with two lugs
or ears f, which, when the wrench is inserted in the bung body, pass down the
slots d d and enter the ways d² when partially turned. The purpose of this
wrench is to rotate the plug and also provide means for withdrawing the entire
bung from the bushing when the parts are in such position as to permit this to be
done.
When the bung is inserted in the bushing the parts are in normal position as
shown in Fig. 1. The wrench is now turned in proper direction to rotate the
plug D and cause it to rise with respect to the sleeve and carry the disk outward.
This action compresses the rubber ring and forces it tightly against the sides of
the bushing, or against the sides of the bung opening when no bushing is used.
It also forces the depending portion c of the ring outward against the inner end
of the bushing, so that there is no danger of the bung being blown out. The
rubber around the stem D¹ is likewise seated thereon, and an efficient stuffing box
is thereby provided to prevent leakage of gas around the stem.

page_text: When the bung is to be removed the wrench is inserted and the plug rotated and
screwed inwards when the parts will assume the position shown in Fig. 1. The
whole bung is now free to be drawn out by means of the wrench.
I prefer to swivel the disk upon the stem of the plug so that when the plug is
rotated the disk will not turn with it to cause a grinding and wearing action on
the rubber ring, but will be pulled up straight without rotation.
Means
In Fig.6 I have shown a modified form in which a plug G with external screw-
threads is adapted to screw into a sleeve H. A rubber ring J is secured to the
sleeve by means of corrugations thereon and presses against the bushing.
similar to those in the other form of construction are provided for screwing the
plug in and out.
The inner end of the plug has a sloping circular flange engaging the lower
end of the rubber ring when the plug is screwed outward, and not only compresses
the rubber and forces it to seat tightly against the bung, but also throws a portion
of the ring out against the bottom edge of the bushing, thereby locking the bung
securely in the barrel.
By the use of my invention a bung is obtained which is simple in construction
and convenient in manipulation besides being absolutely gas-tight. It is easy of
insertion in the bung-hole or bushing and provided with ready means for its with-
drawal whenever desired. Furthermore, my bung may be made to fit all kinds
and sizes of bushings now in use on barrels and kegs without the making of altera-
tions other than in form and size.
While it may be preferable to employ a bushing in connection with my bung,
it is obvious that the same may be dispensed with and that the bung itself will
operate equally well in a simple bung-hole or opening in a barrel or the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A bung comprising a sleeve having internal screw threads, a ring of flexible
material interposed between the sleeve and the sides of the bunghole when the
bung is in place, a bung body adapted to be received by the threads of the sleeve
and provided with a stem and a disk swiveled on the stem.
2. In combination with a bung bushing, a sleeve having internal screw-threads,
a cup-shaped piece of flexible material receiving the sleeve and provided with a
central aperture, a plug screwing into the sleeve and provided with a central stem
passing through said aperture and a disk swiveled on the stem.
3. The combination of a bung bushing A, a sleeve B, having internal screw-
threads and external corrugations, a ring C of flexible material engaged by the cor-
rugations of the sleeve, a bung body or plug D adapted to be received by the threads
of the sleeve and provided with a stem D¹, a disk E swiveled upon the stem and a
plate or cap e, tightly secured to the disk.
4. The combination of a bung bushing A, a sleeve B, a bung plug D screwing
into the sleeve and provided with a stem D¹, a rubber ring C surrounding the
sleeve and interposed between it and the bushing, and a plate or disk E swiveled
upon the stem D¹, said plug having slots to receive a key-wrench whereby it may
be rotated and the bung locked in the bushing or withdrawn as desired.
5. In a bung for a barrel and the like, the combination of a bung body formed
in two parts or sections, the outer section being a substantially hollow cylinder
or sleeve, having internal screw-threads, and the inner section being a cup-shaped
plug having external screw-threads engaging the threads of the outer section and
also having oppositely disposed slots & communicating with oppositely arranged
key-ways d² d³, substantially at the bottom of the cup-shaped plug for receiving
a key-wrench for the purpose of screwing one section upon the other, a ring of
flexible material interposed between the outer section and the sides of the bung-
hole, and a disk swiveled upon the inner section to force the ring against the sides

page_text: of the bung-hole when the sections are rotated or screwed together but not adapted
to rotate in such operation.
6. A bung for barrels, casks and the like, as herein shown and described.
Doted this 21st day of December 1897
HASELTINE LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.