CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN CANS OR VESSELS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF BEER OR OTHER LIQUIDS
Year: 1876

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Luke Brook, of The Midland Inn, 305, Great Ancoats
Street, Manchester, Engineer, for the Invention of CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN CANS OR VESSELS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF BEER OR OTHER LIQUIDS."
Sealed the 5th June 1877, and dated the 9th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Luke Brook at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th December 1876.
LUKE BROOK, of The Midland Inn, 305, Great Ancoats Street, Manchester,
Engineer. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN CANS OR VESSELS FOR THE PRESERVATION
OF BEER OR OTHER LIQUIDS."
0
The object of this is to dispense with the use of pumps, and is more specially
applicable for the use of beerhouses in suburban and county districts where the beer
or other liquid is drawn from the barrel, the barrel being in most cases kept in
cellars or stowaways.
My Invention consists in the peculiar construction of cans or vessels which can
be filled in the morning, and the beer or other liquid will remain fresh to the close
of the day or for any length of time.
And in order that this my Invention may be readily understood I have annexed
a Drawing of the same wherein a, a, represents the body of the can; b is a spout;
c, the handle; d, a spring; e, stuffing box; f is a bar for the purpose of opening
the valve g; the valve g, which covers the orifice h, is kept pressed against the
same, which thus excludes the air, and is kept over the orifice by means of the
spring d, the bar fis drawn out by means of a button on the end of it, or this bar
being withdrawn the valve g opens; the valve is covered with india-rubber, cork,
or any other suitable flexible substance or material.
The lid of the can or vessel has a flange of the same material for the purpose of
excluding the air, and thus keeping the can air-tight; the lid of the can is held in
its place by means of a catch and hinge.
It is obvious the can or vessel can be made of any size or shape, and of any
suitable material.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Luke Brook in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th June 1877.
LUKE BROOK, of The Midland Inn, 305, Great Ancoats Street, Manchester,
Engineer. CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN CANS OR VESSELS FOR THE PRESERVATION
OF BEER OR OTHER LIQUIDS."
"
The object of this Invention is to dispense with the use of pumps, and is more
especially applicable for beerhouses in suburban and country districts where the
beer or other liquid is drawn from the barrel, the barrels being in most cases kept
in cellars or stowaways.
My Invention consists in the peculiar construction of cans or vessels which can
be filled in the morning, and the beer or other liquid will remain fresh to the close
of the day or for any length of time.
And in order that this my said Invention may be readily understood I will pro-
ceed to describe the same by the aid of and with reference to the annexed Drawings
and to the letters and Figures marked thereon.
The saine letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the Figures where they
occur.
Figure 1 is an elevation or part section of my air-tight can, jug, or similar vessel
according to my Invention, and shows the construction of the same when an internal
valve is used.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of an alternate arrangement of parts of my air-tight
can, jug, or vessel, adopted when an external valve is used.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the above arrangement; Figure 4, a front elevation of
the same.
Figure 5, a sectional elevation of the upper part of the can and lid.
Figure 1 is an elevation in part section of my air-tight can, jug, or vessel, and
shews the arrangement where an internal valve is adopted. Inside the can, jug, or
vessel, over the orifice of the spout, I place a valve m faced with india-rubber,
cork, or other suitable material; this valve is hinged to and supported by a hinged
piece m the latter being attached to the can or jug. The valve m is kept against
the orifice for closing the same by a spring n; one end n¹ of which spring is
affixed to the can or jug above the valve, and the other end n presses against the
back of the valve as shewn. The mechanism for raising the valve is thus arranged:
To the lower end of the valve a rod o is attached, which latter passes through the
body of the can or jug and projects beyond the same in that part of the back of the
can beneath the bow formed by the handle. The rod o has on its end a nob,
button, or ball 2, which may be taken between two fingers of the hand grasping
the handle; and by the contraction of the hand round the same; when lifting the
can the rod o is drawn out, and further, by its connection with the valve m, raises
the same and permits the contents of the cam to be poured out where the rod o
passes through the body of the can; a stuffing box g is provided to prevent any
leakage. The lid d is faced with india-rubber, cork, or other material, to make a
perfect air-tight joint. There are hinged clasps on the lid which pass over
lugs on the side of the can, and secures the lid. These parts will be herein-after
more fully described in my second arrangement.
In Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5, is shewn my alternative arrangement, namely, that
adopted when an outside valve is used; a is the body of the can, b the spout, and
c, the handle; on the lid d I fix a lever e, having its fulcrum at the joint f; this
lever is arranged longitudinally in a line with the handle c and spout 6; that arm
of the same standing towards the spout is bent down until its end is entirely over
the spout, and this end has attached to it a valve g which rests on the end of the
spout as its seat, and when so resting effectually closes the same. The valve is
faced with india-rubber, cork, or other suitable material to make the same when
closed perfectly air-tight, or the same object may be obtained by grinding the faces.
The other arm of the lever e, which stands toward the handle, has at its ends a

page_text: thumb piece h, and beneath it a spring i, one end of which, i¹, is fixed to the lid d,
and the other end, i, presses against the under side of the arm of the lever e, and
by its tendency to raise the same keeps the valve g at the end of the other arın
closed.
When it is desired to pour out some of the contents of the vessel the thumb of
the hand grasping the handle c. is brought to bear upon or press down the thumb
piece h, thus the action of opening the valve g may be performed simultaneously
with lifting the cam, jug, or vessel for the purpose of pouring out its contents. The
joint supporting the lever is fixed to the top of the cover or lid d. The lid is
made air-tight by being faced with india-rubber, cork, or other suitable material in
a similar manner to that adopted in the valve g already described. The can is
provided with two lugs j and j¹, one on each side, for the purpose of securing the lid
to the can, which is done as follows:-From the lid and attached to the same on
each side, and in the required position to suit the above-mentioned lugs there are
two hinged clasps and, which by being so hinged (after the lid or cover has been
placed in position) may be brought down close to the sides of the can; these
lugs j and pass through the slots or holes made in the clasps and made to
receive the same, and thus perfectly secures the lid.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said Invention I would
observe in conclusion that the valve may be fixed either inside or outside, as cir-
cumstances may require, and I declare that what I claim and desire to be secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the peculiar con-
struction, arrangement, and manufacture of an air-tight can, jug, or vessel made
of any suitable material for the preservation of beer or other liquids, substantially
as herein-before described, and as shewn on the Drawings,-Figure 1 with
internal valve, and on the Drawings, Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5 with external valve,
or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Luke Brook, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eighth of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-seven.
LUKE BROOK. (L.S.)