IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE BEER ENGINES, BEER MEASURES, AND TOBACCO BOXES, USED BY PUBLICANS
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
STOCKER, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Hydraulic Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Seventeenth day of
November (One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine), in the thirteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Samuel Stocker, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial
license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Samuel Stocker,
my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Stocker,
my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE BEER ENGINES, BEER MEASURES, AND TOBACCO BOXES, USED BY
PUBLICANS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the
said Samuel Stocker, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately.
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the aforesaid proviso, I have
ascertained and set forth the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, in and by the following description thereof, and
by the Drawings hereunto annexed, reference being had to the figures and
letters marked thereon. Note, where the same objects are shewn in several
Figures, the same letters denote the same parts in each.
.I shall commence with that part of my Invention which relates to tobacco
boxes. The tobacco boxes commonly used by publicans are formed in two
divisions, one for containing the tobacco and the other for receiving the money
for the same; the former is accessible to the customers the latter secured by
lock and key, there being a slit in the cover through which the customer drops
the money upon supplying himself with tobacco, and there is nothing to pre-
vent a dishonest person from taking the tobacco without payment, or from
taking more than he ought to. Now the object of this part of my Invention
is to render it necessary for a person to deposit in the box the requisite sum of
money before he can help himself to tobacco, and then only to an allotted quantity.
My arrangements for this purpose are shewn in the Figures 1 to 6, of Sheet 1 of
the Drawings, Figure 1 being a front elevation, and Figure 2 a back elevation of
the apparatus, the front and back of the casing being supposed to be removed
in each Figure for the better shewing of the several parts. Figure 3 is a lateral
section of the apparatus. Figure 4 a lateral section of the casing through
the money channel, and a lateral elevation of the moving parts. Figure 5 is
a plan partially in section, and Figure 6 is a diagram for more clearly shewing
the operation of the apparatus. a, a, is an external box or casing, in which is
enclosed under lock and key a revolving tobacco holder b, composed of a
number of equidistant cases or recesses c, c, ranged in a circle for the recep-
tion each of a certain portion of tobacco. This tobacco holder is moveable in
one direction upon the pin d, and attached to the back of the holder is an
escapement composed of a large toothed wheel e, and a smaller toothed
wheelf, having each the same number of teeth as there are recesses in the
tobacco holder. A lever g, turning upon a pin h, carries a detent i, which is
constantly in gear with one or other of the wheels of the escapement.
the apparatus is at rest the detent is pressed by the spring k into the interstice
between two teeth of the larger wheel of the escapement, and thereby retains
the revolving holder immoveably with one of the recesses in the holder imme-
diately opposite the delivery aperture m in the door of the casing, at which
the charge of tobacco is withdrawn, but a double vibration of the lever, that
is a downward and an upward stroke, causes the revolving holder to turn upon
its axis through the space of one tooth, and thereby brings forward the next
When

page_text: the,
recess to the aperture m. Within the casing is formed a narrow channel n
open at top and partially closed at bottom by the tail of the lever g, and in a
slot o in the side of the channel moves between guides p, p, a rod g, con-
nected at top to a tappet r, and moveable by a stud s, working in a slot t at
the back of the casing. The tappet r, when not in action is maintained at the
upper part of the money channel by the action of the spring v upon the
tappet rod
q. The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-A coin of the
requisite value, say a penny piece, being dropped into the money channel n, it
is arrested in its descent by the tail of the detent lever g, as shewn by the red
lines in Figure 6, but the tappet being drawn down will, by the interposition
of the coin depress the lever, until it arrives in the position indicated
blue lines in Figure 6, when the space between the tail of the lever and the
corner of the channel being sufficient to allow the penny to pass, it drops into
a small wooden box w, and the lever being released from the pressure is
forced upwards by the spring k. During the descent of the lever, the detent
acting upon the wheelf has moved the revolving holder through the space of
about half a tooth, and on the ascent of the lever the detent, acting upon the
wheel e, completes the motion, and brings the next recess opposite to the dis-
charge aperture in the door of the casing. The proportions of the several
parts should be so settled that the coin of the required value should not escape
from the channel until the detent has quitted the wheel e; and the range of
the tappet motion should not be sufficient to allow it to act on the lever with-
out the interposition of a coin of such required value, or at least not to depress
the lever sufficiently to release the detent from the wheel e.
With reference to this part of my Invention, I do not claim the giving
motion to a tobacco box or holder by the combined action of mechanism and
a piece of money, as I am aware that that has been before effected (by means
of a coiled spring to produce the motion of the box, and a ratchet and click to
retain it at rest). But I claim the employment of an escapement (of any
suitable kind), to give motion to a revolving tobacco box or holder by the
action of the detent alone, the said detent likewise holding fast the wheel
when at rest.
My improvements in beer engines relate to the construction and arrange-
ment of the parts, and to the materials employed therein.
Figures 7 to 14, Sheet 2, represent such portion of my improvements in
beer engines as require Drawings for their sufficient illustration. Figure 7
shews a front elevation, Figure 8 a plan, and Figure 9 a longitudinal section,
of an improved bearing and lever stop for a counter or "case engine." a is
the top and 6 the front of a plate by which the bearing is attached to the case

page_text: The stem f of
side, and has
or counter, and c is one of two cheek pieces or brackets cast at the back of the
plate, and forming the bearings for the. lever centre. A slot d is formed in
the top, and continued a short way down the front of the plate to admit the
lever e.
When the bearing is fixed to the case or counter the slot in the top
of the plate is concealed by a cover, and that in the front plate is hidden, when
the handle is upright, by the-shoulder f of the lever. A stop g, formed on the
lever e, coming in contact with the bracket, stops the lever on the down
stroke, and the shoulder f, striking the front of the plate, stops it on the
return stroke. Figures 10 and 11 represent another bearing, with a lever i,
and a handle adapted to counter or case engines. The bearing consists of a
circular plate u, which has a central boss b, having an aperture c in the centre
for the admission of the handle, and from the back or under side of the plate
project the brackets d, d, which form the centre bearings. An ornamental
cape is screwed or otherwise fixed to the boss or the plate.
the lever is passed through the hole in the plate from the under
a screw cut upon it to receive a casing 9 (having a handle h at top), which is
screwed down upon the stem until the flat bottom of the casing bears upon
the ornamental cap e, or. upon the boss b, or the plate a if no.cap or boss be
employed, whereby the handle can be adjusted to stand upright when at rest,
and to cover the hole. The range of the lever is regulated on the down
stroke by the shoulder f striking the under side of the plate, and on the
return stroke by the contact of the base of the lever casing g, with the cap,
boss, or plate. Figures 12 and 13 represent an improved lever for case or
counter engines, the improvement consisting in forming a portion of the outer
arm of the lever forked or double, as shewn at a, so as to allow the lever in
working to pass on each side of the nozzle, whereby the centre upon which
the lever moves is brought lower, and the engine rendered more compact.
Figure 14 is an elevation (partly in section) of a pillar engine, which can be
entirely enclosed (except a part of the lever, the handle, and the delivery
nozzle) by a casing, but which is so constructed that none of the parts are
connected to or are dependent upon the casing, but the beer engine can act
with or without the case. The stuffing head of the engine a, is screwed to.
the barrel b, and carries the delivery pipe c, on which is cast the lever bearing
d, for the engine levers, and to which is connected above the bearing. the
delivery nozzle e. The piston rod f works through a stuffing box g, and is
hollow, to receive the guide rod h, which passes through, and is keyed to a lug
i, projecting from the delivery pipe. To the head of the piston rod is fixed an
arm k, projecting beyond the piston rod in the plane of the engine lever 7, and
connected at the end to the lever by a link m. This arrangement, permits

page_text: the bearing d'of the lever to be brought much nearer the central line of the
engine, without occasioning the great strain which would arise in such position
if the slings from the lever were attached to pins passing through the central line
of the piston rod. A stop n, is applied to the spout or nozzle, to prevent the
liquor remaining above the bucket at the end of each operation from becoming
flat. The casing o is formed in the shape of a pillar engine without the lever
handle or spout, and by removing the lid p, the engine can be put down
through the case, without taking the engine apart, and the whole is ready
secured by putting the shank of the engine through a hole in the counter, and
securing it from below by a nut; and then putting on the lid p of the case, and
screwing down the knob q, upon a screw cut upon the head of the guide rod h,
the casing is secured firmly to the counter. In lieu of enclosing the whole
engine, the casing may be formed to extend no lower than the stuffing head,
so as to enclose only those parts of the engine which are above the stuffing
head, these being the most important, and most difficult to keep clean.
With respect to the materials to be employed in the construction of beer
engines I propose,―
Firstly, to construct anti-corrosive barrels, by making them of paper or
other suitable flexible material, japanned, or of wood, stone, slate, or marble,
and the suction pipes of wood, or cane, or paper, or other suitable flexible
material japanned.
Secondly, to coat the metallic barrels of pillar beer engines externally with.
paper, or other suitable material, japanned, or otherwise ornamented.
Thirdly, to cover or ornament the cases of beer engines of all descriptions
with paper, or other suitable material, japanned.
Fourthly, to make the handles of beer engines of paper, or other suitable
material, japanned.
Fifthly, to make the casing of pillar engines of metal, japanned, or coated
with any material suitable for ornamenting the same, or of paper, or other
suitable flexible material, japanned or otherwise ornamented.
Firstly, I claim, under this head of my Invention, the forming the bearing
for the lever centre on a plate, with a slot therein for the motion of the lever,
and affixing the bearing to the engine case by the said plate, and likewise
covering the slot in the front or top of the said plates, when the lever
is at rest, by a shoulder formed on the lever or stem, as already described in
reference to Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10, 11.
Secondly, the limiting the range of the levers by the contact of shoulders
formed on such levers, with a metallic plate fixed to the counter or case of

page_text: the engine, whether the lever centre bearing be fixed to or form part of such
plate or not.
Thirdly, the making case or counter beer engine levers forked, in order that
they may in working pass on each side of the spout or nozzle, as described
with reference to Figures 12 and 13.
'
Fourthly, in respect to pillar engines, constructing them with the delivery
pipe rising from the stuffing head, and having the bearing of the engine lever
attached to or formed thereon below the highest part of such delivery pipe, the
connecting the lever to an arm attached to the piston rod, and projecting
beyond the centre of the rod in a plane parallel to that of the lever; the
attaching a stop valve to the orifice of the nozzle, and the enclosing the engine,
or that part of it which is above the stuffing head, except the handles, in a
casing, to which none of the working parts are attached, as described in
reference to Figure 14.
Fifthly, the forming the working barrels of beer engines of tubes of paper,
or other suitable flexible material, japanned, or of wood, stone, marble, or
slate, and the suction pipes of wood or cane, or of paper, or other suitable
flexible material, japanned.
Sixthly, the coating the metallic barrels of pillar beer engines externally
with paper, or other suitable material, japanned or otherwise ornamented.
Seventhly, the covering or ornamenting the casings of beer engines of all
descriptions with paper, or other suitable material, japanned.
Eighthly, the making the handles of beer engines of paper, or other suitable
material, japanned.
Ninthly and lastly, to make the casings of pillar beer engines of metal,
japanned, or coated with any material suitable for ornamenting the same, or
of paper, or other suitable flexible material, japanned or otherwise ornamented.
The first of my improvements relating to the beer measures used by
publicans has principally for its object the strengthening the feet of the
measures, and the rendering the measures less liable to be stolen, by forming
the handles of plate metal, as iron or brass, pierced or stamped out, and
applying to the vessels' bottoms feet of hard metal, as iron, brass, or other
metal much harder and less fusible than pewter, so that the bottoms cannot be
so readily cut out and the pots beaten up for concealment.
One mode which I employ for effecting this is to form a mug or other a
shaped pot, having the sides and bottom (preferably) cast in one piece,
as shewn in Figure 15, and to connect thereto by any suitable means a
foot and a handle of hard metal, of the quality above described; but the pots

page_text: may be made in the ordinary method, and a hard metal foot or bottom
soldered in, as in Figure 16.
Another of my improvements is to cast mug-shaped pots, having the sides
and feet in one piece, but without bottoms, and afterwards to solder in a
bottom, as at a, a, Figure 17.
Another of my improvements is to form the pots of very thin metal, and to
coat them externally with paper japanned, whereby they are rendered less
liable to injury from indentation, and hold out less temptation to thieves.
I claim, under this head of my Invention,-
Firstly, affixing to beer measures, below their pewter bottoms, feet or
bottoms of metal considerably harder and less fusible than pewter; also
affixing handles of plate metal, as iron or brass, pierced or stamped out.
Secondly, casting the sides and feet of mug-shaped pots in one piece, but
without a bottom, and then soldering in or otherwise fixing in a bottom,
instead of soldering on the bottom, as is the present practice.
Lastly, I claim the forming of beer measures of very thin metal and
coating them externally with paper, or other suitable flexible material,
japanned.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Stocker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, One thousand eight hundred
Enrolled the Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty.