IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SECURING VESSELS CONTAINING LIQUIDS, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THOSE HOLDING PETROLEUM, LIGHT OIL
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michel Chavagnal, of 2, Rue Ste. Appoline, Paris,
Empire of France, Merchant, for the invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SECURING VESSELS CONTAINING
LIQUIDS, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THOSE HOLDING PETROLEUM, LIGHT OIL OF
Sealed the 27th November 1868, and dated the 30th May 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michel Chavagnat at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th May 1868.
I, MICHEL CHAVAGNAT, of 2, Rue Ste. Appoline, Paris, Empire of
France, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SECURING VESSELS
CONTAINING LIQUIDS, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THOSE HOLDING PETROLEUM,
LIGHT OIL OF SCHIST, AND OTHER VOLATILE, EXPLOSIVE, AND DANGEROUS LIQUIDS,"
to be as follows:-
All volatile liamide disondade vapours or gas which are easily ignited.

page_text: have secure fastenings.
fastenings or closings (possessing these properties) for such vessels.
The object of this Invention is to provide
The vessel for containing the liquid, which may be of any desired
shape, size, or form, is provided with an aperture on which a stopper
made preferably of leather is free to rest, and which when it rests
thereon hermetically closes the aperture. The leather is united to a
metal disc carried by a rod or lever jointed to and having its fulcrum on
the vessel, and flattened at the other end to facilitate pressure of
a finger thereon a spring, the upper part of which takes into an
aperture formed at the linger end of the lever, and at its lower is
secured to the vessel containing the liquid, so that the spring has
always à tendency to press the stopper into or on to the aperture or
opening in the vessel for containing the volatile liquid. To open the
aperture and allow the liquid to flow the end of the lever is pressed,
the upper part of the spring passes into the aperture formed in the end
of the lever, the stopper is raised, and the liquid can freely flow. The
lever remains in this position until the aperture is again closed, which
is accomplished by pressing on the finger end of the lever in the
opposite direction to that required to open it; when all exit of the
liquid is prevented, even in the event of the vessel being turned upside
down. The leather of the fastening pressing by the action of the spring
prevents the disengagement of all vapour whatever description of
liquid may be contained in the vessel fitted with a fastening of the
kind before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Michel Chavagnat in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th November 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MICHEL
CHAVAGNAT, of 2, Rue Ste. Appoline, Paris, Empire of France.
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Michel Chavagnat, Her special licence

page_text: that I, the said Michel Chavagnat, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Michel Chavagnat, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND SECURING VESSELS CONTAINING
LIQUIDS, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO THOSE HOLDING PETROLEUK, LIGHT OIL OF SCHIST,
AND OTHER VOLATILE, EXPLOSIVE, AND DANGEROUS LIQUIDS,"
upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Michel Chavagnat, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said Michel Chavagnat, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say-
All volatile liquids disengage vapours or gas which are easily ignited,
it is therefore important that vessels used to hold such liquids should
have secure fastenings. The object of this Invention is to provide
fastenings or closings (possessing these properties) for such vessels.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings shows in vertical section a
vessel with my Invention applied thereto according to one arrangement.
The vessel a for containing the liquid, which may be of any desired
shape, size, or form, is provided with an aperture on which a stopper b
made preferably of leather is free to rest, and which when it rests
thereon hermetically closes the aperture. The leather b is united to a
metal disc c carried by a rod or lever d jointed, and having its fulcrum
on the vessel at d', and flattened at the other end e to facilitate the
pressure of a finger thereon a spring f, the upper part of which takes
into an aperture formed at the end e of the lever d, and at its lower is
secured to the vessel a containing the liquid. By this arrangement the

page_text: spring has always a tendency to press the stopper b into or on to the
aperture or opening in the vessel a for containing the volatile liquid, and
so keeps the opening closed. To open the aperture and allow the liquid
to flow, the end of the lever d is pressed, the upper part of the spring f
passes into the aperture e formed in the end of the lever d, which
becomes placed in the position shown by the dotted lines, the stopper is
raised, and the liquid can freely flow. The lever d remains in this
position until the aperture is again closed, which is accomplished by
pressing on the end e of the lever d to bring back the stopper bon to
the aperture of the vessel a, when all exit of the liquid is prevented,
even in the event of the vessel being turned upside down. The leather
of the fastening pressing by the action of the spring
b
prevents the
disengagement of all vapour whatever description of liquid may be
contained in the vessel fitted with a fastening of the kind before
described.
Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5 show a fastening modified from that before
described, whereby my Invention may be also carried into effect. The
tankard, cruel, or vase may be made, as before, of any desired shape;
it is closed at its upper part by a cover b, see Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5, the
two latter Figures only show the fastening, Figure 4 being
a vertical
section, and Figure a plan. The cover is secured at the circum-
ference on the upper part of the tankard a. An aperture is formed
in the cover b, which is covered by a movable disc c united to the
cover b by a rivet & placed at the centre of the said cover band of the disc c
to unite them, but leaving the disc c free to turn horizontally, and which
is accomplished by a button which is soldered to it. The disc c has an
aperture similar to that marked in the disc b; it is thus easy to
turn the disc c in such manner as to bring the apertures and c
opposite one another to pour the oil or other liquid into the vessel a,
then by bringing the button above the aperture b' of the cover the
vessel is closed. A fitting may be placed between the two rubbing
surfaces b and c to form an hermetically sealed joint, and in this case a
small aperture may be bored in the upper part of the vessel to allow air to
enter, and thus to obtain the exit of liquid when the cover is closed. This
new application may be made to vessels of various forms and of any size,
and of any desired or suitable materials. Although the cover band
movable, disc c are represented in the Drawings as being in contact with
one another, and of a flat surface, it must be understood that I can give it

page_text: any other desirable shape; thus I could raise the cover, giving it a
spherical cap, as well as the disc c, in such manner that their friction sur-
faces perfectly coincide, both being made of the same shape and secured
by a rivet at the centre of motion. The disc can at all times by means of
the button / be made to turn to place the aperture c', which is above that
of of the cover b, in order to allow liquid to be poured into the vessel;
then the disc c is turned, so that the aperture of the cover is completely
closed. By giving a concave shape to the cover and disc of the fastening
the introduction of the liquid into the vessel is facilitated.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as
my Improvements in the Means or Apparatus for Closing and Securing
Vessels containing Liquids, especially applicable to those Holding
Petroleum, Light Oil of Schist, and other Volatile, Explosive, and
Dangerous Liquids,"
First. The construction and arrangement of instantaneous jointed
spring fastenings specially applicable to vessels containing volatile
liquids or others, being able to hermetically close them at will and with
security, or to leave them open, substantially as described with reference
to Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The construction and arrangement of fastenings specially
intended for vessels containing oil, but applicable to vessels for con-
taining other liquids, substantially as described with reference to
Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michel Chavagnat, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
M. CHAVAGNAT. (L.S.)