An Improved Method of Lining and Partially Permeating Casks and like Vessels Internally with Paraffin Wax.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 18th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 30th Sept., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Lining and Partially Permeating Casks and
like Vessels Internally with Paraffin Wax.
I, EDWARD HICKLING CHURCHILL, of Wembdon Brewery, Bridgwater,
Somerset, Brewer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:.
:
This invention consists in an improved method of lining and partially per-
meating casks and like vessels internally with paraffin wax. According to this
invention, a vacuum is first created in the cask or. vessel, and the wax, while in
a hot, molten state, is then run in. After the wax has been run in, the air
pump or other appliance by which the vacuum is created, and also the pipe by
which the wax is run in, are disconnected and the cask or vessel is rolled and
tilted so that the liquid wax may flow over the whole interior. Part of the wax
enters the pores of the wood and part remains on the internal face and when
the wax has cooled, it constitutes a lining which is better adapted to resist
cracking, detachment, and injury generally in cleansing, transport, and other-
wise handling of casks and like vessels.
Dated this 7th love of Namambau 1000
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Chartered Patent Agent, Bristol.
An Improved Method of Lining and Partially Permeating Casks and
like Vessels Internally with Paraffin Wax.
'
I, EDWARD HICKLING CHURCHILL, of Wembdon Brewery, Bridgwater,
Somerset, Brewer, 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:-
According to this invention, which consists in an improved method of lining
and partially permeating casks and like vessels internally with paraffin wax, a
vacuum is first created in the cask or vessel, and the wax, while in a hot molten
state, is then run in. After the wax has been run in, the air pump or other
appliance by which the vacuum is created and the pipe by which the wax is run
in, are disconnected and the cask or vessel is rolled or tilted so that the liquid
wax may flow over the whole interior. Part of the wax enters the pores of the
wood and part remains on the internal face and when the wax has cooled, it
constitutes a lining which is better adapted to resist cracking, detachment, and
Price 1

page_text: injury generally in cleansing, transport, and otherwise handling of casks and
like vessels.
In carrying out my invention, the casks or other vessels to be treated (herein-
after referred to as casks) are thoroughly cleansed by means of boiling water
or steam in the usual manner and allowed to drain, cool and dry for which
purpose they may be stacked with their bung holes downward or in breweries
where special means are provided for cooling and drying, such as for example
by injecting blasts of cold or hot air, the casks may go through the usual treat-
ment, but in all cases the casks should be allowed to become cold or nearly so
before the paraffin wax is applied. Each cask when dry and cool, has its tap
hole closed by a tap or long cork such as can be readily removed, and in the
bung hole there is fitted with a tap or nozzle through which whilst open air
can be withdrawn so as to reduce the air pressure in the cask to say between
ten and twelve pounds below atmospheric pressure this being conveniently
effected by means of a suitable exhauster connected with said tap or nozzle.
Communication with the exhauster is then cut off and communication is estab-
lished between the interior of the exhausted cask and a supply of molten paraffin
wax in such a manner as to permit the molten wax to enter the cask and to
flow over the heads of the cask in a jet or jets; after a suitable quantity of
paraffin wax has been admitted (which may be ascertained by inspection of a
suitable gauge applied to the paraffin wax reservoir for the purpose) the tap
whereby the wax has been admitted is closed (without admitting air to the cask)
and the cask is rolled or tilted so as to cause the wax to flow over all parts of
its interior. Air is then re-admitted to the cask through the tap hole and the
surplus wax is allowed to escape through the bung hole.
In treating casks of different sizes it is advisable to so regulate the quantity
and temperature of paraffin wax for each size of cask that the temperature of
the wood of which the cask is made shall not during the process be raised much
above the melting point of the wax, as otherwise the wax will be liable to flow
over the surface of the cask without adhering thereto.
The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example a convenient con-
struction of apparatus for enabling my invention to be expeditiously carried
out. This apparatus is not claimed as of my present invention being embodied
in another application for Letters Patent namely No. 16753 dated 17th Aug.
1899.
Fig. 1 is a central vertical section and Fig. 2 is similar section at right angles
to Fig. 1.
The apparatus comprises a tank 1 for containing the paraffin wax which is
heated by a steam coil 2 in order to keep it in a liquid state. The tank is
mounted on suitable supports and extending upwardly through the bottom of
the tank there is a tube 3 preferably of gun metal the upper and lower parts
of which are provided with stuffing boxes 4, 4"; this tube communicates with
the tank 1 through lateral openings 3b and through it there is able to slide a
pipe 5 having similar lateral openings 5" the closed lower end of this pipe is
linked to a foot lever 6 pivoted to the tank supports. The pipe 5 is kept sup-
plied with melted wax from the tank through the openings 3b and 5. Its
upper end is fitted with a three-way cock 7, the branch 8 of which is in com-
munication (preferably through a flexible pipe 9) with a vessel 10 in which a
partial vacuum is maintained by means of a suitable air pump. The upper
end of the pipe 5 is formed with a faced or rubber covered shoulder 5b on which
rests, so as to make an air tight joint therewith, a tapered injecting tap or
nozzle 11. This tap or nozzle is fitted with a cock 11 and has its tapered
portion covered by a sleeve 12 of india rubber or other elastic material capable
of making an air tight joint with the surrounding wall of the bung hole of the
cask when the nozzle is forced into it. The tap or nozzle 11, instead of being
tapered, may be formed with a flange or shoulder adapted to make an air tight
joint with the exterior of the cask around the bung-hole. 13 13 are four idle

page_text: wheels or rollers mounted above the tank 1 and adapted to support a cask which
is placed thereon bunghole downwards. By operating the foot lever 6 the tap
or nozzle 11 is forced into the bung hole, the sleeve 12 then making an air tight
joint between the tap or nozzle and the bung hole. The cock 11 is then turned
on and the three way cock 7 turned so as to place the cask in communication
with the vessel 10 whereby a partial vacuum is created in the cask. When
the air has been sufficiently exhausted therefrom the three way cock 7 is so
turned as to shut off the cask from the vessel 10 and at the same time open it
to the tank 1, whereupon melted paraffin wax will be forced by atmospheric
pressure up the pipe 5 and through the nozzle 11 on to the heads of the cask.
A sufficient quantity having been admitted the cock 11° is shut off, the foot
lever released and the pipe 5 allowed to become detached from the tap or
nozzle which will be held in the bung hole by atmospheric pressure. The cask
is then rotated upon its supporting wheels. The tap hole of the cask is then
opened and air thus allowed to rush in causes the release of the tap or nozzle;
the surplus wax is then discharged through the bung hole into the tank 1. The
cask is allowed to drain, the rush of cold air through the tap hole at the same
time helping to cool it. The cask, whose interior will thus have been com-
pletely coated with a film or thin layer of wax, is then removed.
My improved method may be carried out with other apparatus than that
shown, for example, a threeway cock fitted with a detachable tap or nozzle may
have its branches connected respectively with a vacuum chamber and with a
wax tank by flexible piping and the tap or nozzle may be inserted by hand into
the cask while the latter is lying bung hole upwards on the ground.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I desire to have it
understood that I am aware it has been proposed to coat the interiors of casks
with paraffin wax, also to exhaust air from a cask in order to cause coating
material to flow into the cask and I do not broadly claim these features but I
declare that what I do claim is:-
The hereinabove described improved method of lining and partially permeat-
ing a cask or like vessel internally by exhausting air therefrom, admitting hot
molten paraffin wax to the exhausted vessel, closing the vessel, rolling or tilting
it in such a manner as to cause molten paraffin wax therein to flow over the
interior of the vessel and enter the pores of its walls, afterwards opening the
cask or vessel to the atmosphere and allowing surplus wax to escape as set forth.
Dated this 18th day of August 1899