IMPROVEMENTS IN CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS FOR CONTAINING BEER AND OTHER LIQUIDS THAT ARE INJURED WHEN EXPOSED TO ATMOSPHERIC AIR
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Bourne, of Headstone Drive, Harrow, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASKS
AND OTHER VESSELS FOR CONTAINING BEER AND OTHER LIQUIDS THAT ARE
INJURED WHEN EXPOSED TO ATMOSPHERIC AIR."
Sealed the 30th August 1864, and dated the 4th March 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Bourne at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th March 1864.
I, STEPHEN BOURNE, of Headstone Drive, Harrow, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CASES AND OTHER VESSELS FOR CONTAINING BEER AND OTHER LIQUIDS THAT ARE
INJURED WHEN EXPOSED TO ATMOSPHERIC AIR," to be as follows:-
purpose
I
This Invention has for its object the so constructing casks and other vessels
that they may be wholly or partially filled with liquid or partially emptied
without allowing air to come in contact with the liquid. For this
divide the vessel horizontally into two equal or nearly equal compartments or
chambers by a flexible partition, that is, of such form that it can alternately
either fit closely the interior of one compartment or the other, the flexible
partition being connected all around its edge to the centre of the sides of the
vessel. The bottom compartment is furnished with a tap or other means of
èxit for the contents, and at the top of the upper compartment is an opening,

page_text: so that air is allowed to enter freely into this compartment. The liquid to be
preserved in the cask or vessel is supplied to the lower compartment either
through the tap that is at its bottom or otherwise; before filling this com-
partment with liquid the partition is caused to fit the interior of the bottom
compartment. The liquid is then introduced into this compartment, and as it!
fills it causes the partition to rise and fit within the upper compartment. In
drawing off the liquid the tap or other orifice in the lower compartment is
opened, and the air pressing on the top of the partition causes the partition
to descend and the fluid to escape, or the partition might be weighted, or the
vessel tilted for the same purpose. The edges of the partition may be con-
nected to or inserted in the centre of the sides of the vessel in any suitable
manner, so that the partition may be both air and water tight, and may be
made either entirely or partially of flexible material. The sides of the upper
part of the vessel need not be fluid-tight or of the same material as the sides of
the bottom portion; and for many purposes it may be useful that it should
be formed of two or more separate pieces or vessels united together and with
the inner partition by means of screws or other fastenings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Stephen Bourne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, STEPHEN
BOURNE, of Headstone Drive, Harrow, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Stephen Bourne, Her special licence that I, the said Stephen
Bourne, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Stephen Bourne, 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
CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS FOR CONTAINING BEER AND OTHER LIQUIDS THAT ARE
INJURED WHEN EXPOSED TO ATMOSPHERIC AIR," upon the
the condition (amongst
S

page_text: others) that I, the said Stephen Bourne, 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 I, the said Stephen Bourne, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object the so constructing casks and other vessels
that they may be wholly or partially filled with liquid or partially emptieḍ
without allowing air to come in contact with the liquid. For this purpose I
divide the vessel horizontally into two equal or nearly equal compartments or
chambers by a flexible partition, that is, of such form that it can alternately
either fit closely the interior of one compartment or the other; the flexible
partition being connected all around its edge to the centre of the sides of the
vessel. The bottom compartment is furnished with a tap or other means of
exit for the contents, and at the top of the upper compartment is an opening,
so that air is allowed to enter freely into this compartment. The liquid to
be preserved in the cask or vessel is supplied to the lower compartment either
through the tap that is near its bottom or otherwise; before filling this com-
partment with liquid the partition may be caused to fit the interior of the
bottom compartment (this, however, will not be necessary where the filling
takes place through an, aperture, which will at the same time permit of the
escape of the air from the lower chamber); the liquid. is then introduced into
this compartment, and as it fills it causes the partition to rise or drives it aside,
and causes it to fit within the upper compartment. In drawing off the liquid
the tap or other orifice in the lower compartment is opened, and the air
pressing on the top of the partition causes the partition to descend and the
fluid to escape, or the partition might be weighted, or the vessel tilted for the
same purpose. The edges of the partition may be connected to or inserted in
the centre of the sides of the vessel in any suitable manner, so that the par-
tition may be both air and water tight, and may be made either entirely or
partially of flexible material. The sides of the upper part of the vessel need
not be fluid-tight or of the same material as the sides of the bottom portion,
and for many purposes it may be useful that it should be formed of two or
more separate pieces or vessels united together and with the inner partition
by means of screws or other fastenings. -

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe
more fully the manner of performing the same.
In constructing a cask of wood with a central flexible partition or diaphragm
as above described, I prefer to form the flexible partition to the shape and
size of one-half of the cask, and to form around the edge of the flexible par-
tition a projecting flange or lip that is to be inserted into the divisions
between staves on opposite sides of the cask and also into the divisions between
the pieces of which the heads are composed. For this purpose the parts
of which the heads are composed are so made that the division between
the two central pieces may exactly divide the head into two parts, and the
joints between the staves on opposite sides of the cask are made to correspond
or nearly so with the central division of the head. In making up the cask
the projecting lip of the diaphragm is inserted between the staves whilst the
hoops are loose, and is also inserted between the parts of the head. When the
hoops are driven tight the edge of the flexible partition will be firmly held,
and the flexible partition will be free to move either upwards or downwards in
the cask. I prefer to form the flexible partition of india-rubber, but it may
be composed of other material that is impervious to air and water. The cask
may be filled through the hole in the head, into which the tap is usually
inserted, or an ordinary bung-hole-may be made in the cask for this purpose.
When the vessel for containing beer or other liquids is to be made of metal
or glass, stoneware, or similar material I prefer to form the vessel in two
equal parts, the edges of the two parts where they come together being made
to fit accurately together. These edges may also, if desired, be made with
projecting flanges; between the edges of the two parts is inserted the edge of
the diaphragm or partition, which, as before described, is made of such a
shape as to fit within either of the parts of the vessel; the two edges or flanges
are drawn and held together by an outer ring or band, or the flanges may be
drawn together by screws or otherwise, so as to make the junction water-
tight, or they may be cemented together. If the flexible partition be of india-
rubber, then the upper half of the vessel need not be of the same shape or
form as the lower half, as the india-rubber partition will adapt itself to the
shape of either half of the vessel; or the vessel may be made in one piece,
and with a wide mouth capable of being closed by a stopper; the width of the
mouth being sufficient to allow of the flexible partition being inserted through
it into the vessel. The edges of the partition may either be connected to the
centre of the sides of the vessel by cement, or they may be connected thereto
by piercing a number of holes around the centre of the sides of the vessel,
through which screws may be passed to screw into an inner ring or band

page_text: to which the partition or diaphragm is attached; or it may be held in close
contact by the pressure of an inner spring or ring to be held in its position
either by its own weight or by screws to be passed from the outside of the
vessel through holes pierced in its sides for that purpose.
When using vessels constructed as above described, with a flexible par-
tition, connected at its edges to the centre of the sides of the vessel, a portion of
the contents of one vessel may be drawn off into another vessel similarly con-
structed without the contents coming into contact with the atmosphere. This
may be done by connecting the exit of one vessel with the inlet of the other
by a flexible or other pipe from which the air is removed. With vessels of
this description also the contents of the vessel may conveniently be cooled by
placing in the upper part of the vessel above the flexible partition ice or
freezing mixtures, which resting on the top of the partition will be unable to
mix with the contents of the vessel, and yet will be so closely in contact with
them as to quickly act in reducing their temperature.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the modes herein described of constructing the vessels or of retaining the
diaphragm within them; but what I claim is the applying a flexible
diaphragm or partition within a cask or vessel, such diaphragm or partition
being, as herein described, connected at its edges to the centre of the sides
of the vessel.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Bourne, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
MARV
STE. BOURNE. (L.S.)