IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR EXCLUDING AIR FROM EMPTY CASKS FOR THE PURPOSE Of PREVENTING THEM BECOMING FOUL, AND IN MEANS FOR HOLDING SUCH APPARATUS WHEN NOT IN USE."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Baxter, of Burton on Trent, in the County of
Stafford, Brewer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE
EMPLOYED FOR EXCLUDING AIR FROM EMPTY CASKS FOR THE PURPOSE Of
PREVENTING THEM BECOMING FOUL, AND IN MEANS FOR HOLDING SUCH
APPARATUS WHEN NOT IN USE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Baxter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th October 1880.
FREDERICK BAXTER, of Burton on Trent, in the County of Stafford, Brewer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR EXCLUDING AIR FROM
EMPTY CASKS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREVENTING THEM BECOMING FOUL, AND IN
MEANS FOR HOLDING SUCH APPARATUS WHEN NOT IN USE."
It is well known that casks which have contained beer and certain other liquids
are liable to become foul and stinking unless the air is excluded therefrom, until
they have been steamed, washed, or otherwise cleansed, and as this process of
cleansing is only performed by the brewer or cooper or other person when the cask
is returned to him, it is essential to exclude the air as soon as possible after the
cask has been emptied and the tap-removed.
I am aware that appliances have been designed to effect this object, but on
account of their costliness or liability to get out of order they have not come into
use.
My Invention consists of a stopper very cheaply constructed and so simple as
not to be liable to get out of order, and it is attached to the cask near the tap-hole
or tap holes, ready at any moment to be applied to close it or them, and thereby
exclude the air from the said cask. This stopper is formed as follows:-
I employ two discs of brass or other metal, one being larger and the other smaller
than the tap-hole; a spindle is rivetted at one end into the larger disc, and a screw
cut on the other end of said spindle; a piece of leather or chain or other
material is attached by putting the spindle through one end of it; I then pass said
spindle through a tapering cork or shive or stopper of india-rubber or other
material of a size to fit the said tap-hole; and, lastly, I screw said spindle into a

page_text: female screw cut in the centre of the smaller disc; two holes are drilled in latter to
receive a key.
The other end of the leather or chain or other flexible connection, which may
conveniently be about 6 inches long, is attached to the cask at a suitable distance
from the tap hole. In any convenient place within, say, 6 inches of the latter spot,
I, according to my Invention, bore a hole in the cask, and depending upon the
thickness of the stave, I either put in a brass or other metal bush which will contain
the stopper above described when not in use, or I bore a hole partially through the
stave of a size to exactly contain the stopper, and in some cases I fix a ring of metal
on the surface of the stave and around such hole; or, lastly, I bore a hole of the same
diameter entirely through said stave, and fix a metal or other plate firmly on the
other side, so as to make it impervious to any fluid. Sometimes I make the spindle
long enough to go through the second metal disc above mentioned about to an
inch, and I point the end thereof. When the stopper is not in uso I fasten it
to the cask head by striking it a blow with a hammer.
The method of using my Invention is as follows:- When the cask is emptied
the stopper is withdrawn from its resting place and fixed into the tap hole, thus
excluding the air until the cask arrives at the brewery or cooperage, or depot.
When the cask is about to be cleansed the stopper is removed and placed back
in its socket where it remains until again required.
This stopper is always ready at hand; when the perishable portion of which it is
composed is worn out it is easily renewed by unscrewing the smaller disc, and
substituting a new tapering cork or stopper.
The insertion of the stopper causes neither trouble nor expense.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed 2
by the said Frederick Baxter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
April 1881.
..
FREDERICK BAXTER, of Burton on Trent, in the County of Stafford, Brewer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR EXCLUDING AIR FROM
EMPTY CASKS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREVENTING THEM BECOMING FOUL, AND IN 3
MEANS FOR HOLDING SUCH APPARATUS WHEN NOT IN USE."
It is well known that casks which have contained beer and certain other liquids
are liable to become foul and stinking unless the air is excluded therefrom, until
they have been steamed, washed, or otherwise cleansed, and as this process of
cleansing is only performed by the brewer or cooper or other person when the cask 3
is returned to him, it is esssential to exclude the air as soon as possible after the
cask has been emptied and the tap removed.
I am aware that appliances have been designed to effect this object, but on account
of their costliness or liability to get out of order they have not come into use.

page_text: My Invention consists of a stopper very cheaply constructed and so simple as
not to be liable to get out of order, and it is attached to the cask near the tap hole
or tap holes, ready at any moment to be applied to close it or them, and thereby
exclude the air from the said cask.
This stopper is formed as follows:-I employ two discs of brass or other metal,
one being larger and the other smaller than the tap hole; a spindle is rivetted at
one end to or cast on to the larger disc, and a screw cut on the other end of said
spindle; a piece of leather or chain or other material is attached by putting the
spindle through one end of it; I then pass said spindle through a tapering cork
or shive or stopper of india-rubber or other material of a size to fit the said tap
hole; and, lastly, I screw said spindle into a female screw cut in the centre of the
smaller disc; two holes are drilled in latter to receive a key. The other end of the
leather or chain or other flexible connection, which may conveniently be about
from 3 to 6 inches long, is attached to the cask at a suitable distance from the tap
hole. In any convenient place within, say, 6 inches of the latter spot, I, according
to my Invention, bore a hole in the cask, and depending upon the thickness of the
stave, I either put in a brass or other metal bush which will contain the stopper
above described when not in use, or I bore a hole partially through the stave of a
size to exactly contain the stopper, and in some cases I fix a ring of metal on the
surface of the stave and around such hole, or, lastly, I bore a hole of the saine
diameter entirely through said stave, and fix a metal or other plate firmly on the
other side, so as to make it impervious to any fluid. Sometimes I make the spindle
long enough to go through the second metal disc above mentioned about to an
inch, and I point the end thereof. When the stopper is not in use I fasten it to the
cask head by striking it a blow with a hammer.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings,
more fully to describe the same.
Figure 1 is a section, and Figure 2 is a plan, of part of a cask head with one
form of my Invention applied thereto; Figure 3 is a section, and Figure 4 is a
plan, of part of a cask head, showing a modification in the form of a socket for
receiving the stopper when the latter is not in use; and Figure 5 is a section, and
Figure 6 is a plan, of part of a cask head, showing another modification in the
form of the socket; Figure 7 is a section, and Figure 8 is a plan, representing
another modification in the form of the said socket; Figure 9 is a section;
Figure 10 is a side view at right angles to the preceding Figure, and Figure 11 is
an underside view of part of a stopper slightly different in construction from that
shown at Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 12 is a section, and Figure 13 is a side
view of a stopper provided with a projecting point to enable it to be fastened to
the head of the cask by simply giving it a blow with a hammer or mallet.
a represents a portion of a cask head, and b the tap-hole; c is a plug or stopper
which is secured to the cask head by means of a strip of leather d, or by a chain or
other flexible connection.
The stopper shown at Figures 1 and 2 is formed as follows:-I employ two
discs a', a², of brass or other metal, a¹ being larger than a³. A spindle a³ is
rivetted at one end to or cast on to the disc a³, and a screw a' is cut on the other
end of said spindle a³; the leather or other flexible connection d is attached to the
stopper by putting the spindle as through one end of it. The said spindle is then
passed through a tapering cork a, or through a shive or stopper of india rubber or
other material of a size to fit the said tap-hole; and, lastly, said spindle as is
screwed into a female screw cut in the centre of the disc u². Two holes are drilled
in the disc a, or it is otherwise formed to enable it to receive a key by which it
can be turned.

page_text: The other end of the leather or other flexible connection & is attached to the
cask at a suitable distance from the tap hole b. In any convenient place within,
say, about 6 inches of the tap hole b I, according to my Invention, bore a hole e in
the cask, and, depending upon the thickness of the stave, I either put in
a brass or other metal bush e, as shown at Figures 1 and 2, and secure such bush
in position by means of small nails or screws; or I form a screw thread on the
exterior of the bush itself, as shown at Figures 3 and 4, and screw it bodily into
the hole e in the cask, which bush will contain the stopper c when not in use; or, as
shown at Figures 5 and 6, I bore a hole e partially through the stave of a size to
exactly contain the stopper, and in some cases I fix, as shown at Figures 5 and 6,
a ring of metal e² on the surface of the stave and around such hole; or, as shown
at Figures 7 and 8, I bore a hole of the same diameter to fit the stopper entirely
through the stave, and fix a metal or other plate f firmly on the other side so as to
make it impervious to any fluid.
In the stopper represented at Figures 9, 10, and 11 the disc a' and spindle a³
are formed in one piece by casting the same in malleable iron or other suitable
metal, in which case a recess is left, as shown, in the underside of the disc a' to
receive the flexible connection d. Sometimes I dispense with the hole e to receive
the stopper when the latter is not in use, and in such case I make the spindle a³
long enough to go through the disc a² about 1/4 to 1/, an incl, and I point the end
thereof. In such case I fasten the stopper a to the cask head when not in use by
striking it a blow with a hammer.
The method of using my Invention is as follows:-
=
When the cask is emptied the stopper is withdrawn from its resting place and
fixed into the tap hole, thus excluding the air until the cask arrives at the brewery,
or cooperage, or depôt.
When the cask is about to be cleansed the stopper is removed and placed back
in its socket, where it remains until again required. This stopper is always ready
at hand. When the perishable portion of which it is composed is worn out it is
easily renewed by unscrewing the smaller disc, and substituting a new taporing
cork or stopper.
The insertion of the stopper causes neither trouble nor expense.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode in which
I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the
improved apparatus for excluding air from empty casks, and the means for holding
such apparatus when not in use, substantially as herein shown and described and
for the purpose stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Baxter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
FREDERICK BAYTER (10)