IMPROVEMENTS IN CASKS AND TAPS
Year: 1855

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Macaire at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th.
March 1855.
I, DAVID MACAIRE, Gentleman, of Paris, Empire of France, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASKS AND TAPS
to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to all sorts of casks or barrels for containing
beverages or other liquids. They consist of, 1st, a mode of connecting the
encircling hoops of casks by means of longitudinal metallic bands or ties.
2nd, the application to the cask of a tube commanded by the tap or cock,
and serving for introducing air in the cask, but by which tube no liquid can
be drawn off from the cask nor introduced into the same.
3rd, several arrangements of inviolable bungs, one of which may be used for
introducing air into the cask, but allowing neither the introduction of any
liquid into the same nor the drawing of any off.
4th, a tap or cock for drawing off the contents of the cask, the protruding

page_text: part of which tap turning round a pivot, answers when turned in a certain
position for closing the tap, and for preventing air entering into the cask by
the above said tube; which tap is constructed in such a way, as not to allow
any liquid being introduced in the cask by means of the same.
5th, the addition to the bung and the tap of an arrangement for indicating
any attempt for fraudulously introducing any liquid in the cask.
6th, the application of two vent pegs constructed in such a way for allowing
their being substituted for the tap, the one vent peg being used for introducing
air into the cask, and the other for drawing off the contents of this latter.
The general object of these improvements consist in giving to the cask a
greater durability, an invariable gauge, and offering a mode of preserving the
liquids contained in the cask from any fraudulent adulteration, and dispensing
at the same time with the expenses of a double case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent," filed
by "the said David Macaire in the Great Seal, Patent Office on the
13th September 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
MACAIRE, Gentleman, of Paris, Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
'Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said David Macaire, Her special licence that I, the said David Macaire,
'my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
David Macaire, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 TAPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,- the said David
Macaire, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should parti-
cularly 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.

page_text: ⚫ NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Macaire, 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
and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
The Invention relates, firstly, to certain improvements in casks, by which
the same are strengthened, and will keep an unvarying gauge; and, secondly,
to certain improvements in taps and vent pegs, for preventing 'the liquid in
the casks being fraudulently drawn off or of introducing liquids. The object
of these improvements is consequently. to prevent fraudulent alteration of
the liquid contained in casks, barrels, or such like receivers, and they relate.
more particularly to alcoholic liquids or beverages, such as wine, spirits, beer,
and other liquids.
In order to make the Invention more readily understood, I will in this
description refer to the annexed Drawings, in which corresponding parts are
indicated by the same letters of reference.
.:
My Invention relates moreover to two different systems, viz., the one by.
which the air is introduced in the cask by means of an air bung, represented
in plan view in Fig. 2, in section in Fig. 3, and in elevation in Fig. 4. In,
this system the taps represented in Figs. 7, 8, and 11, must be without the air,
hole p, Fig. 10, and the shoulder p', Fig. 11, and instead of the hinge, Fig. 14,,
the lid g, Fig. 3, is made use of. In the other system, instead of the already,
mentioned air bung, an ordinary bung may be employed, the air. being.
permitted to enter in the cask at the moment the tap is opened, and by means
of- this air hole of this tap, which hole communicates with the interior of
the cask by means of the canal m, Fig. 6, placed either in the intérior of the
staves of the cask or by any suitable tubing. Both systems offer the advantage
of doing away with the boring of vent holes in the staves, which is very
destructive to the cask and the quality of the liquid in this latter,. particularly
for spirits.
:)
I will now give a description of the different Figures of the Drawings, by,
which the Invention may be sufficiently understood, as also the mode of working.
the different parts.
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the cask, to which I give an 'unvarying
gauge by keeping together the iron hoops h¹ with, which the cask is hooped,
by means of two or more longitudinal strips h of iron or any other suitable;
metal, to which each hoop. is secured by means of the screws c, c; c, passing,
through the hoop and the strips h³, and screwed into the staves of the barrel..
Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of my improved air bung, which is
screwed in its socket and offers an aperture in the interior of the.cask; Fig. 3

page_text: is a top view of this bung, showing the manner in which the same is secured
in the cask; Fig. 4 represents a vertical section of the same; and Fig. 5, a
perspective view of the socket, which latter is secured by nails or any other
suitable manner against the interior of the cask; Fig. 6 represents a vertical
longitudinal section of the cask; and Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the
improved unviolable tap, provided with a double socket, and which, if required,
is secured and closed by means of a padlock or a safety mark or stamp. This
tap may answer at the same time as a vent peg, by fixing the same in the
upper part of the head of the cask in such manner as to correspond with the
air tube. In Fig. 8 is represented a side view of another arrangement of a
safety tap, provided with an eye and a single socket, which tap may serve
also as a vent peg, and have the stopper r of Fig. 7, which may be screwed
to its outer aperture. Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the tap of Fig. 8, of
which Fig. 10 is a top view in the position the tap must be turned for
allowing the egress of the liquid from the interior of the cask. Fig. 11 shows
another construction of a turning safety tap provided with a single eye, and
which may be secured by a padlock or a mark; Fig. 12 is a longitudinal
section of the same tap; of which Fig. 13 is a top view, and shewing that the
top when turning round its plug closes the air canal. Fig. 14 is a hinged clip
or clasp, secured by a key and a mark to the strip h¹ of the cask, and serving
for securing the bung in the bung-hole of the cask. Fig. 15 is an indicator,
which may at pleasure be secured to the upper part of the tap, Fig. 11. This
indicator retains a part of the liquid whenever any person should try to
introduce, by means of this tap, any liquid in the interior of the cask. Fig. 16
is a vertical section of the indicator. Fig. 17 represents a cord or string made
from any suitable textile material, and with which a metal wire has been inter-
woven, and which serves preferably to any other cord or string for securing
the safety mark to the cask; h², longitudinal strips of metal; C, hinged clip
for securing the bung to the cask; c, c, screws for securing the hoops h¹ to
the metal strip h² and to the staves of the cask; the heads of these screws
may bear a suitable mark; d, inviolable safety tap (Figs. 7, 8, 9,) secured into
the cask and permitting to be opened for the egress of the liquid. During the
removal of the cask the tap is turned round its plug and secured against the
bottom of the cask, and a cap is fixed over this tap and secured in an inviolable
manner by a padlock or mark. e metal plate, on which is inscribed the gauge
of the cask, which may also be imprinted by burning into the wood of the
cask; f, Fig. 2, piece of wood affixed to the interior of the cask round the
bung-hole, and serving for securing the socket of the tap; 9, Fig. 3, is an iron
lid hinged to the cask, and having at the other end an eye, by which the same,

page_text: after being closed over the bung, may be secured to the cask by means of a
padlock or a mark; h, Fig. 4, is an eye for turning the bung, and securing the
same by a padlock or a mark to the cask; i, cylindrical part of the bung, in
which moves a valve which prevents the passing of the air whenever it should be
tried to introduce liquid in the cask by the lower aperture of the said cylinder;
j, k, are valves preventing the escape of the liquid contained in the cask, even
if the key of the air tap was open; 7 is a tap allowing the ingress of the air in
the cask, or by which this ingress may be stopped; m, Fig. 6, is the air canel
already mentioned; by turning the fore part of the tap, the communication
between this tap and the air canal may be regulated and the egress of the
liquid stopped or allowed at pleasure; n, perforated nozzle, the interior of
which contains a ball valve for closing the aperture of the air canal whenever
the cask might be turned over; o, Figs. 7, 11, and 12, are valves screwed to
the hinder part of the safety vent pegs and taps; they allow the flowing of the
liquid from the cask, and closing in an air-tight manner the canal of the tap
or peg whenever it should be tried to introduce by this peg or tap any liquid
in the cask; p, Figs. 7 and 10, is a hole made in the cap of the taps, Figs. 7
and 8, and are in direct communication with the air canal m in the tap,
Fig. 11; this hole is closed by a projecting part p¹, whenever the tap is applied
against the bottom of the cask, and which projecting part being provided with
a small piece of india-rubber for closing this aperture in an air-tight manner.
q, Figs. 6 and 11, is a screw ring affixed to the cask, and to which the taps or
pegs of the cask are secured, by means of the already described string or cord,
to the end of which is affixed the safety mark. 2, Fig. 7, is a metallic stopper
screwed to the mouth of the tap; s, Fig. 11, is an ear secured to the fixed
part of the tap, and 's' is another ear fixed to the moveable part, and through
which a padlock or a string with a safety mark may be passed; u is the mark
or padlock; v, Fig. 15, is a key for keeping together the parts of the indicator,
and the end of which key may be provided with a mark.
Having thus described the nature of my improvements and the manner in
which they operate, I wish it to be understood that what I claim as my
Invention consists of,-
1stly, the described arrangement of the cask, having for its object to insure
to them an unvarying gauge, more solidity, and the means of discovering with
facility the piercing of holes in the cask.
2ndly, the described arrangements for introducing air in the interior of the
cask without being obliged to make any further perforations in them than
those indicated.
3rdly, the described construction of taps and vent pegs, the object of

page_text: which being to allow the egress of the liquid from the cask, but rendering
impossible the introduction of any liquid in the cask by these taps or pegs.
4thly, the means described for securing and rendering inviolable the casks,
bungs, taps, or pegs, and by which any fraudulent proceedings may be at once
detected.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Macaire, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
DAVID MACAIRE. (L.S.)