IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO PREVENT WASTE OF LIQUIDS IN FILLING CASKS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Cope, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Oil Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS TO PREVENT WASTE OF LIQUIDS IN FILLING CASKS."
Sealed the 1st January 1870, and dated the 7th July 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Cope at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th July 1869.
I, DAVID COPE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Oil
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO PREVENT WASTE OF LIQUIDS IN FILLING CASKS,"
to be as follows:-
Heretofore the filling of casks and like vessels of capacity with liquids
from stock tanks and reservoirs has been attended with considerable loss
in consequence of overflowing. To prevent waste from overflowing and
to render the operation of filling the said casks less dependent on the
attention of workmen is the object of my Invention. For these

page_text: purposes I provide apparatus whereby any overflowing liquid is con-
veyed away and collected in a suitable well or receptacle. The said
apparatus consists of a heavy frame of a horse-shoe or cylindrical shape,
open at top and bottom, which I rest on the outer surface of the cask
immediately around the bung hole or filling opening. The under or
bearing edge of the said frame is provided with an elastic or flexible
adjusting packing, and springs are fitted at the back so as to cause it to
fit close to the casks and prevent any escape of liquid through under-
neath. The filling nozzle is passed into the bung hole or filling opening
in the ordinary way. From the said frame a spout is led outwards and
downwards, so that any overflow is conveyed along the spout into a
vessel or preferably into a conduit leading to a receptacle. And that the
said apparatus may be easily placed on and removed from casks I
suspend it from a sliding frame overhead, balanced if considered
desirable by a weight over a pulley or other means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said David Cope in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th January 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
COPE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Oil Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said David Cope, Her special license that I,
the said David Cope, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said David Cope, 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 APPARATUS TO
PREVENT WASTE OF LIQUIDS IN FILLING CASKS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said David Cope, my executors or administrators, by

page_text: 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 manuer 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 David Cope, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Sheet of illus-
trative Drawings appended hereto, and to the figures and letters thereon,
that is to say :-
Heretofore the filling of casks and like vessels of capacity with
liquids from stock tanks and reservoirs has been attended with con-
siderable loss in consequence of overflowing. To prevent waste from
overflowing and to render the operation of filling the said casks less
dependant on the attention of workmen is the object of my Invention.
For these purposes I provide apparatus whereby any overflowing liquid
is conveyed away and collected in a suitable well or receptacle. The
said apparatus consists of a heavy frame of a horse-shoe or cylindrical
shape open at top and bottom, which I rest on the outer surface of the
cask immediately around the bung hole or filling opening. The under
or bearing edge of the said frame is provided with an elastic or flexible
adjusting packing, and springs are fitted at the back so as to cause it
to fit close to the cask and prevent any escape of liquid through under-
neath. The filling nozzle is passed into the bung hole or filling opening
in the ordinary way. From the said frame a spout is led outwards and
downwards, so that any overflow is conveyed along the spout into a
vessel or preferably into a conduit leading to a receptacle. And that the
said apparatus may be easily placed on and removed from casks I
suspend it from a sliding frame overhead, balanced if considered desirable
by a weight over a pulley or other means.
On the accompanying Drawings, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 shew one modifi-
cation of apparatus constructed under my Invention in position for
filling a cask; part of a stock tank and other connections being
delineated. Fig. 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2, a front elevation; Fig. 3, a
plan at the line A, B; and Fig. 4, a partial transverse section. Like
letters denote the same parts in all these views.

page_text: a, stock tank or vessel with tap 6 and filling nozzle c; d, cask to be
filled; e, heavy frame of my improved filling apparatus, shewn made in
one piece with the overflow spout f; g, helical springs (other springs
may be used) to press the packing piece h tightly against the outer
surface of the cask or vessel d to be fitted around the bung hole thereof.
The said packing piece is preferably made of leather or of closely
compacted felt or woven fabric. In practice it is convenient to place
the cask with the bung hole slightly to one side, so as to provide a better
fall in the spout and allow any liquid that may overflow to be dis-
charged quickly into the conducting pipe j, which leads to a well or to
the vessel k or its equivalent. To facilitate removal of the said filling
apparatus from casks I have suspended it by a chain over the pulley m
resting in bearings on the bracket n and balanced it by a weight o. In
many instances such as where the casks are worn around the bung holes,
the said balance weight may be dispensed with, as it will be desirable to
have all the weight of the apparatus to bear on the packing piece h,
and indeed in some instances a frame (not shewn) fitted to slide on the
tank or vessel a might be employed to press the apparatus still more
firmly against the cask, or the bracket carrying the chain and balance
weight o might be made to slide up and down with the like object. By
the above means one man will be enabled to attend to the filling of a
number of casks at the same time, as should any of them overflow the
liquid will not be lost.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 show another modification of apparatus constructed
according to my Invention. This is drawn to a larger scale. It is
made lighter than the first-described modification and is suitable for
being moved by hand, so that it can be used where filling is carried on
from measuring and such like vessels. It is employed substantially in
the same manner as the modification illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4,
although the conducting pipe there marked j is not shewn. Fig. 5 is a
side clevation; Fig. 6, a plan; Fig. 7, a longitudinal section; and Fig. 8
an end view. Like letters denote the same parts.
p, portion of a cask; q, body of the filling apparatus with spout r and
packing ring 8; t, suspenders of the clamping means here used instead
of making the apparatus heavy; u is a screw passed through the cross
piece and fitted with a clip w and binding handle x. In applying
the apparatus to a cask the clip wo is passed through the bung hole, then
moved round opposite the stave, and the handle x turned so as to bind

page_text: the apparatus to the cask; y is a curved spring to equalize the pressure
ou the cask all round the bung hole.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and par-
ticularized the same by two modifications, I would have it understood
that what I claim is,-
First. The combination of the parts e, f, g, h, or their equivalents for
the purposes hercin set forth.
Second. In combination with the parts e, f, g, h, or their equivalents
the chain and weight o balanced over a pulley m with or without a
sliding frame for the purposes herein set forth.
Third. The combination of the parts q, r, 8, with the clamping appa-
paratus u, v, w, x, or their equivalents, and the spring y, for the purposes
herein set forth.
And, fourth. In combination with the parts claimed under the above
third claim a suspending chain and balance weight or of these with a
sliding frame as means for facilitating the removal of the apparatus from
and applying it to casks or vessels.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Cope, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
In the presence of
ROB*. Moss.
D. COPE. (L.S.)