IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING OR CLEANSING CASKS, VATS, OR SIMILAR VESSELS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Steel, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR WASHING OR CLEANSING CASKS, VATS, OR SIMILAR VESSELS."
Scaled the 9th July 1869, and dated the 15th January 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Steel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th January 1809.
I, JAMES STEEL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR WASHING OR CLEANSING CASES, VATS, OR SIMILAR VESSELS,
to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object the washing or cleansing of casks,
vats, and similar vessels in an improved, efficient, and convenient
manner, and comprises improvements in the arrangement and details of
apparatus for imparting combined rotatory motions to the casks, and
improved arrangements for forcibly injecting hot water or hot water and
steam into the casks, and for projecting it against the sides of largo
casks, vats, and similar vessels used in breweries.

page_text: "
In some modifications the improved rotatory apparatus comprises a
large disc or chuck plate fixed on the overhanging end of a horizontal
shaft made to revolve backwards or forwards at any convenient speed.
A series of cradles to receive the casks are arranged with their axes
tangents to a circle on the face of the disc, and are mounted on journals
connected by bovil gearing with each other and actuated by suitable
gearing. The casks are placed in the cradles with their axes coinciding
with the cradle journals, and when the machine is in action each has a
rotation about its own axis combined with the motion due to being
carried round by the rotating disc. There may be two large discs, ono
on each end of the shaft, and they may be provided with cradles for
different sizes of casks. The gearing for imparting the axial rotation
to the cradles consists of a bevil toothed ring encircling the main shaft
but fixed to the framing, and having in gear with it a bevil wheel on a
radially disposed shaft carried upon the disc. This radial shaft rotates
in consequence of being carried round by the disc, and it imparts
motion by bevil gearing to one of the cradle journals. Each cradle
consists by preference of two end discs having the journals on their
outer sides, and connected by a barrel-shaped shell extending nearly
half round. When a cask is placed in the cradle it is held by means
of a hinged metal strap which is brought over it and secured by a cotter
or latch. Instead of the cradles being disposed with their axes
tangents to the circle they may be placed radially, and bevil wheels on
their inner journals may all gear with the same large bevil wheel, which
may be on a shaft passing through the main shaft made tubular for the
purpose. The central bevil wheel may be held stationary, or if it does
not thus impart a suitable axial motion to each cask its shaft may
be driven at any suitable speed. The tangentially disposed cradles may
also have an axial motion imparted to them by an independent central
shaft. For large casks or in small machines the disc may be provided
with only one or two cradles.
In another modification suitable for small casks a long rectangular
frame is mounted on journals at its ends, and goaring is applied to one
of the journals to turn it. The casks are carried with their axes at
right angles or at other suitable angles to the axis of the frame, being
held by pairs of dished end plates. The end plates at one side of the
framo have journals formed or fixed on them and carried in bearings in
the frame, and the journals have spur wheels on their outer ends which
gear with each other and with a pinion on a shaft carried by the frame

page_text: and driven from the main shaft, whereby an axial motion is imparted
to the casks. The end plates at the other side of the frame are free
to turn on the ends of spindles by means of which they are screwed up
upon the casks. The frame may be arranged to receive two rows of
casks.
In the various modifications the cradles or end plates for holding the
casks may if preferred be arranged to turn about axes not exactly
coinciding with the axes of the casks.
One modification of the improved apparatus for injecting or projecting
hot water comprises a tank sunk level with the ground and made with
an opening in the top and with a seat for the cask to rest upon with its
bung-holo directly over the opening. A nozzle on a bent pipo is fitted to
project up through the tank opening so as to just enter the cask, and the
pipo has valved communications with two pipes, one for supplying
steam and the other water, the valves being controlled by a single lover,
by means of which a powerful jet of water or water and steam may be
applied inside the cask.
In another modification suitable for large casks or vats, a boiler or
closed vessel is fitted with a pipe from a steam boiler opening in it at
the bottom. Water being filled in by a pipo is heated by admitting
steam, and when the water is sufficiently heated steam entering by
the same or another pipo is allowed to press on the surface of the water
and forco it through a discharge pipe that is also fitted to the bottom of
the vessel. This discharge pipe has branches leading to various parts of
a largo brewery, and flexible branch pipes with nozzles are connected to
them to be used by the workmen for applying the jets of hot water and
steam inside of the casks, vats, or other vessels, the workmen entering
the larger vessels so as to direct the nozzles as close to the sides as may
be required.
30 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,'
filed by the said James Steel in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th July 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
STEEL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, send
35 greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Ier reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said James Steel, Her special
licence that I, the said James Steel,. my exccutors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Steel, 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, excrcise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING OR CLEANSING CASKS, VATS, OR SIMILAR VESSELS,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Steel, my
exccutors 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 montlis next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Steel, 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 in writing, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object the washing or cleansing of casks,
vats, and similar vessels in an improved, efficient, and convenient
manner, and comprises improvements in the arrangement and details
of apparatus for imparting combined rotatory motions to the casks, and
improved arrangements for forcibly injecting hot water or hot water
and steam into the casks, and for projecting it against the sides of large
casks, vats, and similar vessels used in breweries.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same may be properly understood I have hereunto appended three
Shects of explanatory Drawings to be herein-after referred to and
representing various modifications of my improved apparatus.
.
On Sheet, 1 there is represented an example of one modification,
Figure 1 being an end elevation partly in section, and Figure 2 a side

page_text: elovation partly in section, whilst Figures 3 and 4 are an elevation
and a plan of the framing and showing the driving gearing. To simplify
the Drawings many similar parts are not repeated, whilst toothed bevil
wheels not shown in section are indicated by conical rings corresponding
to their pitch surfaces. This modification comprises a large diso or
chuck plate 1, fixed on the overhanging end of a horizontal shaft 2,
made to revolve backwards or forwards at any convenient speed by
means of gearing such as is shown in and will be easily understood from
the Drawing. A series of cradles 3 to receive the casks are arranged
with their axes tangents to a circle on the face of the diso, and aro
mounted on journals 4 connected by bevil wheels 5 with each other.
The casks are placed in the cradles 3 with their axes coinciding with
the journals 4, and when the machine is in action each has a rotation
about its own axis combined with the motion due to being carried round
by the rotating disc 1. There may be a single diso 1 on the shaft 2,
or there may be two such discs thereon, as shown in Figure 2, ono on
cach end, and they may be provided with cradles 3 for different sizes
of casks. The gearing for imparting the axial rotation consists in the
case of each disc 1 of a bevil toothed ring 0 encircling the main
shaft 2, but fixed to the framing 7, and having in gear with it a bevil
wheel 8 on a radially disposed shaft 9 carried upon the disc 1. This
radial shaft 0 rotates in consequence of being carried round by tho
disc 1 and of the hevil pinion 8, consequently rolling round the ring 6,
and it imparts motion by bevil gearing to one of the cradle journals 4.
This gearing consists of a bevil wheel 10 on the outer end of the radial
shaft 9 in gear with a bevil wheel 11 on a short shaft 12 carried by
the disc, and having on its other end a bevil wheel 13 gearing directly
with one of the bevil wheels 5. The cradles are more completely shown
on Sheet 2 of the Drawings.
Figures 5 and 6 on Sheet 2 are front and side clevations of a
modification in which instead of the cradles 3 being disposed with.
their axes tangents to a circle they are placed radially. Bevil wheels 14
aro fixed on their inner end journals 4, and all gear with one largo ·
bevil wheel 6, which is on the end of a shaft 15. passing through tho
main shaft 2 made tubular for the purpose. The central bevil wheel 6
may be held stationary by means of an arm or lever 10 applied to ono
end of it, or if it does not thus cause a suitable axial motion to be
given to each cask, its shaft 15 may be driven at any suitable speed.

page_text: The tangentially disposed cradles (Sheet 1) may also have an axial
motion imparted to them by means of an independent central shaft.
For large casks or in small machines the disc 1 may be provided with
only one or two cradles. Each cradle 3 consists by preference of two
end discs having the journals 4 on their outer sides and connected by a
barrel-shaped or cylindrical shell extending nearly half round. When
a cask is placed in the cradle it is held by means of a metal strap or
gate 17, hinged to the shell at one side and brought over and secured
to the other side by cotters 18 or by a latch. In the machine shown
in Figures 5 and 6 the cradles 3 are of two different sizes, there being
three of one size and three larger. The larger cradles are fitted with
appliances for fixing casks of the smaller size, when all those to be
operated upon are small ones, such appliances consisting of screws 19,
which are tapped through the outer journals 4 and have small discs
or radiating arms fixed upon their inner ends to bear against the cask
heads.
Figures 7 and 8, Sheet 2, are an end and a side elevation of another
modification suitable for casks of various sizes, and which comprises a
rectangular frame 20 mounted on journals 21 at its ends, whilst gearing
is applied to one of its journals to turn it. The casks 22 are carried
with their axes at right angles to that of the frame, being held by pairs
of dished end plates 23 (of which one is shown in section in Figure 9).
These end plates 23 are fixed so as to hold the casks by means of
nuts 24 on screwed rods 25, which are fixed to cross heads 26 at each
end, and these cross heads have journals fixed to them to turn in
bearings in the main frame 20. At one side of the frame the cross
heads 26 have spur wheels 27 fixed to them and gearing together,
whilst one spur wheel also gears with a pinion 28 on a radial shaft 9
carried by the frame, and actuated by a bevil wheel 8 on its inner end
in gear with a bevil wheel O fixed to the frame 7. This gearing imparts 3
an axial motion to the casks whilst they are being carried round by the
frame. The frame 20 may be arranged to receive two rows of casks.
In the various modifications herein-before described the cradles 3 or end
plates 23 for holding the casks may if preferred be arranged to turn
about axes not exactly coinciding with the axes of the casks.
One modification of my improved apparatus for injecting or projecting
3

page_text: Drawings; Figures 10 and 11 being vertical sections at right angles to
each other, and Figuro 12 a plan. It comprises a tank 80 sunk level
with the ground and made with an opening and seat 31 in the top for
the cask to rest upon. A nozzle 32 on a bent pipe is fitted to project up
through the tank opening so as to just enter the bunghole of the cask,
and the pipe has communications by a double valve or stop-cock 88 with
two pipes 84, 35, one for supplying water and the other steam. The
steam is directed into the centre of the water stream by a tapered nozzlo
indicated by dotted lines, and by means of the single lever 30 a powerful
jet of water and steam can be applied inside the cask.
In another modification suitable for large casks or vats, and which is
shown in vertical section in Figure 13, a boiler or closed vessel 87 is
fitted with a pipe 38 from a steam boiler opening in it at the bottom.
Water being filled in by a pipe 39 is heated by admitting steam, and when
the water is sufficiently heated steam entering by the same pipo 38, or
by another pipe 40, is allowed to press on the surface of the water and
force it through a discharge pipe 41 that is also fitted to the bottom of
the vessel 87. This discharge pipe 41 has branches leading to various
parts of a large brewery, and a flexible branch pipe 42 with nozzle 43 is
connected to each to be used by a workman for applying the jets of hot
water and steam inside of the casks, vats, or other vessels, the workman
entering the larger vessols, as shown, so as to direct the nozzle as oloso
to the side as may be required.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I have to state that I do not
restrict myself to the precise details herein described or delineated; but
that what I believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The arranging and combining together of the parts of apparatus
for holding and for imparting an axial combined with another re-
volving motion to casks for the purpose of washing or cleansing
them, substantially in the improved modes herein described and de-
lineated.
And, 2. The arranging and combining of apparatus for washing or
cleansing casks, vats, and similar vossols by means of steam and water.

page_text: substantially in the improved modes herein-before described with referenco
to the Figures on Sheet 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Steel, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nino.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JAMES STEEL. (L.S.)