IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING OUT CASKS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Fennelly, of Wellington Chambers,
London Bridge, in the Borough of Southwark, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING OUT CASKS."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Imanuel Pfeiffer, of Copenhagen, in the
Kingdom of Denmark.
Sealed the 19th October 1869, and dated the 7th May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Fennelly at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th May 1869.
I, RICHARD FENNELLY, of Wellington Chambers, London Bridge,
in the Borough of Southwark, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR WASHING OUT CASKS," to be
as follows: -
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for
washing out casks, and consists in the so constructing the apparatus that
the casks to be washed may be carried upon a horizontal revolving

page_text: table in such inanner that they may be caused not only to revolve upon
an axis standing up from the table, but also that the cask may at the
same time be caused to revolve on its own longitudinal axis. By <this
means when the table carrying the casks is caused to revolve the water
previously placed in the casks is thrown away from the central axis of
the table, whilst the cask being at the same time caused to revolve
simultaneously on two axes which are at right angles to one another
every point of the interior of the cask must necessarily be subjected to
the action of the water. The table may be arranged to carry five or
other number of casks according to the diameter of the table and the
size of the casks, and for this purpose has standing up from it five or
other number of axes equidistant from the central axis of the table and
each of these axes carries a frame by which the cask can be supported by
its two ends. The table is by preference carried at the lower end of a
vertical axis driven from its upper end by friction gearing. Around
this step a bearing which receives the lower end of this vertical spindle
is fixed a toothed wheel, over which passes an endless chain, which is
also led around toothed wheels on the lower ends of the five or other
number of axes carried by the table, so that when the table is caused to
revolve the axes carried by it will not only be carried around the central
axis of the table but will each be caused to revolve. The frames carried
by each of the five or other number of axes carried by the table are each
formed with two standards at such a distance apart that a cask may be
received lengthwise between them; one of these standards is a fixed
standard, the other is capable of turning on a hinge joint at its lower
end. The upper end of each axis carries a short axis, on which are
carried plates suitably formed to fit against and hold the end of a cask,
so that a cask may be supported between the two standards. One of the
standards being made capable, as above mentioned, of turning on a hinge
joint allows of the upper end of this standard being moved towards or
from the other standard, so that a cask may readily be taken out or
placed between them. To so move the hinged standard this standard is
connected by a link to an eccentric which can be turned by a lever
handle. On one of the short axes which carry the plates by which the
ends of the cask are held is a chain wheel over which an endless chain
is passed, and this chain is also passed over guide pulleys and around
a fixed chain wheel which is concentric with the vertical axis by
which the frame carrying the cask is supported. By this means the
revolving of the vertical axis carrying the frame will cause the axis

page_text: affixed to the end of the cask to revolve also. Around the circumference
of the revolving table staves may be applied, so that the revolving table
shall form the bottom of a vat capable of holding a sufficient depth of
water for washing the exterior of the casks.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Fennelly in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 5th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
FENNELLY, of Wellington Chambers, London Bridge, in the Borough
of Southwark, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Richard Fennelly, Her
special licence that I, the said Richard Fennelly, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard Fennelly, 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 FOR WASHING OUT CASKS," a communication to me from
abroad by Imanuel Pfeiffer, of Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of
Denmark, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Richard Fennelly, 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 Inven-
tion, 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 Richard Fennelly, do hereby declare

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for
washing out casks, and consists in so constructing the apparatus that
the casks to be washed may be carried upon a horizontal revolving table
in such manner that they may be caused not only to revolve upon an
axis standing up from the table, but also that the cask may at the same
time be caused to revolve on its own longitudinal axis. By this means
when the table carrying the casks is caused to revolve the water
previously placed in the casks is thrown away from the central axis
of the table, whilst the cask being at the same time caused to revolve
simultaneously on two axes which are at right angles to one another
every point of the interior of the cask must necessarily be subjected
to the action of the water. The table may be arranged to carry five
or other number of casks according to the diameter of the table and
the size of the casks, and for this purpose has standing up from it five
or other number of axes equidistant from the central axis of the table,
and each of these axes carries a frame by which the cask can be
supported by its two ends. The table is by preference carried at the
lower end of a vertical axis driven from its upper end by friction
gearing. Around the step or bearing which receives the lower end
of this vertical spindle is fixed a toothed wheel over which passes an
endless chain, which is also led around toothed wheels on the lower
ends of the five or other number of axes carried by the table, so that
when the table is caused to revolve the axes carried by it will not
only be carried around the central axis of the table but will each be
caused to revolve. The frames carried by each of the five or other
number of axes carried by the table are each formed with two standards
at such a distance apart that a cask may be received lengthwise between
them; one of these standards is a fixed standard, the other is capable of
turning on a hinge joint at its lower end. The upper end of each
standard carries a short axis, on which are carried plates suitably
formed to fit against and hold the end of a cask, so that a cask may
be supported between the two standards. One of the standards being
made capable, as above mentioned, of turning on a hinge joint allows
of the upper end of this standard being moved towards or from the
other standard, so that a cask may readily be taken out or placed
between them. To so move the hinged standard this standard is

page_text: connected by a link to an eccentric which can be turned by a lever
handle. On one of the short axes which carry the plates by which
the ends of the casks are held is a chain wheel, over which an endless
chain is passed, and this chain is also passed over guide pullies and
around a fixed chain wheel which is concentric with the vertical axis
by which the frame carrying the cask is supported. By this means
the revolving of the vertical axis carrying the frame will cause the
axis affixed to the end of the cask to revolve also. Around the cir-
cumference of the revolving table staves may be applied, so that the
revolving table shall form the bottom of a vat capable of holding a
sufficient depth of water for washing the exterior of the casks.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed is shown the manner in which I
prefer to construct a machine according to my Invention.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the machine, and Figure 2 a half
plan and a half under side view of the same; and Figures 3 shew end
views of the apparatus for holding the casks. In these Figures H
is a strong upright axle stepped into the pedestal L on which
it revolves. The upper end of this axle H is fixed to the inner
friction cone F in such a way that while H and F must revolve
together F is free to move to a limited extent or to slide up and
down the axle H, and may be so moved by the weighted lever A,
D is a collar which keeps the main axis H vertical; G is the outer
friction cone seated on the collar X, and free to revolve freely round the
main centre H; motion is conveyed to it by the band pulley attached to
it, so that G is always revolving though the machine be at rest. The
machine is made to revolve by forcing the friction cones F and G
together by means of the lever A, and stopped again by lifting it, which
takes the cones from contact with each other. K is a strong table or
platform of wood secured to the collar I, which is itself attached to the
main axle H. To this table are attached five smaller spindles P placed
at equal distances from the centre. These five spindles are made to
revolve by the toothed wheels N, which by means of the chain Y places
them in communication with the main toothed wheel M, and this wheel
is firmly fixed to the pedestal L, so as to be immoveable. When the
main axle H is made to revolve carrying with it the platform K, the
chain Y working in the fixed wheel M will convey a circular motion
to the spindles P by means of the toothed wheels N, and these spindles
will revolve with a speed proportional to the circumferences of the

page_text: toothed wheels N and M; in the arrangement shown in the Drawing
they are made to revolve twice for every revolution of the platform K;
O, O, are brackets screwed to the under side of the platform K and
they form the pedestals for the spindles P. In each pedestal O is
formed a recess to serve as an oil vessel to lubricate the lower end of
the spindles. To the table or platform K is screwed a collar Q (through
which the spindles P pass), which is furnished with packing round
the spindle P to prevent the water from running down. The cir-
cumference of the packing gland 1 forms a chain pulley on which a
chain may work to the spindle P. A small platform R is fixed carrying
two uprights, one fixed and marked R', the other hinged at its
lower end and marked R'; on the fixed upright R¹ a grooved vertical
wheel 2 is placed which runs loosely on the centre 3. The wheel 2
is a grooved wheel and has divisions for a chain which is led by means
of smaller pulleys round the fixed toothed wheel 1. The upright R
at the opposite end of the platform R can be turned into the position
shown by the dotted lines when it is required to take out and insert
a cask. The turning of the upright R into this position is effected
by means of the lever U, the head of which surrounds the eccentric 7
which is fastened to the handle 8. The lever U is on its opposite
end connected with the upright R³ by two lock nuts, so that the length
of the platform R may easily be adjusted to the lengths of the casks.
The casks are held between the wheel S and the cross S₁; these are, as
previously stated, hung loosely on the pivots 3 and furnished with
bushings 4 so formed as to allow a certain amount of play so that they
may easily run round the point of the pivot 3 even though the
cask be somewhat inclined. In the centre of S and S¹ are placed
thick elastic pads, which are pressed firmly against the ends of the
.casks. There are also placed at each end of the casks 4 square blocks
of wood reaching nearly to the sides to keep it in position. To place
a cask between S and S¹ the upright R³ is first drawn back. One end
of the cask is put in position against the wheel S while the other end
of the cask is kept up by the left hand with the right hand; the lever
or arm 8 is moved until by the eccentric the upright R2 clips the cask
until it is sufficiently firm. When the machine is set in motion the
platform R revolving around the pulley 1 conveys by the chain 9 a
revolving motion to the grooved wheel 2, and this gives the cask a
slow turning movement round the pivots 3. This machine is designed
for the use of five casks, but it can be constructed to take a larger

page_text: number of casks. As before stated the platform K may be surrounded
by staves like a tub, and thus be made to hold as much water as will
be sufficent for the cleansing of the outsides of the casks.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim
is,―
1. The general combination or arrangement of apparatus herein
described.
2. The constructing apparatus for washing out casks in such manner
that the casks to be washed are carried around an axis and are at the
same time caused both to revolve on their own longitudinal axis and
also around an axis at right angles thereto.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Fennelly, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.