Apparatus for Gauging the Contents of Beer and like Casks.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 19th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 25th Jan.. 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Gauging the Contents of Beer and like Casks.
I, ALEXANDER SALMON, of Regent House, Trowbridge Road, Bradford-on-
Avon, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention consists in apparatus whereby the contents of beer and like casks
can be measured or guaged. The apparatus is designed primarily to provide a
check upon deficient or short measure of beer or the like when the casks are
delivered to the purchaser, but the apparatus serves also as a means of gauging or
inensuring the contents of a cask at any time.
The apparatus consists of a wooden staff, preferably rectangular or square in
section, and a separate rod of iron or wood or other suitable material.
of the staff is graduated to denote gallons, and at each graduation or division a rivet,
Each face
preferably of brass or copper, is driven into the staff. Each face of the staff bears
two sets of graduations, one set denoting gallons for a cask of given capacity when
lying horizontally; the other set denoting gallons for the same cask standing
on end.
In practically using the apparatus, the separate rod above mentioned is thrust
vertically through a hole made in the cask until the lower end of the rod touches
the bottom, if the cask is standing on end.
is thrust down until it touches the inner face of the lower side. On withdrawal
If the cask is lying on its side, the rod
the rod is laid parallel with the graduated staff, the lower ends of both coinciding.
The depth of liquid in the cask as indicated by the wetted part of the rod is a
measure of the contents of the cask, and such contents, in gallons, are denoted by
the rivets in the proper side of the staff face graduated for the cask of the reputed
capacity. To facilitate computation, the rivets may be doubled at the point
indicating five gallons and each group of five.
In the case of a cask standing on end, the hole for inserting the rod should be
made at or near the centre of the head. In the case of a cask lying on its side,
the rod is inserted in the bung hole.
The capacity of a cask may be gauged by the apparatus in a similar manner;
proper allowance being made for the thickness of the wood.
Dated this Eighteenth day of September 1895.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Gauging the Contents of Beer and like Casks.
I, ALEXANDER SALMON, of Regent House, Trowbridge Road, Bradford-on-
Avon, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention consists in apparatus whereby the contents of beer and like casks
can be measured or gauged. The apparatus is designed primarily to provide a
[Price 8d.]

page_text: check upon deficient or short measure of beer or the like when the casks are
delivered to the purchaser, but the apparatus serves also as a means of gauging or
measuring the contents of a cask at any time.
The apparatus consists of a wooden staff, preferably rectangular or square in
section, and a separate rod of iron or wood or other suitable material. Each face
of the staff is graduated to denote gallons, and at each graduation or division a
rivet, preferably of brass or copper, is driven into the staff. Each face of the
staff bears two sets of graduations, one set denoting gallons for a cask of given
capacity when lying horizontally; the other set denoting gallons for the same cask
standing on end.
In practically using the apparatus, the separate rod above mentioned is thrust
vertically through a hole made in the cask until the lower end of the rod touches
the bottom, if the cask is standing on end. If the cask is lying on its side, the
rod is thrust down until it touches the inner face of the lower side.
On withdrawal, the rod is laid parallel with the graduated staff, the lower ends of
both coinciding. The depth of liquid in the cask, as indicated by the wetted part
of the rod, is a measure of the contents of the cask and such contents, in gallons,
are denoted by the rivets in the proper side of the staff face graduated for the
cask of the reputed capacity. To facilitate computation, the rivets may be doubled
at the point indicating five gallons and each group of five.
In the case of a cask standing on end, the hole for inserting the rod should be
made at or near the centre of the head. In the case of a cask lying on its side,
the rod is inserted in the bung hole.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of drawings, Fig. 1 represents in elevation
a staff a for use in gauging the contents of beer and like casks in accordance with
this invention. The face shown in the drawing is represented as graduated for a
cask of the capacity of 18 gallons.
The staff is square or rectangular in section, and each face bears two sets of
graduations, one set being for measuring the contents of a cask of given capacity
when lying horizontally, and the other set for measuring the contents of the same
cask when standing on end. The graduations indicate gallons, and each gallon is
represented on the staff by a rivet, preferably of brass or copper, indicated at
Fig. 1 by black circles. The outer ends of the rivets are flush with the face of
the staff. The graduations at one side of the face indicate gallons in a cask when
lying horizontally. The graduations at the opposite side of the same face denote
gallons in a cask when standing on end. The numerals "18" denote the capacity
of the cask, and the letters "L" and "S" are the initials of the words "lying
and "standing" respectively.
Each face of the staff is graduated for a cask of different capacity so that a
four-sided staff serves for gauging the contents of four casks of different capacity.
To facilitate reckoning, the rivets are doubled at each interval of five gallons.
Numerals in proper sequence may be stamped or otherwise borne on the staff at
the graduations.
At Fig. 2 is shown a rod b which constitutes a part of the gauging apparatus.
This rod is preferably of metal; iron or steel being suitable.
In practically using the apparatus, the rod b is thrust vertically through a hole
in the cask until the lower end of the rod touches the bottom, if the cask be
standing on end. If the cask be lying horizontally the rod is thrust down until it
touches the inner face of the lowermost side of the cask. On withdrawal from
the cask, the rod is laid parallel with the graduated staff a; the lower end of the
rod coinciding with the lower end a¹ of the staff a. For convenience in so applying
the rod to the staff the latter may at its lower end be furnished with a toe-piece a³
for the lower end of the rod 6 to impinge against, the upper face of such toe-
piece coinciding with the lower extremity a¹ of the staff. The depth of the liquid
in the cask in which the rod b has been inserted, as aforesaid, is indicated on the
rod by the part which has been immersed in the liquid and wetted, and the quantity
in the cask is indicated in gallons by the graduation of the staff coinciding at the

page_text: proper side of the staff with the line of demarcation between the wetted part and
the dry part of the rod b.
Fractions of gallons are not indicated on the staff, such fractions being met by
the prevailing custom of reckoning the fractional part as equivalent to the quantity
indicated by the nearest graduation.
In the case of a cask standing on end, the hole for inserting the rod should be
made at or near the centre of the head.
In the case of a cask lying on its side, the rod is inserted in the bung hole.
The capacity of a cask may be gauged by the apparatus in a similar manner;
proper allowance being made for the thickness of the wood of which the cask is
constructed.
For convenience in carrying the staff and rod together, the staff may have eyes
or rings such as a fixed at the centre of one face. The rod 6 when not in use for
gauging may be passed through the said eyes and thus be incorporated with it as
one appliance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
Apparatus for gauging the contents of beer and other casks and for measuring
their capacity; said apparatus consisting of a staff such as a graduated on each
face for a cask of different capacity by rivets or pins of copper, brass or other
suitable metal driven into and made flush with the face of the staff; the graduations
denoting gallons and being arranged in two series on each face of the staff whereof
the series towards one edge of each face denotes gallons in a cask of given capacity
when lying on its side, and the series towards the opposite edge of the same face
denotes gallons in the same cask when standing on end, so that, on the application
to the staff of a rod such as 6 (or the like) previously thrust into a cask and
made to touch the opposite side or end, as hereinbefore described, the quantity
of liquid in the cask is gauged and determined, or the capacity of the cask
measured.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1895.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.