IMPROVEMENTS IN BUSHINGS FOR THE RUNGHOLES OF CASKS AND SIMILAR VESSELS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hurrell, of No. 66, Houndsditch, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUSHINGS FOR THE
RUNGHOLES OF CASKS AND SIMILAR VESSELS."
Sealed the 30th August 1867, and dated the 7th March 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hurrell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th March 1867.
I, WILLIAM HURRELL, of No. 66, Houndsditch, in the City of London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BUSHINGS FOR THE BUNGHOLES OF CASKS AND SIMILAR VESSELS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in bushings for the bung-
-holes of casks and similar vessels. In order to bush the bungholes of casks
and similar vessels I employ an iron or metal tube of a length equal to the
thickness of the staves and slightly taper; this tube has a screw thread cut
on its exterior, so that it may screw into the hole formed for it in the cask or
vessel. It has also a flange on its outer or larger end which when it has
been screwed home comes against the face of the stave and stops it from
entering further, and lugs or projections are formed on the surface of this
flange to receive between them a lever to be used in screwing in the bushing.

page_text: When the lugs or projections have served their purpose they are usually cut
off, so that they may not furnish the means for removing the bushing to
obtain access fraudulently to the contents of the cask.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Hurrell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th September 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HURRELL, of No. 66, Houndsditch, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Hurrell, Her special licence that I, the said William Hurrell,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Hurrell, 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 BUSHINGS FOR THE BUNGHOLES OF CASKS AND BIMILAR VESSELS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Hurrell, 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 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.
:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Hurrell, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, 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 bushings for the bung-
holes of casks and similar vessels. In order to bush the bungholes of. casks
and similar vessels I employ an iron or metal tube of a length equal to the
thickness of the staves, and slightly taper; this tube has a screw thread cut
on its exterior, so that it may screw into the hole formed for it in the cask or

page_text: Figure 1 is a side view, Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 a vertical section,
of a metal bushing constructed according to my Invention for the bunghole
of a cask or other vessel; Figure 4 is a plan, and Figure 5 a vertical section
of the same fitted into the stave of a cask.
The bushing consists of a metal tube a of a length equal to the thickness of
the staves or somewhat less; it is made slightly taper and with a flange a¹ on
its outer or larger end; this bushing I prefer to cast either in brass or in
malleable cast iron. On the exterior of the tubular portion a screw thread is
cut, as is shown; a³, a³, are lugs or projections formed upon the flanges, these
are used to aid in screwing the bushing into its place, and for this purpose a
bar having holes in it to receive the lugs or projections is conveniently
employed. Except when the bushings are of small size I form in casting the
bushing small hollows underneath the lugs or projections a³. When the
bushing is screwed home into the bunghole of the cask or vessel I cut off
the lugs or projections with a hack saw, which if hollows have been cast
beneath the lugs or projections will leave holes through which I then insert
screws into the stave or wood beneath; I file off the heads of these screws and
smooth the surface where the lugs or projections have been, so as to leave a
flush surface, as is shown at Figures 5 and 6. The screws are marked b, b,
and the stave or part of the vessel into which the bushing is inserted is
marked c; the screws 6 serve to prevent the bushing being twisted out of its
hole with the object of stealing the metal, as it otherwise might be if not
forced very firmly home.
As will be observed bushings constructed as above described fit closely into
the hole into which they are inserted, and the liquid cannot get behind them
to render the cask foul, as it has done where metal bushings otherwise con-
structed have been employed. These metal bushings effectually prevent the

page_text: cask or vessel being injured in withdrawing the bung, whereas if the bung-
hole is unbushed it is subject from this cause to rapid wear. In some cases I
cut the screw thread on the exterior in the manner shewn at Figs. 6 and 7,
believing that a firmer holding is thus obtained.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hurrell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
W. HURRELL. (L.S.)