AN IM- PROVED HERMETICAL CASK OR VESSEL WHICH MAY BE USED FOR THE PACKAGE AND PRESERVATION OF GUNPOWDER OR OTHER SUBSTANCES DURING TRANSPOR- TATION OR STORAGE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philip Middleton Justice, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IM-
PROVED HERMETICAL CASK OR VESSEL WHICH MAY BE USED FOR THE PACKAGE
AND PRESERVATION OF GUNPOWDER OR OTHER SUBSTANCES DURING TRANSPOR-
TATION OR STORAGE." A communication from abroad by Eugen Ritter, of
Ehrenfeld, in the Empire of Germany,
aled the 24th October 1879, and dated the 28th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philip Middleton Justice at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th April 1879.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED HERMETICAL CASK OR VESSEL WHICH
MAY BE USED FOR THE PACKAGE AND PRESERVATION OF GUNPOWDER OR OTHER
SUBSTANCES DURING TRANSPORTATION OR STORAGE" A communication from abroad
by Eugen Ritter, of Ehrenfeld, in the Empire of Germany.
In storing gunpowder it is of the greatest importance to protect it from damp and
decomposition. This protection is very imperfectly attained by the methods of
packing at present employed, whether the packages consist of wooden casks, linen
bags, india-rubber pouches, or even copper (or other metal) cases hermetically closed,
for the reason that wood, linen, and even rubber packages are not sufficiently air
tight to entirely exclude the moisture of the atmosphere, while the copper or other
metal cases are not only inconvenient but are also to a certain extent objectionable
owing to the action upon them of the materials of which the powder is composed;
such action causes gradual oxidation and consequent decomposition of the powder.
The object of my Invention is to overcome the above objectionable features, and
to provide a cask or vessel in which deterioration and decomposition of powder or
other analogous substances shall be impossible.
This cask I prefer to make in the following manner:-To a paper cylinder is
firmly secured a paper base or bottom, and also a paper top or cap.
The paper cylinder with its top and bottom is surrounded by or forms a lining to
a thin metal cask or vessel. In the top of said metal cask or vessel is an opening
CD .
77

page_text: corresponding with an opening in the paper vessel or lining. Around the edge of
this opening is firmly secured a flanged metal ring (preferably of copper or brass)
cut with an ordinary screw thread, into which the plug or cover of the cask or
vessel is screwed. This plug or cover is also flanged, and finds a seat on a packing
ring placed between its flange and the top of the metal ring, into which it screws.
The paper top or lining may be held in its place by a half screw head," which
presses the paper up against the metal top, and is held in its place by the metal
ring before referred to, which "screws " into its threads.
A modification of this arrangement may be made by using an internal ring with
one edge bevelled, said ring being firmly secured to the metal casing in any desired
manner. The bevelled edge of this ring is adapted to keep the paper tightly pressed
against the metal casing, while the vertical edge is cut with an ordinary screw thread,
into which the plug or cover screws.
When this arrangement is used the packing ring should be placed between the
flange upon the plug or cover and the outer casing of the cask or vessel.
The entire cask or vessel may be bound with hoops of wood or iron, or it may be
re-surrounded by another cask or vessel of wood or paper.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Philip Middleton Justice in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
October 1879.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED HERMETICAL CASK OR VESSEL WHICH
MAY BE USED FOR THE PACKAGE AND PRESERVATION OF GUNPOWDER OR OTHER
SUBSTANCES DURING TRANSPORTATION OR STORAGE." A communication from abroad
by Eugen Ritter, of Ehrenfeld, in the Empire of Germany.
In storing gunpowder it is of the greatest importance to protect it from damp
and decomposition. This protection is very imperfectly attained by the methods of
packing at present employed, whether the packages consist of wooden casks, linen
bags, india rubber pouches, or even copper (or other metal) cases hermetically
closed, for the reason that wood, linen, and even rubber packages are not sufficiently
air-tight to entirely exclude the moisture of the atmosphere, while the copper or
other metal cases are not only inconvenient but are also to a certain extent objec-
tionable owing to the action upon them of the materials of which the powder is
composed; such action causes gradual oxidation and consequent decomposition of
the powder.
The object of my Invention is to overcome the above objectionable features, and
to provide a cask or vessel in which deterioration and decomposition of powder or
other analogous substances shall be impossible.
This cask I prefer to make in the following manner:-To a cylinder made of
paper, wood, or paper pulp, paper in sheets, straw-boards, vegetable parchment, or
similar material, is secured a proper base or bottom, and also a top or cap of similar
materials.
"
"
This paper cylinder with its top and bottom is surrounded by or forms a lining to
a thin metal cask or vessel, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the metallic portions being
shown by the heavy black lines marked a in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. In the top of
the said metal cask or vessel is a suitable opening corresponding with a similar one
in the paper or other vessel or lining, which is surrounded by and also surrounds in
certain parts the aforesaid metallic vessel. Around the edge of this opening in the
paper or other vessel is firmly secured a flanged metal ring "e," "e," as shown in
Figs. 1 and 2, preferably made of copper or brass, and on which is cut an ordinary
screw thread, and into which the plug or cover of the cask or vessel may be screwed
to hermetically close the said opening. This plug or cover being also flanged, as
shown at "b," "b," Fig. 1, finds a seat on the packing ring "c," "c," Fig. 1, placed
between its flange and the top of the metal ring, into which it may be screwed, as
shown in Fig. 1.
The top or lining of paper or other material is held in its place by a bevelled
half screw head or by a bevelled screw ring " d,” “d,” “d," which presses the paper
or other lining firmly against the metal top of the vessel; and is held in its place by
the screwed part of the metal ring "e," as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A modification
of this arrangement is more clearly shown in Fig. 2. This modification is made by
forming a stepped screw ring "e, ""e," with screw threads cut on its outer sides,
as shown. The lower thread of the screw-ring fits into the bevelled half screw-head
or ring "d," "d," whilst the upper thread fits into an overlapping screw ring "f,"
"f," as shown, which pressing down upon the plug or cover "b," "b," (which in this
case has no screw-thread upon it) firmly secures the said plug or cover against the
packing ring "g," "g," thus forming an air tight cover to the cask or vessel, and
sealing it. Attached to the outer side of the before mentioned overlapping ring f, f,
may be affixed studs or projections, as shown at "h," "h," Fig. 2, for the purpose of
allowing a spanner to clasp the same in tightening and withdrawing the aforesaid
plug or cover. In the bottom part of this metallic plug or cover "b," "b," may be
inserted, as shown, at "," a paper, paper pulp, wooden, or other lagging or lining

page_text: for the purpose of preventing any injurious action by the contact of the contents of
the vessel or cask touching the aforesaid metal plug or cover. It is evident that
there may be various forms or methods by which the same results may be effected by
slight modifications of the details of this Invention; for instance, the metal cask or
vessel may be lined in the interior side with paper pulp or other material to prevent
condensation of moisture inside the same, whilst the exterior surface of the said
metallic vessel may be protected by wooden or paper bands, hoops, or staves.
What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
First. A secure vessel which may be hermetically sealed in a simple manner, and
which shall be suited for the safe transportation of gunpowder or other materials
likely to be deleteriously affected by the moisture of the atmosphere or by its action
upon the contained materials by providing a tight metallic vessel which can be sur-
rounded and also lined by straw-boards, paper, or compressed pulp of wood or
vegetable parchment, with the open end so fitted with cover, plug, and packing ring
that the contents of said vessel shall be entirely excluded from the action of the
atmosphere upon it, as set forth.
Second. The arrangement of parts by which the inner and outer covering of the
said vessel may be securely and closely attached to each other, so as to form air
tight joints by means of a bevelled screw-head or ring in combination with an over-
lapping ring, as set forth.
Third. The combination of the various parts, as set forth, for the purpose of pro-
viding a secure vessel for the packing and transportation of gunpowder or other
substances likely to be injuriously affected by dampness or atmospheric action upon
the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Philip Middleton Justice, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of October, in the year of our
Lord 1879.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE. (L.S.)