IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEET METAL CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sheridan, of 55, John Street, Dean Street,
Commercial Road East, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SHEET METAL CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS."
ealed the 21st August 1860, and dated the 31st March 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sheridan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st March 1860.
I, JOHN SHERIDAN, of 55, John Street, Dean Street, Commercial Road
East, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEET METAL CASKS AND OTHER VESSELS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of sheet
metal casks and other vessels.
Heretofore casks and vessels manufactured of sheet metal have been made
from sheet metal, first coated with tin, zinc, lead, or alloys of metals," in those
cases where it has been desired that the casks or vessels should be of coated
sheet metal; at the same time I would state, that in some cases where the
sheet metal casks have been painted, sheet iron or other metal has been used
uncoated; and it has also been the practice, when using sheet metal coated
with other metal in the manufacture of casks and other vessels, to fix the
heads or ends thereof, by partially immersing the ends into a bath of melted
metal, similar to that with which the sheet metal used had been coated pre-
viously to making the coated sheet metal up into casks and other vessels.

page_text: Now, my improvements consist in making up casks and other vessels of
sheet iron or other metal not coated with other metal, and then when the
heads at both ends, or the head at one end of the casks or other vessels, as
well as any hoops which may be used around such casks or vessels have been
put into their places, and fixed by the ordinary means, the casks or other
vessels are immersed into a bath of melted zinc, or tin, or lead, or proper
alloy, and thereby coated over the surfaces, and at the same time the heads,
and hoops, and handles, and necks are fixed, and good joints are made where
the edges of the sheet iron or other metal come together, the metal casks or
vessels so completely or partly made being in a proper and clean state when
introduced into the melted zinc, tin, lead, or alloy of metal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Sheridan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th September 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SHERIDAN, of 55, John Street, Dean Street, Commercial Road East, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Sheridan, Her special licence that I, the said John
Sheridan, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Sheridan, 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEET METAL CASKS
AND OTHER VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Sheridan, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Sheridan, 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 the manufacture of
sheet metal casks and other vessels.
Heretofore casks and vessels manufactured of sheet metal have been made.
from sheet metal first coated with tin, zinc, lead, or alloys of metals in those
cases where it has been desired that the casks or vessels should be of coated
sheet metal; at the same time, I would state that in some cases where the
sheet metal casks have been painted, sheet iron or other metal has been used
uncoated; and it has also been the practice, when using sheet metal coated
with other metal in the manufacture of casks and other vessels, to fix the
heads or ends thereof by partially immersing the ends into a bath of melted
metal similar to that with which the sheet metal used had been coated pre-
viously to making the coated sheet metal up into casks and other vessels.
Now, my improvements consist in making up casks and other vessels of
sheet iron or other metal not coated with other metal, and then when the
heads at both ends, or the head at one end of the casks or other vessels, as
well as any hoops which may be used around such casks or vessels, have been
put into their places, and fixed by the ordinary means, the casks or other
vessels are immersed into a bath of melted zinc, or tin, or lead, or proper
alloy, and thereby coated over the surface, and at the same time the heads
and hoops, and handles, and necks are fixed, and good joints are made where
the edges of the sheet iron or other metal come together, the metal casks or
vessels so completely or partly made being in a proper and clean state when
introduced into the melted zinc, tin, lead, or alloy of metal.
The method employed in the manufacture of the metal casks or other
similar vessels may vary, but that which I prefer is as follows:-That the
casks or other similar vessels being made of sheet iron or other sheet metal,
either in a circular or other form or shape (not being previously coated with
tin, zinc, lead, spelter, or alloys of metals,) the bodies being grooved, rivetted,
or brazed, and together with the head or heads, all or any, either with or
without an aperture or apertures introduced therein for the purpose herein-
after described. When the heads at both ends, or the head at one end of the
casks or other similar vessels (the neck or necks, handle or handles, having
been added) have been adjusted and properly fixed, either with or without
the use of rivets or any other means by which the head or heads can be more
effectually secured, and greater strength obtained, together with any hoops

page_text: or heads or body of the
which may be necessary, have been placed as required the casks or other
similar vessels are then cleansed, and rendered in a fit and proper state to
receive the coating of tin, zinc; spelter, lead, or alloys of metals, and being
submerged in a bath of the same in a molten state, and subsequently removed,
the coatings within and without are allowed to set. The purpose of the intro-
duction of an aperture or apertures into the head
casks or other similar vessels, as before named, is to facilitate and expedite
the outpouring of the molten tin, zinc, lead, spelter, or alloys of metals, after
the submersion of the casks or other similar vessels in the same. The
aperture or apertures are then closed by the employment of a stud, and made
sure by the ordinary process, and where the metal casks or other similar
vessels are not furnished with an aperture or apertures for the purpose before
described, the molten tin, zinc, lead, spelter, or alloys of metals contained in
the metal casks or other similar vessels is discharged through the neck. The
casks or other similar vessels manufactured by this process are effectually
secured in all seams and joints, which, together with the external and internal
coatings, are produced by one submersion, as before mentioned.
And having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner
the same can be carried out, I declare that I claim the above method or
methods, as herein-before specified, in the manufacture of metallic casks and
other similar vessels, that being made of sheet iron or other metal not pre-
viously coated with tin, zinc, spelter, lead, or alloys of metal, the casks or other
similar vessels are entirely coated externally and internally with the tin, zinc,
spelter, lead, or alloys of metals, the neck or necks, handle or bandles, are
made sure and effectually secured, the heads and body of the casks or other
similar vessels, together with the necessary hoop or hoops affixed thereto are
joined and solidified together, and that the whole of this process is effected
by one submersion of the casks or other similar vessels into the molten tin,
zinc, spelter, leads, or alloys of metals, as before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sheridan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
JOHN SHERIDAN. (L.S.)