New or Improved Apparatus or Internal Gauging Rod for Casks, Cylinders, or the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Apparatus or Internal Gauging Rod for Casks,
Cylinders, or the like.
I, THOMAS MC CRIRICK, Custom House, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Preventive Officer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
This invention has for its object a New or Improved Apparatus or Internal
Gauging Rod for Casks, Cylinders or the like.
In the illustrative drawings annexed,
Sheet 1 is an elevation partly in section of an apparatus constructed according
to this invention.
Sheet 2 is an elevation of part of Fig. 1 showing a different position of some
portions of the apparatus.
In an experimental apparatus constructed by me I provide a stem A preferably
of some light tough wood having a groove A¹ nearly the whole of its length, and a
slotted continuation B of this stem A preferably of metal. Near the end of
the stem B are pivotted on a stud c a pair of elbow levers CC, C₁ C, whose
outer arms C are considerably longer than the inner ones C¹. The outer arms C+
are not straight for their whole length but are curved somewhat as shown near their
inner ends and are provided with slots C and studs C. A catch D carried by
stem B is provided, and when the arms C' are placed in the open position (Sheet 1)
may be made to engage recesses c' on arms C and thus hold arms C' in said open
position.
I provide extensible fingers E carried by means of studs e & slots e¹ (sliding in
slots and studs c) and these fingers may be extended or withdrawn (when the
apparatus is open, Sheet 1) by means of connecting rods F pivotted at their other
ends to a common stud f carried by a piece G free to slide in groove A¹. The
upper end of piece G is provided with a thumb piece and pointer 9 which shows on
a gauge H the amount of depression and consequent distance apart of the ends of
fingers E.
g
An adjustable cross piece I provided with gauge I limits the distance the
apparatus is placed into a cask &c. as after described. A spirit level J is provided
to show when the arms C& fingers E are horizontal.
The mode of action is as follows. Suppose the central internal length of a cask
is to be found. The device in its closed position (Sheet 2) is inserted through the
bung hole until the arms Care reached. These are then caused to turn on stud c
into position shown in Sheet 1 and locked there by catch D thus opening arms C'
as shown. The apparatus is further inserted into the cask until the stop piece I
(previously adjusted) is reached.
The thumb piece 'g is now 'depressed (thus extending fingers E on arms C¹) until
their ends touch the cask. The position of pointer 9 on gauge H now indicates
the length of the cask. The reversal of the above operation suffices to withdraw
the device.
.' t
A measurement may be taken at right angles to that described and this will give
the diameter of the cask.
The metal portion of the apparatus may be steel or otherwise.
Two or more measurements may be made at different levels by adjusting stop

page_text: I do not confine myself to the precise details, or mode of construction or
operation above indicated.
Dated this 26th day of April 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Apparatus or Internal Gauging Rod for Casks,
Cylinders, or the like.
I THOMAS MCCRIRICK Custom House Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Preventive Officer 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 :-
Hitherto it has been usual for Customs officers who desired to ascertain the
capacity of casks &c. to do so approximately by making a series of measurements
chiefly from the outside thereof.
Allowance being made for the thickness of the wood, the supposed internal
dimensions were arrived at and from these the capacity was calculated.
Several attempts have been made to construct apparatus for giving the actual
internal measurements, but hitherto as far as I am aware without much practical
success.
.
An apparatus constructed according to my invention serves to give precise
actual internal dimensions and these may be ascertained at a number of different
points so that irregularities in the thickness of the wood &c. may be detected and
more precise data from which to compute the capacity, thus obtained than is
usual.
My invention therefore has for its object a New or Improved Apparatus or
Internal Gauging Rod for Casks, Cylinders, or the like.
In the drawings
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 is an elevation partly in section of an apparatus constructed
according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of part of Fig. 1.
Sheet 2 is an elevation of part of Fig. 1 showing a different position of some
parts of the apparatus.
I provide a stem A preferably of some light tough wood having a groove A¹ the
whole of its length. The front of stem A is covered by a metal plate A' which
has a slot A to allow thumb piece g to be connected with piece G as described
hereinafter. A continuation B slotted at B' of this stem A is provided and near
the end are pivotted on a stud C a pair of elbow levers C¹ C, CC, whose outer
arms C² are preferably not straight for their whole length but are curved somewhat
as shown near their inner ends and are provided with slots C' and studs C or their
equivalent. A device for rigidly maintaining the open position of the arms is
provided such as a catch D carried on stem B which will engage recesses c¹ on
arms C and thus hold them in place.
I provide extensible fingers E carried by means of studs e and slots e' sliding on
slots and studs and these fingers may be extended or withdrawn (when the
device is opened, Sheet 1) by means of connecting rods F pivotted at their other
ends to a common stud f carried by a piece G free to slide in groove A¹ and over
slot B in stem B. A light spring brake or other friction device may rest against
the back of piece G to secure smooth motion thereof in groove A¹. The upper
end of piece G has thumb piece & pointer g the latter showing (preferably in
inches and tenths) on a gauge H the amount of depression and consequently the
distance apart of the ends of fingers E.
An adjustable crosspiece I sliding on gauge limits the distance the apparatus
is placed into a cask & c. as after described.

page_text: A spirit level J is provided to show when arms C' are horizontal: the opening
for reading may be at side or top or both.
The mode of action is as follows.
The cask is placed bunghole upward and the device in its closed position Sheet 2
is inserted therethrough until the arms C are reached. These are then turned on
stud C into position shown in Sheet 1 (and there locked by catch D) thus opening
arms C₁ as shown. The apparatus is further inserted into the cask until the stop-
piece Fig. 1 previously adjusted is reached. The thumb piece G is now depressed
thus extending fingers É on arms C¹ until their ends touch the cask sides or ends.
(The crosspiece I may have two or more rollers on its lower surface for the
purpose of allowing the apparatus to slide a little to one side or the other in case
of any slight irregularity in the cask.) When fingers E touch the respective ends.
of the cask the position of pointer on guage H will indicate the internal
length thereof.
Two or more measurements may be made at different levels and this will detect
differences in the thickness of the wood. The apparatus may also be canted
backward and forward on cross piece I for a similar reason. A measurement at
right angles to that above indicated will show the diameter of the cask.
If necessary I may provide extra lengths for fingers E for use in gauging very
large vessels and when in use a second scale, may be attached to gauge H to
correspond.
The metal portions of the device are preferably of steel silver plated or otherwise.
protected. The term cask used above is intended to include other vessels.
I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction above mentioned.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :
1. A New or Improved Apparatus or Internal Gauging Rod for Casks Cylinders or
the like consisting of a stem A B, a pair of elbow levers C¹ C* pivotted thereon so
as to be capable of insertion into the cask, extensible fingers E carried by said
elbow levers and means for extending said fingers from outside said cask and for
ascertaining the distance apart of their respective ends substantially as described.
2. In an internal gauging rod consisting of a stem carrying a pair of elbow
levers capable of insertion through a bung hole the means for maintaining said
levers in an open position.
3. In an internal gauging rod such as described the stop piece I having
gauge I.
4. The new or improved apparatus or internal gauging rod taken as a whole:
substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 19th-day of January 1894.
THOMAS MCCRIRICK.