Improvements in Bung-bushes and Bungs for Casks and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 20th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM EDWARD DELEHANTY, of 107, Grand
Street, Albany, New York, United States of America, Plumber.]
Improvements in Bung-bushes and Bungs for Casks and the like.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in bungs and
bushings for beer-casks and other similar receptacles for the storage and preservation
of liquids; and it consists in the construction. and arrangement of parts bereinafter
described, and particularly pointed out in the claims, whereby the bung may be
securely interlocked and held within the bushing so as to hermetically seal the
cask against leakage, and whereby said bung may be partially unlocked at such
time as it is desired to vent the cask and without liability of being driven from the
bushing during the venting operation.
My invention also provides means for having the bung flush with the rim of the
bushing and without projecting parts above said rim, so that no space is left above
the bung and within the bushing for the accumulation of dirt or the like, and no
opportunity is afforded for the bung to be accidentally started from the locked position
by coming in contact with objects that would be liable to turn or loosen it, while at
the same time one of the wrench-engaging openings is so formed as to permit the
bung being readily withdrawn from the bushing when unlocked, and by means of the
operating-wrench itself.
My invention also comprises the attachment of the compressible washer or gasket
to the under surface of the bung and over the entire extent of said surface, so that it
may be connected to the bung by a single central screw, and will be withdrawn at the
same time with the bung so as not to adhere to its seat when the bung is withdrawn
or when the bung is partially unlocked for venting purposes.
In the accompanying drawings, illustrative of my invention,
Figure 1 represents a plan view of a bung and bushing embodying my improvements
and indicates the adjustment of the bung when in the locked position, or when in the
venting position, a portion of the bushing being shown as broken away so as to more
fully illustrate the locking means.
Fig. 2 represents a section of the bushing, taken on a plane indicated by the line 2 2.
of Fig. 1, and also shows the position of the locking projection of the bung when in
the locked and when in the venting adjustment.
Fig. 3 represents a section of the bushing and bung, taken on a plane indicated by
the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of the bung.
Fig. 5 represents a section of the bung, taken on a plane indicated by the line 5 5
of Fig. 1; and
Fig. 6 represents in perspective a bottom view of the operating wrench.
Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring to the drawings, 7 indicates a metallic bushing, preferably of malleable
iron and adapted to be driven in the usual manner into the bung-hole of a cask or
similar liquid-receptacle. On its inner surface the bushing 7 is provided with an
annular projection 8, serving as a seat for the bung washer or gasket.
Within the interior of the bushing 7 are formed the oppositely-disposed grooves 9 10,
said grooves tapering gradually from their lowest points upward and gradually
increasing in height from said lowest points. At their highest points the inclined.

page_text: grooves 9 10 connect with the vertical grooves 11 12, respectively, as shown. Within
the bore of the bushing 7 fits the metallic bung 13, the surfaces of contact of both
bushing and hung having, preferably, a slight taper, as indicated. Upon the lower
surface of the metallic bung is fitted a compressible gasket, consisting of a disk 14 of
rubber, leather, or the like, having a central perforation, through which passes a
screw 15, engaging with a screw-threaded recess in the bung, thereby connecting
said washer or gasket to the bung in a simple and effective manner, and so that it
will move with the bung when the latter is withdrawn or partially withdrawn
from the bushing. Immediately above the washer and at the lower part of the bung
are located the inclined lugs or projections 16 17 of width corresponding to the width
of the vertical grooves 11 12, and of such dimensions as to fill substantially the lower
part of the tapering grooves 9 10 when the bung is in the locked position, but so as to
leave a venting-space between the lower edges of said lugs and the lower surface of the
inclined grooves when the bung is in the venting position, as will more fully appear
on reference to Fig. 2.
In the upper surface of the bung are made recesses 18 19 for the reception of the
projections 20 21 of an operating-wrench, whose handle 22 has a bend 23 therein so as
to raise the said handle above the level of the barrel-head when inserting or removing
the hung, thereby enabling the operation to be performed with facility. The recess 19
is provided with a prolongation or continuation 24, corresponding to a similar
projection 25 upon the lug 21 of the wrench.
The operation of my invention will be clearly apparent from the construction and
arrangement of parts shown and described. The bushing 7 being driven into the
bung-hole of the cask in the usual manner, the bung is inserted within said bushing
by bringing the lugs 16 17 directly over the vertical grooves 11 12 and dropping the
bung within the bushing so that said lugs will enter the inclined grooves 9 10. The
wrench 22 is then used for locking the bung within the bushing, and this is effected
by first engaging the lug 21 within the recess 19, thereby permitting the projection 25
to slip beneath the prolongation 24 of said recess, whereupon the lug 20 can enter the
recess 18. The wrench being thus engaged with the bung, the latter is turned in the
direction indicated by arrows in Fig. 1 and until the projections 16 17 reach the lowest
portions of the inclined grooves 9 10. This operation draws the bung down within
the bushing until its upper surface is flush with said bushing, and forces the disk
washer or gasket 14 firmly down upon its seat 8, so as to make a water-tight and gas-
tight joint. The bung in this locked position being flush with the rim of the bushing,
there is no opportunity afforded for the accumulation of dirt within the bushing,
which would be objectionable. There being, moreover, no projecting parts of the
bung beyond the bushing, there is no liability of the bung being accidentally started
or loosened by striking against outside objects. It will be noted, as hereinbefore set
forth, that when in the locked position the lugs 16 17 occupy substantially the whole
capacity of the lower portion of the grooves 9 10; but that as soon as the said lugs
recede from the locked position a space is left between them and the lower portion or
surface of said grooves. By means of this construction I am enabled to vent the cask
without removing the bung entirely from the bushing, and without danger of having
the bung blown out by the confined gases within the cask during the venting operation.
To effect this venting, I reverse the movement of the bung by means of the wrench
so as to bring, the locking-lugs 16 17 into the position indicated by dotted lines in
Figs. 1 and 2. The bung consequently rises within the bushing, carrying upward
with it the attached disk 14 (thereby preventing said disk from sticking to its seat 8)
until the disk rises sufficiently to put the lower parts of the grooves 9 10 in com-
munication with the gas-space of the cask, whereupon the gas may escape through
said grooves and past the lugs 16-17, and finally out through vertical grooves:11 12.
During this venting operation, however, the bung cannot be taken out of the bushing
by the pressure of the gases, as it is still held against such outward movement by
reason of, the engagement of its lugs with the inclined grooves. When it is desired
to remove the bung entirely from the bushing, the bung is returned by means of the
wrench to its original position when being inserted, and the bung may thereupon be

page_text: lifted out of the bushing by means of the wrench itself, this being accomplished by
means of the projection 25 engaging with the prolongation 24 of the recess 19.
It will be understood that I do not restrict myself to any particular means of
inserting the bushing within the cask. I have merely shown a bushing adapted to be
driven into the cask as an illustration of a convenient form of bushing to which my
invention may be applied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination, with a busting having inclined grooves upon its inner surface,
said grooves being enlarged or tapered from their lowest portion upward, of a bung
having projections interlocking with said inclined grooves and corresponding in size
to those portions of the grooves occupied by them when in the locked position,
whereby the bung may be partially unlocked so as to vent the cask through said
inclined grooves, substantially as described.
2. The combination, with a bushing, of a bung interlocking therewith, said
bushing being provided with inclined grooves and an internal annular shoulder, and
said bung being provided with projections for engaging the grooves, and a disk
gasket or washer permanently secured to its under side, said bung being flush with
the bushing when in its locked position; and having recesses in its face for the reception
of corresponding projections of a wrench, substantially as described.
3. The combination, with a bushing provided with an interior annular seat and
with inclined tapering grooves, of a bung having projections of a size fitting the
lowest portions of said grooves, and having a gasket or washer secured to its under
surface, said bung being flush with the bushing when in the locked position, substan-
tially as described.
4. The combination, with a bushing provided with an interior annular seat and
with inclined tapering grooves, of a bung having projections of a size fitting the
lowest portions of said grooves, and having a gasket or washer secured to its under
surface, said bung being flush with the bushing when in the locked position, and
baving in its upper surfaces wrench-engaging recesses, one of said recesses having a
prolongation, whereby it may be made to engage with a similar projection on the
wrench, substantially as described.
Dated thin 37.h of 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.