Improvements in and relating to Bungs and the like for Barrels, Casks, or other Vessels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1896-Accepted, 27th Nov., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Bungs and the like for Barrels,
Casks, or other Vessels.
I, HENRY ROSENTHAL, of No. 418 West Broadway, New York City, in the
County and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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:
This invention relates to bungs and closures for barrels, casks or other vessels,
which may be used either for the vent hole or for the reception of the tap or
faucet.
One of the objects of the invention is to provide a closure adapted to be driven
inside the cask or other vessel which it closes and so arranged as to separate
into sections whereby the removal of the bung or closure from within the cask or '
vessel may be facilitated. In carrying out this object the closure may be made
solid with one or more lines of separation so that the entire closure may be
driven inside the cask or vessel and may separate into two or more sections, or
these sections may be made separate and united together to form the solid closure
by suitable means or the closure may be made in one piece and provided with one.
or more slits which will enable the closure to separate into sections when
driven inside the cask or other vessel. This object may also be carried
out by providing a tubular bung with a detachaore closure, the closure
being adapted alone to be driven inside the cask or vessel and to separate
into sections. The closure for the tubular portion in this case has lines of separa-
tion and may be made either integral with or separate from the tubular portion
and when made separate from the tubular portion such closure may itself be
made in one piece or in separate sections fitted closely together and united with
the tubular portion by suitable means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a bung made in one piece having
a tubular body portion and a closure therefor integral with the body portion but
detachable therefrom. In carrying out this object the bung is generally cut from
one piece of wood and around the periphery of the bung a line or slit of separation
is made for the easy detachment of the closure, and the closure is also arranged
to separate into sections when driven inside the cask or vessel.
The invention consists of the construction hereafter set forth.
In the drawings, showing various embodiments of my invention and forming
part of this specification and in which like letters of reference designate similar
parts.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a tubular bung having
a detachable sectional closure all made in one piece.
Figure 2 is a similar view but showing a tubular bung having 3 separate
detachable sectional closure suitably united with the tubular body portion and
made in one piece.
Figure 3 is a boltam plan of the bung shown in Figure 2.

page_text: Figure 4 is a side elevation partly in section, showing a tubular bung in
operative position in the wall of a cask or other vessel, the sectional closure being
made separate from the tubular portion.
Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the closure shown in Figure 4 with the
sections fitted together: '
Figure 6 is a view showing the separate sections of the closure separated.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of a tubular bung having a separate sectional
closure made in one piece and suitably secured to the tubular portion, the bung
being in operative position in the wall of a cask or other vessel.
Referring now more particularly to the details of the invention, especially as
shown in the drawings, A designates a bung comprising a tubular portion a and
a closure for the tubular portion. The closure b, Figure 1 and closure e, Figs. 2
to 7 inclusive, have one or more lines or slits d, which divide them into two or
more sections. These lines may run in any direction and in some cases may
extend only partly through the closure, so as to leave the closure formed in one
integral piece but divided up into sections as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 7, or may
extend all the way through so as to divide the closure up into two or more
separate sections all arranged so as to fit. closely together, as shown in Figures 4, 5
and 6: In some cases the bung is made in one piece as shown. The closure e is
a separate piece from the tubular body portion a and is secured thereto by suitable
means, such as glue or pins f, shown in Figure 4, or otherwise. The closure b
Figure 1, is divided up into sections by the lines, but the lines do not extend
all the way through the closure, so that the closure is in one piece. This closure b
is also integral with the tubular portion a, the bung being formed in one piece.
A line of separation e runs around the periphery of the closure so as to leave it
connected with the portion a by a thin web c'."
In practice the bung hole of the cask or other vessel is generally provided with
a permanent metallic tapering bushing B, into which the bung A is driven to
close the hole. The body portion a is slightly tapering to correspond with the
bore of the bushing, but in some cases the closure for the body portion is cylin-
drical in shape, that is, it has no taper., This form of closure is generally preferred
especially when the closure is separate from the body portion a and is shown in
Figs. 2 and 7. The bung shown in Fig. 7 is the same form as that shown in
Fig. 2, that is its closure is separate from the body portion'a and the lines of
separation are made by slits or saw cuts which do not go all the way through
the closure. When this bung is driven into the bushing the sections of the
closure are tightly.compressed together at the bottom, as clearly shown in Fig. 7.
When it is desired to tap the cask or other vessel closed by the bung having
the sectional closure described, the vent or faucet is inserted in the tubular
portion a of the bung and driven against the closure by a sharp (blow. The
closure is thus detached from the body portion and at the same time separates
into sections. The tubular portion a forms a tight fitting bushing for the vent
or faucet and effectually prevents leakage. After the cask or other vessel is
emptied of its contents the sections of the closure can be easily removed from the
vent or bung hole during the process of washing.
While I have described and illustrated in the drawings the forms of bung
embodying my invention in ways now best known to me, it will be understood
that certain changes in form and arrangement may be employed without departing
from my invention.
Having now particularly described and 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 bung-hole closure adapted to be driven into the cask or vessel which it
closes and having one or more lines of separation whereby the closure when driven
inside the cask or vessel, is enabled to separate into sections, substantially as set
forth.

page_text: 2. A bung-hole closure made in one piece adapted to be driven into the cask
or vessel which it closes and having one or more lines of separation whereby the
closure when driven inside the cask or vessel, is enabled to separate into sections
substantially as set forth.
3. A bung having a tubular body portion provided with a detachable closure
having one or more lines of separation whereby the closure is enabled to separate
into sections when detached, substantially as set forth.
4. A bung comprising a tapering tubular body portion and a separate cylindrical
closure arranged to separate into sections, substantially as set forth.
5. A bung comprising a tubular body portion and a separate sectional closure
therefor and means for securing the parts together, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1896. -
HASELTINE LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.