Patent ID: 11932834
Assignee: MAD MOLE BREWING LLC
Field: Food chemistry (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C  G | IPC C  G

Claim 0:
1. A regulator assembly for regulating flow of hops into a fermentation vessel for fermenting an alcoholic beverage, comprising:
a hollow cross-shaped connector including a first cylindrical housing having openings therethrough and intersecting at an approximate right angle a second cylindrical housing having openings therethrough;
a rotary shaft coaxially mounted within the first cylindrical housing, the shaft supporting a hub and uniformly spaced radial vanes at a proximal end, outer ends of each vane adapted to sweep in close engagement with an inner wall of the first cylindrical housing; and,
an actuator operably coupled to a distal end of the shaft, whereby the actuator controls rotation of the shaft about a longitudinal axis to control flow of hops from a hopper into a hatch of a fermentation vessel,
wherein an outlet of the second cylindrical housing sealably connects to the hatch of the fermentation vessel,
wherein an inlet of the second cylindrical housing sealably connects to an aperture of the hopper; and
whereby the hollow cross-shaped connector adjoins together the rotary shaft mounted within the first cylindrical housing, the hopper connected to the inlet of the second cylindrical housing, and the fermentation vessel connected to the outlet of the second cylindrical housing, thereby forming a contiguous airtight assembly of the rotary shaft, the hopper, and the fermentation vessel.