Patent GB-696970-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to mixing liquids in predetermined proportions
IPC: B67C3/30
Filed: 1951-03-06
Abstract: 696,970. Fining beer. WILKINSON, R. March 5, 1952 [March 6, 1951], No. 5359/51. Class 14 (ii). A method of adding liquids to casked beer comprises gauging the diameter of a cask as a measure of its capacity, and forcing into the cask a quantity of the desired liquid to an amount determined by the gauged capacity of the cask, with provision for removing a quantity of beer by displacement resulting from the addition of the liquid if there is not already sufficient vacant space for the added liquid. As shown when a cask 3 has been rolled on to the level support 6 of a ramp 2 carried by a base 1, operation of a pedal valve. 7 admits compressed air to the bottom of a vertical cylinder 13, the piston rod 14 of which is connected to a slide 15 on a standard 4 carried by the base, to which slide arms 16 are slidably pivoted at 17 to pairs of arms 18 pivoted at 19 on the base, the arms 18 carrying rollers 20 to engage the underside of the cask, to lift it from the support 6 until the top side of the cask engages a roller 21 carried on an arm 22 from a bracket 5 carried by the standard 4. A cam bar 24 secured to the slide 15 and formed with stepped cam faces 25 is lifted in a vertical slot 23 in the standard 4, by the amount required to bring a cask of particular diameter into contact with the roller 21 and also brings the appropriate step 25 under a follower roller 26 carried in arms 27 secured to a cross shaft 28 pivoted on the bracket 5. By means of arms 29 on the shaft 28 resting on piston rods 31 of the pistons 32 of cylindrical measuring vessels 33 the movement of the cam 24 sets the pistons to a predetermined height above the base of the vessels. Between the vessels the bracket 5 carries a housing 35 for a tubular slide 36 in which is rotatably mounted a shaft 37 (Fig. 4) having a splined length 38 above the slide 36 to engage the splined bore of a shaft 39 to which is secured a pulley 40 driven by a belt 41 on a motor 42. An arm 43 (Fig. 1) at the foot of the slide 36 is connected to the piston rod 44 of a pneumatic cylinder 45. The bottom end of the shaft 37 protrudes from the slide 36 and is formed with a taper spigot 46 to fit a corresponding taper socket 47 in a drilling and filling unit (shown in detail in Fig. 6) which is partly supported by the engagement of the taper 46 in the socket 47, and partly by piston rods 48 of pneumatic cylinders 49 (Fig. 4) depending from the bracket 5, which piston rods 48 are secured to a cross bar 15 (Fig. 7) having a centre boss 51 fitted with a bush 52, a sealing ring 53 below the boss 51 being adapted to contact the upper surface of a shive 54 driven in the bung ring 55 of the cask 3. An outer tube 56 rotatable in the bush 52 is rotatably carried by a filler head 57 and is secured to a shaft 58 in which the socket 47 is formed, to which shaft also an inner tube 59 concentric with the tube 56 is secured, the tubes 56, 59.being secured at their lower end to a plug 60 tapped at 61 to receive the screwed shank 62 of a twist bit 63. The bore 64 of the tube 59 is connected by a passage 65 in the shaft 58 to an annular space 66 in the head 57 sealed at 67 and provided with an outlet 68. The bore 69 of the shaft 56 communicates by passages 70 in the shaft 58 to an annular space 71 in the head 57 sealed at 72 and provided with two inlets 73. When the pistons 32 are depressed by the arms 29 to an amount in accordance with the gauged cask size, liquid obtained from two storage tanks 74 (not shown), is expelled simultaneously from each of the vessels 33 through the bore 69 of the tube 56, openings 94 in the tube 56 allowing the two liquids discharged simultaneously from the vessels 33 to be expelled into the cask 3 just below the bung 55. If the cask is completely filled with beer an equivalent quantity of beer is forced through openings 95 in the plug.60 into the bore 64 of the tube 59 and thence by the passage 68 through a flexible pipe 96 to a closed vessel (not shown). In a modification shown in Fig. 8 the arms 18 are housed in a recess 120 below the level of the floor 121 with rails 122 bridging the recess lengthwise for a cask to be rolled over the rollers 20. The recess is bridged by a wall 123 having an opening 124, and the slide 15 and lifting cylinder 13 are disposed at one side of the opening (or duplicated at the two sides) to leave the opening clear. The cam bar 24 is kept clear of the opening to pass upwards to the bracket 5 secured to the wall 123. The housing 35 thus carried by the bracket 5 is directly above a cask on the rollers 20 to direct the drilling and filling head 57 and the sealing boss 51 to a cask lifted against the stop roller 21.