IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRAWING OFF BEER OR OTHER LIQUIDS FROM CASKS OR VESSELS, AND FOR INDICATING THE QUANTITY DRAWN THEREFROM
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Slade, of York Street, in the City of Westminster,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRAWING OFF BEER
OR OTHER LIQUIDS FROM CASKS OR VESSELS, AND FOR INDICATING THE
QUANTITY DRAWN THEREFROM."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Slade at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th February 1881.
THOMAS SLADE, of York Street, in the City of Westminster. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR DRAWING OFF BEER OR OTHER LIQUIDS FROM CASKS OR
VESSELS, AND FOR INDICATING THE QUANTITY DRAWN THEREFROM.'
"
This Invention relates more particularly to apparatus applicable for drawing
malt liquors for retail purposes from casks or butts placed in the basement of a
tavern or building, the indicating apparatus being so situated in the basement and
in the bar or near to the beer engine that the quantity of beer or malt liquor
remaining in the cask or butt can always be seen or ascertained, in order that a
fresh supply may be furnished before that being drawn off is quite exhausted.
For this purpose one or more independant receiving tanks or vessels are placed
between the cask or butt, and the beer engine or pumps for drawing off the malt
liquor for sale or otherwise.
The intermediate receiving tank or vessel may be made in compartments for
supplying different kinds of malt liquor or other liquids to the pumps, each
compartment being furnished with a stand pipe and indicating apparatus, as
hereinafter described.
The receiving tank or vessel is connected with the cask or butt by a suitable
pipe, and is so situated that it acts as a reservoir for receiving the liquor from the
cask. The tank or reservoir is connected by another pipe with the pump of the
beer engine, and in the top or cover of the tank a glass tube or gauge is fixed, into
which the liquor rises to the same level as that in the cask.
A graduated scale is arranged upon or in combination with the glass tube, being
marked with divisions to indicate gallons or other quantities, so that the quantity
remaining in the cask is thus measured and can always be readily seen.

page_text: The intermediate receiving tank being situated in most cases nearer to the beer
engine than the cask, it is easier to pull or draw the liquor, length of piping being
also saved..
In order that the quantity of liquor remaining in the cask may be indicated in
or near the bar or beer engine, another stand pipe is arranged in combination with
the receiving tank or intermediate vessel, and so situated that a rod carried by a
float in the stand pipe will indicate upon a graduated scale (situated in the bar or
elsewhere) the quantity of liquor remaining in the cask or butt in like manner to
the guage previously described.
When the casks or butts are placed one upon another or on different levels, the indi-
cating apparatus must be adjusted or arranged according to such difference of level.
By allowing the liquor to flow from the cask into the intermediate receiving tank or
vessel, all the scum or sediment is left in the cask, and when the cask is exhausted
a sufficient quantity of liquor is left in the intermediate vessel to draw from,
whilst the connecting pipe is being changed from the empty to a full cask or
butt.
-
The intermediate receiving tank or vessel may be readily converted into a
refrigerator by surrounding it with ice, iced water, or freezing mixture.
Considerable time, labour, and expense is saved by the use of the above
described apparatus.
Although I have described the apparatus as being applicable to beer engines and
malt liquor, it may be employed for drawing other liquids from one level to
another, and indicating the quantity so drawn in like manner to that hereinbefore
described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Slade in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th August
1881.
"
THOMAS SLADE, of York Street, in the City of Westminster.
IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR DRAWING OFF BEER OR OTHER LIQUIDS FROM CASKS OR
VESSELS, AND FOR INDICATING THE QUANTITY DRAWN THEREFROM."
This Invention relates more particularly to apparatus applicable for drawing
malt liquors for retail purposes from casks or butts placed in the basement of a
tavern or building, the indicating apparatus being so situated in the basement and
in the bar or near to the beer engine that the quantity of beer or malt liquor
remaining in the cask or butt can always be seen or ascertained in order that a
fresh supply may be furnished, before that being drawn off is quite exhausted.
For this purpose one or more independent receiving tanks or vessels are placed
between the cask or butt and the beer engine or pumps for drawing off the malt
liquor for sale or otherwise.
The intermediate receiving tank or vessel may be made in compartments for
supplying different kinds of malt liquor or other liquids to the pumps, each
compartment being furnished with a stand pipe and indicating apparatus as herein-
after described.
The receiving tank or vessel is connected with the cask or butt by a suitable
pipe, and is so situated that it acts as a reservoir for receiving the liquor from the
cask. The tank or reservoir is connected by another pipe with the pump of the
beer engine, and in the top or cover of the tank or glass tube or gauge is fixed, into
which the liquor rises to the same level as that in the cask.
A graduated scale is arranged upon or in combination with the glass tube, being
marked with divisions to indicate gallons or other quantities, so that the quantity
remaining in the cask is thus measured and can always be readily seen.
The intermediate receiving tank being situated in most cases nearer to the beer
engine than the cask, it is easier to pull or draw the liquor, length of piping being
also saved.
In order that the quantity of liquor remaining in the cask may be indicated in
or near the bar or beer engine, another stand pipe is arranged in combination with
the receiving tank or intermediate vessel, and so situated that a rod carried by a
float in the stand pipe will indicate upon a graduated scale situated in the bar or
elsewhere the quantity of liquor remaining in the cask or butt in like manner to
the gauge previously described.
When the casks or butts are placed one upon another or on different levels, the
indicating apparatus must be adjusted or arranged according to such difference of
level.
By allowing the liquor to flow from the cask into the intermediate receiving
tank or vessel, all the scum or sediment is left in the cask, and when the cask is
exhausted a sufficient quantity of liquor is left in the intermediate vessel to draw
from, whilst the connecting pipe is being changed from the empty to a full cask or
butt.
The intermediate receiving tank or vessel may be readily converted into a
refrigerator by surrounding it with ice, iced water, or freezing mixture.
Considerable time, labour, and expense is saved by the use of the above described
apparatus.
Although I have described the apparatus as being applicable to beer engines
and malt liquor, it may be employed for drawing off liquids from one level to

page_text: described.
And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into practice, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation partly in section of apparatus arranged and
constructed in accordance with my Invention ;-Figures 2 and 3 are separate views
of the intermediate receiving tank and parts connected therewith.
a is the cask, butt, or other containing vessel from which the malt or other liquor
is to be drawn, and the amount of which remaining in the cask at any given time
it is desired to ascertain by means of the following apparatus:- is an intermediate
receiving tank, connected to the cask by the pipe 1, screw socket 62, and flexible
pipe b. The tank b consists of a vessel having as many chambers as there are
different liquors in use at the time; in the Drawing six are shown, with each of
which a cask, butt, or other containing vessel is in communication.
c, care pipes connecting each of the chambers of the intermediate receiving
tank b with a pump or engine. In the Drawing the pipes are shown for connecting
the chambers of the intermediate tank b with two pumps or "engines," and I
would here state that any number of pipes may be used for this purpose according
to the number of pumps or engines in use.
d, d are glass tubes secured to the top of the receiving tank, one for each
compartment. The liquors rise in these glass tubes to the same level as they stand
in the casks, butts, or other containing vessels.
e is a board having a series of graduated scales (not represented in the Drawings)
arranged thereon, to indicate according to the level of the liquor standing in the
glass tubes d, d, the number of gallons or other quantities remaining in the cask,
butt, or containing vessel; fare screw plugs in the top of each of the receiving
vessels, which may be removed to clean the interior of each of the chambers when
required. It will be seen on examining the Drawings, that each of the chambers
of the tank bare brought down funnel shaped in order that no sediment may be
allowed to collect at the bottom of the chambers. The intermediate receiving
tank bis contained in a vessel g, for the purpose of cooling or otherwise treating
the liquors as they pass through the apparatus, suitable pipes being provided for
the entrance and exit of the cooling fluids used for the purpose.
In order to indicate the amount of liquor remaining in the cask, butt, or other
containing vessel, at a considerable distance therefrom, say, for example, in the bar
of a tavern, I connect each of the chambers b with a stand pipe h, which may be of
glass or other suitable material, advantageously of glass. The liquors rise also in
the stand pipes h and support in each a float i. Attached to the float i is a cord
or it may be a cord connected to a rod k, which rising and falling with the float
indicates on a graduated scale the number of gallons or other quantities contained in
the casks, butts, or other containing vessels.
A front view and side view of the graduated scale as arranged for the bar of a
tavern, is shewn at Figure 4.
I make the combined cord and rod carried by the float i so that it may be
lengthened or shortened in order that it may be adjusted to the different levels on
which the casks or butts may stand, and also that it may be adjusted when the
casks are placed on their sides in place of standing on end.
Z is a board suitably placed in the bar of a tavern, and carrying the graduated
scales, one for each cask in use; in suitable grooves m is a glass tube in front of
each, scale through which the rod or cord k works, and carries an indicating
point n. The cord passes over a pulley and carries at its end a weight o,
counterbalancing the weight of the cord or rod k. Thus it will be seen as the
float i rises and falls in the stand pipe h, the indicating point n rises and falls
simultaneously therewith in the glass tube m, indicating on the graduated scale l

page_text: the amount of liquor contained in the particular cask to which the graduated scale
belongs.
The graduated scales are capable of sliding in the grooves in the board for
the purpose of adjusting them, and the graduations on the right hand side of the
glass tube are to indicate when the cask stands on end, those on the left hand side
when the cask is on its side.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is carried into practice, I would remark that I do not limit myself to the
exact details bereinbefore described, neither do I claim any of the parts of the
apparatus separately, which are well known and in common use, but what we
claim is,
The improved arrangement and combination of apparatus for drawing off beer
or other liquids from casks or other vessels, by conducting it into a tank or inter-
mediate chamber, such as b, having a stand pipe d, and graduated scale e, to
indicate the level of the liquid contained in the cask or other supply vessel, the
intermediate vessel or chamber b being also arranged in combination with the
lifting pump or "engine," and with stand pipes h and indicating apparatus at a
higher level, all arranged to act substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein before described and represented in the Drawings hereto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Slade, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
THOMAS SLADE. (L.S.)