An Improved Conduit or Extractor for Fermented Liquors and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1897-Accepted, 24th July, 1897
An Improved Conduit or Extractor for Fermented Liquors
and the like.
I, JOSEPH AUGUSTUS VENN, of Finniss Street, North Adelaide, in the Province
of South Australia, Licensed Victualler, 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 a new means for conducting fermented liquors, such as
ale or beer, from the cask to the cylinder of a beer engine or other simila
appliance.
Hitherto it has been customary to use metal pipes, which are inserted in th
casks for the purpose of conveying the liquor to the bottom of the cylinder of the
engine or pump..
The special object of my invention is to facilitate as far as possible the changing
of casks, and at the same time to avoid the contact of the liquor with metallic
bodies, thereby preventing the deterioration of the same, which is frequently due
to the corrosion of the pipes.
In order to achieve this object I emplov glass tubes which are coupled together
ly certain coupling nuts, the arrangement being such as will enable the bottom
tube which leads into the casks containing the liquid as well as the tubes connected
with other parts of the appliance to be removed without necessitating the entire
unscrewing of the nuts from their respective couplings.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I will now describe the
sume in detail, having reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, in
which-
Fig. 1 is a general arrangement of the appliance, showing direct and indirect
connection between the engine or pump and the cask containing the liquor.
Fig. 2, detail of tail-end coupling showing portion of engine or pump.
Fig. 3, detail of middle intermediate coupling.
Fig. 4, detail of strainer.
Throughout the illustrations similar letters of reference are used to denote
similar parts, and to assist in explanation certain portions of the appliance are
shown in section, as will be well understood.
A is the bottom of the beer engine or pump, to which a vulcanite tail-end
coupling B is secured by means of the screw at B. The coupling is recessed at B³,
and into the recess so formed a compressible washer B³ is inserted in such a
manner that when the coupling is brought into close contact with the bottom of
At the bottom of the tail-end
the pump or engine an air tight contact is made.
coupling a screw thread is cut at B, and the end of the coupling is cupped or
recessed inwards as shown. A nut B5, also of vulcanite, is made to screw on to B4,

page_text: and a compressible washer is placed in the recess at B6 in such a manner as to
close inwards when pressure is put on to the latter by means of the nut B.
A hole B is drilled or turned through the centre of the coupling, and is preferably
shouldered at B8, from whence it is continued upwards with a decreased diameter.
Within this hole the top end of the glass tube Ĉ is inserted, the lower end of the
said tube being passed into a vulcanite coupling D. The said coupling-has a
parallel hole D drilled through its entire length, the said hole being very slightly
in excess of the exterior diameter of the glass tube C. At each end of this coupling
a screw thread D2 is cut, the ends of the coupling being cupped. The nuts D³
are made to screw on to the said coupling in such a manner as to cause the
compressible washer D' to compress and close inwards when pressure is applied by
the said nut. Enamelled metal tubes may be substituted for glass.
The upper end of the glass tube E is inserted in the bottom of this coupling,
and is of the same diameter as the tube C. The tube passes through a bung or
plug F in the top of the barrel (preferably rendered a close fit to the tube by
means of a cover plate and a compressible washer, the latter being inserted
between the plate and plug). The tube E terminates in a perforated vulcanite
strainer G, which is likewise provided with a vulcanite nut G₁ and a compressible
washer G, both arranged substantially in the same manner and operated in a
similar way to the nuts and washers hereinbefore described.
When it is inconvenient to place the cask or other vessel from which the liquor
is to be drawn immediately beneath the pump or engine, the tube Cabove
mentioned may be dispensed with, and in lieu thereof the bent tubes J are used,
and are joined together by a coupling K in all respects similar to the coupling D
herein before mentioned.
i
When it is required to remove the pipe E from the cask it is only necessary to
slacken the nuts D3 by a slight turn of the screws so as to relieve the pressure on
the washers, and to slide the complete coupling D bodily upwards along the
tube C. By this means the tube E can be freed from the said coupling without
necessitating the entire removal of the nuts; thus, an empty cask may be
removed, the tube having first been taken out. A full cask is then placed in
position, the tube inserted therein, and its upper end passed into the coupling D,
which is then lowered again into its original position and the nuts 13 again
tightened by a slight turn. I find by experiment that wooden couplings used in
lieu of vulcanite have a tendency to become warped and misshapen, and that joints
made from indiarubber hosing deteriorate by the action of the liquor.
A light framework (such as L) may be conveniently arranged for the purpose of
supporting and steadying the glass tubes, as illustrated, and in order to enabl
the operator to firmly grip the nuts and couplings, milled surfaces may be
formed.
I am aware that glass tubes have hitherto been used for drawing liquor from
the casks to the engine or pump.
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
--
1st. A vulcanite tail-end coupling (such as B), having a screw at B and a recess
at Ba, provided with a compressible washer (such as 133), a nut (such as B5), and
a hole (such as B), substantially as described and inustrated.
2nd. An intermediate coupling (such as D or K) having a parallel hole
throughout (such as D¹), screwed ends (such as D2), and nuts (such as D3), 5
together with compressible washers (such as 1'), substantially as described and
illustrated.
3rd. A perforated vulcanite strainer (such as G), a nut (such as G) and ત
compressible washer (such as G2), substantially as described and illustrated.
4th. The hereinbefore claimed vulcanite tail-end coupling, intermediate 5

page_text: coupling, and strainer, (which are new), in combination with glass tubes (such
as C and E), (which are old), as a combination of new and old parts.
Dated this 8th day of June 1897.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.