IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR BOTTLING FERMENTED LIQUIDS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Fredrick Foster of 23 Forston Street, Hoxton in the
County of Middlesex for an invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
BOTTLING FERMENTED LIQUIDS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Fredrick Foster at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd May 1882.
FREDERICK FOSTER of 23 Forston Street, Hoxton, in the county of Middlesex
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR BOTTLING FERMENTED LIQUIDS.
This Invention relates to a novel combination of aerating cylinder, gas pump
and bottling machine by means of which fermented liquids such as beer and wines
can be taken directly from a cask and undergo a process first of exhausting the
air from the liquid, then of charging the liquid with carbonic acid gas and subse-
quently of filling the liquid into bottles capable of being closed with screw stoppers
such bottles being now in use and well-known.
The
The object of the Invention is to obtain fermented liquids which shall not alter
by keeping in bottle and shall therefore be ready for immediate consumption and
not be subject to fermentation after being put in bottle; that is to say that the
means employed render the liquid insusceptible of after fermentation.
Generator and Gasometer which are used are of the ordinary kind usually employed
for making and storing carbonic acid gas in the manufacture of aerated liquids and
the gas pump is of the ordinary kind except in the arrangement of the channels
constituting the inlet and outlet of the pumps. These channels consist of a
three-way inlet and a two-way outlet hereafter fully described. The mode of
operation is as follow. First the fermented liquid to be bottled is filled into an
aerating cylinder preferable silver lined then the opening by which the liquid has
been introduced is hermetically closed, and the inlet to the pump is put into com-
munication with the upper part of the Aerating cylinder by a simple regulation of
the cocks, controlling the three way inlet to the pump so that the pump exhausts
the air from the aerating cylinder and from the body of the liquid contained in
the aerating cylinder and discharges the air thus exhausted, into the atmosphere,
by a simple regulation of the cocks controlling the two-way outlet from the pump.
When the exhausting is complete the cocks controlling the three-way inlet to the
pump are arranged to supply the pump with carbonic acid gas from the Gasometer,
and the cocks controlling the two-way outlet from the pump are arranged to supply
the cylinder. with the carbonic acid gas, thus drawn from the Gasometer, the
pumping being continued until the cylinder is charged to a pressure of from twenty
to thirty pounds per square inch. When this pressure is reached the fan with

page_text: which the cylinder is fitted is rotated to cause the carbonic acid, gas to be taken up
by the liquid contained in the cylinder. At this stage the liquid is ready to be
drawn off and put in bottle by means of the specially constructed bottling Machine
hereafter described. As the bottling is carried on the pressure within the cylinder
is maintained by regulating the cocks controlling the three way inlet to the pump
in such manner that the pump shall take a supply of air from the atmosphere and
discharge it into the cylinder above the surface of the liquid by a simple regulation
of the cocks controlling the two way outlet of the pump. The bottling machine
consists of an iron stand carrying a gun metal chamber fitted with a supply cock
communicating by means of a tube with the liquid contained in the cylinder. On
the opposite side of this gun metal chamber is fitted a return cock- communicating
by means of a tube with the upper part of the cylinder above the level of the
liquid so that the liquid passing from the cylinder to the gun metal bottling
chamber in which the bottle is secured, falls by gravitation into the bottle,
expelling the air from the bottle by way of the return cock mentioned, into the
cylinder above the level of the liquid therein contained. By this means excessive
frothing while bottling is prevented and the bottle is filled without snifting.
The gun metal chamber is fitted with a vertical rod passing through a stuffing
box fitted in the said gun metal chamber, the upper part of this rod being fitted
preferably with a hand-wheel, and the lower portion being fitted with a gripping
apparatus for receiving the screw stopper. The joint round the neck of the bottle
is made by means of a rubber collar to which is applied externally hydraulic
pressure by means of a plunger working through a packed gland operated by a
treadle working in opposition to a spring which spring on re-leasing the pressure
from the treadle performs the return stroke of the plunger and allows the rubber
collar to regain its normal position to allow the passage of the screw stopper
through the said rubber collar, after having been screwed into the bottle by
depressing the rod carrying the gripping apparatus with the stopper, until the
stopper enters the neck of the bottle and is secured there by a few turns of the
said hand-wheel. The Bottling machine is fitted with a swinging platform to
receive the bottle, such platform being capable of adjustment to hold bottles of
varying sizes in proper position to be gripped at the upper part of their necks
externally by the rubber collar controlled by hydraulic pressure as explained.
The operation of bottling is performed as follows. The rod fitted with hand wheel
is first depressed so that the gripping apparatus for receiving the screw stopper
protrudes at the lower part of the gun metal chamber. The stopper is placed
within the dogs of the said gripping apparatus and is held there while the rod is
raised again. The act of thus drawing the gripping apparatus into the gun metal
chamber causes the dogs of the gripping apparatus to close on the stopper grasping
the stopper firmly. Then the neck of the bottle is placed within the gun metal
chamber and the swinging platform is brought round beneath the bottle. Then
the bottle being allowed to descend, and rest on the platform is maintained at the
required height. The treadle is operated by the foot causing the plunger to enter
the barrel and discharge the liquid contained in the barrel around the outer side
of the rubber collar which rubber collar closes round the upper portion of the neck
of the bottle making an air tight joint. Next both the supply cock and the return
cock of the gun metal chamber are turned on and the liquid flows into the bottle
expelling the air into the upper part of the cylinder. When the bottle is sufficiently
filled the two cocks are turned off, then the hand wheel is depressed and receives a
few turns until the screw stopper is tightly screwed into the bottle. The pressure
on the treadle is next released and the rubber collar assumes its normal position
and by depressing the hand wheel further, having first removed the swinging
platform, the gripping apparatus opens, and releases the screw stopper and the
bottle is thus withdrawn at which stage the gripping apparatus is in position for
performing the operation of filling another bottle in the same way.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Fredrick Foster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st November 1882.
FREDERICK FOSTER of 23 Forston Street Hoxton in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR BOTTLING FERMENTED LIQUIDS
"
This Invention relates to a novel combination of aerating cylinder gas pump
and bottling machine by means of which fermented liquids such as beer and wines
can be taken directly from a cask and undergo a process first of exhausting the air
from the liquid then of charging the liquid with carbonic acid gas and subsequently
of filling the liquid into bottles capable of being closed with screw stoppers such
bottles being now in use and well known. The object of the Invention is to
obtain fermented liquids which shall not alter by keeping in bottle and shall
therefore be ready for immediate consumption and not be subject to fermentation
after being put in bottle that is to say that the means employed render the liquid
insusceptible of after fermentation. The generator and gasometer which I use are
of the ordinary kind usually employed for making and storing carbonic acid gas in
the manufacture of aërated liquids and the gas pump is of the ordinary kind except
in the arrangement of the channels constituting the inlet and outlet of the pump.
These channels consist of a threeway inlet and a two way outlet hereafter fully
described. The mode of operation is as follows. First the fermented liquid to be
bottled is filled into an aerating cylinder preferably silver lined then the opening
by which the liquid has been introduced is hermetically closed and the inlet to the
pump is put in communication with the upper part of the aërating cylinder by a
simple regulation of the cocks controlling the three way inlet to the pump so that
the pump exhausts the air from the aërating cylinder and from the body of the
liquid contained in the aërating cylinder and discharges the air thus exhausted,
into the atmosphere by a simple regulation of the cocks controlling the two way
outlet from the pump. When the exhausting is complete the cocks controlling the
three way inlet to the pump are arranged to supply the pump with carbonic acid
gas from the gasometer and the cocks controlling the two way outlet from the
pump are arranged to supply the cylinder with the carbonic acid gas thus drawn
from the gasometer the pumping being continued with the agitating fans put in
motion until the cylinder is charged to a pressure of from 20 to 30 lbs per square
inch. When this pressure is reached the action of the fan with which the cylinder
is fitted is stopped. At this stage the liquid is ready to be drawn off and put in
bottle by means of the specially constructed bottling machine hereafter described
As the bottling is carried on the pressure within the cylinder is maintained by
regulating the cocks controlling the threeway inlet to the pump in such manner
that the pump shall take a supply of air from the atmosphere and discharge it into
the cylinder above the surface of the liquid by a simple regulation of the cocks
controlling the two way outlet of the pump. The bottling machine consists of an
iron stand carrying a gun metal chamber fitted with a supply cock communicating
by means of a tube with the liquid contained in the cylinder. On the opposite
side of this gun metal chamber is fitted a return cock communicating by means of
a tube with the upper part of the cylinder above the level of the liquid so that the
liquid passing from the cylinder to the gun metal bottling chamber in which the
bottle is secured, falls by gravitation into the bottle expelling the air from the
bottle by way of the return cock mentioned into the cylinder above the level of
the liquid therein contained. By this means excessive frothing while bottling is
prevented and the bottle is filled without "snifting" The gun metal chamber is

page_text: fitted with a vertical rod passing through a stuffing box fitted in the said gun
metal chamber, the upper part of this rod being fitted preferably with a hand
wheel and the lower portion being fitted with a gripping apparatus for receiving
the screw stopper. The joint round the neck of the bottle is made by means of a
rubber collar to which is applied externally hydraulic pressure by means of a
plunger working through a packed gland, operated by a treadle working in
opposition to a spring which spring on releasing the pressure from the treadle
performs the return stroke of the plunger and allows the rubber collar to regain its
normal position to allow the passage of the screw stopper through the said rubber
collar after having been screwed into the bottle by depressing the rod carrying
the gripping apparatus with the stopper until the stopper enters the neck of the
bottle and is secured there by a few turns of the said hand wheel. The bottling
machine is fitted with a swinging platform to receive the bottle such platform being
capable of adjustment to hold bottles of varying sizes in proper position to be
gripped at the upper part of their necks externally by the rubber collar controlled
by hydraulic pressure as explained. The operation of bottling is performed
as follows The rod fitted with hand wheel is first depressed so that the gripping
apparatus for receiving the screw stopper protrudes at the lower part of the gun
metal chamber The stopper is placed within the dogs of the said gripping
apparatus and is held there while the rod is raised again. The act of thus drawing
the gripping apparatus into the gun metal chamber causes the dogs of the gripping
apparatus to close on the stopper grasping the stopper firmly. Then the neck of
the bottle is placed within the gun metal chamber and the swinging platform is
brought round beneath the bottle. Then the bottle being allowed to descend and
rest on the platform, is maintained at the required height. The treadle is operated
by the foot, causing the plunger to enter the barrel and discharge the liquid
contained in the barrel around the outer side of the rubber collar, which rubber
collar closes round the upper portion of the neck of the bottle making an air tight
joint. Next both the supply cock and the return cock of the gun metal chamber
are turned on and the liquid flows into the bottle expelling the air into the upper
part of the cylinder. When the bottle is sufficiently filled, the two cocks are
turned off, then the hand wheel is depressed and receives a few turns until the
screw stopper is tightly screwed into the bottle. The pressure on the treadle is
next released and the rubber collar resumes its normal position and by depressing
the hand wheel further, having first removed the swinging platform the gripping
apparatus opens and releases the screw stopper and the bottle is thus withdrawn
at which stage the gripping apparatus is in position for performing the operation
of filling another bottle in the same way. The accompanying drawings will serve
to make the foregoing description clear. Fig 1 represents a side elevation of the
aërating machine. Fig 2 a plan of same. Fig 3 an end elevation Fig 4 a plan of
the cocks controlling the three way inlet and two way outlet of the gas pump and
Fig 5 an elevation of same in section. Fig 6 represents in section the gun metal
chamber of the bottling machine with the neck of the bottle secured in position
for filling Fig 7 represents a section of the same at right angles shewing the supply
cock and return cock as well as a froth collecting chamber which breaks the
continuity of the return pipe and so prevents the passage being partly stopped by
the accumulation of froth. The froth which collects in this chamber can be with-
drawn from time to time by the cock Y. Fig 8 represents a side elevation of the
bottling machine. In all the figures the saine letter represents the same part.
A A¹ represent two aërating cylinders to be filled with the liquid to be aërated
and bottled from alternately. B represents the gas pump surrounded with a
cooling jacket supplied with water. C C' are the two cocks controlling the three
way inlet and the two way outlet of the pump B. D. D are draw off cocks to
which are attached pipes for supplying bottling machines. E is a cock to which
are attached the return pipes from bottling machines. F F¹ are a pressure gauge
and vacuum gauge put in connection alternately with the cylinders A. A' for
denoting the pressure or the extent of the vacuum as the case may require.

page_text: G. G¹. G¹¹. are striking gears for setting the pump in motion or the fans of the
cylinders or for stopping either or all as required. H H¹ represent the openings by
which the liquid is introduced into the cylinders A A' with caps by which the
said openings may be hermetically closed. I. I. represent the glass water gauge
by which the extent of the liquid contained in the cylinders may be ascertained
J represents the gun metal chamber of the bottling machine. K is the vertical
rod with hand wheel passing through the stuffing box L and fitted with the
gripping apparatus M with dogs N for holding the srcew stopper O. P represents
the plunger in the hydraulic pump worked by the treadle Q for distending the
rubber collar R to make an air tight joint at the neck of the bottle S. T represents
the supply cock of the bottling machine and U the cock in connection with the
return pipe to the cylinders A A¹ with the froth collecting chamber V intervening.
W represents the swinging platform on which the bottle rests while being filled
and X the spring which performs the return stroke of the plunger P when the
pressure on the treadle is released to withdraw a bottle that has been filled.
Having now described the nature of the said invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed I would have it understood that I claim :-
1° The arrangement of the gas pump with the threeway inlet and the two-way
outlet for exhausting the air from the liquid, or charging the liquid with carbonic
acid gas, or keeping up the pressure in the cylinder while bottling as may be
required.
2° The gun metal chamber of the bottling machine provided with gripping
apparatus for holding the screw stopper and with the india rubber collar controlled
by hydraulic pressure for making the joint at the neck of the bottle
3° The froth collecting chamber V, for keeping the return pipe to the cylinder
clear from accumulated froth; all substantially as herein shewn and described..
In witness whereof I the said Frederick Foster have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twentieth day of November in the year of Our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
BANDA