IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN BREWERIES AND DISTILLERIES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Gregory, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Gregory at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
July 1864.
I, FRANCIS GREGORY, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lan-
caster, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN BREWERIES AND
DISTILLERIES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, first, to mashing machines, and has for its object the
mixing of two or more matters together in a more efficient manner than has
hitherto been accomplished. In the interior of the mash vessel I place one or
more hollow tubes or cylinders, into each of which I introduce the mash water
or other fluid, and on or around each tube or cylinder I place a number of
jets or orifices, either spirally or otherwise, for the purpose of allowing the
mash water or fluid which has been entered into the said tube or cylinder to
pass out to the descending malt or other matter. At one or both ends of the
tube or cylinder I place a turbine disc, which is put in rapid motion by the
water or fluid passing through the openings, thereby causing the water to be
distributed with great force and uniformity amongst the malt or other matter
[Price 8d.]

page_text: in the mash vessel. A greater or less quantity of water or fluid is allowed to
pass through the turbine or turbines, according to the operations required.
Around the inner circumference of the mash vessel I place a number of pro-
jections, for the purpose of throwing the descending malt or other matter
towards the water or fluid issuing from the jets or orifices in the before-
mentioned tube or tubes.
Second, my Invention consists in improved arrangements for cleaning or
washing the barrels or vessels employed for holding beer or other liquor.
Each barrel or vessel is held at both ends or at two sides by arms capable of
being adjusted to any desired position by right and left handed screws on one
shaft. The back part of the arms are fitted to another shaft, so that they can
slide up and down, and this shaft is fixed to a hollow shaft working in bearings
in suitable framework, and mounted with fast-and loose pulleys. When the
barrel or vessel has to be cleaned it is supplied with water and steam by a
pipe passing through the hollow shaft, and when motion is given to the driving
pulley, the screwed shaft and arms, and also the barrel or vessel turn round
continually, which in connection with the ebullition caused by the steam
effectually cleans or washes the interior of the barrel or vessel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Francis Gregory in the Great Seal Patent' Office on the
23rd January 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
GREGORY, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Machinist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Francis Gregory, Her special license that 1, the said Francis
Gregory, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Francis Gregory, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN BREWERIES

page_text: AND DISTILLERIES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Francis Gregory, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Francis Gregory, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
This Invention relates, first, to mashing machines, and has for its object the
mixing of two or more matters together in a more efficient manner than has
hitherto been accomplished. In the interior of the mash vessel I place onc
or more hollow tubes or cylinders, into each of which I introduce the mash
water or other fluid, and on or around each tube or cylinder I place a number
of jets or orifices, either spirally or otherwise, for the purpose of allowing the
mash water or fluid which has been entered into the said tube or cylinder to
pass out to the descending malt or other matter. At one or both ends of the
centre tube or cylinder I place a turbine disc, which is put in rapid motion by
the water or fluid passing through the openings, thereby causing the water to
be distributed with great force and uniformity amongst the malt or other
matter in the mash vessel. A greater or less quantity of water or fluid is
allowed to pass through the turbine or turbines according to the operations
required.
Secondly, my Invention consists in improved arrangements for cleaning or
washing the barrels or vessels employed for holding beer or other liquor.
Each barrel or vessel is held at both ends or at two sides by arms capable of
being adjusted to any desired position by right and left handed screws on one
shaft. The back part of the arms are fitted to another shaft, so that they
can slide up and down, and this shaft is fixed to a hollow shaft working in
bearings in suitable framework, and driven by hand or power. When the
barrel or vessel has to be cleaned it is supplied with water and steam by a
pipe passing through the hollow shaft, and when motion is given to the
driving shaft the screwed shaft and arms, and also the barrel or vessel turn
round continually, which in connection with the ebullition caused by the
steam effectually cleans or washes the interior of the barrel or vessel.
These improvements will be clearly understood by referring to the figures
and letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a

page_text: vertical section of one arrangement of my improved mashing apparatus;
Fig. 2 an elevation, with part in section of my improved arrangement of
machinery for cleaning or washing barrels; and Fig. 3 an elevation of part of
the same.
In Fig. 1, a represents the mash vessel, having at the top the hopper b, and
two slides c, d, for delivering the malt into the centre of the vessel, the said
slides being worked simultaneously by a pinion and racks. In the interior of
the vessel there is a hollow tube e, having at the top a closed cone f, for
effectually breaking up and spreading the malt in a thin layer. The mash
liquor passes through the pipe g into the interior of the tube e, and also into
the tubes or chambers h, h, the liquor passing out through the orifices h, k, 1, 1,
and also through the turbine m, or through apertures in a box, which can
move up and down, but not revolve. In either case the apertures of the
turbine or box are more or less closed or opened by moving the inclined
slide n.
The malt and liquor is thus thoroughly mixed, and the mass falls on
the spreading cone o into the mash tub or tun. In Fig. 2 the barrel to be
cleaned is shewn at p, it is held at both ends by the arms q, q', placed loose
on the vertical shaft r. The said arms are adjusted to any required position
by the right and left handed screws s, t, the threads of which are fitted to
corresponding threads in the arms. The middle of the vertical shaft r has an
aperture n', and the shaft itself is fixed to the hollow shaft u working in
bearings in the framework v, and mounted with the bevil wheel to gearing into
the bevil pinion x, which can be turned by the handle y or by power. The
interior of the barrel is supplied with water and steam through the pipes a¹, b', c',
there being a flange and ball joint d', on which is placed an india-rubber
washer e', which is pressed round the bung-hole, and all kept sufficiently tight
by the spring f¹. The said valve joint has one or more projections, as at g',
Fig. 3, so that it can be acted upon by an incline at the end of the lever h¹,
and overcome the force of the spring f', Fig. 2, and push back the flange
and ball valve to enable the barrel to be removed when cleaned and another
to be placed in the machine, and then by reversing the lever h¹. Fig. 3, the
india-rubber washer is pressed round the bung-hole, as before described.
Through the arm g, Fig. 2, I place the screw i¹, for the purpose of regulating
the position of the barrel, so that the pipe c¹ passes through the centre of the
bung-hole into the interior of the barrel. The guide bar k¹ works on the
bolts,, as centres, the bolt m¹ being in the interior of a quadrant slot in
the guide bar ¹, for enabling the said guide bar to be locked in the position
required. In Fig. 1, I represent only one central perforated tube or cylinder e
in the interior of the mash vessel a, but I employ a larger number when

page_text: desired, and arrange the exterior of the vessel and the perforated tubes or
cavities h to suit the requirements, and also employ the various parts separately
or conjointly.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that I claim,-
First, the employment in mash vessels of the centre perforated tube c,
Fig. 1, the perforated tubes or cavities h, and the turbine or perforated box m,
and the modification of two or more tubes with the cavities and turbines, or
boxes arranged to suit them, and also the employment of the aforesaid parts
either separately or .conjointly.
And, secondly, the system of cleaning barrels by introducing water into
their interiors, and boiling it by the admission of steam whilst the barrels are
revolving, and also the arrangement of the pipes a, b, c, the hollow tube u,
the vertical shaft f. the right and left handed screws s, t, and the arms q, q',
as all such improvements are hercin described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Gregory, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Francis Gregory, in
the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
FRANCIS GREGORY. (L.S.)