IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PUMPS FOR DRAWING BEER OR OTHER FERMENTED LIQUIDS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Woollerton of Leicester in the County of Leicester
Gasfitter for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
PUMPS FOR DRAWING BEER OR OTHER FERMENTED LIQUIDS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Woollerton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th March 1883.
THOMAS WOOLLERTON of Leicester in the County of Leicester Gasfitter
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PUMPS FOR DRAWING BEER OR OTHER
FERMENTED LIQUIDS
"
My invention relates to the improvement of beer pumps with the view of
preventing the waste of beer which frequently takes place in the ordinary beer
pump and of affording facilities for obtaining access to the barrel of the pump for
the removal of any extraneous matter which may have lodged in the barrel of the
pump or in the beer.
For this purpose I cast the pump barrel with a bent tube leading out from it at
the side and near its lower end. The bent tube is at its end provided with a screw
for attachment to the suction pipe.
The inlet from the bend to the barrel of the pump is an oblong hole or slot about
three quarters of an inch long or more by a quarter of an inch or more wide-
the longest side of the inlet is in a horizontal position and near to the bottom
of the pump barrel. The plunger or bucket of the pump is made to descend
sufficiently far down the barrel of the pump as to entirely cover and close the said
slot so as to prevent any ripe or fermenting beer from forcing its way through
the pipe into the barrel of the pump-waste of beer is also thus avoided.
The bottom of the pump barrel is a screwed removeable cap which allows of any
extraneous matter such as hops, pipe chippings &c which may have been carried
with the beer into the barrel of the pump being removed by simply unscrewing
the aforesaid cap without removing the suction pipe as in the old system. All
interference with the beer in the pump barrel or the suction pipe during the
removal of such matter is thus avoided,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Woollerton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th September 1883.
-
'g'
THOMAS WOOLLERTON of Leicester in the County of Leicester Gasfitter.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PUMPS FOR DRAWING BEER OR OTHER
FERMENTED LIQUIDS"
My Invention relates to the improvement of beer pumps with the view of
preventing the waste of beer which frequently takes place in the ordinary beer
pump and of affording facilities for obtaining access to the barrell of the pump for
the removal of any extraneous matter which may have lodged in the barrel of the 1
pump or in the beer.
For this purpose I make the pump barrel with a bent tube leading out from it
at the side and near its lower end.
The bent tube is at its end provided with a screw for attachment to the suction
pipe. The inlet from the bend to the barrel of the pump is an oblong hole or slot
about three quarters of an inch long or more by a quarter of an inch or more wide
-the longest side of the inlet is in a horizontal position and near to the bottom of
the pump barrel. The plunger or bucket of the pump is made to descend sufficiently
far down the barrel of the pump to entirely cover and close the said slot so as to
prevent any ripe or fermenting beer from forcing its way through the pipe into the
barrel of the pump-waste of beer is also thus avoided.
The bottom of the pump barrel is a screwed removable cap which allows of any
extraneous matter such as hops, pipe chippings &c which may have been carried
with the beer into the barrel of the pump being removed by simply unscrewing
the aforesaid cap, without removing the suction pipe as in the old system. All
interference with the beer in the pump barrel or the suction pipe during the
removal of such matter is thus avoided.
The drawing annexed shews a vertical section of a pump constructed as above
described.
a is the pump barrel with the suction branch or nozzle b and delivery nozzle c
cast on it. d is the pump bucket of ordinary construction-it is fitted on the
exterior with a cup leather e of sufficient size to fit tightly in the barrel, it also
carries a bucket valve f which closes with its own gravity onto its seat f¹ the
piece also forms a nut to secure the cup leather e to the bucket. The bucket
rod d¹ works through a stuffing box of ordinary construction in the cover a¹. The
suction or foot valve g has on its under side a guide stem working through a boss
cast in the interior of its seat g¹, on the exterior of this seat is a flange which is
nipped between the end of the suction branch 6 and the upper end of a suction
pipe which is coupled to it by a screw coupling ring so that the suction valve can
readily be got at.
The suction pipe is connected up to the cask in the usual way.
The suction valve might be formed in other ways than the one shewn.
The inlet suction bend or nozzle b opens into the bottom part of the pump barrel
through an oblong hole or slot 6' as above described so that when the bucket is
at the lower end of its traverse the cup leather c. of the bucket may entirely cover
and close the slot.
h is the screwed removeable cap at the bottom of the pump barrel-it will be
seen that by simply unscrewing the cap any matter resting at the lower end of
the pump barrel can readily be removed without removing or disconnecting the
suction pipe as is necessary in the old system.
T

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my invention and the manner of performing
the same I would have it understood that what I claim is :---
First, Constructing pumps for drawing beer and other fermented liquids in
such a manner that the plunger or bucket when at the lower end of its traverse
shall close the suction pipe and thus prevent the escape of beer through the barrel
as herein before described.
Secondly. Constructing the pump barrel of pumps for drawing beer and other
fermented liquids with a removable cap at the bottom as herein before described to
facilitate the clearing of the pump barrel.
Third. The construction of pumps for drawing beer and other fermented
liquids substantially as herein before' described and illustrated in the drawing
annexed.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Woollerton have hereunto set my hand
and seal this First day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
THOMAS WOOLLERTON (L.S.)