Improvements in Apparatus for use in Boiling and Treating Hops.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for use in Boiling and Treating Hops.
I, ADALBERT MÜLLER, of 11, Marheinecke Platz, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany,
Engineer, 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:-
The improvements forming the object of this invention relate to apparatus
for use in boiling and treating hops.
Hitherto hops have been boiled in a vessel placed directly in a wort copper,
and the boiling was effected in the closed vessel. This method has serious dis-
advantages as the boiling of the wort is not without danger and the cleaning of
the vessels is difficult and takes time which is a serious drawback when the
apparatus has to be frequently used.
The apparatus forming the object of this invention presents over those hitherto
constructed the great advantage that its manipulation is free from danger and
that cleaning can be done rapidly and readily, while it allows of the stalks and
leaves of the hops being removed in time.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 shows a plan view of the new apparatus and
Figure 2 an elevation partly in section.
The apparatus which is here given as one mode of carrying out the inven-
tion, consists of a casing a provided with a bottom 6 constituted by a sieve form-
ing a communication between the inside of the vessel with that of the wort copper.
The vessel a is suspended directly in the wort copper so that the communication
between the wort copper and the vessel is effected without difficulty. In the
centre of vessel a is a vertical spindle c resting in a suitable step bearing and
provided at a convenient height with radial arms d, carrying rakes, teeth or
bars e which are set in rotary motion by the spindle c and move between the
teeth of fixed rakes or bars,, so that the hops are quickly reduced to small pieces
and the lupulin is set free. The vertical spindle is, above the movable rakes,
fitted with helical wings g which revolve with it and serve to keep the hops which
fill the vessel a in the wort, which penetrates into this vessel through the sieve
bottom thereof. The casing a is fitted with doors h which are kept closed by
bolts i, whilst the hops are being boiled. When the hops inside the vessel and
the wort that has penetrated into it have boiled a sufficiently long time; the
doors h are opened and the wort and hops in the vessel mix with the charge in the
wort-copper.
It is advantageous to connect this vessel with a suitable lifting device so that
it may be easily put in place or removed.
There is no danger of explosion to be feared as in the case of closed vessels.
The vessel cools rapidly after the boiling is completed and can be cleansed without
difficulty.
It is understood that the construction of the apparatus just described may be
modified without departing from the principle of the invention; thus, instead of
using a sieve for the bottom of the vessel the latter may be open and rest directly

page_text: on the bottom of the wort copper. In the latter case the doors of the vessel are
provided with small perforations which act like a sieve establishing a communica-
tion between the vessel and the wort copper. Figure 3 shows this modification
in section and partly in side elevation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. An apparatus for use in boiling and treating hops comprising a vessel opened
at its upper part and provided with a sieve or perforated bottom and with fixed
rakes or bars between which are adapted to rotate the teeth of movable rakes
or bars attached to a central vertical spindle, the height of the hops in the vessel
being maintained by means of helical wings attached to the spindle above the
rotatory rakes, doors being provided on the periphery of the vessel for the purpose
of emptying the contents into the wort copper after the boiling operation is
completed, substantially as described:
2. An apparatus for use in boiling and treating hops, the vessel of which is
open not only at its upper end but also at its lower end so as to rest directly on
the bottom of the wort copper, the periphery of the latter and the doors provided
therein being perforated so as to establish a communication between the vessel
and wort copper, substantially as described.
3. The complete vessel for use in boiling and treating hops, substantially as
described or illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 or in Figure 3 of the accompanying
drawings.
1000