Improvements in and Means for Removing Sediment from Bottled Beers, Wines, and other Liquids.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 22nd June, 1892-Accepted, 30th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Means for Removing Sediment from Bottled
Beers, Wines, and other Liquids.
I THOMAS MARCUS HOUGHTON 34 New Bridge Street Blackfriars E.C.
Quantity Surveyor do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to extract the sediment from bottled beers
wines and other liquids before removing the cork. The end of the cork or other
stopper may be formed with a cavity or recess into which the sediment will fall
when the bottle is inverted. When the stopper is made of vulcanite or other
hard substance I also form a hole or holes through same and put a plug or stopper.
The beer is bottled in the usual manner but is stacked on its stoppered or neck end
either vertically or at an angle (in suitable racks) depending on the shape of the
cork within the bottle. When the sediment of the beer or other liquid has
settled the plug to the hole in the stopper is removed and the end of a suction
pump inserted or attached by which the sediment is withdrawn and the plug
replaced when the bottle may be placed on its proper base.
When the stopper is of cork instead of forming the hole as previously described
I pass a small pointed tube through the cork the said tube being perforated or
slotted near its pointed end and attached to the suction pump at its opposite end
when the sediment is extracted as previously described and the tube removed. The
end or nozzle of the suction pump will be fitted with clips or jaws and plate for
the purpose of holding the same tight up to its work and so arranged as to give
the required direction to the tube and with a stop or check to prevent its passing
into the bottle too far a second hole or a tube may be employed to force in air
to take the place of the liquid extracted.
The pump may otherwise be of the ordinary description and worked by hand or
it may be worked by machinery in which latter case a flexible tube would be
attached with a twin cock or valve near the nozzle to allow of the continuous action
of the pump.
As an alternative I dispense with the pump and allow the sediment to pass.
through the tubes by gravitation the compressed air within the bottle assuming its
original bulk or I cover the cork or stopper or the bottom of the bottle with
an adhesive substance which will prevent the sediment rising when once it has
settled.
T. M. HOUGHTON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Means for Removing Sediment from Bottled
Beers, Wines, and other Liquids.
I THOMAS MARCUS HOUGHTON of 34 New Bridge Street, Blackfriars, in the
County of London, Quantity Surveyor, 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 object of my invention is to extract the sediment from bottled beers, wines
and other liquids before removing the cork. The end of the cork or other stopper

page_text: may be formed with a cavity or recess into which the sediment will fall when the
bottle is inverted. When the stopper is made of vulcanite or other hard substance
I also form a hole or holes through same and put a plug or stopper. The beer is
bottled in the usual manner, but is stacked on its stoppered or neck end either
vertically or at an angle (in suitable racks) depending on the shape of the cork
within the bottle. When the sediment of the beer or other liquid has settled, the
plug to the hole in the stopper is removed and the end of a suction pump inserted
or attached by which the sediment is withdrawn and the plug replaced, when the
bottle may be placed on its proper base.
When the stopper is of cork, instead of forming the hole as previously described
I pass a small pointed tube through the cork the said tube being perforated or
slotted near its pointed end and attached to the suction pump at its opposite end
when the sediment may be extracted as previously described and the tube removed.
The end or nozzle of the suction pump may be fitted with clips or jaws and plate
for the purpose of holding the same tight up to its work and so arranged as to
give the required direction to the tube and with a stop or check to prevent its
passing into the bottle too far. A second hole or a tube may be employed to force in
air to take the place of the liquid extracted. The pump may otherwise be of the
ordinary description and worked by hand or it may be worked by machinery, in which
latter case a flexible tube would be attached with a twin cock or valve near the
nozzle to allow of the continuous action of the pump.
And in order that my invention and the manner in which the same may be
carried into practical effect may be well understood I have appended a sheet of
explanatory drawings and will now describe the invention in connection therewith,
using the same letters of reference in the several views to denote the same or
corresponding parts where they occur.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of part of an inverted cork stoppered bottle,
shewing the manner of removing the sediment therefrom,
Figure 2 is an under plan of same, and
Figure 3 is a. sectional elevation of part of a vulcanite stoppered bottle also
inverted.
In Figure 1 A is an ordinary cork stopper hollowed out at its underside so as to
form a recess or cavity as shewn at B, into which, when the bottle is inverted or
stood upside down, the sediment C contained in the beer, wine, or other liquid will
gravitate. D is a tube one end of which is closed and tapers to a point or cutting
edge and is furnished with one or more slits, openings, or apertures E near to its
tapering point. This tube is driven into the cork until the slits or apertures E
have passed completely through the cork and are embedded in the sedi-
mentary deposit C. The outer end D2 of the tube D is then attached to
a suction pump and the air carefully exhausted from the interior of the tube. As
the latter is, by means of the slits or apertures E, in open communication with the
sedimentary deposit C, the particles of sediment will be drawn out of the bottle
through the said slits or apertures E into the interior of the tube D from whence
they may be discharged into a suitable receptacle. When all the sediment is with-
drawn the tube D is carefully withdrawn and the incision which it has made
in the cork will either close up by the elasticity of the cork, or it may be
plugged or otherwise closed up, if so desired, or the bottle may be stood upright
on its proper base or bottom, the cork withdrawn and the liquid decanted in the
ordinary manner.
In Figure 3 A² is a vulcanite screw stopper, and D³ is a central tapering channel
therein communicating with the sedimentary deposit C in the recess or cavity B
formed by the curved underside of the stopper, and D' is a small plug or stopper
in the end of the tapering channel D³. To remove the sediment the plug or
stopper D is withdrawn and the end of a suction pump is secured to the open
mouth of the channel D³ and the air gradually exhausted therefrom. The operation
is then the same as has been already described with reference to Figure 1.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The herein described method of removing sediment from bottled beers, wines,.
and other liquids by means of a tube or channel passing through the stopper of the
bottle and communicating with the sedimentary deposit in the interior of the bottle
the other end of said tube or channel being connected to an air pump by which the
channel or tube is exhausted of air and the sediment caused to pass into said channel
or tube, substantially as set forth.
2. For use in removing sediment for cork stoppered bottles the tube D one end
of which is closed and tapers to a point or cutting edge, provided near the tapering
point with slits or apertures E opening communication with the interior of said tube,
substantially as and for the purpose herein before set forth and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
3. The improved method of and means for removing sediment from bottled beers,
wines and other liquids substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1892
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicant.