Improvements in the Method of Drawing Beer, Ales, or other Liquids from Casks or Barrels.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1891":
Complete Specification Left, 16th. May, 1892-Accepted, 18th-June, 1892
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Drawing Beer, Ales, or other Liquids
from Casks or Barrels.
1 JOSEPH MILLS of 44 Well Road Heeley near Sheffield in the County of York
Manager.do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE METHOD OF DRAWING BEER, ALES OR. OTHER LIQUIDS FROM CASES
OR BARRELS to be as follows :-
"
This invention relates to improvements in and connected with drawing ales, beer
For other liquids from casks or barrels by which the beer or other liquid can be
drawn clear and without waste, at the same time dispensing with a quantity of
piping and mens time.
In the construction of this invention the supply pipe from the barrels runs along
the gantry under the said barrels into a cistern fixed below the level of the bottom
of them the size of which is regulated according to the number of barrels drawn
from and the demand required to supply and the top is constructed so as to hold ice
to cool the beer in hot weather.
From the taps of the barrels to the supply pipe are connected short lengths of
piping with valve attached to the bottom end thereof for the purpose of preventing
the beer from a full barrel emptying itself into a partly empty one, instead of
passing forward into the cistern; these valves have a moveable swivel for the
purpose of allowing the barrel to be tilted without having to bend the pipe.
The cistern is made of wood or other suitable material having outlets to the
pumps, and an inlet for supply from the barrels, and a screw cap at the top to be
able to clean it when required, through the centre of the screw cap passes a rod to
which is attached a float fixed inside the cistern for the purpose of indicating by
means of a cord working in connection with an electric indicator which is fixed
behind the bar, or in any other convenient place to shew when the barrel or cistern
is empty; the valve in the cistern acting automatically as a vent.
From the drain tin under the taps of the pumps is fixed a waste pipe to convey
all overflow and droppings back into the cistern an Strap having a valve is fixed in
this pipe to keep the pressure in the cistern from forcing the beer up into the said
drain tin also to prevent air being admitted into the cistern which would make the
beer flat.
By this invention one or more pumps can draw. from one. barrel, or one or more
barrels can be drawn from by one pump.
Din 10th day of Jul 1901
WM. MCGOWAN,
Agent for the Applicant.

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1.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Drawing Beer, Ales, or other Liquids
from Casks or Barrels.
JOSEPH MILLS 44 Well Road Heeley near Sheffield in the County of York
Manager 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 :-
1
This invention relates to improvements in and connected with drawing 'ales, heor
or other liquids from casks or barrels by which the beer or other liquids can be
drawn clear and without waste at the same time dispensing with a quantity of
piping, and mens time.
'
By the use of this invention one or more pumps can draw from one barrel or
one or more barrels can be drawn from by one pump at the same time.
In order to carry out my improvements 1 employ an intermediate or supplementary
chamber or cistern fixed somewhere between the barrels and the pumps; such
chamber may be made of any suitable size, form or material; it may have any
required number of inlets and outlets as in the ordinary way but in addition to
these I fix in it, by preference in the top cover, a screwed ring into which is fitted
a cover through which passes the spindle from a float inside the cistern; this spindle
carries a small valve and when raised by the float which rises with the liquid it
comes into contact with a suitable scating thus automatically and hermetically
sealing the cistern.
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For the purpose of supplying such cistern with liquor from several barrels at the
same time employ a collecting pipe as thereafter described in conjunction with
the aforesaid cistern; I also employ as part of my invention automatic back,.,flow
check valves of the form shown, or of other suitable construction and in any con-
venient position between the barrels and the cistern I place strainers, or gratings,.
to prevent fiuings, hopiseeds &c. from getting into the valves of the pump.
By these means there is no direct communication from the pumps to the barrels,
the beer or other liquid flowing from the barrels to the cistern by gravitation,
gently and without disturbance.
To prevent beer flowing from one barrel to another when one is low and several
are in use at the same time I employ in conjunction with the aforesaid,apparatus
floating valves, these consist of valvo casings made in the form of unions in the
pipes, the valves are made wholly or partly of wood & india rubber or leather or
of any other material of less specific gravity than water so, that they rise. upon a
current attempting to return and effectually close the openings, or valve, ports;
similar valves are also employed in the waste pipes K, shown at D' Fig.. 1, to
prevent liquor rising above the level of the S shaped air trap.
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In some cases may attach an indicator connection to the cistern for the purpose
of giving warning by ringing a bell or otherwise, in the bar, or elsewhere when a
barrel becomes empty. To do this I prefer..to place a small battery in the oellar,
contact being made by a cord attached to the spindle of the float so that when it
falls below a certain level a signal is sent.
"
My improvements chiefly consist in making an air-tight system of connections
between barrels or other holders of liquids and the pumps or other outlets and in
returning to a common cistern all overflow or spilt beer &c. by means of the taps,
pipes,, valves, strainers and connections substantially as herein described and
illustrated by the drawings.
The following is a description of the drawings in which the same letters of
reference apply to the different parts throughout the several views.
On Sheet No. 1 appended hereunto :
Fig. 1 shows my invention as applied to the cellar and bar of an hotel.
Fig. 2 is a plan showing the arrangement of nines cistern ken in the cellar

page_text: 1.
Fig. 3 is a section of my improved cistern and automatic vent.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the collecting and distributing pipes and valves,
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Fig. 5 is a section of my improved valve to prevent liquids returning to 'the
barrels &c..
Fig. 6. is a section & plan of my pipe union strainer.
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On. Sheet No. 1, Figa. 1 & 2, A is my improved cistern. Bis a pipe having
three or more inlets. C. C. C, are strainer unions shown enlarged in Fig. 16.
D., D. D are iny automatic back flow check valves to prevent liquor returning to
either of the barrels E and connected to C by any suitable piping.isa.cook
with connecting pipe.G, attached by piping to B. H, is a three way.cock for con-
necting the cistern A to pipes conveying liquor from barrels in other cellars, when
such is required. J, J, J, are cocks for connecting, cistern to beer engine pipes.
K, is a drain pipe from beer engine trough to cistern A having an Sitube and baok
flow check valve D': L, is the automatic vent connected to float as shown in
Fig. 3. M.is a battery, and N.au electric bell. O, is a cord actuated by Lin the
manner herein described.
F
On Sheet. No. 2 Fig. 3, A is an enlarged view of my improved cistern. P, is a
float. Qis a suitably made valve attached to the spindle L and adjustable, thereon,
the sides of this spindle are flattened so as not to fill the hole in the gland and so
permits free inlet or escape of gas or air through the gland when the valve Q is
open. Ris a connection from, the waste beer trough. F and J are inlet and
outlet cocks.
.
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In Fig. 4 B is the collecting pipe with branches 8. S. S. and cocks T, T. T, to
which may be connected the strainer hoxes C, C, C.
U is an open end. for
connecting a pipe onto F. V is a blank cap.
In Fig. 5. Dis my improved automatic back flow check valve obamber, forming, a
union. W is the valve shown as it is when open.
In Fig. 6, C is the strainer box, Y the strainer, ✗ an end view of the same
while Z is a connecting, screw for the hose pipe, the whole forming a pipe union.
One way of working my invention is to attach rubber hose or piping, by means
of the union valves C & D to the ordinary taps of the barrels E.
I may then open all the taps together and the liquor will flow down to the
collecting pipe, B which is placed upon a lower level than the barrels, when the
tap F is opened the cistern A will become charged with liquor, the float P, will be
raised, the confined air passing out through the spindle gland L until the valve Q.
Fig. 3 meets the seating when further egress or inlet of air is prevented.
The size of the oistern and collecting and delivery tubes is regulated to suit the
special demand.
The taps J, J, J, may be connected up to several pumps or beer engines at any
distance apart. In some instances I fix a 3-way cock in the cistern A to receive
supplies of liquor from distant cellara.
In order to prevent waste of liquor I attach a pipe to the bottom of the waste
trough in the bar, the liquor descending through this pipe, passing over the S, trap
and through the valve D¹ into the cistern A; but should there at any time be
pressure in the cistern greater than at D', then the floating valve D' will close and
prevent the liquid ascending the waste pipe K.
I do not confine myself to the exact form, style, or shape of any of the parts
shown in the drawings but may vary their construction in such manner that the
combined action of the parts is retained to accomplish the desired results, i.e. such
connections made, or formed, betweon barrels, or other vessels and pumps for
liquids, so that the said liquids can be removed from one or more barrels at the
same time and after mixing together in a suitable cistern they may be pumped out
for use, and 1 may also, adapt any suitable form of electric, or other description of
indicator, in order to give warning at a distance that barrels are empty.
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 I am aware

page_text: that an intermediate cistern for the contents of one or more barrels to first pass
into before being drawn is not new and I therefore make no claim alone to such;
but what I claim is-
Firstly. An improved means of drawing beer or other liquids from casks, barrels,
or other containers without waste, by the use of an intermediate collecting pipe
and cistern, so as to secure the beer being clear and not flat, and at the same time
dispensing with the use of a large amount of piping in the cellar.
Secondly. The construction and' employment of an intermediate self-venting
cistern having suitable inlet and outlet taps and fitted, preferably at the top, with a
cover or cap containing an automatio vent valve and float, such valve being opened
and closed by the rise and fall of the liquid in the cistern.
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The construction of a float for such cistern made of any suitable material and
carrying a valve and rod, such rod passing through the cap or cover which may be
made to screw off for the purpose of cleaning the cistern.
Thirdly. An improved form of automatic back flow check valve in the form of
an ordinary pipe union or connection; also: an improved form of strainer in the
form of an ordinary pipe union or connection. The use of such automatic back
flow check valves and strainer valves or equivalents thereto in one and the same
piece of piping, or'otherwise, in connection with the self-venting cistern.
Fourthly. An improved method of effecting the saving of waste or spilt beer by
returning it to the self-venting cistern by means of a down pipe preferably fitted
with an Strap and automatic back flow check valve.
•
Fifthly. An indicator contrivance or means of ascertaining the position of the
float in the cistern by connecting a cord, lever or other suitable mechanism to the
rod of the automatic vent valve in the cistern and 'the use for this purpose of an
electrio or other indicator worked by such rod or mechanism and being in con-
nection with a bell or other warning appliance at any required distance from the
cellar.
#
Sixthly. An improved combination and arrangement of apparatus for the
purpose of drawing beer or other liquids from full or partly full barrels at one and
the same time the novel construction of an automatically venting cistern and the
general construction of couplings in connection with piping, taps &c. Also the
means of obviating waste and indicating when the barrels are empty in the manner
or equivalents thereto as herein described and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated this 14th day of May 1892.