IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING STOUT, PORTER, AND ALE FROM THE 'GROUNDS' OR SEDIMENT DEPOSITED WHEN 'FINING,' AND IN SEPARATING LIQUORS FROM SLIMY OR SOLID MATTERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Frederick Cooke Farquhar, of Nos. 24 and 25, Long
Acre, in the County of Middlesex, and Walter Oldham, of Allerton Lodge,
Cavendish Road, Balham, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of
'IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING STOUT, PORTER, AND ALE
FROM THE 'GROUNDS' OR SEDIMENT DEPOSITED WHEN 'FINING,' AND IN
SEPARATING LIQUORS FROM SLIMY OR SOLID MATTERS."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Frederick Cooke
Farquhar and Walter Oldham at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 17th March 1879,
JOHN FREDERICK COOKE FARQUHAR, of Nos. 24 and 25, Long Acre, in the
County of Middlesex, and WALTER OLDHAM, of Allerton Lodge, Cavendish Road,
Balbam, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING
STOUT, PORTER, AND ALE FROM THE GROUNDS' OR SEDIMENT DEPOSITED WHEN
'FINING,' AND IN SEPARATING LIQUORS FROM SLIMY OR SOLID MATTERS."
At the present time, in order to separate stout, porter, or ale from the "grounds"
or sediment deposited when fining, the "grounds," after they have had the greater
part of the stout, porter, or ale run off from them, are ordinarily placed into vats,
to allow them to again settle down, in order that a still further quantity of liquor
may be drawn off from them. In order to thus separate stout, porter, or ale from
the "grounds," it is necessary that they should be allowed to settle for a consider-
able length of time, and the settling vats occupier much space; a large portion also
of the stout, porter, or ale recovered in this manner is much deterioreted in value,
owing to the length of time during which it has been exposed whilst settling.
According to our Invention we at once separate the stout, porter, or ale from the
grounds" after the greater portion of the stout, porter, or ale has been drawn off
from them by placing the "grounds" on to a filtering bed of sand, sawdust, or
other filtering material in a granular form. The filtering bed may be contained in
ГР.

page_text: a closed vessel, into which the "grounds" are forced by a force pump, or otherwise
air under pressure may also be supplied to the upper part of the vessel.
Or the filtering vessel might from time to time be relieved from the pressure of
air, and a fresh quantity of grounds be poured into it.
After a small quantity of stout, porter, or ale has thus been driven through the
filtering bed, a layer of slimy material settles on the top surface of the filted bed,
which, if not removed, would prevent any further quantity of liquor from passing
through the filter. To prevent this we scrape the top surface of the filtering bed
during the process of filtration by a scraper or brush, and at the same time we
agitate the "grounds" in the filtering vessel, so that the dirt or slime is caused to
rise from the surface of the filtering bed and mix with the liquor above.
We find it advantageous also to give to the brush or scraper a rapid upward
motion from time to time. In this motion the brush or scraper tends to carry
up with it the slimy sediment, and clear it from the surface of the filtering bed.
By this means a free passage is kept through the filtering bed. After a time,
when the "grounds" above the filter bed become too thick for further filtration,
they may be drawn off from the filter vessel by a tap situated just above the surface
of the filter bed.
The filtering vessel provided with a perforated false bottom for the filtering
material to rest on, and may also be provided with a removeable cover, so that the
vessel can be opened and closed to facilitate its being cleaned and fresh filtering
material placed into it. The scraper or brush may be carried by an axis which
passes through the centre of the cover, and which can have both a revolving motion,
and also a rising and falling motion given to it.
The liquor to be filtered may be supplied to the interior of the filtering vessel
just below the cover.
Other liquors containing slimy matters may be filtered in the same manner.
The system of filtration through a granular filter bed, the surface of which is kept
free from slimy deposit by brushing or scraping, may be applied to filtration with
centrifugal machines.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Frederick Cooke Farquhar and Walter Oldham in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 17th September 1879.
25
JOHN FREDERICK COOKE FARQUHAR, of Nos. 24 and 25, Long Acre, in the
County of Middlesex, and Walter Oldham, of Allerton Lodge, Cavendish Road,
Balham, in the County of Surrey. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING
STOUT, PORTER, AND ALE FROM THE 'GROUNDS' OR SEDIMENT DEPOSITED WHEN
FINING,' AND IN SEPARATING LIQUORS FROM SLIMY OR SOLID MATTERS."
At the present time, in order to separate stout, porter, or ale from the "grounds"
> or sediment deposited when fining, the "grounds," after they have had the greater
part of the stout, porter, or ale run off from them, are ordinarily left in the vats to
allow them to again settle down, in order that a still further quantity of liquor may
be drawn off from them. If it is required to separate the greater part of the
remainder of stout, porter, or ale from the "grounds," it is necessary that they
should be allowed to settle for a considerable length of time, and the settling vats
then occupy much space. A large portion also of the stout, porter, or ale recovered
in this manner is much deteriorated in value, owing to the length of time during
which it has been exposed whilst settling. It is therefore very commonly the
practice to leave a large proportion of stout, porter, or ale remaining with the
O grounds, and this quantity of stout, ale, or porter is consequently wasted. According
to our Invention we at once separate the stout, porter, or ale from the "grounds
after the greater portion of the stout, porter, or ale has been drawn off from them
by placing the "grounds" on to a filtering bed of sand, sawdust, or other filtering.
material in a granular form. The filtering bed may be contained in a closed vessel,
into which the "grounds" are forced by a force pump, or otherwise air under
pressure may also be supplied to the upper part of the vessel; in this case the
filtering vessel might from time to time be relieved from the pressure of air, and a
fresh quantity of grounds be poured into it.
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After a small quantity of stout, porter, or ale has thus been driven through the
filtering bed, a layer of slimy material settles on the top surface of the filter bed,
which, if not removed, would prevent any further quantity of liquor from passing
through the filter. To prevent this we scrape the top surface of the filtering bed
during the process of filtration by a scraper or brush, and at the same time we
agitate the "grounds" in the filtering vessel, so that the dirt or slime is caused to
rise from the surface of the filtering bed and mix with the liquor above, or we make
other provision for ensuring that the slimy or solid matters shall not again settle on
the surface of the filter bed.
The filtering vessel is provided with a perforated false bottom for the filtering
material to rest on, and may also be provided with a removeable cover, so that the
vessel can be opened and closed to facilitate its being cleaned and fresh filtering
material placed into it. The scraper or brush may be carried by an axis, which
passes through the centre of the cover, and which can have both a revolving motion,
and also a rising and falling motion given to it.
. Other liquids containing slimy or solid matters may be filtered in the same
manner.
The system of filtration through a granular filter bed, the surface of which is kept
free from slimy or other deposit by brushing or scraping, may be applied to filtration
with centrifugal machines.
In carrying out our Invention we prefer that the slimy or solid matters settling
on the surface of the filter bed should, as they are scraped up by the scraper, be
received into a box or receptacle, and be so prevented from again settling on the
filter bed.

page_text: The Drawings hereunto annexed show various views of apparatus for carrying
out our Invention in this manner.
Figure 1 is a vertical section, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus.
E is a circular vessel, having solid sides and open at top and bottom. The bottom
to which it is attached is composed of a cloth or felt F stretched over a perforated
plate G, which plate bears upon the grating H. An elastic ring K is interposed
between the vessel E and the cloth F, for the purpose of making a tight joint.
L is the top cover; it can be secured by means of bolts and nuts, or other means
may be adopted for enabling the cover to be quickly removed and replaced, and a
tight joint secured.
M is the granular filtering medium, preferably powdered glass.
The liquid to be filtered can be forced into the vessel E through a pipe entering
the vessel at any suitable position above the filtering medium.
N, N, are two scrapers for removing the solid or slimy deposit as it accumulates
on the top surface of the filtering medium during the process of filtration.
Each scraper is carried at the bottom of the box or receptacle P, which is to
receive the matters scraped up by the scraper. The boxes may be separate one from
the other, or one common box or receptacle might be used; a single scraper, or more
scrapers might also be employed.
0, 0, are side guard blades placed at the outer extremities of the scrapers, to
ensure that the matters raised by the scrapers shall pass into the interior of the
boxes.
The box or boxes with the scrapers are carried by a spindle Q, and are caused to
revolve at any speed required by means of pulleys or wheels attached to the spindle
Q; they are also at the same time caused to descend at any speed required, by
means of a rack and pinion, or screw, or other suitable arrangements acting on the
spindle Q.
The speeds of the revolving and descending motions of the box scraper are deter-
mined by the amount of deposit required to be removed from off the top surface of
the filtering bed in a certain time.
In removing this deposit a small portion of the filtering medium is taken up at
the same time, but the quantity so taken up should bear the smallest possible pro-
portion to the amount of the actual deposit, and this can be governed by regulating
the revolving and descending motions of the box scraper.
We find it advisable to allow the liquor to be filtered to come in contact with the
filtering medium as closely behind the blades of the knives as possible, and for this
purpose construct suitable channels, as shown at R, R, for so conveying the
liquor, and they can be multiplied if found necessary.
When the box scraper has filled itself with the deposit, and has descended to
within a certain distance of the bottom of the filtering medium, the machinery for
driving the same becomes disconnected. The cover L is then removed, and the box
scraper is raised out of the vessel E for the purpose of being cleansed.
The bottom of the box scraper is fitted with two or more hinged doors S, S, held
closed by sliding bolts T, as shown. When the box scraper has been raised out of
the vessel E, the bolts T, T, are driven back, and the doors open downwards on their
hinges, and the deposit falls out into a suitable vessel.
If desired the filtering medium can then be easily freed from the deposit by
washing or agitating the same in a vessel filled with water or other cleansing
fluid.
Previous to filtration we find it most necessary that the filtering medium should
be thoroughly saturated with the clear liquid of the liquor to be filtered, and no
part of the filtering inedium should be allowed to get dry, otherwise the area for
filtration will be diminished accordingly.
To obviate this, and also to prevent the medium from packing together too closely
at the bottom, when under pressure, we surround the underside of the grating H
with a conical vessel leading into a delivery pipe U, and we attach to this pipe a
pressure gauge (or a weighted valve might be used), and we regulate the discharge

page_text: through the pipe U by means of a cock or valve, so that a certain amount of pressure
of liquor shall be kept back in the filtering medium.
It is not necessary that the scraper should be made to revolve around a centre; it
may be moved over the surface of the filter bed in any desired manner.
For filtering impure water, as, for example, for water works, it might be con-
structed after the manner of a road scraper, and be supported on wheels or rollers,
with a receptacle behind the scraper to receive the deposit which is gathered up by
the scraper, and such scraping apparatus might be dragged to and fro across the
surface of the filtering bed by means of ropes, &c., during the process of filtration,
and the deposit discharged as often as found requisite. Or the scraper and recep-
tacle might be supported by wheels running on rails at the sides of a rectangular
filter bed, provision being made for slowly lowering the scraper as it is moved to
and fro over the surface of the bed.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, we would have it understood that we claim,-
First. The process hereinbefore described for filtering stout, porter, ale, and other
liquids from slimy or solid matters, such process consisting in the employment of a
granular filtering bed, the surface of which is kept free from accumulated deposit
by reason of the deposit being removed either continuously or intermittently as the
filtering goes on by a scraper or brush, and being impeded from again settling on
the filter surface, either by being collected in a receptacle, or by agitation or
otherwise.
Second. The construction of filtering apparatus, substantially as herein before
described, with a granular filtering bed and scraper or brush, for removing deposit
from the filter surface as the filtering goes on, together with means for impeding the
deposit from again settling on the filter bed.
Third. The construction of filtering apparatus, substantially as herein before
described, with a granular filtering bed and scraper for removing deposit from the
filter surface, and receptacle for receiving the deposit as it is scraped up.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Frederick Cooke Farquhar and Walter
Oldham, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eleventh day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy
nine
J. F. C. FARQUHAR. (L.S.)
WALTER OLDHAM. (L.S.)