IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN CONNECTION WITH APPARATUS FOR RAISING BEER, WINES, SPIRITS AND PROVISIONAL SPFICATION
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James John Harrop of the City of Manchester in the
County of Lancaster, Brassfounder for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
IN CONNECTION WITH APPARATUS FOR RAISING BEER, WINES, SPIRITS AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James John Harrop at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th April 1882.
JAMES JOHN HARROP of the City of Manchester in the County of Lancaster,
Brassfounder, "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN CONNECTION WITH APPARATUS FOR
RAISING BEER, WINES, SPIRITS AND OTHER LIQUIDS
"
My Invention relates principally to raising apparatus for use in lieu of the
ordinary beer engines and to apparatus for use in connection with such engines
and with the said raising apparatus and to apparatus for raising wines, spirits and
other liquors but parts of my apparatus may be used in the raising of oil, tur-
pentine or other liquids. Previously to my Invention air pressure has been
admitted to press upon, the liquor within the cask so as to force up the liquor
when the delivery tap has been opened but this method is open to objections.
According to the first part of my Invention I admit the air pressure into a con-
tainer which is in connection with the cask or with two or more casks the said
pressure being only admitted at the times when the liquor is required. I employ
an air pump to compress air into a receiver from which the air is delivered through
a reducing valve which reduces the pressure to the amount required for the lift.
Any suitable valve may be used but I prefer to use a valve which is pressed
towards a small outlet aperture by means of a lever which is connected with a
diaphragm of metal or other suitable material which is weighted to suit the
required pressure. The air reduced in pressure is conveyed to the tap on the
higher level. When the said tap is opened the air is conveyed by a second tap
When the required quantity
air to the container is cut off
I prefer to employ a two or
to the liquor container and liquor is forced upwards.
is obtained the said tap is turned and the supply of
and an outlet for air from the container is opened.
.'

page_text: three-way tap which is formed with passages to establish the several communi-
cations for the flow of air into and out of the container and for the flow of liquor
out of the container. I may so form the tap as that more than one quality of
liquor may be obtained from one tap. In some or in all cases I cause the exhaust
air from the container to be discharged through small apertures at the mouth of
the bib so that the liquor may thereby be aerated. I may use carbonic acid gas
alone or in conjunction with air to charge the aforesaid receiver or I may provide
the tap with a separate connection for the supply of carbonic acid gas to aerate the
liquor. In some cases the plug may be fixed and the barrel and bib be movable.
The container I prefer to employ is in two parts or is formed with two chambers.
The liquor is passed first into a hop trap or filter in the first vessel or chamber and
flows thence into a second vessel or chamber which is the container, proper. The
liquor issues through a back-pressure valve which may be a hanging flap valve.
The pipe leading to the discharge tap is provided with a back-pressure valve and
may reach nearly to the bottom of the container. Two or more delivery pipes may
lead to two or more delivery taps. I prefer to convey the air into an inner air
chamber which may be of a conical form and prefer to convey the liquor into
and out of this chamber through a pipe which has one end situated so that the
first flow of liquor acts upon the inlet valve to tend to close the same. During the
times when the container is relieved of the air pressure the liquor is at liberty to
flow quietly into the container through the filter and by the absence of the ordinary
pumps and the intervention of the container and filter the liquor in the casks is
free from pulsation and disturbance. I may simplify the apparatus by fitting the
filter or hop trap in the part which I term the container or by dispensing with the
said filter. In some cases I interpose a flexible diaphragm between the liquor and
the air pressure. I may use any suitable arrangement for compressing the air and.
any suitable form of container and I may admit a still further reduced air or gas
pressure into the casks. For some uses I arrange for the container to be filled or
supplied at intervals instead of having a permanent connection with the cask or
casks and in such cases I may maintain an air or a gas pressure within such
container. In the second place I employ a container either with or without a
filter or filters in connection with ordinary or suitable pumps in order to lessen the
disturbance of the liquor in the cask and also in order that two or more pumps
may be used to lift the liquor from one cask. The container is preferably supplied
with a filter and is provided with an air discharge pipe which is fitted with a
valve which is closed by means of a float when the container is sufficiently filled
with liquor.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James John Harrop in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th October 1882.
JAMES JOHN HARROP of the City of Manchester in the County of Lancaster
Brassfounder "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN CONNECTION WITH APPARATUS FOR
RAISING BEER, WINES, SPIRITS AND OTHER LIQUIDS"
My Invention relates principally to raising apparatus for use in lieu of the
ordinary beer engines and to apparatus for use in connection with such engines
and with the said raising apparatus and to apparatus for raising wines, spirits and
other liquors but parts of my apparatus may be used in the raising of oil, turpentine
and other liquids. Previously to my Invention air pressure has been admitted to
press upon the liquor within the cask so as to force up the liquor when the
delivery tap has been opened but this method is open to objections. According to
the first part of my Invention I admit the air pressure into a container which is in
connection with the cask or with two or more casks the said pressure being only
admitted at the times when the liquor is required. I employ an apparatus
to compress air into a receiver from which the air is delivered through a
reducing valve which reduces the pressure to the amount required for the
lift. The air reduced in pressure is conveyed to the tap on the higher level.
When the said tap is opened the air is conveyed by a pipe to the liquor container
and liquor is forced upwards. When the required quantity is obtained the said tap
is turned and the supply of air to the container is cut off and an outlet for air
from the container is opened. The container I prefer to employ is in two parts
or is formed with two chambers. The liquor is passed first into a hop trap or filter
in the first vessel or chamber and flows thence into a second vessel or chamber
which is the container proper. The liquor issues through a back-pressure valve.
The pipe leading to the discharge tap is provided with a back-pressure valve and
may reach nearly to the bottom of the container. Two or more delivery pipes
may lead to two or more delivery taps. During the times when the container is
relieved of the air pressure the liquor is at liberty to flow quietly into the container
through the filter and by the absence of, the ordinary pumps and the intervention
of the container and filter the liquor in the casks is free from pulsation and
disturbance. For some cases I arrange for the container to be filled or supplied at
intervals instead of having a permanent connection with the cask or casks and
in such cases I may maintain an air or a gas pressure within each container. In
the second place I employ a container either with or without a filter or filters in
connection with ordinary or suitable pumps in order to lessen the disturbance of
the liquor in the cask and also in order that two or more pumps may be used to
lift the liquor from one cask. The container is preferably supplied with a filter
and is provided with an air pipe which is fitted with a valve which is closed by
means of a float when the container is sufficiently filled with liquor.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood I have attached hereunto
two sheets of drawings marked with letters of reference to which drawings I will
refer in this place. Fig: 1 of the said drawings made to a scale of about one inch
and a half to the foot illustrates the application of my Invention to the supply of
liquor to a tap or set of taps. In the said Figure a, a are the casks of ale or other
liquor bis the hop trap c is the container and d is a tap for the supply of liquor
the said tap being represented by Fig: 2 in section, and drawn to a larger scale.
The cask of liquor which may be in draught at the time is connected by means of
a flexible pipe with a fixing e upon the stillage which fixing is preferably provided

page_text: with a back-pressure valve and is connected by means of a pipe f with the hop
trap b which is provided with a suitable filter to prevent the passage of hops and
other similar matters into the container The hop trap is connected by means of a
pipe g with the container c which in the example is supposed to be formed of
wood but may be of any other suitable material. The outlet mouth of the pipe g
is provided with a back pressure-valve which in the example consists of a hinged
flap valve. Within the said container is an air chamber h which is connected by
means of a pipe i with the tap d. A second pipe j connects the same tap with the
container and extends nearly to the bottom thereof being furnished at its lower end
with an outlet valve opening upwards. A third pipe / connects the tap d with an
air reservoir . This reservoir is charged with compressed air by means of an air-
pump of any suitable construction as indicated by the dotted lines at m or by
means of hydraulic or any other suitable air compressing apparatus. In the
example n represents a hydraulic air compressing apparatus which I have devised
for the purposes of my Invention. Water is supplied through a pipe o and flows
in the direction indicated by the arrow into the chamber n displacing the contained
air which is forced through the pipe p into the air reservoir. As the water flows
into the chamber it lifts a ball float g which turns an air cock r until a passage is
established for the discharge of air from above a piston when the water pressure
raises the said piston and thereby opens a passage for the discharge of water from
the chamber at the same time closing the water inlet passage. The rising of the
piston at the same time opens an air inlet valve s whereby air is admitted to take
the place of the outflowing water. When the water has run out of the chamber
the piston descends and the water again enters to drive the air into the reservoir.
A ball float t is applied to the mouth of the air outlet pipe to prevent the water
from passing into the air reservoir in the event of an overfilling of the chamber n.
A reducing valve of any suitable construction is applied to the pipe k which
connects the air reservoir with the tap d so that the air pressure is reduced to the
degree which will serve to lift the liquor to the said tap. The stem of the tap
body is formed with three passages as seen in Fig: 3 which represents a cross
section of the said stem. Of these the passage j is connected with the pipe j and
the passages and with the pipes having corresponding marks. In the plug of
the tap is formed a port or passage j' for the delivery of liquor and a recess which
appears above the said passage in Fig: 2 and is also seen in the cross section Fig: 4.
This recess serves to connect the two passages and pipes i and k when the tap is
open." When the plug is turned to close the tap the mouth of the passage j¹ is
moved away from the passage j and the said recess is also moved away from the
other passages their connection then ceasing. A small air vent hole is also
formed in the plug and when the plug is turned to close the tap the inner end of
this vent is brought into connection with the passage and permits the escape of
air pressure from within the pipe and the container c. The action of the
apparatus is as follows:-At the times when the tap is closed the container c is
relieved of air pressure and the liquor is free to flow through the hop trap into the
container to replace liquor previously withdrawn therefrom. When liquor is
required the tap d is opened by turning the plug whereby the pipe and passage j
are opened and the upper ends of the passages i and are placed in communi-
cation. Compressed air now flows from the reservoir through the pipe k and the
aforesaid recess in the plug of the tap and descends the pipe into the air chamber h
displacing liquor therefrom which flows out into the container. In the example
the outlet of the said air chamber consists of a curved pipe which is opposite to the
back-pressure valve through which the liquor flows into the container the intention
being that the flow of liquor out of the air chamber shall tend to close the said
valve but I do not confine myself to this as this air chamber might be dispensed
with. Supposing the container to be full of liquor the displacement from the air
chamber will cause liquor to flow up the pipe j to the tap and to issue therefrom
When the required quantity has been obtained the tap is closed the air pressure in
the chamber & is relieved and liquor flows into the container and thence into the
"

page_text: said chamber to supply liquor to take the place of that which has been displaced
therefrom. I do not confine myself to the form of the said container nor of the
chamber h nor to the use of the hop trap or filter and I may arrange the said filter
within the container or make the latter in two compartments one acting as a filter.
In some cases I may interpose a flexible diaphragm between the liquor in the
container and the air pressure. Two or more sets of pipes or branches from the
main pipes may connect the container with two or more taps which may be in
the same place or in different parts of a building. A separate liquor container
is used for each variety of liquor. More than one cask may be connected simul-
taneously with one container. In the example the air compressor n is self acting
and replaces the air withdrawn from the air reservoir and a larg reservoir is
therefore not necessary but in some cases as for example when a land-worked air-
pump is used and the reservoir is recharged at intervals I should make the said
reservoir with a larger storage capacity. Any suitable means other than the
compressor n may be used. Fig: 5 illustrates an alternative arrangement wherein
water is admitted below a flexible diaphragm u and air is thereby forced into the
air reservoir. The water is alternately adınitted below the diaphragm and dis-
charged therefrom by opening and closing inlet and outlet cocks or valves. This
or a similar apparatus may be used in the cases wherein I interpose a flexible
diaphragm between the air and the liquor. In such a case I should admit the
liquor from the cask or hop trap to a compartment on one side of the diaphragm
and when the delivery of liquor was required I should admit compressed air to
the compartment on the other side of the diaphragm. I do not confiue myself to
the details of the tap d, as for example in some cases the plug may be fixed and
the barrel be movable. I may use separate taps for the air and liquor or I may
arrange for more than one quality of liquor to be obtained from one tap. In soine
cases I cause air to be discharged through small apertures at the mouth or bib of
the tap so that the liquor may thereby be aerated. I may use carbonic acid gas
alone or in conjunction with air to charge the air reservoir or I may provide the
tap with a separate connection for the supply of carbonic-acid-gas to aerate the
liquor. I may admit air or carbonic-acid-gas at a suitably reduced. pressure into
the casks a. In sheet 2 Fig: 6 illustrates a simpler arrangement suitable for the
supply of wines and spirits but also applicable for use in the supply of ale or other
liquor or liquid. In this example the container c is alternately filled and emptied.
The said container is connected with the cask, a stop cock v being applied on
the connecting pipe. A pipe w connects the container with a delivery tap indi-
cated by x and a pipe y provided with a stop-cock 2 conveys compressed air or gas
pressure into the container. The container is filled by opening the cock v which
is closed when the container is full. The cock z being then opened the liquid is
forced up the pipe w and delivered through the tap when the latter is opened.
The air pressure may be maintained within the container until it has become
empty or the pressure may be admitted at the times when the liquid is required
to be raised and in the latter case the air cock may be near the tap or a two-way
tap may be used as in the first part of my Invention. The container may be
provided with a filter or be otherwise varied in form and arrangement. Fig: 7
illustrates the interposition of a container between two casks and a set of beer
pumps according to a second part of my Invention. In this example the liquor
flows through a hop trap or filter into a container c into which descend the
suction pipes a, a² of a set of pumps b¹ which may be of any ordinary or suitable
construction. A pipe k¹ permits air or gas to flow into and out of the container a
float valve d' preventing the outflow of liquor through the said pipe. In some
cases only one pump or only two or more than three pumps may be connected
with a container.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Invention and
the manner in which I carry the same into practical effect I would have it to be
understood that I claim :-
First the combination of parts forming the apparatus substantially as and for

page_text: the purposes set forth and indicated hereinbefore and in and by the accompanying
drawings.
Secondly the use of a container or intermediate vessel into which the liquor
flows from the cask or casks and from which it is forced or lifted substantially as
and for purpose set forth and indicated.
Thirdly the container and hop trap substantially as and for the purpose set
forth and indicated.
Fourthly raising liquor to a point of delivery by means of air or gas or mixed
gases of suitable pressure admitted into an intermediate container or vessel which
is supplied from the storage casks during the intervals between the times of
delivery substantially as set forth and indicated
Fifthly a container or vessel into which liquor flows from the cask connected
with a delivery tap or with delivery taps at a higher level and a reservoir or
receiver containing air or gas or mixed gases under pressure whence gaseous
pressure is conveyed to the said delivery tap or to a tap or taps conveniently near
thereto whence the said pressure is conveyed into the said container or vessel at
the times when the delivery of liquor is required substantially as set forth and
indicated.
And lastly the tap d with connecting pipes for air or gas and liquor substantially
as and for the purpose set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof I the said James John Harrop have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty-seventh day of October in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty-two.
Signed, sealed and delivered
in the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON
41 John Dalton St, Manchester,
JAMES JOHN HARROP (LS)