Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 31st Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 1st Feb., 1887.
EDMUND LIONEL PONTIFEX Of Farringdon works, 1100 Lane, London,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of an improved skimmer or apparatus for removing yeast
from wort in a fermenting vessel.
Skimmers for this purpose have before been made with a pan and a moveable arm
which sweeps the yeast into the pan.
The pan has been made oblong and of such a length as to extend across at least one
half of the diameter of the circular vessel.
The arm has been made straight and pivotted on a joint at the centre of the
vessel.
Such skimmers are very costly in consequence of the large size and expensive
shape of the pan, they require to be made very strongly and in consequence of the
unequal strains will not work freely and are very liable to get out of order.
In my improved skimmer I provide a pan of circular shape small size and light in
construction at the centre of the vessel.
A pipe passes down from the pan through a stuffing box in the bottom of the
vessel and lifting gear is provided to adjust the level of the pan in the usual
manner.
To draw the yeast into the pan I mount on the lifting spindle above the pan a
revolving arm in the form of a volute or like form which will draw the yeast to the
centre when the arm is revolved.
The arm extends from the centre to the circumference of the vessel and when it is
revolved it gradually draws the yeast which it skims off to the centre of the vessel
and into the pan whence it passes away down the pipe as usual.
As a means of revolving the arm I fix a grooved wheel on the sleeve which carries
the arm and in this wheel a cord or chain runs which on being pulled causes the
wheel and with it the arm to revolve. I may use other suitable means for rotating
the arm.
To enable the arm to carry away the yeast from against the sides of the vessel even
when the vessel is not of exactly circular form I mount on the end of the arm a strip
of india rubber or other flexible or yielding material which as the arm revolves scrapes
against the sides of the vessel.
In some cases I use more than one arm; it is often desirable to have two arms
opposite each other to balance and more may be used when found desirable.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Skimmer or Apparatus for Removing Yeast from
Wort in a Fermenting Vessel.
I, EDMUND LIONEL PONTIFEX Of Farringdon Works, Shoe Lane, London, in the
County of Middlesex, 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 :-
My invention consists of an improved skimmer or apparatus for removing yeast
from wort in a fermenting vessel.
Skimmers for this purpose have before been made with a pan and a moveable arm
which sweeps the yeast into the pan.
The pan has been made oblong and of such a length as to extend across at least one
half of the diameter of the circular vessel.
The arm has been made straight and pivotted on a joint at the centre of the
vessel.
Such skimmers are very costly in consequence of the large size and expensive shape
of the pan, they require to be made very strongly and in consequence of the unequal
strains will not work freely and are very liable to get out of order.
In my improved skimmer I provide a pan of circular shape, small size and light in
construction at the centre of the vessel.
A pipe passes down from the pan through a stuffing box in the bottom of the vessel
and lifting gear is provided to adjust the level of the pan in the usual manner.
To draw the yeast into the pan I mount on the fifting spindle above the pan a
revolving arm in the form of a volute or like form which will draw the yeast to the
centre when the arm is revolved.
The arm extends from the centre to the circumference of the vessel and when it is
revolved, it gradually draws the yeast which it skims off to the centre of the vessel
and into the pan, whence it passes away down the pipe as usual.
As a means of revolving the arm I fix a grooved wheel on the sleeve which carries
the arm and in this wheel a cord or chain runs which on being pulled causes the
wheel and with it the arm to revolve. I may use other suitable means for rotating
the arm.
To enable the arm to carry away the yeast from against the sides of the vessel even
when the vessel is not of exactly circular form, I mount on the end of the arm a strip
of india rubber or other flexible or yielding material which as the arm revolves
scrapes against the sides of the vessel. In some cases I use more than one arm; it is
often desirable to have two arms opposite each other to balance and more may be
used when found desirable.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a fermenting vessel provided with a skimmer or
apparatus arranged in accordance with my invention for removing yeast from the
surface of the wort.
Figure 2 is a plan of the parts represented in Figure 1.
AA is the fermenting vessel, B is a circular tapering pan at the centre of this
vessel, and C is a pipe attached to the pan and descending down through the bottom
of the vessel by a stuffing box at D. The yeast is drawn off through the pipe C; the
pan B and the pipe C are suspended from a spindle E which at its upper end is
provided with rack teeth E¹. A pinion F engages with these teeth. The pinion
is mounted on an axis which is carried on a cross-bar extending across the
vessel A; there is a hand wheel on the axis of the pinion and by turning this the
pan B can be raised and lowered to adjust it to the proper working level. The spindle E
may be hollow for a portion of its length with a rod passing through it to the
valve G which is lifted by this rod when the yeast is to be drawn off. Or a wire or
cord may be attached to the valve and pass over guide pulleys by the exterior of the
spindle. His the curved arm by which the yeast is swept into the pan B, when the
arm is caused to travel around the fermenting vessel in the direction indicated by
the arrow in Figure 2. The arm H and also the pan B and pipe CI make preferably of
tinned copper. The arm H is fixed upon a tubular axis I which embraces the
spindle E and is free to turn upon it. I is a pulley upon the tube I which receives
around it the rope L. The rope L is led out through the side of the vessel, and by
pulling it the tubular axis I is rotated and the arm H is caused to travel around the
vessel A whenever required. M is a blade of india rubber projecting from the end of
the arm H, it is capable of yielding where it comes in contact with the side of the
vessel A and it serves to prevent any portion of the yeast escaping past the end of
the arm.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A skimmer or apparatus for removing yeast from wort in a fermenting vessel
consisting in a pan B through which the yeast is drawn off, and a curved arm H
rotating around this pan drawing the yeast inwards and delivering it into the pan
substantially as described.
2. My improved skimmer substantially as described and represented in the annexed
drawings.
CARPMAEL & CO.,
Agents for the Applicant.