IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Keevil, of Lacock, Chippenham, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
"
Sealed the 26th October 1855, and dated the 21st June 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said, Richard Keevil at the
. Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
June 1855.
I, RICHARD KEEVIL, of Lacock, Chippenham; do hereby declare the nature
of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VESSELS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OP
CHEESE" to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of cheese it has usually been the practice of separating
the whey from the curd by means of hand strainers, which not only takes
much time, but also is liable to take away more than the whey.
Now, my Invention consists of making such vessels with fixed strainers at
the side or bottom, or both. It is, however, preferred to have the strainers
formed at the sides of such vessels, with cocks or taps to draw off the whey;
by such means, the whey and curd may be stirred from time to time, and left
during the time of the running off of the whey.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Keevil, Her special licence that I; the said Richard Keevil,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Richard Keevil, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VESSELS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHEESE," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Richard Keevil, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the saine to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Keevil, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):
"
In the manufacture of cheese it has usually been the practice of separating
the whey of the curd by means of hand strainers, which not only takes much
time, but also is liable to take away more than the whey.
Now, my Invention consists of making such vessels with fixed strainers at
the side or bottom, or both. It is, however, preferred to have the strainers
formed at the sides of such vessels, with cocks or taps to draw off the whey;
by such means the whey and curd may be stirred from time to time, and left
during the time of the running off of the whey.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more fully the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the vessel or apparatus, having a
strainer on one side, which is the arrangement I prefer; and it has therein
horizontal knives and vertical knives for cutting the curd. Figure 2 shows a 3
perspective view of the vessel or apparatus when employing a presser plate
therein; Figures 3 and 4 show respectively sections of Figures 1 and 2, but
on a smaller scale. The vessel is preferred to be cylindrical, and of metal, but

page_text: such is not essentially the case. On one side, at D, there is an opening nearly
from top to bottom of the vessel, in which a frame covered with wire cloth or
perforated metal; this frame D is made capable of being slided into and out
of its place for the convenience of cleaning. I prefer this arrangement of
vessel and strainer, but the position and form of the strainer may be varied.
E is a plug, which fits the interior of the chamber J, so as to cover the strainer
D, and prevent fluid passing when desired. When the plug is lifted, the
whey flows into the chamber J, and is drawn off by the cock M. In order to
facilitate the use of cutters, and also of a presser, provision is made for fixing
a bar across the vessel; and when the cutters are to be used, the bar C is fixed
as shewn in Figure 1, carrying an upright shaft with vertical and horizontal
frames of blades A, A, to which motion is given by the crank handle B. When
a presser. F is to be used, the bar, shown in Figure 2, is fixed in position as
shown, and, by means of the screw and handles H, pressure is made by the
plate F, through which there are openings covered with strainers of wire cloth
or perforated metal I for the passage of air and whey. The middle part of
this plate is made with a hollow channel, so as to conduct the whey to the
chamber J. The apparatus above described is placed on a stand L, which
moves on axes on the platform K, so as to allow of the vessel being tilted, as
shown at Figure 4.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to any
of the parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the details; but what I
claim is, the making vessels used in the manufacture of cheese with strainers,
as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Keevil, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
WILLIAM BARNES,
of Trowbridge, Wilts.
RICHARD KEEVIL. (L.S.)