Improvements in False Bottoms for Drainage Purposes, as applied to Mash-tuns, Hop-backs, and other Vessels.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1895-Accepted 12th Oct., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in False Bottoms for Drainage Purposes, as applied
to Mash-tuns, Hop-backs, and other Vessels.
We, GEORGE GORDON CAVE, of Fenny Stratford, in the County of
Buckinghamshire Brewer, and JAMES HENRY HOWELL, of Castle Green in the
City and County of Bristol, 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in the construction of false bottoms for
drainage purposes, and the application of Bame to mash-tuns, hop-backs, and other
vessels, and consists,
Firstly Of the employment of aluminium in the manufacture of hollow cups or
chambers having apertures or openings in the bottoms thereof, through which the
drainage is effected when these are fixed in suitable apertures in the said false.
bottom, the object of this portion of our invention being that the said straining
apertures do not become blocked or corroded, as obtains when perforated copper is
used as a straining medium as hitherto, thus preventing the contamination of the
liquid hitherto experienced, when the necessary frequent cleansing. of such
perforated copper was neglected, and we find in practice that a great saving of:
time and labour is effected in the use of said aluminium by reason of this requiring.
to be cleansed less frequently, and the quickness and ease by which the same may
be cleaned when necessary,
Secondly Of the formation of any number of preferably radial slots or slits in>
the bottoms of said aluminium cups or chambers as the straining medium, instead
of holes or circular perforations as hitherto, the object of these being to provide a.
larger or more extended passage for the liquid being strained, without coarsening.
or increasing the diameter of the straining medium whatever.
Thirdly Of improvements in the formation and fixation of said cups or
chambers, and the apertures in the plate or plates, (constituting the said false
bottoms), for the reception of same, the objects of this portion of our invention
being (a) a saving of material in the manufacture of said cups or chambers (b) that
they are more quickly fixed in the said apertures (c) are less liable to rupture and
displacement when in use, and (d) by reason of the formation of these, and the
apertures for their reception, less resistance is offered to the strained liquor after
passing through the before mentioned slits or slots.
In order that our said invention and the manner in which we prefer to carry the
same into effect may be fully and clearly understood, we have hereunto appended a
sheet of drawings, of which,
Fig. 1 is a section of one of said false bottoms or plates, or a segment of same,
illustrating the preferable formation of the holes or apertures therein for the
reception of the said aluminium cups or chambers.
Fig. 2 is a like section showing the manner in which the said cups or chambers
are first inserted therein, while Fig. 3 shows the manner of fixing the same.
Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating an alternative formation of
the apertures in said false bottom, while Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the insertion and
fixation respectively of the cups or chambers therein.
Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion of said plate or false bottom, or a segment of
same, with the cups or chambers in position therein.

page_text: Fig. 8 is a plan-view of a portion of said false bottom, drawn to a reduced scale,
illustrating the position in which we prefer to locate the said cups or chambers,
when the said false bottom is made up of segments, or sectors of a circle.
By one method of construction according to our invention, and illustrated by
Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 7, we form in the false bottom, or the segments of a false
bottom A (which may be of cast iron or other suitable metal, stone or other like
ware, or other material according to the uses for which it is intended) any number
of apertures B, the upper portion a of each of which we prefer shall be splayed or
bevelled for half its depth or thereabouts, while the lower portion 6 has parallel
sides, and is of larger diameter than a, and into each of said apertures we place an
inverted aluminium cup or chamber C, splayed or bevelled for a certain portion of
its depth that this may fit evenly and closely within the portion a, as shewn in
Fig. 2, the bottom or block end of each of said chambers having therein any
number of fine slits or slots c (shewn more clearly in Fig. 7) which may be disposed
in any manner desired but preferably radiating from the centre of same as shewn.
The mouth of each of said cups or chambers C, extends downward for a suitable
distance into the portion b of the apertures B, as shewn in Fig. 2, when, by
inserting a splay posed punch or other suitable tool into the said mouths of C, the
edges of these would be forced outwardly so as to turn up and form a ring
occupying the upper portion or roof of the recess b, as shewn in Fig. 3, and by this
means the said cups or chambers would be firmly fixed in position and by reason of
the lower portion of B, being of larger diameter than the now mouth of C, the
wort or other liquid passing through the slits or slots c would fall directly into the
space below A, into the tun, back or other vessel to which A forms a false
bottom.
In Fig. 4 we illustrate an alternative method of forming the apertures B in
which both the upper portion a, and the lower portion b are more or less splayed or
bevelled, while Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the insertion and fixation of the cups or
chambers C therein, the latter being effected by the insertion of a punch, or other
suitable tool as in the case of Fig. 3. This method may necessitate that the mouth
or parallel portion of C be slightly deeper than in the method Fig. 2, as illustrated
by Fig. 5, in order to occupy the portion of B as shewn in Fig. 6.
We e reserve to
ourselves the right to employ the method of construction illustrated by Figs. 4, 5,
and 6, but we prefer to use that illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, and 3, but in either
method the upper surface of the said false bottom would appear as at Fig. 7.
We may soir etimes find it convenient or desirable to construct the said false
bottoms in segments or sectors of a circle, each of which may be of such length as
to extend from the centre to the periphery of said plate or false bottom, or we may
arrange these to consist of two or more concentric rows or circles, each composed
of any number of segments, in which the said cups or chambers C, and the
apertures B therefor, may be arranged in any manner desired, but preferably as at
Fig. 8, or approximately so.
Our said improvements generally, and more especially the aluminium cups or
chambers C, are also applicable for use in the slate or glazed stone or earthenware
tanks of acids and other baths, or other tanks or chambers used for containing and
straining liquids, in which case the whole or segmental false bottom A, may be
made of similar ware or other material impervious to acid, and the cups or
chambers C, in lieu of or in addition to be pressed into position in the apertures B,
may be fixed by the use of suitable cement.
We are aware that perforated false bottoms for mash-tuns, hop-backs and other
vessels have been known and used prior to our invention, but we are not aware,
and do not believe, that prior to our said invention, these have ever been
constructed where the straining medium consisted of aluminium cups or chambers
such as C, having therein slots or slits such as c, and arranged to fit into apertures
formed as at B in Figs. 1 and 4 in the false bottom A, nor possessing the
advantages which we claim for our said invention, therefore,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1st. The employment of aluminium in the construction of straining surfaces for
the false bottoms of mash-tuns hop-backs, acid and other baths and other vessels
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and shewn.
2nd. In the construction of false bottoms for mash-tuns, hop-backs and other
vessels, for straining the wort or other liquid contents of same. the construction,
use, and application of aluminium cups or chambers such as C, having in their
bottoms any number of slits or slots such as c, and the manner of fixing said cups
or chambers as illustrated by Figs. 3 and 6, within apertures or holes such as B,
a b in Figs. 1 and 4, formed in a plate or false bottom such as A, in one piece, or
in segments as at Fig. 8, the whole connected, combined and operating substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 9th day of August 1895.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.