Improvements relating to Brewers' and Distillers' Fermenting Vessels and Yeast Receivers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 1st July, 189! -Accepted, 1st Aug., 1891
Improvements relating to Brewers' and Distillers' Fermenting
Vessels and Yeast Receivers.
We, RICILARD HOWARD LEAKER, of Montague Villa, Kingsdown Parade, in
the City and County of Bristol, Engineer, and JAMES HENRY HOWELL, of Castle
Green, Bristol, aforesaid, Brewers' Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to vessels employed at the fermentation stage, in. the
processes of brewing, distilling and the like.
In order to simplify description it will be convenient to set forth,, firstly, the,
invention as applied in fermentation in the process of brewing ale, porter and like,
liquors.
According to this invention the yeast developed in the fermenting vessel, is
received in a separate vessel suspended and partially immersed in the liquid con-
tained in the fermenting vessel, which liquid is commonly known as "gyle." The
yeast receiver is of copper or other suitable material and is connected at the top to..
the chains of a crane, winch or like appliance whereby the said vessel may be
readily raised and lowered at will. The receiver is furnished at the centre with a
tube or throat open at both ends, and through this tube and also over the edges or
sides of the receiver flows the yeast as it works up in the fermenting vessel. The
barrel of the wort circulating pump passes through the central tube aforesaid of
the yeast receiver. The wort raised up by the pump is delivered on to a convex
or flat plate by which it is distributed in the usual way as it descends into the
yeast receiver. At intervals, after pumping, the receiver is drawn up out of the
fermenting liquid for the purpose of returning to the fermenting vessel the pumped
up liquid, which is effected through a suitable valve. By another valve in the
receiver the yeast is drawn off, which inay be done direct into a yeast back, so that
dipping it out or draining it through a yeast plug is obviated. The receiver, being
adjustable, is raised or lowered to the requisité height in the gyle in the fermenting
vessel and, consequently, the wort may be mashed to variable "copper lengths" or
quantities without such close regard as hitherto being necessary to the quantity of
wort, inasmuch as the receiver is, as aforesaid, adjusted to the required height so.
that yeast is delivered into it almost at the level of the upper edges of the receiver.
Accordingly, the wort is effectually cleansed and does not require to be skimmed.
The adjustable receiver, serves also as a cover for the fermenting vessel, and
prevents the greater portion of the surface of the gyle coming in contact with
atmospheric air. It is applicable to various forms of fermenting vessels such as
"Yorkshire and other squares" and rounds and the like. o
In adapting this invention for use in distilling spirits, making vinegar, and in
like or analogous processes, the arrangement is substantially the same as that above
described in relation to brewing ale, porter and the like.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1890
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol Bank Buildings, Bristol, Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Brewers' and Distillers' Fermenting
Vessels and Yeast Receivers.
We, RICHARD HOWARD LEAKER, of Montague Villa, Kingsdown Parade, in
the City and County of Bristol, Engineer, and JAMES HENRY HOWELL, of Castle
Green, Bristol, aforesaid, Brewers' Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to vessels employed at the fermentation stage in the
processes of brewing, distilling and the like.
In order to simplify description it will be convenient to set forth, firstly, the
invention as applied in fermentation in the processes of brewing ale, porter and like
liquors. According to this invention the yeast developed in the fermenting vessel
is received in a separate vessel suspended and partially immersed in the liquid
contained in the fermenting vessel, which liquid is commonly known as "gyle."
The yeast receiver is of copper or other suitable material and is connected at the
top to the chains of a crane, winch or like appliance whereby the said vessel may
be readily raised and lowered at will. The receiver is furnished at the centre with
a tube or throat open at both ends, and through this tube and also over the edges
or sides of the receiver flows the yeast as it works up in the fermenting vessel.
The barrel of the wort-circulating pump passes through the central tube aforesaid
of the yeast receiver. The wort raised up by the pump is delivered on to a convex
or flat plate by which it is distributed in the usual way as it descends into the yeast
receiver. At intervals, after pumping, the receiver is drawn up out of the
fermenting liquid for the purpose of returning to the fermenting vessel the pumped
up liquid, which is effected through a suitable valve. By another valve in the
receiver the yeast is drawn off, which may be done direct into a yeast back, so that
dipping it out or draining it through a yeast plug is obviated.
Fig. 1 in the accompanying sheets of drawings represents a vertical section of a
fermenting vessel a such as is commonly used by brewers in brewing malt liquors.
Within the vessel a and suspended by ropes or chains 6 connected to a winch or
windlass e is a yeast receiver d. This receiver, which is preferably constructed of
copper, approximates in shape in the example illustrated to an inverted funnel.
At Fig. 2 it is represented in plan. The receiver d when in use in the fermenting
vessel a is lowered into the latter and thus partially immersed in the "gyle." The
yeast, as it works up," overflows into the receiver d both over the sides thereof
and through the throat e. Supported by stays in the throat e of the receiver d
is the barrel g of a wort-circulating pump carrying towards the top a plate or
disc h. The wort raised by the pump from the vessel a is discharged on to the
upper face of the plate hand thus distributed in the usual way as it descends into
the yeast receiver. At intervals, after pumping, the receiver is drawn up out of the
gyle in the vessel a so that the gyle pumped into the receiver may be returned to
the vessel a. This return of gyle is effected by opening the valve i through the
medium of the hand wheel and spindle k, the valve controlling communication
with the gyle return pipe p.
At one side of the vessel a, as seen more particularly in the section Fig. 3, is a
door guarding an aperture made in the side of the vessel. Through this aperture
the yeast is drawn off at intervals, the door being raised for the purpose by means
of the hand-wheel m and spindle n. This arrangement enables the yeast to be
drawn off direct into a yeast back, so that dipping the yeast out or draining it
through a yeast plug are obviated.
The receiver d, being adjustable, is raised or lowered to the requisite height in the
gyle in the fermenting vessel and, consequently, the wort may be mashed to variable
copper lengths" or quantities without such close regard as hitherto being necessary
"

page_text: to the quantity of wort, inasmuch as the receiver is, as aforesaid, adjusted to the
required height so that yeast is delivered into it almost at the level of the upper
edges of the receiver. Accordingly, the wort is effectually cleansed and does not
require to be skimmed. The adjustable receiver, serves also as a cover for the
fermenting vessel, and prevents the greater portion of the surface of the gyle
coming in contact with atmospheric air. It is applicable to various forms of
fermenting vessels such as "Yorkshire" and other squares and rounds and
the like.
In adapting this invention for use in distilling spirits, making vinegar, and in like
or analogous processes, the arrangement is substantially the same as that above
described in relation to brewing ale, porter and the like.
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 :-
In brewing ale and other malt liquors, in distilling and in like processes, the
employment for collecting the yeast, as it works up in the fermenting vessel, of a
receiver such as d adjustably suspended over the fermenting vessel and partially
immersed in the fermenting liquid and having a central throat or passage such as e
through which is passed the barrel of a wort-circulating pump fixed in the throat
or passage, the said yeast receiver being fitted with a valve such as i and tube
P for
returning to the fermenting vessel fermenting liquid pumped into the yeast receiver,
and with an outlet governed by a sluice or door such as for drawing off the yeast,
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying sheets
of illustrative drawings.
Dated this 26th day of June 1801
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol Bank Buildings, Bristol, Agent.