Improvements in Apparatus for Raising or Forcing Beer or other Liquids.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 11th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Raising or Forcing Beer or other
Liquids.
I, WILLIAM FLEMING of 269 Duke Street, Glasgow in the County of Lanark,
Plumber and Gasfitter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for raising or forcing beer or other
liquids and it has for its object to so construct such apparatus that whilst having fewer
working parts, as compared with apparatus of this class heretofore in use, an equal if
not greater efficiency in the working is obtained.
The present improvements are in connection with that class of liquid raising or
forcing apparatus wherein a tank supplied with water from the main or other source
of supply is used to pump air into the barrels or other vessels containing the liquid to
be forced; and, wherein the inlet and outflow of the water to and from the tank is
controlled by a float and throwing lever or "kicker."
In my present apparatus for raising or forcing liquids, the water inlet is situated at
the side of the tank or box and is connected by a short pipe connection to a valve for
controlling the water inlet and outflow. This valve is operated by a float and kicker
mechanism and so that when the float rises in the tank the water supply, on the
weighted lever or kicker being thrown over, is cut off. On the float again sinking
the kicker is thrown back and the water supply turned on. This valve has its inlet
and exhaust at opposite sides. In connection with this valve is fitted another valve
consisting of a valve casing having working in it a long spindle or piston valve. The
upper end of the valve has a washer on it which closes against the top of the valve
casing whilst the lower end has a cup leather and ground part which constitutes the
valve proper. Connected to the top of the valve is a weighted lever fulcrumed on a
bracket cast on the valve casing. The exhaust from the valve is at the side. This
auxiliary valve serves as the outlet valve of the apparatus. Its action is such that
when the weighted lever or "kicker "falls over in one direction and so operates the
main valve as to allow the water to pass straight through to the auxiliary valve, the
pressure lifts the valve against the action of the weight and allows the water in
the tank to run off. When the "kicker "falls over in the opposite direction the
auxiliary valve closes and at the same time water passes from the main valve into
the cistern or tank.
The air inlet valve of the apparatus is operated from this auxiliary valve by means
of a small rod or its equivalent which is connected to a ring or collar sliding on the
outside of the valve casing and rests upon the weighted lever of the auxiliary valve.
The air inlet valve may be of any ordinary construction but is preferably made with
a piston having a broad collar or head which rests upon the top of the valve casing;
a rubber or leather washer being preferably fitted underneath the collar or head.
With this arrangement when the weighted lever of the auxiliary valve rises it forces
up the rod and with it the sliding ring or collar on the air valve casing. The ring or
collar in rising catches on the head of the valve piston and lifts it up so opening
the valve. The air valve is preferably elbow shaped and is fitted, by preference, to
the side of the tank.
1000

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Raising or Forcing Beer or other
Liquids.
I, WILLIAM FLEMING of 269 Duke Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
Plumber and Gasfitter 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for raising or forcing beer or other
liquids and it has for its object to so construct such apparatus that whilst having
fewer working parts as compared with apparatus of this class heretofore in use, an
equal if not greater efficiency in the working is obtained.
The present improvements are in connection with that class of liquid raising or
forcing apparatus wherein a tank supplied with water from the main or other source
of supply is used to pump air into the barrels or other vessels containing the liquid to
be forced; and wherein the inlet and outflow of the water to and from the tank is
controlled by a float and throwing lever or "kicker."
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon
..
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus and Fig. 2 a plan,-the lid being
removed in the latter view.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section and Fig. 4 a side view, both to an enlarged scale, of the
outlet or waste valve.
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the inlet valve to an enlarged scale.
Fig. 6 is a plan of the valve, Fig. 5, to an enlarged scale.
I will now proceed to describe the invention reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings, whereon the reference letters wherever repeated indicate similar or
like parts.
33
A is the usual tank or box, to end of which is fulcrumed the ball or float lever B..
This ball lever B has on it a pin C which works against the curved face of the "kicker
or throwing lever D. The "kicker," which is pivoted at E³ to the pillar or standard F
is, as usual, weighted at its upper end G³. The rising and falling of the float B¹ causes
the pin C to traverse the curved face of the "kicker," D, and as is usual in this class
of machine, throws it backwards and forwards. In so moving backwards and forwards
the "kicker" strikes alternately against the pins or projections E1 and E2 fitted in
the head of the lever E and causes this lever, which is fulcrumed at F¹, to the
underside of the valve G, to reciprocate so opening and closing the valve.
The present invention has reference to the construction and operation of the valves
for inlet and outflow of water to and from the tank.
In my improved apparatus the valve G is the inlet valve and the valve H the outlet
valve. The water may be led into the valve G directly from the main or other source
of water supply or it may first pass through a regulating valve 1. In the first case
the water inlet is situated at the side of the tank A as indicated in dotted lines at
Fig. 2 and is connected by means of a short pipe connection (G¹) to the valve G.
This valve consists, as shown more particularly at Figs. 5 and 6, of a casing a having
an inlet at G¹ and an outlet at G2 (see Fig. 2). The ends a¹, a² of the casing a are
open, the end a² being closed by a rubber washer a³ fitted to the spindle a4. There is
a cap a³ to keep the washer in place. The spindle a has fitted on to its other end a
cup leather a6 and it is also screwed or fitted to a solid metal guide piece a7. The
guide piece a has a slot as cut in it. Through the slot the upright lever E passes
(the lever E is shown broken off in Fig. 5) and is fulcrumed at its lower end at F¹.
The valve G is connected by the pipe G2 with the exhaust valve H. The valve H, as
seen more particularly at Figs. 3 and 4, consists of a valve casing 6 having working
in it a long spindle or piston valve. 62 is the spindle. The upper end of the valve has
a preferably rubber washer 61 on it which closes against the top of the valve casing b
whilst the lower end has a cup leather 63 and a metal guide part 64 which constitutes
the valve proper. The guide 64 is hollow and it works easy in the casing b, water
b

page_text: from the connection G2 having free passage round it up to the cup leather 6³. There
is preferably a metal disc or washer 65 fitted on the spindle 62 at the back of the
cup leather b³. The rubber washer b' at the top of the spindle 62 has a metal be
cap
over it and on this cap is fitted a jaw b' into which a weighted lever 68, fulcrumed on a
bracket be cast on the valve casing, is pinned. The exhaust from the valve is by the
branch 10 at the side.
"
The action of the valves is as follows-When the weighted lever or "kicker D is
thrown over in one direction by the rising or falling of the float B it strikes one of
the pins E or E2 and moves the lever E, pushing the valve G, if the motion is a
forward one caused by the float falling, so that it lifts the washer a³ off the end of the
casing a and allows water to pass from the connection G¹ out into the tank A and fill
it up to such a height that the float in rising strikes the pin E2, and throws back the
lever E so drawing back the valve G and closing the washer a³ against its seat formed
at the end of the casing a. The water from the connection G¹ now escapes straight
through the connection G2 to the valve H. and forces up the valve so that its washer bl
is lifted off the top of the casing b, against the action of the weight 611 and water from
the tank runs away by branch 610. The weight 611 normally keeps the valve b¹ closed
against its seat so preventing escape of water. On the "kicker" falling over again
the action is reversed the water passing into the tank through the valve G and the
exhaust through H being cut off.
Instead of allowing the water to pass directly to the valve G, as hereinbefore
described, it may first pass through an auxiliary valve I which serves as a regulator.
The valve I is of exactly the same construction as the valve G only that no outlet
corresponding to G2 is provided, the outlet being from that end of the valve which
corresponds to the outlet end of the valve G leading into the tank A. The valve I, it
will be seen, is simply the valve G fitted perpendicularly instead of horizontally to
the side of the tank A. The valve is worked by a rod J, corresponding to the lever E,
the outer end of which has hooked to it a vertical rod K which passes through a
diaphragm L fitted in a box M on top of the tank A. The rod K which, preferably,
works through a guide hole K¹ in the lid of the box M has at its upper end by
preference a small weight N which may be of such a weight as is deemed proper to
regulate the water supply. With the regulator, when the pressure of air in the tank
becomes too great, the diaphragm L is expanded outwardly and as a consequence the
rod K is pulled or lifted up so pulling the rod J and closing the valve so cutting off
water supply. On the air pressure decreasing again the rod K falls and the valve I is
opened and water supplied to the valve G.
O is the air inlet valve. It is fitted on top of a small pipe or tube 01 and has a
screwed cap 02 fitted over it. When the water falls in the tank, air is sucked in
through the pipe O¹, the valve rising off its seat at the top of the pipe. When the
water rises and the pressure in the tank becomes greater than that of the outer
atmosphere the valve closes down on its seat.
P is the air outlet to the barrel or other receptacle for the compressed air.
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. In an apparatus for raising or forcing beer or other liquids an outlet valve H
constructed and operated substantially as herein before described.
2. The combination with the outlet valve H of the inlet valve G worked by the
float mechanism, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the drawings
annexed.
3. The general arrangement and combination of parts of the improved apparatus for
raising or forcing beer or other liquids, substantially as herein before set forth.
Tato his 10th dow of Contambor 1900