CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING FERMENTABLE LIQUIDS AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1853

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION .left by Jean Antoine Gervais
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
on the 14th February 1853.
I, JEAN ANTOINE GERVAIS, of No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in
the County of Middlesex, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING FERMENTABLE
LIQUIDS AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be
as follows:-
The Invention consists in preserving and increasing in the
fermentation of vinous substances the spirituous & balsamic
principles which are drawn off by the carbonic acid gas, & in
separating from the fermentable liquids all substances deteriorating
their qualities or endangering their preservation.
To carry my Invention into operation, I use the apparatus herein-
after described.
Fig. 1, condensing apparatus. This apparatus is composed of a
large refrigerator E, E, full of water, and of a size in due proportion
with the dimensions of the parts D, D, and of the liquid to be ope
rated upon. D, D, are two flat tin (or tinned copper) sheets,
joined and soldered together, leaving between them a space of about
one tenth of an inch for the smallest, and of about two tenths of an

page_text: inch for the largest dimensions. These sheets form a worin and a
succession of inclined planes, communicating with each other. To
the upper and lower ends of D, D, a tube is placed and is connected
in the whole of its length with the inside of the planes. The lower
part of this tube communicates with the vat A, by the opening C, in
the middle of the lid B, B, which fits air-tight on the said recipient
A. The upper part F, F, of the tube extends beyond the large
refrigerator E, E, being immersed at the depth of about 7 or 8
inches in the water in the recipient G. The vacant space to be.
left in the vat A, is shewn by the dotted lines a, a. By means
of this apparatus the spirituous & balsamic principles which were
carried away during the fermentation of the liquids are condensed
and precipitated in the vat, and increase the quantity & quality
of the liquids.
Fig. 2, immersing tubes, serving to effect the combination and
concentration of the carbonic acid gas, and preventing evaporation
during the vinous fermentation of the liquid.
As soon as the contents of each pipe begin to ferment, the bent
tube a, which from the bung hole of the pipe No. 1, is immersed
into pipe No. 2, within which it transmits the carbonic acid gas
formed in the said first pipe, and the spirituous and balsamic
principles carried by this gas. These essential principles, as well as a
portion of the gas, combine with the liquid of pipe No. 2. The
remaining part of the gas, together with the produce of pipe No. 2,
are transmitted by the tube b, into the pipe No. 3, to produce the
same results, and the tube C, connects also the pipe No. 3, with the
pipe No. 4, into which it performs the same operation. Lastly, the
large tube d, leaves the pipe No. 4, to convey back the super-
abundance of gas to the pipe No. 1, so that by the intermittent
circulation of the gas, as soon as it is produced, is combined with the
liquids of the pipes, and prevents the evaporation and any other
decrease of liquids.
To assist the combination and division of the gas, each immersing
tube is terminated by a perforated ball: The large tube d, can be
dispensed with, and a small condenser adapted on pipe No. 4. To 3

page_text: facilitate the setting, the immersed tubes can be divided into
two parts.
Fig. 3, epurating apparatus: in this apparatus A, represents a
boiler set on a furnace. It is filled with water so as to form a bath.
B, B, are two flat tin or tinned copper sheets, forming a worm and
a succession of inclined planes, communicating with each other, and
in which the liquid circulates and receives instantaneously the heat
of the bath without experiencing any alteration; C, is the lid of a
boiler, to which is fixed & soldered the tube B, B; D, D, bent
tubes conducting the liquid which has gone through the
gone through the process into
pipe C; E, pipe containing the liquid to be operated upon; F, cock
which discharges the liquid which has not yet undergone the pro-
cess in the tube B, B; G, pipe receiving the liquid which has under
gone the process. H, position of the fire for heating the bath. The
liquid may also be warmed by heated sand, steam, or by fire alone,
the circulation of the liquid being determined by the degree of heat
to which it is subjected.
The effect of the epurating apparatus is to ripen & improve the
malt of liquids, to give age to new & renovate those deteriorated,
&, finally, to purify and bring to perfection all descriptions of
vinous and spirituous liquids.