IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF DRIED YEAST AND IN PURIFYING AND REMOVING THE BITTER TASTE FROM THE YEAST OF PORTER, ALE, AND BEEB, AND IN Apparatus TO BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Ellis, of No. 4, Tranquilla Terrace,
Fulham Road, Hammersmith, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF DRIED YEAST AND
IN PURIFYING AND REMOVING THE BITTER TASTE FROM THE YEAST OF PORTER,
ALE, AND BEEB, AND IN Apparatus TO BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE.”
Sealed the 12th March 1875, and dated the 8th January 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Ellis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th January 1875.
I, THOMAS ELLIS, of No. 4, Tranquilla Terrace, Fulham Road,
Hammersmith, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF DRIED
YEAST AND IN PURIFYING AND REMOVING THE BITTER TASTE FROM THE YEAST OF
PORTER, ALE, AND BEER, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE," to
be as follows:—
For the purpose of purifying and removing the bitter taste from the
yeasts of porter, ale, and beer I employ animal charcoal in the manner
herein-after described.

page_text: The use of charcoal, especially animal charcoal in purifying the yeasts
of porter, ale, and beer, and depriving them of their bitter taste is not
now; but the methods by which it has hitherto been applied have not
been attended with any commercial benefit, owing principally to the
difficulty of bringing the yeast into contact with the charcoal and
subsequently removing it therefrom. Now I have discovered certain
methods by which these objects can be successfully accomplished as
follows:-I dilute one portion of the yeast of any porter, ale, or beer, or
of any mixture of said yeasts with about twice its bulk of water (the
exact proportion of water and yeast is not material), thoroughly blending
them together. This mixing may be done by a mechanical agitator in
a tub worked by hand, steam, or any other motive power, or by hand by
means of wooden stirrers, or in a variety of ways. I then pass this
mixture into a vessel filled with charcoal called the charcoal bath.
The charcoal bath may be made of wood or any other suitable
material and of any size or shape most convenient, being however
arranged or mounted or hung in such a manner that it can bo casily
reversed or made to revolvc. I find the most convenient form for this
bath is a square box not too deep, and mounted on a stout frame by
means of an axle projecting from the centre of the bath; and firmly
attached to either side thereof by means of iron bars carried down and
under the said bath from one side to the other as well as to the top thereof,
and also from the axle on either side to cither corner of said bath and
firmly bolted throughout, so that the bath shall bo firmly held no mattor in
what position it may be placed, and I make this bath revolve as required
by means of a wheel and pinion, the wheel being attached to the side of
the box. The charcoal after being freed from its dust by washing is
then placed in the bath, completely filling it, in such a manner that it
shall not shift when the bath is reversed or made to revolve. Or tho
charcoal may be laid in the bath in layers of half a foot or so deep (the
exact depth of these layers is not material), cach layer being secured
and held down by firmly fixing over it a frame fitting closely to the
inside of the bath, and into which one or more slicets of stout copper
gauze or other suitable material, through which the mixture can flow,
but sufficiently fine in the mesh to prevent the charcoal passing through
have been fitted. Theso frames should press down firmly on the
charcoal and be wedged or otherwise fastened to the sides of tho bath in
such a manner that cach shall when tho vessel has been reversed or

page_text: made to rotate be able to support the layer of charcoal which will then
be above it; but said wedges or other fastenings should be so arranged
that they may be easily withdrawn when the charcoal has to be removed'
from said bath. The charcoal bath being thus packed the mixture of
yeast and water is then filled in and the top firmly secured. This may
be done either by fastening down thereon a solid lid secured in such a
manner that the mixture of yeast and water shall not be able to escapo
when the bath is reversed or made to rotate, the said fastenings to be
of such a character that the lid may be easily opened from time to time
as required; in this case the discharge tap should be fixed into the
bath close under the lid, or the top of the bath may be secured by
fastening across it one or more strong bars of wood or iron or other
suitable material, in which case no discharge tap will be required, as the
discharge will thus be made direct from the entire surface of the top of
the bath when it is reversed. When this plan is adopted it is necessary
to arrange a large tank in connection with the bath placed in such a
manner that it shall receive the mixture of yeast and water when
discharged from the bath, and it will be advisable that the top of
the bath should project slightly in the form of a lip so as to cast
the yeast and water cleanly into said tank when the bath has been
reversed.
It will be found convenient to have a small tap inserted into the
charcoal bath towards the bottom in order that some of the mixture may
bo drawn off from time to timo to ascertain whether the bittor has been
sufficiently extracted from the yeast.
If the yeast is not first class, firm, and well granulated, it will be
desirable to make the bath revolve from time to time to prevent the
ycast adhering too firmly to the charcoal, in which case the solid top will
have to be fixed on the bath, as before described; but otherwise the
bath may be allowed to remain at rest in the same position as when the
mixture of yeast and water was filled in reversing that position when the
yeast and water is to be discharged from the bath; or the charcoal bath
may be constructed so as not to revolve, but be so arranged, or hung, or
supported, or otherwise mounted, that either end, or either side thereof,
may be elevated or depressed at pleasure. But it will not bo necessary
that both the ends and the sides of the samo bath should-be capable of
being elevated and depressed, it being sufficient that the motion shall bo
from side to side, or from end to end. This bath I make longer and

page_text: broader, and not so deep in proportion as that already described. It
does not require a cover of any sort, and I find it convenient to mount
it on a stout frame and support it thereon by an axle placed at the centre
of the bath, and passing under the bottom of the same from side to side,
being securely braced thereto, and on which axle the bath works by
means of a worm and wheel working a rack and pinion, the worm
working into the wheel which drives a small pinion on shaft that lifts or
depresses the rack fixed to the bath as desired; this I place towards
one of the ends of the bath, and by means of it either end of the bath
can be elevated or depressed at pleasure.
°
In order to prevent the charcoal shifting when the ends of the bath
are elevated or depressed I place frames across the bath from side to side
along its entire length at about half a foot or so from each other. Into
these frames stout copper gauze or other suitable material, as already
described, are let in. And the frames are made to slide down into
grooves cut into the sides and bottom of the bath, or the said frames may
be otherwise firmly secured in their positions, but in such a way that
they may from time to time, as required, be easily removed therefrom.
When the said frames have been placed in position I put the charcoal
firmly between them. From the manner in which this bath is worked
it can only be partially filled with the mixture of yeast and water.
The mixture may be kept in agitation in the bath by occasionally
elevating and depressing the ends, but if the yeast be good, as already
described, the bath may be allowed to remain stationary. In this case
the end farthest from the discharge tap should be the one depressed.
The mixture should remain in contact with the charcoal in this bath,
as well as the other one already described, until its color is a light fawn,
and the taste is like milk and water, with an entire absence of any
unpleasant flavour. This period will vary according to the bitterness of
the yeast and the quality of the charcoal. On its being found that the
bitter taste has been extracted the position of the bath should be reversed
by depressing the end opposite to that in which the mixture has been
allowed to remain at rest and the said mixture at once drawn off.
Immediately after each charge of yeast and water has been drawn off
from either of said charcoal baths, the charcoal therein should be
thoroughly freed from any yeast that may have remained (if any) adhering
thereto by washing out the bath with pure water previously to the next
charge of yeast and water being passed into it, and which water may be

page_text: made to play on and through the charcoal in said bath from a pipe or
flexible hose suspended above the bath, or otherwise, as may be most
convenient.
The next part of my Invention relates to drying yeasts to preserve
their fermentative power. I find that by simply drying yeast thoroughly
the process of decay is arrested, and the fermentative power of the yeast
fixed and retained for a very considerable period. And further that the
process of decay and loss of fermentative power proceeds with more or
less rapidity until the moment when the yeast is perfectly freed from
all moisture, and consequently that the more rapidly the yeast is so
deprived of all moisture after it is taken off the wash tub of the distiller
or the vat of the brewer the higher will be its fermentative power, pro-
vided that the yeast be not injured in the process of drying. The object
of my Invention is therefore to separate yeast as quickly as possible from
all liquor in which it was contained and reduce it to a perfectly dry
condition. For this purpose I take the yeast of any beer, ale, or porter,
or any combination of the same, after it has been deprived of its bitter
taste by the process above described, or by any other process, or without
being so treated, or the top yeast produced in spent distillation, either as
it comes off the wash, or after having been purified with water, or treated
in any other manner not destructive to its fermentative power, and pump
it direct or otherwise fill it into filter bags supported within strong frames,
as in the yeast press known as Needham and Kite's, or fill it into any other
filter now in general use in breweries to separato beer, ale, or porter from
yeast; and when the yeast has been thereby deprived of a portion of the
liquor mixed with it and partially solidified I at once place the partially
solidified yeast so obtained in woolen bags of other suitable material, or
between woolen or other cloths, and submit the same to considerable
pressure in an hydraulic or other powerful press, whereby the yeast is
almost entirely deprived of moisture. The cakes of yeast so obtained are
then broken up and spread upon shelves to dry by evaporation until the
yeast has been completely deprived of all moisture, keeping up a
moderate degree of heat during the process.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Ellis in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th July 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ELLIS, of No. 4, Tranquilla Terrace, Fulham Road, Hammersmith, in
the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Ellis, Her special license,
that I, the said Thomas Ellis, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Ellis, 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
THE PREPARATION OF DRIED YEAST AND IN PURIFYING AND REMOVING THE BITTER
TASTE FROM THE YEAST OF PORTER, ALE, AND BEER, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE
USED FOR THIS PURPOSE," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Thomas Ellis, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent

page_text: The use of charcoal, especially animal charcoal, in purifying the yeasts
of porter, ale, and beer, and depriving them of their bitter taste is not
new, but the methods by which it has hitherto been applied have not
been attended with any commercial benefit, and have been abandoned
owing principally to the difficulty of bringing the yeast into contact
with the charcoal, and subsequently removing it therefrom. Now I
have discovered certain methods by which these objects can be success-
fully accomplished. I diluto one portion of the yeast of any porter, ale,
or beer, or any mixture of said yeasts, with about twice its bulk of
water (the exact proportion of water and yeast is not material) thoroughly
blending them together. This mixing may be done by a mechanical
agitator in a tub worked by hand, steam, or any other motive power, or
by hand by means of wooden stirrers, or in a variety of ways, or previously
to the yeast being thus mixed with water for the purpose of being
treated with charcoal, as hereafter described, it may for the purpose of
freeing it somewhat from the beer, ale, or porter mixed therewith be
mixed with water, and then separated therefrom by means of the yeast
press known as Needham and Kite's, or by any other press now used in
breweries for separating beer from yeast, or the yeast may be allowed to
settle, and the supernatant fluid then drawn off, when the yeast may be
again mixed with the water, as already. described, and treated as
follows:-I pass the mixture of yeast and water into a vessel nearly
filled with charcoal (preferring animal charcoal) called the charcoal
bath. This bath may be made of wood or any other suitable material,
and of any size or shape most convenient. I find the most convenient
shapes for this bath are a square or an oblong not too deep, but I prefer
the oblong. The bath should be well braced and secured with iron rods
or other suitable material. It may have a solid bottom forming part of
the bath, or this bottom may be moveable, and it may be fitted with or
) without a solid lid, as well as with frames or boxes as hereafter
described.
.
The bath, or it might be a framework within it, I mount in such
manner that it may either be revolved, or its ends or sides elevated or
depressed at pleasure. This may be effected in a great variety of ways,

page_text: .
•
and firmly bolted or otherwise secured thereto in such a manner that
the bath shall be firmly supported or suspended thereby, no matter in
what position it may be placed in working, or the ends or the sides of
the bath may be so constructed that the axles shall be parts of the bath,
and not merely attached to it, but I prefer the axles being attached to
the ends of the bath, as already described.
The axles may work in sockets or grooves or on bearings secured to or
forming parts of the before-mentioned frame, stand, or other support of
the bath, or the above arrangement may be reversed, and the axles may
be attached to the frame, stand, or other support of the bath, and work
'in sockets attached to or forming part of the bath, or the bath may be
mounted, or hung, or suspended in any other way that will admit of its
'being easily reversed or made to revolve. Motion may be given to the
bath by means of a worm and wheel, the wheel being fixed on a spindle
attached to the end of the bath, and the worm fixed in bearings on
another spindle on the stand, frame, or other support of the bath, and
handles or a wheel attached to the end thercof. This is a safe and
effectual method for reversing the bath or making it revolve, and the
one I prefer ; but this can also be done by means of a wheel and pinion,
the wheel being fixed to a spindle on the bath, and the pinion fixed to a
spindle in bearings on the frame, stand, or other support of the bath,
and handles or a wheel attached to the last named spindle, or by endless
ropes or chains passed once or oftener round barrels or spindles pro-
jecting from each end of the bath, and then once or oftener round a
barrel or drum overhead. The charcoal, after being freed from its dust
by washing or otherwise, may be placed in this bath, filling it nearly to
the top, and packed as tightly as possible, and upon the charcoal may
then be placed a strong frame of wood or other suitable material, which
may be strengthened by cross stays of wood or any suitable material
dovetailed therein, and into the spaces in the frame stout copper gauze
or other suitable material, through which the yeast and water can freely
flow, but through which the charcoal cannot escape when the bath is
made to revolve have been fixed. This frame should be pressed down
tightly upon the charcoal, and may be secured thereon by cross pieces
or stays of timber, which will extend from side to side of the bath, and a
may be pressed into slots cut into the sides thereof parallel to the top.
The slots on each side of the bath may face in a different direction so
that the cross pieces or stays may be pressed into them by a scrow

page_text: :
motion, and these cross pieces or stays may be further secured in said
slots by loose pins dropped into eyes attached to the inside of the bath
and projecting therefrom..
..
When the moveable solid lid hereafter described is used the inside of
3 said lid may touch the cross pieces or stays already mentioned, but when
the solid lid is not used then other arrangements of these oross pieces or
stays, which will readily suggest themselves, may be adopted, but the
following plan will be found effectual, namely:-Two or more cross
pieces or stays, which will extend from end to end of the bath, may be
·laid on the before-mentioned frame, and then other cross pieces or stays
(say four) may be laid upon the before-mentioned cross pieces from side
to side of the bath, and secured in their position by locking pieces of
iron or other suitable metal attached to the sides, preferring the outer
sides of the bath. The said locking pieces may face different ways on
each side of the bath, so that the cross pieces may be pressed
into them by a screw motion; but owing to the difficulty of
packing charcoal in large quantities so that it cannot shift when
the bath revolves, except when supported as hereafter described, I do
not recommend the above method of packing charcoal in this
description of bath, except for small ones. Or the charcoal may be
packed in this bath in layers, and cach layer may be about half a foot
deep or so, each layer being firmly pressed down, and secured by a frame
such as already described (and which for the convenience of packing
when the bath is large may be divided into two or more sections) being
placed over it. This frame or sections of a frame should be wedged
-down to the sides and ends of the bath, or otherwise secured, but these
wedges or other fastenings should be so arranged that they may be easily.
removed as required. And partitions of wood or other suitable material
about half a foot deep or so, but of the full depth of the layer of charcoal,
and extending from end to end of the bath at about half a foot or so
from each other, may be let down into grooves, and fastened therein by
wedges, or otherwise secured to each end of the bath. A set of these
partitions are first to be let down into the bath and secured, then tho
charcoal is to be firmly packed between them, then the frame or sections
of the frame must be firmly pressed down upon the charcoal, and secured
as already described, and so on until the bath is filled. Or the charcoal
may be packed in frames or boxes of wood or other suitable material,
the bottoms of which may; be made of stout copper gauze or other

page_text: suitable material. These boxes or frames, except those used in the last
row when filling in the bath, need not have tops or lids, and the tops or
lids of these last-named boxes may also be of the same material as that
already referred to as suitable for the bottoms. These boxes or frames
may be about six inches or so deep and of the width of the bath inside,
and may be divided from end to end by partitions of wood or other
suitable material the same depth as the box or frame, and about six
inches or so apart, said partitions being securely fastened to each end of
the said box or frame, and these boxes or frames should be of such a
length that one or more of them together shall be of the same length as
the inside of the bath, but for the convenience of moving these boxes or
frames should be divided so that two or more of them on end shall be
of the same length as the inside of the bath. A layer of these boxes or
frames may be placed in the bath, and packed as full as they will hold
with charcoal; then another layer may be similarly treated, and so on
until the bath is completely filled up to the before-described slots, the
last row of said boxes having the before-described lids placed on them,
and secured as already explained. The moveable solid lid, which as
well as the moveablo solid bottom, may be made of wood or other
suitable material, and if of wood of considerable thickness, may be
clamped at the ends with wood, as well as have cross pieces of wood
dovetailed into it from side to side, or be otherwise secured from warping,
and may also have at or near cach corner rings on plates let into the
wood, by means of which the said lid or bottom may be lifted. And the
said solid moveable lid or bottom when used may be fastened to the
bath by cross pieces or stays of timber extending from side to side, and
secured in position by locking pieces of iron or other suitable metal
fixed to the sides of the bath, as already described, and these cross pieces
or stays for better security may be made to travel up wedges placed
upon the lid at each side or fixed to the outside of the sides of the bath
on brackets, and immediately in advance of and extending past the
locking pieces when the lid or bottom, as the case may be, is in position.
And these wedges may be sliding wedges fixed by slots or otherwise, or
they may not be fixed to the bath; or the solid top or bottom may be
secured in position by screws or otherwise, and the better to prevent leakage
a bed of india-rubber, or other elastic substance may be fastened on the
sides and ends of the lid or bottom where it touches the bath, or the
india-rubber or other elastic substance may be fixed on the bath where
the lid or bottom touches it when in position. In baths where

page_text: the moveable bottom is used a ledge or other projection should
project from the inside of the bath close to the bottom on which the
frames or the boxes or frames already described may rest, so that when
the. bottom is removed there shall still be a firm support for the said
frames and boxes or frames and the charcoal, and a groove may be cut
into the moveable bottom or otherwise formed round the edge of same,
into which the bottom of said ledge or other projection may fit, so that
the inside of the moveable bottom may touch the copper gauze of the
frame or sections of a frame, or the bottom of the boxes or frames resting
upon said ledge or other projection.
When baths with solid lids are used the dischargo tap may bo placed
immediately under the lid and flush with the inside of it, so that through
it the bath may be completely emptied of the yeast and water when
required, the bath being reversed for that purpose; but in baths where the
solid lid is not used the discharge may be made from the entire surface of
the top of the bath, the bath being also reversed for this purpose. In this
case a tank may be arranged underneath the bath, and projecting a littlo
on either side beyond the side of the bath, over which projection a solid
lid may fold down (by preference) towards the bath on each side, on
which those engaged in charging the bath can stand, and which, when
the bath is to be emptied, may be opened and supported by brackets in
such a position that the lids will act as splash boards to prevent the
yeast and water escaping, and the top of the bath may project slightly
in the form of a lip on either side, so as to cast the yeast and water well
into the tank underneath, or this lip may be dispensed with.
It will be found convenient in baths where the solid top is not used
to have a tap inserted into the bath towards the bottom in order that
some of the mixture may be drawn off from time to time to ascertain
whether the bitter has been extracted from the yeast. And in baths
having solid bottoms, a tap flush with the bottom will occasionally be
found convenient to assist in cleaning them.
.
The bath being charged with charcoal, as above described, may be
filled with a mixture of yeast and water, having been first, however,
freed from any dust given off from the charcoal in packing the same in
the bath by pouring fresh water over the charcoal until it comes away
clear and bright

page_text: yeast adhering too firmly to the charcoal, in which case tho solid top
will have to be fixed on the bath, as before described. But otherwise,
the bath may be allowed to remain at rest in the same position as when
the mixture of yeast and water was filled in, reversing that position
when the yeast and water is to be discharged from the bath. Or the
before-mentioned boxes or frames may be lifted out by hand or otherwise
from the bath and reversed when necessary for the purpose of freeing
the charcoal from any yeast that may cling thereto after the charge of
yeast and water has been drawn off. In this case cach box or framo
should have a lid of the same description and secured in the same manner
as already described, and the bath itself need not be made to move. Or
the interior only of the bath may be made to revolve. In this case a
skeleton frame to fit the interior of the bath may be constructed of wood
or other suitable material, being strengthened by cross stays from corner
to corner at the sides to carry an axle; and said cross stays and axle
may be made of any suitable metal or any suitable wood; and the spaces
in said skeleton frame (which should be small) may be filled in with
stout copper gauze or other suitable substance, and well secured. The
axles may work in plates reaching to the top of the bath, so that by
means of which the skeleton frame may be lifted out of the outer case 2
of the bath when required by suitable tackle; the lid of the said
skeleton frame, which as well as the bottom should be strongly con-
structed and strengthened by cross stays from corner to corner (the
spaces being filled in with copper gauze or other suitablo material), may
bo hinged and fastened by bolts with springs on the side of the skeleton
frame, and a recess should be made on either side of the outer case of
this bath to receive the projection of the axles and the before-mentioned
plates. The skeleton frame, however, may be constructed without the
axles and lifted by means of rings made fast to the upper part of said
skeleton frame or in any other manner. This skeleton frame may be
filled with charcoal in any of the methods already stated, the charcoal
and frames or boxes being secured by the lid, as already explained; and
the yeast and water may be drawn off by a discharge tap inserted in the
outer case of the bath, flush with the bottom. Or the bottom and sides
of the bath may be rounded or otherwise shaped so as to admit of a §
skeleton frame constructed as above described, but to fit the inside of
the bath, freely turning therein; and the top of the skeleton frame may
he flat or otherwise, said skeleton frame to be mounted on axles, which
axles may project from the sides of the skeleton frame and work in

page_text: =
sockets or guides fixed to the outer frame of the bath or to an
independent support outside the bath. Or this arrangement may be
reversed and the axles attached to the outer frame of the bath or to an
independent frame or other support, and work in sockets attached to the
5 skeleton frame. The axles may be fixed at or upon the upper edge of
the outer frame of the bath, or elsewhere, the spaces in said skeleton
frame to be filled in, as already described, with stout copper gauze or
other suitable material. The skeleton frame may be packed with
charcoal and secured with a lid, as in the last case. The yeast and
water may be drawn off by means of a discharge tap. When the yeast
and water have been drawn off the skeleton frame may be reversed (in
order to free it from any yeast that may remain clinging to the charcoal)
by means of the worm and wheel, or the wheel and pinion, or otherwise,
as already described. Or the charcoal bath may be supported, or hung,
or mounted, or otherwise arranged so that either end or either {side
thereof may be elevated or depressed at pleasure. It will not, however,
bo necessary that both the ends and the sides of the same bath should
be capable of being elevated and depressed, it being sufficient that the
motion shall be from end to end or from side to side.
0
This bath may be mounted upon a frame, stand, or other support on a
pivot or pivots, or an axle or axles, or a fixed or moveable roller or rollers,
or a guide or guides, or a bearing or bearings, or without bearings, or a
hinge or hinges, or a joint or joints, or on the ground. The pivot may
be fixed underneath the centre or other part of the bath, but it will be
5 better underneath the centre, working in a cup bearing fixed on the
stand, frame, or other support of the bath, or this arrangement may be
reversed and the pivot placed on the stand and the cup bearing under-
neath the bath. When either of these arrangements is adopted it will
be necessary in order to keep the bath in its proper position that side
O guides be fixed to either side of the frame, stand, or other support of the
bath between which the bath can move; or these guides may be fixed to
the bath and overlap the stand, frame, or other support of the bath; or
a pivot may be fixed underneath the bath at either side thereof at the
centre or other part of the bath, but it will be better to place them at
5 the centre; or these pivots may be fixed to the sides of the bath in the
- positions already indicated, and work in cup bearings fixed on the stand,
frame, or other support of the bath; or this arrangement may be reversed
and the pivots fixed on the stand, frame, or other support, and the cup
bearings on the bottom or at the sides of the bath.

page_text: The axle or axles may be fixed on the centre or other part of the
frame, stand, or other support of the bath working in guides or sockets
or bearings fixed to the bath, or this arrangement may be reversed and
the axle or axles may be fixed to the bath working in guides or sockets
or bearings fixed to the stand, frame, or other support of the bath. The
fixed or moveable roller or rollers, guide or guides, bearing or bearings,
may be fixed on the centre or other part of the frame, stand, or other
support of the bath working in or on sockets or bearings fixed to the
bath, or this arrangement may be reversed and the fixed or moveable
roller or rollers, guide or guides, bearing or bearings, may be fixed to the
bath working in or on sockets or bearings fixed to the stand, frame, or
other support of the bath. The joint or joints, and hinge or hinges may
be fixed at or near the centre or at or near the end of the bath and on
the stand, frame, or other support of the bath at or near the centre or at
or near the end.
The frame, stand, or other support of the bath should be so con-
structed or arranged that the ends thereof or the sides should be
sufficiently depressed or the centre sufficiently elevated so as to allow
the ends or the sides of the bath to be clevated or depressed as required
at an angle of about twenty degrees, or the bath may be so arranged |
that it may move as required between the sides of the stand, frame, or
other support. It is not however necessary, as already stated, that the
bath should move from end to end and from side to side, one of theso
motions being sufficient. When, however, the bath is attached to the
frame, stand, or other support thereof at or near the end, then in order
to secure the required motion of the bath the stand, frame, or other
support may be flat, or one end thereof may be constructed higher than
the other, and the bath may be attached by the joint or hinge to either
end, but it will be found more convenient to attach it to the higher end,
and in the event of the junction by means of the joint or joints or the
hinge or hinges not being made at the end, then the frame, stand, or
other support of the bath may be made to fall away behind the said
joint or joints or hinge or hinges so as to permit of the proper movement
of the bath.
The required motion may be given to tho bath by means of a wheel
and worm working in bearings fastened to or the side of the frame,
stand, or other support of the bath, and which work a pinion on a shaft
extending from said bearings to bearings on the other side of the frame,

page_text: stand, or other support of the bath, or secured in any other way, the said
pinion being placed on the shaft underneath the bath works a rack
fastened to the bath by a hinge or moveable joint, the rack being pressed
against the pinion and kept in its place by a moveable wheel (which may
have a depression in the centre for the purpose of keeping the rack in
its place) and which moveable wheel works on a shaft fixed in the beforo-
mentioned bearings; motion to all may be given by means of a handlo or
wheel, fastened on a shaft which passes to or is fixed to the boforo-
mentioned worm, and moves the same and is secured in its position by
the before mentioned bearings.
The above is a safo and effectual arrangement for giving tho necessary
motions to the bath when mounted on a frame, stand, or other support,
but the necessary motions can be given by other means as follows:-
The above arrangement may be reversed and made to act from above
from an independent stand or other point of support, or the ends or
sides of tho bath as may be arranged may be olovated and depressed
by means of a lever or levers. The lever or levers may be fixed
to the centro or end, or other part of the stand, frame, or other support
of the bath, but touching a pin or pins, or a guido or guidos pro-
jecting from the bath'; or the lever or levers may be worked from an
independent stand, the end of the lever or levers working on pins attached
to the bath at or near to the end. Or a counterbalanco may be fixed to
a ropo or ropes, a chain or chains, or to a rod or rods, combined with
ropes or chains passing over grooved wheels fixed to a frame, stand, or
other support by means of fixed or moveable pins, or by the crank or
cranks, cam or cams. These may be fixed in bearings at each ond of tho
frame, stand, or other support of the bath and driven by a wheel or
wheels from the end of the frame, stand, or other support of the bath
by a worm wheel and pinion, or by a wheel and pinion, or by the worm
wheel and scrow, which may be placed at or near the end or the side of
the stand, frame, or other support of the bath, as may be arranged, the
worm wheel being attached to the frame, stand, or other support of tho
bath by bearings or collars, and the screw working internally in the whcol,
or the scrow may work through a plate fixed to the frame, stand, or
other support of the bath, and the other end attached to the bath by
means of a moveablo joint or hingo, and motion may be given by a
wheel fixed on the end of the scrow, or by a worm and quadrant. The
worm being fixed in bearings on the frame, stand, or other support of

page_text: It will be found more convenient to work this bath when mounted on
a frame, stand, or other support, as already described, but it can also bo
worked when suspended. It may be suspended from a moveable barrel
or drum by means of chains or ropes passed once or oftener round the
said barrel or drum and then fastened to tho bath, or to rods attached
to the bath at or near to each of the corners, or in such a manner that
the motions, as before described, can be given to the bath as required.
The barrel or drum may work in bearings or on axles attached to a
suspending frame or other support, and motion may be given to the
barrel or drum in order to elevate or depress the ends of the bath as
required by means of an endless chain and wheel working a small
pinion into a wheel giving motion to the barrel or drum as required.
Or the bath may be suspended from a point or points of suspension by
means of an axle or axles, guide or guides, pivot or pivots, crank or
cranks, cam or cams; and may be connected to the same by means of
rods, straps, and bearings, as usual in such cases; or by differential
blocks made fast to a point or points of suspension and to the ends of
the bath, and connected in the usual manner by endless chains or ropos;
or by ropes or chains passed through pulleys or rings, and made fast to
a suspending bar or bars, or pins or frame or other support, and then
mado fast to the bath at or near to each corner, or in such a manner
that the required motions can be given to the bath. Or the bath may
be connected with a point or points of suspension by a hinge or hinges,
or by a joint or joints at or near the end. And motion may be given to
the bath when suspended (except as in some of the cases stated, when
motion can be given by the same means as those by which the bath is
suspended) by means of a worm wheel and screw and endless chain, tho
endless chain wheel being attached to the shaft driving a worm and
wheel would work the rack, which rack would be kept in position by a
moveable pulley, and would be attached to the top or some part of one
end of the bath by a moveable joint or hinge, this arrangement being
placed above the bath. Or this arrangement of machinery may be
reversed and act as already described in moving the bath when mounted
on a stand, frame, or other support, the rack being in this case fastened
to the bottom of the bath by a moveable joint or hinge, and being moved
upwards against the bottom of the bath, or the reverse, as the case

page_text: required. or motion can be given by a wheel unu worm working www
worm wheel giving motion to a pinion working a rack backed by a
moveable pulley, the rack to be attached to the bath by means of a hinge
or joint.
This arrangement may be fixed to a suspending frame, or its action
may be reversed and it may work from an independent stand on the
floor; or motion may be given by a lover or levers fixed on a suspending
frame and working on a centro or centres giving motion to the ends of
the bath. Or the motions already described may be given to this bath
by a variety of other mechanical arrangements that will readily suggest
themselves to any mechanical engineer. This bath may be made longer
and broader and not so deep in proportion as those already described,
and it does not require a solid cover of any sort. It may it fact bo
may of any convenient shape or size, but baths bearing some rolation
to the following proportions I would prefer, namely, about eight fect
long at the top, reduced to about six feet at the bottom by a slant inwards
from top to bottom, given to the end of the bath opposite to the discharge
tap, and about four feet broad at the top, reduced to about three feet at
the bottom by a slant inwards given to the sides from top to bottom,
and about two feet deep in the centro of the bath, the sides rising up
gradually in height from the centro to the ends so as to allow of the
play of the yeast and water therein, as the ends of the bath are elevated
or depressed. This bath if packed with charcoal from end to end at an
equal depth, tho ends not being elevated or depressed much, may be
used without partitions and without a frame or frames, being let down
on the top of the charcoal and secured thereon, but it will be better that
such frame or frames, into which sheets of copper gauze or other
suitable material may be inserted, should be secured on the top of the
charcoal to prevent it shifting when the bath is moved. This frame, or
these frames, may be wedged to the sides of the bath or otherwise
secured. Or the bath may be divided from end to end by partitions,
which may be fixed or may be moveable (but it will be found more
convenient that they should be moveable), and into which sheets of
stout copper gauze or other suitable material which will hold the char-
coal in its place, but allow the yeast and water freely to pass through,
have been inserted. And theso frames if removeable should be so
arranged by being let down into grooves on the sides of the bath, and
wedged therein or otherwise sccured to the bath, that they cannot movo

page_text: when the bath is in uso. And these frames may be placed at about
half a foot or so apart from each other. When the frames are secured
in their places the charcoal may be packed between them, and other
frames may be laid upon the charcoal and pinned down thereon by being
wedged to the sides of the bath or to the upright frames, or the bath
may be used without these top frames, but it will be better to havo
them. When these divisions and frames are used it will only bo
necessary to pack the bath with sufficient charcoal to cover the yeast
and water when the end of the bath is depressed. From the manner in
which this bath is worked it can only be partially filled with a mixture
of yeast and water.
The mixture of yeast and water may be kept in agitation in the bath
by occasionally elevating and depressing the ends, but if the yeast bo
good, as already described, the bath may be allowed to remain stationary;
in this latter case the end furthest from the discharge tap should be the
one depressed. Or the bottom of the bath or the frame on which it is
mounted may be in the form of the supports of a cradle or rocking chair,
and the bath may be packed with charcoal, as already described, and it
may be moved by hand or otherwise, being supported in the necessary
positions by wedges or otherwise. The mixture in all cases should
remain in contact with the charcoal until the color is a light fawn, and
the taste is like milk and water, with an entire absence of bitter or any
unpleasant flavour. This period will vary according to the bitterness of
the yeast and the quality of the charcoal. On its being found that tho
bitter taste has been extracted the position of the bath should be a
reversed by depressing the end opposite to that in which the mixture
has been allowed to remain at rest, and the said mixture at once
drawn off.
Immediately after each charge of yeast and water has been drawn off
from any of said charcoal baths the charcoal therein should be thoroughly a
freed from any yeast that may have remained (if any) adhering thereto
by washing out the bath with pure water previously to the next charge
of yeast and water being passed into it. This may be done in the baths
first described by allowing water from a pipe, or flexible hose, or other-
wise to play upon the charcoal gently, moving the bath meanwhile a
backwards and forwards so as continually to present a new surface of
charcoal to the stream of water, and occasionally reversing the bath so
as to empty it completely of this water.

page_text: When tho bath has a moveable bottom that may be removed and tho
water made to play on the charcoal from either side, the bath being
meanwhile gently moved from side to side.
When the frames or boxes containing charcoal are lifted out of the
bath the water may be made to play on them as required, or they may
be plunged into a vessel containing water and moved about therein.
When the interior only of the bath is intended to be lifted out and to
revolve, the interior is lifted out, if the bath be largo, by differential
blocks and endles chains or ropes mado fast to the interior and to a
point of suspension overhead, or otherwise, and whilst so suspended.
water, as beforo -described, may be made to play on it from all diroc-
tions, it being made to revolvo by hand, or otherwise, whilst being so
cleansed.
When the skeleton frame is not intended to be lifted out of the bath,
but to work on an axle within the outer caso of the bath, then tho
skeleton frame may be reversed and water made to play upon the char
coal theroin, whilst the skeleton frame is gently moved backwards and
forwards, the discharge tap being left open.
When the bath-is mounted or suspended so as merely to rock so that
either end may be clovated or depressed at pleasure, the bath is to
be gently moved whilst the water is made to play upon the charcoal,
the discharge tap being left opon.
The next part of my Invention relates to the drying of yeasts to
preserve their fermentative power.
.
I find that by simply drying yeast thoroughly the process of decay is
arrested and the fermentative power of the yeast fixed and retained for a
very considerable period, and further, that the process of decay and loss
of fermentative power proceeds with more or less rapidity until the
moment when the yeast is perfectly freed from all moisture, and.
consequently that the more rapidly the yeast is so deprived of all
moisture after it is taken off the fermenting tub of the distiller, or the
vat of the brewer, the higher will be its fermentativo power, provided
that the yeast be not injured in the process of drying. The object of
my Invention is therefore to separato yeast as quickly as possible from
all liquor in which it is contained and reduce it to a perfectly dry
condition. For this purpose I take the yeast of any beer, ale, or porter

page_text: or any combination of the same after it has been deprived of its bitter
taste by the process above described or by any other process, or without
being so treated, or the top yeast produced in spirit distillation either as
it comes off the fermenting tub or after having been purified with water
or treated in any other manner not destructive of its fermentative power, i
or it might be yeast produced in any other manners, and pump it direct, or
otherwise fill it into filter bags supported within strong frames as in the
yeast press known as Needham and Kite's, and when the yeast has been
thereby deprived of a portion of the liquor mixed with it, and partially
solidified, I at onco place the partially solidified yeast so obtained in 1
woollen bags or bags of other suitable material, or between woollen or
other cloths, and submit the same to considerable pressure in a hydraulic
or other powerful press, whereby the yeast is almost entirely deprived of
moisture. The cakes of yeast so obtained are then broken up and spread
upon shelves to dry by evaporation until the yeast has been completely 1
deprived of all moisture, keeping up a moderate degree of heat (about
seventy degrees Fahrenheit) during the process, or the same effect may
be obtained by exposing the yeast to dry air.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not claim
mixing yeast with water prior to acting upon it with charcoal, and also
that although I have described a variety of ways of tilting or revolving
the charcoal bath yet I do not confino myself to the use of theso
means, as other means may be employed for this purpose, but what I
claim is,―
First. The employment for the purpose of removing the bitter taste
from yeasts of porter, ale, or beer, of a charcoal bath which can be
revolved or tilted or fitted with an inner'skeleton frame or frames which
can be revolved or tilted, substantially as herein described.
Second. In combination with the charcoal baths moro particularly
described in my Specification I claim the various methods stated, by
means of which said baths can be supported or suspended.
Third. In combination with the said baths and the skeleton frames
already described I claim the various means stated by which the said
baths and the said skeleton frames can be made to revolve or tilt.
Fourth. The means substantially as herein-before described of subject-
ing yeast to the action of charcoal, whereby I am enabled advantageously

page_text: to use charcoal for removing the bitter taste from yeasts of porter, ale,
or beer, and whereby the charcoal, after boing used for acting upon
yeast, may readily be cleansed without removing it from the bath or
framework containing it.
Fifth. Packing the bath with charcoal and preventing the charcoal
from shifting its position in the bath, substantially as herein-before
described.
'
Sixth. The preparation of a dried yeast by first pumping yeast into
filter bags in a press, such as that known as Needham and Kite's, and .
subsequently pressing the partially solidified yeast so obtained either
between cloths or in bags in a hydraulic or other powerful press, and
when the yeast has thus been deprived of the greater part of its moisturo
allowing it to dry by exposure to moderately heated or dry air.
"
Seventh. The preparation of a dried yeast by the means substantially
as herein-before described..
I
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Ellis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-fivo.
MITOMAS TITTO