A Machine to Facilitate the Fining, Filling up, and Sampling of Casks or other Vessels containing Beer or other Liquids, and. to Prevent Waste of Beer and Gas.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Machine to Facilitate the Fining, Filling up, and Sampling of
Casks or other Vessels containing Beer or other Liquids, and.
to Prevent Waste of Beer and Gas.
ARTHUR HARTLEY 47 Buckingham Road Brighton Sussex Managing Brewer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The machine is designed for use in conjunction with my improved shive or
stopper of which the improvement consists of a hole through the centre filled with
a plug of cork or other material, the object being to facilitate the venting sampling
and fining of beer and other liquids. The machine consists principally of an oblong
box or cylinder, of metal or other material, open at both ends. This box or
cylinder may be either cylindrical or rectangular inside. The cylindrical or
rectangular space is fitted with a sliding piston or block. In the centre of each
face of the box, or in the corresponding positions in the cylinder, is a hole. In
the block or piston there are also several holes which can be made to alternately
coincide with those in the box or cylinder by altering the position of the latter.
Three positions are arranged. One allows the injection of finings, or other liquids,
another permits a sample to be withdrawn, and another brings a cork or peg, which
has been placed in one of the holes of the block or piston, purposely constructed
for it, into position so that it can be forced down into the hole in the shive of the
cask. The box or cylinder is fitted in a horse-shoe, or other shaped, frame which
is attached to an upright screw shaft which can be raised or lowered by means of a
wheel or handle. Beneath the base of the frame is a disc of metal, or other
material, fitted with an india-rubber ring, or washer of other material. The disc
and base of the frame are drilled through so that the hole coincides with the
vertical holes in the box or cylinder. The ring or washer makes a tight joint with
the shive, or stopper, of the cask or other vessel, when the machine is screwed
down. Connected with the central vertical hole in the box or cylinder is a punch, or
lever-rain, capable of passing through and beyond the disc, so that in the first place
it is able to force out the cork or plug which fills the hole in the shive and so make
communication between the contents of the vessel and the machine. In the second
place the punch or ram is used to drive in the cork or peg, placed in the piston or
slide, with the object of closing the hole in the shive again after the operation is
completed.
Dated this 28th day of January 1892.
ARTHUR HARTLEY.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Machine to Facilitate the Fining, Filling up, and Sampling of
Casks or other Vessels containing Beer or other Liquids, and
to Prevent Waste of Beer and Gas.
I, ARTHUR HARTLEY, of 47 Buckingham Road, Brighton, Sussex, Managing
Brewer, 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 :-
The machine is designed for use in conjunction with my improved shive or
stopper of which the improvement consists of a hole through the centre filled with
a plug of cork or other material, the object being to facilitate the venting, sampling,
and fining of beer and other liquids.

page_text: The machine consists principally of an oblong box or cylinder of metal or other
material open at both ends. This box or cylinder may be either cylindrical or
rectangular inside. The cylindrical or rectangular space is fitted with a sliding
piston or block. In the centre of each face of the box or in the corresponding
positions in the cylinder is a hole. In the block or piston there are also several
holes which can be made, to, alternately coincide with those in the box or cylinder
by altering the position of the former.
Three positions are arranged, one allows the injection of finings or other liquids,
another permits a sample to be withdrawn, and another brings a cork or peg which
has been placed in one of the holes of the block or piston, purposely constructed for
itinto.position so that it can be forced down into the hole in the shive of the cask.
The box or cylinder is fitted in a horse-shoe or other shaped frame which is
attached to an upright screw shaft which can be raised or lowered by means of a
wheel or, handle.
Beneath the base of the frame is.a disc of metal or other material fitted with an
india, rubber ring, or washer, of other material. The disc and base of the frame are
drilled through, so that the hole coincides with the vertical holes in the box or
cylinder. The ring or washer makes a tight joint with the shive or stopper of the
cask or other vessel, when the machine is screwed down.
Connected,, with, the, central vertical hole in, the box or cylinder is a punch or
lever, ram, capable of passing through and beyond the disc, so that in the first place,
it is able to force out the cork or plug, which fills the hole in the shive and so make
communication, between the contents of the vessel and the machine. In the second
place, the, punch or rain is used to drive in the cork or peg placed in the piston or
slide with the object of closing. the hole in the shive again after the operation is
completed.,
My invention is shown on the annexed drawings..
J
Figure 1 is a part, sectional elevation or front with the piston hard, over to the
right, and the left end holes in the piston corresponding with the vertical holes and
one of the side holes in, the box. When the piston is in this position and the punch
is right down and fixed by the, spring catch of the lever in the lowest, notch, the
cork or plug in the shive can, be pushed through into the cask when the machine is
lowered by turning, the wheel.,
Figure 2 is a similar elevation of the machine with the piston hard over to the
left and the right end hole in the piston corresponding with the vertical holes in the
box. In this,hole, in the piston is the cork or. plug ready to be pushed down into
the hole in the shive by the punch when, the lever is depressed to the position
indicated by the dotted lines in order to close up the cask..
1.
Figure 3 is a part sectional elevation or side of the machine with the piston, in
position for its left end holes to correspond with those of the 'box ready for finings
to be forced into the cask.
The apparatus or, machine is composed of a skeleton frame A, to the under part
of which affix an india rubber ring, or washer of other material B to sit upon a
cask and cover the shive C. The upper part of the frame A is formed with a
boss D by which it is suspended from a screw shaft E, the screw shaft and frame
being raised or lowered by turning the wheel F. The screw shaft is held in
position by, and is capable of moving up and down, a brace or block Graffixed to a
wall or other part of a building.
"
The lower part of the frame A is fitted with a box II; within which the piston I
has a free motion endwise by the handle, or some other contrivance, in, order, to
bring, the holes therein to correspond with those in the, box, for. the. different
purposes desired.
When the piston I is in the position shown in Figure 1 and the lever Land, the
punclik are in the positions shown by the dotted lines in, Figure 1, the punch
projects sufficiently, below the frame to push the cork or plug in the shive through
into the cask when, the machine is lowered, on, to its seat on the shive C, by, turning
the wheel F.

page_text: When the piston remains in the position shown in Figure 1 and the lever L and
the punch K are raised to the positions shown by the full lines in Figure 1, finings
or other liquids can be injected by means of a force pump, or other pressure vessel
into the cask through a pipe or tube which can be attached to the nozzle M shown
in Figure 3, the passage for this purpose being made free by the raising of the
punch to clear the piston as already explained.
When the middle of the piston is moved to the middle of the box the middle hole
in the piston corresponds with the lower hole in the box, and with that com-
municating with the nozzle N Figure 3, and thus establishes communication
between the cask and the nozzle N, so that a sample can be withdrawn therefrom.
When a cork has to be driven in to close the hole in the shive again after
injection and sampling it is first placed in the right end hole of the piston when the
latter is in the position shown in Figure 1. The piston is then pushed hard over to
the left as shown in Figure 2 when the cork is brought into position ready for the
punch to force it into the hole in the shive. For this purpose the lever L is
depressed until it occupies the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2. The
punch is also shown by dotted lines in Figure 2 being prevented from falling lower
by the spring catch L' of the lever which is arrested by the middle notch L", the
cork being then driven home in the hole in the shive.
The arrangement of the several holes in the piston is as follows:-The hole in
the end of the piston used to receive the cork which is to be driven into the hole in
the shive to close up the cask is a vertical hole only, but the hole in the other end
of the piston which is used for injection is a vertical hole with a branch hole at a
right angle which corresponds with the nozzle M. The hole in the middle of the
piston which is used for the purpose of sampling leads from the bottom to the side
only being in reality two holes drilled at right angles to one another, so as to meet
in the centre of the piston. The horizontal branch of this hole corresponds with
the nozzle N to allow of a sample being withdrawn.
The arrangement of holes in the box is as follows:-In the middle of each face
of the box is a hole leading towards the centre. The upper vertical hole is the one
through which the punch enters the box, and the lower vertical hole is the one by
means of which communication is established between the contents of the cask and
the machine. The side hole corresponding with the nozzle M is the one through
which injection takes place and the opposite hole corresponding with the nozzle N
is the one through which samples are withdrawn.
I have shown the apparatus as applied for use with my improved shive but it
may also be employed in connection with casks or other vessels in which there are
holes in any part of them suitable for the purposes described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. Arranging holes in a piston or block I and in a cylinder or box H, within
which cylinder or box the piston or block can be shifted to suit the different pur-
poses, i.e. injection, sampling, corking, as set forth and substantially as shown by
the annexed drawings.
2. The means by which the apparatus can be fixed air tight on a cask and corks
be driven in and a cask recorked, as described.
3. The apparatus shown on the annexed drawings affixable to a cask or other
vessel for the purposes described.
Dated 28th down ofa
1003
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for A. Hartley.