Improvements in or relating to the Cleaning of Pipes of Beer- dispensing Apparatus.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 14th Sept., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Cleaning of Pipes of Beer-
dispensing Apparatus.
A communication from ALBERT BACON OGDEN, of Highlands, Arapahoe County,
Colorado, and CHARLES CUMINGS, c/o Alliance Carriage Company, Court
Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 is an improved apparatus for cleaning the pipes of a beer-dispensing
apparatus.
Beer apparatus as now constructed comprise numerous pipes and coils, which
soon become foul and require frequent cleaning. Clear water is not adaptable
for cleaning these pipes or coils, and it is therefore necessary to use an alkaline
solution to effectually clean them. Appliances have been devised for holding an
alkaline substance, and forcing the water therethrough to clean the pipe, but
these devices are compleated, expensive, and subject to various objections.
The object of this invention is to provide an exceedingly cheap, simple and
effective apparatus, which will remedy all such defects. With these and such other
objects as will appear, the invention consists in the peculiar construction of the
various parts, and their novel combination and arrangement, all of which will be
fully described and pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings forming a part of this Specification,―
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved apparatus arranged for
operation;
Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the valve arranged to pass the
water to the soda compartment ;
Figure 3 is a similar view, showing the valve arranged to pass clear water through
the apparatus ;
Figure 4 is a detail view, showing the cap removed ;
Figure 5 is a detail view of the coupling and screen;
Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of the apparatus.
A
In carrying out this invention, a metallic case or receptacle A is employed,
essentially cylindrical in shape, said receptacle being divided vertically into the
compartments a and a', by means of an integral partition a². At the lower end
of this receptacle A, is formed a valve casing or chamber B, in which is arranged
a two-way valve or plug C, having ports c and c¹, as clearly shown.
coupling D is formed upon the lower end of the valve casing, and by means of
which the apparatus is connected with the water supply pipe E. A passage F
leads from the coupling into the valve chamber, and passages G and H lead
from the chamber to the lower ends of the compartments a and a', respectively.
By these means, the water can pass from the main pipe into either compartment
according to the position of the valve; thus when the port c registers with the
passage G, the port will register with the passage F, and the water will pass
into the compartment a, while if the valve is turned to bring c to register with F,
c will register with H, and the water will pass into the compartment H.
The compartment a is intended to boid sal-soda, or any other suitable alkali,

page_text: and the water in passing through the said compartment, so filled, will be made
alkaline and therefore suitable for cleaning the pipes.
The case or receptacle A is provided with a dome-shaped cap A', which fits
tightly upon the top of the case, and at its upper end is formed with a
coupling a, to which the water discharge pipe I is attached, so that the water
as it passes through the compartment a, will pass upward through the cap and
coupling a³, and into the pipe I. The compartment a' is used when it is desired
to use clear water, and in order to conduct the water from the compartment a',
to the coupling a³, and independent of the compartment a, a peculiarly shaped
pipe section K is provided, which at its lower end k, is shaped to fit into the
compartment o¹, and at its upper end k¹, is round or cylindrical. This pipe
section is also formed with a flange k³, which rests upon the top of the compartment
when the section is in place.
The upper end of the pipe section K extends nearly into the passage of the
coupling a³, and thus leads the water from the compartment a' out of the receptacle
without permitting said water to come into communication with anything contained
in the compartment a. There is space enough, however, between the end and
cap A to permit the water passing from the compartment a out of the case or
receptacle, and to prevent any solid matter escaping from the compartment, a screen
or sieve L is arranged between said compartiment and outlet, said screen being
circular in form and fitting upon the upper end of the pipe section, and inasmuch
as the dome-shaped cap contacts with the periphery of said screen, it is impossible
for anything to pass out of the case or receptacle from the compartment a, without
passing through the screen.
It will thus be seen that a simple means is provided for conducting the water
from each compartment, and it will also be seen that the clear water passing
through the device can not possibly become contaminated with alkali as it issues
from the pipe K at a point above the screen L. This is one of the main advantages
of the device, as all other devices, known are objectionable because the clear water
is always more or less tainted with alkali.
A draw-off cock M is tapped into the side of the compartment a, about midway
of its beight. The purpose of this cock is to draw off about one-half of the
water in the compartment, so that the soda can be introduced without causing any
overflow, which is another objectionable feature of the cleaners now used.
Now, in operation, the cleaner is connected with the water-pipe leading to the
beer apparatus, so that that water will pass in the direction from E to I, and
whenever it is desired to clean the pipes and coils of said apparatus, the valve is
first turned to force the water through the chamber a, containing sal-soda, and
after this operation has continued a sufficient length of time, the valve is reversed,
forcing clear water through the compartment a¹, and also through the pipes and
coils of the beer apparatus, thus washing them clear of all soda.
All the various parts of the device may be constructed of any suitable material,
but in practice it is preferred to make the case or receptacle and attached parts of
cast iron and the screen of aluminum.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a pipe cleaner, a case or receptacle, divided longitudinally into two
compartments by a partition, and having a valve casing arranged at the bottom of
said case or receptacle, a two-way valve arranged in said case, the passages leading
from the valve casing into the compartments at the bottom of said compartments,
a cap arranged upon the top of the case or receptacle, and a pipe section arranged
in the top of one of the compartments, and projecting upward into the cap
substantially as shown and described, whereby the water passing through one of
the compartments will be passed out through the cap without contacting with the
contents of the other compartment.

page_text: 2. In a pipe cleaner, the combination, with a receptacle, divided into two
compartments and provided with passages from a valve chamber, of a valve having
a plurality of ways, a cap for said receptacle, and a pipe section arranged in one of
the compartments, and carrying a strainer or screen, substantially as shown and
described.
3. In a pipe cleaner, a receptacle divided into compartments, and having
passages leading thereto, the valve, having a plurality of ways, the dome-shaped
cap, the pipe section arranged beneath the cap, and at the top of one of the
compartments, and the circular strainer arranged upon the upper portion of said
pipe, all arranged substantially as shown and described.
4. In a pipe cleaner, a receptacle or case, divided longitudinally into two
compartments by means of an integral partition, one of said compartments being
adapted to contain an alkali and having a discharge cock about midway of its
height, the valve casing arranged in the bottom of the case or receptacle, and
carrying a two-way valve, independent communication being had between the valve
casing and the separate compartments, the cap arranged upon the top of the
receptacle or case, and the pipe section arranged in the top of one of the
compartments, projecting upward into said cap, substantially as shown and
described.
5. An improved pipe cleaner, consisting of a receptacle formed with two
compartments, and a valve casing, and having passages leading from the valve
casing to the compartments, a valve arranged in the casing, the pipe section having
a flange near one end, and tubular at the opposite end, the circular strainer
arranged upon said tubular end, the dome-shaped cap and draw-off cock, all
arranged substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 6th day of August 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.