Method of and Apparatus for Separating Yeast.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 21st May, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Method of and Apparatus for Separating Yeast.
I, GUSTAVE SOBOTKA, Citizen of Austria, residing at 234 Fifth Avenue New
York, in the County of New York, and State of New York, Chemist, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in the method of an apparatus for
separating yeast, and the object of the invention is to provide means for separating.
the yeast from the fermented wort or beer resulting from a clear wort and
simultaneously grading it according to its quality.
The invention will first be described in connection with the accompanying
drawings, which form a part of this Specification, and then particularly pointed out
and defined in the claims at the end of this description.
Referring to the drawings in which similar letters of reference are used to
indicate corresponding parts of the apparatus ;
Figure 1, represents a vertical sectional elevation of an apparatus which I
preferably use in practising my invention;
Figure 2, is a plan of the lowermost trough or section of the apparatus; and
Figure 3, is a perspective view of a modified forin of apparatus which may be
advantageously used in carrying out my method of separating and assorting the
yeast.
A, A¹ A³, represent several sections of a trough or chute which are preferably
arranged one above another as indicated in Figure 1, each section being formed or
provided with a pocket or depression, as at a, a' a', at the inlet or receiving end
thereof, and with a similar pocket or depression, as at b, b', 63, at the outlet or
delivery end thereof, as shown in said Figure 1. B, B1 B2, denote suitable pipes
which may connect the delivery ends of the uppermost sections of the trough with.
the receiving ends of the succeeding sections below the same. Said pipes enter.
openings in the bottoms of the pockets at the exit ends of the sections of the
trough (which openings may be closed by suitable stoppers) and their lower or
delivery ends extend nearly to the bottom of the pockets in the receiving or inlet
ends of the lower section for the purpose of causing a slow and easy flow of the
liquid from the pocket and down the slightly inclined section, and each section
may also be provided at its inlet end with a partition or wall a³, which extends
nearly to the bottom of the pocket and separates the same into two divisions;
such partition being located in front of the delivery end of the pipe, so as to
interrupt and retard the flow of the liquid, and break the force of the current at
this point, thereby facilitating the deposit of the yeast as the liquid flows along
the slightly inclined surface of the section.
The pockets b, 1, 2, are provided with openings which may connect by suitable
pipes d, with a tank or receiver for the assorted yeast, and these openings are
adapted to be closed by suitable stoppers d', as shown. The pocket 62 of the
lowermost section of the apparatus is also provided with a similar opening from
which a pipe E, may lead to a suitable tank or vessel to receive the waste water
used in washing the apparatus; the latter opening being controlled by a stopper e.
C, denotes a receiver or reservoir which is connected by means of a pipe c, with a
fermenting tub from which the fermented wort flows into said receiver, and the
latter is provided with a depending pipe f, which extends nearly to the bottom of
the pocket a, in the first section A, and is provided with a regulating cock or
valve g, by which the flow of liquid therefrom may be controlled.

page_text: For the purpose of cooling the liquid as it runs from section to section of the
trough, through the pipes B, B', and B2, and finally into the receiver for the clear
liquid or beer, said pipes are encased or surrounded by pipes D, D', which are
provided with suitable nipples d, for the attachment of a hose or pipe, by means
of which cold brine or other cooling medium may be caused to circulate through
the several sections of pipe in contact with the pipes connecting the trough
sections, so as to cool the liquid solution in its passage from section to section of
the apparatus and thereby facilitate the separation and assortment of the yeast,
which will settle quickly when cool; and in this state the heavier particles
or cells are more readily deposited and assorted.
.
In using this apparatus the fermented wort which flows from a fermenter into
the receiver C, may be permitted to enter the first section A, by opening the
valve and the liquid will pass from the pipe, near the bottom of the pocket,
under the partition a³, and out of the pocket onto the slightly inclined bottom of
the trough section, along which the liquid will flow slowly and smoothly until it
reaches the pocket b, at which point the flow will be retarded and the current
broken. From the pocket b, the liquid will flow down the inclined pipe B, into
the pocket a', of section A'; its movement through the pipe being slightly
accelerated, and the pipe B, being in contact with the cooling medium
circulating in the pipe D, will cool the liquid in its passage through said pipe.
From this point the above operation will be repeated at each successive section of
the trough, and the clear beer will run off into a suitable receiver from the pipe
connecting with the pocket in the lower end of the last section of the apparatus.
By this means the yeast will be cause'l to settle in the several sections and pockets
of the trough in different grades; the heavier spores or cells being deposited in the
firet section or sections and the cells of less specific gravity being deposited in
the succeeding pockets and sections.
As different qualities of yeast result from the fermentation of mash, and the
larger and well developed cells are heavier, the yeast is automatically assorted
according to its qualities; the yeast settling in the first section being of the first
quality, and the qualities decreasing in the sectious toward the end of the
chute.
When this operation is completed, the yeast which has settled in the several
sections may be collected according to the several grades, by placing suitable
stoppers in the small openings leading to the pipes B, B, B, and removing the
stoppers from the larger openings connecting with the pipes d, so as to permit the
thick liquid yeast to be run off into suitable receptacles therefor. By replacing
the stoppers d', and removing the stopper e, clear water may be run through the
entire apparatus and out of the pipe E, for the purpose of washing and preparing
the apparatus for further operations.
It will be understood, of course, that the several sections of the trough need not
necessarily be placed one above another, but they may be arranged side by side or
in line with each other, and the general arrangement of parts may be varied in a
number of ways, which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the
art, without departing from the spirit of my invention.
In Figure 3 an apparatus is shown which consists of a serpentine chute or
trough, which may be arranged horizontally or slightly inclined, and which is
provided at its bends with pockets or depressions a, a, b, b; the bottoms of these
pockets being provided with apertures to permit the yeast to be withdrawn.
Such apertures may be closed by removable stoppers d¹.
The inlet pipe f, extends nearly to the bottom of the first pocket, as shown
clearly at the left side of the figure. The fermented wort or liquid containing
the yeast enters the first pocket through the pipe f. The chute may be provided
at each bend with a partition or division board a³ which extends nearly to the
bottom of the pocket.
As the fermented wort runs slowly along the serpentine trough or chute the
specifically lighter matters-coagulated albumen &c.-will be carried along by the

page_text: current and run off with the clear residual liquid or beer, while the yeast which
has greater specific gravity, is deposited and settles in the several sections or
divisions of the serpentine surface.
On entering the trough near the bottom of the pocket in the first section the
fermented wort will flow slowly and smoothly down the inclined surface until it
reaches the bend b, at which point the flow of the liquid will be interrupted and
retarded and the current broken, thus facilitating the deposit of the yeast in and
about the trough and pocket, and this operation will be repeated at each successive
section; thus causing the heavier cells to be deposited in the foremost sections or.
divisions and the cells of less specific gravity in succeeding sections.
By this means the yeast will be thoroughly separated and also assorted into
different grades, while the clear residual beer or wort may be run off at the end
of the trough.
This operation being completed, the contents of each section may be emptied
through the opening in the bottom of the pocket at the lowermost end of such
section.
The several sections of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, form in effect a
slightly inclined surface or series of inclined surfaces, connected by suitable
conduits along which the fermented wort or beer flows slowly and smoothly,
thereby causing the yeast cells to be deposited in different grades in successive
sections or divisions of the surface, the same as described with reference to the
construction shown in Figure 3, except that with the apparatus shown in Figure 1,
the liquid is also cooled in its passage through the pipes or conduits from one
section or division of the inclined surface to the next succeeding section; whereby
the deposit of the yeast cells is facilitated; the clear beer being run off from the
yeast which settles in the several sections or divisions of the surface, and the
thick liquid yeast then collected according to its qualities.
Various modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of the
apparatus adapted to carry out the method or process set forth herein, and I
therefore do not desire to be limited to the use of any special form of apparatus
in practising such process, but I preferably use an apparatus of the described
construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is:
First The herein described process of separating and assorting yeast, which
consists in running the fermented wort slowly and smoothly along a chute or trough
adapted to interrupt and retard the flow of the liquid at intervals, so as to cause
the yeast cells or spores to be deposited and settle in different grades in
successive sections or divisions of the trough-the heavier cells being deposited
in the first section or sections, and the cells of less specific gravity being
deposited in succeeding sections ;-running off the clear liquid or beer from
the yeast which settles in the trough, and finally removing the assorted yeast from
the several sections or divisions according to their grades, substantially as
described.
Second An apparatus for separating and assorting yeast, comprising a trough
or chute formed in sections or divisions which are connected by suitable pipes for
conveying the fermented wort from section to section, and an apparatus by which a
cooling medium may be circulated in contact with the pipes connecting the
sections of the trough, substantially as described.
:
Third An apparatus for separating and assorting yeast, comprising a trough
or chute formed in sections or divisions arranged one above another and connected
by a pipe or pipes adapted to receive the liquid from an upper section and conduct
the same to the next succeeding or lower section; said pipes being provided with a
cooling apparatus whereby water or other cooling inedium may be caused to

page_text: circulate in contact with the pipe or pipes connecting the sections of the trough,
substantially as described.
Fourth In an apparatus for separating and assorting yeast, the combination
with the trough or chute composed of sections or divisions separated from each
other and having the pockets at the ends of the sections, of the pipe or pipes
connecting the outlet end or pocket of the first section with the inlet end 'or
pocket of the next succeeding section, and the cooling apparatus connected to said
pipes, substantially as described.
Fifth-In combination with the trough or chute composed of sections or
divisions provided with pockets at the ends thereof, of the inclined pipes connecting
the several sections, the fluid circulating pipes or casings enclosing the pipes
connecting such sections and the pipes connecting with suitable openings in the
delivery cuds of the sections of the trough, whereby the assorted yeast may be
collected from the several sections of the trough according to the several grades,
substantially as described.
Sixth-An apparatus for separating and assorting yeast, comprising a series of
troughs, and pipes or tubes connecting the same; said troughs being provided
with openings at the delivery ends thereof for collecting the assorted yeast, and
the end trough or terminal section being also provided with an opening to conduct
the washings therefrom, substantially as described.
Seventh-The process of separating and assorting yeast, which consists in
running the fermented wort or liquid slowly and smoothly along a slightly inclined
surface or surfaces, so as to cause the yeast cells to be deposited in different
grades in successive sections or divisions of the surface; cooling the liquid at
intervals in its passage; running off the clear beer from the assorted yeast, and
finally collecting the assorted yeast from the several sections of the surface
according to their grades, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 4th day of February 1892.
GUSTAVE SOBOTKA.