Improvements in Apparatus for Impregnating Liquids with Gases.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 23rd July, 1894-Accepted, 8th Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Impregnating Liquids with Gases.
We CARL BARTELT and FRIEDRICH BARTELT both of 10 Fischerfeldstrasse
Frankfort on the Maine in the Empire of Germany Manufacturers do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
:-
This invention relates to apparatus for effecting an intimate mixture or thorough
impregnation of liquids with gases being more especially intended for manufacturing
sparkling or effervescing wines or beverages with rapidity and economy. The
invention is hereinafter described as being employed in connection with this
manufacture its application to other analogous purposes being obvious.
In impregnating wine with carbonic acid in order to render it effervescent it has
heretofore been the practice to place the wine in large vessels in which by mechanical
mixing and stiring it is brought into contact with the carbonic acid under pressure
the wine thus impregnated being subsequently drawn off into bottles. The
agitation to which the wine is subjected according to this method injures its
quality and the unavoidable contact with the metallic surfaces of the vessel
of the apparatus and of the pipes imparts to it an objectionable flavour.
Endeavours have been made to obviate these disadvantages by drawing off the
wine that is to be impregnated in bottles closing these bottles with a stopper
provided with a peculiar non-return valve and connecting them with a supply of
gas under pressure. This method of impregnating has the disadvantage that the
impregnation is imperfectly performed as the gas pressure acts solely upon the
small area of surface exposed in the neck of the bottle so that the diffusion takes
place very slowly and incompletely. In order to provide a remedy for this defect
the bottles closed with the specially constructed valvular stoppers have been
packed in rotating drums into which carbonic acid under pressure is introduced but
it is evident that merely a slight improvement is obtained in this way. The bottles
must be very carefully packed in the drum in order that they may not knock
against one another and the valvular stoppers involve an additional expense being
moreover somewhat unsightly in appearance.
By means of the apparatus constructed according to this invention all these
disadvantages are obviated the bottles being corked in the usual manner and the
wine in the bottles being thoroughly impregnated with carbonic acid with great
rapidity and economy as hereinafter described.
The apparatus is constructed with a rotatable bottle frame carried by a hollow
shaft in the form of a tube or pipe connected with a carbonic acid generator.
The hollow or tubular shaft is provided with a series of perforations com-
municating with boxes containing valves controlling the communication with
the charging orifices.
The radial arms of the bottle frame project at right angles to the tubular shaft
and carry rests or supports for the bottles which are pressed against the charging
orifices so as to make a gas tight joint by means of hand screws acting upon
the said supports the charging orifices being provided with rings or washers of
suitably elastic material such as india rubber, cork or the like for the reception of
the mouth of the bottle.
The valve box is provided with a valve of special construction acting in such a
manner that the pressure in the tube and valve box is always greater than the
pressure in the bottle it being consequently impossible for the liquid to pass into
the nines or passages behind the valve.

page_text: The valve box is connected with the shell of a stop cock on one side and on the
other side communicates with the atmosphere (or with the interior of the bottle
when the bottle is placed in position for charging) through a contracted orifice.
A conical or mushroom valve works in the valve chamber being provided with two
seats and situated on opposite sides of the valve. The seat at the back of the
valve is ground true so that the passage is completely closed when the valve is in
contact with this seat but the other seat in front of the valve being between the
latter and the charging orifice is provided with lateral grooves or openings
which allow the carbonic acid to pass into the bottle when the valve is forced
against this scat.
The stem of the valve being cruciform in transverse section acts as a guide
working in a passage communicating with tubular shaft.
The valve is provided with a spring coiled upon a rod or guide and tending to
maintain the valve in the closed position on the seat.
The carbonic acid from the generator is caused to pass into an intermediate or
expansion vessel provided with a stop cock enabling it to be shut off from the
generator when required. When sufficient pressure is obtained in this vessel as
indicated by a gauge this stop cock is closed and another stop cock controlling the
communication between the vessel and the charging apparatus is opened care being
taken to previously close all the cocks connected with the valve boxes. Any air
that may be imprisoned in the tubular shaft or passages can be discharged by
simply opening for an instant the cock of the valve box farthest from the supply.
pipe so as to allow the pressure of the carbonic acid to drive out the air.
The bottles being previously filled with wine are placed on the supports and
screwed up so as to make a tight joint around the charging orifice. The cocks
connected with the charging valves are then opened and the carbonic acid under
pressure passes into the mouths of the bottles. In order to get rid of any air that
may be present in the necks of the bottles the cocks are closed and the clamping
screws or supports of the bottles are slightly loosened so as to allow a small
quantity of gas to escape directly into the atmosphere and drive out the air.
The bottles are then tightened up again and the charging cocks again opened.
These operations having been performed in the case of each bottle the tubular
shaft is rotated by means of a crank handle for example. The bottles being
arranged radially about the shaft are thereby caused to revolve with the latter and
the liquid which they contain is shaken upwards and downwards being thereby
brought into intimate contact with the carbonic acid.
So long as the pressure in the tubular shaft is greater than that in the bottles the
charging valves remain off their seats compressing their springs and allowing the
carbonic acid to pass into the bottles.
The passage of the acid is accelerated at each descent of the revolving bottles as
the liquid descends or falls away from the charging orifices and tends to produce a
vacuum above its surface which tends to suck or draw the carbonic acid out of the
tubular shaft.
The area of the passage through which the carbonic acid passes to the charging
valve being considerably greater than that of the outlet orifice or passage leading
to the bottle on the other side of the valve an excess of pressure is always present
in the valve box which prevents the liquid from entering the latter. In case the
pressure in the pipe or passage behind the valve becomes less than or merely equal
to the pressure in the bottle or in front of the valve the latter is closed auto-
matically by the spring and thus prevents the liquid from passing into the pipe or
passage beyond or behind the valve. In this case also the liquid does not enter the
valve box as the orifice between the latter and the bottle is too small to allow the
liquid to mix with the gas in the box.
From time to time according to the rate of absorption of the carbonic acid by
the liquid the diminution in the presence of the gas in the expansion chamber is
compensated for by opening the stop cock between this vessel and the generator
until the required pressure is re-established in the former.

page_text: The rotary motion is continued until the pressure gauge on the expansion
chamber ceases to indicate a reduction of pressure owing to the liquid being
unable to take, up any more gas.
The bottles are then allowed to remain stationary for a few minutes in order
that the liquid may stand at rest under pressure after which they are removed one
by one the corresponding stop cocks being previously closed. The corking and
tying down is then performed in the usual way.
The stop cocks carried by the revolving frame may be opened and closed
automatically being closed when they ascend and opened when they descend in the
rotary motion of the bottles. By these means greater security is obtained against
accidental entry of liquid into the passages behind the valve. With this object
the plugs of the cocks are provided with lever arms and the levers of each series or
row of cocks are jointed to one common rod or actuating device. On the right and
left hand sides of the apparatus fixed discs are placed being provided with inclines
or cam surfaces on the sides presented to the mechanism. These stationary cam
surfaces are arranged in such a position that they act on the ends of the rods or
actuating devices connected to the levers on the stop cocks and cause the latter to
open and close automatically as herein before described.
The screws hereinbefore described as being employed for clamping or fixing the
bottles in position in the apparatus may be replaced by strong springs which act
upon the rests or supports of the bottles and cause them to force the latter against
the charging orifices. These springs are provided with handles or levers by means
of which the bottles can be removed and replaced or loosened for the escape of air
as required. These springs greatly facilitate the working of the apparatus.
Suitable stops are provided which limit the upward and downward movement
of the springs and prevent excessive pressure being exerted on the bottles
on the one hand and prevent straining of the spring by two forcible compression on
the other hand.
Dated the 27th day of October 1893.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.Č., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Impregnating Liquids with Gases.
We, CARL BARTELT, and FRIEDRICH BARTELT both of 10 Fischerfeldstrasse
Frankfort on the Maine in the Einpire of Germany Manufacturers, 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 relates to apparatus for effecting an intimate mixture or thorough
impregnation of liquids with gases being more especially intended for manufacturing
sparkling or effervescing wines or beverages with rapidity and economy. The
invention is hereinafter described as being employed in connection with this
manufacture and its application to other analogous purposes will also be readily
understood from the following description.
In impregnating wine with carbonic acid gas in order to render it effervescent it
has heretofore been the practice to place the wine in large vessels in which, by
mechanical mixing and stirring, it is brought into contact with the carbonic acid
gas under pressure the wine thus impregnated being subsequently drawn off into
bottles. The agitation to which the wine is subjected according to this method
injures its quality and the unavoidable contact with the metallic surfaces of the
vessels and pipes imparts to it an objectionable flavour.
Endeavours have been made to obviate these disadvantages by drawing off into

page_text: bottles the wine that is to be impregnated closing these bottles with a stopper
provided with a non-return valve and connecting them with a supply of gas under
pressure. This inethod of impregnating has the disadvantage that the impregnation
is imperfectly performed as the gas pressure acts solely upon the small area of
surface exposed in the neck of the bottle so that the diffusion takes place very
slowly and incompletely. In order to provide a remedy for this defect the bottles
closed with the specially constructed valvular stoppers have been packed in rotating
drums into which carbonic acid gas under pressure is introduced but it is evident
that merely a slight improvement is obtained in this way. The bottles must be
very carefully packed in the drum in order that they may not knock against one
another and the valvular stoppers involve an additional expense being moreover
unsightly in appearance.
By means of the apparatus constructed according to this invention all the
aforesaid disadvantages are obviated the bottles being corked in the usual manner
and the wine in the bottles being thoroughly impregnated with carbonic acid gas
with great rapidity and economy as hereinafter described.
And in order that our said invention may be fully understood we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 is an end elevation (with part of one
of the end standards broken away) of an apparatus constructed according to this
invention.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 shew details of a valve box and valve drawn to a larger scale
hereinafter described, and
Figures 6 and 7 shew in plan and end elevation respectively (with part of one of
the end standards broken away) a modified form of apparatus constructed
according to this invention and
Figures 8 and 9 shew modified forms of valve box and valves.
The apparatus is constructed with a rotatable bottle frame a carried by a hollow
shaft in the form of a tube or pipe 6 mounted in bearings on standards 6ª and
connected with a carbonic acid generator A by pipes as shewn.
The tubular shaft b is provided with a series of perforations communicating with
boxes C containing valves controlling the communication with the charging orifices.
The radial arms d of the bottle frame project at right angles to the tubular shaft b
and carry by means of the slides as shewn rests or supports e for the bottles/' which
are pressed against the charging orifices so as to make a gas tight joint by means of
hand screws acting upon the said slides carrying the supports the charging
orifices being provided with rings or washers of suitably elastic material such as
india rubber, cork or the like for the reception of the mouth of the bottle.
The valve boxes are each provided with a valve of special construction acting in
such a manner that the pressure in the tube b and valve boxes C is always greater
than the pressure in the bottle it being consequently impossible for the liquid to
pass into the pipes or passages behind the valve.
The valve box C (Figure 3) is connected with the shell of a stop cock g on
one side and on the other side communicates with the atmosphere (or with the
interior of the bottle when the bottle is placed in position for charging) through a
contracted orifice shewn at h. A conical or mushroom valve and rod 2
(shewn separately in Figure 5) works in the valve chamber f¹ being provided with
two seats situated on opposite sides of the valve. The seat k at the back of the
valve is ground true so that the passage is completely closed when the valve i is in
contact with this seat so as to cut off the carbonic acid supply but the other scat l
is provided with lateral grooves or openings 1 (see Figure 4) which allow the
carbonic acid to pass into the bottle when the valve i is forced against the seat l.
The stem of the valve being cruciform or triangular in transverse section acts
as a guide working in a passage & communicating with the tubular shaft b and
controlled by the cock 9.

page_text: The valve i is provided with a spring n coiled upon the rod or guide i¹ and
tending to maintain the valve i in the closed position on the seat k.
Figure 8 shews an arrangement like Figure 3 but with the elastic seating for the
bottle mouth formed by a nipple shaped termination.
As a modification, an india rubber valve, such as is shown in Figure 9, may be
substituted for the double seat valve. While the pressure in front and behind the
valve is equal, the narrow slot m in the lip u remains closed; but whenever there
is any pressure in.excess within the tube, such pressure will slightly force apart
the lips and open the valve; while any excess of pressure there may be in the
bottle, firmly presses the lips upon each other, thereby tightly closing the joint.
A further modification consists in so constructing the front part the india rubber
cap, projecting into the neck of the bottle, that it forms a lip valve, in which case,
of course, the inner lip valve, shown in Figure 9 may be dispensed with. It is not
considered necessary to shew this arrangement, in the drawings as it will be readily
understood without illustration. In this arrangement, the secondary object of the
invention, which is to keep the liquid away from the valve itself, in order to
prevent its tightness from being impaired, may of course be disregarded.
This end is however attained in the arrangements wherein a separate cap is
employed, as its very small aperture, while permitting carbonic acid to pass,
prevents the liquid from so doing, since it cannot get past the current of carbonic
acid.
'
To simplify description, the first mentioned arrangement only (illustrated in
Figure 3) shall be hereinafter referred to, inasmuch as what is stated in reference
thereto is also applicable to the other forms of apparatus.
The carbonic acid gas from the generator A is caused to pass into an intermediate,
or expansion vessel B, provided with a stop cock a' enabling it to be shut off from
the generator A when required. When sufficient pressure is obtained in this
vessel B as indicated by a gauge this stop cock a³ is closed and another stop
cock a controlling the communication between the vessel B and the charging or
impregnating apparatus is opened care being taken to previously close all the
cocks g connected with the valve boxes C. Any air that may be imprisoned in the
tubular shaft b or passages can be discharged by simply opening for an instant
the cock 9 of the valve box farthest from the expansion vessel B so as to allow the
pressure of the carbonic acid to drive out the air.
The bottles being previously filled with wine are placed with their bottoms
resting upon the supports e and screwed up so that their openings or throats make
a tight joint around the charging orifice by bearing against the flexible picce C³
Figure 3 or the flexible covering of the nozzle / Figures 8 and 9. The cocks g are
then opened and the carbonic acid gas under pressure passes into the bottles. In
order to get rid of any air that may be present in the bottles the cocks are closed
and the clamping screws or supports of the bottles are slightly loosened so as to
allow a small quantity of gas to escape directly into the atmosphere and drive out
the air.
The bottles are then tightened up again and the cocks g are again opened. These
operations having been performed in the case of each bottle the tubular shaft bis
rotated by means of the crank handle m. The bottles being arranged radially about
the shaft 6 are thereby caused to revolve with the latter and the liquid which they
contain is shaken upwards and downwards being thus brought into intimate contact
with the carbonic acid.
So long as the pressure in the tubular shaft bis greater than that in the bottles f
the valves & remain off their seats k compressing the springs and allowing the
carbonic acid gas to pass into the bottles.
The passage of the gas is accelerated at each descent of the revolving bottles as
the liquid descends or falls away from the charging orifices and tends to produce
a vacuum above its surface which tends to suck or draw the gas out of the tubular
shaft b.
The area of the passage through which the carbonic acid gas passes to the charging

page_text: valve being considerably greater than that of the outlet orifice or passage leading
to the bottle on the other side of the valve an excess of pressure is always present
in the valve box which prevents the liquid from entering the latter. In case the
pressure in the pipe or passage behind the valve becomes less than or merely equal
to the pressure in the bottle or in front of the valve the latter is closed automatically
by the spring n and thus prevents the liquid from passing into the pipe or passage b
beyond or behind the valve. In this case also the liquid does not enter the valve
box as the orifice between the latter and the bottle is too small to allow the liquid to
mix or enter simultaneously with the gas in the box.
From time to time according to the rate of absorption of the carbonic acid gas
by the liquid the diminution in the pressure of the gas in the expansion chamber B
is compensated for by opening the stop cock a between this vessel and the
generator A until the required pressure is re-established in the said expansion
chamber.
The rotary motion is continued until the pressure gauge on the expansion chamber
ceases to indicate a reduction of pressure owing to the liquid being unable to take
up any more gas.
The bottles are then allowed to remain stationary for a few minutes in order that
the liquid may stand at rest under pressure after which they are removed, the
corresponding stop cocks g being previously closed. The corking and tying down
may then be performed in the usual way.
In the modification shown in Figures 6 and 7 the stop cocks g carried by the
revolving frame may be opened and closed automatically being closed when they
ascend and opened when they descend in the rotary motion of the bottles. By
these means greater security is obtained against accidental entry of liquid into the
passages behind the valves. With this object the plugs of the cocks g are provided
with lever arms o and the levers of each series or row of cocks are jointed to one
common rod or other like actuating device.
On the standards at each side of the apparatus stationary cam discs 9 are
placed with the inclines or cam surfaces on the sides presented to the mechanism.
The cam surfaces are arranged in such a position that they act on the ends of the
rods p or other like actuating devices connected to the levers o on the stop
cocks g and cause the latter to open and close automatically as hereinbefore
described.
The screws hereinbefore described as being employed for clamping or fixing the
bottles in position in the apparatus may be replaced by strong springs which act
upon the rests or supports e of the bottles and cause them to force the latter against
the charging orifices. These springs are provided with handles or levers s by
means of which the bottles can be removed and replaced or loosened for the escape
of air as required. These springs greatly facilitate the working of the apparatus.
Suitable stops are provided which limit the upward and downward movement of
the springs and prevent excessive pressure being exerted on the bottles on the one
hand and prevent straining of the spring by too forcible compression on the other
hand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for impregnating liquids with gases consisting of a hollow rotatable
shaft or tube in connection with a supply of the gas under pressure and means for
supporting the bottles or containers of the liquid around the said shaft and pressing
them against outlet orifices the said outlet orifices being controlled by cocks and
valves the said valves and their casings being so arranged and controlled that
escape of liquid is prevented substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
2. In or for apparatus for impregnating liquids with gases a valve and valve
casing and passage for gas to the bottles or containers so relatively proportioned

page_text: and arranged that liquid is prevented from escaping into or from the valve
casing substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
3. In or for rotative apparatus for impregnating liquids with gases the combination
with the cocks by which gas is admitted to the liquid of means whereby the said
cocks are automatically opened and closed substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of July 1894.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.