Improvements in or relating to Distillers' Safes, said Improvements being also Applicable for Check-sampling the Spent Wash at Outlets of "Patent" Stills,
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1890-Accepted, 28th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Distillers' Safes, said Improvements
being also Applicable for Check-sampling the Spent Wash at
Outlets of "Patent" Stills,
We WILLIAM WATSON MUTTER of Bowmore Distillery Islay in the County of
Argyle, Distiller, and WILLIAM DAWSON of Anderston Brewery, Bishop Street,
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, Brewer do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the provision of such additions to distillers' safes
as at present used as shall ensure that a sample will be taken automatically at any
stage of the distillation and preserved beyond the control of the man working the
stills for examination at any subsequent time.
The apparatus constituting the Invention consists of a trough divided into as many
compartments as may be required according to the description of still with which the
safe is to be used. One or more of the compartments constitutes an outlet by which
the condensed product at any stage in the operation passes into the proper receiver
and the intermediate compartments constitute means of communication to a series of
sample tubes placed below the trough the said tubes being either stationary or
mounted on tables or arins revolving on a spindle. When so mounted the spindle of the
revolving table or arms extends between the trough and the bottom of the safe and is
furnished with a toothed wheel geared with a toothed segment secured on another
or main spindle which passes through the centre of the trough, the said segment and
toothed wheel being so arranged that after each sample tube is filled the table is
revolved the exact distance required to bring the centre of the next tube under the
centre of the aperture communicating with the sampling compartment of the trough
above and leave it there.
Instead of the spur gearing the movement of the tubes may be effected by means of
pins set at the required distances apart on the revolving table or arms and actuated
by a cam or lever keyed upon the main spindle or by other equivalent means. The
main spindle passes from the bottom of the safe upwards through the centre of the
trough to the outside where it is fitted with a hand wheel or crank and immediately
above the trough the said spindle carries a spout which conveys the product of
distillation from the end of the pipe connected with the worm tubs or condensers
commonly called the worm end to each compartment of the trough in succession.
The spindles are furnished with ratchet and pawl arrangements so that they can
only be turned one way and the main spindle is also fitted with an indicator which
registers the number of revolutions. The sample tubes may be removable from the
safe or they may be fixed and each have an outlet in the bottom fitted with a stop
cock capable of being opened and closed by a sliding rod passing through the side
of the safe and forked on its inner end and a pump is or may also be provided to raise
the discharged samples to the level of the trough above or to a higher level if desired.
In addition there is also provided a tap to introduce water into each tube at will
in succession and a longitudinal spindle geared with the revolving table or arms for
the purpose of rotating the said table or arms at will and independently of the
gearing before mentioned such part of the apparatus as may be outside the safe being
enclosed in a lockfast compartment. In conjunction with the tubes instruments
necessary to test the quality and condition of the contents are
provided.
or may be
Under a modified arrangement the central spindle carrying the spout has a toothed
segment keyed upon it and geared with a pinion which pinion is also geared with
teeth made around the interior of the table or wheel carrying the sample tubes in

page_text: such manner that each time the segment is operated the table or wheel is turned
through an arc equal to the distance between the centres of two tubes. In the outlets
from the trough to the sampling tubes measuring vessels are situated each being
provided with a tap or stop cock the plug of which has a spindle extending towards
the main spindle and furnished at the inner end with means whereby through levers
fixed on the main spindle the taps or cocks are opened and closed as required the
opening lever following the spout at such distance that the spout shall have cleared
the measuring vessel before the tap or cock is opened to discharge the contents to
the sample tube below whilst the closing lever follows the opening lever at such
distance as shall allow a sufficient time for the discharge to take place.
The measuring vessels which are applicable to any of the arrangements described
may be covered excepting at the point of inlet where they may be provided with
floating valves to close them when the vessels are filled.
Under a further modification the main outlet pipes to the receivers may at a point
inside the safe have sampling branches connected to them each such branch being
fitted with a tap or stop cock the plug of which has a spindle operated by a second
spindle actuated by clockwork each spindle being provided with levers or other means
by which the tap may be opened and closed a sufficient interval being allowed for
a sample to pass into one of a series of sample tubes placed upon a wheel or table
furnished with gearing whereby it is rotated from the clockwork in such manner that
after one tube is filled the centre of the next tube shall be brought under the outlet
and left there the clockwork being arranged to repeat this operation at any required
interval.
In the case of safes fitted with stationary tubes these may be arranged in a circle
or circles and beneath the aperture or apertures in the intermediate compartments in
the trough there is or may be placed a revolving cup of the same size as the said
circle the cup having an outlet so arranged that it will pass over the mouth of each
tube in regular succession. The cup revolves on a spindle which is actuated by the
same means as the revolving tables already mentioned and it is furnished with means
for the introduction of water at will.
Besides being applied to distillers safes as ordinarily used the improved apparatus
hereinbefore described may be adapted to the outlets of "Patent" stills for the
purpose of taking and preserving beyond the control of the man working the still
check samples of the spent wash running off through the said outlets; and in any of
its adaptations it is or may be furnished with means to indicate the time occupied in
each stage of the distillation.
Dated this First day of July 1889.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Distillers' Safes, said Improvements
being also Applicable for Check-sampling the Spent Wash at
Outlets of "Patent" Stills.
We, WILLIAM WATSON MUTTER of Bowmore Distillery Islay in the County of
Argyle Distiller and WILLIAM DAWSON of Anderston Brewery, Bishop Street,
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, 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 :-
This Invention has for its object the provision of such additions to distillers safes as
at present used as shall ensure that a sample will be taken automatically at any stage
of the distillation and preserved beyond the control of the man working the still
for examination at any subsequent time.
The apparatus constituting the Invention as constructed under one modification is
illustrated in vertical section at figure i, in elevation at figure 2, in section on the

page_text: line a b figure 1 at figure 3 and in section on the line c d at figure 4 sheet 1, whilst
figure 1 sheet 2 is a vertical section, figure 2 an end elevation and figure 3 a plan
partly in section drawn to a larger scale of details of the apparatus. As shewn
by these figures the apparatus consists of a trough divided into two compart-
ments A A', or it may be divided into as many more compartments as may be desired
according to the description of still with which the trough is to be used. In the case
of a wash still one compartment is sufficient. Each of the compartments A, A' has
an opening B, constituting an outlet by which the condensed product at any stage of
the distillation passes into the proper receiver. The product being conducted into the
several compartments by a spout C mounted on a rotating spindle D and placed
underneath the worm end E. In the compartment A a series of measuring cups F
are carried the spout C delivering a sample into each of these cups in the course of its
rotation as hereinafter more fully referred to. The cups F which are preferably
closed at their upper ends have each a tube e at the centre the said tube being
slotted in its length to communicate with the interior of the cup and being pro-
vided with a stop cock the spindle or key of which has on its outer end a
quadrant or lever g having two arms at right angles to each other as seen at figure 5
sheet 1. On the spindle D two arms or levers h h' are keyed in position to act on
the arms of the lover the lever in the rotation of the spindle striking against
one arm to open the stop cock and the following lever striking against the
other arm to close it. Underneath the trough A A' the spindle D has a sleeve G
surrounding it and on a nut H screwed on to the lower end of the said sleeve there
is carried loosely a table or platform I having around its circumference a number of
sockets I' in which a series of vertical sample tubes 12 are supported the bottom of
the sockets having preferably leather or equivalent packing washers situated in them
to prevent leakage. The table or platform I is toothed around both its outer and inner
periphery as more particularly seen at figure 4 sheet 1 and with the inside teeth there
is geared a wheel J which also gears with a quadrant L, keyed on the spindle D. In
the wheel J three slots i aro made at equal distances from each other and in con-
junction with them there is provided a spindle having a crank j¹ which enters
each of these slots successively. On the spindle j there is another crank which,
as the spindle D rotates is acted upon by a plain part m on the quadrant L so as to
turn the spindle j and release the crank j from the wheel J the toothed part of
the quadrant immediately thereafter turning the wheel so as to rotate the table or
platform I a distance equal to the distance between two sockets I' which being effected
the quadrant L passes out of gear with the wheel whose motion is stopped by a
weight n on the end of the spindle j turning the said spindle in the opposite direction
and entering the crank into a slot i the underside of the quadrant being so con-
structed as to liberate the crank at the required time. At each partial rotation of
the table I another sample tube 12, is brought under the end of the tube e through the
cup and filled by the opening of the stop cock f as before described. The
spindle D is actuated by a hand wheel M secured on its upper end and it is
prevented from rotating excepting in one direction by the ratchet wheel N keyed on
it and with which a pawl N is geared. The tube e of each cup has or may have a
ball valve o as shewn to close the entrance when the cup has been filled and around
a portion of the tops of the cups upwardly projecting guards may be fitted to prevent
the liquid overflowing in any other than the desired direction.
With the teeth around the outer circumference of the table I there is geared a spur
pinion P carried on a vertical spindle P¹ on which there is also keyed a bevel wheel Q
the said wheel being geared with a wheel Q₁ keyed on the end of a horizontal
spindle R which is formed in two parts screwed together a rectangular box end being
formed on the section carrying the wheel which engages with a similarly shaped
recess made in a sleeve S enclosing the other section of the spindle the said section
together with the sleeve having their outer extremities enclosed in a separate casing T
which is locked so as to keep this apparatus out of control of the person running the
still. In conjunction with the spindle and sleeve there are provided in channels made
under the seats of the test tubes a series of stop cocks p and there is also provided a

page_text: lever which is centred at q' in the separate locked case T, the said lever having two
pins projecting vertically from it. The pin racts and is acted upon by a flanch
inade at the outer end of the sleeve S and the pin acts and is acted upon by
a spindles which is also formed in two parts screwed together, the inner end of
the spindle having jaws upon it between which there is situated a disc t to which a
lever t¹ is connected eccentrically. The outer end of the lever t' rests upon the end
of the spindle which at that part has a raised spiral or screw thread made upon it as
more particularly seen at figure 4, sheet 2. On the sleeve S there are also formed
square or other angular projections in connection with which there is furnished a
boss u¹ formed on or attached to the side of the case T an opening being made in the
boss for the passage of the projection u close up to the side of the case.
This apparatus is under control of the manager and when he desires to test a
sample he first opens the door of the case T and if the test tube under the exit from
the cup F, is empty he first draws the spindle s¹ outwards which through the disc t
and lever acting on the feather turns the spindle and releases the crank j
from the slot on the underside of the wheel J. The manager by then turning the
sleeve S spindle R and gearing QQP partially rotates the table I until the first
filled tube is brought to that position he then tests its contents and pushes the
sleeve S and spindle R inwards so as to gear a rectangular key on the end of
the spindle R with the stop cock p and by then turning the spindle the contents
of the tube are discharged into the trough U, from whence they are pumped up
into one or other of the compartments A and thence discharged into the receiver.
In so turning the spindle R the projections u enter slots in the boss u³ and
lock the spindle and sleeve in position so that the spindle cannot be withdrawn
until the stop cock is closed by turning the spindle in the reverse direction. In
the event of the manager neglecting to withdraw the spindle R from the stop cock
or in the event of his neglecting to return the spindle s¹ to its normal position
and so to throw the crank j¹ into gear with the wheel J prior to attempting to
shut the door of the case T the said door comes in contact with the end of the
spindle a pushing it inwards and causing it to act on the pin whereby the pin r
is made to act on the flanch of the sleeve S and so withdraw the key on the spindle R
from the stop cock.
A spindle V also made in two sections screwed together passes from the interior
of the case T where it is or may be furnished with a cross head or handle to a
pump situated within the casing of the safe at any convenient point and by which
the discharged samples are raised to the compartment A A' as before set forth.
A fourth spindle W, also passes from the interior of the case T to the inside of
the safe where it acts upon a stop cock placed in a water pipe led into the safe
and so situated as to enable the manager to introduce water at will into the sample
under examination.
Under a modification illustrated in elevation at figure 5 and in plan at figure 6
sheet 2 of the drawings the table or platform I instead of being toothed on its outer
and inner circumference and geared with the spindle D and with the apparatus worked
from the locked casing T in the manner hereinbefore described has on its under side
a series of pins to placed equidistant between the sockets 1 of the test tubes 12. On
the spindle there is keyed an eye which has a jaw formed on its outer end wherein
one extremity of a lever or rod y is centred the said lever or rod rotating with the
spindle D. In conjunction with the lever y a bridge y' is provided the said bridge at
each end constituting an inclined plane and on a spindle = one end of which is carried
by the bridge and the other end by a bearing on the base plate there is furnished a
lever having a pin projecting horizontally from it the spindle also having a
counter-weight 1 the function of which is to maintain it in normal position. At each
revolution of the spindle D, which is or may be effected by the means hereinbefore
described, the lever or rod y rises over the bridge y¹ and in its passage it depresses
the lever so as to cause the pin 2 projecting from it to free itself from the pin w
of the table I with which it had been in contact whilst the end of the lever y coming
in contact with the said pin turns the table I until the lever has passed over the

page_text: bridge thereby bringing another sample tube underneath the cup F. Immediately
the lever y has passed out of contact with the lever z¹ the weight raises the said
lever and brings its pin into contact with the next pin w in succession thereby
stopping the table with the tube underneath the exit from the cup. The lever z¹ has
an arm 3 extending from it into the case T where the end of it is bevelled or inclined
downwards and in connection with the said arm there is provided a pin 2 which
projects from a block 3 held between collars 4 on a spindle 5, the inner end of which
has a bevel wheel 6 upon it gearing with similar teeth made around the table I, the
said wheel being maintained out of gear until the manager wishes to test the samples
at which time the spindle 5 is pushed inwards to gear the wheel with the table and in
so doing it at the same time causes the pin 2 to ride over the arm 23 and depress the
lever until its pin 22 is free from the pin w so rendering the table free to be rotated
by the wheel 6. A key spindle 7 passes through the side of the case T to the interior
of the safe to enable the manager to open and close the stop cocks p as before set
forth, the said spindle having on its outer end a flanch or collar bearing upon one end
of a lever 8 which is centred at 9 and has a bolt 10 connected to its other end which
bolt when the spindle 7 is pushed inwards to gear with the stop cock moves outwards
beyond the line of the door when shut and prevents the closing of the case T until
the spindle is returned to its normal position. Similarly in conjunction with the
spindle 5 a lever 11 and bolt 12 are provided which prevents the closing of the door
until the wheel 6 is disengaged from the table I.
The spindles 5 and 7 are or may be made in sections screwed together as herein-
before described the object of which attachment is to enable the mechanism contained
in the case T to be disconnected from that at the interior of the safe when it may be
necessary to withdraw the latter apparatus bodily.
Under a further modification illustrated in plan at figure 7 sheet 2 three revolving
tables I may be used each carrying a series of sample tubes. Each table may be
rotated by a quadrant L secured on the spindle D as before set forth and gearing
with a wheel underneath the table so as to bring each tube in succession below the
filling cup above or it may as under the previous arrangement be rotated by a lever
acting on pins projecting downwards from the table the relative stops and disengaging
mechanism as also the managers apparatus to enable him to make tests being the same
as before set forth.
Instead of applying the internal and external rotating mechanism to a rotating
table carrying the sample tubes the said tubes may be carried on a stationary or fixed
platform and the mechanism elevated overhead and applied to a rotating trough
placed underneath the trough A A' in such manner that the outlets from the cups F
above will discharge into it the contents being by the rotation of the trough delivered
into the tubes in succession.
When it is desired to take samples at stated intervals of time instead of rotating
the spindle D by hand as hereinbefore set forth clockwork mechanism with escape-
ments of any suitable construction may be adapted for that purpose in which case the
spout C, is dispensed with and the spindle D has as seen at figure 8 sheet 2 two levers
13 of similar construction to the levers / figure 1, sheet 1 secured upon it above the
level of the cup F, these levers acting at the required intervals on the arms of a
crank 14 secured on the spindle of a stop cock 15 in similar manner to that illus-
trated at figures 5 and 6 sheet 1 so as to open and close a branch 16 on a pipe or
channel 17 extending from the worm end to the receivers the said branch leading to
the cup F which together with the other parts of the apparatus are constructed and
operated as before specified.
This arrangement is especially applicable to Patent stills and to taking samples at
the spent wash outlets of the same when it is desired to take and preserve beyond the
control of the man working the still samples of the spent wash running off through
the said outlets.
In any of its adaptations the improved apparatus may be furnished with means to
indicate the time occupied in each stage of the distillation,

page_text: 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. In a distillers safe the general arrangement and combination of parts constituting
the improved apparatus for taking at any stage of the distillation and preserving
beyond the control of the workman check samples, substantially as described with
reference to figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, sheet 1, and figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 sheet 2 of
the accompanying drawings.
2. In a distillers safe the combination of the spindle D trough C, cup F and table I
carrying sample tubes substantially as and for the purpose described with reference
to the appended drawings.
3. In apparatus of the class set forth the combination of the spindle D levers h
crank g and stop cock substantially as described with reference to the drawings
annexed.
4. In apparatus of the class set forth the combination of the spindle D sleeve G
table I and apparatus for rotating and stopping the said table substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
5. In apparatus of the class set forth the combination of mechanism whereby the
manager or other responsible person is enabled to check the samples and discharge
the sample tubes substantially as described with reference to sheet 1 and to
figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 sheet 2 of the drawings appended.
6. In apparatus of the class set forth the combination of mechanism for the like
purpose to that claimed in the preceding clause substantially as herein before described
with reference to figures 5 and 6 sheet 2, of the drawings.
7. The general arrangement of tables herein before described with reference to
figure 7 sheet 2 of the drawings.
8. In apparatus of the class set forth the combination of mechanism for taking
check samples illustrated at figure 8 sheet 2 the same being used in conjunction with
suitable clockwork as described.
Dated this First day of April 1890.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.