Improvements in Means for Drawing, Raising, or Forcing Beer or other Liquids.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1892-Accepted, 3rd May, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Drawing, Raising, or Forcing Beer or
other Liquids.
We CHARLES HILL ONIONS, WILLIAM EDWARDS and JOHN EVANS of 5,
Albert Street, Shrewsbury, in the County of Salop Engineers, 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 certain improvements in means for drawing, raising, or
forcing, beer or other liquids whereby the liquid may be forced, drawn, or raised,
by compressed air in a steady flow to any required height or distance without the
aid, use, or employment, of pumps.
Our improvements are of particular advantage for the purpose of drawing ales or
beers from cellars to a higher level, or from a distance; any number of taps may be
supplied from one barrel, and the apparatus constructed in accordance with this
invention is less costly than the ordinary beer pump and engine.
advantage and economy is that, when not required, any ale or beer can be readily
returned into the casks instead of lying in the pipes as usual.
A further
The ales or beers are delivered to the taps at the bar or other place required
from the barrels wherever situated through pipes in the ordinary way, and no
change therein is required when employing this apparatus.
The apparatus is equally adapted for use in drawing or raising ales, beers,
petroleum and other oils, spirits, wine, and other liquids.
The apparatus in accordance with this invention consists of an air-tight tank
fitted with an air cock and having an air outlet connected by means of pipes or
tubes to the cask, barrel, or other vessel from which the beer or other liquid is to
be drawn, raised, or forced. Water is admitted into the air-tight tank through a
suitable inlet provided, and the air is forced through the air outlet and thence
conveyed to the vessel or cask being drawn from.
The pressure of air is determined by the force of water entering the tank and
this is controlled by a governor working automatically to any required pressure,
and which is so adjusted as to cut off the water supply when the pressure required
is attained.
Attached to the compressed air outlet valve we have a ball cock which will close
the air tube when the water reaches a short distance from the level of the air
outlet.
When the water in the tank attains the height desired it can be cut off from the
outside by a double acting lever which shuts off the inlet, and opens the outlet.
Sufficient compressed air is in the tubes and casks to carry on with whilst the tank
is being emptied.
The supplying and emptying of the tank may be automatically performed if
desired, and for this purpose we make use of a simple and effective device consisting
of a climbing ball which floats upon the water, and rises and falls therewith. Upon
this ball rising to a given height it will lift a lever and open the water outlet
valve, and the ball descending as the water lowers will close the water outlet.
And in order that this invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect we will proceed to describe same with reference to the accompanying sheet
of drawings on which is shewn in vertical section an apparatus constructed in
accordance with this invention, and in which a is the air tight tank of any given
capacity fitted with water supply tube so that the tank may be filled with water.
e is the air cock and the compressed air outlet connected by pipes or tubes to the
cask or other vessel from which the liquid is to be drawn. The pressure of the air

page_text: is determined by the force of water entering the tank and the force of water as it
enters is controlled by a governor as at d.
The governor at d as shewn consists of a cup d² in which mercury is placed, and
an inverted bell cup attached to the lever d. This lever is fulcrummed at d³
and carries a regulating weight d. The mouth of the bell cup dips into, and is
immersed in the mercury so as to prevent escape of air.
The weight on the valve lever and the depth of the mercury will determine the
amount of resistance of the inside pressure which is required by, and is consistent
with the safety of, the apparatus. The bell cup is attached by rod d³ to the
lever do which upon the rise and fall of the governor in accordance with the
internal pressure correspondingly affects the water inlet valve at 6². The pressure
is indicated upon the pressure gauge e, and p is a water gauge glass.
The pressure of the water it is understood is in accordance with the height of the
supply cistern, or the reservoir when "service" water is used and according to the
setting of the apparatus so will be regulated the air pressure therein.
With the automatic governor such as herein described the apparatus may be left
with safety in the control of anyone however ignorant of its working, and no
constant watching of the pressure gauge against the water pressure becoming too
great is required.
To the compressed air valve at c¹ is attached the ball cock f which will
automatically close the air tube or pipe when the water reaches a short distance
from the air outlet. When the tank is filled with water to the height desired it
can be cut off from the outside by the double acting lever g which closes the inlet
water supply pipe band opens the outlet water pipe b¹.
Sufficient compressed air remains in the air tubes or pipes and casks to carry on
with whilst the tank is being emptied, and after being emptied the incoming water
immediately takes effect in compressing the air, and maintaining the pressure
required.
When it is desired that the supplying and emptying of the tank shall be
automatically performed we make use of and employ for the purpose the climbing
ball device hereinbefore referred to, and of which the following is a particular
description.
In the annexed drawing is the climbing ball which rises and falls with the
water level. Through this ball / passes a tube i which latter is fitted loosely over
the rod k. The ball is of sufficient buoyancy to lift the tube i upon the water rising
to a given point as m (determined by the length of the tube) a shoulder or flange
being formed at the upper end of the tube i against which the climbing ball acts.
The lower end of the tube i is connected to the lever n, and when the tube is lifted
by the action of the climbing ball said lever n is raised and opens the outlet valve n¹.
Upon the escape of the water and the lowering of the ball the outlet valve n¹ will
close. The ball h on reaching the point m also lifts the lever o' attached to the
clapper or valve o covering a small air hole in the tank a, and the atmospheric
pressure from outside keeps this open until the tank is emptied. When the action
of refilling takes place the gathering force of the inside pressure from the water
entering will close the clapper or valve o.
The employment of the automatic supplying and emptying controlling device
above described admits of the apparatus being used and worked by any unskilled
workman without danger and with but ordinary attention.
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.
Ist. The improved means for drawing, raising and forcing beer or other liquids
consisting of the air tight tank the inlet and outlet water tubes fitted with charge
and discharge cocks and valves and the air cock & tubes leading to the barrel or
reservoirs of the liquid to be drawn raised or forced as and for the purpose herein
specified.

page_text: 2nd. In apparatus as herein described the governor or safety valve device the
ball valve and water cut off operating as and for the purpose herein set forth.
3rd. In apparatus as herein set forth the automatic climbing ball regulator with
its tube connected with the arm of the water discharge valve, and the air clapper
or valve and lever combined and operating substantially as set forth.
Dated this 21st day of March 1892.
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
76, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.