Year: 1841

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we hereby
declare that the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be carried into effect, is fully set forth and ascertained in and
by the following description thereof, and the Drawings hereunto annexed :—
Our improvements consist, first, in an improved process for manufacturing
vinegar from beetroots; secondly, in an improved apparatus for effecting the
acetous fermentation, which is applicable in the manufacture of vinegar from
other substances than beetroots, and in conjunction with the ordinary processes
for conducting the manufacture as far as the acetous fermentation. We
commence with the description of the acidifying apparatus.
Figure 1 represents a horizontal section or plan of the apparatus, and
Figure 2 a vertical section of the same. In each of these Figures the same
letters indicate the same parts. a, a, is a vat of any suitable form and dimen
sions, composed preferably of oak strongly hooped. At a short distance above
the bottom is fixed a rose or small inverted dome b, pierced with numerous
small holes, and communicating by a pipe d with a blowing cylinder e, or any
other kind of suitable blowing apparatus. f,f, is a steam worm lying upon
the bottom, the one end of which communicates with a steam boiler, and is
furnished with a steam cock 9, and the other end is open to the atmosphere.
h, h, h, are diaphgrams or false bottoms perforated with numerous small holes,
and placed below the surface of the liquid at equal distances from each other.
i is the cover of the vat, and has a valve k opening outwards upon a very slight
pressure from within. m is a thermometer, the bulb of which is immersed
in the liquid to indicate the temperature thereof. All the metallic parts of
the apparatus which are in contact with the vinegar should preferably be made
of pure tin. Our improved process for manufacturing vinegar from beetroots
is as follows: The tops and shoots of the beetroots are first cut off, and the.
roots are then thoroughly washed; they are next put in a rasping machine
and reduced to a fine pulp. This pulp is then filled into bags made of very
strong cloth, and the bags are placed one upon the other in a powerful press,
with a board or hurdle interposed between each two bags, and the press is
worked until the whole, or nearly the whole, of the saccharine juice is extracted
from the pulp. The strength or gravity of this juice will vary from about 7°
to 9° of the aerometer; it is to be attenuated by mixture with water to the
strength of about 5°, and then boiled for a short time, which we prefer
effecting in a wooden vessel and by the heat of steam. The liquid or "worts'
is removed to the coolers or refrigerating vessels, in which it remains until
the temperature falls to about 60' Fahrenheit, when it is conveyed into
the fermenting vat, wherein good yeast is added to it in the proportion of
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page_text: passage
about half a gallon of yeast to one hundred gallons of worts. The vinous
fermentations speedily commences, and lasts commonly from two to four days,
according to the quality of the worts and the temperature of the apartment.
When the fermentation is ended, the fermented wash is pumped into the
acidifying vessel, where it is converted into vinegar by the following mode of
proceeding: Supposing the vessel to be capable of containing twenty-four
thousand gallons, the first step is to let into it two thousand gallons of vinegar
to serve as "mother" to an equal quantity of fermented wash, which is intro-
duced at the same time, and a little yeast being added, the whole quickly enters
into the acetous fermentation. As soon as the fermentation is fully set in, the
blowing apparatus must be put into action to force in air, which, in its
through the numerous small holes' in the false bottoms, is brought into intimate
contact with the mass of the liquid, imparting to it a portion of its oxygen, and
expelling through the valve on the cover of the vat the carbonic acid gas
evolved during the course of the fermentation. As soon as the temperature
of the liquid falls below 70° degrees Fahrenheit, the steam cock of the worm
is opened and a current of steam is admitted, so as to maintain the tempe-
rature constantly between 70° to 80° Fahrenheit. By the conjoint action of
the current of air and the elevated temperature thus maintained, the whole of
the liquid will in a few days be converted into vinegar. When this is com-
pletely effected, four thousand more gallons of fermented wash are let into the
vat, which, mixing with the four thousand gallons previously contained therein,
acetification speedily commences, and a current of air and a temperature of
from 70° to 80° Fahrenheit being maintained in the manner above described,
the whole of the eight thousand gallons of, liquid is in a few days converted
into vinegar. A third quantity of fresh wash is then added, and the current
of air and steam maintained as before, and thus the process is continued until,
by successive additions, the vessel contains twenty-four thousand gallons of
vinegar. When the acetous fermentation has ceased, eight thousand gallons
are drawn off and pumped into the clarifying vessels, where they are clarified
by the ordinary means employed for that purpose, and eight thousand gallons
of fresh wash is pumped into the acidifying vessel, where, becoming com-
pletely acidified in a few days, that quantity of vinegar may be withdrawn from
the vat and replaced by a like quantity of fresh wash, and so on continually.
First, we claim the improved process and apparatus described for manu-
facturing vinegar from beetroots.
Second, we claim the process and apparatus herein described for effecting
and maintaining the acetous fermentation and all such modifications of the
same wherein the acetous fermentation is conducted by the combined operation