IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES FOR AGITATING WORT DURING FERMENTATION
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Siddeley, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Coppersmith, and Allen Michael Dearn, of Retford, in the County of
Nottingham, Brewer's Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES FOR AGITATING WORT DURING FERMENTATION."
Sealed the 17th December 1878, and dated the 5th July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Siddeley and Allen
Michael Dearn at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th July
1878.
JOHN SIDDELEY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Coppersmith, and
ALLEN MICHAEL DEARN, of Retford, in the County of Nottingham, Brewer's
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES FOR AGITATING WORT
DURING FERMENTATION."
This Invention has for its object to provide simple, durable, and efficient
apparatus or appliances, which shall be capable of automatically agitating wort
during fermentation, so as to insure that such fermentation shall act equally and
uniformly throughout the whole mass.
In carrying the Invention into practice we employ apparatus or appliances con-
structed as follows:-
A cylinder attached to the side of the vessel containing the wort, or secured to
any convenient carrier fitted with a piston, is provided at its lower end with a
delivery valve and with a suction pipe, which dips into the work. The upper end
of the said cylinder is provided with a valve opening upwards and outwards into
the atmosphere, and is connected by a pipe or tube to a vacuum chamber pump or
other appliance for providing or forming a vacuum.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The vacuum maintained on the top
of the piston allows of the pressure of the atmosphere on the wort forcing such
wort up the pipe leading to the lower end of the cylinder beneath the piston, so
raising the said piston. When the wort has raised the piston to near the top of the
[Price 6d1

page_text: cylinder the said piston strikes against the valve above mentioned and raises such
valve, so as to open communication between the atmosphere and the top of the
cylinder above the piston. The vacuum above the piston is thus destroyed, and
the weight of the piston and wort beneath it presses on the delivery valve at the
bottom of the cylinder and opens such valve. The wort then flows from the said
cylinder into the vessel or container from which it was raised. As soon as the
piston has descended the valve on the top of the cylinder closes of itself, and the
same operation is repeated.
In practice we prefer to employ a hinged valve to close the opening in the bottom
of the cylinder, such valve being kept to its seat by a weight or spring.
The suction pipo or pipe which dips into the wort may, if desired, be constructed
with branches, or so forined that wort will be raised from each part of the bottom
of the containing vessel.
The valve at the top of the cylinder may advantageously be provided with a stem,
which works in a hole or guide in the piston.
The piston may be slightly smaller in diameter than the interior of the cylinder,
and may be provided with a rolling or other packing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Siddeley and Allen Michael Dearn in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th January 1879.
John Siddeley, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Coppersmith, and
ALLEN MICHAEL DEARN, of Retford, in the County of Nottingham, Brewer's
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES FOR AGITATING WORT
DURING FERMENTATION."
This Invention has for its object to provide simple, durable, and efficient
apparatus or appliances, which shall be capable of automatically agitating wort
during fermentation, so as to ensure that such fermentation shall act equally and
uniformly throughout the whole mass.
In carrying the Invention into practice we employ apparatus or appliances con-
structed as follows:-A cylinder attached to the side of the vessel containing the
wort, or secured to any convenient carrier fitted with a piston, is provided at its
lower end with a delivery valve and with a suction pipe, which dips into the wort.
The upper end of the said cylinder is provided with a valve opening upwards and
outwards into the atmosphere, and is connected by a pipe or tube to a vacuum
chamber, pump, or other appliance for producing or forming a vacuum.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The vacuum maintained on the top of
the piston allows of the pressure of the atmosphere on the wort, forcing such wort
up the pipe leading to the lower end of the cylinder beneath the piston, so raising
the said piston. When the wort has raised the piston to near the top of the
cylinder the said piston strikes against the valve above mentioned and raises such
valve, so as to open communication between the atmosphere and the top of the
cylinder above the piston. The vacuum above the piston is thus destroyed, and
the weight of the piston and wort beneath it press on the delivery valve at the
bottom of the cylinder and open such valve. The wort from the said cylinder then
flows into the vessel or container from which it was raised. As soon as the piston
has descended, the valve on the top of the cylinder closes of itself, and a vacuum is
again produced over the piston, and the same operation is repeated.
In practice we prefer to employ a hinged valve to close the opening in the bottom
of the cylinder, such valve being kept to its seat by a weight or spring.
The suction pipe or pipe which dips into the wort may, if desired, be con-
structed with brauches, or so formed that wort will be raised from each part of the
bottom of the containing vessel. The valve at the top of the cylinder may advan-
tageously be provided with a stem, which works in a hole or guide in the piston.
The piston may be slightly smaller in diameter than the interior of the cylinder,
and may be provided with a rolling or other packing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of apparatus or appliances constructed under our
Invention for agitating wort. 1, cylinder, which is attached to the side 2 of the
vessel containing the wort to be agitated; 3, piston; 4, delivery valve hinged at 5,
and caused to close by the weight 6; 7, suction pipe opening to the cylinder at onc
end and dipping into the wort at the other; 8, valve fitted at the top of the
cylinder 1 and opening to the atmosphere; 9, stem secured to the valve 8, and.
working in the hollow guide 10 attached to the piston 3; 11, pipe or tube connected
to a vacuum chamber, pump, or steam jet; 12, vacuum gauge; 13, stop cock.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan view of a modification of
apparatus or appliances in which the delivery valve is closed by a spring, and in
which a float 3, much smaller in diameter than the cylinder, and kept in position
by guides 14, is used. The guides for the valve 8 are also dispensed with.
In the above modification an ejector 15 is shown as the means for maintaining
the vacuum.

page_text: Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the ejector. 16, steam pipe; 17, pipe opening to the
cylinder; 18, waste pipe.
It will be obvious that various modifications in the construction of the above-
described apparatus or appliances may be made without departing from our
Invention.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention in such
manner that others will be enabled to carry our improvements into effect, we
claim, apparatus or appliances for agitating wort, constructed and arranged and
operating substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Siddeley, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Second day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.