Improvements in Diffusion Apparatus for the Manufacture of Cider.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 15th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1898
I, AUGUSTE CHARLES BRIET, of No. 95, Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, France,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to diffusion apparatus employed in the manufacture
of cider.
A number, such for instance as 9, diffusion vats are mounted on trucks running
on circular rails so that each vat can be brought successively under an apple
cutting machine to receive its charge of apple cuttings, and moved round to the
place where it is to be emptied.
Each of the vats has a pair of horizontal perforated partitions between which
the apple cuttings are held, and has also vertical partitions separating it into
compartments up and down which the juice circulates. Each vat has trunnions
working in bearings on triangular frames projecting up from its truck, and the
truck is provided with a catch lever which holds the vat upright but can be turned
aside so as to allow the vat to be tilted so as to empty it. Each vat communicates
with the next on each side of it by a pipe connection provided with a stop cock
and screw unions, so that, when a vat has to be tilted, the stop cock on each side
is closed and the union is unscrewed leaving the vat free.
The apple cutting machine consists of a vertical cylinder or drum holding the
apples, the bottom being a revolving disc having several radial slots in which
are held corrugated knives.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Diffusion Apparatus for the Manufacture of Cider.
I, AUGUSTE CHARLES BRIET, of No. 95, Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, France,
Manufacturer, 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 improvements in diffusion apparatus employed in
the manufacture of cider, which I will proceed to describe with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shews a sectional part elevation and
Fig. 2 a part plan of a a battery of diffusers Figs. 3 and 4 shew vertical sections:
at right angles to each other of one of the vats, Fig. 5 shews a plan and Fig. 6
an elevation thereof.

page_text: Fig. 7 shew a vertical section of the apple cutting machine, Fig. 8 shews a
plan of the cutters and Fig. 9 shews a section at ab Fig. 8, Fig. 10 shews a
perspective view of one of the cutters; Fig. 11 shews a section through one of the
tubular connections by which the contiguous vats communicate with each other.
The diffusing vats A are mounted with their trunnions 6 in bearings b on the
frames B on trucks C, the wheels D D¹ of which run on circular rails d d¹, the
wheels being made of different diameters corresponding to the radius of the rail
circle, so as to roll correctly round the latter, and the bed of the rails is formed
with a corresponding inclination so as to maintain the trucks horizontal.
The diffusing vats may be of any desired number, but I obtain a perfect diffusion
with nine vats, in consequence of the construction of these.
Each vat is divided into two or more compartments a a¹, through which the juice
is made to circulate successively and not simultaneously.
The vats are also provided with two perforated partitions E and E¹ between
which the apples are placed.
During the action of each diffusing vat, it is maintained in the vertical position
by means of a lever F pivotted at one end to the truck C and secured at the other
end to the vat by a sliding bolt G. When it is desired to empty the vat, it suffices
to remove the bolt G, and to turn the lever F on its pivot for freeing the vat, so
that it can then be tilted over by hand on its trunnions 6¹ for discharging the
exhausted apple chips.
Each diffusing vat is connected to the two contiguous vats by means of a tubular
connection for conveying the juice from the one to the other, and as it is necessary
to be able to rapidly disconnect each vat from its two neighbours when it has to
be discharged, I construct the tubular connection as shewn at Fig. 11. The
cock H between two vats is mounted on a pipe I, which is connected to the two
tubes J J¹ by means of union nuts K K¹. The tube J¹ is fixed in the side of the
one diffusing vat by means of screws while the other, J, is screwed into a threaded
bush fixed in the side of the other vat.
This arrangement enables the tubular connection to be applied to a battery
of diffusing vats when these are not arranged accurately at equal distance apart
and also to effect any desired adjustment or tightening of the connection.
When it is necessary to detach a diffusing vat from its neighbours, it suffices to
unscrew the union nuts K K¹, which are then slid back on the pipe I, and to
screw back the tube J slightly so as to disengage it from I, whereupon the vat
is quite free and can be tilted over.
The apple cutting machine is arranged above the diffusing vats; it consists of
two discs M M¹ having openings and a cutter disc N. The latter has four openings n,
in which are placed the cutters P which are formed of a series of projections or
teeth p mounted in a frame P. At the underside of the openings ǹ are fixed
plates which support the cutters in the plate N, and the cutters are prevented
from rising out of the openings by the overlapping upper rim of the ring R.
In operating the battery of vats is made to revolve with a step by step motion
so as to bring each vat in succession beneath the cutting apparatus in order to
receive a fresh charge of apple chips, after the exhausted charge has been dis-
charged.
The apparatus is completed by a vat which receives the juices coming from the
battery and having a float which, when it has risen to a certain position, effects a
contact in the circuit of an electric signalling apparatus.
This action may be arranged to take place when the vat contains a charge, for
example, of 22 gallons; as it is known before hand that in obtaining 22 gallons
of juice in one operation, the juice will have a given degree of strength it will
thus be possible to obtain a charge of the required strength without requiring
to take samples for testing during the operation.
The liquid is made to circulate consecutively through all the diffusing vats of 5
the battery; for increasing the rapidity of the circulation there may be introduced

page_text: at the middle of the battery say between the 4th and 5th vat, any suitable known
device for raising the level of the liquid in the 5th vat, so as to accelerate the
circulation through the remaining vats.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. Diffusion apparatus for the manufacture of cider consisting of a series of
diffusing vats mounted with trunnions on a frame carried on wheeled trucks
running on a circular railway so as to be brought successively beneath an apple
cutting machine for receiving a charge of apple chips therefrom, substantially as
described.
2. Constructing the diffusing vats with two or more compartments communicat-
ing with each other in such manner that the juice is made to circulate through
them consecutively, substantially as described.
3. Effecting the communication between the contiguous diffusing vats by means
of a tubular connection consisting of a pipe with shut-off cock connected at each
end by screw unions to branch pipes on the contiguous vats of which the one
branch pipe is made to screw into a threaded bush in the side of the vat, so as
to enable each vat to be readily detached from its neighbours substantially as
described.
4. An apple cutting machine for diffusion apparatus, consisting of a drum at the
lower end of which is a revolving cutter consisting of a disc having openings in
which are mounted frames containing a series of pointed teeth or cutting blades
substantially as described.
5. Diffusion apparatus for the manufacture of cider, combined and operating as
herein described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 14th day of January 1898.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.