IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA- RATUS AND MACHINERY USED IN BREWING, DISTILLING, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Barclay Walker, of Gateacre Grange, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS AND MACHINERY USED IN BREWING, DISTILLING, AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 24th May 1878, and dated the 29th November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Barclay Walker at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th November 1877.
ANDREW BARCLAY WALKER, of Gatencro Grange, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancastor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND MACHINERY USED IN BREWING
DISTILLING, AND OTHER PURPOSES."
The first part of my Invention consists mainly in improvements upon the appa-
ratus commonly known as Barton unions, and for which Letters Patent were
granted to Peter Walker in the year 1838, No. 7658, and has for its object the
means of obtaining easy access to the interior of the vessels for the purpose of
cleaning more thoroughly than is possible in their present forms and arrangement;
and for this purpose I construct my vessels of wood, combination metal, or other
suitable material, reserving to myself the right to use stone, slate, glass, or earthen-
ware vessels, if necessary, and of any size or shape, preferring the cylindrical form
for convenience, my arrangements boing as follows:-I construct the body of the
vessel as a plain cylinder, open at the top, with outlet at the bottom. I place one
or more of these vessels on a proper platform, and over them I place a long trough
or series of troughs or covers. These troughs or covers are fitted with pipes and
suitable regulators, and also pipes projecting down into the lower vessels for the
purpose of attemperating the contents thereof, these attemperating pipes being
spiral or any suitable form. These upper troughs or covers are made of con-
vonient depth, and are fitted with guides running upon slide rods and screw tackling
for securing them to their places when in operation, and suitable lifting gear for
raising them clear of the lower vessels to admit of examination and cleansing. I also
sometimes for convenience make the upper trough or cover a fixture, and lower the
lower vessels down for the same purpose.

page_text: The second part of my Invention consists in the application of carbonic acid gas
which is generated in large quantities in my process for fermentation, for which I
obtained Letters Patent, No. 1886, dated May 22nd, A.D. 1875) for the purposes of
quickening the process of cleansing in the above-named vessels, and also for acrating
and attemperating the contents thereof, and for this purpose I construct a store
tank or reservoir, which is perfectly air-tight, and to this tank I attach pipes leading
to the fermenters which convey the gas from the fermenters for storage. The outlet
pipe from this tank is connected to a main pipe, with branches leading to each of
the before-named vessels, and controlled by valves and taps. I also provide for the
cooling of the gas before discharging it into the vessels by passing the pipes through
vessels filled with ice, and salt, or other cooling agent, or I sometimes cause the gas
to pass through a refrigerator especially constructed for the purpose in any con-
venient form, the object being to finish the fermentation and cleansing of the con-
tents of the vessels rapidly, and at a low temperature, by the injection of the
gas through a perforated rose fixed at the bottom, or any other suitable position in
the vessel, the gas being cooled in the manner described above. I also adapt the
above process to the cooling and aerating of other liquids, either by injection into
the body of the liquor, or by forcing through pipes immersed in the liquor at a
high pressure, and for refrigerating purposes generally, not confining myself exclu-
sively to the use of carbonic acid gas alone.
The third part of my Invention consists of an improved apparatus for filling
casks or other vessels, and has for its object the saving of time and prevention of
wasto during the process, and is constructed as follows:-I attach a pipe of suitable
size and length to the vessel from which the casks are to be filled, and projecting
from this pipe (which lays horizontally) are a series of telescopic vertical pipes. At
the ends of theso pipes are conical plugs which fit into the bung-holes of the casks
or vessels to be filled. These conical plugs are so fitted that they slide upon the
vertical pipes, if required, to suit the inequalities of the size of the bung-holes, and
they are furnished with an air pipe reaching up to the top of the filling vessel or
(as it is technically called) settler. Theso vertical pipes are fitted with valves of
elastic substance, either singly or continuously, which are actuated by a lever or
levers, and shut off or open the communication between the supply cistern or settler,
and the vessel or cask. The mode of operation is as follows:-One or more casks
(six is a convenient number) are placed in position, the conical plug is inserted in
the bung hole, the elastic valves (which by proference I make of an inside core of
india-rubber tube, placed inside the vertical tube, which being closed at the end, is
expanded by air or water pressure when closed, and contracted so as to allow the
passage of the liquor past it when open) and the supply of liquor is turned into the
casks, which are uniformly filled, and when full, tho conical plug prevents waste as
the air oscapes by tho air pipe, so that in the event of neglect or want of dexterity
on the part of the attendant when the cask is full, there is no running over; the
inside valve or tube is distended, and filling up the entire space of the filling pipe
expels any liquor that may remain in it, so that when it is lifted out of the bung-
hole there is no dripping or waste.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Andrew Barclay Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th May 1878.
ANDREW BARCLAY WALKER, of Gatencre Grange, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND MACHINERY USED IN BREWING,
DISTILLING, AND OTHER PURPOSES."
The first part of my Invention consists in improvements upon the apparatus
commonly and erroneously known as "Burton anions," for which Letters Patent
were granted to Peter Walker in the year 1838, No. 7658, and has for its object the
means of obtaining easy access to the interior of the vessels for the purposes of
cleansing and examining them more thoroughly than is possible in their present
forms and arrangements; and for this purpose I construct my vessels of wood, com-
bination metals, stone, slate, glass, earthenware, or any suitable material, and of any
size or shape, proforring the cylindrical form for convenience, my arrangements
being by preference as described bolow. I construct the body of the vessel as a
plain cylinder, open at the top, with an outlet at the bottom. I place one or more
of these vessels on a proper platform, and over them I place a long trough, or series
of troughs or covers. These troughs and covers are fitted with pipes and suitable
regulators, and also pipes projecting down into the lower vessels for the purpose of
attomperating the contents thereof. These attemperating pipes are spiral, or of any
other suitable form. The upper troughs or covers are made of convenient depth,
and fitted with guides running upon slide rods, and screw or wedge tackling for
securing them in their places when in operation; and suitable lifting gear for
raising them clear of the lower vessels to admit of examination, cleansing, &c. I
also sometimes for convenience make the upper trough or cover a fixture, and lower
the under vessels down for the same purpose.
The second part of my Invention consists in the application of carbonic acid gas,
which is generated in large quantities in my process for fermentation (for which I
obtained Letters Patent, dated May 22nd, A.D. 1875, No. 1886) for the purpose
of quickening the process of cleansing and refining the contents of the above-named
vessels, and also for aerating and atteinperating the contents thereof; and for this
second part I sometimes construct a store tank or reservoir, which is perfectly air-
tight, and to this tauk I attach pipes leading from the fermentors, which convey the
gas to this tank for storage under pressure. I also sometimos take the supply of
gas direct from the fermentors, and in either case I carry it into a main pipo which
is connected to each of the vessels, and controlled by suitable valves or taps. I also
sometimes provide for the cooling of the gas before injecting it into the contents of
the vessels, by causing it to pass through a refrigerator, which I construct by pre-
ferenco of a series of tubes, having a spiral casing attached either to the outsido or
inside surface of the tubo, the gas or fluid being made to pass through this spiral
passage, and the tubes immersed in iced water, thereby cooling the gas in its passage
from the store tank or fermentor to the contents of the vessels above named. I also
use this form of cased spiral tube for the construction of refrigerators for cooling
worts, milk, and other substances, and I also construct cylindrical, sampling, and
other vessels in like manner, and use the spiral pasenge for cooling, heating, attem-
perating, condensing, distilling, and other purposes, the acting agent either passing
within the spiral casing, or through and around the bottom of the tube,and vice-versu,
the object of injecting the cold gas into the contents of the before-named vessels
being to expedite and finish the fermentation and cleansing of the contents thereof
at a low temperature. I also adapt the above process to the cooling and aerating of
other liquids, either by injection into the body of the liquor, or by forcing through
pipes, by pressure or pumping, these pipes being constructed as described above
and used for refrigerating and attemperating purposes generally.
The third part of my Invention consists of an apparatus used mainly for con-

page_text: veying the contents of the above-named vessels into casks, bottles, or other recep-
tacles for storage and transit; but I use it generally for the purpose of racking and
bottling wines, alo, spirits aèrated waters, and other liquids, and it is constructed
in the following manner :-I sometimes attach a horizontal pipe to the vessels from
which the liquor is to be taken, and projecting from this pipe are a series of tele-
scopic vertical pipes; at the ends of these telescopic pipes are fixed conical plugs,
covered, if requisite, with olastic substances to fit into the orifices of the receptacle
and make an air-tight joint. These conical plugs are fitted to slide upon the vertical
tubes, and have an air pipe or conduit leading from the lower end up to the top
level of the vessel from which the supply is taken, the use of this pipe being to
allow the air that is displaced by the entrance of the liquid into the receptacle to
escape; or, if required, in the case of gas, to convey it back to the supply vessel, which,
in the case of aërated waters, sparkling or effervescing wines, may be a close air-
tight vessel, thus producing an equilibrium in the ice receptacle and supply vessel,
and enabling the liquid to be discharged into the receptacle by reason of its superior
weight over the gas which passes up the air pipe, and allows the receptacle to be
filled without coming in contact with the atmosphore. When this apparatus is used
for the bottling or racking of still liquors, a valve of metal or elastic material is
fitted to the upper part of the tube, attached to the conical plug, having a spindle
and stop attached thereto. When the conical plug is driven down into the orifice
of the receptacle, the stop catches the valve, and holds it off its seat, allowing the
liquid to pass down into the receptacle, the air mean while passing off at the air pipe.
When the receptacle is filled there can be no waste, as the conical plug prevents the
liquor from overflowing, and when it is withdrawn the pipe shuts up against the
valve and stops the supply. I also uso the conical plug, with its rack and lever
arrangements, for driving in the corks or stoppers into the orifice, using the arrange-
ment shown in Drawing No. 2 for preventing the valve from opening when the
plug is driven down on the bungs or stoppers.
When the apparatus is used for bottling or racking frothy or effervescing liquors,
I dispense with the valve, and use instead the arrangement shown in Drawing
No. %. This consists of a telescopic tube, actuated by lever and handle. This
tube has an orifice in a suitable position, so that when the conical plug is placed in
the orifice of the receptacle, this telescopic tube is drawn down by the lever, thereby
placing the outlet end down into the receptacle, and at the same time bringing the
opening or orice in the tube in communication with the supply through which the
liquor passes, down to the bottom of the receptacle, all waste and overflow being
prevented as above described.
I also sometimes use a contracting and expanding elastic ball or tube for the shut-
off valve of the above apparatus, actuated by air or water, but by preference I
use the arrangements above described, and also dispense with the rack and
lever arrangement, using only the plug with flexible pipes, as shown in the
Drawings.
I now proceed to more particularly describe the Drawings which accompany this
Specification, that is to say:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Drawing No. 1. Figures 1, (elevation) 2, and 3 respectively show elevation
(partly in section), ground plan, and end elevation of the utensil described in the
first part of this Specification; A, A, A, being the stationary vessels; b, b, the
attemperating tube or coil; B, B, is the upcast pipe for conveying the yeast from
the top of the lower or stationary vessols into the troughs D, D, c, c, being the
drain pipe conveying the liquid drainings of the yeast to the bottom of vessels
A, A; E, E, are the guide or slide rods to steady the trough while being raised or
lowered; ff. f, the outlets for discharge of liquor when the operation is completed,
also for charging the contents with gas through the perforated rose fixed therein;
G, sluice for cleaning out trough.
Drawing No. 2 shows a single vessel with cover and gear.

page_text: Drawings Nos. 3 and 4 show the formation of the cooling or refrigerating vessel
and tube. Drawing No. 3 represents what is technically known as a sampling tin,
fitted with spiral passages A for water round the exterior surface. The joint is
made at top and bottom by double swing bow coupling, as shewn, the one pipe
being for the inlet, and the other for the outlet, after passing through the spiral
case.
Drawing No 5 represents front and side view of the apparatus described as the
third part of my Invention; A is the inlet pipe; B, the outlet; c, the plug to fit
the orifice of the receptacle; D, the lever and sector for actuating the plug; E, the
lever for raising and lowering the telescopic tube B; F, the cap attached to the top
of the air pipe g; G, the weight to close the valve on top of air pipe to prevent the
contents thereof being wasted.
Drawing No. 6 represents front and side views of apparatus without the lever E,
the operation being the same, except that the tube B is not projected down into the
receptacle as in No. 5.
Drawing No. 7 represents front and side views of apparatus, with the addition of
short lever b actuating rod a, which raises and lowers the valve, so that when the
plug c is used to drive in the cork or bung, the valve is lowered on its seat, and
remains there, preventing the discharge of liquor during the operation, the operation
being the same in all.
Drawing No. 8 shows the plug with tap and flexible tubes attached. This being
driven into the orifice, the tap is opened, which also opens the air escape, which is
carried to the top of settler by small tube, as shewn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim as my Invention,―
Firstly. The improvements in the construction and arrangement of the vessels
heretofore known by the name of "Burton unions," as described.
Secondly. The application in the apparatus of carbonic acid and other gases in
the manner described.
Thirdly. The peculiar form and construction of refrigerating and attemperating
tubes and vessels, and the application thereof.
Fourthly. The peculiar construction and arrangement of apparatus for racking,
bottling, and other like purposes, having for their objects the prevention of waste
of liquid gas, &c., during the process, as described.
In witness whereof I, the said Andrew Barclay Walker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
o Witness,
CHAS. KEITH FALCONER,
AND. BARCLAY WALKER. (L.S.)
Commissioner of Inland Revenue,
31, Collingham Road,
London, S.W.