Beer or like Beverages.
Year: 1886

page_text: Beer or like Beverages.
I, PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by. John Dickerson.
Hazlet and William Roscoe Bennett, both of Meadville, Crawford County in the
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America) 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 the preservation of beer and is designed to keep the
beer from getting "flat" when in a barrel which has been tapped-or opened.
The object of the device is to supply carbonic acid gas to the keg so as to keep a
constant pressure on the contents thereof and to have this pressure automatically.
effect the supply of gas to take the place of the gas which escapes as the beer is
drawn, thus rendering the admission of air unnecessary to cause it to flow. It
being well known that if a keg is once tapped the air introduced takes the life.
from the liquid, and as soon as the natural gas maintained in brewing is exhausted
the beer is unfit for use.
To clearly explain the nature of the invention reference is made to the' figure in
the accompanying drawings which represents a vertical longitudinal section of
the apparatus employed and in which A represents the tube or nozzle which is
connected at one end with the gas tank and communicates at the other. with the
improved governing device. This is composed of a shell formed in two sections I. J.
secured together by means of ordinary screws P, having a flexible or rubber.
diaphragm R secured between the two parts across the centre of the chamber which
diaphragm has a circular opening in the centre for the purpose hereinafter-
described. From the opposite end of the chamber J a rubber pipe with a cog-
upon it leads to the beer keg, with which the pressure is to be applied. On the
forward end of the chamber is secured a casting C which has a diaphragm. Și

page_text: .
similar to the diaphragm R secured between it and the chamber I, and this
diaphragm extends across the opening in the front of the chamber I, having also a
circular opening therein as in the case of the diaphragm R. The pipe a is secured
to the front end of the casting C, by a universal coupling, a suitable washer being
provided at the junction of the parts to prevent leakage of the gas. The inner
part of the casting C is cut out as shown at D, D, and filled with soft metal such as
block tin. Babbitt-metal or copper, with a cone shape opening therein, in which
a valve hereinafter described is fitted. A passage d, is made through this material
and through the end of the casting C, to the pipe a. Between the diaphragms S
and R is a casting H, having projecting branches H¹ at one end, by which it is
guided in its limited movement within the chamber I. This casting carries a
valve E, which is pointed at its end and adapted to the cone shape opening in the
soft metal D, and closes the opening leading to the pipe a. The casting H, is held
to the diaphragms which are flexible. To the diaphragm S, by means of a nut F,
bearing against the washer 8, the nut F, being held on the threaded end of the
casting H, which projects through the circular opening in the diaphragm S. The
opposite end of the casting H, is connected to the diaphragm R, in a similar
manner. A spring M, is held on the periphery of the casting H, between the wall
of the chamber I, and the nut x, on the casting, and thus, gives constant pressure
upon the casting and tends to force the said casting against the diaphragm R, and
as the valve E, is carried by the said casting it is evident that it will move with it
and normally be kept open. The tension of the spring M, may be adjusted by
loosening or tightening the nut x, a suitable opening being made in the casting C,
in order that a spanner or wrench may be applied to the said nut. The valve E,
has peripherial grooves upon opposite sides as shown for the passage of the gas
through the casting and the pipe leading to the keg to be supplied with gas. The
whole device is supported upon a suitable standard L, which is secured upon the
base. This standard may be secured upon an ice.box in which the keg is contained
or in any suitable position.
In the operation of the device the valve E, being open by reason of the spring M,
pressing the casting H, which carries said valve to the right, the gas enters through
the pipe a, and through the opening in the front end of the casting C, passes
through the grooves in the valve E, to the chamber J, from whence it passes
through the opening j, to the pipe k, and to the keg. As soon as sufficient gas has
entered the keg the back pressure upon the diaphragm R, will overcome the tension
of the spring M, and force the valve E, to its seat, thus closing the opening from
the pipe a, and stopping the flow of gas. As the beer is drawn' the pressure of the
gas in the keg and against the diaphragm R, is reduced and as soon as this
pressure gets below the amount required and which has been determined upon, the
spring M, will again exert its force, reopen the valve and admit more gas, and so
on, the operation being continued indefinitely and in an automatic manner.
I do not limit myself to the precise parts specified and shown as the details of
construction may be modified without departing from the spirit of the inven-
tion but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent; I declare that what I claim is-
1. The combination in a device for automatically supplying gas to beer or like
beverages, consisting of a chamber interposed between the receptacle containing
the beverage and the gas tank, with connections between the same, a valve having
passages through the same within the said chamber carried upon a casting, a spring
adapted to keep said valve normally open, whereby the gas is admitted through
the passages in said valve to the chamber and the keg in connection therewith, a
flexible diaphragm upon one side of the said casting adapted to be acted upon by
the back pressure of the gas, and to close the valve, when the pressure exceeds the
amount determined upon; substantially as described.
3

page_text: 2. In combination a chamber and casting carried therein, a valve carried by said
casting, a flexible diaphragm at the front of said casting, a spring adapted to
keep said valve open, a diaphragm R, at the opposite end of said casting, and
passages through the valve to the opposite side of said diaphragm, whereby in its
normal condition the valve is kept open by the pressure of the spring, but is closed
by the pressure against the diaphragm R, substantially as described.
3. In combination the regulating device interposed between the gas supply and
the beverage to which the gas is to be supplied, consisting of the chamber I,
having flexible diaphragms R, S, a casting located between the same and carrying
the valve, said valve being kept normally open by a spring, and means for closing
said valve automatically when sufficient pressure has been applied to the contents
of the keg; substantially as described.
4. In combination a chamber I', connections with a gas tank, connections with
the keg to be supplied, a casting carrying a valve, a spring adapted to keep said
valve open, peripherial grooves in said valve for the passage of the gas, and a
diaphragm R, the back pressure of the gas operating upon the said diaphragm to
move the casting, and to close the valve; substantially as described.
5. In combination the chamber I, the casting H, carrying the valve having
openings therein, a spring adapted to keep said valves open, and the tension
regulating device for said spring; substantially as described.
Dated this 1st day of June 1888.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE.