IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CARBONIC-ACID- GAS AND FOR UTILIZING THE SAME IN RAISING MALT LIQUORS AND FOR OTHER ANALOGOUS PURPOSES
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, CHRISTEN RÜS BONNE, of 33 Ducie Street, Greenheys, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Brewers Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CARBONIC-ACID-
GAS AND FOR UTILIZING THE SAME IN RAISING MALT LIQUORS AND FOR OTHER
ANALOGOUS PURPOSES "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 construction and arrangement of apparatus for the
production of carbonic-acid-gas under pressure--which shall be self regulating in
pressure or quantity and hence specially suitable for raising and preserving malt
liquors and for other analogous purposes. In performing my invention I employ
an enclosed vessel or generator a (as illustrated on the annexed drawing) containing
water supplied through the pipe b from the cistern c overhead. Floating upon the
surface of the water in the generator a is an open topped float d made of lead, slate,
glass, earthenware or other acid resisting material, and the buoyancy of which is
increased by forming the bottom hollow as illustrated.
с
This float d is designed to receive a supply of, by preference, hydro-chloric acid,
or a solution of the same from the enclosed acid cistern e through the pipe e¹, the
necessary pressure being ensured by the upper part of the said cistern being placed
in communication with the interior of the generator a, through the pipe e² and
controlled by the stop-cock e. Suspended from the top of the generator a is a
basket or perforated cage f, (constructed of similar acid resisting material to the
float d), for containing the marble whitening or other carbonate from which the
carbonic-acid-gas is to be generated, and which material is capable of being
introduced and replenished through the man-hole door g-The upper part of the
generator a is further in communication with a washer h, of any convenient form,
through the pipe h¹ which extends downward into the water contained in such
washer and so as to compel the gas to pass through such water and thus to become
washed or purified before escaping down the pipe h³ into the malt liquor tank i, the

page_text: contents of which are required to be raised, for instance through the pipe ¹. In
case the cask of malt liquor is strong enough in itself to sustain the pressure of
the gas I connect the pipe h direct to the upper part of the cask j as indicated by
the dotted line h³, and so raise the contents through the pipe j¹, but I prefer to
allow the malt liquor to empty itself first, say from the cask j into the enclosed
tank i, and thence to be raised through the pipe i¹.
The float d being now supplied with acid say about half-full the perforated
basket or cage f being filled with suitable carbonate and the generator a being
filled say about half full of water, the action of this improved gas generator may
be described as follows:-
Upon starting the machine I open the tap on the pipe b thereby admitting water
from the cistern c into the generator a, this causes the float d to rise gradually
until the flange d¹ upon the outside of the said float comes in contact with the
corresponding flange a¹ on the inside of the generator; and which flanges thus act
as a valve and close the communication between the upper and lower parts of the.
generator a.
Simultaneously with this point being reached by the float d, the acid contained
therein has been raised into touching contact with the carbonate material suspended
in the cage f, and thus carbonic-acid-gas is freely given off and commences to
accumulate in the generator a.-The quantity of gas evolved soon exercises
sufficient pressure to force the water back through the pipe b into the cistern c.
This lowering of the surface of the water causes at the same time the lowering
of the acid float d, and thus the acid being no longer in contact with the carbonate,
the supply of gas is immediately stopped until by reason of the gas being consumed
and the pressure once more reduced the water level is raised again and the same
operation is repeated.
It will thus be apparent that the improved apparatus is rendered self-regulating
in its supply of gas, the degree of pressure being regulated by the height of the
column of water in the pipe b.
When the acid solution becomes weak which is indicated by a less brisk
formation of gas I can add fresh acid without disturbing the machine by simply
opening the cocks or valves upon the pipes e¹ and ³ to permit more acid to
gravitate from the acid cistern e into float d.
I propose to have a water gauge glass or test cocks on the side of the generator a
to indicate the height of the water and a pressure gauge to indicate the pressure of
the gas. If it is required to work at a higher pressure than that afforded by the
height of the water column in the pipe 6 I propose to branch the said pipe b into
two branches, one being fitted with a back pressure valve to permit the water to
flow from the cistern c only, but not to return thither, and the other branch being
fitted with a weighted valve which only opens when a given pressure is reached.
I sometimes work my improved apparatus without admitting water to float the
acid vessel and this is effected as follows: In this case the cage f is dispensed with
and the carbonate is placed either upon the bottom of the generator itself or in the
float resting upon the bottom. After adding a little water I close up the aperture
and then turn on the acid and permit the same to run in amongst the carbonate
until the desired pressure is reached when I stop the acid entering. As the
pressure decreases I admit more acid and so continue until the carbonate is
exhausted.
To raise beer cider or other liquid by means of this improved action it is only
necessary to open a communication between the generator and the cask or tank
containing such liquors through the pipe h the gas first passing through the
washer (h) thence descends through the pipe (h³) on the surface of the liquid
contained in the tank (i) or cask (7) and exercising a pressure thereup so causes
the liquid to rise through the pipe (¹) or the pipe (7), as the case may be, to the
desired level where it is required to be drawn off.

page_text: Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that what
I claim in apparatus for generating carbonic acid gas is
1st The use of a float for containing the acid or acid solution in conjunction with
a basket or cage for containing the carbonate and arranged inside a generator
supplied with water substantially as and for the purpose bereinbefore described.
2nd The mode of regulating the pressure of gas by a column of water acting
upon a float and where the contact between the acid and carbonate is rendered
self regulating substantially as hereinbefore described.
3rd The use of a double branch pipe fitted respectively with back pressure and
weighted valves substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
4th The employment of an enclosed acid cistern fitted with pipes and stop cocks
and combined with the generator substantially as hereinbefore described.