CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS FOR DRAWING BEER OR OTHER FERMENTED LIQUIDS
Year: 1885

page_text: We, JOHN MERRITT and CORNELIUS CHAMBERS, both of 13, Great Charles
Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire, Beer Machine Manufacturers, do hereby declare
the nature of our invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PUMPS FOR DRAWING
BEER OR OTHER FERMENTED LIQUIDS and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
Our Invention has reference to certain improvements in pumps for drawing beer
and other fermented liquids and has for its object to provide means whereby the
bucket when at the bottom of its stroke may act upon the bottom valve and
maintain it closed against pressure from beneath. By maintaining the bottom
valve closed we prevent that waste of liquid which takes place through the
delivery pipe of such pumps when they are standing; and we are further enabled
to dispense with the stop-tap at the end of the delivery pipe and to render such
pumps ready to "draw" at the first stroke, as the liquid is prevented from leaking
through the bottom valve back to the cask.
We will at once refer to the accompanying drawing and describe the manner in
which our Invention is to be performed; the same letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in the several Figures.
Figure 1 is a part vertical section of a pump for beer or other fermented liquids
constructed according to our Invention the bottom valve being open as the bucket
is supposed to be making its upward stroke; Figure 2 is a part section of
the same shewing the valve closed as the bucket decends; Figure 3 shews how
the bucket operates on the bottom valve to maintain it closed; Figure 4 is a plan
and Figure 5 is a side view of the bottom valve and seat detached and Figure 6
shews a modification of our Invention.
We will first describe our Invention with reference more particularly to Figures 1
to 5, both inclusive.
A is a pump barrel of ordinary construction with a delivery pipe B. C is the
bucket provided with a valve V and having a piece c' preferably of conical shape
projecting from its underside. The bucket is secured to a bucket rod c which
works through a stuffing-box in the cover a¹ and screws into or is attached by
means of some other suitable screw connector to the top part R. E is the scrowed

page_text: Beat of the bottom valve D, the said valve being preferably provided with a pipa
having a recess d². F are two pressure levers free to move on their centre pins fl
and carried by the ears e' attached to or formed with the seating E. The
suction pipe G may be attached to the pump and to the cask in the ordinary
manner.
The operation of the bucket to maintain the suction valve closed against pressure
from beneath is as follows:-
The bottom valve opens and closes in the ordinary manner when the bucket is
making its upward stroke, as shewn in Figure 1, and its downward stroke, as
shewn in Figure 2; but when it has reached its extreme downward position, as
shewn in Figure 3, the projecting piece c¹ fits in between the pressure levers F
which in their turn bear on the bottom valve D and prevent its rising. It will be
seen that from the peculiar shape and arrangement of the parts a pressure upwards
on the bottom valve D has little tendency to raise the bucket but is chiefly
directed to crushing the projecting piece c¹ or breaking the pressure levers or other
parts. The valve is thus effectually maintained closed against any upward
pressure. We provide a screwed connection c³ for the bucket rod c³ so as to
readily adjust the position of the bucket in the barrel and ensure the projecting
part c¹ always coming well down on to or between the pressure levers F when it is
in its lowest position. When the bottom valve is open the ends of the levers F
may be arranged to fit in the recessed part 2 of the pip d', as shown in Figure 1,
so as to prevent the valve D rising too far.
We wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise details
as herein set forth and illustrated as the same may be varied without departing
from the nature of our Invention; for instance the parts may be constructed and
arranged as shewn in Figure 6 in which the pressure levers F are produced
upwards at fand fit inside the projecting part c¹-instead of outside as shewn in
Figures 1, 2 & 3.
°
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is
1. Constructing pumps for drawing beer and other fermented liquids in such a
manner that the plunger or bucket when at the bottom of its stroke shall act
on suitable pressure levers and maintain the bottom valve closed against pressure
from beneath so as to prevent the escape of liquid as hereinbefore described.
2. The improvements in pumps for drawing beer and other fermented liquids as
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, that is to say,
the projecting piece c¹, the pressure levers F and the recessed pip d¹ all con-
structed and arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth.