AN IMPROVED APPARATUS OR Portable EffERVESCENT. FOUNTAIN FOR THE PRODUCTION AND SUPPLY OF AERATED WATER OR LIQUORS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Seager, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, for
an Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS OR Portable EffERVESCENT.
FOUNTAIN FOR THE PRODUCTION AND SUPPLY OF AERATED WATER OR
LIQUORS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Seager at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st May 1881.
ROBERT SEAGER, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk. "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS OR PORTABLE EFFERVESCENT FOUNTAIN FOR THE PRODUCTION AND
SUPPLY OF AERATED WATER OR LIQUORS."
This Invention has for its object an improved apparatus or portable effervescent
fountain for the preparation and supply of aerated water or liquors.
I construct a portable effervescent fountain as follows:-
First, for small sizes to contain 10 to 25 pints, I make a vessel of tin or other
suitable metal the shape of a sugar loaf; in this I fasten a partition of the same
metal about one third from the top; in the centre of this partition I insert a tube
about 9 inches long, one end of which is placed in the upper chamber where the
gas is generated, and the other end is placed in the lower chamber several inches in
the water; this end is perforated so as to diffuse the gas more speedily throughout
the whole body of water. At the side of the lower chamber near the bottom I
insert a small steam tap for drawing off, and on the top of the upper chamber I
insert a large screw plug for charging the apparatus. Over the whole of this metal
vessel I place a cylinder made of wood or other suitable material strongly hooped
up so as to resist a pressure of 80 lbs. to the inch. I then charge the vessel as
follows:-
First. I fill the lower chamber with pure cold water, and in the upper chamber
I insert alkali and acid. I then screw down the plug and tilt the vessel on one
side till the upper chamber is about half full of water, which passes through the
tube from the lower chamber. This water, coming in contact with the alkali and
acid, causes the water in the lower chamber to be highly impregnated with carbonic
acid gas, producing a pure and very effervescent fluid. I draw this liquid as
required on a small quantity of any flavoured syrup, and immediately a cheap,
nice, and appetizing non-alcoholic beverage is the result.
For large size fountains containing 50 to several hundred pints, where much
greater strength is required, I make a stout wrought iron cylinder, and instead of
a combination of metal and wood I coat this iron cylinder with enamel, and then
no inside vessel is required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Seager in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th November
1881.
ROBERT SEAGER, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk.
" AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS OR PORTABLE EFFERVESCENT FOUNTAIN FOR THE PRODUCTION AND
SUPPLY OF AERATED WATER OR LIQUORS."
This Invention has for its object an improved apparatus or portable offervescent
fountain for the preparation and supply of aerated water or liquors.
I construct a portable effervescent fountain applicable both for the preparation
and supply of effervescing liquids as follows:-
I make a vessel to contain, say, from 10 to 25 pints, of tin or copper or other
suitable metal, the shape of a sugar loaf; in this I fasten a partition of the same
metal about one third from the top; in the centre of this partition I insert a tube
about 9 inches long, one end of which is placed in the upper chamber where the
gas is generated, and the other end is placed in the lower chamber several inches
in the water held in this chamber; this end is perforated so as to diffuse the gas
more speedily throughout the whole body of water. At the side of the lower
chamber I insert a small steam tap for drawing off. I place the tap at any
convenient height from the bottom of the vessel, and inside the vessel a pipe is
led from the tap to the bottom of the vessel, or nearly so, that the whole contents
may be drawn off. On the top of the upper chamber I insert a large screw plug
for charging the apparatus.
Over the whole of this metal vessel I place a cylinder made of wood or other
suitable material strongly hooped up so as to resist a pressure of 80 lbs. or more to
the inch. I then charge the vessel as follows:-
First. I fill the lower chamber with pure cold water, and in the upper chamber
I insert alkali and acid. I then screw down the plug and tilt the vessel on one
side till the upper chamber is about half full of water, which passes through the
tube from the lower chamber. This water coming in contact with the alkali and
acid causes the water in the lower chamber to be highly impregnated with
carbonic acid gas, producing a pure and very effervescent fluid. I draw this liquid
as required on a small quantity of any flavoured syrup, and immediately a cheap,
nice, and appetizing non-alcoholic beverage is the result.
I also construct vessels for the supply only of soda water and effervescing liquid
in the same way; the only difference is that when the vessels are to be used only
for supplying the liquids and not for manufacturing them, the inside partition is
not required.
Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed shows a vertical section of a portable
effervescent fountain constructed as above described.
A is a vessel of tin, copper, or other suitable metal somewhat of a sugar loaf
form. The bottom of this vessel is made arched, as shown, to give strength, and
also to allow of almost all the contents being drawn off; B is a horizontal partition
about /rd from the top; C is a tube standing upwards from the centre of this
partition into the upper chamber; D is a tube dropped down through the tube C,
and extending nearly to the bottom of the lower chamber. Its upper end is flanged
to rest upon and fit closely to the top of the tube C; D' are perforations in the
lower end of the tube D; E is the outer casing of wood.or other suitable material
formed in the manner of a cask, and strongly hooped up so that it may withstand
a pressure of 100 lbs. or more to the inch.
When the casing E has been secured around the vessel A, all spaces that thero
may be between the vessel A and casing E aro filled in by pouring a liquid cement

page_text: capable of setting into the casing E.
consistency of cream is suitable for the
the bottom of the casing; this hole can
be simply filled up with the cement.
Portland cement mixed with water to the
purpose; it is poured in through a hole in
afterwards be closed by a screw plug, or
The cement flows into all the spaces between the vessel A. and casing E, and
when set forms a strong packing or support for the inner vessel A, so that any
pressure within the vessel A must be sustained by the outer casing E; F is a tap
for drawing off; it is placed at any suitable height at the side of the casing E, so
that a glass may be held below it. A tube F¹ descends from it inside the vessel A
and nearly to the bottom of this vessel, so that all the contents may be drawn off;
G is a large screw plug at the top of the casing D; this screw plug can be removed
whenever the upper chamber of the casing A is to be recharged.
In making up the apparatus the top plate of the vessel A has first soldered into
it a short stout tube A, which has a screw thread cut around it both externally
and internally.
A flange formed around the exterior of the top plate is next soldered to the
cylindrical sides of the vessel. The partion B is next soldered in, and then an
elbow socket piece H, to which the draw off cock F is subsequently screwed. The
descending pipe F' is then screwed into the inner end of the elbow socket, and
lastly, the bottom of the vessel is soldered into place.
The vessel A now completely formed has the parts of the outer cask like
casing E adapted around it, and then the hoops of the casing are driven on. It
will be seen from the Drawing that I form the heads of the cask like casing partly
of wood and partly of an iron or steel plate, in order to give to them greater
strength. A ring nut A is screwed on to the exterior of the short stout tube A'
so as to lock and hold this tube securely.
Through the centre of the lower head a hole is formed as shown, and when the
cask has been hooped up, cement in a liquid state is poured in; it penetrates into
and fills every vacant space there may be between the vessel A and cask E, so
that when the cement has set, the vessel A is effectually supported by the cask,
and is then able to withstand heavy internal pressure. When the draw off cock
has been screwed into its place the apparatus is ready for use. To charge the
apparatus the lower chamber is first filled, or nearly so, with water through a
funnel dropped into the tube A, and extending down into the tube D; this funnel
is then taken away and the top of the tube is covered by a coned cover.
requisite charge of dry powdered alkali and acid is then 'inserted through a second
funnel. The coned cover prevents the acid and alkali from passing into the
tube D, and directs it on to the partition B. The coned cover and funnel are
now taken away, and the screw plug G is firmly screwed down into the short stout
tube A¹. The apparatus may then be tilted to allow the upper chamber to about
half fill with water, and cause the requisite charge of gas to be generated.
Tho
At Figure 2 I have shown a vertical section of a similar apparatus constructed
only for the supply and not for the production of effervescent liquors. It differs
only from the apparatus, shown at Figure 1, in that the inner partition and tube
are not requisite, and that the plug G is formed with a cock H through which tho
vessel A can be charged with aerated liquors under pressure. The inlet of the cock
has a flange around it to allow of a pipe I being coupled to it, as shown, whenever
the vessel is to be filled.
The aerated liquor under pressure is introduced into the vessel through this
pipe, and when the vessel has been. filled the cock H is closed and the pipe I
disconnected from it. The vessel filled with aerated liquor can then be removed,
and the aerated liquor drawn off from it from time to time whenever required.
Apparatus for the supply of aerated liquids can in the above mauner be made
very ornamental and far superior to the ordinary cylinders of thick copper now
used for the purpose.
The copper cylinders now used for the purpose are very unsightly, and are
consequently placed out of sight.

page_text: The metal vessel also of my apparatus need not be half the thickness of the
metal cylinders heretofore used, as it is supported by the exterior wooden casing,
and this exterior casing may be made of a highly ornamental character, as above
stated.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. The construction of apparatus for the production and supply of aerated
water or liquors, substantially as herein before described.
Second. The construction of apparatus for the supply of aerated water or liquors,
substantially as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Senger, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty ono.