Improvements in or relating to Aerating or Storing for Transpor- tation or Use Natural Mineral Waters, Gaseous or Aerated. Drinks, Wines, and other Liquids.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Aerating or Storing for Transpor-
tation or Use Natural Mineral Waters, Gaseous or Aerated.
Drinks, Wines, and other Liquids.
A communication from RAOUL BRAVAIS, Chemist, Rue de Chabanais, No. 1, Paris.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates partly to an apparatus which my correspondent calls the
"Bravais Thermal Syphon," one object of which is to supply the trade with natural
mineral waters and other gaseous drinks.
This apparatus consisting of one single vessel or of two vessels superposed, is
designed for the transport in closed vessels of natural mineral waters direct from the
springs along with a certain quantity of the gas, which the spring evolves, and which
may be collected and compressed into air tight receptacles.
The addition of a certain quantity of gas has for its object not only to compensate
and restore the losses of gas, which have a tendency to take place and to reconstitute
the natural gaseous water as it was when it issued from the spring, but also to
accelerate the flow of the liquid contained in the aforesaid apparatus. This invention
relates also to the use of closed receptacles made of glass or inoxidizable metal, and
formed generally by the body of the waggon used for the transport of the mineral
water; these vessels are filled up at the spring itself, care being taken to protect them
against the introduction of air during the operation, so that a quantity of the gas
evolved at the spring may be admitted into the said receptacles so as to form above
the water a gaseous atmosphere, which in consequence of its contact with the liquid
and the motion of the waggon in motion, avoids not only any loss of gas, but also
increases the saturation with the liquid of gas.
N
In case, however, the mineral water should not be gaseous, the flow of the liquid
out of the apparatus may be caused by the addition of a certain quantity of compressed
air, which without altering the properties of the mineral water will have the advantage
of aerating it slightly, and thereby increase its digestive properties, and assist in its

page_text: "
assimulation by the digestive organs. Lastly the aforesaid apparatus can be used
with advantage for the supply of all descriptions of gaseous drinks, and especially
of cider, frothy wines and chiefly "Champagne" wines, for which they are more
particularly applicable owing to their elegant shape and easy manipulation.
The invention will be best understood from the following description of two
apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.
The first apparatus consists of a vessel of cylindrical, spherical, or ovoid shape
inade of glass, crystal, porcelain, or any other suitable material and supported by a
stand high enough to bring, at a convenient level, the supply cock, which is adapted
to the lower part of the vessel. This cock is not fitted to the top of the vesse!
because the pressure therein is not very high. It should not project too much beyond
the said vessel, or it may, if desired, be provided with a jointed tube so as to
facilitate packing the apparatus. In this apparatus the neck at the upper part of
the vessel is provided with a screw thread on which a metal ring is screwed. This
ring is itself provided with a screw thread on which a metal cap is screwed so as to
form an air tight joint with the ring. Both ring and cap are each provided with a
lug through which a wire is passed, its extremities being closed by a lead seal or any
other suitable means, rendering any fraudulent opening of the apparatus impossible.
The vessel being open the liquid is introduced through the neck, the aforesaid cap is
then screwed on again when the vessel is filled with a sufficient quantity of liquid. A
certain quantity of the gas evolved by the spring is then admitted into the vessel,
this gas being taken from the source and compressed as already mentioned into air
tight receptacles is introduced into the apparatus either- through the aforementioned
cock or by means of a valve adapted to the metal cap, said valve being under ordinary
circumstances held against the seat by a spring. The part of the valve stem beyond
the seat is made long enough to project outside the top of the metal cap. The object
of this arrangement is to allow air to enter into the receptacle by pressing on the
extended stem of the valve, when, owing to an accidental loss of gas in the vessel,
the small quantity of liquid remaining therein cannot flow out. In the second kind
of apparatus there are two vessels one placed above the other, the upper one receives
the liquid whilst the lower one (forming also a support for the upper one) receives the
gas. These two vessels are connected with each other by means of two sockets; a
socket fixed at the bottom of the upper vessel and provided with a screw thread can
be screwed into the other socket fixed at the top of the lower vessel, the socket
helonging to the upper vessel is provided with a glass tube extending to the top of
the inside of the upper vessel. Lastly the bottom of the lower vessel is provided
with a socket provided with a valve held against its seat by a spring, or preferably
with a screwed plug to avoid any slight escape at this place. In order to fill up the
apparatus, both reservoirs may be disconnected by unscrewing the sockets, and the
upper vessel filled up with liquid. Both vessels are then screwed again on each other
and the apparatus being turned upside down, gas is forced into it through the valve at
the bottom of the lower vessel. The latter valve can be utilized for the introduction
into the apparatus of the water and gas, either at the same time, or separately. In
this case the apparatus is turned upside down and the tap at the bottom of the upper
vessel opened, so as to allow the air to escape from it when the liquid is being
introduced therein.
It must be understood that the invention is not restricted to the two kinds of apparatus
described in the foregoing;, my foreign correspondent reserving to himself the right
of arranging the gas vessel either at the top of the apparatus or even at the side, if
deemed preferable.
It will also be understood that the shape and dimensions of the apparatus can be
varied at will, according to the nature of the application they are intended for.

page_text: I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street Liverpool and 6, Bank Street Manchester both in
the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object a simple efficacious and safe method for preserving
mineral waters in the condition in which they are taken from the spring.
It consists essentially in maintaining on the surface of the liquid almost from the
moment it is taken from the spring to the time that it is used, a gaseous atmosphere
under suitable pressure and composed of gases taken from the spring itself with
tho object of avoiding all loss of the gas contained in the liquid and of repairing.
these losses if they should occur at any poriod of the operations, and finally of
hastening the flow of the liquid contained in the apparatus when required for
consumption. This invention further includes the means and apparatus for
attaining these results and more particularly a special kind of bottle or jar
which my correspondent calls "Siphon-thermal-Bravais," intended for the delivery
of natural mineral waters but also applicable for use with other aërated beverages
such as cider, effervescent wines, champagnes, etcetera.
Referring to the accompanying drawings to describe the means employed in
carrying out this invention.
Figure 1 is a partly sectional view of the apparatus for transporting the liquid.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of a bottle or jar with a single receptacle.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of a bottle or jar with two receptacles placed one above
the other.
In the transporting apparatus shown in Figure 1. A is a closed vessel which
receives the liquid as taken from the spring, and B is the vessel which receives
under pressure a certain amount of the natural gas which is also taken from the
spring.
These two vessels A and B, are joined by pipes C supplied with taps D E F
by means of which they can be separated from or connected with each other. They
are also provided with emptying taps G and H, water level gauges I and J, and a
manometer K. These two vessels aforesaid are preferably placed close together in
the truck or wagon as shown on the drawings, but they may also be placed in any

page_text: · other position or even be connected together by means of a metallic or other frame
so that they can be placed on a truck or other vehicle. It is easily understood
that under these conditions, the supply tap D being closed and the taps E and F
open during transport, the liquid in the vessel A will be continually exposed to
the action of the natural gas under pressure contained in the vessel B, and this
pressure being at least equal or above that of the natural initial saturation of the
liquid, the saturation cannot be diminished and will rather be increased during
transportation.
Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 which show the distributing jars or bottles
in which the liquid, transported as above described, is afterwards delivered to
purchasers.
The first apparatus shown in Figure 2 consists of a single vessel a of cylindrical,
spherical or ovoid shape made of glass, crystal, porcelain or any other suitable material,
and supported by a stand high enough to bring, at a convenient level, the supply
cock which is adapted to the lower part of the vessel. (This cock is not fitted to
the top of the vessel because the pressure therein is not very high and should not
project too much beyond the said vessel, or it may, if desired, be provided with a
jointed tube so as to facilitate packing the apparatus). In this apparatus the neck
at the upper part of the vessel is provided with a screw thread on which a metal
ring d is screwed. This ring d is itself provided with a screw thread on which a
metal cape is screwed so as to form an air tight joint with the ring. Both ring and
cap are each provided with a lug through which a wire is passed, its extremities
being closed by a lead seal or any other suitable means rendering any fraudulent
opening of the apparatus detectable. The vessel a being open, the liquid
is introduced through the neck, the aforesaid cap e is then screwed on again
when the vessel is filled with a sufficient quantity of liquid. A certain quantity
of the gas evolved by the spring is then admitted into tho vessel, this gas
being taken from the source and compressed as already mentioned into air tight
receptacles, is introduced into the apparatus either through the aforementioned cock c
or by means of a valve adapted to the metal cap, said valve f being under ordinary
circumstances held against the seat by a spring. The part of the valve stem ƒ beyond
the seat is made long enough to project outside the top of the metal cap. The object
of this arrangement is to allow air to enter into the receptacle a by pressure on the
extended stem of the valve when owing to an accidental loss of gas in the vessel, the
small quantity of liquid remaining therein cannot flow out. In the second kind of
apparatus there are two vessels shown in Figure 3 one placed above the other. The
upper one A receives the liquid while the lower one B (forming also a support for
the upper one) receives the gas. These two vessels are connected with each other by
means of two sockets, a socket j fixed at the bottom of the upper vessel and provided
with a screw thread can be screwed into the other socket fixed at the top of the
lower vessel. The socket g belonging to the upper vessel is provided with a glass
tube extending nearly to the top of the inside of the upper vessel A. Lastly, the
bottom of the lower vessel B is provided with a socket provided with a valve hold
against its seat by a spring, or preferably with a screwed plug to avoid any slight
escape at this place. In order to fill up the apparatus, both reservoirs may be dis-
connected by unscrewing the sockets, and the upper vessel A filled up with liquid.
Both vessels are then screwed again on each other and the apparatus being turned
upside down gas is forced into it through the valve i at the bottom of the lower
vessel. The Intter valve can be utilized for the introduction into the apparatus of
the water and gas, either at the same time or separately. In this case the
apparatus is turned upside down and the tap at the bottom of the upper vessel A
opened, so as to allow the air to escape froin it when the liquid is being introduced
therein.
If the mineral waters are not aërated in their natural state this apparatus will enable
the addition thereto of a certain quantity of compressed air which without modifying
the composition of the water will slightly aërate it and so facilitate the digestive and
assimilative properties of the same,

page_text: It must be understood that the invention is not restricted to the two kinds of
apparatus described in the foregoing, my foreign correspondent reserving to himself
the right of arranging the gas vessel either at the top of the apparatus or even at the
side if deemed preferable.
It will also be understood that the shape and dimensions of the apparatus can
be varied at will, according to the nature of the application they are intended for.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion 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 :--
1st. The process applicable for the transportation and delivery of natural mineral
waters, consisting in maintaining in the receptacles or jars employed for this purpose,
the liquid drawn from the spring, under the action of a constant gaseous pressure
higher than the corresponding pressure produced by the natural initial saturation of
the liquid, the gas used for this purpose being taken from the same spring as the
mineral water, substantially as above described.
2nd. In an apparatus for the transport of natural mineral water, the use of two
receptacles, one of which contains the liquid to be transported, and the other the
natural gas under pressure taken from the spring, these two receptacles being
connected by pipes, by means of which, they can be shut off from or con-
nected with each other, and mounted either on a truck or in such manner that
they can be both placed together on a cart or wagon, substantially as above
described.
3rd. For the distribution of natural mineral waters or other aërated beverages, a
jar with two vessels, placed one above the other and communicating with each other
by means of a central tube, the upper vessel A which contains the liquid having at
the lower end a metallic socket in communication with a spring valve for the purpose
of filling the apparatus, substantially as above described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
4th. For the distributing of natural mineral waters or other aërated beverages,
a jar composed of a single receptacle a in the lower part of which is a drawing
off cock provided with a hermetically closed cape with a spring valve
at the top, substantially as above described and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 25th day of February 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.