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Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 655330A: Hop Bleaching And Drying Kiln

August 7, 2016 By Jay Brooks

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Today in 1900, US Patent 655330 A was issued, an invention of James Dowdell and Arthur B.C. Dowdell, for their “Hop Bleaching and Drying Kiln.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

Our invention relates to a means for bleaching and drying hops or other material.

It consists, essentially, of a room or compartment having a foraminous floor adapted to support the hops to be dried and in conjunction therewith a covering which may be drawn over the surface of the hops to confine and prevent heat and moisture from escaping therefrom during the process of bleaching. The sulfur fumes produced in any usual or suitable manner are caused to rise into the hops and are there retained until the bleaching is perfected, after which the covering may be removed, and heat being applied the drying will be completed.

US655330-0

Filed Under: Beers, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Hops, Law, Patent

Patent No. 1034557A: Beer Spraying Device

August 6, 2016 By Jay Brooks

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Today in 1912, US Patent 1034557 A was issued, an invention of Max Adamowski, for his “Beer Spraying Device.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

My invention relates to improvement-s in spraying devices for faucets and more specifically to devices of this character especially designed for use in beer faucets. a

Ordinarily spraying of beer at the faucet as it is drawn is not desired since such spraying results in the formation of foam. However, Where a large bucket or can trade is carried on this spraying to facilitate the formation of foam is desired since the buckets or cans brought by the purchasers are of greater capacity than the amount which is purchased. The bartender in catering to this class of trade is desirous of filling the can or bucket irrespective of the size thereof for-.the amount tendered. This being so the object in forming a large amount of foam in the top of the can or bucket is obvious.

The object of my invention then is the production of the spraying device of the character mentioned, which will be effective in the formation of foam in the receptacle into which the liquid or beer is disposed, and further, a spraying device which will be of simple and economical construction, hence of low cost to manufacture.

US1034557-0

Filed Under: Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Law, Patent, Science of Brewing

Patent No. 457243A: Beer Pump

August 4, 2016 By Jay Brooks

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Today in 1891, US Patent 457243 A was issued, an invention of Charles A. Bartliff, for his “Beer Pump.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

My invention relates to an improvement in air-pumps for forcing and compressing air in a cask; and it consists in the peculiar construction and novel combination of parts, that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

The object of my invention is to provide an air-pump which is adapted to force beer or other liquid from the cask by atmospheric pressure; and a further object of my invention is to provide a simple, effective, and inexpensive pump which may be operated either by foot or by hand power.

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Filed Under: Beers, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Law, Patent, Science of Brewing

Patent No. 230815A: Beer Cooler

August 3, 2016 By Jay Brooks

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Today in 1880, US Patent 230815 A was issued, an invention of Alvin D. Puffer, for his “Beer Cooler.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

This invention relates to improvements in a class of apparatus for reducing the temperature of soda-water or other liquids manufactured by myself, and shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States issued to me on the 6th day of December, 1870, and the 3d day of April, 1877, respectively, the purpose of the invention shown in the first-named patent being to economize the waste of ice used in cooling liquids; and it consists, primarily, in conducting the liquid to be refrigerated through a preliminary or auxiliary series or coil of pipes or cylinders situated within the ice-water which accumulates from the melting of the ice with which the primary cylinders or coolers are packed, or otherwise taking advantage of the low degree of temperature of such ice water to reduce the temperature of the soda water or other liquid previous to its entering the primary coolers, which receive cold directly from the ice, while the invention embraced in the second-named patent consists in a new or peculiar manner of conducting ,soda water through a cooler or refrigerating apparatus, the purpose of the invention being to thoroughly and effectually carry or force the water, in its passage through a series of cooling-cylinders, against the refrigerated sides or inner surfaces of such cylinders, or to prevent the formation of a central or inner current through the body of water in such cylinders.

US230815-0

Filed Under: Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Law, Patent, Science of Brewing

Patent No. 6769981B1: Hop Vine Processor

August 3, 2016 By Jay Brooks

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Today in 2004, US Patent 6769981 B1 was issued, an invention of Kenneth J. Perrault and Charles J. Perrault, for their “Hop Vine Processor.” Here’s the Abstract:

A method and apparatus for the processing of hop vines. An automated hop processor cuts bulk-harvested hop vines into manageable segments with a minimum of handling operations. The bulk of hop vines are off-loaded onto an in-feed conveyor by positioning a transport on the in-feed conveyor. After verifying proper position of the transport a fork can be inserted into the transport. The transport is moved off of the in-feed conveyor and the fork removed from the bulk of hop vines. The Hop vines are then moved on the in-feed conveyor to a cutter, after verifying the transport is clear of the in-feed conveyor. The in-feed conveyor is stopped when the hop vines are in position for cutting and the hops are cut with a cutting mechanism. The cut hop vines are then conveyed to a shredder for shredding and further processing into component hop cones and hop vine silage.

US06769981-20040803-D00001

Filed Under: Beers, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Hops, Law, Patent

Patent No. 3047190A: Beer Fermenting Tank

July 31, 2016 By Jay Brooks

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Today in 1962, US Patent 3047190 A was issued, an invention of August H. Bayer, for his “Beer Fermenting Tank.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

This invention relates to storage tanks and is particularly directed to a novel closed fermenting tank for use in the brewing industry.

It is common practice in breweries to use fermenting tanks in which beer is fermented for an appreciable length of time under controlled pressure and temperature conditions. While the size of these tanks varies, a typical fermenting tank is adapted to contain 1300 barrels of beer. The tank is substantially filled with beer except for an air space at the top of the tank to permit collection of gases produced during the fermentation process. It will readily be appreciated that the walls of the fermentation tank are thus subjected not only to the hydrostatic loads caused by the contained liquid, but in addition are subjected to stresses induced by the resultant gas pressure.

In the past, it has been conventional in breweries to construct fermentation tanks of rectangular cross-section and to provide a plurality of spaced reinforcing ribs which extend completely around the tank; i.e., across the top and bottom Walls and upwardly along the side walls of the tank. While tanks of this type have proved to be satisfactory from a strength standpoint, they utilize an excessive amount of floor space for a given capacity because of the reinforcing members on the sides of the tank.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a fermenting tank in which a maximum usable capacity is obtained for the door space occupied by the tank. Thus, a tank constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention provides approximately eight percent more capacity than a tank having the same overall dimensions of the conventional type referred to above.

The present invention is predicated in part upon the concept of providing a tank structure in which only the upper and lower portions of the side walls are reinforced to resist stresses as a beam, while the center portions of the side walls are intentionally left unreinforced, are slightly curved, and are made of a relatively thin material so that these walls undergo large deflections and thus function as membranes.

More particularly, one preferred form of tank constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention comprises a bottom member which is supported on a plurality of spaced transverse beams, or box type sections. Two arcuate side walls are welded to the bottom, and to a top, and end members to form a closed tank. The side walls are reinforced by a plurality of spaced upper and lower stiffener members which extend upwardly approximately of the height of the tank from the bottom of the tank and downwardly approximately of the height of the tank from the top. Thus, the upper and lower portions of the side walls of the tank adjacent to these stiffeners function as a beam; i.e., members adapted to resist sizable bending stresses. The center portions of the tank side walls, however, are completely unreinforced and these portions of the side walls, which are curved outwardly and are thinner than the side walls of conventional tanks, are adapted to deflect outwardly an appreciable amount; for example, more than one inch for a of an inch side wall. This portion of each side wall thus functions mechanically as a membrane; that is, a member which may be subjected to ant liquid is circulated to remove excess heat and main large tensile stresses (which the side walls can readily resist without yield), but is not subjected to sizable bending stresses (which the side walls could not resist without yield).

Additionally, in accordance with the present invention, the lower stiffener members are of tapered configuration having a wide base adjacent to the bottom portion of the tank and a narrow upper end. Thus, these reinforcing members function as cantilever beams having a greater outward deflection adjacent at their upper ends than at their lower ends so that the reinforcing members help to provide a smooth transition in the side walls between the areas of the side walls which function as a beam and those areas of the side wall which function as a membrane. 7

in further accord with this invention, each of the upper stiffener members is of double tapered configuration including one arm extending downwardly along the upper portion of the side walls, and a second arm extending particularly, it is well known that during the fermenting process a certain amount of heat is developed which tends to raise the temperature of the beer above the optimum temperature for fermentation. Accordingly, it is conventional to provide on the interior of a fermentation tank an elongated at temperator coil through which a cool train the beer at a predetermined temperature. One of the obvious difficulties with interior coils of this type is that of cleaning the surface of the coil to keep it in a sanitary condition.

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Filed Under: Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Law, Patent, Science of Brewing

Patent No. 129938A: Improvement In Beer Faucets

July 30, 2016 By Jay Brooks

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Today in 1872, US Patent 129938 A was issued, an invention of Patrick Francis Donnelly, for his “Improvement in Beer Faucets.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

Referring to the drawing, A is a bush or socket-piece, which tapers slightly from the shoulder ato the end. From the shoulder a to the end a fine-threaded screw is cut. This piece accommodates the valve B, which controls the flow of the liquid, and is screwed into the head of the barrel. The valve B rests against a rubber seat, C, being held, when closed, against this seat by the spiral spring b wound round the stem of the valve. D is a plug having several holes through it to permit the liquid to pass through. This plug is screwed into the end of the bush-piece, which projects into the barrel. At the outer end of the bush-piece, which projects outside of the barrel, there is an internal screw cut, and into this the conduit-stem E of the faucet is screwed. F is the operating-rod, which terminates, after passing beyond the conduit stem, in a little wheel, G. This rod F has a double-threaded screw at f, which screws into a corresponding thread cut in the interior of the conduit-stem. H is a packing-box of usual form, supplied, where the rod F passes out of the conduit-stem, to prevent leakage. I is the exit-passage for the liquid.

The operation is as follows: The bushpiece is inserted in the barrel-head, and may remain there until the barrel is worn out. The stem’ part of the faucet is applied when the liquid is to be drawn off, the flow being regulated by screwing the rod F against the valve B.

Instead of the double-threaded screw being supplied on the rod F, this rod may be pushed forward and drawn back by other suitable mechanism not necessary to describe.

US129938-0

Filed Under: Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Law, Patent, Science of Brewing

Patent No. 3394647A: Apparatus For The Production Of Wort

July 30, 2016 By Jay Brooks

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Today in 1968, US Patent 3394647 A was issued, an invention of Fritz Reiter, for his “Apparatus For the Production of Wort.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

In an apparatus for the production of wort, a filter drum for the separation of the wort from the spent grains comprises suction means to draw the wort into the drum and means cutting the cake of spent grains accumulating on the periphery of the drum, while it is being sparged, into small readily extracted pieces.

US3394647-0
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US3394647-3 US3394647-4

Filed Under: Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Law, Patent, Science of Brewing, Wort

Patent No. 2009382A: Beer Filter

July 30, 2016 By Jay Brooks

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Today in 1935, US Patent 2009382 A was issued, an invention of George Blaufuss, for his beer “Filter.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of filters of the character described; to provide a filter in which a filtering medium such as diatomaceous earth, or the like, is used and applied to the surface of a cylinder to form a thick filter cake through which the liquid to be filtered must pass; to provide means for continuously removing impurities collected on the surface of the filter cake and also a portion of the filter cake so as to gradually decrease the thickness of the cake; and further, to provide means for continuously discharging the impurities and material removed from the surface of the filter cake.

US2009382-0
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Filed Under: Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Brewing Equipment, History, Law, Patent, Science of Brewing

Patent No. 2325309A: Process Of Capping Bottles

July 27, 2016 By Jay Brooks

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Today in 1943, US Patent 2325309 A was issued, an invention of Jan De Swart, for his “Process of Capping Bottles.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

This invention has to do with sealing caps for bottles and the like, as well as bottle sealing methods.

In its more particular contemplates a hard and substantially non-flexible plastic cap which is so constructed, of a plastic capable of being rendered temporarily pliable and remolded, as to be applied in sealing relationship to a bottle without injury to the cap and which not only is capable of sealing the bottle against substantial pressures but which also compensates for the cold flow characteristics prevalent in most plastics.

I am aware that attempts have been made to produce a successful thermoplastic bottle cap but so far as I am aware, no such cap has been produced which is capable of general use to cap bottles containing fluids such as carbonated beverages, beer or the like. Such prior caps have been incapable of maintaining an effective seal where substantial pressures are generated in the bottle; and have been incapable of withstanding the temperatures incident to pasteurization processes. For instance, pasteurization processes commonly utilize temperatures of the order of 160 produced do not maintain a seal under such conditions. Another shortcoming of prior caps has been the fact that they fail to maintain an effective seal after the plastics of which the caps are made have undergone the normal cold flow.

It is among the aims of my invention to overcome those shortcomings and, generally speaking, I accomplish this by providing a cap preformed of a cold-setting plastic capable of being rendered temporarily pliable and then reformed and re-hardened about the neck of a bottle. An important characteristic of my improved cap resides in the fact that its side Wall presents a peripheral bead of relatively thick cross-section and having a. relatively low setting rate which, after being temporarily softened, is remolded to aspects, my invention the contour of the external marginal bead forming a part of the conventional beer or carbonated beverage bottle. This bead portion undergoes cap into sealing relationship with the neck or more and thermoplastic caps heretofore l the provision of a plastic cap having a construction which provides a double seal.

Another object is the provision of a cap having a guiding formation to guide it onto a bottle during capping.

US2325309-0

Filed Under: Beers, Breweries, Just For Fun, Politics & Law, Related Pleasures Tagged With: Bottles, Brewing Equipment, History, Law, Packaging, Patent

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