US16766A - Improved devices for aging liquors - Google Patents

Description

A. & A. S..WALCOTT. Ageing Liquorsj No. 16,766. Patented March 3, 1857;.

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A. WVOLCOTT AND A. S. IVOLOOTT, OF EAST BLOOMFIELD, NEIV YORK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 16,766, dated March 3, 1857.

' and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to the improvement of alcoholic liquors by imparting to them what is termed age.

The improvement consists in the employment of swinging shelves, or their equivalents, for the purpose of gently agitating the liquors while they are exposed to a moderate heat. One or more shelves of iron or other suitable material are swung by means of chains or ropes fromthe ceiling of a suitable apartment.

Theliquors may be contained in common casks or other suitable vessels, which are placed upon the shelves. The shelves are then moved to and fro by an attendant, or by connection with any suitable motive power. A slight reciprocating motion only is required, so that very little power will suffice. (If preferable the shelves may be stationary, forming floors, and a gentle oscillation be given to the casks by rods.) Beneath the shelves we place suitable stoves, which furnish the heat required in the process. No special arrangement of the stoves is necessary, their only objectbeing to afford sufficient caloric to heat the liquor above to a temperature of from 80 to 100 Fall'- renheit. The apartmentin which the process is carried on should be darkened. The vessels containing the liquors should be closed, but

they should not be entirely filled, as some space is needed for the better movement or agitation of the liquids.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a swinging shelf and appurtenances. Fig. 2is a side elevation of a frame for rolling the casks, and thus gently agitating the liquors. Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In Fig. 1, A is a swinging shelf, supported by means of cords or rods B from a suitable framework, 0, or from the ceiling of an apartment.

D are rods whose inner ends touch or rest against'the sides of the cask E, which contains the liquor. The outer ends of rods D connect by means of cranks Iwith rod F, and the latter is pivoted at one end to the cam-piece G. Power is applied to the crank H, which causes the cam-piece G to revolve and impart a re-' ciprocating motion to rod F; and the movement of rod F is communicated through the cranks I and rods D to the caskE, which,with the shelf A, swings gently back and forth.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate an equivalent mode of gently agitating the liquors. This mode consists in gently rolling the casks J K by means of a frame, M, which connects through a rod, N, with a cam-piece, G. The frame M thus receives a reciprocating motion and imparts it to the casks J K. The latter are thus rolled or tipped gently back and forth, and the liquor within is agitated. O O are pivots or pins which connect the casks J K with the frame M. I? P are beams upon which the casks roll. The beams serve as stationary shelves, before mentioned.

WVe prefer for general use the employment of the swinging shelves for agitating the liquor; but it is obvious that Various other equivalent devices might be adopted for the same purpose.

By subjecting alcoholic liquors to the above process they will be improved in quality in proportion to the length of time during which the process is continued. If, for example, they are thus treated without cessation for aperiod of six months,they will be improved in quality so as to be fully equal to similar liquors that have an age of two years.

\Ve find that by our process we make a saving of three-fourths of the time commonly required to impart a given age or quality to any kind of alcoholic liquors.

lVe would here remark that wedistinctly disclaim the heating of liquors to a moderate temperature for a continued period for the purpose of improving their qualities or giving them age, for we are well aware that this is a very ancient and well-known practice. Indeed, it was the practice of the Romans to put up their wines in skins and subject them for great lengths of time to the smoke and heat of their domestic fire-places. It is also common at the present day to rectify some kinds of alcoholic liquors by exposing them to heat in vessels closed with bladders. Neither do we claim to have discovered the fact that alcoholic liquors are improved by agitation while at the same time they are warmed by exposure to a moderate heat. Neither do we claim, broadly, the improving of the quality of liquors by means of heat and agitation combined, for this effect is clearly obtained when vessels laden with liquors are sailing in tropical climates. Under such circumstances the liquors become moderately heated, and by the motion of the waves are gently agitated. Indeed, the process we have invented, in its effects upon the liquors and the results produced, bears a strong resemblance to the effects and results wrought upon liquors that are carried in vessels as described. In fact, it is well-known that liquors are sometimes sent out in ships under the equator and into tropical climates for the express purpose of having their qualities improved by such voyages. No other satisfactory explanation of the process or manner in which they are thus improved can be given, except that it is done by the long-continued agitation and moderate heat to which they are exposed on those voyages. Again, it

is well-known that Madeira wine is prized for its good qualities in proportion to the number of times it has crossed the equator.

The various examples cited,while they show that liquors can be and long have been improved by subjection to moderate heat and gentle agitation, also prove the novelty, the importance, whereby the said results can be obtained in a more expeditious manner and without the great labors, costs, and risks which are attendant upon sea-voyages. In this latter case not only property but life is staked.

The means which we have invented to give the required agitation with moderate heat present all the advantageous results \which arise from sending liquorsnpon seavoyages, besides the further advantage of effecting a great saving in time, labor, expense, risk, and life over such methods, and over all other methods.

\Vhat we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment of swinging shelves or their equivalents for the purpose of gently agitating the liquors while they are exposed to a moderate heat, substantially as herein described.

ANSON IVOLCO'IT. A. SPENCER XVOLOOTT.

XVitnesses:

J osnrrr T. SMITH, JOHN H. MoRsn.

and the value of any means

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