US561740A - theurer - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) s SheetsSheet 1.

' J. P. THEURER.

BEER COOLER. No. 561,740. Patent-ed June 9, 1896. Fig-I (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. F. THEU-RER. BEER COOLER.

No. 561,740. Patented June 9, 1896.

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Patented June 9, 1896.

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JACGB F. THEURER, OF MILYVAUKEE, *ISCONSIN.

.BEER-COOLE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 561,740, dated June 9, 1896. Application filed July 11, 1892. Serial No. 439,683. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J ACOB F. THEURER, of Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of lVisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Beer-Coolers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to what are known as the Baudelot type of coolers used for cooling fluid in large quantities, and which consist of aseries of pipes arranged in a vertical tier or column for the circulation of a refrigerating fluid therethrough, while the beer or other fluid to be cooled is permitted to flow downward in a thin film over their outer surfaces.

In the use of this apparatus in breweries it is necessary to aerate the beer as it is cooled.

As the air employed requires to be sterilized and filtered before use it is necessary that it shall be economically used and so applied to the descending beer as to render it effective in the highest degree. For this reason it is customary to inclose the cooling-pipes in a casing or housing by which the air admitted at the base is confined and caused to act in its ascent effectively on the descending beer. It is also necessary that the outer surfaces of the pipes, in fact all the exposed surfaces of the cooling apparatus, shall be thoroughly cleansed from time to time.

My present invention has in view more particularly the construction of the casing or housing and its adjuncts in such manner as to permit free access to all the internal surfaces.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved cooler. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a pair of coolers with portions broken away. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same with portions broken away and portions shown in vertical section. Fig. a is a vertical section on the line 4 e of Figs. 1 and 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow; and Fig.5 is a horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Figs. 1, 3, and a.

In the drawn gs, A represents the horizontal cooling or circulating pipes, arranged in a vertical tier or column and connected at the ends by couplings or manifolds in any ordi-' nary manner to permit the circulation of a refrigerating fluid therethrough.

B represents a metallic trough in which the cooling-pipes are seated at the base, and which serves to receive thcbeer flowing downward over their surfaces.

0 is a distributer or feeder arranged above the cooling-pipes for the purpose of delivering thebeer upon them, being graduated in quantity so that it may flow down in a thin sheet or film, as usual. This distributer may be in the form of a trough with a slit in its lower side or in the form of a perforated pipe, or in any other appropriate form.

The beer to be cooled will be introduced to the feeder through the pipe D and is withdrawn from the receiving-trough B at the base through a pipe E. The parts so far described closely resemble those now in generaluse and operate in the same general manner.

Referring now to the improvements fOlllling the subject-matter of my invention, it will be observed that each tier or column of cooling-pipes is inclosed by a casing or housing consisting, as shown more particularly in-Fi g. 2, of vertical endplates F and vertical side plates or walls G, all'inade of sheet-copper or other suitable material. The end plates F are fixed rigidly in position, being flanged inward at their edges and secured to the flanges of fixed vertical I-beains H, as shown more particularly in Fig. 5.

The side or wall plates G are arranged to slide vertically, being connected by a series of vertical beams H, with which clips g, fixed to the side plates, are arranged to engage. These clips, sliding on the vertical rails, serve not only to guide the wall-plates, but also to sustain them in position and prevent them from springing or twisting out of shape as they slide upward and downward. At their lower edges the wall-plates G are arranged to enter small troughs or boxes 1), formed along the sides of the receiving-troughs B, and containing water or other fluid for the purpose of producing a close joint or seal to prevent the escape of the air which is delivered, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, through one of the end plates by a pipe 1, leading from a filter J, to connect with the blower or other air-forcing mechanism of any approved form.

The cooler I ordinarilybuild of a height of eighteen feet moreor less, and I therefore propose to employ in connection with the movable wall-plates means of any suitable character for raising and lowering them. I recommend the arrangement shown in the drawin gs, in which K represents supporting-chains attached to the upper edges of the wall-plates and carried thence upward over pulleys and provided at their ends with counterweights L. The chain-pulleys are mounted on a horizontal shaft M, which is also provided with pulleys O, supporting endless chains P, extended downward within reach of the attendants, who are thus enabled by moving chains P to raise and lower the side or wall plates at will. The space between the upper edges of the wall-plates when they are in operative position maybe closed in any suitable manner for example, by a stationary top plate.-

In order to insure tight vertical joints between the ends of the movable wall-plates and the stationary end plates, I provide the wallplates on their outer surfaces, as shown in Fig. 5, with rubber or other packing-strips Q, and I mount between the wall-plates means for forcing them outward, so as to compress the packing against the vertical bars H, to which the end plates are joined. The mechanism for thus spreadingthe plates may be of and connected by inwardly-extending links S toan intermediate vertically-movable bar T, the upper end of which is fashioned into a vertical threaded neck or screw t,'extended through a hand-wheel or nut U, mounted on a cross-bar V, bolted to the vertical bars or standards II. By turning the, hand-wheel in the proper direction the bar T is lifted and the. links straightened, so that they force the bars R outward, causing them in turn to crowd the wall-plates outward. The barsR are slotted horizontally at their upper ends and sustained by rollers on stationary bolts \V, seated in the bar V. In this manner the bars R are suspended, but allowed to move freely inward and outward.

From the foregoing description it. will be understood that when the cooler-is in action the casing or housing is closed at the bottom by the water seal in which the end plates are seated, andclosed at the end by the pressure.

devices forcing the plates apart soas to compress the packing. Q.

When the plates are to be lifted to open the cooler and expose the pipes, the hand-wheel U is turned, so as to lower the inner ends of the links and retract the pressure-bars R, the effectfof which is to release ,the ends of the wall-plates; so that they may be freely raised.

It will be observed that when either plate is raised independently of the other its inner surface is exposed above the cooler,.so that it may be readily cleaned. .The .raisingofj both plates exposes all of the pipes and'the interior of. the trough and the other parts of the cooler, so that itmay be. thoroughly cleansed.

While I have described herein the wallplates arranged to move vertically away from the cooling-pipes, and while I prefer to retain this construction because of the economy in floor-space secured thereby, it is to be understood that my invention comprehends, broadly, the arrangement of the side walls to be moved away from the cooling-pipes to expose the latter to View, and this may be effected either by a vertical movement described or by a horizontal movement.

One of the advantages of my present construction lies'in the fact that it permits me to construct the casing with its walls in close proximity to the pipes, so that the entire body of air blown into the cooler is caused to act directly upon the descending fluid.

Itis no longer necessary, as in apparatus heretofore used, to construct the casing of such size as to permit the attendants to enter the same. I secure economy both as regards the space occupied and the consumption of air.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a cooling apparatus the combination of a series of stationary cooling-pipes, a housing or casing therefor open at or near the top and hermetically sealed' below against the admission thereto of outside air, a source of purified air connected with said housing at or near the base, and means for moving the walls of said casing away from their operative positions to expose the cooling-pipes, substantially, as. and for the-purposes set forth.

2. In a cooling apparatus of the type herein"(lescribed,.the combination of a. series of cooling-pipes, a housing or casing having an air-outlet at or .near the top and an air-inlet at or near the base connected with a source of purified air, guides whereon said housing .is movable from its operative position to exthe purposes set forth.

3. Ina cooling apparatus the combination of the refrigeratingrpipes, the trough thereunder, a housing having an air-outlet at or near the top and an inlet at or near the base and composed of the stationary end plates and the vertically-movable side plates, means of hermetically sealing the joints between said plates. when they are in operative position, and a source of purifiedja'ir connected with the inlet-opening of said housing, substantially as and. for the. purposes set forth.

4. In .acooler, the combination of the stationary coolingpipes, the stationary end plates, the vertically-movable side plates, counterweights connected therewith, means for raising .and lowering said plates, and

,means of hermetically sealing the joints between said plates when they are in operative position, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a cooling apparatus, and in combination with the vertically-movable side-wall plates of the housing, the suspending chains and counterweights,the hand-chains and connections for raising and lowering the plates, and means of hermetically sealing the side and lower edges of said plates when they are in operative position, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a cooling apparatus and in combination with the cooling-pipes, the stationary end plates, the vertically-movable side-wall plates, intervening packing, and pressure devices substantially as described to close the joints between the plates.

'7. In a cooling apparatus and in combina tion with the cooling-pipes, the stationary end plates, the movable side plates, intervening packing and pressure devices adapted to close and hermetically seal the joints between the plates when they are in operative position, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a cooling apparatus and in (ZOIIlblllZlr tion with the cooling-pipes, a trough B and its pockets or fluid-seals b, and the housing having an air-outlet opening at or near the top and comprising movable Wall-plates arranged to enter said pockets at their lower edges, means of hermetically sealing said wall-plates at the side edges when they are closed, and a source of purified air connected with the lower part of said housing and adapted to produce therein an upward current of air in contact with the liquid descending over said pipes and thereby aerate the same Without admitting outside air thereto, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 14th day of April, 1892, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

JACOB F. THEURER.

Witnesses:

RICHARD BERKHOLZ, EMIL BEsT.

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