USRE2002E - Improved mash-tu-n - Google Patents

Description

UNITEDv STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH HAMME, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVE!) MASH-TUN- Specitieatiou forming part ol Letters-Patent No. 12,5205, dated January 9, 1R55; Reissue No. 2,00Ldzitell.

.l une "20, 1865.

To all whomy it muy concern No. 132 West Thirty-fourth street, in the city, county, and State ot' N ew York, have invented a new and useful improvement in Mash-Machines; and .l do hereby declare that 'the following' is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in l l their inner ends let in to the boss, and are the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the-accompanying drawiitgs, forming part of this spe'cication, in which- Fignre l lrepresents a perspective view of @thls invention. 'Fig 2 is a vertical central section of thesame. Fig. 3 is a detached plan or' top view o fthe upper rake-head. Fig. @t is 1asimilarview ot' the lower rakeheadV17 5 represents a detached plan or top View otra modification of the rake. Figs. 6 and 7 are elevation of teeth ot' ditl'erent shape detached. Similar letters ot' reference indicate like parts. This invention consists in the construction and application to the mash-tun used by distillers of an rpper or additional rake, adapted t0 operate 1ny combination with the usual rake thereof or its vequivalent in suchI a manner that by the combined action of the two rakes a more perfectand rapid mixture ol' the' ground malt and water in the process ot' making the extract from vmalt is eilected, and a more brilliant and richer extract is obtained from the same quant-ity of malt.

The invention consists also in so forming, constructing, and applying the teeth to the arms or heads of the rakes of a mash-machine that in operating the same the more dense particles of certain qualities of malt will be more ettectually prevented from a too rapid precipitation in the fluid during the operation of niashing. This purpose is effected by arranging said teeth in inclined or oblique positions, and the eliect is still further increased by curving said oblique teeth in the manner as hereinafter *more fully described.

A a large wooden vessel open at the top, called a mashftunii It has lixed across its upper end two strong pieces of wood, et and b, adapted for holding steadily in proper position the bearing c and (L ln the center ofthe bottoni, on the inside of the vessel, a suitable step or bearing, e,is also firmly secured.

B is a strong cylindrical and central'ron shaft, adapted to rotate in a vertical position,l

being held by the step c and bearing c, and has secured to it near the lower end a double pair of arms, (l and l), by means ot'a boss,E, through 'the center of which the shaft B is txed and tightly held thereto by mean-s of the two set-screws, f f. The arms G and D have tixed thereto by rivets or screw bolts, so s s to extend out at right angles from two opposite. sides ot the. shaft B parallel with each other and nearly to the sides of the vessel A. The two outer ends of 'each pair of these` arms are also connected by means o t' a dousuitable holes made at regular distances apart' along the arms, a series ot' teeth, F, is placed arms, H H, is fixed toma boss, I, through the i center of which the shaft G is fixed tightlyby means ot' set-screws or otherwise. These arms,

are let in to the lower end of the boss, and are fixed thereto by screw-bolts, so as to extend out toward the sides of the vessel A at right angles from two opposite sides of the shaft G.

In suitable holes made along` at `regular distances apart through the arms a series of teeth,

' K K, is placed so as to extend downward,

nearly to the upper arms of the lower rake, and also so as to be capable ot' passing freely.

between the upper projecting teeth of the .same ,i

when the two shafts B and G are turnedin the same orin opposite directions. In order to strengthen these teeth in position small bosses, if, are fixed tightly in the holes made in the heads, and through the centers ot' these bosses the teeth K are placed. These teeth, bosses,

.and heads constitute what I call the upper f rake. 1n both rakes the teeth are placed loose y, so as to be readily withdrawn at any timeror left to remain in position by their own weight, those in the upper rake being suspended by a head and those in thelower one by means of a flange near their middle, the two inner .teeth ot' the upper rake passing through the large or central boss, l. The teeth ot' both rakes I usually make ot' square see tion, or so as to present a flat face in the direction of their motion. Those of the lower rake may be placed in e arc U2, as shown in Fig. 5 the bottom arm 0f this rake being dispensed with, so as to project forward from the upper side ot' the arm, and also downward in an iu- -clined direction, as shown in Fig. 7, and they may be held each by a nut, D2, which screws on to the end, l* of thesame aud against the under side of the arm, so as-to keep them firmly thereto, substantial-ly as sh own in Fig. 7, a'slight depression being made across the arm from one side of each tooth-hole therein to receive the under part of the respective teeth, (as shown by thedotted lines at 02,) for the purpose of preventing any lateral movement thereof or for holding them more firmlyiu position. Euch tooth, besides having the downward inclination described, may also be bent Ain a curvui form concentric-with the shaft, as shown in Figfl. The teeth of the upper rake may be inserted. in square holes made in iheene arm, HZYFig. 5, from the under side, and they may be secured thereon by means ofa screw-nut, I, as shown in Fig. 6. Thesel teeth may eachbe formed4 and in serted .so as to project perpendicularly downward from the arm about one foot, then for ward and downward in an inclined direction, as shown in Fig. 2, each tooth being also bent in a curved form concentric-with the central shaft, as shown in Fig. 5. rlhe teeth may also be made to decrease in length as they approach the shaft, (see Fig. 5,) and when the shaft isl rotated they have the effect of causing those particles of certain kinds of malt, which (having a greater specific gravity or being more, dense than others) are in- -elined to sink too rapidly, to be forced upward and kept more perfectly suspended in the fluid (a matter of great importance) duringtheoperationof mashing; and if the teeth are also curved coneentrically with the central shaft, as before described, they pass through the mixture without imparting to it too much circular motion. Near the upper end of the central shaft, B, a 'b.vel-w'heel, L,

is fixed, which gears in connection witha vsmall bevelpinion, M, fixed on or near the inner end of the driving-shaft N. On the same shaft N, and at a short distance from this pinion M, a larger bevel, O, is fixed, i

which gears in connection with a third bevel, Riixed on the upper end ofthe outer shaft, G. The diameter of the bevelwheel L is about three times that of the pinion M. rlhe diameter of the wheel P is about three and a half times that of the pinion, and Ythe diameter of the largest wheel 0 is about four times that sel.

of the pinion. The shaft N being extended vand placed in connection with the drivingpower, so as to give it rotation, the two rakes are necessarily caused to move round with the rotating shaft sat unequal speed and in opposite directious,rthe upper with about three or three and a halt' times the velocity of the lower one. About an inch or so above the bottom ofthevestel A a plate-iron diaphragm, Q, perforated over its area with small holes about an inch. apart, extends horizontally over the same, and rests upon a narrow and eontinuous-ledge, l, projecting from the sides of the vessel, and also upon small blocks ha distributed between it and the bottom of the vessel.

Having thus fully described the machine` l will proceed to describe its operation during the process of mashinc. In the first place,

water of a proper temperature is run into the vessel A until its surface reaches about four inches above the lower ends of the teeth of the upper rake. Rotation is now given to thel shafts, as before described, so that the central shaft, li, shall rotate about fifteen times in every minute, the outer shaft consequently rotating vabout forty-tive or titty times per minute, and in a contrary direction both carrying with them their respective rakes. The ground malt is .new gradually run into the vessel from a Achamber above, so as to fall near the center, when, from the. action ot' the rakes in and above the water, each particle ofthe malt is perfectly separatcdfrom the others, and all thoroughly mashed or mixedintimately with the water. As the ground malt meets with the water in the vessel, its tendency is.to tioat upon the surface, but by the action of therakes it is rapidly incorporated therewith, and the mixture conse..

quently rises gradtu'illy in heightwithin the vessel. When the whole quantityA of malt, however, is in, the surface of the mixture should not reach higher than about four inches below the upper ends of the lower teeth, F.

1t will be perceived that by the action of the machine two opposite currents are made in the water, and shonldthe akes not separate all the finest particles of the malt from each other, the frictional action between the two currents of the water accomplishes the separation in the most perfect manner. y

The whole of the malt being mashed, the motion of the machine isnow arrested and the action of the diastase 0n the starch contained in the malt commences, and is allowed to proceed until all the starch is converted into saccharine matter, when the extract is drawn olf, rich and brilliant, through suitablefaucets previously inserted in the bottom gf the ves'- The machine heretofore used for mash` ing malt, in consequence of its incomplete and detective character requires for three hundred bushels of malt from one to two hours to complete the process of mixing or mashiug; and this in a very imperfect manner, as many of the particles of the malt are not' separated -from each other, and consequently the dias-- tase, which is the converting substance in the malt, is pr evented from acting upon the starch contained in these unseparated particles, and such starch remains nndissolved, and therefore unconverted'into saccharine matter, and lost to the brewer; besides, from the' same causes, these malt pai ticles adhering'together are too rapidly precipitated after stoppin g the motion'of the machine and form a too solid and glutinous mass upon the diaphragm', through which mass the liquor cannot readily pass, the ultimate effect being that in the sub- -sequent process of' drawing oi the liquor forces numerous holes ror separate courses through the mass, extracting or washing out the saccharine matter contained in those parts of the mass immediately around the holes or courses. but leaving the balance, which is a great deal, uncxtracted until subsequently washed out by adding fresh Water, which, vwith what Vis left ofthe saccharine matter, necessarily washes out the undissolved starch and the injurious matters, as mucilage, 85e., vcausing a turhid and clouded extract; whereas, by the use of my machine of a size adapted :l'or three hundred bushels ot' malt, theprol cess of mixing or mashing' is thoroughly com pleted in about ten minutes,'thus 'savingiruv m`ensely in time, which is of'great'iinportance in an economical v i ew,'b esides the quantity oil saccharine matter obtained is greater and the quality ot' the extract necessarily much: more rich, and also perfectly brilliant' and free from starch.

It will be readily perceived'that in mashing with the old machinethe malt is kept in motion so long a time in the water that the air contained in the'malt'is driven ou't, and at the same time water is absorbed, increasing the weight of the malt without perfectlyseparat.

ing its particles, there is atconscquent. too rapid sinking thereof immediately after-.the motion ot' the machine is stopped, and thus there is formed -the too solid mass upon the diaphragm, preventing the proper action of the diastase upon the starchaud the subsequent free passage of theiuid extract through thesame, resulting liny the formation of the holesor separate courses, asbefore described,

the mass in some instances becoming sostif' or compact as entirely to prevent the extract from passin'g through it, so that the whole brewing is sometimes lost, whereas by my process the time occupied inl mashing is s o short,

that them-alt cannot absorb so much water nor lose so much air previous to thesettling of the particles, and conSequentlbeinglighter,lthe maltV settles more slowly, -orming a light spongy mass, which is most fauorable'to the action of the diastase, andthe subsequent4 formation and separation of the saccharine matter with the fluid, the malt itself thus vacting like a iilter, allowing the liquor torun through between all the. particles thereof in drawing c,'and insures the separation of all the saccharine matter, 'and consequently the production of a richer and more brilliant. extract free from starch. f

i I construct the vessel or tun A of cedar.

wood, and the rakes, shafts, and wheels of iron. The fakes are combined with the shafts, so as to be vadjustable to any position thereon suitable for any requisite quantity of malt to be mashed, and the shafts extended high enough above the open end of the. vessel to admit the convenient application of a suitable cover toretain the heat.

Having v`thus described. my invention, If claim ias new andv desirel to secure. byA Letters' laten--v v 1.*The applicationand use otth'e upper rake, constructed substantially as described, when combined with a mashtun, so as to be rotated inbpposite or inthe same direction to that of the usual rake, substantially as and for the purpose vset forth.

2; Making the rake-teeth ot a mash-tun in-V clined, substantiall'yv asv andi'orthe purpose described.

3. Carving the teeth ofthe rake oa mash. 'tunsubstatialiy iu the manner 'and for the purpose specied.-

4.3Thefuse 'of 'inclinedcurvcd teeth in the rakes of a mash-tun, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. i A. HAMMERl Witnesses W. HAUnF, El', (Boeren:

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