US2628828A - Portable aeration apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 17, 1953 N. MEURER PORTABLE AERATION APPARATUS Filed Aug. 27. 1948' 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 18k Brlnilp la,

d e v A777 M515 ISi Feb. 17, 1953 N. MEURER PORTABLE AERATION APPARATUS 3 Sh'ets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27. 1948 INVENTR ma, uw

Feb. 17, 1953 N. MEURER PORTABLE AERATION APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Shes?I 3v Filed Aug. 27, 1948 Patented Feb. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE roafragBLE AEiaA'rIoN APPARATUS Nicolaus-Meurer, Radolfzell/Baden* Geminiani' Application August 27, 194,3, Serial NQ, 46:54.?.

t Claims., 1

vEcrtable devices are known to charge beverages which have been filled into ybottles or the like receptacles with carbonio acid. To this end each bottle is lowered into a protective shell orl sleeve having a bottom, whereas the upper rim of the mouth of the bottle neck is forced against a resilient annular insert provided at the bottom of a closed-top, atomizing and mixing chamber coaxial with the bottle. The apertured top oi the mixing chamber is provided with a stuffing box, through which suitably extends a carbonio acid feed pipe, the upper end of which is connected by means of a hose or pipe to a container of pressurized carbonio acid gas. The lower end of this pipe is provided with a gas feed nozzle cr sprayer, the small apertures oi which permit of the escape of the carbonio acid gas fed .thereto into the bottom zone of the liquid contents of the bottle, when a valve of the carbonio acid container is opened. Thereby upon each opening of the valve a portion of the liquid contents of the bottle is forced into the interior of the mixing chamber and atomized. During these operations particles of air mechanically or chemically combined with the liquid contents are liberated and, being mixed with carbon-ic acid gas, accumulate inside the mixing chamber near its top. There isprovided a venting or bleeder valve closed when the carbonio acid is admitted but opened for a short time after pressure equalization between mixing chamber and bottle', and then closed again. rihus the mixture is allowed to escape. This1 procedure is repeated several times. Upon each atomizing operation carbonio acid from the liquid contents replaces vigorously the air escaped and combines with the atomized liquid particles entered into the mixing chamber. vWhen all air has escaped from the beverage and has been removed by venting from the mixing chamber, and when thebeverage has flown back completely into the bottleand the carbonic acid has escaped from the mixing chamber so that the pressure gauge thereof indicates zero, then the gastight connection between the mixing chamber and the bottle is interruptedl and afterthe carbonio acid feed pipe, has been moved upwardly and while the valve forthe carbonic acid is closed` the bottle is preliminarily closed,` then pulled out of the protective sleeve or shell'andl replaced by another bottle to be treated. Only after the removal of the bottle the treatmentof'which has just been completed is the preliminaryl closure replaced by a nnal one.

Using all essential parts ,and charging opera,- ticns of these known types of? apparatus it has been found that the output thereof maybe increased when the mixing chamber, which has previously 1been supported in a stationary rela. tionship to the protective. sleeve, is now mounted for swinging movement about a support member, which extends vertically upwardly from a. base adapted to carrya pluralityV of openetopped, lled bottles each lowered into a protective sleeve. Where these individual bottles: are placed on the base along the arc of a circle the radius of which equals the radial distance between the axis of the mixing chamber and the center of the pivotal movement of the mixing chamber about its support, any of the bottles placed on the base may selectively be subjected to the charging treat-A ment, whereas at the same time the bottle liquid contentsoff which has been treated just before may be closed definitely,l then lifted out of its protective shell, and replaced by a bottle` the liquid contents. of which is :to be. treated thereafter.

A first object of this invention, which utilizes such a swingable mixingy chamber, is to prevent` during the swing of the mixing chamber from one operative position to the next the carbonio acid feed pi.pebeing supportedonly at the top of the mixing chamber,u from, swaying to and fro and from laterally moving relative to its support, as well as from moving ecc'entri'callyto the center line of thel bottle; through the annular opening between the lower partl of*` the mixing chamber and the mouth ofv the. bottle. into the bottom zone thereof, whereby thecharging operation would be disturbed considerably.y

It is another object to; provide at the vertical support member for the mixing chamber swing:-L able about said member?, means` to list. the mixing chamber somewhat relative to; the support vand to transmit. the weight of the mixing chamber to the .base member ofi the carrier...

Further Qbiects Ofi the invention will be errarent from the following description and. the aecompan bedr wines, anembodiment of the. diaerammatally and by Way- 0f,` example..

Figure l is e fragmentary sectional View 'taken alone lines le?! of; Fieure'Zr;

Figure 421S a plan View. Eon a `s.@mevrhat enlarged scale, of the novel apparatus;

Figure 3 isan enlarged partialdiametralsecE tion View showing one form of connection oe-- tween the mixing chamber and the neck of a bottle;

Figurea--isaan enlarged partial diametrai sec: tion-view showing; another form of' .connection l secured on base plate 8 at da, a plurality of,

e. g. in this case four, sheet metal shells It, ita and lb, which are open at their top and bottom ends. A second metal plate 8a of similar form and dimensions but having apertures for the passage of the end portions of the shells Ii), lua and |b, is` connected to plate at a proper distance and parallel thereto, so as to form a frame together therewith. The top surfaces of the plates 8, 8a are covered by further plates |B, or |8c, which are also formed with apertures for the passage of the shells and consist of synthetic resin or ceramic materials. The space between the metal plates 8, 8a and the covering plates W, Ia is enclosed by a wall frame Ib of synthetic or ceramic material.

Said parts are interconnected to form a rigid and yet easily portable supporting frame by four connecting stuts, e. g., pipe columns |8c of synvthetic resin or ceramic material, said columns being arranged at the corners of said plate. A metal bolt |811, whose tapered ends are threaded for nuts 8f or |8e, respectively, extends through each of said pipe columns. The lower portion of each bolt |811 may also extend through a foot member lg, of synthetic or ceramic material, which member4 is held in position by a nut |81 and has a rubber insert ISIC. Said parts are held in their relative positions by the frame lSb being inwardly bulged or recessed at the joints with the tubular pillars. lac, which fit snugly in said recesses.

The shells ,and lua serve to receive each a bottle or la containing a liquid; the shell lh serves to hold a carbonio acid container Il. A shut-01T spindle Ha, tted with a hand Wheel Hb, has connected to it by means of` a pipe branch or socket I'ld and a cap nut Vic the reducing valve with gauges 20a and 2Gb to indicate the contents of carbonio acid in said container and the outlet pressure, respectively, said reducing valve having a handle-operable spindle 29e to control the outlet pressure. The opening and shuttingoff of the carbon dioxide liowing from the pipe socket 20e into a supply hose 26h connected thereto is eiiected by the actuation of a hand wheel Zild. The metal tube pillar secured to base plate 8 at a'and supported by plate 8a at to, has therein an insert bolt 4c xedly secured thereto by a pin extending transversely of the lower or larger diametr'al portion of the bolt. The upper or reduced diametral portion of the bolt is surrounded by a helical spring 4f, which engages the underside'oi a ring 4g slidably disposed in the tube pillar 4 and secured to the lower end of a tube 4i, said tube di being in a sleeved relation to a bolt 4d, which has its lower end screwed into the upper end of bolt lic and its upper end projecting through a drilled metal stopper in serving as the closure for the upper end of tube 42'. The upper end of bolt d'has a handle lie in threaded engagement therewith, which'handle is4 capable of bearing the'whole weight of the apparatus when it is to be transported. The cylinder ring 4g is movable pistonlike in the upper part of the pipe column. The insert part 4i continues through an aperture in the support arm 3g of the mixing chamber, which aperture is closed by the stopper du. An ornamental tubular pillar 4h adapted to be supported on plate la, surrounds a lower portion of tube 41', while the upper portion thereof passes through a metal sleeve ep inserted in the hub body 3b of the mixing chamber 3. Said hub body is in an eccentric position with respect to chamber 3, its lower end finding a bearing support on a flange offset ik of insert pipe di. The upper end of sleeve ip is provided with a pair of nuts terminating it. The spring 4f relieves the weight of chamber S, which advantageously is made o porcelain or glass and stiifened by ribs against the carbon dioxide pressure to be set up inside the chamber. rfhe spring if transmitsf the load of this weight by way oi Lila, liz', 4g, and 4c, to the tubular pillar i and thus to the base plate 8 and the frame parts 8a and iSd to such an extent that its spring force slightly outweighs the load due to the weight. Therefore, when the mixing chamber 3 is not used and during the pauses of operation the bottom member 3a tted into the mixing chamber will iioat a small distance above the mouth of the bottle put into protective shell coaxially with the center line of chamber 3.

The mixing chamber 3 is connected to its hub body 3b by at least two ear lug members 3g. Where the latter, as in this instance, are of U- shaped section, it seems advisable to connect them by a vertical central rib. The chamber 3 with its bearing bush 47e, lip can be swung around tube di as a pivot, in the direction of the arrow indicated in iiigure 2. The inner space of the chamber has longitudinally extending therethrough in a manner known a gas feed tube 5 terminated at its lower end by a sprinkler foot tz' and being gastightly guided at the head portion of the mixing chamber by means of a stuffing box 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d and 5g, and terminated by a stopcock 6, ea, Sb, to which the carbonio acid is fed through a pipe branch 7, "la, 'Ib and 7d, designed as a draw handle, and through a quickcoupling nipple ic, which in turn is connected to the supply hose 2th secured to the pipe branch 29e of reducing valve 20, a spring 7e pressing against the resilient member 'lh inserted into the sleeve to establish a gastight connection between the nipple 'ic and the duct 1f.

The air discharge channel 3]' oi the mixing chamber has connected to it the screw nipple |5a of a tube I5 carrying the pressure gauge I6. Connected to the tube l5 is a faucet |5c. The spigot of said faucet is provided with handles |51) at either end. VBy turning the spigot the cross bore thereof is moved into or out of communication with the tube ite. Said tube |5e is surrounded by a tube |5f upon which is mounted a bored handle |52'. An axially bored cap screw ih, mounted upon the end of tube if, forms an annular slot |5d with the adjacent end of the bored handle Iz Adjacent this an nular slot, the tube |51e is provided with perforations. Therefore with the bore of the faucet communicating with tube |5e, said faucet discharges the air, which is released from the beverage into the mixing chamber head as quantities of the beverage are thrown upwards, to be mixed with carbonio acid gas through the tube |5e partially through the perforations of cover tube 15j and partially through the axial aperture of the cap, tube I 5h. It is a necessary premise, however, that the carbonio lacid tube 5 be lifted above the level of the liquid in the bottle.

The bottom 3a of the mixing chamber, made of porcelain or glass and rendered gastight by a suitable cement, is advantageously screwed in and carries a sleeve body 3c secured thereto by screw bolts Br and containing a packing ring 3b of resilient rubber, Figure 3, and an annular member 3d, preferably made of synthetic resin. This, annular member is mounted to revolve around the. outer periphery of sleeve 3c' and` is prevented from falling down therefrom by a metal ring 3e covering its upper rim, said metal ring being screwed to 3d at 3s and supported on 3c. The outer periphery ofv ring' member 3d is roughened or ribbed so that it can easily be seized by hand' and turned towards chamber 3. The central bottom aperture of. the ring member has provided therein coupling means inv theV form of female threads adapted to be engaged withsuitablel countercoupling members provided at thev outsidesurface of the neckof the bottle, whereby .the soiling of parts of the apparatus' by dripping liquidV can be avoided almost completely.V

Wherey the coupling means haveA been provided .during the manufacture of the bottles in the outer surface ofA their necks, e. g.,. in the`y end portion of a bottle, which portion is provided above theknown neck reinforcement I'c, asin Figur-e' 3, Y

the gastight coupling between chamber 3 and bottle may be establishe'dby" an engagement of theifemale threads of the ring member 3d` with theK male threadsof said end portion of the bottle neck. In thisy engagement the chamber: 3v is somewhat pulled down by aturningfof ring member- 3d overcoming the opposing, force of springllf.`

However, where the neck portion ofthe bottle has no coupling members formed thereon, as'` shown. in Figure` 3a, a gastight connection beptween chamber 3 and bottle I may' beA established asfollows, with reference to Figure 4 showing a;4

vertical section of abottleA closure: A cork stopper' I`I is formed` with a blind hole into which isv screwed a spindle I3a, |312', I3e,. I3d. In additionA tothe cork II the spindlefon its middlepartrk I3b carries asleeve I Ia of soft rubber, :and above-the. neck portion I3c which passesthroughthe'hub of aca-p 9 of synthetic resin,v ity carriesga spring orretaining ring I4 of spring` wireseated in an' annular groove underneath the spindle heady I30Z and' holding theparts II, l3nt, I3 and 9 together as a` unit of construction. The cap 9 is formed with a female thread fitting into the male thread of` anauxiliary sleeve I9, of synthetic resin, with a rconical borewidening from bottom to top.v Thel smallest` inside diameter ofV the conical bore slightly exceeds the` outer diameter` of the neck4 reinforcement Ic lying underneath the end portion Ib`.. Now, beforefsleeve I9 is put over the bottleneck, av resilient` rubber ring I2 is rolled down. over the neckA portions Ib, Ic andis extendedthereby in such a way that it finds a Lstop at-the lower rim of reinforcement" Ic, sleeve I9:

following over said neck portions whereby the lower conical zonefis caused to compress the ring. and`oppose any upward displacement of sleevev I 9.

This displacement of sleeve,I9 in afbottle closurel as shown in Figure 4 may be accomplished by a turning `of cap 9 with engagementof the femalev thread withy the` malethread of sleeveY I9 and pressing the rubber. body I-Ia gastightly against themouth. of thebottle.`

Accordingto another modifcatiomcap 9. with its-,associated lcomponents .-maybefomitted, while 6 the saine sleeve I9 with its ring I2 is' utilized for a gastight connection of chamber 3 and bottle I, as will be seen clearly from Figure 3a.

In order to avoid swinging and bending. of the gas feed tube 5, 5i upon pivotal swinging of mixing chamber 3 .about tube 4i', the mixing cham'- ber has provided in its interior,l immediately above the bottom member 3a, a second bearing and centering member for the. gas feed tube. According to the invention this bearing member consists of a` vertically slidable body of pure aluminum, ceramic or synthetic material, whose hub 5e surrounds tube 5 as a loose fit. From the hub 5e to the inner periphery of the`4 cover of the chamber a portion 5h,l extends',- which is connected with ribs 5f to the hub 5e so that between any two successive ribs' there is ample clearance for the: passage of quantities of liquid which have bee'nforced upwardly and are flowing down. The slidability of the bearing member 5e, f, h, also permits of the bearing body to be moved upwardly with the liquid and of its automatic return` to its initial position after an equalization of the pressure between the chamber and bottle. Thus,A on the one hand the tendency of the carbonic :acid to atomize the beverage is not hindered, while ony the other hand the viscousfoam developing inside'the chamber is turned by the returning bearing member, whereby its reconl densation into a liquid, which. is capable of'flowing off, is facilitated.

When the feeding of gas into the liquidfiow'n back into the bottle is completed, the chamber is disconnected from tliebottle I and the gas feed l pipe is pulled upwardly above the mouth ofthe bottle. Owing to the excess power of spring' 4f the'chamber 3" is' thus lifted automatically' by a small distance o'n' tube 4i. Now the chamber 3A may be moved aut'o'niaticallyv in the' direction of the arrowin Figure 2 in the left or right hand po s'ition, or the bottle, still remaining in its prot-ec-1 tive shellr Il), may be sealed first, e. g., by means of a cap' 9 to be screwed on the auxiliary socket I9 after the mixing chamberh'as been liftedl some#v what further by hand. Inrbot'h casesthebottle is Jthen lifted from' shell" II).

Figure 5' shows diagrammatically a funnel 25,Y 25a', 25h designed according tof the invention to avoid the' soiling parts of the apparatus when the mix-ing` chamber is swung into" another? position; Figure 6 shows diagrammatically in a plan View the positions of thefthree protective sleeves I0 and Idd, with two of said tunnels-immersed into the mouths of the lateralbottles` I a ;'in` this case it is' assumed. that the closedV bottle' has been removed already from the front protective sleeve iii? and' that the funnels, whosebeaks 25h during thei gas feeding operationvin thefro'nt protective sleeve IEE have beenin the positionw shown in dotted lines, have been swung into the position shownA in solidl linesonly because fori the time being no fu1tl1exgas feeding.'` operation isi in"' tended.

It will be understoodthattheioperatoriis freeto eiect the aerationiof the beveragev in the bottleeither alwaysonly in the front position of the bottle I, or alternatinglyin the lefti andright 'ity of the apparatus.. which according, to their u,

Contents arfe be: aeratedl. in y a predetermined:

order. Assuming that the aeration is to be effected regularly in the front position, there will be filled bottles in the lateral sleeves Ia and the :tunnels 25 will engage the mouth of one or both of them. Then, after the removal of the treated front bottle, the left or right hand bottle is lowered into the iront sleeve l connected to chamber 3 and is replaced by another iilled bottle, into which the funnel is introduced in the position shown with dotted lines.

Before completingthe aerating operations, at the latest, the tube 5 is raised by such a distance, with the cock 6, 6a still in its open position, that the sprinkler head 5i comes to lie in the conical crater of the bottom member 3a of the mixing chamber. Thus, for a sufficiently long period of time any rising of carbonio acid bubbles, and the development of foam above the level of the beverage, are prevented so that after the next following discharge of air from inside the mixing chamber, by the opening of cock lib, c at atmospheric pressure, the disconnection of parts l, 3 may be effected. It is followed. before the outward swing lof the mixing chamber about 4i, by the swinging of the tunnels 25, 25a., b, placed in one or both of the lateral bottles la, so that their peaks 25o come into the position shown in full lines in Figure 6. Only now is the mixing chamber swung to the left or right, whereby the collected drops get into the respective vessel and soiling of part-s of the apparatus is prevented.

claim:

1. Aeration apparatus comprising a metallic base plate, a vertical pillar mounted thereon, a second metal plate mounted in parallel spaced relationship to the base plate for supporting said pillar, connecting struts between said base plate and said second plate to form said base plates into a supporting frame, a protective sleeve member vertically disposed within said supporting frame in laterally spaced relation to said pillar, a bottle located within said protective sleeve, a mixing chamber member having an arm in sleeved relation to said pillar and means associated with said pillar constituting a bearing support for said arm and operable to allow horizontal swinging movement of said chamber member, means associated with the lower end of said chamber member for establishing a gas-tight connection between said bottle and the mixing chamber, means including a vertically movable gas feed tube passing through the chamber and operable to introduce pressurized gas into the bottom zone of the liquid contents of said bottle in such manner that a portion of the liquid in said bottle is forced into said chamber and atomized therein, means for venting said chamber for said aerating and atomizing operation, means allowing the liquid to flow into the bottle from said chamber after the pressure is edualized in the bottle and chamber, a container for carbonio acid having a reducing valve and socket connection with the gas feed tube, means associated with said mixing chamber enabling the raising of said gas feed tube out of the bottle during aeration, and a handle at the upper end of said pillar adopting the apparatus to be transported as an integral unit.

2. Aeration apparatus according to claim 1 having a tubular pillar, a double diametral insert bolt having its lower and larger diametral end fixedly secured within said pillar, a helical spring surrounding the upper end or reduced diametral portion of said bolt, a tube in jacketing relation to the upper end of said bolt supported on said spring and forming a pivot for the hub of the arm of said chamber member, and an elongated bolt connected to said insert bolt and terminating in a handle above said hub.

3. Aeration apparatus according to claim 1 having f-our ninety degree spaced vertically disposed compartments provided with protective liner sleeves, with said bottle being' located in one compartment, the carbonio acid container being located in the compartment diagonally opposed thereto, and replacement bottles located in the other two compartments, said pillar being located centrally between said compartments.

4. Aeration apparatus comprising a bottle, a mixing chamber member disposed above said bottle in alignment therewith, means associated with the lower end of said chamber including a packing ring and ring member mounted to revolve freely about the outer circumference of said lower end and carried by said lower end, said ring member including a bottom plate provided with a central aperture, an auxiliary sleeve lhaving a conically extending bore and coupling means at its upper end adapted to cooperate with coupling means provided in the aperture of said ring member, said auxiliary sleeve being disposed about the mouth of said bottle, a resilient ring adapted to engage behind the lower face of the re-enforcing flange of the bottle-neck of said bottle and adapted to thereby prevent said auxiliary sleeve from being removed from said bottle-neck during the coupling operation, whereby a gas-tight connection between said bottle and the chamber of said chamber member may be established, means including a vertically movable gas feed tube passing through said chamber and operable to feed gas into the bottom zone of the liquid contents of said bottle in such manner that portions of the liquid within the bottle are forced into the chamber and atomized therein, means for ventingr said chamber during said aerating and ato-mizing operation, means allowing the liquid forced into said chamber to flow back into said vessel from said chamber after equalization of pressure between the bottle and chamber, mechanically operable mounting means for moving said chamber away from said vessel in a horizontal swinging movement, and means for raising said gas feed tube out of said vessel during aeration, said auxiliary sleeve being also operable to permit the gastight sealing of the bottle after its disconnection from the mixing chamber member, said sealing being adapted to be achieved with a bottle head cap.

5. A portable aeration apparatus for the successive charging with carbonio acid of the liquid contents of each of several bottles comprising a base having a plurality of open topped protective shells therein for the reception of the bottles, a vertical support member carried by said base and extending upwardly therefrom, a mixing chamber member mounted for horizontal swinging movement about said support member and having its outlet end alignable with the mouths of said bottles, means carried at the lower end of said chamber member to form a gastight yconnection between said member and the mouth of a bottle, al vertically disposed and vertically movable gas feed tube carried by said chamber member and extending longitudinally through said chamber member, said tube having means at its upper end to form a connection with a container of carbonio acid and having at its lower end a gas feed nozzle insertable through the mouth of a `bottle whereby the attacca jbttof zoneof liquidconte'nts of' the bottle may be charged with carbonio acid, 'the chamber of `said member being incommunication with the intei-iol' of the bottle during the charging operation, whereby aV portion of 'said liquid contents may be driven upwardly into vsaid chamber and flow downwardly therefrom upon. equalization ci the pressure within said chamber and bottle, a bleeder valve carried by said chamber member adapted to be opened following equalization of the pressure within said chamber and bottle to bring said chamber into communication with the atmosphere, and movable means within said chamber in sleeved relation with the gas feed tube `operable to prevent lateral movement of said tube and so arranged as to allow for passage of the liquid to and from said chamber.

6. `A portable aeration yapparatus for the suco'ssive charging with carbonio acid of the liquid contents of each ci several bottles comprising a base having a plurality of open topped protective shells therein `for the reception ofthe botties, a vertical support member carried by said bas and extending upwardly therefrom, a mixing chamber member mounted for horizontal swinging movement about said support member and having its outlet end alignable with the mouths of said bottles, means carried at the lower' end of said cl'lamberA member to form a gastight connection between said member and the mouth of a bottle, a vertically disposed and vertically movable gas feed tube carried by said chamber member and extending longitudinally through said chamber member, said tube having means at its upper end to form a connectionv with a container oi carbonio acid and having at its lower end a gas feed nozzle insertable through the mouth of a bottle whereby the bottom zone of liquid contents of the bottle may be charged with carbonio. acid, the chamber of said member being in communication with the interior of the bottle during the charging operation, whereby a portion of said liquid contents may be driven upwardly into said chamber and flow downwardly therefrom upon equalization of the pressure within said chamber and bottle, a bleeder valve carried by said chamber member adapted to be opened following equalization oi the pressure within said chamber and bottle to bring said chamber into communication with the atm-osphere, movable means within said chamber in sleeved relation with the gas feed tube operable to prevent lateral movement of said tube and so arrangd as to allow for passage of the liquid to and from said chamber, a cross channel located in the upper part of the mixing chamber member transversely of the mixing chamber, and a manually operable faucet for opening and closing said channel, said channel opening to a pipe leading downwardly outside the mixing chamber member, whereby when 'the faucet is opened the inside of the mixing chamber may be dep-ressurized, the cle-pressurizing pipe connected to the cross channel of the mixing chamber member vforming the carrier for a handle whereby the mixing chamber member is pivo-tally movable about its support member into and out of a position coaxial with any of said bottles.

7. A portable aeration apparatus for the successive charging with carbonio acid of the liquid contents of each of several bottles comprising a base having a plurality of open topped protective shells therein for the reception of the bottles, a vertical support member carried by said base and extending upwardly therefrom, a mixing cham- 10 ber vmember mounted for 'horizontal swinging ymovementabout said support member and having its outlet end aligne-ble with the mouths 'of said bottles, means 'carriedV at the lower end vof said chamber member to forma gas-tight connection between said member and the mouth of a. bottle, a vertically disposed and ve Jically movable gas feed tube carried bysaid vchenrnber member and extending longitudinally through said chamber member, L.said tube having means at its upper end to form a connection with a 4container of carbonio acid and having at its lower end a feed nozzle insertable lthrough the mouth of a bottle whereby the bottom zone of liquid contents of the bottle may be charged with carbonio acid, thechamber of said member being in communication with the interior of the bottle during the charging operation, whereby a portion of said liquid contents may be driven upwardly into said chamber and flow downwardly therefrom upon equalization of the pressure within said chamber and bottle, a bleeder valve carried by said chamber member adapted to be opened 'following equalization of the pressure within said chamber and bottle to bring said chamber into communication withV rthe atmosphere, movable means within said chamber in sleeved relation with the gas feed tube operable to prevent lateral movement of said tube and so arranged as' to allow for passage of the liquid to and from said chamber, a cross channel located in the upper part ofthe mixing chamber member transversely of the mixing chamber, and a manually operable faucet for opening and closing said channel, said channel opening to a pipe leading downwardly outside the 'mixing chamber mem-ber, whereby when the faucet is opened the inside of the mixing chamber member 4may be depressurized, the depressurizing pipe connected to the cross channel of the mixing chamber member Vforming the carrier for a handle whereby vthe mixing chamber member is pivotally movable about its support member into and out of a position coaxial with any of said bottles, the support member carried by the base being provided with means to equalize approximately the weight of the mixing chamber member and transmit said weight to the base, which means is operable to slightly lift the mixing chamber member automatically on the support member when the mixing chamber member, after the gas-tight connection with a bottle has been broken, is to be swung around said support member.

8. A portable aeration apparatus for the successive charging with carbonio acid of the liquid contents of each of several bottles comprising a. base having -a plurality of open topped protective shells therein for the reception of the bottles, a vertical support member carried by said base and extending upwardly therefrom, a

chamber member mounted for horizontal swinging movement about said support member and having its outlet end alignable with the mouths oi said bottles, means carried at the lower end of said chamber member to form a gas-tight connection between said member and the mouth of a bottle, a verticallyL disposed and vertically movable gas feed tube carried by said chamber member and extending longitudinally through said chamber member, said tube having means at its upper end to form a connection with a container of carbonio acid and having at its lower end a gas feed nozzle insertable through the mouth oi a bottle whereby the bottom zone of the liquid contents of the bottle may be 4charged with carbonic acid, the chamber of said member beingA in communication with the interior of the bottle during the charging operation, whereby a portion of said liquid contents may be driven upwardlyinto said chamber and flow downwardly therefrom upon equalization of the pressure within said chamber and bottle, a bleeder valve carried by said chamber member adapted to be opened following equalization of the pressure within said chamber and bottle to bring said chamber into communication with the atmosphere, movable means within vsaid chamber in sleeved relation with the gas feed tube operable to prevent lateral movement of said tube and so arranged as to allow for passage of the liquid to and from said chamber, =a cross channel located in the upper part of the mixing chamber member transversely of the mixing chamber, and a manually operable faucet for opening and closing said channel, said channel opening to -a pipe leading downwardly7 outside the mixing chamber member, whereby when the faucet is opened the inside of the mixing chamber member may be depressurized, the depressurizing pipe connected to the cross channel of the mixing chamber member forming the carrler for a handle whereby the mixing chamber member is pivotally movable about its support member into and out of a position coaxial with any of said bottles, the support member carried by the base being provided with means to equalize approximately the weight of the mixing chamber member and transmit said weight to the base, which means is operable to slightly lift the mixing chamber member automatically on the support member when the mixing chamber member, after the gas-tight connection with a bottle h-as been broken, is to be swung around said support member, said support member comprising a vertical pipe column provided above its lower end with a bearing sleeve, said pipe column being provided with a double diametral insert bolt, the lower, larger diametral end of which is se- 12 cured to the pipe column and forms the carrier for a helical spring surrounding the upper reduced diametral portion of said insert bolt, as well as foran insert pipe which is placed above the spring and which may be moved up and down in sleeved relation to said insert bolt, the lower end of said insert pipe having a cylinder ring rmly secured thereto movable piston-like in the upper `section of the pipe column, said spring being in engagement with said ring and tending to move the same slightly upwards with its pipe, with said insert pipe, which surrounds the reduced diametral upper end of the insert bolt, continuing through a drilled opening in a supportarm for the mixing chamber member, the lower end of which support arm rests on a ilange offset of the insert pipe forming a support for the mixing chamber member, said drilled opening being closed at its upper end by means of ya drilled stopper, through a drilled opening of which stopper passes the insert bolt, and a handle screwed into the upper end of the insert bolt adapted to carry the full load of the apparatus when the apparatus is to be moved by hand.

NICOLAUS MEURER.

REFERENCES CTED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 938,482 Haller Nov. 2, 1909 1,115,834 Keifer Nov. 3, 1914 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 18,726 Great Britain Aug. 18, 1913 233,743 Great Britain May 18, 1925 656,518 Germany Apr. 14, 1938 657,402 Germany Sept. 28, 1935

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