Agitating – Stirrer within stationary mixing chamber – Rotatable stirrer
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-12
2001-10-23
Soohoo, Tony G. (Department: 1723)
Agitating
Stirrer within stationary mixing chamber
Rotatable stirrer
C366S286000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305837
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an installation for immersing the grape in its juice in a vinification tank.
2. Description of the Prior Art
French patent application FR 98 02507 discloses an installation for immersing the grape in its juice in a vinification tank and including support means intended to be installed over the opening of said tank, at least one paddle mounted to be moved on said support means by a rod between a top area above the juice and a bottom area in the juice and means for pivoting the paddle by a predetermined angle about the axis of the rod when the paddle is in the top area.
In the above prior art installation, which includes two paddles, the rod is threaded, the paddles are constrained to rotate with the rod and a nut mounted to be rotatable on the support means, driven by an electric motor and cooperating with the rod is used to raise or lower it selectively and thus move the paddles into the top or bottom area.
When the rod rises, it projects above the top part of the support means. It is therefore necessary to ensure that a relatively large height is available above the tank.
This constraint is in practice rarely satisfied because, given the need to optimize the use of the space available in a cellar, the tank height is frequently only slightly less than the height below the ceiling of the cellar.
Furthermore, and in particular for safety reasons, the area within which the rod can move has to be confined within a casing, which increases the cost of manufacture and the weight of the above prior art installation.
Furthermore, the means for pivoting the paddles by a predetermined angle include a ratchet system in the top part of said casing, which also increases the overall height of the above prior art installation.
It is further necessary to reinforce the protective casing so that it can support the ratchet system, which increases the cost of manufacture and the weight of the above installation.
For example, the weight of the above installation can easily reach approximately one hundred kilograms, which makes handling it particularly inconvenient and dangerous, in particular if it must be moved from one tank to another.
The object of the present invention is to provide an installation for immersing the grape which does not have the drawbacks mentioned above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above object of the invention is achieved with an installation for immersing the grape in its juice in a vinification tank, the installation including support means adapted to be installed over an opening of the tank, a paddle adapted to be moved on the support means by a rod between a top area which in use is above the juice and a bottom area which in use is in the juice, and means for pivoting the paddle by a predetermined angle about the axis of the rod when the paddle is in the top area, wherein the top end of the rod is mounted on the support means and fixed against movement in translation.
Because of the above features, the paddles can be moved vertically between the top and bottom areas without the rod projecting above the support means, which enables the overall height of the installation to be reduced.
It is furthermore not necessary to provide any protective casing, which reduces the cost of manufacture and the weight of the installation.
The object of the invention is also achieved with an installation for immersing the grape in its juice in a vinification tank, said installation including support means adapted to be installed over an opening of said tank and defining a certain volume, a paddle adapted to be moved on said support means by a rod between a top area which in use is above said juice and a bottom area which in use is in said juice and means for pivoting said paddle by a predetermined angle about the axis of said rod when said paddle is in said top area, wherein said pivoting means are placed at least in part inside said volume.
By virtue of the above features, at least some of the pivoting means can be moved inside the volume defined by the support means, which reduces the overall height, the cost of manufacture and the weight of the installation.
According to other features of the above installation:
the rod is threaded, the paddle is adapted to be pivoted about the axis of the rod by a nut, the rod is adapted to pivot on the support means and the installation includes reaction means adapted to oppose the torque applied by the rod to the nut,
the rod is telescopic,
the rod is threaded, the paddle is mounted on the rod and constrained to rotate with it about its axis, the rod is adapted to pivot in a nut adapted to pivot on the support means and the installation includes reaction means adapted to oppose the torque applied by the nut to the rod.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent on reading the following description and examining the accompanying drawings.
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Clavel Denis
Saby André
Saby Clavel Technologie
Soohoo Tony G.
Stevens Davis Miller & Mosher LLP
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