Method and apparatus for riddling bottled wines in cases

The method of preparing bottle fermented wine, comprising

• admixing yeast, sugar and bentonite with an unclarified wine,
• placing said mixture in bottles,
• sealing said bottles with a temporary closure,
• placing said bottles in compartmented shipping cases,
• allowing said mixture of ferment in said bottles,
• turning said cases to a position wherein said bottles are neck down,
• allowing said cases to stand with the bottles in neck down position,
• periodically vibrating said cases and their contained bottles to dislodge solids in the wine from adherence to the bottles whereby said solids will settle at the outlet of the bottles,
• jostling said cases and bottles by rapid tilting from side to side,
• freezing the wine at the outlet of the bottles to provide a frozen plug containing the solids,
• unsealing said bottles and disgorging said frozen plug,
• and thereafter resealing said bottles.

An apparatus for riddling wine, comprising

• a frame formed for supporting a compartmented case containing bottles of wine in an inverted neck down position,
• a floating mounting for said frame,
• means for vibrating said frame and said case and bottles thereon for dislodging solids in the wine from adherence to said bottles whereby such solids settle to the outlets of the bottles,
• means for tilting said frame for jostling said bottles so as to dislodge said solids from adherence to said bottles whereby such solids settle to the outlets of the bottles,
• timing means connected to said vibrating said tilting means and formed for selective intermittent operation thereof,
• said timing means being formed for automatically cycling said vibrating and tilting means independently through active and passive periods of predetermined and adjustable duration,
• said means for vibrating said frame comprising
• a motor mounted on said frame,
• a shaft journaled on said frame and connected to said motor for rotation thereby, and
• an eccentric secured to said shaft for joint rotation,
• and wherein said timing means comprises a clock system for supplying electrical current to said motor at preselected times and for periods of predetermined duration.

An apparatus for riddling wines fermented in the bottle and packed in compartmented shipping cases, comprising

• an elongated frame having rows of conveyor rollers formed for supporting a plurality of pallets loaded with cases of bottles in inverted neck down position,
• a plurality of resilient supports formed for floatingly supporting said frame and pallets of cases thereon,
• a plurality of motor driven eccentric weights journaled on said frame at spaced intervals,
• a plurality of inflatable air bags mounted along each longitudinal side of said frame and formed for lifting the associated side of said frame a desired distance when inflated so as to tilt the pallets of cases from side to side,
• switch means adapted for connection to a source of electrical current and formed for selectively energizing said motor,
• valve means adapted for connection to a source of air under pressure and formed for alternately inflating and deflating said air bags along the longitudinal sides of said frame,
• a clock timing system operating said switch means for supplying electrical current to said motor at preselected times and for periods of predetermined duration,
• and a second clock timing system operating said valve means for alternately inflating and deflating said air bags at the longitudinal sides of said frame at seletively predetermined intervals and for periods of predetermined duration.

The method of riddling bottled wine, comprising

• packing groups of bottles in compartmented cases,
• stacking said cases in groups of cases for fermentation,
• inverting said groups of cases so that the bottles therein are in neck down position and allowing solids in the wine to settle into the necks of said bottles, and
• repeatedly tilting said groups of cases and the bottles contained therein so as to cause said solids to settle into the lower end of the neck of each of said bottles.

An apparatus for riddling wine, comprising

• a frame formed for supporting a group of stacked compartmented cases containing bottles of wine in an inverted neck down position in individual compartments,
• a floating mounting for said frame,
• means for vibrating said frame and said groups of cases and the bottles therein for dislodging solids in the wine from adherence to said bottles whereby such solids settle to the outlets of the bottles,
• means for tilting said frame for jostling said bottles in said compartments so as to dislodge said solids from adherence to said bottles whereby such solids settle to the outlets of the bottles,
• timing means connected to said vibrating and tilting means and formed for selective intermittent operation thereof,
• said timing means being formed for automatically cycling said vibrating and tilting means independently through active and passive periods of predetermined and adjustable duration,
• said means for vibrating said frame comprising
• a motor mounted on said frame,
• a shaft journaled on said frame and connected to said motor for rotation thereby, and
• an eccentric secured to said shaft for joint rotation,
• and wherein said timing means comprises a clock system for supplying electrical current to said motor at preselected times and for periods of predetermined duration.