Method and apparatus for riddling wine in bottles

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine, comprising

• holding means formed for carrying a bottle of wine in generally neck-down inverted position,
• jounce means having an operative connection to said holding means and formed for selectively effecting abrupt limited generally vertical force on said bottle so as to accomplish riddling of the wine therein,
• said jounce means comprising a support element formed for mounting said holding means for joint movement therewith, and
• drive means operatively connected to said support element and formed for effecting abrupt limited vertical movement of said support element.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine, comprising

• holding means formed for carrying a bottle of wine in generally neck-down inverted position,
• jounce means having an operative connection to said holding means and formed for selectively effecting abrupt limited generally vertical force on said bottles so as to accomplish riddling of the wine therein,
• said abrupt limited general vertical force on said bottle being effected by dropping said bottle and said holding means to accomplish a downward movement,
• said bottle being abruptly halted at the bottom of said downward movement,
• lifting means for repeatedly lifting and dropping said bottle, and
• control means formed for actuating said lifting means at timed intervals.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine in cases, comprising

• a platform adapted to receive and support a plurality of compartmented cases of bottles of wine to be riddled with said bottles standing on their neck ends, and
• jounce means connected to said platform and formed for selectively imparting abrupt limited generally vertical movement to said platform and cases of bottles thereon,
• said abrupt generally vertical movement being accomplished by dropping said platform from a height to afford abrupt downward movement,
• said platform being abruptly halted at the bottom limit of said downward movement, and
• adjustable stops defining the bottom limit of said downward movement.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine in cases, comprising

• a platform adapted to receive and support a plurality of compartmented cases of bottles of wine to be riddled with said bottles standing on their neck ends, and
• jounce means connected to said platform and formed for selectively imparting abrupt limited generally vertical movement to said platform and cases of bottles thereon,
• said abrupt generally vertical movement being accomplished by dropping said platform from a height to afford abrupt downward movement,
• lifting means formed for repeatedly lifting and dropping said platform, and
• control means formed for actuating said lifting means at timed intervals.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine in cases, comprising

• a platform adapted to receive and support a plurality of compartmented cases of bottles of wine to be riddled with said bottles standing on their neck ends,
• jounce means connected to said platform and formed for selectively imparting abrupt limited generally vertical movement to said platform and cases of bottles thereon,
• said jounce means comprising a support element formed for mounting said holding means for joint movement therewith, and
• drive means operatively connected to such support element and formed for effecting abrupt limited vertical movement of said support element.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine, comprising

• a platform adapted to receive and support a stack of compartmented cases of bottles of wine to be riddled with the bottles inverted and standing on their neck ends,
• a frame formed for supporting said platform with freedom of vertical movement,
• jounce means operatively connected to said frame and said platform and formed for selectively imparting abrupt limited generally vertical movement to said platform and said stack of cases thereon for riddling the wine in said bottles by causing solids and sediments suspended in said wine to travel downwardly into the necks of said bottles, and
• control means formed for operating said jounce means to cycle automatically at predetermined times and through periods of predetermined duration.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine, comprising

• holding means formed for carrying a bottle of wine in generally neck-down inverted position,
• jounce means having and operative connection to said holding means and formed for selectively effecting abrupt limited generally vertical force on said bottle so as to accomplish riddling of the wine therein,
• said jounce means comprising a support element formed for mounting said holding means for joint movement therewith,
• and drive means operatively connected to said support element and formed for effecting abrupt limited vertical movement of said support element,
• said drive means comprising
• a plurality of drive members operatively connected to said support element and adapted for engaging a fixed member,
• said drive members being mounted in laterally spaced relation to each other for lifting said support member evenly,
• said vertical guide means being operatively connected between said support elements and said fixed member for preventing cocking of said support element relative to said fixed member, and
• said drive members being vertical expandable lifting members.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine, comprising

• holding means formed for carrying a bottle of wine in generally neck-down inverted position,
• jounce means having an operative connection to said holding means and formed for selectively effecting abrupt limited generally vertical force on said bottle so as to accomplish riddling of the wine therein,
• said abrupt limited generally vertical force on said bottle being effected by dropping said bottle and said holding means to accomplish a downward movement and abruptly halting said bottle at the bottom of said downward movement,
• lifting means connected to said holding means for repeatedly lifting and dropping said bottle, and
• control means for actuating said lifting means at timed intervals,
• said lifting means being adjustable for selectively controlling the distance said bottle is dropped.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine, comprising

• holding means formed for carrying a bottle of wine in generally neck-down inverted position,
• jounce means having an operative connection to said holding means and formed for selectively effecting abrupt limited generally vertical force on said bottle so as to accomplish riddling of the wine therein,
• said abrupt limited generally vertical force on said bottle being effected by dropping said bottle and said holding means to accomplish a downward movement, said bottle being abruptly halted at the bottom of said downward movement,
• vertical guide means operatively connected to said holding means,
• said jounce means comprising
• a support element formed for mounting said holding means for joint movement therewith, and
• drive means operatively connected to said support element and formed for effecting abrupt limited vertical movement of said support element,
• said drive means comprising
• a plurality of drive members operatively connected to said support element and adapted for engaging a fixed member,
• said drive members being mounted in laterally spaced relation to each other for lifting said support member evenly,
• said vertically expandable lifting members comprising air bags, and
• means for selectively inflating and deflating said air bags.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine, comprising

• holding means formed for carrying a bottle of wine in generally neck-down inverted position,
• jounce means having an operative connection to said holding means and formed for selectively effecting abrupt limited generally vertical force on said bottle so as to accomplish riddling of the wine therein,
• said jounce means comprising
• a support element formed for mounting said holding means for joint movement therewith, and
• drive means operatively connected to said support element and formed for effecting abrupt limited vertical movement of said support element,
• said drive means comprising
• rotary camming means formed for selectively effecting said abrupt generally vertical movement of said bottle and said holding means upon rotation of said camming means,
• said rotary camming means comprising
• a horizontal shaft journaled for rotation about its own longitudinal axis,
• a roller eccentrically mounted on said shaft for movement therewith and rotatable around its own horizontal axis parallel to said axis of said shaft,
• and a member connected to said support element and providing a cam surface engagable by said roller whereby rotation of said shaft effects lifting and dropping of said cam surface and said holding means.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine, comprising

• holding means formed for carrying a bottle of wine in generally neck-down inverted position,
• jounce means having an operative connection to said holding means and formed for selectively effecting abrupt limited generally vertical force on said bottle so as to accomplish riddling of said wine therein,
• said abrupt generally vertical movement of said bottle being effected by bump means formed for abruptly raising said bottle from a position of rest, said bump means comprising a hammer member mounted for vertical reciprocation in position to impact and drive said holding means upwardly on the upstroke of the hammer member, and
• drive means having and operative connection to said hammer member and formed for driving said hammer member upwardly so as to abruptly lift said member and said holding means at desired intervals of time.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine in cases, comprising

• a platform adapted to receive and support a plurality of compartmented cases of bottled wine to be riddled with said bottles standing on their neck ends, and
• jounce means connected to said platform and formed for selectively imparting abrupt limited generally vertical movement to said platform and cases of bottles thereon,
• said jounce means comprising a support element formed for mounting said holding means for joint movement therewith, and
• drive means operatively connected to said support element and formed for effecting abrupt limited vertical movement of said support element,
• said drive means comprising a plurality of drive members operatively connected to said support element and adapted for engaging a fixed member,
• said drive members being mounted in laterally spaced relation to each other for lifting said support member evenly,
• vertical guide means operatively connected between said support element and said fixed member for preventing cocking of said support element relative to said fixed member,
• said drive members being vertically expandable lifting members.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine in cases, comprising

• a platform adapted to receive and support a plurality of compartmented cases of bottles of wine to be riddled with said bottles standing on their neck ends, and
• jounce means connected to said platform and formed for selectively imparting abrupt limited generally vertical movement to said platform and cases of bottles thereon,
• said abrupt limited generally vertical movement of said bottles being effected by bump means formed for abruptly raising said platform and bottles thereon from a position of rest,
• said bump means comprising
• a hammer member mounted for vertical reciprocation in position to impact and drive said platform upwardly on the upstroke of said hammer member, and
• drive means in the form of a vertically expandable member having an operative connection to said hammer member and formed for driving said hammer member upwardly so as to abruptly lift said member and said platform at desired intervals of time.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine, comprising

• a platform adapted to receive and support a stack of compartmented cases of bottles of wine to be riddled with the bottles inverted and standing on their neck ends,
• a frame formed for supporting said platform with freedom of vertical movement,
• jounce means operatively connected to said frame and said platform and formed for selectively imparting abrupt limited generally vertical movement to said platform and said stack of cases thereon for riddling the wine in aid bottles by causing solids and sediments suspended in said wine to travel downwardly into the necks of said bottles,
• control means formed for operating said jounce means to cycle automatically at predetermined times and through periods of predetermined duration, and
• guide means for said platform carried by said frame and formed for preventing tipping and cocking of said platform during said vertical movement,
• said guide means comprising
• a plurality of depending vertical rods secured in laterally spaced relation to said platform and a plurality of upwardly opening vertical tubes secured to said frame at their lower ends and formed for slidably receiving the upper ends of said rods.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine, comprising

• a platform adapted to receive and support a stack of compartmented cases of bottles of wine to be riddled with the bottles inverted and standing on their neck ends,
• a frame formed for supporting said platform with freedom of vertical movement,
• jounce means operatively connected to said frame and said platform and formed for selectively imparting abrupt limited generally vertical movement to said platform and said stack of cases thereon for riddling the wine in said bottles by causing solids and sediments suspended in said wine to travel downwardly into the necks of said bottles, and
• control means formed for operating said jounce means to cycle automatically at predetermined times and through periods of predetermined duration,
• said apparatus further comprising means for vibrating said platform and cases of bottled wine thereon so as to further facilitate riddling.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine, comprising

• a platform adapted to receive and support a stack of compartmented cases of bottles of wine to be riddled with the bottles inverted and standing on their neck ends,
• a frame formed for supporting said platform with freedom of vertical movement,
• jounce means operatively connected to said frame and said platform and formed for selectively imparting abrupt limited generally vertical movement to said platform and said stack of cases thereon for riddling the wine in said bottles by causing solids and sediments suspended in said wine to travel downwardly into the necks of said bottles, and
• control means formed for operating said jounce means to cycle automatically at predetermined times and through periods of predetermined duration,
• said abrupt limited generally vertical movement of said bottle being effected by bump means formed for abruptly raising said platform and the bottles supported thereon from a position of rest, said bump means comprising a hammer member mounted for vertical reciprocation in position to impact and drive said holding means upwardly on the upstroke of said hammer, and
• drive means having an operative connection to said hammer member and formed for driving said hammer member upwardly so as to abruptly lift said member and said platform at desired intervals of time.

Apparatus for riddling bottled wine in cases, comprising

• a platform adapted to receive and support a plurality of compartmented cases of bottles of wine to be riddled with said bottles standing on their neck ends,
• jounce means connected to said platform and formed for selectively imparting abrupt limited generally vertical movement to said platform and cases of bottles thereon,
• said abrupt limited generally vertical movement being accomplished by dropping said platform from a desired height to afford abrupt downward movement,
• rotary camming means for selectively lifting said platform to a desired height and then abruptly dropping said platform upon rotation of said camming means,
• said rotary camming means comprising
• a horizontal shaft journaled for rotation about its own longitudinal axis,
• a roller eccentrically mounted on said shaft for movement therewith and rotatable about its own horizontal axis parallel to said axis of said shaft, and
• a member connected to said platform and providing a cam surface engageable by said roller whereby rotation of said shaft lifts and then drops said cam surface and said platform.