Double lift tank wine press
AssigneeTherma Corporation, Inc.
InventorThomas A. Lorincz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wine making apparatus includes an engaging mechanism for engaging a fermentation tank, and a press mechanism for pressing the wine making ingredients in the tank against an inner surface of the tank. In a described embodiment a tank has a pair of forklift attachment points and a movable platform on a wine press mechanism is adapted for receiving the forklift attachment points. A lifting apparatus raises the platform and tank such that the contents of the tank are crushed by a relatively fixed plate above the tank. A pair of hydraulic rams are connected in series such that fluid output from one raises the other, thereby assuring that the platform and tank are evenly raised.
Claims30
A wine pressing apparatus, comprising:
- a tank capable of retaining liquid;
- a frame;
- a press plate affixed to the frame, the press plate including a pressing surface defining a plurality of apertures dispersed over a majority of the pressing surface, the press plate includes a mating lip on an outer circumference portion of the press plate, the mating lip creates a seal between an inner sidewall of the tank and the press plate when the press plate is in the tank to prevent excess solid material from flowing past the press plate;
- and
- a lifting mechanism mechanically coupled to the frame for lifting the tank such that the tank moves relative to the press plate and further such that the press plate is caused to enter the tank as the tank moves upward, the lifting mechanism includes a lifting platform for receiving the tank, wherein the frame includes a base frame supporting the lifting platform, a top member supporting the press plate, and a plurality of upright supports coupling the base frame to the top member.
A wine press mechanism, comprising:
- an open top tank including a pair of forklift fork receiving tubes for lifting the tank thereby;
- a press plate;
- a plurality of upright supports;
- and
- a lifting platform for receiving the tank and further for raising the tank toward the press plate, the lifting platform having openings for receiving the forklift fork receiving tubes;
- a frame includes a base frame disposed below the tank and the lifting platform, the base frame including forklift fork receiving tubes thereunder;
- and wherein
- the upright supports are spaced apart such that the tank can be placed between the upright supports;
- and
- the lifting platform and press plate are positioned such that the tank can be placed on the lifting platform and under the press plate when the lifting platform is in a lowered position.
A wine pressing apparatus, comprising:
- an open top fermentation tank including a solid bottom and side wall and capable of containing wine making ingredients including a mixture of liquids and solids during a fermentation process;
- a frame including a portion for engaging the open top tank, the frame includes a base frame supporting a lifting platform, a top member supporting the press plate, and a plurality of upright supports coupling the base frame to the top member, the lifting platform supports the open top tank thereon;
- a perforated press plate affixed to the frame, the perforated press plate includes a mating lip on an outer circumference portion of the perforated press plate, the mating lip creates a seal between an inner sidewall of the tank and the perforated press plate when the perforated press plate is in the tank to prevent excess solid material from flowing past the press plate;
- a first moving device disposed adjacent a first side of the open top tank;
- and
- a second moving device disposed adjacent a second side of the open top tank, the first side of the open top tank being generally opposite to the second side of the open top tank, the first moving device and the second moving device operating together to move the tank with respect to the press plate, whereby the wine making ingredients are pressed between a nonperforated bottom of the tank and the perforated press plate causing the liquids to pass through the perforated press plate;
- and
- wherein the open top of the tank remains accessible as the wine making ingredients are pressed between the perforated press plate and the bottom of the tank thereby enabling the liquids to be drawn from the open top tank of the tank during a pressing operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.