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US 7,891,291 B2Granted
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.
Claims144
A wine pressing apparatus, comprising:
- an engaging mechanism adapted to engage a tank;
- and
- a press mechanism coupled to said engaging mechanism for pressing contents of said tank against an inner surface of said tank;
- and wherein
- said press mechanism includes
- a perforated press plate for placement within said tank, whereby said contents of said tank can be pressed between said press plate and said inner surface of said tank, and
- a frame for receiving said tank and for supporting said press plate within said tank;
- said frame includes
- a first portion including a plurality of legs and being coupled to said engaging mechanism, and
- a second portion detachably engaging said first portion, said press plate being coupled to said second portion;
- and
- said second portion of said frame includes
- a body,
- a first plurality of legs coupled to said body for engaging said plurality of legs of said first portion of said frame, and
- a second plurality of legs, each of said second plurality of legs having a first end coupled to said body and a second end coupled to said press plate.
12 more elements
A wine pressing apparatus, comprising:
- an engaging mechanism adapted to engage a tank;
- and
- a press mechanism coupled to said engaging mechanism for pressing contents of said tank against an inner surface of said tank;
- and wherein
- said press mechanism includes
- a perforated press plate for placement within said tank, whereby said contents of said tank can be pressed between said press plate and said inner surface of said tank, and
- a frame for receiving said tank and for supporting said press plate within said tank;
- said frame includes
- a first portion coupled to said engaging mechanism, and
- a second portion detachably engaging said first portion, said press plate being coupled to said second portion;
- and
- said second portion of said frame includes
- a cross-frame,
- a first plurality of legs extending perpendicularly from said cross-frame at positions beyond the perimeter of said tank for engaging said first portion of said frame, and
- a second plurality of legs extending perpendicularly from said cross-frame at positions within the perimeter of said tank for engaging said press plate.
12 more elements
A wine pressing apparatus, comprising:
- an engaging mechanism including a tray for receiving said tank;
- a press mechanism coupled to said engaging mechanism for pressing contents of said tank against an inner surface of said tank;
- at least one drive mechanism;
- a leveling sensor fixed to said tray;
- and
- a control system;
- and wherein
- said press mechanism includes
- a perforated press plate for placement within said tank, whereby said contents of said tank can be pressed between said press plate and said inner surface of said tank, and
- a frame for receiving said tank and for supporting said press plate within said tank;
- said frame includes
- a first portion coupled to said engaging mechanism, and
- a second portion detachably engaging said first portion, said press plate being coupled to said second portion;
- said drive mechanism moves said engaging mechanism with respect to said second portion of said frame;
- said first portion of said frame is held in a fixed position with respect to said second portion of said frame;
- said drive mechanism includes a plurality of lifting mechanism adapted to lift said tray with respect to said first portion of said frame;
- and
- said control system, responsive to a signal from said leveling sensor, is operative to drive each of said lifting mechanisms to maintain said tray in a level position during a pressing operation.
15 more elements
A wine pressing apparatus, comprising:
- an engaging mechanism adapted to engage a tank;
- a press mechanism coupled to said engaging mechanism for pressing contents of said tank against an inner surface of said tank;
- and
- at least one drive mechanism;
- and wherein
- said press mechanism includes
- a perforated press plate for placement within said tank, whereby said contents of said tank can be pressed between said press plate and said inner surface of said tank, and
- a frame for receiving said tank and for supporting said press plate within said tank;
- said frame includes
- a first portion coupled to said engaging mechanism, and
- a second portion detachably engaging said first portion, said press plate being coupled to said second portion;
- said first portion of said frame is held stationary with respect to said tank;
- said first portion of said frame is movably coupled to said second portion of said frame;
- and
- said drive mechanism moves said second portion of said frame with respect to said first portion of said frame.
12 more elements
A wine pressing apparatus, comprising:
- an engaging mechanism including a tray for receiving a tank;
- a press mechanism coupled to said engaging mechanism for pressing contents of said tank against an inner surface of said tank;
- and
- an alignment mechanism for aligning said tank with respect to said press mechanism;
- and wherein
- said press mechanism includes
- a perforated press plate for placement within said tank, whereby said contents of said tank can be pressed between said press plate and said inner surface of said tank, and
- a frame for receiving said tank and for supporting said press plate within said tank;
- said frame includes
- a first portion coupled to said engaging mechanism, and
- a second portion detachably engaging said first portion, said press plate being coupled to said second portion;
- and
- said aligning mechanism includes a plurality of concentric recesses formed in the bottom of said tray to receive tanks of varying sizes in a centered position with respect to said press plate.
10 more elements
A wine pressing apparatus, comprising:
- an engaging mechanism adapted to engage a tank;
- a press mechanism coupled to said engaging mechanism for pressing contents of said tank against an inner surface of said tank;
- and
- an alignment mechanism for aligning said tank with respect to said press mechanism;
- and wherein
- said press mechanism includes
- a perforated press plate for placement within said tank, whereby said contents of said tank can be pressed between said press plate and said inner surface of said tank, and
- a frame for receiving said tank and for supporting said press plate within said tank;
- said frame includes
- a first portion coupled to said engaging mechanism, and
- a second portion detachably engaging said first portion, said press plate being coupled to said second portion;
- said first portion of said frame includes a plurality of upwardly extending legs;
- and
- said alignment mechanism comprises a plurality of alignment blocks each mounted to a respective one of said upwardly extending legs, to align said tank within said frame.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.