AUTOMATIC VINEGAR APPARATUS. 85 



into three groups, each of which is provided with a reservoir for 

 the alcoholic liquid and a collecting vessel. 



The mode of working according to this system is as follows : 

 The alcoholic liquid is pumped into a reservoir, from which it 

 passes through group I of generators and collects in a vessel. 

 From the latter it is pumped into a second reservoir placed on 

 the same level with the first, and runs through group II of gene- 

 rators into another collecting vessel ; from there it is again pumped 

 into a third reservoir, and after passing through group III of 

 generators finally collects as finished vinegar in a third collecting 

 vessel. 



Though the arrangement of all the generators on the same 

 level renders it necessary to raise the alcoholic liquid three times, 

 it would seem more suitable than the terrace system for the fol- 

 lowing reasons : 1. By a suitable regulation of the heating ap- 

 paratus the required temperature can be readily maintained in the 

 separate groups of generators. 2. In case of a disturbance in 

 one of the groups, the respective generator can be left out with- 

 out causing an interruption in the work of the other groups. 3. 

 The power required to pump the alcoholic liquid three times into 

 the reservoirs V v V 2 , and F" 3 is not much greater than that 

 which has to be used to raise it to the height of the reservoir in 

 factories arranged according to the terrace system. 4. Notwith- 

 standing the greater area required, the erection of a one-story 

 factory is less expensive than that of a three-story building with 

 complicated heating apparatus and very strong, solid floors, 

 which are required on account of the great weight of the gene- 

 rators. 



The uniform distribution of the alcoholic liquid into each 

 generator is very simple in factories arranged according to the 

 terrace system, and can be effected in the following manner : 



The false bottoms are fitted water-tight in the generators ; they 

 are provided either with narrow holes alone, or with apertures 

 loosely filled with cotton-wick, pack-thread, etc. The pipes 

 ascending from the vinegar forming space, which is filled with 

 shavings, are inserted water-tight in the false bottoms. On the 

 reservoir containing the alcoholic liquid is a spigot which can be 

 accurately adjusted, and is securely connected with the conduit 



