AU2018274885A1

AU2018274885A1 - Method of in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel and apparatus for performing same

Info

Publication number: AU2018274885A1
Application number: AU2018274885A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jonathan Lindsay Blakeman
Original assignee: Barrel Rejuvenation Services Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Barrel Rejuvenation Services Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2016-04-28
Filing date: 2018-12-04
Publication date: 2018-12-20
Anticipated expiration: 2036-04-28
Also published as: AU2016203865A1; WO2017185137A1; AU2018274885B2; AU2016203865B2

Abstract

-13 Abstract A method of in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel comprising the steps of (1) filling the barrel with a quantity of sharp cutting grit; (2) rotating the barrel for a first time period at a first position, the first position being equivalent to the barrel being in a substantially horizontal position; (3) rotating the barrel for a second time period at a second position, the second position being equivalent to the barrel being pivoted by a first predetermined amount in a first direction relative to the first position; (4) rotating the barrel for a third time period at a third position, the third position being equivalent to the barrel being pivoted by a second predetermined amount in a second direction relative to the first position, the second direction being opposite to the first direction; (5) removing the majority of the sharp cutting grit, timber shavings and other contaminants from the barrel; and (6) flushing the barrel with a fluid to remove any remaining sharp cutting grit, timber shavings or contaminants from the barrel. Figure 1 i ve' 3a V)EI DUl

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001]The invention relates to a method of in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel and apparatus for performing same. The invention is particularly suited to rejuvenating wine barrels without the need for disassembly of the wine barrel.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION [0002]The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction as at the priority date of the application.

[0003] Barrels are commonly used within the alcoholic beverage industry - and in particular the wine industry - to assist in the fermentation process. The wood used to make the barrel imparts certain flavour characteristics, or “character” to the vintage.

[0004]The problem with this approach is that after each vintage the internal surface of the barrel is soaked with contaminants. These contaminants prevent the vintner or distiller from being able to use the barrel to produce a vintage of equal quality to its predecessors. However, the quality of a subsequent vintage can be greatly improved relative to its predecessors by cleaning the barrel after each vintage.

[0005] Current techniques for cleaning the barrel involve a combination of steam and high pressure water cleaning techniques. As tannins imparted from prior vintages cannot be effectively cleaned, a general attempt is made to neutralise their detrimental effects by way of chemical techniques. However, it has been found that, as a practical matter, these techniques only allow a barrel to be able to produce two quality vintages before being unusable. The barrel is then disposed of.

[0006] With producers of alcoholic beverages discarding approximately 20 barrels each year due to this problem, it is to be noted that a solution to this problem not only has economic advantages to the producers, but also has environmental benefits in that less wood needs to be cut down to manufacture the required barrels. To provide

-22018274885 04 Dec 2018 more context, in Australia alone, each winery discards between 10 and 100 barrels depending on its size.

[0007] One obvious solution to this problem is to sand the internal surfaces of the wine barrel. However, due to problems associated with accessing the internal surfaces of the barrel and the difficulty in obtaining an even resurfacing of all the internal surfaces, the reality is that sanding has previously only been practical when the barrel has been disassembled. At that point, the process also becomes uneconomical.

[0008] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel i.e. sanding of the barrel without the need to disassemble same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009]Throughout this document, unless otherwise indicated to the contrary, the terms “comprising”, “consisting of’, and the like, are to be construed as non-exhaustive, or in other words, as meaning “including, but not limited to”.

[0010] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is a method of in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel comprising the steps of:

filling the barrel with a quantity of sharp cutting grit;

rotating the barrel for a first time period at a first position, the first position being equivalent to the barrel being in a substantially horizontal position;

rotating the barrel for a second time period at a second position, the second position being equivalent to the barrel being pivoted by a first predetermined amount in a first direction relative to the first position;

rotating the barrel for a third time period at a third position, the third position being equivalent to the barrel being pivoted by a second predetermined amount in a second direction relative to the first position, the second direction being opposite to the first direction;

removing the majority of the sharp cutting grit, timber shavings and other contaminants from the barrel; and flushing the barrel with a fluid to remove any remaining sharp cutting grit, timber shavings or contaminants from the barrel.

-32018274885 04 Dec 2018 [0011] In a preferable form of the invention, the method includes the additional step of filling the barrel with a quantity of fluid sufficient to ensure that the sharp cutting grit stays at the bottom of the barrel during rotation. The fluid is ideally water to maintain the pristine nature of the barrel after completion of the method.

[0012]The method may further include the step of securing the barrel in a fixed position that does not inhibit rotation of the barrel.

[0013] In a known form of the invention:

(a) the quantity of sharp cutting grit is 50 kilograms of cutting aggregate;

(b) the first time period, second time period and third time period are all one hour in duration; and (c) the first predetermined amount of pivot and the second predetermined amount of pivot are not more than 30° relative to the first position.

[0014] In accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is an apparatus for in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel comprising:

an external frame;

an inner frame operable to pivot relative to the external frame; and rotating means mounted to the inner frame for rotating the barrel, where, when the barrel is filled with a sharp cutting grit, the sharp cutting grit operates to sand internal surfaces of the barrel by reason of the barrel’s rotation and the pivoting of the inner frame relative to the external frame.

[0015]The apparatus may also include drive means to drive the rotating means. The drive means may be operable to receive power by way of a power take off shaft.

[0016]The apparatus may also include clamping means for clamping the barrel in place in a manner that does not inhibit the rotation of the barrel by way of the rotating means. The clamping means may be adjustable to allow for clamping of barrels of differing sizes.

[0017] Catchment means may also be incorporated as part of the apparatus, the catchment means operable to capture for easy disposal the sharp cutting grit, timber shavings and contaminants that are removed from the barrel.

-42018274885 04 Dec 2018 [0018] In a preferred form of the apparatus, the inner frame can not pivot any more than 30° relative to the external frame as taken from a first operating position for the barrel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0019]The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side plan view of a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is top plan view of the invention as shown in Figure 1.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION [0020] In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention there is an apparatus 10 for in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel 1. The apparatus 10 comprises an inner frame 12, a clamping system 14, a rotating system 16, a drive system 18 and an outer frame 20.

[0021]The inner frame 12 is rectangular in shape. Located at a first end 22 of the inner frame 12 is the drive system 18.

[0022]The drive system 18 comprises a motor 24. The motor 24 has a drive shaft 26. The drive shaft 26 terminates in a first gear 28.

[0023]The rotating system 16 comprises two mounting bars 30. The mounting bars 30 are mounted in a first direction transverse to the longer sides of the inner frame 12. The mounting bars 30 are spaced form each other at a distance greater than the height of the barrel 1.

[0024] Extending from ends 32 of the mounting bars 30 are rod housings 34. Each rod housing 34 has an aperture 36 provided therein for receiving a rod 38. The aperture 36 is of sufficient size relative to the rod 38 to allow the rod 38 to rotate freely within the aperture 36.

[0025]The rod housings 34 are aligned such that the aperture 36 of rod housing 34a faces aperture 36 of rod housing 34b to form a first rod housing pair and the aperture of rod housing 34c faces aperture 36 of rod housing 34d to form a second rod housing pair. This alignment means that rods 38, when received within their

-52018274885 04 Dec 2018 respective rod housing pair, are aligned transverse to the mounting bars 30. This also means that the rods 38 are substantially parallel to the longer sides of the inner frame

12.

[0026JA pair of rotator wheels 40 are fixedly mounted to each rod 38. Each rotator wheel 40 of the pair mounted to rod 38a is aligned with its corresponding rotator wheel 40 of the pair mounted to rod 38b. Each rotator wheel 40 is spaced from its rotator wheel 40 mounted to the same rod 38 at a distance less than the height of the barrel

1.

[0027] Rod 38a is longer than rod 38b. The extended length 42 of rod 38a is arranged such that it extends towards the drive system 18. The extended length 42 terminates in a second gear 44. A drive chain 46, forming part of the drive system 18, connects the first gear 28 with the second gear 44.

[0028]The clamping system 14 comprises an upright 48 centrally mounted to mounting bar 30a. A first clamping wheel 50 is attached to the free end of the upright 48. The first clamping wheel 50 is free to rotate without interference from, or interfering with, the drive system 18.

[0029]The clamping system 14 also comprises a pivot arm 52. The pivot arm 52 comprises a lateral section 54 and an upright section 56. The upright section 56 is able to pivot relative to the lateral section 54 in the direction Di. A second clamping wheel 58 is attached to the free end of the upright section 56. The lateral section 54 connects to the underside 60 of mounting bar 30b.

[0030] An eye bolt 62 projects from one of the longer sides of the frame 12. A first end 64 of the spring 66 is adapted to be securely received by the eye bolt 62. The second end 68 of the spring 66 is adapted to be securely received by an aperture 70 provided in the upright section 56.

[0031] The outer frame 20 comprises a periphery 72 of similar, but larger, shape to the inner frame 12. A leg 74 extends from each comer 76 of the periphery 72. The legs 74 raise the outer frame 72 to an operational height as will be described further below.

[0032JA pivot rod 76 extends centrally through the periphery 72 at a point midway along the length of the longest side 78. The inner frame 12 is mounted to this pivot

-62018274885 04 Dec 2018 rod 76. This allows the inner frame 12 to rotate freely relative to the outer frame 20.

It is therefore to be noted that the height of each leg 74 must be sufficient to allow the inner frame 12 to not be restricted by the supporting surface 2 when perpendicular thereto.

[0033] The invention will now be described in the context of its intended use and in doing so also illustrate the method of extending the useful life of a beverage barrel.

[0034]The outer frame 20 is placed on a supporting surface 2. In this embodiment, the supporting surface 2 is the ground. A check is made to ensure that the inner frame 12 is able to rotate freely relative to the outer frame 20, i.e. that no part of it or the components thereon hit the ground during rotation.

[0035]With the apparatus 10 now set up, a barrel 1 is placed in the inner frame 12. Correct placement of the barrel 1 sees:

• first end 3 make contact with the first clamping wheel 50;

• side 4 make contact with each of the rotator wheels 40; and • bung hole 5 positioned so as to be top dead centre as shown in Figure [x].

[0036] Following correct placement of the barrel 1, the operator (not shown) manipulates the pivot arm 52 such that the second clamping wheel 58 makes contact with second end 6. As this causes tension in the spring 66, the spring 66 operates to provide a clamping force to the barrel between the first end 3 and second end 6. Note that this clamping force, while sufficient to maintain the barrel in its intended position, the clamping force is not sufficient to prevent rotation of the barrel 1 in the direction D₂.

[0037]With the barrel 1 secured in its intended operational position, the operator inserts a volume of sharp cutting git (not shown) therein by way of the bung hole 5. In this embodiment, the sharp cutting grit is 50 kilograms of cutting aggregate. The barrel 1 is similarly filled with a quantity of water (not shown) sufficient to ensure that the aggregate stays at the bottom of the barrel during rotation. The bung hole 5 is then sealed, ideally by the bung 7 originally removed to allow access to the bung hole 5.

- 72018274885 04 Dec 2018 [0038] The motor 24 is then started, which in turn causes the first gear 28 to rotate. By reason of the drive chain 46, rotation of the first gear 28 also causes rotation of the second gear 44.

[0039] Rotation of the second gear 44 causes rotator wheels 40 mounted to rod 38a to drive rotation of the barrel 1. This in turn causes rotation of the rotator wheels 40 mounted to rod 38b. This process continues while the motor 24 increases to reach the desired rotational speed.

[0040] It is to be appreciated that while rotating in this horizontal position, the cutting aggregate is effectively sanding the majority of the internal surface of side 4. However, the internal surfaces of first and second ends 3, 6, as well as the areas of the internal surface proximate the point of connection of the ends 3, 6 and side 4 are not as effectively sanded, if at all.

[0041]To facilitate sanding of these areas, after a period of time considered sufficient to properly sand the internal surface of side 4, the inner frame 12 is rotated relative to the outer frame 20 by way of pivot rod 76. Ideally, the amount of such rotation places the barrel 1 at a position no greater than 30° from its original starting position. In doing so, the continued rotation of the barrel 1 at this new angle causes the cutting aggregate to effectively sand the area of the side 4 proximate the first end 3 (or second end 6 as the case may be) as well as the first end 3.

[0042]Once sufficient time has elapsed to facilitate proper sanding of the aforementioned area, the inner frame 12 is counter-rotated to a similar position (i.e. a position no greater than 30° from its original starting position) such that sanding of the area of the side proximate the second end 6 (or first end as the case may be) as well as the second end 6 is achieved. Again, this continues until such time as proper sanding of the aforementioned area occurs.

[0043]With sanding now effectively complete, the barrel is returned to its original position, but with the bung hole 5 directed towards the supporting surface 2. The bung 7 is then removed, allowing the cutting aggregate to be released from the barrel 1. This is in addition to the timber shavings and wine residue (neither shown) that have been created or released during the sanding process.

-82018274885 04 Dec 2018 [0044]To ensure that no timber shavings or wine continue to reside (or for that matter cutting aggregate) in the barrel, the barrel 1 is subjected to periodical! flushes of water.

After each flush, the barrel is again refilled with fresh water. In doing so, it is ensure that the contaminants realised through initial sanding actions are not pushed back into the wood by the additional sanding actions.

[0045] The barrel 1 is then unclamped and removed from the apparatus 10 in a manner as would be well known to the person skilled in the art taking into account the prior description.

[0046] It is to be appreciated that the aforementioned process does not require the use of any chemicals. Accordingly, the natural characteristics of the barrel 1 remain for subsequent vintages without adulteration.

[0047] While the applicant has not specified particular operational times, speed of rotation, angles or the amount of aggregate or fresh water to be used in the invention this is due to two key factors. The first such factor is the nature of the barrel itself (i.e. the wood it is made from, the size, etc.). The second such factor is that the invention works off the principle that mass = weight = force = pressure on the timber. Hence, the amount of sharp cutting grit used in the barrel has a direct correlation to the amount of time needed to remove the 2 to 3mm of “contaminated” material. The applicant has, however, found that a sanding time of 1 hour is sufficient to achieve the required results when 50kg of cutting aggregate is used.

[0048] While the invention has been discussed in the context of extending the useful life of a beverage barrel, it should be appreciated that the invention can also be used in relation to any barrel where the internal surface of the barrel must be cleaned or stripped back to its original material. In this context, it should also be appreciated that while the invention is directed to wooden barrels, there is no reason why the invention could not be used with barrels made from other materials.

[0049] It should be appreciated by the person skilled in the art that the above invention is not limited to the embodiments described. In particular, the following modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention:

-92018274885 04 Dec 2018 • [0050]The drive system 18 may be a suitably adapted power take off shaft of a tractor or like vehicle. Alternatively, the drive system 18 may be handoperated or otherwise configured as a manual system.

• [0051] In its most preferred arrangement, the drive system 19 receives power from an electrical motor that has a voltage control switch to control the speed of rotation. The electrical motor ideally also has a reverse pole control system to allow the barrel 1 to rotate in either direction.

• [0052]The drive system 18 may be arranged so as to provide rotational movement directly to the rotating system 16, i.e. by the drive shaft 26 being extended to also perform the function of rod 38a.

• [0053]Clamping mean sand rotation means other than described above may be used without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, the clamping means may be adapted to comprise of a sliding steel tube that can be slidingly adjusted to match the size and shape of the barrel 1 concerned. The sliding steel tube can be fixed in place by a locking pin. In this arrangement, the clamping means may also be adapted to facilitate the clamping of barrels 1 of varying sizes.

• [0054]The outer frame 20 may be provided with a catchment tray (not shown) or other similar system for receiving the timber shavings, cutting aggregate and wine residue at the completion of the method. Ideally, the catchment tray or other like system should facilitate easy disposal of the caught elements.

• [0055] Other forms of sharp cutting grit may be used.

• [0056]The inner frame 12 may be prevented from pivoting relative to the outer frame 20 by no more than 30° taken from the position where the inner frame 12 is in substantial alignment with the outer frame 20.

• [0057]To ensure that the correct amount of sanding has been achieved, the internals of the barrel 1 may be periodically inspected by temporarily removing the bung to allow a probe camera (not shown) with light to be inserted therein. The images taken by the probe camera can then be analysed to determine whether further sanding is required and, if so, where such sanding needs to be focused.

• [0058] It is to be noted that rotation of the inner frame 12 relative to the outer frame 20 may be performed by way of manual or automatic means. In the case

2018274885 04 Dec 2018 of automatic rotation, this may be achieved through continuous movement of the inner frame 12 at a specified speed of rotation.

• [0059] Additional locking means may be used to maintain the inner frame 12 at a fixed angled positon relative to the outer frame 20.

[0060] It should be further appreciated by the person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Additions or modifications described, where not mutually exclusive, can be combined to form yet further embodiments that are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

We Claim:

1. A method of in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel comprising the steps of:

filling the barrel with a quantity of sharp cutting grit;

rotating the barrel for a first time period at a first position, the first position being equivalent to the barrel being in a substantially horizontal position;

rotating the barrel for a second time period at a second position, the second position being equivalent to the barrel being pivoted by a first predetermined amount in a first direction relative to the first position;

rotating the barrel for a third time period at a third position, the third position being equivalent to the barrel being pivoted by a second predetermined amount in a second direction relative to the first position, the second direction being opposite to the first direction;

removing the majority of the sharp cutting grit, timber shavings and other contaminants from the barrel; and flushing the barrel with a fluid to remove any remaining sharp cutting grit, timber shavings or contaminants from the barrel.
2. A method of in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to claim 1, comprising the additional step of filling the barrel with a quantity of fluid sufficient to ensure that the sharp cutting grit stays at the bottom of the barrel during rotation.
3. A method of in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to claim 1 or claim 2, where the fluid is water.
4. A method of in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to any preceding claim, where the method further includes the step of securing the barrel in a fixed position that does not inhibit rotation of the barrel.
5. A method of in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to any preceding claim where the quantity of sharp cutting grit is 50 kilograms of cutting aggregate.
6. A method of in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to any preceding claim where the first time period, second time period and third time period are all one hour in duration.
7. A method of in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to any preceding claim, where the first predetermined amount of pivot and the second predetermined amount of pivot are not more than 30° relative to the first position.

2018274885 04 Dec 2018
8. An apparatus for in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel comprising:

an external frame;

an inner frame operable to pivot relative to the external frame; and rotating means mounted to the inner frame for rotating the barrel, where, when the barrel is filled with a sharp cutting grit, the sharp cutting grit operates to sand internal surfaces of the barrel by reason of the barrel’s rotation and the pivoting of the inner frame relative to the external frame.
9. An apparatus for in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to claim 8 further comprising drive means to drive the rotating means.
10. An apparatus for in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to claim 9, the drive means operable to receive power by way of a power take off shaft.
11. An apparatus for in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to any one of claims 8 to 10, the apparatus further comprising clamping means for clamping the barrel in place in a manner that does not inhibit the rotation of the barrel byway of the rotating means.
12. An apparatus for in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to claim 11, where the clamping means is adjustable to allow for clamping of barrels of differing sizes.
13. An apparatus for in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to any one of claims 8 to 12, the apparatus further comprising catchment means, the catchment means operable to capture for easy disposal the sharp cutting grit, timber shavings and contaminants that are removed from the barrel.
14. An apparatus for in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to any one of claims 8 to 12, where the inner frame can not pivot any more than 30° relative to the external frame as taken from a first operating position for the barrel.
15. An apparatus for in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to any one of claims 8 to 13, further comprising automated rotation means, the automated rotation means operable to pivot the inner frame relative to the outer frame at a predetermined speed or speeds.
16. An apparatus for in-situ sanding of internal surfaces of a barrel according to any one of claims 8 o 13, further comprising locking means, the locking means operable to maintain a pivoted position of the inner frame relative to the outer frame.