Soda Machine Exhibit in Vienna in 1873

Below is an article for an Engineering Machine published in 1873. It covers the use of Soda Machines at the Vienna Exhibit. You probably recall a post on soda in 2009 Here's the link The article below is well before the invention of Coca-Cola but it is part of the one of the largest industries in America.

SODA WATER MACHINERY AT THE VIENNA EXHIBITION.
Abounding as it does in objects of interest and usefulness, the Vienna Exhibition does not include many matters of greater interest, with the thermometer at 90° in the shade, than the soda water machinery there shown. If proof of this assertion be needed, it is to be found in the constantly thronged condition of the pavilions which are met with at various points in the grounds of the Exhibition, where American iced drinks are dispensed, as well as the crowded Btate of the numerous stands in the Exhibition devoted to the same purpose. These pavilions—one of which is constructed of iron—are elegant in design, and have been erected by Messrs. Dows, Clark, and Co., of Chandos-street, London, and from them, as well as from the stands to which we have referred, this firm supply eager visitors with drinks, the machinery for preparing which we now intend to describe. Besides being exhibitors, Messrs. Dows, Clark, and Co., are the sole concessionaires for supplying American Soda Drinks in the Exhibition and grounds. For the purpose of meeting the demand, they have in the grounds a neat-looking house of corrugated iron placed near the eastern extremity of the Industrial Hall, and which is their factory. Here the aerated water and syrups are manufactured, and thence conveyed to the pavilions and marble stands before referred to.

From the first manufacture of aerated water at Geneva, by Gosse, towards the close of the last century, and its subsequent introduction into Paris by John Paul, a great amount of inventive talent has been expended upon the various apparatus for preparing and supplying the beverage. In America this has been especially the case, where the enormous consumption has led to the introduction of apparatus for serving soda water on draught, which has to some extent superseded the bottled trade. Amongst the first to conceive and carry out in practice this novel idea was the firm of Dows, Clark, and Co., and their enterprise has not been confined to the United States. At the Paris Exposition they had their stands, and they have established depots in London, where their icedsoda creams can beobtained. The apparatus for the manufacture of these beverages, as examined by us in the Exhibition at Vienna, consists first of the machine for making and bottling aerated waters, shown at Fig. 1 of our engravings. It is a machine for generating the carbonic acid gas, and in it can be used either pulverised marble, whiting, or bicarbonate of soda, which is acted upon by sulphuric acid, the flow of which into the generator is regulated by the lever T. -A- is the body of the generator, B the reservoir for the acid, and D D the washers through which the gas passes, and is purified on its way to the water. E is the pressure gauge for ascertaining the strength of the soda water, and which indicates pressure in pounds per square inch. C is the opening through which the whiting or marble is introduced into the generator. P is the blow-off pipe, just above which is the handle for agitating the contents of the generator. The lower part, R, of the blow-off pipe leads to the waste tank. F is a safety valve, and H a pipe leading from the generator to the acid reservoir to equalise the pressure.
The cylinders for holding the aerated water are shown at C C, the pump, Q, being used to supply the water to either cylinder as desired. In the first instance the two cylinders are filled nearly full of pure water, and then charged up to a sufficient pressure, when the cocks, K and L, are closed. The pipe J leads to the bottling machine, and when desired the aerated water is let on by turning either the cock N or M. When either cylinder is empty the cock is closed, and a further supply of water pumped in with the pump, Q. The water is gauged in the cylinders by the small taps, 0 0. After filling with water, the carbonic acid gas is let on by turning the cock as before, and by agitating with the handles, another charge of aerated water is made in a very few minutes, and with little trouble. The gas in all cases passes through the two washers, D D, and is thoroughly purified. The generator and cylinders are made of thick copper, the formier being lined with lead, and the latter thickly tinned with pure metal.
This constitutes the apparatus for manufacturing aerated water for bottling, but for supplying the stands where the iced drinks are dispensed from an apparatus, a modification of this arrangement is employed. In this case the machine for generating the carbonic acid gas is mounted on a frame by itself. A flexible pipe is attached to the washer, D, the other end being connected to a portable copper cylinder which holds about twelve gallons. Two discs are placed across the interior, having apertures in them, and the charging and discharging pipe extends from the top nearly to the bottom of the vessel. Two pins project from the sides of the cylinder by which it is suspended in an iron frame when being charged. When about to be charged the cylinder is first about two-thirds filled with pure water; if desired to have it strictly soda water a little carbonate of soda is dissolved in the water. The cylinder is then placed upon the agitating rack, and connected by the flexible pipe to the gas generator. The gas being let in, and the cylinder oscillated on the pins, the water striking against the discs is broken, and the particles separated, so as to allow the carbonic acid gas to unite very quickly and thoroughly with the water. When sufficiently charged with the gas, which is determined by the pressure gauge, which should stand at 180 lb. after the water and gas have been thoroughly agitated,
the tap is closed, and the cylinder transferred to the place where the water is to be used. This American system possesses many advantages over the ordinary method of manufacture. The gas does its own work, and steam power is not required, the saving in labour being stated to be 50 per cent, upon the English system, and the saving in fuel being of course very considerable.
The apparatus for dispensing the iced beverages is shown in section at Fig. 2. In the centre is placed the can, M, which holds the cream, and above which is the ice cutter, destined to reduce the block of ice, G, to the condition of snow. On
each side are the copper tanks, in which arc placed the syrup cans, C C, and the cylinders, E E, all of which are enclosed in a marble case, A A. Directly above the ice shaver is the cover, B, provided with silver-plated knobs, for convenience of removal to introduce the block of ice, G, and smaller pieces, into the compartments containing the cylinders, E E, and the syrup cans, C C, as represented. The draught tubes, J, are connected with the cylinders by a pipe for dispensing the soda water, and below them are the syrup taps connected with the syrup cans. Underneath are the pipes furnishing the soda water, and also for leading off
the waste water. Fig. 3 is a central cross section of this apparatus, which shows the ice cutter or shaver in position for working. A A is the marble case; 15 the cover to same; F is the ice-cutter "box, which is made of galvanised iron; P is a vertical cylinder, open at the bottom, with knives project, ing from its surface, and openings in conjunction with the knives to the interior; (1 is a follower, connected by a divided nut with the screw; O, on the opposite side, is another screw with similar connexions; N is a fly wheel; M represents the cream can, with the valve and a wire, by which it is worked. In operating the apparatus the fly wheel is turned, and the follower presses the ice against the knives in the cylinder, which shave it off like snow. The ice falls into the cup beneatl and cream is added at the same time from the cream can by palling the handle. To the ice creain thu quickly formed is added the syrup and soda water, the result being a very refreshing beverage, and one which has quickly become popular wherever it has betn introduced. This apparatus is enclosed in an exterior casing of polished Italian marble, more or less elaborately wrought, according to requirement At the front are arranged the silver-plated syrup taps and soda-draught taps, as seen in Fig. 2. The draught tap, J, seen in section, is very simple in construction and operation, and dispenses with the bottle or cup, and draws the soda water with considerably more gas in it than when drawn in the usual way. After putting the ice, cream, and syrup into the tumbler, the valve is opened, and the stream, escaping with full force, thoroughly mixes the compound. The edge of the tumbler is then brought against the underside of the projecting lever, the valve is opened still wider, and a larger stream, without force, will flow highly impregnated with gas.

Besides the portable cylinders filled with aerated waters, and of which there are 200 in use at the Vienna Exhibition, Messrs. Dows, Clark, and Co., supply their pavilions and stands with the water in bottles. For this purpose they use the globe-stoppered bottle invented by Mr. Hiram Codd. The bottle is formed with a ring of india-rubber inside the mouth, and contains a glass ball. The orifice is effectually closed by the pressure of the carbonic acid gas against the glass ball, which presses hard up against the ring in the neck. The ball is easily pushed back when the bottle is to be opened, the stopper falling into an annular space formed around the interior of the neck of the bottle a few inches from the mouth. It is satisfactory to know that Messrs. Dows, Clark, and Co., have been awarded the Medal of Progress at Vienna for their interesting and useful apparatus.