Vacuum foam remover

A vacuum nozzle draws off foam from the headspace of filled containers as they approach container closers. The nozzle has a substantially rectangular head at its lower end, preferably turned at an angle to the path of the containers. From the head depends a pair of parallel scraper-like blades of rubber-like material. Spaced slits extend upward from the bottom edges of the blades. The upper end of the nozzle leads to a source of vacuum which includes means for salvaging the liquid content of the foam for re-use.

This invention relates to a new and improved vacuum nozzle construction for 
use in removing foam from the headspace of containers preparatory to 
closing or "seaming" the containers. 
The headspace of containers filled with liquid frequently contains bubbles 
of air in the form of foam. Juices, such as orange juice, 
characteristically have such foam. After passage of time, the oxygen in 
the foam deleteriously affects the taste and appearance of the liquid. 
Immediately prior to application of the container closure, the headspace 
(i.e., the space between the top of the liquid and the top of the 
container) is frequently filled with an inert gas, such as nitrogen, which 
displaces the oxygen normally present in the headspace. If there is foam 
in the headspace, however, this prevents the nitrogen from displacing some 
of the oxygen. 
Heretofore, nozzles have been installed in the container closing equipment 
which blow nitrogen across the headspace and attempt to blow the foam out 
of the container. However, such nozzles have generally been unsatisfactory 
and the foam blown inside the closing equipment tends to create 
undesirable sticky deposits. 
The present invention provides means for drawing the foam out of the 
container. However, such nozzles have generally been unsatisfactory and 
the foam blown inside the closing equipment tends to create undesirable 
sticky deposits. 
The present invention provides means for drawing the foam out of the 
headspace by vacuum and also using flexible blades, preferably slitted, to 
wipe the foam off the tops of containers. 
A feature of the invention is the fact that by drawing the foam away prior 
to the containers entering the closing equipment, the liquid content of 
the foam may be salvaged by separating from the air and then reusing the 
liquid by returning it to the filler tank. Further, the foam is removed 
before the containers enter the closing apparatus and hence no sticky 
deposit is formed thereon. 
Further features of the equipment hereinafter described are that the bottom 
edge of the blade is adjustable in height to compensate for different 
container heights and also for wear of the blade. 
Another feature of the invention is the fact that the angle of the blade to 
the path of movement of the containers is adjustable, so that the blade 
angle may be varied to obtain the most effective angle for the product 
being packed. 
A still further feature of the invention is the fact that, after the foam 
has been removed, the headspace tends to be uniform. Hence, when the 
headspace is subsequently filled with nitrogen, the amount of nitrogen 
required per container is more uniform than otherwise would be the case. 
Uniform filling of containers is, of itself, desirable. 
A preferred use of the present invention is in aseptic canning wherein the 
container and the contents are maintained in an atmosphere of hot 
sterilizing air or steam at greater than atmospheric pressure. The 
apparatus hereinafter described may be installed as a unit in the line 
along which the containers pass between the filler and the container 
closure. The unit maintains the same pressure and sterility as in other 
portions of the aseptic canning system. 
Another feature of the invention is the fact that the cover of the unit may 
be provided with a window so that the operator may observe the conditions 
of the containers passing through the unit. Preferably, the entire unit is 
hinged to the side wall of the tunnel through which the containers pass to 
provide rapid access to the containers in the event of jamming. 
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading 
the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in 
which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in 
each of the several views.

The present invention is used in the processing of filled containers 11 
here shown as flanged open-mouthed cans of fiber. It will be understood 
that containers of other structures may be used. At a previous station, 
the containers 11 have been filled with a liquid, such as orange juice, 
which tends to foam during the filling process so that the container 
headspace is filled with foam. At a subsequent station, after removal of 
the foam in the station which is the subject of the present invention, 
preferably the headspace of the present container is filled with an inert 
gas and then a closure, such as a metal can end, is applied to the 
container 11 and "seamed" thereon. It will be understood, however, that 
the usage of the present invention is subject to wide variation. 
In the preferred embodiment illustrated and hereinafter described, the 
apparatus is installed in an aseptic canning line wherein the containers 
and their contents are maintained in sterile condition in an atmosphere of 
sterile air (or steam) at above atmospheric pressure to prevent 
contaminating air from entering the apparatus. Thus, in accordance with 
the preferred aseptic canning embodiment of the invention, the containers 
11 pass at spaced intervals along a tunnel 12 shown partially in FIG. 1. 
Tunnel 12 has double thickness side walls 13 suitably insulated. The foam 
remover unit of the present invention is mounted under a cover 16 which is 
hinged at one side edge to one of the walls 13 by hinges 17. Cover 16 has 
a top wall 18 and a spaced bottom wall 19. Along each longitudinal edge, 
is a side wall 21 which fits immediately within the wall 13 and an 
inwardly spaced inner wall 12. Insulation 23 fills the space between walls 
18 and 19 and 21 and 22. A window 24 may be installed in top wall 18 to 
observe the condition of the containers passing through the unit and, in 
such event, a suitable hole is formed in the bottom wall 19 for purpose of 
observation. An arcuate, substantially circular, wall 26 is attached to 
the underside of top wall 18, the diameter of wall 26 being somewhat 
greater than the diameter of the containers 11. The area between walls 18 
and 19 and outside of wall 26 is also suitably insulated (not shown). The 
forward and rearward ends 27 of the cover 16 may be slanted, as best shown 
in FIG. 2. 
A circular hole (not shown) is formed concentric with the wall 26. An 
annular clamp ring 29 fits over a split flange 31 which fits against the 
top of top wall 18 surrounding the hole therein. Extending upwardly from 
split flange 31 is a split hub 32. Hub 32 has ears 33 through which fits a 
wingbolt 34. The split hub 32 is formed with a key-way 36. Arcuate slots 
37 concentric with wall 36 are formed in top wall 18. Below top wall 18 is 
a second clamp ring 42. Screws 38 fit through holes in the clamp ring 29 
and flange 31 and pass through the slots 37 to engage ring 42. By 
tightening screws 38, a pressure-tight joint is obtained. 
Tube 41 fits through the split hub 32 and flange 31 extends below the cover 
16. Spacers 43 are secured to the tube 41 below ring 42. A key 44 fixed to 
spacers 43 extends up into the key-way 36, so that hub 32 and tube 41 are 
in angular relationship to each other. 
Nozzle 46 fixed to tubes 41 and spacers 43, has outwardly flared ends 47 
and generally diverges downwardly. On the lower end of nozzle 46 is an 
elongated rectangular bottom frame 48 partially closed off with a 
horizontal bottom 49 having a slot 51 adjacent one edge thereof (i.e., the 
upstream edge of the passage of the containers). In the modification of 
FIG. 5A, plural parallel slots 51, 51a on opposite edges of bottom 49 may 
be formed. 
Along the outside of the rectangular bottom frame 49 are flexible blades 56 
of a rubber or rubber-like material formed with slits 57 extending upward 
from their bottom edges. The blades 56 may be attached to the frame 48 by 
clamp strips 55. Bolts 59 extend from the inside of the nozzle 46 through 
holes in the blades 56 and similar holes in the strips 58 and are held in 
place by nuts 61. 
The tube 41 and hence the nozzle 47 and blade 56 may be raised and lowered 
to accommodate changes in height of containers 11 by loosening the 
wingbolt 34 and then moving the tube 41 upward or downward as required. 
The same adjustment, but of minor degree, may be made as the blades 56 
wear. It is desirable that the blades 56 be located at an angle across the 
path of movement of the containers 11, rather than being perpendicular to 
the path. The arcuate slots 37 permit adjustment of such angle. Thus the 
screws 38 are loosened and the hub 32 turned so that the blades 56 assume 
the proper angle. Thereupon the screws 38 are tightened. 
The filled containers, having foam in the headspace, pass from left to 
right as viewed in FIG. 1, being moved along by a conveyor (not shown). As 
the top edges of the containers 11 pass the blades 56, they bend the 
blades to the right, as viewed in FIG. 2. A vacuum hose is attached to the 
upper end of tube 41 and this pulls a vacuum through the slot 51 between 
the blades 56 (see FIG. 5) drawing the foam out of the container 
headspace. Plural slots 51,51a (FIG. 5A) function in similar manner. The 
blades 56 insure that the effect of the vacuum drawn through the tube 41 
will be confined primarily to the headspace of the can, rather than the 
general area of the tunnel 12. The slits 57 promote flexibility and also 
provide fingers on the blades 56 between the slits 57 which wipe the foam 
off the tops of the containers 11. It has been found that the headspace is 
much more uniform after passing through the equipment of the present 
invention than has been the case with prior methods which blow the foam 
out of the headspace. Furthermore, the liquid in the foam drawn off 
through tube 41 may be reclaimed and refilled into subsequent containers.