Patent GB-363033-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in dairy plant for pasteurising milk in bottles
IPC: A23L3/04
Filed: 1930-10-14
Abstract: 363,033. Bottling and pasteurizing milk. ENOCK, A. G., Dutch House, Raglan Gardens, Wembley Park, Middlesex, and MORTON & CO., Ltd., R., Trent Works, Burton-on-Trent. Oct. 14, 1930, No. 30673. [Class 49.] An automatically operating plant for producing bottled milk pasteurized in the bottles comprises as a single unit means for cleansing and sterilizing the bottles, then filling them, applying the caps, pasteurizing and cooling, all the operations being carried out in continuous succession, the bottles being in crates in which they are retained through. out, means being also provided for synchronizing the various operations. In the example given, the crates of dirty bottles are placed on a gravity roller conveyer B which carries under jets of washing liquid in a washer C and then through an apparatus C<1>, such as that of Specification 326,663, [Class 138 (i), Washing and cleaning buildings &c.], where they are treated with detergent and washing liquid. The crates then pass to a bottle-scrubbing machine E, which may be that of Specification 320,466, [Class 138 (i), Washing and cleaning buildings &c.]. To synchronize the movement of the crates and the treatment apparatus, a chain conveyer 2, Figs. 3 and 4, is mounted adjacent the gravity roller conveyer B and has lugs a which engage the forward inside edges of the crates and bring them to a conveyer comprising two side chains 3 having lugs d with flexible spacing pieces d<1> which move synchronously with the chain 2. The lugs dare spaced more than the width of the crates apart, the spacing pieces d<1> preventing the crates from overturning and keeping them against the lugs d to position them exactly in the various treatment machines. The crates are transferred bv the synchronizing conveyers to an inverting cage F, a rinsing and sterilizing compartment G and a reinverting cage F<1>, which may be constructed as described in Specification 290,037, [Class 138 (i), Washing and cleaning buildings &c.], and thence to a bottle drying chamber H heated by hot water or steam pipes and having a gravity conveyer. The crates then pass to a milk-measuring machine N and a bottle-filling machine K which may be of the construction described in Specifications 295,666 and 295,672, [both in Class 125 (ii), Bottles &c. Filling &c.], 309,619, [Class 106 (v), Measured quantities &c.], and to a capping machine N<1>. The crates of filled bottles pass on a gravity or other conveyer B<1> to a pasteurizing chamber P, containing hot air at 145-150‹ F., through which they take 30 minutes to traverse, and then below it to a chamber where they are cooled by a stream of water, this apparatus being for example of the construction set forth in Specifications 270,882, [Class 49, Food &c.], or 363,048. The crates finally pass to a cold store R. The milk is supplied to the filling machine K from a tank L from which it is elevated by a pump L<1> to a heater M in which it is raised to 90-100‹ F. and from which it flows to a centrifugal cleaner M<2> which forces it to a heater M<1> where it is raised to 147-150‹ F., and then flows to the measuring and filling machine N. The operation of the pump L<1> is controlled through a float in the milk container of the filling machine K which operates a relay switch cutting out the switch of the motor driving the pump when the milk has risen to a predetermined level in the container. The cleaner M<2> may be of the construction set forth in Specification 253,653, [Class 23, Centrifugal machines &c.]. Water is supplied to the apparatus from a tank placed above the pasteurizing and cooling chambers provided with automatically controlled means for keeping it full and with cooling coils &c. to reduce its temperature to about 36‹ F. The water passes to the cooling chamber where it flows in opposite direction to that of the crates and emerging at about 125‹ F. is heated by steam to about 150‹ F. and passed to the milk heaters M<1>, M through which it flows in the direction opposite to that of the milk. The water next passes to a tank and then to the washing apparatus c, c<1>, and is finally run to waste or returned for use in the heating apparatus. The pump for the heating water circulation is controlled from the float in the milk container of the filling machine K. Thermostatic control is provided of the temperatures in the bottle-washing machines and in the pasteurizing and cooling chambers. The crates used are open-bottomad and may be of wood or of galvanized or rustless steel constructed as described in Specification 321,030, [Class 138 (i), Washing and cleaning buildings &c.].