Patent GB-511254-A (GB)
Title: Improved method of packaging fruit juices
IPC: A23L2/02
Filed: 1938-11-28
Abstract: 511,254. Extracting and preserving citrous fruit-juices. TENNANT, W. J. (Crown Cork & Seal Co., Inc.). Nov. 28, 1938, No. 34643. [Classes 14 (ii), 28 (ii) and 49] The hulls of citrous fruits are punctured at a multitude of closely spaced points throughout substantially their entire surfaces to remove the major quantity of the rind oil without removing any substantial areas of the hulls of the fruit, the fruits being then opened and the juice and a portion of the remaining quantity of rind oil expressed, the mixed rind oil and juice being sealed in containers. The means of puncturing the hulls comprises one or more rotary tables 14 having an upper surface of stabbed metal, and spirally arranged stabbed metal guides 19 thereabove. The fruits are fed by a shoot 23 into the centre of one table and are removed by the rotating table around the spiral path and along a straight guide 20 to the other rotating table where guides 19 are arranged to deliver them to the centre of the table, discharge being effected through a hollow shaft on which the second table is mounted. The stabbed metal punctures the hulls and liberates the rind oil which is caught in a trough 21 having a delivery spout 22. The fruits are water-sprayed during this operation by nozzles 26. The tables are perforated and radially slotted beneath the stabbed metal surfaces to permit the escape of rind oil and rind particles. The amount of rind oil extracted may be varied by varying the speed of rotation of the tables 14, the speed being increased to increase the amount of rind oil removed. Alternatively, larger or smaller tables may be used to increase or decrease the amount removed. The delivery from the hollow shaft of the second table is through a shoot 24 which positions the fruit between cone-shaped crushers 33, 33a where the fruit is burst open and the juice and some 'of the remaining rind oil expressed. The juice is caught in a trough 44. The bottom member 33 is driven by gearing 38, 37 and its shaft is connected pivotally to the inclined shaft of the upper member 33a. The fruit is directed towards the centres of the members 33, 33a by guides 47, 47a and the crushed fruits are ejected from the crushers by a curved arm 48 which deflects them to a discharge conveyer 49. The juice is admitted through a pipe 81 to a screening device where it is substantially freed from pulp, and passes through a pipe 82 to a tank 83 constituting a reservoir from which it flows, under the inflence of vacuum created by an injector 71, 72 supplied with high pressure steam from a generator 69, through a pipe 84 to and through tubes in a heater 63, the tubes being heated by low pressure steam from -a generator 60, 61. The heat thus supplied to the juice causes low temperature boiling and some concentration. The juice, vapours, and gasses liberated by the boiling, pass through a pipe 64 to a chamber 65 having baffles in which the juice flows to the bottom and 'the gases and vapours rise to the top and escape 'through a pipe 66 to a condenser 67. A pump 86, connected by a pipe 85 to the separator 65, delivers the juice through a pipe 87 to the rotary chamber 88 of a can-filling apparatus, the vacuum being broken bv the admission to the chamber 88 of an inert gas, e.g., nitrogen or carbon dioxide, through the pipe 92. A liquid seal 90 is provided between the stationary and rotating parts. The tubes 89 discharge measured quantities into cans in known manner. The cans are then supplied with top ends each provided, in known manner with a valve, the capped cans being passed through a preheater to a sterilizer E where they are heated under a vacuum which is maintained by injector means 73-75. The steam in the sterilizer E is admitted beneath the surface of the juice in the can, and in 7-15 seconds the temperature is raised to 212‹-225‹F. When the steam connection with the can is broken, the pressure in the can serves to seat the movable part of the valve of the can end which is promptly crimped back to hold the valve part in permanently sealed position. The cans are then passed through a cooler. The juice may be sterilized before the can ends are applied by bubbling steam through the juice in the can.