Patent GB-734496-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to apparatus for cleansing containers
IPC: B08B9/08
Filed: 1951-11-08
Abstract: 734,496. Cleaning food containers. LYONS & CO., Ltd., J., WHITE, P., and MONEY, R. W. Jan. 27, 1953 [Nov. 8, 1951], No. 26194/51. Class 138 (1). Cleansing apparatus for a flexible container comprises a stand for supporting the container mouth downwards, means for making sealing engagement with the mouth of the container and a retractable' injector adapted to be moved through the mouth into the container on the stand, and adapted for the conveyance of gas under pressure to expand the container and of cleansing liquid for the container. The container which is for liquid food is of the kind comprising a flexible bag contained within an outer protective metal drum as described in Specification 708,813, [Group XVII]. The apparatus, Fig. 1, includes the stand 12, for supporting the metal drum 13 containing the flexible bag having a tough, flexible filling neck 17, which stand is supported on vertical posts 14. The neck 17 is forced on to a fixed nozzle 18 through which slides the injector 19. Compressed air is supplied to the injector through a line 20, while hot and cold water are supplied to the injector through pipes 21, 22 under the control of a mixing valve 23 and pipe 24. Referring to Fig. 2, the injector comprises two concentric tubes 47, 53 supported at their lower ends in a block 42 and slidable together through an aperture 27 in a valve block 45 supported on a fixed fabricated column and through the nozzle 18 mounted on the block 45. The upper ends of the tubes 47, 53 are maintained in spaced relation by a member 55 to which is screwed a member 56 carrying a nozzle 57 connecting with the tube 53. Also the upper end of the tube 47 is provided with holes 73. The block 42 is secured to a chain 39, Fig. 4, running around upper and lower sprockets within the column and is raisable and lowerable by a hand wheel 44 on the shaft 34 of the upper sprocket 35. An annular spru 58 between the nozzle 18 and the tube 47 communicates with an annular space 59 in the valve block 45 and the space 59 connects with a passage 60 in the block. As shown in Fig. 4, the block 45 also has a cylindrical aperture 61 in which is rotatable by a hand wheel 69 a valve member 62. The valve 62 has a central T-shaped port 63 which can connect the passage 60 with a drain pipe 25, Fig. 2; a smaller T-shaped port 64 which can connect the air line 20 with a flexible line 65 communicating at 71 on the block 42 with the annular spru between the tubes 47, 53 ; and an L-shaped port 66 which can connect the water line 24 with a flexible line 67 communicating at 72 on the block 42 with the tube 53. The valve handle 69 can be set in four positions, viz. : " Off " when none of the connections above are effected ; " Air," when air alone is supplied to the annular spru between the tubes 47, 53 to pass out of the upper holes 73 into the bag; "Air and Water " when air is still supplied to the bag and water supplied thereto through the nozzle 57, and the space 59 is connected to the drain pipe 25 ; and " Drain " when the air and water are cut off and the water can drain away through pipe 25. During operation of the valve handle 69 the injector is in its raised position within the bag. After the container has been cleaned it is removed from the nozzle 18 and stand 12 and the filling neck is placed below a vertically slidable nozzle 75, Fig. 1. Sterilizing solution can be supplied to the nozzle 75 from a reservoir 79 and line 83. Solution is supplied to the reservoir 79 through a line 81 and three-position valve 82. In one position of the valve 82 the reservoir is isolated, in a second reservoir is connected to the line 81 and in the third the reservoir is connected to the line 83. Compressed air is supplied to the nozzle 75 from the line 20 and a line 84. Sterilizing solution may, however, be introduced into the cleansing water. According to the Provisional Specification, the injector may be elevated by a rack and pinion or screw gear and it may be raised after air is admitted to the flexible bag. Specification 734,495, [Group XVII], also is referred to.