, 1888-07-21
HOW BOTTLES ARE WASHED.
Tho Old Fashioned Methods No Longer
Employed-New Processes.

Tho Old Fashioned Methods No Longer
E~mployed-New Processes.
1t is said that physicians of Elizabeth,
N. j., have attributed the death Of a
prominent Son Of Temperance of that
city to lead poisoning, caused by drink
ing temperance beverages out of bottles
which have been cleansed by the use of
shot. The theory is that the rafting of
shot in the bottles has caused the lead
from which the shot is made to adhere to
the glass and subsequently to be taken up
by the liquid when the bottles are re-
filled There are probably q few old
fashioned bottlers who clean not only
temperance drink bottles, but also wine
bottles, Esith shot; but that ia not the
practice in the latest approved bottling
establishments. There is one in South
Fifth venue where 1000 bottles are
cleaned every day, and thoroughly
cleaned without the use of shot.
Ordinary root beer and sarsaparilla
bottles are easily cleaned, because the
material Used in them is readily and
quickly soluble in cold water. The bot
ties are dumped, throat up, into. "a big tub
Of clean cold water, which is kept clean
by constant replenishment. Each bottle
is quickly filed and allowed to soak a
short time. Then the cleaner grasps
three or four bottles in his two hands,
holding them throat up, and shakes them
vigorously. That is sufficient to dislodge
the sugary coating, and then the bottles
are inverted and allowed to drain off.
As they are made Of transparent green
glass, 1t is easy 70 see when they are
clean. Care is taken to wash out any
flies that ave been sepulchered in the
bottles in their search for sweet things.
The old fashioned stone bottles that were
formerly used for root beer have long
been discarded, as too heavy and costly.
The cleaning of soda water bottles is
more carefully done. Here warm water
is used, and the workman m~anipulates a
four pronged tool that looks like a fork.
Each prong is mounted with a stiff blade
of India rubber, of such shape that when
the prong is thrust into the bottle the
rubber blade reaches the inner side of the
bottle. In front OF the workman is a
cocoa mat. The bottles are filled, the
prongs thrust in, and then the four bot
ties at once are rolled across the mat.
This serves a double purpose. The mat
cleans the outside of the bottle, and the
rolling brings the whole inside of the bot
tie in contact with the rubber blade. a
few vigorous rolls cleans the bottle thor
oughly, and then it is rinsed and ready
for use.
Still another process is used for lager
beer bottles, which require even moro
vigorous washing. This is done by n
machine with revolving spindles, on
which are placed rubber brushes. The
bottle is thrust over the spindle, which is
run by steam, and running water carries
off the scum. Each bottle then gets n
thorough internal securing.
1t is, in fact, an essential element of
success in the bottling Business to keep
The bottles clean, and no'nanufacturer
who expects to keep his custom would
dare neglect the essential clement of
cleanliness. The element of cost prevents,
if no other considerations could do so, the
slow and tedious method of cleaning bot
ties with shot. There was a bottle wash
ing machine in use here not long ago
which cleansed bottles with revolving
bristle brushes, but the wear and tear OF
bristles was found to be too expensive,
although the work done was very effec-
tive. The substitution of rlbber blades
for the bristles proves to be Cheaper and
quite as thorough.
A much better way than the use of
shot for cleaning bottles is to put a small
piece of iron chain with small links into
the bottles with some water. This, when
ratified about, will clean n bottle well. OF
course, if a bottle has been filed with any
greasy substance, the only way TO clean
it thoroughly is with strong alkali, and
this is done by all careful bottlers. New
York Gun.