A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR METHOD OF SEPARATING OR REMOVING CREAM FROM MILK IN CENTRIFUGAL CREAMING MACHINES, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR METHOD OF SEPARATING OR
REMOVING CREAM FROM MILK IN CENTRIFUGAL CREAMING MACHINES, AND
IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN."
cation from abroad by the Firm of W. Lefeldt and Lentsch, of Schöningen,
Brunswick, in the Empire of Gormany, Engineers.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Powley Alexander at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th June 1878.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE
OR METHOD OF SEPARATING OR REMOVING CREAM FROM MILK IN CENTRIFUGAL
CREAMING MACHINES, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED
THEREIN." A communication from abroad by the Firm of W. Lefeldt and Lenisch,
of Schöningen, Brunswick, in the Empire of Germany, Engineers.
This Invention relates to a novel mode or method of and apparatus for separat-
ing or removing cream from milk in centrifugal creaming machines, and is more
especially applicable to the centrifugal cream formers or producers for which
Letters Patent were granted to Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki, on behalf of
the Firm of W. Lefelt and Lentsch, of Schöningen, Brunswick, bearing date the
16th of March 1877, No. 1074.
The essential feature of the present Invention consists in the application and use
of centrifugal force for effecting in an automatic or self-acting manner the separa-

page_text: tion or removal of the cream from the surface of the milk upon which it has been
formed, which mode of separation may be accomplished or carried out by various
modifications or arrangements of apparatus, examples of which are hereinafter
given.
The formation of the cream having been accelerated by the application of centri-
fugal force, as set forth in the Specification of the Patent herein-before referred
to, such cream is separated from the milk, not by drawing off the skim or bluo
milk from beneath the cream, which floats on its surface, or by. syphoning the
croam, whereby a considerable amount of tedious and careful manipulation is ren-
dered necessary, but such separation is effected by forcing the layer of cream
which floats on the surface of the milk upwards and over an annular curved lip on
the drum, so as to cause it to flow into a separate receiver by the upward rising
(effected by centrifugal force) from below along the sides or walls of the centri-
fugal drum, of a liquid of greater specific gravity than cream, such, for example,
as skim or blue milk, or milk and water.
It is obvious that various modifications of centrifugal apparatus may be em-
ployed in carrying out this peculiar mode or method of separation of the cream
and milk, but the examples herein-after given will be found to answer well in
practice.
According to one arrangement there is placed above the centrifugal drum of the
cream producer a vessel containing skim milk, milk and water, or water alone,
from the centre of which vessel descends a pipe fitted with a stop-cock or valve,
which opens on to a revolving spreader or hollow cone with lower projecting
flanges connected with the central cone or boss of the centrifugal drum. The
upper edge of the drum has an outwardly curved annular lip formed thereon,
which revolves over the edge of a stationary annular cream collector provided
with one or more discharging spouts.
When the cream has been produced by the rapid rotation of the drum its
separation from the skim or blue milk beneath if is automatically effected by
allowing a quantity of the milk, milk and water, or water alone, to flow from the
vessel above down on to the spreader, the result being that the said liquid, which
is of greater specific gravity than the cream, first descends, and is then thrown
outwards and horizontally along the bottom of the drum, and rises vertically up
its sides, causing the cream to be forced over the annular lip, and to flow over the
same into the cream collector, whence it runs off by the spout or spouts into one
or more receptacles. The remaining skim or blue milk is then drawn off after the
revolutions of the drum have been arrested by a break or other suitable arrange-
ment through openings fitted with. valves in the bottom of the drum.
If preferred the spreader may be stationary, consisting of an open cylinder
extending nearly to the bottom of the drum, and suspended by flanges and adjust-
ing screws (so as to be adjustable in height) from the fixed cover of the drum.
The annular cream collector may also be made adjustable in height, and be fixed
in its position by set screws.
According to another arrangement the vessel above the drum and the special
sprender may be dispensed with. In this case the drum is to be supplied in the
first instance with such a quantity of milk that the height of the liquid (owing to
centrifugal force), whilst the drum is in motion, shall occupy about one-fifth more
space than would reach to the edge of the fixed cover or top of the drum. twenty
per cent. of the entire volume of milk being usually allowed as a standard for the
proportion of thin cream.
The drun having been charged with the above-named quantity of fresh milk a
loose or sliding cover fitted to the drum is screwed down by means of a screw
spindle and hand wheel, or other well-known mechanical contrivance, so as to form
The drum is then rotated for a
a tight joint between the lip and loose cover.
time until the cream is formed by the action of the centrifugal force, after which
the loose cover is raised by the screw wheel, worked by hand or by the action of
break, sufficiently high to permit the above-named proportion of cream to rush

page_text: over the lip of the drum into the annular cream collector, whence it flows off by
one or more spouts, as before described, into suitable vessels.
The skim or blue milk is drawn off through the valvular openings in the bottom
of the drum, as previously explained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edwin Powley Alexander in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
December 1878.
"A NEW & IMPROVED
FROM MILK IN CENTRI-
MEANS TO BE EMPLOYED
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent.
MODE OR METHOD OF SEPARATING OR REMOVING CREAM
FUGAL CREAMING MACHINES, OR IN THE APPARATUS &
THEREIN." A communication from abroad by the Firm of W. Lefeldt and Lentsch,
of Schöningen, Brunswick, in the Empire of Germany, Engineers.
The said Invention relates to a novel mode or method of & apparatus for
separating or removing cream from milk in centrifugal creaming machines, & is
more especially applicable to the class of centrifugal cream formers or producers for
which Letters Patent were granted to Gerard Wenzeslaus von Nawrocki, on behalf
of the Firm of W. Lefeldt & Lentsch, of Schöningen, Brunswick, bearing date
the 16th of March 1877, No. 1074.
The essential feature of the present Invention consists in the application & use
of a liquid of greater specific gravity than cream (such, for example, as skim or
blue milk, water, or milk & water) acted upon by centrifugal force for effecting in
an expiditious & automatic or self-acting manner the separation or removal of the
cream from the surface of the milk, upon which it has been formed.
**
In carrying out this Invention the formation of thio cream having been accele-
rated by the application of centrifugal force, as set forth in the Specification of
the latent herein-before referred to, such cream is separated from the milk, not
by drawing off the skim or blue milk from beneath the cream, which floats on its
surface, or by syphoning the cream, as heretofore proposed, whereby a considerable
amount of tedious & careful manipulation is rendered necessary, but is accom-
plished by forcing the layer of cream which floats on the surface of the milk up-
wards and over an annular curved lip on the drum of a centrifugal machine, so as to
cause the cream to flow into a separate receiver or cream collector by the rising
along the sides or walls of the drum of a liquid of greater specific gravity than
cream.
It is obvious that various modifications of centrifugal apparatus may be em-
ployed in applying this peculiar mode or method of separation of the cream from
the milk, but the examples herein-after given will be found to answer well in
practice.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now pro-.
ceed more particularly to describe the same, & for that purpose shall refer to the

page_text: several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding
Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a partial vertical section of one arrange-
ment of creaming apparatus wherein blue or skim milk, water, or milk & water
(herein-after for the sake of brevity referred to as skim milk) is employed under
the action of centrifugal force, whilst the drum is in motion, for lifting & forcing
the cream over the upper edge or lip of the said drum, causing it to collect in a
receiver called a cream collector, whence it finally flows by means of a spout into
any convenient receptacle, whilst the skim milk may be drawn off when the drum
is at rest by means of valves or plugs in the bottom of the drum; Fig. 2 is a top
plan view of the same machine.
Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section, & Fig. 4, a corresponding plan of a slightly
modified arrangement of machine.
a is the vessel containing skim milk; it may be made in various forms, & bc
mounted on the top of the cover b either by means of feet, as in Figure 1, or fitted
into a recess or holder on the cover b, as shewn in Fig. 3. Valves or stop-cocks
are provided at a, a', for regulating the flow of the skim milk. c (Fig. 1) is a
revolving spreader or divider consisting of a truncated hollow cone connected with
the central cone or boss of the centrifugal drum, down the interior of which
spreader the skim milk descends, & on roaching the bottom of the drum is urged
outwards by centrifugal force under the bottom edge of the spreader towards the
inner circular sides of the revolving drum, up which sides the skim milk rises &
elevates the supernatent cream until it is forced over the outwardly curved annular
lip of the upper edge of the drum into the stationary annular cream collector e
provided with one or more discharging spouts f. 9, g, are detachable or fixed
partitions or wings within the drum, the number of which may vary according to
the size of the machine; h, h, are the valves or plugs in the openings at the bottom
of drum for drawing off the skim milk after the cream has been removed or
separated; is a centrifugal lubricator, & m an adjustable elastic bearing, both
especially applicable to quick running vertical spindles.
In the modified arrangement shown in Figs. 3 & 4 the spreader c¹ does not
revolve, but is suspended in a stationary manner from suitable projections formed
on the annular part of the stationary cover b. It is adjustable vertically by set
screws or otherwise, & produces exactly the same result as the revolving spreader c
in Fig. 1. The annular top of the drum is inclined & curved downwards,
&is attached to the periphery of the said drum with which it revolves, the cream
being forced over this annular top plate d', & caused to flow into the stationary
annular cream collector e¹,,& thence by one or more spouts into any suitable
receptacle, as already described.
The cream collector may 'be raised or lowered & fixed at any convenient height
by set screws i, i, passing through slots.
Figures 5 and 6 represent respectively a partial vertical section & a top plan
view of a modified arrangement, wherein the cream is removed or separated by
the action of centrifugal force, & discharged into an annular cream collector without
the aid of the spreader & supplementary skim milk vessel a by simply raising
a moveable cover or part thereof placed over the drum, so as to allow the cream
which has been formed by the action of centrifugal force, to flow over the lip of
the drum itself into the cream collector so soon as the moveable cover is raised,
much in the same way as shewn by Figs. 1, 2, 3, & 4.
is the moveable cover, which is raised or lowered by the upward or downward
motion of a hand wheel, friction wheel, or disc e", the internally screwed boss of
which travels along a screw thread cut in the upper part of the drum spindle or
vertical shaft 7, when such wheel is held stationary during the rotation of the
spindle. This may be effected either by hand or by means of any convenient brake
arrangement, such, for example, as a pair of levers f", f", fitted with friction

page_text: blocks dd, which are guided by parallel rods ell, el. The right and left hand
screw spindle, which traverses the ends' of the levers f¹¹, allows a gentle but
powerful application of the friction breaks, thereby retarding or stopping the
motion of the friction wheel or disc e¹¹, which in consequence thereof will rise
vertically, lifting with it the moveable lid or cover a", & thus allowing the cream
to flow or be urged over the upper edge or lip of the drum, & thence into the cream
collector e.
The drum is to be supplied in the first instance with such a quantity of milk
that the height of the liquid (owing to centrifugal force), whilst the drum is in
motion, shall occupy about one-fifth more space than would reach to the top edge
of the drum, twenty per cent. of the entire volume of milk being usually allowed
as a standard for the proportion of thin cream.
The drum having been charged with the above-named quantity of fresh milk the
moveable cover is screwed down, so as to form a tight joint with the lip of the
drum. The drum is then rotated for a time until the cream is formed by the action
of the centrifugal force, after which the moveable cover is raised, as already
described, sufficiently high to permit the cream to rush over the lip of the drum
into the annular cream collector, & thence into convenient receptacles.
The skim or blue milk is drawn off through the valvular openings in the bottom
of the drum, as previously explained.
Figure 7 shews on an enlarged scale a partial vertical section of a centrifugal
lubricating box or cup, and an improved mode of lubricating the bearings of the
drum spindle before referred to at the upper and lower ends thereof; also the com-
pound adjustable bearing for the same spindle, both of which are obviously appli-
cable to other quick running spindles.
Fig. 8 is a plan of the centrifugal lubricating cup; and Fig. 9, a partial section
& top view of the compound adjustable bearing.
cup,
For the purpose of more effectually lubricating the spindles a hole is bored
through the centre of the spindle from end to end, & the above-mentioned centri-
fugal lubricating cup k provided with a close cover is screwed on to the top of the
spindle, so that the bore of the spindle communicates with the bore of the lubri-
cating cup . The latter bore does not pass entirely through the bottom of the
but communicates with a passage or recess n (Figs. 7 & 8), the distance of which,
from the vertical centre line, is greater than the inner radius of the cup itself. If
therefore this cup be supplied with more or less oil, & the cover be screwed on
tightly, this oil, by the velocity of rotation of the revolving spindle, will ascend &
flow through the small top opening n into the above-named recess n, & thence
by the continual pressure of the following oil will pass into the bore of the spindle
from which it flows by suitable lateral openings & into the upper lower
bearings. The quicker the spindle Z revolves the more oil enters the recess n, &
passes into the bore of the spindle 1. So long as the spindle remains stationary the
oil will not ascend, & canrot flow out.
The upper spindle bearing m (Figs. 7 & 9) consists of the bearing or brush
proper o, provided with a screw thread & a nut o', by the raising of which a
conical ring p is forced upwards. By this upward pressure three or more conical
segments g. 9, are forced inwards towards the centre of the spindle 7, thereby com-
pressing an india-rubber ring or cylinder closely round the bush proper o.
Facility is thus afforded for tightening or slackening at any time the india-rubber
ring surrounding the brush, which thus serves as an elastic cushion or lateral
support for the same.
T
Having now described & particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, & the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise
details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe or refer io, as
many variations may be made therefrom without departing from the essential
features of the said Invention, but what I consider to be novel & original, &

page_text: therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The mode or method of removing the cream from the milk in centrifugal
cream producers by the employment of skim milk, or of a liquid of greater specific
gravity than cream, acted upon by centrifugal force, substantially in the manner
& by the means herein-before described, & illustrated by the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Secondly. The combination with the centrifugal drum of the revolving or
stationary spreader the annular curved lip on the said drum, & the annular trough
or cream collector for the purpose of removing, by the action of centrifugal force,
the cream from the milk in the drum, substantially in the manner herein-before
described, & illustrated by the Drawings hereunto "annexed.
Thirdly. The combination with the centrifugal drum of the moveable lid or
cover capable of being raised or lowered by the action of the drum spindle, the
annular curved lip on the edge of the drum, & the annular trough or cream collector
for the purpose of removing the cream from the milk by the action of centrifugal
force, substantially in the manner herein-before described & illustrated by the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
Fourthly. The general construction & arrangement of centrifugal apparatus for
removing cream from milk, as herein-before described, & illustrated by the Draw-
ings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, have hereunto set
my hand & seal, this Twentieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred & seventy-eight.