Improvements in Apparatus for Sterilising Liquids and in the Stoppering of Bottles and other Vessels for Holding such Liquids.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1893-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Sterilising Liquids and in the
Stoppering of Bottles and other Vessels for Holding such
Liquids.
I, RUDOLF THIEL of No. 6 Langestrasse, Lubeck, Germany, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
This invention relates to improvements in or in connection with apparatus for
sterilising liquids and to the stoppering of bottles jars and other vessels for holding
such liquids during and after sterilisation this novel stoppering allowing the
pressure (produced during sterilisation) over a certain point to escape upon which
such stoppering closes automatically.
In carrying out the sterilisation of liquids in which steam under pressure is
employed for generating heat in the bottles jars or other vessels designed for the
reception of such liquids the following principles should be taken particularly into
account, viz. :—
1. The means of opening and closing the sterilising boilers or apparatus (in
which the said bottles or other vessels that hold the liquid for sterilisation are to
be subjected to the heat and pressure of steam) must be capable of being easily
operated.
2. The devices or means for closing the bottles jars or other vessels in which the
liquids are to be sterilised and preserved must be so arranged that the pressure
produced by the great heat (during the sterilising process) in the said vessels shall
be able to escape, and that when the pressure ceases the said bottles or other
vessels will be immediately and securely closed automatically.
These principles are kept in mind and by means of the hereinafter described
improvements are designed to obviate the manifold disadvantages of the sterilising
process heretofore employed.
Figs. 1 and 1^. Figure 1 is a general view in elevation (partly in section) of
the whole apparatus complete.
Figure 1 is a plan of the sterilising boiler or chamber C showing the cover
thereof removed.
A and B are an ordinary steam generator with ascending pipe, and C is a
sterilising boiler or chamber fed from the steam generator. In this latter the
filled sterilising bottles or other vessels (such as glass bottles for small-and vessels
made of metal for large-quantities of liquid) are placed.
At the bottom of the sterilising boiler the steam supply pipe c terminates in
the form of a steam coil above which the removable gratings upon which the
sterilising vessels are placed, are located.
Outside of the sterilising boiler C there is arranged a swing crane f.
The crane has a lever g serving as a means for handling the cover of the
boiler.
The hinged thumb screws h h serve to tightly close the cover (which is provided
with packing material) on the sterilising boiler.
The steam pressure in the sterilising boiler is regulated by means of safety
valves and air valves d and e respectively located on its cover. When the cover is
to be removed from the sterilising boiler the thumb screws h h on hinged bolts are
unscrewed and the said hinged bolts laid back; the handle of the lever g is pressed
into the catch i of the crauef and is there secured by means of a pin k or otherwise
suitably secured whereupon the cover which is thus raised and suspended from the
crane is swung to one side clear of the said boiler or chamber C as in Fig. 14:
D
27

page_text: The sterilising boiler or chamber C having been charged with the vessels
containing the liquids to be sterilised and being closed by replacing and tightly
screwing down the lid or cover-steam is allowed to enter from B (through the
pipe c) and at the same time the safety valve d is slightly raised to allow the air to
make room for the steam; also the water of condensation is allowed to run off at
the top until steam escapes from the tap whereupon this tap n is closed, the
safety valve is lowered and the steam then has its full action and effect. It may
here he stated that when any other boiler with a higher steam pressure is available
the steam therefrom cau be employed for sterilising and in such case it is necessary
to provide a reducing valve between the steam boiler and the sterilising boiler
because when sterilising it is customary to work with a pressure of two atmospheres
at the utmost though I do not limit myself thereto.
As the temperature in the sterilising boiler or chamber C rises and very soon
reaches about 102° to 103° (centigrade) there is also an increase of temperature
and pressure in the sterilising vessels.
After the steam has acted as described for a short time (say about an hour) all the
live germs present in the liquids are destroyed by the heat, and the object of the
sterilising process is effected. Hereupon the steam is cut off whereby the external
pressure upon the sterilising vessels diminishes whilst there is yet for a time an
excess of pressure in the interior of the sterilising vessels and said pressure escapes
with the gases and steam generated thrɔngh the hereinafter described closing
devices and the valves.
After the internal pressure has very quickly ceased the said closing devices and
the valves of the sterilising vessels close at once automatically and as soon as the
liquids which have greatly expanded and which now gradually cool down again
contract to their original volume there is produced inside the vessels a partial
vacuum.
Fig. 2 shows in elevation-and Fig. 2 a vertical section of a closing device for
sterilising vessels of glass.
This closing device for bottles differs from the known wire clip or the like closing
devices in that the movable clip d which is movable in the part 6 of the stopper is
formed to the right and to the left in the shape of spiral springs having several
coils, before it engages with the closing clip e of the bottle neck.
Whereas in the sterilising vessels of glass heretofore employed the closing
devices remained open during sterilisation and were closed by means of complicated
mechanical devices only after the heating of their contents had terminated which
resulted in many drawbacks and particularly in great breakage of bottles on the
contrary with the present improvement the stoppers are closed before the com-
mencement of the heating operation but nevertheless rise automatically to relieve
the internal pressure when such pressure exceeds the resistance of said spring coils
and again close automatically when the internal pressure has fallen below such
point.
a is the upper part of the neck of the bottle.
bis the bottle stopper.
c the joint or packing ring and d is the movable clip provided with spiral springs
as intermediate member of the closing clip e.
Fig. 3 shows in vertical section and Fig. 34 in plan the devices for closing
vessels intended for sterilising large quantities of liquid.
Upon the neck a of the vessel there is placed in the ordinary way the internally
projecting cover 6 which is furnished with a packing ring c and is closed by the
clamp d. At the bottom of the cover b is an opening having an upwardly
projecting edge as valve seat. This opening is closed by the spring clip e which is
fixed to the cover and carries the packing material g.
In this closing device the said valve also allows of the escape of the gases and
steam which are generated under pressure (when such pressure exceeds the
strength of spring e) inside the vessel during sterilisation but effects an immediate

page_text: automatic closing of the vessel as soon as such internal pressure falls below the
resistance or strength of spring e.
Since after the cooling of the liquids the vacuum produced in the vessels holds.
down the cover with considerable force there is provided-for loosening the
cover a cross piece ƒ situated over the vessels having its two ends formed into
downwardly projecting hooks f¹f which when the clamp d is turned back press
against the rear side of the clamp and uniformly and easily raise the cover from off
the vessel when the clamp is turned back to a further extent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In sterilising boilers serving for the reception of bottles jars or other vessels
for holding sterilising liquids the use and combination therewith of a removable
cover and a swing crane with lever for enabling the said cover to be raised and
swung to one side and readily replaced again substantially as and for the purposes
herein before set forth.
2. I claim stoppering jars bottles or other similar vessels for holding sterilising
and preserving liquids by means of a stopper held down by movable clips with
tension or compression springs to act as regulating valves which are capable of
allowing the gases and steam generated in the sterilising operation when above a
certain pressure to escape and also automatically close the vessels when such excess.
of internal pressure has ceased substantially in the manner and for the purposes set
forth.
3. In devices for closing large metallic or other vessels for holding sterilising
and preserving liquids-I claim the combination therewith and employment of
regulating valves in which a spring provided with packing material constitutes the
means for closing the valve or outlet said regulating valve allowing any excess of
pressure from the gases and steam generated in the vessels in the sterilisation
process and also closing again automatically when such excess of internal pressure
has ceased substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth..
Dated this 23rd day of March 1893.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,.
Agents for the Applicant.