Improvements in Centrifugal Cream Separators.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 20th Feb.,
1897
Improvements in Centrifugal Cream Separators.
I, OSCAR ANDERSON, 38 Monmouth Street, in the City of Newark, and State
of New Jersey, United States of America, Mechanic, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to secure a more simple construction whereby the
parts subjected to the fluid may be cleansed with increased convenience and ease,
and at the same time to provide a device having greater efficiency, so that the blue
milk issuing from the bowl after the separating process will be more completely
devoid of cream.
The invention consists in the improved centrifugal creamer, and in the arrange-
ments and combinations of parts thereof, all substantially as will be hereinafter set
forth and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures,
Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the rotary creaming bowl and its contents;
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the same, taken at line.x;
Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken at line y, Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the feed tube and partitions extending outward
therefrom, said parts being joined or united, and adapted to be removed from the
bowl together, and
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a cylindrical partition arranged outside of
and around the said feed tube and partitions, and held in place thereby;
Figure 6 is a sectional detail showing a modification in the construction of the
said cylindrical partition, and
Figures 7 and 8 are plans or face views, showing the tin or sheet metal plate
from which the last said partition is formed, after being stamped-and before being
turned into cylindrical form, and also showing modifications in the shape of the
die impressions.
In said drawings, a, indicates an ordinary bowl having the vertical and rotary
shaft b, and a cover c, each being formed and arranged in any manner common in
centrifugal creamers. The said cover, c, is provided with a central opening d,
through which the new milk is supplied to the bowl and at one side of said
opening, with a cream exit, duct or passage e, and with a blue milk passage, exit,
or duct f, all of which may be arranged in any manner common in the art.
The said bowl; a, and the shaft b, upon which it is seated may be arranged in
connection with a suitable motive mechanism (not shown), also in any manner
desired. Within said bowl is arranged; at the centre, a vertical supply tube, g,
which extends downward from the opening d, to the bottom of the bowl, where the
said tube is notched, as at g; Figures and 4, to allow an outflow of the milk to the
creaming chamber. At the said bottom of the bowl, the said feed tube is provided
with a horizontal partition or flange: h, which is raised a little above the bottom
surfaces of the bowl, as shown in Figure 1, to form a vertically narrow outflow or
distributing passage, i, for the milk. On the under side, the said flange is provided
with supporting projections or ribs, which serve to keep the flange in proper
relation to the bottom and, also, as wings to impart rotary motion to the milk as it
flows through the said distributing passage or chamber.

page_text: Said flange, h, is also provided, at points about midway between the centre and
periphery thereof, with a series of openings k, leading upward to the creaming or
separating chamber above the said flange. Said flange extends outward to, or very
near to, the interior vertical walls of the bowl, engaging the same at suitable
points so as to hold the said flange rigidly and against lateral displacement, and the
lower end of the creaming tube in fixed position.
The said flange is also notched as at 1, in Figure 4, to engage a guide
projection m', Figure 3, on the interior of the bowl. This projection, m¹, serves to
bring the separating partition always to the one position of balance and adjustment
when being assembled as will be understood.
Above the said flange, the said tube is preferably provided with a series of
horizontal or outwardly extending partitions m, m, m, which are rigidly secured to
said tube and removable from the bowl therewith. To give stiffness and strength
to these partitions, and also to impart rotary motion to the fluid, I provide between
said partitions m, m, vertical bracing wings n, which extend vertically from one
partition to another, so as to hold said partition in place when being cleaned or
otherwise handled, and also extend from the tube outward near to the peripheries
of the said horizontal partitions. These parts are all soldered, or otherwise joined,
together so that the frame comprising the tube and partitions will be very strong
to resist the usual wear and tear to which it is subjected both in the creaming and
in the cleansing operations, when said frame is removed from the bowl.
The said wings n, are stationed at opposite sides of the feed tube, one wing being
in line or approximately in line, with another opposite wing, so as to form spaces
between the horizontal partitions and on opposite sides of the said flange, which
will be open and free to admit of an easy and quick brushing of the frame in the
cleansing operation, allowing the work to be performed with greater facility and
thoroughness. While I prefer to form the partitions m, m, in horizontal lines, I
may vary the same therefrom to a greater or less degree without departing from
the invention.
Around said frame and seated on the flange, 1, is a cylindrical partition o; this
consists of a single sheet of stamped metal, the stamped surfaces presenting to the
fluid a large collection of funnel shaped or flaring recesses o', and protuberances o¹¹,
the small ends of which lie toward and from the centre of the bowl, as in
Figures 2, 5 and 6.
Where the protuberances o", extend outward as in Figs. 2 and 5, the conical
funnel shaped impressions in the sheet metal are perforated near the apices to form
blue milk passages, the perforations being preferably at one side of each apex so
as to prevent the said openings from being covered and closed when in contact
with the walls of the bowl, and also, to prevent the same from being closed by dirt
or other extraneous matter in the fluid.
The said partition, o, is also provided with cream passages at the crests of the
inward projections, which are somewhat smaller than the blue milk passages, so as
to concentrate the cream particles and maintain a full flowage through said
passages, and thus, prevent the blue milk from passing outward therethrough and
causing a commingling of cream and blue milk rather than a separation as desired.
The apices of the outward projections of the cylinder provide bearings directly
upon the walls of the bowl, and the partition is materially relieved of strain and
cannot be torn asunder by centrifugal force and broken or otherwise impaired in
its usefulness.
Between said cylinder and the frame are free passages for the blue milk due to
the irregularity of the interior surface of said cylinder, and as the blue milk moves
upward through said passages, it is forced in part to the outside of the partition o,
the
part more rich in cream remaining on the inside and the poorer blue milk
passing to the outside and coming into contact with the large accumulating surfaces
presented by the irregular partition. The protuberances, o", in the preferred
construction, form passages which extend all around the same as will be understood
upon reference to Figures 2 and 5, so that the blue milk will be allowed both

page_text: vertical and a horizontal movement in relation to the partition o, the blue milk
having a free circulation as it gradually moves upward, and thus all said blue milk
has a full and complete opportunity of engaging the surface and depositing any
cream it may be carrying. By having the cream passages of the partition o, quite
close together, the cream cannot accumulate unduly and become churned, but is
immediately fed to the cream walls.
The partition o, is preferably of a single sheet of metal simply turned into
cylindrical form and firmly joined at the edges.
It is thus of very cheap construction, is open at opposite ends, so as to allow a
free and easy brushing in the cleansing; operation, and, as it bears directly at a
multiplicity of points directly upon the wall of the bowl, there is no danger of its
being broken asunder by centrifugal force.
The chamber formed between the laterally extending partitions, m, attached to
the milk supply tube g, are closed from any direct communication with the interior
of the milk supply tube, so that the milk in passing through said tube cannot be
thrown outwardly, through perforations or lateral openings through said tube
against the cream lying in the cream wall, whereby. the said cream would be
disturbed and again mixed with the blue milk, but said cream after it has once
attained the wall in the bowl has an uninterrupted flow through openings in the
partitions m, at or near the tube y, from one chamber to the next and finally out
from the bowl.
In operating the device, the new. milk is fed downward through the tube 9, and
passes out through the passages gl, into the passages i, beneath the flange h, here
it is distributed by the perforations k, and flows upward through the last named
passages into the lowest of the horizontal chambers formed by the partitions.
Here, the upward movement of the fluid is retarded for a time, because of the
largeness of the passages, and the larger cream particles are given a full opportunity
to pass to the cream wall, indicated by the dotted outlines, in Figures 1 and 3,
before being forced out near the periphery of the bowl where the centrifugal force
is the greater. The remaining fluid is directed upward and is brought into contact
with the first horizontal partitions, m, and the outside vertical cylinder o.
Some of the milk will enter into the next chamber in the series and again be
retarded in its speed until another portion of the cream particles are given an
opportunity to pass to the creaming wall, but the less rich fluid will flow through
the blue milk passages of the cylinder o, and will be frequently brought into
contact with the surfaces of the said cylinder, when the smaller particles of cream
and those that are difficult of separation will be deposited and combined with
others forming a mass which will be easily operated upon by centrifugal
force.
The large surfaces formed by the numerous conical or flaring impressions
presented to the fluid where it is largely devoid of cream, tends to fully strain out
and unite the small particles remaining, so that they are brought together, and are
more easily acted upon by centrifugal force, and separated.
The frequency of contact of the upwardly flowing liquid with the inclined
surfaces, taken in connection with the facilities allowed for the conjoined small
cream particles to pass to the cream wall is peculiarly efficient in securing a high
separation of the cream from its vehicularly fluid. This operation is repeated from
chamber to chamber as the blue milk flows upward, so that it is almost wholly
divested of cream at the point of final issuance.
The construction also secures greater uniformity in the quality of the cream,
preventing the large cream globules from being broken and thus giving to the cream
an oily or buttery appearance objectionable in the market. The cylinder, being
of simple construction and easy, at every point on its surface, of access by a brush
or cloth, is very convenient for cleansing and as it bears at a multiplicity
of points on the wall of the bowl, it is very firm and durable under centrifugal
force.
The cylinder o, may be employed to advantage with any other interior devices,

page_text: and various other changes may be employed without departing from the spirit or
scope of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The combination with a rotary bowl and means for rotating the same, of a
milk supply tube arranged at the centre of the bowl and imperforate to deliver all
the milk at the bottom there of, a series of horizontal or outwardly extending
partitions arranged within the bowl and fixed to said milk supply tube and removable
therewith and the perforated and irregular cylindrical partition arranged outside
of said horizontal partitions, all substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with the rotary bowl having openings therein for the new
milk, cream and blue milk, and means for rotating said bowl, of a series of partitions
arranged within said bowl and forming a vertical series of chambers at or near the
centre of the bowl, and a vertical partition arranged outside of and around said
chambers within said bowl, the last partition having irregular surfaces and provided
with openings for the cream and blue milk at points in its vertical length closely
adjacent to the edges of the first said partitions, all substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with the rotary bowl having ducts for the blue milk, cream
and new milk, and means for rotating said bowl, of a central feed tube, imperforate
to deliver all the milk at one end of the bowl, partitions m, n, extending outward
from said feed tube and a cylindrical partition arranged around said partitions, m,
and provided with blue milk and cream passages, substantially as set forth.
4. In a centrifugal creamer, the combination with the bowl a, and means for
rotating the same, of a cylindrical partition, comprising a plate having protuberances
and opposite corresponding recesses, the protuberances bearing directly upon the
bowl and holding the cylinder in place, said protuberances being perforated near
their apices and bases to allow of the flow of blue milk and cream therethrough,
and leaving blue milk passages entirely therearound to allow both a vertical and
horizontal How, substantially as set forth.
5. In a centrifugal creamer, the combination with the bowl and means for
operating the same, of a cylinder open at its opposite ends and having protuberances
entirely surrounded by passages for the fluid, to allow a free horizontal and vertical
flow, each protuberance being perforated near its point of farthest outward projection
and the cylinder being also perforated at the base of its protuberances, substantially
as set forth.
6. In a centrifugal creamer, the combination with the bowl, and means for
operating the same, of a sheet metal cylinder with protuberances which do not
extend continuously around the periphery of the bowl, said protuberances being
stamped or pressed in said cylinder to give the same irregularity of shape, the
protuberances leaving passages for the fluid entirely around the same and having
perforations near their apices and bases, substantially as set forth.
7. In a centrifugal creamer, the combination with the bowl and means for
operating the same, of a sheet metal cylinder with discontinuous peripheral
protuberances on the outside and corresponding recesses on the inside, the
protuberances being entirely surrounded with fluid passages admitting both a
horizontal movement of the fluid and a vertical flow as it gradually passes to its
exit, said cylinder having perforations for the cream and blue milk, all substantially
as set forth.
8. In a centrifugal creamer, the combination with a rotary bowl and means for
operating the same, of a perforated partition comprising a piece of impressed sheet
metal, turned into a cylindrical form, the impressions due to the stamping, forming
peripherally discontinuous perforated protuberances on one side of the cylinder and
recesses at the other side, the protuberances admitting a vertical flow of fluid
between, substantially as set forth.
9. In a centrifugal creamer, the combination with the bowl and means for

page_text: operating the same, of a sheet metal cylinder with protuberances and perforations,
and a frame having partitions forming a vertical series of chambers, the outer edges
of the said partition extending out to the inner side of the cylinder at the bases of
the protuberances and ducts whereby the bowl may be supplied with milk at one
end and the cream and blue milk may be separately emitted at the other,
substantially as set forth.
10. In a centrifugal creamer, the combination with the bowl and means for
operating the same, of a sheet metal cylinder having protuberances and perforations,
and a frame comprising an imperforate milk supply tube having partitions forming
a vertical series of chambers and a flange on which the said cylinder is seated,
substantially as set forth.
11. In a centrifugal liquid separator, the combination with the bowl and means
for operating the same, of the milk supply tube open to receive the milk at one end
of the bowl and to deliver the same at the other, a series of partitions m, fastened
upon said tube and extending laterally therefrom and forming chambers there-
between, said chambers having open communication with one another near said
milk supply tube to allow a flow of cream at the cream wall and direct com-
munication of the said milk tube with said chambers being cut off or closed to
prevent an intermingling of the new milk with the cream of the cream wall,
substantially as set forth.
12. In a centrifugal separator, the combination with the bowl and means for
operating the same, of the new milk supply tube, open to receive the milk at one
end of the bowl, and to deliver the same at the other, a series of partitions fastened
thereto and extending laterally therefrom, forming chambers between which are
open to one another near said tube, to allow a flow of cream at the cream wall,
wings n, arranged between said partitions and extending from one to another
to strengthen said partitions in their relations to one another, substantially as set
forth.
OSCAR ANDERSON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.