Improvements in or applicable to Apparatus for Sterilizing Milk and other Fluids.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Apparatus for Sterilizing Milk
and other Fluids.
1, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the firm of G. F. Redfern & Co., The
General Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the Courty of London,
Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me by Gustav Hermann Neuhauss, Gentleman, Johann Franz Hugo
Gronwald, Apothecary, and Emil Heinrich Conrad Oehlmann, Engineer,
all of Berlin in the Empire of Germany) 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 too apparatus for sterilizing milk and other fluids.
Sterilizing apparatus as heretofore constructed for sterilizing milk and other
fluids in considerable quantities and for filling vessels with the fluid for distribution
possess especially in sterilizing milk, the disadvantage that the keeping qualities of
the fluids cannot be relied on for any extended period, since they are not deprived
of gases to a sufficient extent, and that, in filling the vessels in which the fluids are
to be distributed, the milk which enters the vessels is not of the same consistence
throughout, but the milk runs off poor at first and with a disproportionate amount
of fat at the end of the process, because in the nature of things the fat particles tend
towards the upper layers.
It has been found in practice that this initial difficulty can be overcome by
combining with the sterilizer an apparatus for exhausting the gases and mixing the
fluid, from which apparatus the exhausted and uniformly mixed milk is conducted,
with exclusion of atmospheric air, into the vessels in which it is to be distributed.
It is essential to the perfect keeping of the milk, as is seen in practice, that every
particle of air or other gas should be removed from the milk before it is placed in
the vessels in which it is to be distributed, lest later on the milk should go bad as
the result of the action of germs which have retained their power of development
(or of their gases) contained in the bubbles of air or gas.
The exhaustion of the gases from, and the thorough mixture of the sterilized
milk must, as much as the sterilization and filling-off, be conducted under exclusion
of atmospheric air, if the milk is sterilized before being mixed and withdrawn as
appears to be the easiest plan when filling-off sterilizers are made use of.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a filling-off sterilizing apparatus combined with
a gas exhausting and amalgamating apparatus according to this invention, the
section being taken on the line x, x of Figure 2, and
Figure 2 is a section on the line y, y of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section of a three-way cock hereinafter referred to shewing the
position of the said cock during the sterilization of the milk and during the
operations of exhausting the gases and of filling the vessel or vessels in which
the milk is to be distributed.
Figure 4 is a similar view shewing the position of the cock during the introduc-
tion of the milk into the gas exhausting and mixing apparatus.
The filling-off sterilizer A is of ordinary construction and in it annular sterilizing
chambers a are made use of, by means of which the fluid to be sterilized is exposed
in thin layers. B is a measuring vessel; C is the gas exhausting and mixing
apparatus; and D is the vessel for the final reception of the sterilized, exhausted,
and amalgamated milk, and having rigid or yielding sides.
The milk after being measured in the vessel B flows, by reason of this vessel
being placed at a higher level than the sterilizing chambers a, into the latter by

page_text: When the sterilizing
virtue of its own gravity when the cock b is turned on.
chambers have been filled with the required quantity of milk and after turning the
three way cock e into the position shewn in Figure 3, the steam inlets d, d' and d²
are opened. The steam enters the nozzles e, e' through the pipes d, d³; through the
pipe the three-way cock c, and the pipe f, it reaches the gas exhausting and
mixing apparatus C; through the outlet pipe g conducted by the three-way cock h
and the pipe, it enters the vessel D and finally through the tube on the
vent in the supporting bracket, it escapes from the mixing apparatus and the
vessel D respectively. The vessels C and D having been sufficiently sterilized,
the valve m in the inlet pipe d², the cock m¹ interposed in the branch pipe and
also the gas exhausting cock n and the outlet of the vent in the supporting bracket
are closed.
In the meantime however the sterilization of the milk contained in the sterilizing
chambers a has been accomplished and the three way cock c is now placed in the
position shewn in Figure 4; the water of condensation which may be present being
however first allowed to escape through outlet cocks placed at suitable points.
The milk is now conducted through the tube into the gas exhausting and
amalgamating apparatus, the gas exhausting cock n is opened and the stirring
apparatus E set in motion. The turning of the stirring apparatus E for the
purpose of amalgamating the milk and allowing its gases to escape, as well as the
steam, is continued until inodorous steam escapes from the tube k. The conduction
of the sterilized milk from the chambers a into the gas exhausting and amalgamating
apparatus may also be effected by creating a vacuum in the latter by closing the
whole of the cocks. The exhaustion of the air or other gases from the milk will in
When the
this case be effected during the transfer as the result of the vacuum.
transfer to the apparatus C of the milk has been partially or completely effected,
the cock n is opened and the milk further freed from gas and thoroughly
amalgamated by turning the stirring apparatus E.
The amalgamation of and exhaustion of the gases from the milk having been
effected to a sufficient extent, the cock m¹ is closed and the connection between C D
established by placing the three-way cock in proper position, and the milk forced
or allowed to flow off into the vessel D in which it is to be sent away. After the
latter is filled it is of practical advantage to place the vessel D with the connecting
tube directed downwards in a cooler filled with cold water. The direction and
position of the vessel D whilst it is being sterilized and filled with milk may be
chosen at will, but it is advantageous to attach the exhaust opening and support!
to the part of the vessel which is to be directed downward during the sterilization
of the same.
After the sterilization of the vessel D is effected and the exhaust
vent has been closed the vessel can be placed in any desired position and,
according to the position chosen, is filled either by forcing the milk into it or
allowing the latter to flow into it, from the gas exhausting and amalgamating
apparatus C. As the milk is cooled it contracts, and as the connection between C
and D is still open, so much more milk as is required to completely fill the vessel D
in which it is to be sent off, is able to enter.
The cooling of the vessel D in which the milk is to be sent off may be effected
before the transfer is completed or afterwards. The closure of the vessel is
accomplished in the ordinary way, as for instance by the use of a so-called Fritzner's
stopper. During this process however fresh milk will have been admitted into the
sterilizing portion of the apparatus, so that after the transfer of the exhausted and
amalgamated milk, the process of sterilizing the gas exhausting and mixing
apparatus C and of a fresh vessel D can be at once proceeded with, and then the
exhaustion of the gases from and the amalgamation of the fresh portion of sterilized
milk which has been introduced in the meantime may be effected.
A sterilizing apparatus of any desired construction may of course be combined
with the gas exhausting and mixing apparatus, or the gas exhausting and mixing
apparatus may itself be so constructed as to serve for sterilizing, by combining
with it a heating apparatus serving for the sterilizing of the milk contained in it,

page_text: without anything essential to the foregoing invention being changed by such a
modification, the invention consisting essentially in the fact that for the purpose of
securing perfect keeping qualities in the milk and effecting the production of a
product of equal composition throughout, the milk from the sterilizing apparatus is,
before its passage into the vessels in which it is to be sent off, freed from all the air
or other gases contained in it, and at the same time is submitted to a thorough
incorporation for the purpose of effecting an equable distribution of all the particles of
fat contained in it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a sterilizing apparatus for milk and other fluids the application of an
arrangement for exhausting the gases from and rendering homogeneous the milk
operated on, whilst excluding the air, such arrangement being capable of combina-
tion with a sterilizing apparatus A or of itself serving as a sterilizing apparatus by
the addition thereto of a suitable heating arrangement, and the conduction from
which of the milk, freed from gases and rendered homogeneous, is effected without
admission of atmospheric air, for the purpose of effecting, before filling the sterilized
milk into vessels in which it is to be distributed as perfect an exhaustion of its
gases as possible and an energetic amalgamation of the same with a view of
attaining absolutely certain keeping properties and a perfectly homogeneous
product, the vessels in which the milk is to be sent off being before closure
subjected or not to cooling for the purpose of filling them completely substantially
as hereinbefore described.
2. The improved apparatus for sterilizing milk and other fluids hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 22nd day of February 1892.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.