Improvements in Combined Churn and Butter Worker.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1899-Accepted, 2nd June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Combined Churn and Butter Worker.
1, DAVID TOWNSEND SHARPLES, Superintendent, of West Chester, County of
Chester, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, 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:-
My invention relates more especially to that class of machines, adapted parti-
cularly for dairy use, in which either a churning or a kneading action may be
produced, such as are required for churning and butter working respectively;
but it also is applicable to other apparatus requiring similar movement.
In
In this class a rotary drum or vessel is commonly employed. In my improved
machine, illustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawings, I provide
presser blades or vanes pivotally mounted so as to be capable of a rocking move-
ment; and I adapt said vanes to operate not only as churning paddles or
splashers but in addition to serve when desired as butter working devices.
order to effect this latter function I provide in connection with the usual drum
rotating mechanism, an operating mechanism for said pivotally mounted vanes,
so arranged when thrown into action, as to impart a rocking or reciprocating
motion to the latter whereby they are adapted when turned into lowered position
by the rotation of the drum to take hold of and raise the massed butter in front
of them; and thereafter to press the latter by the rocking motion imparted to
them simultaneously with their being carried upward by the continued rotation
of the drum; and finally to release and drop the pressed mass for a repetition of
the operation by a succeeding blade.
Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view indicating the arrangement and action of the
presser vanes and connected mechanism during the butter working operation.
Fig. 3 is a similar end view on a smaller scale indicating the churning arrange-
ment.
Figs. 4 and 5 show modifications of the vane arrangement and of the rocking
mechanism therefor respectively.
A represents a drum or rotary vessel, of an ordinary form having closed
ends a a and a suitable door, not shown. This drum is mounted on a central
shaft or trunnions A¹ in fixed bearings H, and is provided with suitable means
for rotating it.
Within the drum are a series of vanes B, extending lengthwise thereof, each
of which is mounted at its opposite ends on gudgeons B1 B2, one of which, B¹, as
indicated in Figure 1, extends through the drum end a, which serves as a bear-
ing, and is provided on its outer end with crank arm C through which a rocking
working motion may be given to the rane as will be hereafter described.
These vanes have a double function. In the first place they are adapted to serve
as ordinary paddles or dashers in the churning operation, for which service they
are preferably held in substantially fixed position relative to the wall of the drum
so as to obstruct and agitate the cream as usual during the rotation of the drum.

page_text: In the second place they are adapted to serve as pressing devices, as in the opera-
tion of "working" butter, for which purpose there is imparted to them a rocking
motion of their own acting simultaneously with the rotation of the drum; the
latter motion serving to present the butter or other material as the case may be,
to the pressing or squeezing action of the blades which action results from the
rocking motion of the latter relative to the drum itself. I will now describe a
preferred operating mechanism for these vanes.
Adjustably secured to one of the standards H' in which the drum is mounted,
is what I term an eccentric F; this part may however, as shown, be set either
eccentric with the axis of the drum or concentric, being in the construction
shown pivoted to the standard H' at a point and arranged to swing transversely,
a slot and clamping screw 2 permitting it to be locked in either concentric or
eccentric position as desired. This eccentric carries a strap or ring d which is
loosely mounted upon its periphery. To ears d on this ring are pivoted a series
of links, E, the outer ends of which are connected to the crank arms C on the
projecting gudgeons B of the vanes B.
In order to control the movement of the ring or strap D and insure the proper
action of the vanes B, each of which must, during the butter working operation,
be made to assume in succession the different positions relative to the wall of the
drum and the centre of rotation which are required to effect the seizing, pressing,
and releasing action, I provide stops e and e' so arranged as to permit of only
such a limited movement of each link upon its pivotal connection to the ring or
strap as will secure the required swing of the connected vane B during the rota-
tion of the drum, yet will compel the ring or strap to rotate upon the eccentric F
as the drum rotates. These stops, during the churning operation, when the
eccentric is concentrically arranged, as indicated in Figure 3, each occupy sub-
stantially the same position or angle relative to the ring D, contacting with the
latter in front of each pivotal connection d or to the rear of the same according
as the strains are greatest in one direction or the other, but in no case allowing
the vanes to be swung far from the approximately radial position which it is
preferable to maintain during the churning operation. When however the
eccentric is set eccentrically for the butter working operation, as shown in
Figure 2, the position of each stop, relative to the ring or strap, varies at different
points in the circle of rotation each link successively contacting with the ring at
one portion of the circle, as at d (Figure 2), or at a point on the opposite side of
the pivotal connection d, as d², if the strains be reversed as is apt to occur in
the practical operation of the machine.
It will be understood from the above description that when the eccentric is set
concentric with the shaft as indicated in Figure 3 the machine will operate as an
ordinary churn, the vanes B operating as fixed paddles or dashers. After the
churning operation is completed, the butter milk may be drawn off and the
eccentric shifted to the position indicated in Figure 2, for the butter working
operation; during which latter the vanes Beach assume in succession each of
the various positions indicated in said figure, during the continuous rotation of
the drum, thus "working" the butter by pressing it against the wall of the drum
as it is carried upward, and then releasing and dropping it to the bottom of the
drum to be again seized and pressed, the rotation of the drum being merely con-
tinued until it has been sufficiently worked."
By means of my improved pressers, or presser vanes as I have designated them,
I not only provide a combination churn and butter worker of generally advan-
tageous construction and operation, but I also secure an improved effect in the
pressing action upon the butter as distinguished from the grinding action in-
volved in the use of grooved rolls as heretofore provided for in machines of this
class.
While I preferably employ the particular eccentric mechanism described, for
effecting the proper rocking motion of the vanes B simultaneously with the rota-
tion of the drum, and have specially adapted the same to satisfactorily accom-

page_text: means.
plish the particular work required, I do not desire to limit my invention to the
use of this specific mechanism, as the required motions may be effected by different
For instance a fixed cam M may be employed as indicated in Figure 5,
the crank arms C of the blades being provided with rollers which ride in the
irregular track of the cam, which track is so shaped as to impart a rocking
motion to the vanes. Neither is it essential that the butter shall be pressed
between the vanes and the wall of the drum as in the preferred construction
shown. In Figure 4 for instance I have indicated a modified arrangement of the
rocking vanes, in which the latter are arranged to operate in pairs, the butter
being pressed between them instead of against the wall of the drum. Instead
of being continuously rotated in one direction as described the direction of rota-
tion of the vessel may be reversed as desired. I desire to include these and other
modifications which are within the spirit of my 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 the rotary drum or vessel, of pressers mounted
therein and operating mechanism for said pressers whereby the latter are auto-
matically swung into position to successively seize, press and release the butter
or other material contained in the rotating drum.
2- The combination with the rotary drum or vessel, of pressers mounted
therein, operating mechanism engaging the said pressers and adapted to impart
to the same a rocking movement of their own while they are being rotated with
the drum and means for holding said pressers in substantially fixed position rela-
tive to the wall of the rotating drum.
3- The combination with the rotary drum or vessel, of a series of pressers
mounted therein, cranks fixed to the axes thereof, an adjustably fixed eccentric,
links connecting said ring or strap to said cranks and stops to limit the movement
of said links on their pivotal connection to said ring or strap substantially as
set forth.
TY J
1 21.
1 1
1 1
1000
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.