AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF TREATING MILK FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BUTTER AND CHEESE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREIN Communied
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Allison, of 41 Southampton Buildings,
Holborn, in the county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for au Invention of "AN
IMPROVED PROCESS OF TREATING MILK FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BUTTER
AND CHEESE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED
THEREIN Communicated to him from abroad by Edwin Radcliffe Powell, of
Burlington, Vermont, in the United States of America, Manufacturer
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Herbert John Allison at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd April 1883.
HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 41 Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the county
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF TREATING MILK FOR
THE PRODUCTION OF BUTTER AND CHEESE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN
APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREIN Communicated to me from abroad by Edwin
Radcliffe Powell, of Burlington, Vermont, in the United States of America,
Manufacturer.
ม
My invention relates to an improved process of treating milk for the production
of butter and cheese, and for other purposes and in apparatus to be used therein.
The object I have in view is to bring milk to a condition in which, as far as
possible, all of its useful elements are made available for the manufacture of butter
and cheese, and for other uses to which it may be put. To this end I have devised
a novel process of treating milk, which consists essentially in first heating or
raising the temperature of the milk, and subsequently cooling it, at the same time
exhausting the air from the vessel in which it is contained.
The heating, which is the first step, hastens and renders more thorough the
separating of the butter or fatty globules which compose the cream from the body
of the milk, and aids to develop, in the latter to a noticable extent, the saccharine
element, which it is well known it contains. Inasmuch as it is known that some
liquids after boiling or being heated become sweeter, and that this increased
sweetness is attributable to a saccharine element, which more or less latent before,
is developed by the heating operation, it is not improbable that the operation of
Rains 671

page_text: heating the milk and then exhausting the air from above it as soon as this can be
safely done, which last step of course lowers the boiling point of the milk, have
the effect of developing the sugar element of the milk. At any rate, to whatever
cause it may be attributable, the fact is that the milk after this treatment is
decidedly sweeter to the taste than it was before, and is brought to a condition in
which, when it is subsequently made into cheese, its saccharine element is to a
great extent retained in the curd, a very small percentage only passing off with the
whey. And I am thus enabled to obtain from the same amount of milk a greater
quantity and a better quality of cheese than is practicable under any other existing
process of treatment known to me.
Cream has in some cases been raised by subjecting the milk to the vacuum
treatment alone, or in conjunction with the cooling step. But these methods are
ineffective in the respect above noted, and they also fail to bring about thorough
separation of the fatty globules from the body of the milk.
In other cases milk for the same purpose has been first heated and then cooled,
but this process also is ineffective to develop the saccharine element of the milk,
for the milk during the process is under atmospheric pressure, and must therefore,
in order to develop its sweetness, be raised to a temperature so high as to injure
the casein, and the butter making element which of course would be inadmissable..
In my process the temperature should not under any circumstances be raised as
high as the scalding point, and I find that practically it is not necessary to heat the
milk above 120 degrees Fahr., or even lower.
If air be exhausted above the milk while at this temperature the milk will be in
a state of ebullition.
I therefore do not put the vacuum pump in operation until the temperature of
the milk, by the action of the cooling agent which is applied as speedily as possible,
has falled to about 110 degrees. Under these conditions where the operation of
exhausting the air goes on and until the temperature of the milk has been very
considerably reduced, vapor containing animal and other impurities rises from the
milk, and is carried off. The effect of the process is thus to purify the milk also.
It will be noted that I do not wait for the milk to cool before putting the
vacuum pump in action, but that the air is exhausted while the milk is still in
heated condition and it is perhaps to this feature that the development of the sugar
element of the milk is mainly attributable.
To a better understanding of my invention I have deemed it proper to represent
in the drawing accompanying this specification one form of apparatus in which it
can be practiced.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying my invention
complete.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal view of one of the tanks by itself,
Figure 3 is a vertical cross section of the same.
Figure 4 is an end view of the tank.
Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view of the pipes and couplings.
Figure 6 is a detail view, showing the glass and thermometer.
Similar letters indicate like parts.
A, represents a suitable tank of any desired shape, size, construction and strength,
that may be desired or required, and which may be used in either a horizontal or
vertical position, as may be preferred. Through the top of the tank is made a
suitable opening which is closed by the removable cover B, and through which the
milk is introduced into the tank. Through one end of the tank is also made a
suitable man-hole C, of any desired shape, size or construction, that may be
preferred, which is adapted to form an air-tight joint with the end of the cylinder,
so that no air can get into the tank while the vacuum is being formed.
Through the man-hole C, after the churning is done, the butter will be
taken out.
In each one of the tanks is journalled.a hollow revolving dasher D, which will
be made long enough to extend nearly from one end of the tank to the other, and

page_text: which will be made wide enough to extend any desired distance across the tank.
This dasher is journalled air-tight by means of the revolving connecting pipes F,
which pass through the heads of the tank at suitable distance below its centre.
By thus placing the dasher in the bottom of the tank, .it operates more effectively
in cooling the milk from the bottom, and is in position to act upon however small
a quantity of milk that may be placed in the tank.
As will be seen, this hollow dasher consists of pipes or sections which are
connected together at their ends, and which are provided with the flat sides G, so
that while the dasher is being made to revolve, this flat side will strike the cream,
and cause a great concussion, and thus break up a larger number of the fatty
globules than could be done by any other shape.
The pipes F, which are connected to each end of the revolving hollow dasher,
are packed air and water tight, where they pass through the ends of the tank, as
shown in Figure 2, and in the outer end of each of the pipes at both ends of the
tank, is placed a sliding coupling H, which is packed perfectly tight, as shown in
Figure 5.
The hollow dasher and the pipes F, are connected together so as to form
practically one piece, and they are made to revolve in the tank while the coupling H,
remains stationary.
.
In the pipes F, at one end of the tank where the steam, hot or cold water is to
be admitted, are placed suitable cocks I, by means of which the passage of the
steam or water can be controlled at will. The outer ends of the couplings H, at
both ends of the tanks, are connected by means of short flexible tubes J, with the
stationary pipes K, L, through which steam, hot or cold water are introduced into
the dasher and carried off therefrom. In the pipe L, there will be placed a
suitable stop-cock for regulating the flow of the steam or water.
The short rubber couplings J, are interposed between the pipes H, which have
a sliding movement in the outer ends of the pipes F, and the stationary pipes K, so
as to adapt the tanks to be raised upward at one end, by means of a screw, lifting
jack or other suitable mechanism, for the purpose of running all of the butter and
milk in the tank, after the churning is finished, down to that end of the tank which
is provided with a man-hole C, so that the butter can be readily removed therefrom
through the man-hole, and the butter milk run off through the pipe N. When the.
tank is raised upward at one end, the coupling at the end that is lowered, is forced.
inward into the pipe F, while the coupling H, at the end of the tank that is raised
upward, will be drawn far enough out of its pipe F, to allow the tank to be readily
tilted.
i
In order to determine not only the quantity of the milk or cream, or both, that
may be contained in the tank, and also the temperature of the milk, there is
secured, in one end of the tank, a suitable glass O, which will extend a suitable
distance above the centre of the tank. A thermometer O, will be secured inside*
this glass in any suitable manner, as shown in Figure 6, which will indicate the
temperature of the milk or cream in the tank. Upon the side of the glass is a
suitable scale which will indicate the amount of milk or cream in the tank either
in gallons or pounds, as may be desired.
Surrounding the lower portion of each tank is a suitable jacket P, in which
either steam, hot or cold water or compressed air may be passed to assist in raising
the temperature of the milk or in lowering its temperature after it has been raised
to a desired point. This jacket will be especially used for assisting in lowering
the temperature of the milk.
The operation of my invention is as follows: A suitable quantity of fresh milk
is placed in the tank A, and the cover B, and man-hole C, closed. Steam or hot
water is then passed through the hollow revolving dasher D. which may be made
to move with greater or less rapidity by means of a belt which is passed around
the cone-pulley R, which is placed upon the pipe F, at one end of the tank. While
the temperature of the milk is being raised, the belt is shifted upon the cone-pulley,

page_text: so as to revolve the dashers D, very slowly, and thus avoid breaking any of the
larger fatty globules, while the temperature is being raised.
After the temperature of the milk has been raised to about 120 degrees Fahr.
the cover B, and man-hole C, are fastened air tight. The flow of the steam or hot
water through the revolving dashers is then stopped, and cold water or any other
suitable cooling medium is started through the dashers, which are turned so as to
be as near the bottom of the tank as possible, and there remain stationary so that
the cooling effect will first take place at the bottom of the tank. When the
temperature is about 110 degrees Fahr., suitable suction pumps which are connected
to the tanks by means of the flexible tubes U, which are worked so as to cause a
vacuum in each tank.
The cooling of the milk goes on until its temperature is brought down as low
as about 40 degrees or 42 degrees Fahr., and the vacuum pumps are kept in action
so as to maintain the vacuum during the cooling operation which continues for a
number of hours usually from 12 to 15, but dependent of course upon the quantity
of milk under treatment and other conditions.
At the end of this time the cream is thoroughly separated from the milk and the
latter will be found rich and sweet to the taste.
This completes the process and the product can be put to any desired use; for
instance if it be desired to separate the milk from the cream for butter and cheese
making purposes, the cream is left in the tank and the milk is drawn off through
the pipe N, into the cheese vat.
The operator by watching through the glass tube or column O, can readily
determine when the milk has been drawn off, and then stop the outward flow, and
thus prevent the liability of any of the cream being carried off with the milk. By
this means the milk is drawn into the cheese vat, before it has had time to be
acted upon by the atmosphere.
The rennet is then added to the milk in the cheese vat to convert it into curds.
The belt is then shifted upon that part of the cone-pulley R, which will give a
rapid movement to the pipes F, and the hollow dasher D, when the churning of
the cream which was retained in the tank, in which it was raised takes place.
As soon as the dashers are started into operation for the purpose of churning the
cream which has been reduced to a temperature of about 40 degrees or 42 degrees
Fahr, steam or hot water is admitted to the dasher, so that at the same time as the
churning is being done, the temperature of the cream is being raised. As soon as
the temperature reaches the desired point for churning, the steam or hot water is
shut off and the churning alone proceeds.
When the fatty globules of the cream begin to break, cold water is passed
through the revolving dashers D, so as to lower the temperature of the cream to a
suitable point and thus render the butter when formed hard and firm. If the
temperature of the cream was not reduced after it had been raised to the churning
point, the butter when formed, would be soft and undesirable in character.
It will be seen that by means of this hollow revolving dasher, the temperature
of the cream can be controlled at the will of the operator without having to
introduce water, ice, or any impurity which would be detrimental to the milk in
making good cheese.
As soon as the butter begins to form into small lumps, one end of the tank is
slowly raised, so as to gradually carry the butter down towards that end of the
tank which is provided with the man-hole C, from which point the butter is removed
from the tank. The butter milk is then drawn off through the pipe N, into the
cheese vat, and used in the manufacture of cheese. As the cream has been treated
in the tank without being brought unnecessarily in contact with the atmosphere,
the butter milk is not soured or deteriorated in quality in any way, and is
practically as well adapted for making cheese as the milk which was removed from
the tank before the cream was churned.
It will be seen that the cream is raised, the milk prepared for making cheese,

page_text: and the cream churned in the same tank without having to remove the cream to a
churn, and thus an immense amount is saved in labor, time and expense in the
treatment of the milk.
In case it is not desired to churn in the tank A, the temperature will be raised
and lowered by means of a frame of pipes which are placed in the tank, and
connected at their ends by means of flexible tubes with the inlet and exit pipes.
This frame of pipes will then be connected to suitable means by which they may
be raised or lowered or made to revolve, through the milk while the steam, hot or
cold water is passing through them.
Having thus described my invention, I claim :-
1. The described process of treating milk for the manufacture of butter and
cheese or for other purposes which consists in first heating or raising the
temperature of the milk and then cooling the same in vacuo substantially as herein
before set forth.
2. In the treatment of milk for the manufacture of butter and cheese or for other
purposes the method of developing the saccharine properties of the milk which
consists in exhausting the air from the milk containing vessel while the milk
therein is in heated condition, substantially as herein before set forth.
3. The combination of a suitable tank for receiving the cream, a suitable
revolving dasher and pipes connected thereto at both of its ends, sliding couplings
which are connected with the pipes that are attached to the revolving dasher, and
suitablo flexible connections J, for uniting the couplings with the pipes K, L,
substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of a suitable tank in which the milk is placed, a hollow
revolving dasher, which is journalled therein, and connected with flexible pipes to
pipes K, L, whereby the tank is adapted to be raised or tilted at one end so as to
cause the butter to be gathered at the opposite end substantially as described.
5. In an apparatus for the treatment of milk the combination of a tank to receive
the milk, provided with a suitable opening to allow the milk to be poured in, and
the butter to be removed, with a hollow revolving dasher, through which steam,
hot or cold water can be forced, and suitable couplings to connect the dasher with
the supply and exit pipes, the tank being connected to an exhausting medium so as
to form a vacuum over the top of the milk, while the cream is being raised,
substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Allison, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this third day of April, in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.
HERRERT I ALLISON