Improvements in Machines for Drying Butter.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 26th June. 1896-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Drying Butter.
I THOMAS BRADFORD of The Crescent Iron Works, Salford in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My improvements relate to that description of centrifugal machine by which the
buttermilk, after churning cream, is extracted or expressed from the butter
granules, also the water after washing or rinsing the butter granules, and all
superfluous moisture after brining preparatory to making up the butter for
market.
The new drying machine to which my several improvements are applied consists
of a suitable frame-work to form a base for the machine, in the centre of which
I mount a vertical shaft for the purpose hereafter described, and by means of a
horizontal shaft and bevel wheels I connect the same with a plate or fly wheel
toothed inside instead of outside its periphery and inside of which I gear a small
pinion wheel upon a stud attached to the framework.
I now place upon this framework what I will call an outer cylinder open at the
top and also at the bottom but provided with a horizontal diaphragm through which
passes the vertical shaft above named.
I fix upon the vertical shaft a cylindrical cage constructed with a wall of
perforated metal, or of wire network; and inside and at the upper rim of this
cage (which is open at the top) I attach in a novel and very siniple but efficient
manner a canvas (linen) bag, which forms a lining to the before mentioned metal
cage.
To fix this linen bag in the cage I provide the mouth of the bag with a suitable
spring ring which springs into and fits the upper rim of the cage, resting upon pins
or projections inside the said rim.
Into this canvas bag or lining the butter granules are placed and preferably
evenly distributed all around the bottom of the bag.
Before applying the required centrifugal motion to the cage with the canvas
lining containing the granulated butter to be operated upon
I now propose to
secure the canvas bag in the metal cage by a new construction of adjustable cover
the effect of which is to connect the cage and the said cover. Around the top rim
of the cage I fix or form preferably in diametrically opposite pairs a series of say
two four six or more inwardly hooked cranked or recessed projections.
The cover consists of two segments fitting over the spring ring at the mouth of
the bag or lining of the cage, these two segments are connected together by
sliding rods or bars and by a central rotatable handle or rod provided with a screw
at one or both ends by turning which the segments can be brought nearer together
or moved apart.
The segments can thus be readily inserted and fixed beneath the cranked or
recessed projections on the rim of the cage or disengaged therefrom by turning the
central screwed rod or handle, the result being almost instantaneous and the security
afforded when running at the high speed required for expressing the moisture from
the butter absolutely certain.
The above means for attaching and for securing the linen bag or lining in the
cage are important parts of my invention.

page_text: A further important improvement consists in the adaptation of a vessel, for the
purpose of containing cold water, to be fixed upon or conveniently to the dryer
so that when the latter is in operation, I may be able by means of a pipe secured
to the water vessel and a suitably sized bib-cock at the other end of the pipe, to
turn on a certain supply of cold water at a given time during the treatment of the
butter granules in the centrifugal machine. The water so turned on falls upon
the centre of the drying cage (which is raised in conical form), and is by centri-
fugal force dispersed as a fine-but forcible spray (according to the speed) upon the
butter granules, which after a certain length by the centrifugal action of the
rotation of the cage, become walled up against the interior of the side of the drying
cage, and are therefore more perfectly exposed to the cleansing effect of the
centrifugal water spray directed upon it, and thereby the butter granules are
perfectly cleansed.
The flow of water from the water vessel is then stopped by turning off the cock,
and the rotation of the drying cage and its centrifugal action are continued until
the butter granules are sufficiently dry for removal and disposal.
The water vessel above described is preferably so mounted that it (or the pipe
and bib-cock) can be turned aside from the cage, or brought over the same as
required.
A further improvement, which I propose to make consists in shoeing the feet
upon which the machine rests with specially moulded vulcanized india rubber,
thereby enabling the machine to be worked upon a table without the necessity for
clamping it down or bolting it to such table, the vibration resulting from the
requisite high speed having rendered this hitherto necessary and attended with
inconvenience in a small dairy.
Dated this 25th day of September 1895.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Machines for Drying Butter.
1, THOMAS BRADFORD, of The Crescent Iron Works, Salford, in the County
of Lancaster, 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 an improved centrifugal machine adapted for extracting
or expressing butter-milk, water or brine from butter granules after being churned
and preparatory to being made up into butter for use.
On the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1, represents a sectional elevation of the improved machine, and
Fig. 2, represents a partial sectional elevation through A-B, Fig. 1.
The machine is constructed with a carrying frame a, which is screwed or other-
wise suitably secured to a sole-plateb, and is formed with bearings a', a³, adapted
to support a horizontal shaft c, and a vertical shaft d. These shafts are connected
by bevel gearing c³, d', and are driven from an internally toothed hand-wheel e,
(which is loosely mounted on a stud el, secured in bearings a³, rising from the
frame a,) by a pinion c, which has a clutch action with a boss c³, pinned to the
shaft c, so as to rotate the shaft only when turned in a forward direction, and to
allow the shaft, when set in motion, to continue rotating independently of the
hand-wheel. The motion of the shaft can, however, at any time, be arrested by a
brake-pulley c³, pinned thereto, and a brake-strap f, one end of which is fastened
to the frame a, at a', and the other end of which is connected to an arm f¹, of a
lever, pivotted at f³, to a bearing f*, depending from the frame a.

page_text: The shaft d, rests on an adjustable footstep d', and its upper part works in a
stuffing box at, rising from the frame a, and is formed with a conical spigot end dª,.
which is adapted to carry a rotatable drying cage g, which works within a stationary
cylinder or casing h.
The casing, is open-ended at both top and bottom, and rests on ledges aº, on
the frame legs, and is formed with a diaphragm ', which lies above the frame a,.
and with a central flanged aperture 2, to accommodate the stuffing box a', and
shaft d. The casing serves to receive the butter-milk, water, or other liquid
matter exuded from the butter granules under treatment, which is deflected therein
by a bottom balk or partition h³, (extending from the flange h', to the casing h,).
into a shoot 4, which delivers the same into any convenient receptacle.
The case g, is formed with a bottom plate 9', and top rim g³, connected by a
cylindrical wall g, of perforated sheet metal or wire network or the like, and with
a conical socket 9, by which it is removably applied to the spigot end d³, of the
shaft d.
The cage is fitted with a removable lining i, of canvas or the like, serving to.
contain the butter granules while being treated, and which is fitted with a spring-
ring, adapted to be sprung into the cage-rim g³.
The casing h, is adapted to carry a rod or tube h, serving to pivotally support
a water vessel j, fitted with an outlet pipe, and bib-cock j..
The drying operation of the apparatus is effected upon the cage g, being rapidly
rotated by the hand-wheel e, which causes the butter granules to fly to the inner
periphery of the cage lining i, and the butter-milk, water or brine to exude through
the perforations of the cage.
During the operation, if it be desired to wash the butter granules, a supply of
water can be turned on, for a time, from the vessel j, onto the raised centre of the
cage, by which the water will be centrifugally dispersed in a fine spray against the
surrounding wall of butter granules, the rotation of the cage being subsequently
continued, after turning off the water, until the butter granules are sufficiently dry
for removal and use.
k, are pipes for conveying lubricating oil to the various bearings.
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 improved butter drying machine herein before described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
2. In combination, a butter drying machine of the character aforesaid, and a
superposed water container adapted to supply water to the centre of the rotating
cage for washing the butter granules.
Dated this 11th day of June 1806
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.