IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING MILK, BEER, AND FERMENTED AND PERISHABLE LIQUIDS AND IN APPLIANCES THEREFOR 23
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Otto Ernest Pohl of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING MILK, BEER, AND
FERMENTED AND PERISHABLE LIQUIDS AND IN APPLIANCES THEREFOR
23
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Otto Ernest Pohl at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th October 1883.
OTTO ERNEST POHL of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster,
IMPROVEMENTS
IN PRESERVING MILK, BEER, AND FERMENTED AND PERISHABLE LIQUIDS AND IN
APPLIANCES THEREFOR
This invention relates to preventing decomposition or objectionable change of
milk, beer and like liquids, by enclosing such liquids in specially prepared air tight
bottles or receptacles and expelling when necessary the air from the said receptacles
by heating the vessel and liquid
Hitherto it has been the practice in the preservation of milk and perishable
beverages to use any ordinarily clean bottle or receptacle and to close the mouth
thereof by means of a stopper of cork, gutta perchia, or other material of vegetable
origin. In spite of the utmost care such delicate liquids as milk invariably becaune
contaminated within a very short time after being bottled and beer and other
fermented liquids were often found to be unfit for use after comparatively short
periods of preservation. Up to the present time it has been considered that the
decomposition of the liquids has resulted from defective corking or closing of the
bottles or receptacles and gutta percha, india rubber, rosin, wax, and like
substances have been used to cover and seal the corks and mouths and exclude air.
Now I have discovered that the primary cause of the decomposition is not to be
found in any defect in corking or closing but in the want of cleanliness of tho
bottles or receptacles used and in the unsuitability of corks or vegetable matter as
stoppers. In the first place bottles or receptacles however well washed or cleansed
in the ordinary manner contain numerous living organisms which only wait for
suitable conditions to cominence their work of destruction: and secondly, all
substances of vegetable origin such as cork, india rubber, guttapercha, rosin and
the like swarm with living germs and are therefor totally unfit for use where it is

page_text: desired to keep any easily decomposed liquid in usable condition for a reasonable
length of time.
I have further discovered that satisfactory results can only be obtained in the
proservation of liquids such as those hereinbefore mentioned when both the
receptacle and the closing or stopping appliances are free from germ life.
My invention consists First. In preparing the bottles or receptacles by closing or
stopping the mouths or orifices of the same before they are annealed by a mineral
fibre such as asbestos. In this way germs or organisms are prevented from entering
tho said bottles or receptacles.
Second. In filling the bottles or receptacles so prepared with milk or other liquid
with exclusion of air as far as possible.
Third. In closing such filled bottles or receptacles after the said liquid has been
heated or boiled or not, with stoppers of a fibrous mineral material such as asbestos.
A sealing of solid paraffin or other suitable mineral substance capable of being
melted may also be used if desired.
Fourth. In making stoppers for bottles or receptacles of asbestos or like fibre
compressed and consolidated in moulds to the required shape.
Fifth. In making stoppers for bottles or receptacles in which liquid is to be
heated or boiled of asbestos or like fibre consolidated around a glass or rigid tube
drawn out above the stopper to a fine capillary tube which is afterwards closed at
the proper time by means of the blow pipe. The tube above the capillary portion
is expanded into a cup or chalice.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Otto Ernest Pobl in the
Patent Office on the 5th May 1884.
OTTO ERNEST POHL of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PRESERVING MILK, BEER, AND FERMENTED AND PERISHABLE LIQUIDS AND IN
APPLIANCES THEREFOR
"
This invention relates to preventing decomposition or objectionable change of
milk, beer and like liquids, by enclosing such liquids in specially prepared air tight
bottles or receptacles and expelling when necessary the air from the said receptacles
by heating the vessel and liquid.
Hitherto it has been the practice in the preservation of milk and perishable
beverages to use any ordinarily clean bottle or receptacle and to close the mouth
thereof by means of a stopper of cork gutta percha or other material of vegetable
origin. In spite of the utmost caro such delicate liquids as milk invariably
became contaminated within a very short time after being bottled and beer and
other fermented liquids were often found to be unfit for use after comparatively
short periods of preservation. Up to the present time it has been considered that
the decomposition of the liquids has resulted from defective corking or closing of
the bottles or receptacles and gutta percha, india rubber, rosin, wax and like
substances have been used to cover and seal the corks and mouths and exclude air.
Now I have discovered that the primary cause of the decomposition is not to be
found in any defect in corking or closing but in the want of cleanliness of the
bottles or receptacles used and in the unsuitability of corks or vegetable matter as
stoppers. In the first place bottles or receptacles howover well washed or cleansed
in the ordinary manner contain numerous living organisms which only wait for
suitable conditions to commence their work of destruction and secondly all
substances of vegetable origin such as cork india rubber gutta percha rosin and the
like swarm with living germs and are therefore totally unfit for use where it is
desired to keep any easily decomposed liquid in usable condition for a reasonable
length of time.
I havo further discovered that satisfactory results can only be obtained in the
preservation of liquids such as those hereinbefore mentioned when both the
receptacle and the closing or stopping appliances are free from germ life.
My invention consists First. In preparing the bottles or receptacles by closing or
stopping the mouths or orifices of the same before they are annealed by a mineral
fibre such as asbestos. In this way germs or organisms are prevented from entering
the said bottles or receptacles.
Bottles when blown at the glass works are closed with an asbestos stopper
(preferably heated) in the red hot state and then placed in the annealing room.
Any germs getting in by the breath of the blower are burnt and the rarified air
when contracting is supplemented by air from the outside filtered through tho
asbestos stopper from all impurities and life germs. The asbestos stopper which
may be rolled by hand or pressed by machinery is to be porous to a certain extent
to fulfil this purpose. When large bottles are put up in this way it is desirable as
long as it appears worth the trouble to shield the stopper with a cap of metal or
wife fastened down by strings sealed down but the asbestos stopper is firm enough
for all practical purposes.
Second. In filling the bottles or receptacles so prepared with milk or other liquid
with exclusion of air as far as possible.
It is undoubtedly the case that the milk from a healthy animal contains no lifo
germs but that the germs are taken up during the passage through the air and'

page_text: intermediate vessels. I therefore avoid intermediate vessels and milk direct into
the bottles by means of peculiarly shaped funnels. The rim is bent inwards and the
tube contracted in one place so that no milk can run or squirt out and the foam is
prevented from entering the bottle by the narrow place in the tube. In this way
the danger of soiling the milk with atmospheric germs is reduced to a minimum.
I have kept milk fresh without hoating or adding anything whatever to it for
several weeks in this way. For wine beer or other perishable liquids it just as
important to bottle direct from the first receivers into the disinfected vessels or
bottles Heating the glass funnels each time is very important.
Fig 1 is an elevation, and fig 2 a section of a funnel for use under the second
part of my invention. The rim a of the funnel is bent inwards and the tube or
stem b is contracted at c
Third. In closing such filled botttles or receptacles after the said liquid has been
heated or boiled or not with stoppers of a fibrous mineral material such as asbestos.
A sealing of solid paraffin or other suitable mineral substance capable of being
melted may also be used if desired.
Bottles filled in that manner may be treated in two ways-Either by stoppering
forthwith with previously heated asbestos stoppers on withdrawing the funnel or
by heating to boiling point in a bath with the aid of what I call the boiling stopper
described later on. Milk in leaving the animal has a temperature of 37° C. When
a glass jar clothed in wickerwork is used for milking into by funnel that
temperature is only lowered by 2 to 3° C when the demijohn is full. The fluid goes
into the absolutely clean bottle which contains air free from germs. This air it
Bonds out of the bottle by displacement and no air goes into the bottle from outside
the risk of the milk becoming infected by germs from the atmosphere when leaving
the cow is very small unless in hot weather in a very impure air or when the
electricity attending a thunderstorm either produces changes in the cows body or
increases the activity of the germ life of the air.
Fig 3 is a section and fig 4 an elevation of a bottle neck d with stopper of
compressed or consolidated asbestos e and capsule or scaling f
Fourth. In making stoppers for bottles or receptacles of asbestos or like fibre
compressed and consolidated in moulds to the required shape.
Fig 5 is an elevation, fig 6 a plan closed, and fig 7 a plan open of a mould used
under the fourth part of my invention in making stoppers of asbestos or liko
consolidated and compressed fibre. The mould is made in two parts g. h hinged
together at i and provided with semi cylindrical cavities j in which the asbestos or
like fibre is compressed to the desired shape. are semi circular openings through
which a tube may pass into and through the asbestos stopper as setforth under the
fifth part.
Fifth. In making stoppers for bottles or receptacles in which the liquid is to be
heated or boiled of asbestos or like fibre consolidated around a glass or rigid tube
drawn out above the stopper to a fine capillary tube which is afterwards closed at
the proper time by means of the blow pipe. The tube above the capillary portion
is expanded into a cup or chalice.
Fig 8 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation illustrative of a stopper
for a bottle in which the liquid is to be heated. d bottlo neck, e asbestos
stopper, glass tube passing through the stopper and drawn out to a fine capillary
tube at m. The said tube is continued in a series of bends n and ends in a cup or
chalice o.
Having now described the nature of the said invention in such manner that
others will be enabled to carry my improvements into effect I claim :-
First. Closing or stoppering the mouths or orifices of bottles before they are
annealed substantially in the manner and for the purpose setforth.
Second. Filling bottles prepared under the first part with milk or other liquid
substantially as setforth.
Third. Closing bottles or receptacles filled with milk or liquid substantially as
setforth with asbestos or like fibrous stoppers.

page_text: Fourth. Making compressed or consolidated asbestos or like fibrous stoppers in
moulds substantially as setforth.
Fifth. Moulds for making stoppers substantially as herein setforth.
Sixth. Asbestos stoppers consolidated round a glass tube substantially as
setforth.
In Witness Whereof I the said Otto Ernest Pohl have hereunto set my hand and
seal this 23 day of April in the year of Our Lord, one thousand eight hundred
and eighty four.