Improvements in Sterilising Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1896
[Communicated from abroad by FRIEDRICH DIERKS and JUSTUS MÖLLMANN,
Engineers, of Osnabrück, in Empire of Germany.]
Improvements in Sterilising Apparatus.
I, SAMUEL SIDNEY BROMHEAD of 97, Newgate Street, London, Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention refers to improvements in sterilising apparatus for milk and other
liquids, vegetables and the like.
Heretofore the closing of the vessels containing the material to be sterlised is
effected after they have been taken out of the hot chamber, whereas in this
improved steriliser this as well as the opening is carried out inside the hot chamber
which for obvious reasons is of the greatest importance.
This is effected by passing through the hot chamber or steaming box one or
more shafts provided with cranks or eccentrics to correspond with the number of
bottles or vessels to be operated on, these shafts are to be worked from outside the
chamber. The stoppers of the bottles may be so arranged that the vessel may be
suspended from the eccentric or crank, so that expansion and contraction will in no
manner be hindered and the eccentrics or cranks are provided with convenient
means to enable the opening and closing of the vessels by a slight turning of the
shaft from outside.
Dated this 17th day of February 1896.
Improvements in Sterilising Apparatus.
I, SAMUEL SIDNEY BROMHEAD of 97, Newgate Street, London, Patent Agent
(communication from abroad) 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:-
In order to sterilize different kinds of liquids especially milk and vegetables it is
necessary to close the bottles or jars, in which the milk or the like is to be
sterilized, in the steam chamber of the sterilizing apparatus, from which,
atmospheric air is excluded, or still better to open and to close them.
Furthermore, it is important to put the bottles or jars which are mostly of glass,
into the sterilizing apparatus in such a manner that the same when becoming warm
will not burst by the unequal expansion in coming in contact with iron or
the like.
The object of the present invention is a sterilizing apparatus in which the bottles
or jars containing milk or other liquids may be opened or closed by one or more
devices to be actuated from the outside of the steam vessel.
In order to avoid the bursting of the bottles the latter are freely suspended by
means of a locking hoop so that the injurious influences are obviated which result,

page_text: upon the material of the bottles coming into contact with iron and the like excepting
the upper part provided with the iron locking hoop which is in contact with the
neck of the bottle.
In the drawing Figs. 1 to 3 represent a heating apparatus of the ordinary kind
for one or more bottle-baskets or stands respectively which may be locked steam-
tight.
The bottle-stand B carries one or more crank shafts C to the cranks of which
are suspended the bottles D or as shown in the drawing are suspended from
hooks or arms d connected with C, for which purpose the hooped part of the known
form of stopper-hoop F is formed in such a manner, that it may be pushed over d
and suspended therefrom. By a corresponding movement of the shaft C to the
right or left the stopper-hoop F is precisely so actuated as if the same were moved
by hand for opening or closing the stopper. Instead of a crank shaft, any other
shaft, sufficiently eccentric in its bearings, may be used. The shaft on the
bottle-stand B is then moved from outside by a shaft having a handwheel E.
A number of such crank shafts may be actuated simultaneously by suitably
arranged wheels and b¹.
The crank shafts C are so arranged that their pivots in horizontal and vertical
direction correspond with those of the parts of the bottle stoppers Fig. 3 so that a
movement of sufficiently heavy bottles, save the accidental change in their position
is prevented. As the bottles are hanging free from the closing hoop a contact of
the body of the bottle with parts of the iron frame or the like of the apparatus and
consequently a bursting of the same by change of temperature is prevented. It is
naturally understood that the locking hoop of wire on the bottle head will not
cause any effect. The weight of the filled bottles of somewhat small size is already
sufficient to keep the same suspended for opening and closing. The free suspended
bottles are completely enclosed by steam from all sides, uniformly warmed and
nothing prevents their expansion.
In order to protect the bottles against accidental sidewards movement so as not
to clash they are suspended in holes of a board, Fig. 3 which are of a considerably
greater diameter than that of the bottles themselves.
Figs. 4 and 5 represent bottle-stoppers of other well known constructions
(Fritzner's locking device), in an open and closed condition.
Fig. 6 is a plan and shows the crank of the shaft C on which lie the arms d which
grip the actuated part of the hoop, of the locking hoop.
By the use of larger bottles as employed above the weight of the filled bottles
is sufficient to actuate the locking mechanism without the bottles deviating from
their perpendicular position. A small movement is of advantage for the sterilizing
process and may be purposely caused, because the contents (milk) becomes agitated
and the gases contained in the liquid are able to escape quickly, also a more intense
warming of the contents of the bottles is secured by the shaking movement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
A sterilizing apparatus with an arrangement for the opening and closing of vessels
from the outside, so characterized that the vessel D with its closing hoop F on a crank
or eccentric shaft C, or suspended from parts d connected with this shaft, is so
arranged that the pivots of the locking hoop will coincide with the axis of the
shaft, and proportinate turning of the shaft C will cause the movement of
the locking hoop for opening or closing, as herein described and set forth.
Dated this 20th day of October 1896
S. S. BROMHEAD.