Improved Method of and Appliances for Filling Sterilized Liquids into Vessels, and in Closing said Vessels Air-tight.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by GUSTAV HERMANN NEUHAUSS, Councillor,
15, Schellingstrasse, JOHAN FRANZ HUGO GRONWALD, Apothecary,
1, Breaglauerstrasse, and EMIL HEINRICH CONRAD OEHLMANN, Engineer,
7, Glathinerstrasse, all of Berlin, Germany.]
Improved Method of and Appliances for Filling Sterilized Liquids
into Vessels, and in Closing said Vessels Air-tight.
I, HUGH DONALD FITZPATRICK, of 70 Wellington Street, Glasgow,
Registered Patent Agent, 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 keep liquids, liable to be affected or changed by the action of the air,
in a good and sound condition for long periods or for sending abroad, it is
necessary to sterilize the liquids. The liquids, however, are not preserved, unless
the sterilization is effected under an absolute exclusion of atmospheric air, and
unless the vessels, containing the sterilized liquids, after being filled, are kept
perfectly air-tight. The vessels also require to be sterilized, before the liquids are
put in them.
This invention has for its object, by a new and improved method or mode of
procedure, to fill the sterilized liquid, or, if preferred, the liquid may be merely
thickened to a certain degree in a vacuum apparatus, into the vessels, without
allowing it to come in contact with the atmosphere and also, in a simple and
efficient manner, to close or cork said vessels, without the atmospheric air obtaining
access to their interiors.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood, I have
hereunto appended two explanatory sheets of drawings:
On the drawings:-
:-
Figs. 1 to 7. illustrate two ways of carrying out the new method of filling the
vessels.
Figs. 8 to 10 illustrate other ways of carrying out the new method.
Supposing that sterilized milk is to be filled into a bottle, the procedure is as
follows:-
The bottle A (Fig. 1) is connected with the sterilizing-vessel, or with the
vessel containing the sterilized milk, by an elastic tube, say, for example, a tube of
india-rubber B. The india-rubber tube B has no lining, but it is surrounded by a
second strong outer tube or covering b, so that it can withstand the pressure of
fluid, when the bottle A is being filled, without bursting. The soft elastic tube B
is drawn over the mouth of the bottle A, and secured air-tight thereon, by tying
with string 6', or in other suitable manner. When this is done the bottle and the
tube is sterilized in the usual way. It will be found advantageous, when doing
this, to turn the bottle upside down, in order to drive out any contained air. The
sterilized milk is now filled into the bottle. When the bottle is entirely filled or
filled to any desired height, the filling tube B is, without loosening its connection
to the bottle, drawn or pulled to one side and in such manner that the upper side
or part of the tube, when stretched, will lie close over and cover up the mouth of
the bottle. The tube should be so pulled that the part, covering the mouth of the
bottle, will present a flat and even surface without wrinkles (see Fig. 2).
When this is done a suitable stopper is placed on the flat surface of the tube B,
where it covers the mouth of the bottle and is driven into place. The tube B can
now be cut off close to the mouth (see Fig. 3).
As will be noted, during the aforesaid operation of filling and closing the bottle,

page_text: the air-tight connection between the bottle and the sterilizing vessel, was never
broken or altered, the bottle not being disconnected until it had been securely
sealed up. With this method, therefore, it is utterly impossible for the air to gain
access to the sterilized liquid.
If, instead of using an ordinary stopper, as herein before described, a wire or
hoop stopper, such as that shown at k, Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, or a stopper
of a similar construction, is used, the procedure is, of course, not altered. Care
must, however, be taken, that, when putting the stopper on the month of the bottle,
the tube B is drawn to the side opposite to that on which the stopper hangs
(sec Fig. 2), otherwise the tube will be in the way.
The tube B, of course, is shortened cach time it is used to fill a bottle, as a
part of it is cut off and remains on the bottle. This is not, however, a serious
drawback. Should the shortening and consequent waste of tubing be objected to,
however, a cover, similar in shape to the tube, as shown at Fig. 2, could be
manufactured. Such a cover is shown at C, Fig. 4. In using the cover C, which
is of elastic material, it is pushed tightly over the mouth of the bottle and tied in
place by the string or wire. The cover or cap C has a small projection or
tube cat one side. The tube or projection c is connected with the sterilizing
apparatus, by the connecting tube D. After the tube D, cap and bottle have
been connected with each other and sterilized by driving out the air, the liquid is
filled into the bottle from the sterilizing apparatus. When the bottle is filled,
the stopper is put on the cap C, and closed tightly down, as shown at Fig. 5.
After the stoppering has been effected, the tube D can be disconnected.
When the sterilized liquid, in the bottle A, turns cold, it becomes more deuse
and consequently causes a vacuum in the bottle. This vacuum is not, however,
detrimental to the liquid, so long as the vessel and stopper are absolutely air-tight.
But if the vessel is not perfectly tight, as is often the case when metal vessels are
used, as soon as the vacuum forms, the air finds its way through any crevices and
fills up the vacuum. As a result of this inlet of air, the contents are soon spoiled,
in spite of the most careful sterilization and stoppering.
The danger, from this source, may be overcome by using the elastic filling tube
in the following manner :-
Instead of using a stopper, the tube B is tightly tied a short distance from the
mouth of the vessel and is then cut off, above the place where it is tied, so as to
form a cap (see Fig. 6). The tube, when tied, can be pushed into the neck of the
bottle. With this arrangement, when the liquid condenses, the elastic tube or
cap is sucked into the interior of the vessel and fills up any vacuum therein.
Should the liquid condense to an exceptional degree, the outer atmosphere presses
on the inverted cap and expands or stretches it so as to fill up the vacuum,
(sec Fig. 7). As the formation of a vacuum within the vessel is, in this manner,
prevented, the metal vessel will be tight enough for all practical purposes, as the
outer atmosphere will not seek to gain access to the interior, the pressure, both
inside and outside the vessel, being equal.
To prevent any air leaking underneath the cap or tube, where tied by the
string, and so gaining access to the interior of the vessel, a stopper, as indicated in
dotted lines, may be inserted in the tube or cap B, (Fig. 7), after the latter has
been put into the neck of the bottle. The stopper presses the tube firmly and
tightly against the interior surface of the neck, and thereby renders the cap or
tube air-tight. With this arrangement, a hole may be bored through the stopper,
to allow air to enter the lower part of the tube, and expand it so as to fill up any
vacuum in the bottle.
The most important feature of the hereinbefore described new procedure, as set
forth, consists in the application of a suitable connection between the sterilizing
apparatus and the vessel to be filled, whereby, during the operation of filling and
stoppering, the atmospheric air is entirely excluded from and does not come in
contact with the sterilized liquid. In the examples, heretofore given, only small
vessels, such as bottles, are described as being filled and in these cases clastic

page_text: tubing is used as the connection. In the case of larger vessels, the application of
an elastic tube is or may be found inconvenient or impossible.
Under these
circumstances, I use a connection, as illustrated at Figs. 8 to 10 of the annexed
drawings.
Fig. 8 shows, by way of example, a tin can A as the vessel to be filled with
sterilized liquid. On the rim A' of the can A, is placed the connecting cylinder B.
A washer dis inserted between the lower rim of the cylinder and the lip or rim A¹
of the can.
B is a screw clamp, (or more than one clamp may be used) for
tightening the cylinder B on top of the washer d, and thereby effecting an air-tight
joint between the meeting edges or rims of the can and the cylinder. Within the
cylinder B, the closing device is fitted. It consists, in this figure, of a stopper E
which is suspended from the vertical bar e, passing out of the cylinder through an
air-tight stuffing-box L. The bar e and stopper E can be moved freely up and
down in the cylinder. As the closing or stoppering device is contained within the
cylinder B, it is excluded from coming in contact with the outer atmosphere.
A branch D on the cylinder is connected, by a tube, with the sterilizing apparatus.
The operation of filling is as follows:-The connecting tube, branch D,
cylinder B and can A are first sterilized, then the liquid, which has been suitably
sterilized, is filled into the can. When the can is filled the bar e is pushed down,
by the handle el, and the stopper E pressed firmly into the neck of the can.
cylinder B is then taken off and the stopper E covered over with molten paraffin
wax. For the purpose of pouring in wax, the mouth of the can may be gutter or
funnel shaped, as at /, Fig. 10. When the paraffin wax solidifies, an air-tight joint
around the stopper is effected, and the contents of the can remain, consequently, in
a sterilized condition, until opened.
The
Instead of using paraffin wax a tightening ring may be inserted between the
stopper and the neck of the can.
The stoppering can, if desired, be effected in a similar way to that illustrated at
Fig. 7.
In this case an elastic bottle-shaped bag F (Fig. 8) is so fitted to the
stopper that, when the latter is lifted up, the liquid can enter the tin, but, when
pressed down, the bag is squeezed between the stopper and the neck of the can, so
as to effectually close the vessel. A hole can be bored lengthwise through the
stopper, so that air can pass through to the bag. As soon as the liquid begins to
condense, the bag expands and fills up any vacuum. The can is thus always kept
filled, and if the liquid be sterilized inilk, there is no danger, when the cans are
transported long distances, of the milk being churned into butter, through its
being shaken about in the can.
As it is somewhat doubtful whether the elastic bag F will remain air-tight for a
long period, it might, to render it air-tight, be filled, through the hole in the
stopper E, with a liquid not liable to change when in contact with the atmosphere.
The stopper E is, in this case, preferably, made hollow, as shown. Should the milk
condense, under a change of temperature, the bag F will expand and the liquid in the
hollow stopper E will sink into the expanded bag F, and will fill it up and, at the
same time, it will prevent air coming in contact with the bag. Should the milk in
the can again expand, the liquid will be, by the compression of the bag F, forced
back again into the hollow stopper E. The hollow stopper E thus forms a store
or reservoir of liquid.
Although a simple form of closing device, viz. a stopper, has been described in
connection with Fig. 8, yet, when the bag F is added to it, the effecting of a
permanent air-tight closure is somewhat difficult.
It is, however, of as great importance to keep the vessel closed permanently
air-tight, as to fill the vessel with sterilized liquid, without the admission of air.
Fig. 9 shows a more simple, yet, at the same time, an effectual means of closing
the vessel. The stopper used in this case is an ordinary bow or wired stopper. In
this view the cylinder B is fastened to the can A by means of brackets or arms g',
fitted on the cylinder, which carry screws G, having hooks at their ends which

page_text: catch on projections or arms g on the can (see right hand side of the figure). The
screws G have tightening nuts G'. By tightening up the screws G, the cylinder
with washer d is jammed tight against the top of the can.
It will be noted in this
figure that the cylinder not only covers the closing device but also the neck and
upper part of the can. This is necessary in all cases where the cylinder cannot be
fitted on the neck.
If the vessel A is a glass or stone one instead of using arms g, straps 92 (sec left
hand side of figure) may be used. The straps pass or may pass underneath the
bottom of the vessel. The hooks of the screws G catch on the bent part of the
strap gas shown. The screws can be tightened up, as before, by the nuts G¹.
The cylinder B has also, in this case, one or more inlet branches D, D'. The
stopper E, which may be of china, has on it a square projection h which is caught
by a fork or jaw on the lower end of the closing bar H. The fork or jaw grips
sufficiently tight on the projection to lift up the stopper when the bar H is raised.
The amount of lift of the bar H is limited by the collar H' in order that the
stoppers may not be drawn up any higher than the length of its wire connection i
will allow. A second press bar I is so fitted in the cylinder 13 than when pressed
down it bears on the wire or bow of the stopper. The bar I passes out through
an air tight stuffing box L'.
Before the cylinder 13 is fitted on the can or bottle the stopper is placed on the
mouth of the vessel. The cylinder is then secured tight on the vessel and the
bar H pressed down until the fork or jaw at its lower end catches the part h of
the stopper. The bar H is now pulled up as high as permitted by the limiting
collar H. When the bar is pulled up the stopper is lifted clear of the inlets D, D'
The several parts can now be sterilized in the usual way and when this is done
the sterilized liquid is filled into the cylinder B and flows from thence into the
vessel A. When the vessel is filled the bar H and stopper is pressed down, and,
at the same time, the inlets D, D' are closed, then the bar I is pressed so as to
force down the wire and thus cause the stopper to be closed firmly into the
mouth of the vessel. The screws G can now be loosened and the cylinder B
removed without disturbing the stopper. The fork on bar H comes off the
projection on the stopper as the latter cannot be lifted being bound down by the
wires.
As will be seen the precise form of stopper used is of no real importance as all
the stoppers depend on auxiliary devices to exclude the air. Any suitable form of
stoppers or valves may be used for closing the vessels.
If desired the cylinder B may be screwed or otherwise fitted directly on the
vessel to be filled as shown at Fig. 10.
It is of great advantage, in practice, to use a cylinder B or its equivalent, as
hereinbefore described, when filling vessels with sterilized liquid, as the operator
can sterilize large quantities of liquid at one operation and then conduct the liquid
into suitable small vessels which he can fill or partially fill as desired.
To produce a thorough sterilization and thus render the liquids unchangable it
is necessary to thoroughly denude them of air.
In the case of some liquids for human use, such as milk, unless the air is
thoroughly excluded from them they give off a very unpleasant odour.
When the sterilizing is done in the vessels which are to be used for transporting
or keeping the milk it is almost impossible to fill the several vessels in approxi
mately, the same manner, and, as a consequence, the production on a large scale
is rendered expensive. It is different however when a cylinder B or its equivalent
is used, as hereinbefore described, as a connection between the sterilizing apparatus
and the vessel to be filled, as all the appliances for excluding the air from the
sterilized milk or the milk to be sterilized or for counteracting the condensation
may be fitted in said cylinder..
The method herein before described is in itself a guarantee that the liquids
will keep sterilized until they are used as only after they have been sterilized

page_text: and eventually condensed in a vacuum apparatus are the liquids filled into the
vessels and sealed up and this filling and sealing is effected without air at any
time being allowed to gain access to the liquids.
For sterilizing milk I prefer the vacuum process as the milk is kept at a
lower temperature than 100° and there is no taste of boiling.
The sterilizing and air-excluding may, if desired, be done in the vessel to be
filled. All that is necessary is to connect the cylinder B with the vacuum
apparatus and then to close the vessel after the air has been withdrawn.
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 :-
1. The method of filling vessels with sterilized liquids consisting in, first, con-
necting the vessel with the sterilizing apparatus by means of a suitable air-tight
connection, then sterilizing the vessel and connection by driving out or exhausting
the air therefrom, subsequently filling in the sterilized liquid and finally closing the
vessel airtight and without allowing any air to gain access to the interior,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In filling vessels with sterilized liquids the application and use of a flexible
or partly flexible tube B (Figs. 1 and 2) or its equivalent for connecting the
vessel to the sterilizing apparatus, said tube being also used for closing the vessel
air-tight, substantially as hereinbefore set forth..
3. The air-tight cap C of india-rubber or other elastic material having a filling
branch or tube c which, when the vessel is being filled is connected to the sterilizing
apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore set forth with reference to Figs. 4 & 5 of
the drawings annexed.
4. An air-tight cylinder or casing, such as B Figs. 8, 9 & 10, which is fitted on
the vessel to be filled, said cylinder or casing containing the closing devices and
being suitably connected with the sterilizing apparatus, substantially as herein before
set forth.
5. The combination with the cylinder or casing B (Figs. 8 and 10) of the
hollow stopper E and bag F, said stopper being closed by means of a bar e
operated from outside the cylinder or casing, substantially as hereinbefore set
forth.
Dated this 14th day of November 1801
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow.