Improvements in the Manufacture of Butter and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 6th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Butter and in Apparatus
therefor.
I, JOHN HENRY HILL DUNCAN of 39 Coleman Street, in the City of London,
England, Chartered Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention of improvements in the manufacture of butter has for object
inter alia to effect the washing of the butter granules in a more rapid and effectual
manner than has heretofore been usual.
For this purpose the butter granules are placed in a vessel containing water to
which a rapid rotary or circulating movement is imparted, it may be by one or
more rotary discs, so that the butter granules are drawn down and caused to
circulate in the water in such a manner that they each become rapidly and
effectually washed.
This method of circulating the butter granules in water, may advantageously be
employed for uniformly and rapidly brining the butter, for which purpose com:non
salt is added to the water finally employed for washing the butter granules.
The butter may advantageously be made by subjecting cream to the action of
one or more rotary discs that pick up the cream, owing to its viscosity, and throw
it by centrifugal force against a guard or baffle whereby it is subjected to concussive
action, as described in the Specification of another application for Letters Patent
filed by me dated 1st December 1891 Number 20989.
To enable this mode of making butter to be more advantageously carried out
than heretofore, and also to permit of the butter granules being washed in the
manner described in the same vessel as that in which they are formed, I construct
the vessel containing the rotary disc or discs (hereinafter referred to as discs) in
such a manner that the sides thereof extend some distance above the top of the
disca so that it can, for washing the butter, be charged with water to a height
above the discs. The vessel is provided with a removable cover having at its
underside hanging partitions that form with the cover, an inverted trough shape
space or spaces into which the cream is thrown by the centrifugal action of the
discs. The cover or other suitable part of the vessel may be provided with a
glazed opening to permit of the churning operation being readily observed.
The discs, which, as well as the vessel, may advantageously be constructed of
wood, may be mounted upon a spindle that is capable of being withdrawn end-ways
from the vessel to permit of the removal of the discs, suitable material being
provided to pack the spindle where it passes through the sides of the vessel. Or
the vessel may be divided in a horizontal plane passing through the axis of the
spindle, a water tight joint being produced between the two parts by suitable
packing material such as india rubber so arranged as to be compressed when the
two parts are clamped together. In this case the spindle is or may be packed with
suitable material, for example lamp wick, to effect a water tight joint. To enable
the disc or discs to be rotated at different speeds, from time to time, according to
the progress of the churning operation, the disc spindle is arranged to be driven
through suitable gearing. The arrangement is such that the disc or discs can, at
commencement of churning, be driven by hand, and without fear of over-churning,
at a high rate of speed, so that the particles of cream are subjected in succession,
instead of in the mass, to rapid individual concussive action with the result that the
duration of the churning operation is considerably shortened, and a greater quantity
of butter is obtained from a given quantity of cream, and when the discs become
difficult to turn at the high rate of speed, owing to the thickening of the cream, the

page_text: spindle can be driven at a slower speed by applying the crank handle to the spindle
of another toothed wheel, or direct to the disc spindle.
The cover may be provided with means such as a water receptacle provided at
the bottom with water nozzles for supplying streams of water to the cream at the
sides of the disc or discs.
The bottom of the vessel is provided with an outlet for running off water.
When the apparatus is to be driven by a steam or other motor, means are or may
be provided for automatically introducing water to the cream immediately prior to
the coming of the butter. A suitable arrangement for, this purpose comprises a
lever controlling a water supply valve and provided with a float that rises when
the cream increases in bulk, and descends so as to open the valve, when the cream
again decreases in bulk which it does immediately prior to the coming of the butter.
The arrangement is such that the valve is not capable of being opened until the
float has first been raised.
Means may also be provided to enable the direction of rotation of the discs to be
automatically reversed from time to time when driven by mechanical power. An
arrangement for this purpose comprises a clutch arranged to slide on but to turn with
the disc spindle and to engage alternately with each of two driving wheels that rotate
in opposite directions. The movement of the clutch from one wheel to the other
may be effected through a lever or levers operated at the required times by suitable
means such as stops connected with flexible connectors such as cords or chains that
are wound up by the disc spindle.
Dated this 6th day of December 1892
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Butter and in Apparatus
therefor.
1, JOHN HENRY HILL DUNCAN, of 39 Coleman Street, in the City of London,
England, Chartered Accountant, 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 of improvements in the manufacture of butter and in churns or
apparatus therefor, has for object inter alia to effect the washing of butter granules
in a more rapid and effectual manner than has heretofore been usual.
For this purpose the butter granules are placed in a vessel containing water to
which a rapid rotary or circulating movement is imparted, by one or more rotary
vertical discs, so that the butter granules are drawn down and caused to circulate
in the water in such a manner that they each become rapidly and effectually
washed. This method of circulating the butter granules in water may advan-
tageously be employed for uniformly and rapidly brining the butter, for which
purpose common salt is added to the water finally employed for washing the butter
granules.
The butter granules may advantageously be made by subjecting cream to the
action of one or more rotary discs that pick up the cream owing to its viscosity,
and throw it by centrifugal force against a hood, guard or baffle, whereby it is
subjected to concussive action as described in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to me dated 1st December 1891 No. 20989.
To enable this mode of making butter to be more advantageously carried out
than heretofore, and also to permit of the butter granules being washed in the
manner described in the same vessel as that in which they are formed I employ the
improved construction of churn or apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings,
in which
Fig. 1 is a plan of the churn, one half of the cover being removed.

page_text: Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, partly in section.
Fig. 3 shows the churn partly in cross section and partly in end elevation.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of the other end of the churn.
Fig. 5 shows a special form of handle for a purpose hereinafter referred to.
Figs. 1 and 5 are drawn to a larger scale than the other figures.
.
The churn comprises a stationary vessel A within which are mounted two rotary
discs B. The sides of the said vessel are arranged to extend some distance above
the top of the discs so that it can, for washing the butter, be charged with water to
a height above the discs. The said vessel is, in the example shown, formed in two
parts hinged or jointed together at A¹ and connected at A² by a thumb screw that
passes through projections on the two parts. Between the juxtaposed edges of the
two parts is placed suitable packing material such as a cord A³ of india rubber,
arranged in a groove in the lower part, and of such a diameter that when the
two parts are clamped together, it is compressed and forms a water tight joint
between such parts. The vessel A need not however be made in two separate
superimposed parts as shown, provided the disc spindle be arranged to extend
watertight through its sides. Or one end only of the spindle may pass through one
side, the other end being supported in a bearing carried by the inner face of the
opposite side of the vessel. C is the cover of the vessel that serves as a hood or
cover against which the cream is turning; it is made removable, or may be hinged
at one side so that it can be readily turned upward, and has at its underside,
hanging partitions C₁ that form with the cover, an inverted trough shape space
into which the cream is thrown by the centrifugal action of the discs.
The cover,.
(or it may be some other suitable part of the vessel), is or may advantageously be
provided with a glazed opening D to permit of the churning operation being readily
observed, and to indicate the breaking of the butter.
The discs B, which, as well as the vessel, may advantageously be constructed of
wood, are carried by a tubular boss or sleeve B' fixed upon a driving spindle E
that is supported in external brackets F. Suitable packing material G, for
example lamp wick, is wrapped around the spindle so as to pack it where it passes
through the sides of the vessel and form water tight joints at these parts. When
the vessel is not divided, hard wood bearings in the sides of the vessel are sufficient.
To enable the discs to be rotated at different speeds, from time to time, according
to the progress of the churning operation, the spindle E is arranged to be driven
through suitable gearing. In the example shown one of the projecting ends of the
spindle E, which may be squared to receive a crank handle H, has fixed to it a
toothed pinion I that gears with a toothed wheel J fixed to a spindle K. This
spindle is mounted in an external bracket F¹ and is adapted to receive the said
crank handle. The arrangement is such that by applying the crank handle H to
the spindle K, the discs can, at commencement of churning, be driven by han at a
high rate of speed so that the particles of cream will be thrown off by centrifugal
force against the cover C and subjected in succession, instead of in the mass, to
rapid individual concussive action with the result that the duration of the churning
operation will be considerably shortened, and a greater quantity of butter, than
usual, will be obtained from a given quantity of cream, and when the discs become
difficult to turn at the high rate of speed, owing to the thickening of the cream, the
handle H can be transferred direct to the disc spindle E, or to that of another
toothed wheel, for instance a toothed wheel J, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,
having fewer teeth than J but also gearing with the pinion I.
In order to obtain the maximum yield of butter from a given quantity of cream,
it is advantageous to reverse the direction of the disc B frequently during the
churning operation.
In some cases the special handle H' shown in Fig. 5 may be employed. This
handle has two apertures H2 and H3 by either of which it can be secured on the
spindles E or K the handle being so formed that the parts on each side of H³
practically balance one another.
By securing the handle at H³ a leverage is obtained nearly double that obtained

page_text: when it is secured at H³, the former position being suitable for use after the cream
has thickened, and the latter for use when turning lightly and rapidly at starting
and when washing, the lever then having the advantage of being counterweighted.
The bottom of the vessel, which is made semi-circular in side view as shown, is
provided with one or more outlets M for running off water. These outlets are each
normally closed by a suitable closing device such as a plug N. When the butter
granules have been formed in the manner described, the butter milk is run off
through the outlets M and these outlets then closed after which the remaining
butter granules are washed by charging the vessel with water to a height above the
discs and again rotating such discs in such a manner that a rapid rotary or
circulating movement is imparted to the water and the butter granules caused to be
drawn down and circulated therein so as to be thereby washed.
.
This washing operation is repeated until the butter granules are properly
washed. When the temperature of the cream and water used are below say 58° F.,
the vessel need not be charged with water for washing to a level higher than about
one inch below the bottom edges of the hanging partitions C₁ of the hood or
cover C, which is then replaced and the handle turned rapidly in each direction
alternately. If it be desired to brine or salt the butter granules, common salt is
added to the water finally employed for washing them.
Although I prefer to use one or more plain discs as shown, the disc, or each disc,
may be formed with transverse holes or openings, provided its outer periphery be
left plain, and of annular form.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The herein described method of washing, (and it may be brining or salting)
butter granules, which consists in placing the said butter granules in water to
which a rapid rotary or circulating movement is imparted by one or more rotary
vertical discs so as to cause the butter granules to be drawn down and circulated in
the water, salt being added to the water finally used for washing when the butter
granules are to be brined or salted, as set forth.
2. A churn or apparatus for making butter, comprising a stationary vessel A
fitted with a removable hood, cover or guard and with one or more rotary vertical
discs B, and having its sides extending to some distance above the top of the said
disc or discs, the arrangement being such that after butter granules have been
formed in the said vessel in the manner described, by the rotation of the disc or
discs, the vessel can be charged with water for the purpose of washing, and it may
be brining, the said butter granules by rotating the disc or discs in the water,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. A churn or apparatus of the kind herein referred to provided with speed
gearing comprising a toothed pinion fixed to the disc spindle and in gear with one
or more toothed wheels of larger size, the arrangement being such that the said
disc spindle can be driven at a high rate of speed at the commencement of churning,
and at a slower speed when the butter has commenced to form substantially as
described.
4. My improved churn or apparatus for making butter, constructed arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shewn in
Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawings annexed, or modified by the substitution for
the crank handle H of a lever H' (Fig. 5) with openings H² and H³ near its centre
and end respectively, whether the vessel A be made in two separable superimposed
parts as shewn, or as one part only as set forth.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.