IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESERVATION OF MILK AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Eduard Scherff at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd June 1882.
EDUARD SCHERFF of the town of Wendisch Buchholz in the Kingdom of Prussia
and German Empire. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESERVATION OF MILK AND IN
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.
My invention relates to improvements in the preservation of milk and in
apparatus to be employed in connection therewith and is carried into effect in the
following manner :
Suitable bottles or other receptacles are filled with cold fresh milk and then
corked and the said cork cut sharp off level with the mouth of the bottle. I now
lay a filtering disc of close fabric saturated previously with a mixture of oil and
paraffine over the mouth of the bottle and the cork, and above this said filtering
dise another disc of cork or other suitable elastic material, which said discs of fabric
and cork are of sufficient size to cover the mouth of the bottle. By means of a
suitable device or devices, which is or are either attached to the neck of the bottle
itself or to a frame or carriage serving to carry the said bottles, the aforementioned
discs are pressed loosely on to the mouth of the bottle.
The bottles so prepared are placed in a suitable apparatus and the contents of
the apparatus subjected to air and steam pressure from 1 to 4 atmospheres and at
a suitable temperature. After a short time the pressure is reduced without
lowering the temperature.
If water pressure is employed the entire water is let off from the serpentine and
steam admitted in place of the same.
In consequence of this process and the pressure in the bottles milk and the vapor
are forced out of the bottles, through the pores in the cork thus entirely disinfecting
the said cork and destroying all spores or germs in the cork.
The bottles are now removed from the apparatus and the filtering and cork discs
pressed firmly on to the mouth of the bottles and the said bottles filled with milk
placed aside to cool. All air entering the bottle during the cooling down of the
milk must pass through the cork and also through the filtering disc and is thus.
entirely filtered or freed from all spores or germs and all matter likely to injuriously
affect the milk.
,

page_text: After the milk has been entirely cooled down, the cork and filtering discs with
the spores or germs contained in the same are removed so that the cork is out of
all connection with the spores in the same.
In order to prevent the atmospheric air from exercising any injurious effect on
the cork in the bottle, the mouth of the said bottle and the cork are provided with
a coating of paraffine or other appropriate material. Or in such case where a whole
row of bottles are freed from the discs at one time air could be prevented from
coming in contact with the cork by rolling over the same, a roller provided with a
water-proof mixture, such for instance as the Heyer's waterproofing composition.
The contents of the bottle are in this manner fully protected against atmospheric
influence and the air in the interior of the bottle and also the corks are prevented
from exercising any deleterious effect on the milk, so that this is perfectly preserved
and remains good and pure for an indefinitely long period; as experiments have
proved for many years.
The apparatus for heating the bottles and the milk contained in the same
consists of a large wrought iron or other suitable boiler which is provided at one
end with a removable cover which said cover can be firmly pressed against the end
of the boiler by means of suitably arranged screws so that the receptacle can be
hermetically closed
.
A serpentine tube is laid along the bottom or lower part of the boiler or
receptacle and is by means of other pipes in connection with the steam supply
pipe.
The aforenamed steam supply pipe is connected to the main, leading from the
boiler and can be put out of action by means of a suitable cut off valve.
A pipe or tube is connected to the aforementioned serpentine tube at or near the
middle of the boiler and is provided with a manometer and also with a Küsenberg
apparatus for leading off the water of condensation.
This said pipe is also provided with a small cock which is situate at the lowest
part of the same, in order to be able to let off the water of condensation out of the
serpentine tube when the apparatus is not in use.
The coils of the serpentine tube are held together by means of suitable holders
or clamping devices.
The serpentine tube is employed for attaining air and steam pressure or for
raising the temperature by water pressure; and steam is led into both extremities of
the same by means of the aforementioned connection pipes or tubes.
In order to produce air and steam pressure, so much water is admitted into the
receptacle or boiler, that the said serpentine tube is covered with water. The lower
part of the forward end of the boiler or receptacle is closed by a piece of sheet
metal.
A water guage shews the height of the water in the boiler which said water is
fed into the boiler by means of suitably arranged feed pipes. One of the said feed
pipes being connected with the lower side of the boiler or receptacle, it can also
serve to let off the water from the boiler and therefore it leads out into the open
air or into an appropriate receptacle and is provided with a ccck or valve.
If steam is now fed into the serpentine tube, the water in the boiler is warmed
and as the water of condensation is led off by the Küsenberg apparatus and fresh
steam is constantly fed into the serpentine tube, the water rapidly reaches the
boiling point and steam is generated. The air in the interior of the boiler is also
heated and the desired pressure attained.
In order to attain this pressure by means of water, one of the aforementioned
feed pipes is so arranged that the same is. in connection with the main water pipe
and steam pipe by means of suitably arranged cocks.
In order to attain this pressure the water cock is opened and the boiler filled
with water, after which the said water cock is clo ed and the steam cock opened so
that the steam from the generator presses direct on the water and transfers its
pressure to the same.
As the heat necessary to carry out my process is not contained in the water,

page_text: steam is admitted through the serpentine tube until the same temperature is
attained as described above when air and steam are employed.
In order to remove the pressure from the boiler or receptacle a tube is arranged
at the upper part of the steam chest or dome which said tube is so arranged
that the said tube is in connection with two other tubes in order to attain an
equable reduction in the boiler. The said tube is further provided with a valve
through which the steam escapes into the open air or into ‘a suitable reservoir or
condensing apparatus.
In order to be able to observe the pressure and temperature in the boiler or
receptacle a thermometer and manometer are employed. A device is further
arranged in the steam chest in order to be able to observe the temperature in the
middle or central portion of the filled milk bottles. A thermometer is inserted in
a suitable receptacle filled with water by means of a suitable inlet cock and
attached to the lid of the steam chest. This said receptacle is in connection with
another open receptacle by means of a tube or pipe; both receptacles being provided
with let off cocks. The pressure in the interior of the boiler is transmitted through
the open receptacle or vessel and the connecting pipe or tube to the vessel or
receptacle attached to the lid of the steam chest; the temperature in the boiler is
transferred in like manner as is the case with the bottles to the aforementioned
vessel, so that the temperature registered by the thermometer is almost exactly in
correspondence with the temperature in the bottles.
When the process in the boiler is completed the same is thorougly cooled
down by means of a water pipe or tube, which runs along the upper part of the
boiler and is provided with perforations, so that the water let into this said pipe is
injected in fine spray against the interior surface of the boiler, which said boiler is
in this manner thoroughly cooled so that the boiler becomes filled with cold and
dense air.
In order to facilitate the operation of inserting or removing the bottles from the
boiler or receptacle the side walls of the boiler are provided with rails on which
two trucks or carriages run, which said trucks or carriages are made to take or
carry two or more rows or shelves of bottles. The rails are prolonged outside the
boiler and are supported by a suitable framework; the rails outside the boiler
being connected to the rails in the interior of the boiler by means of plates or laths
the carriages can be easily run into or removed from the boiler or receptacle. The
bottles are carried by suitably arranged frames which said frames are provided
with small laths or strips of wood, hoop iron or other suitable material upon which
the bottles are placed.
The mouth of the bottles or receptacles employed for this process is made, in
the interior, somewhat conical so that the cork can give way when the bottles are
heated in order to prevent the bottles from bursting.
A clamp provided with a screw, on the lower end of which a loose disc is
attached, can be used for pressing the cork and filtering discs on to the bottles.
The screw of the clamp is turned by means of a key and the said clamp possesses
so much spring power that the same can be readily applied to and removed from
the bottle neck.
Other devices may be employed for pressing the discs on to the cork and mouth
of the bottle, which said devices or arrangements may be arranged on the afore-
mentioned bottle carriage or truck. The devices possess the advantage that the
discs can be pressed on to the mouth of the bottles much quicker than is possible
with the ordinary hand clamp which is attached to the bottle.
One of the arrangements which I employ consists of a suitable number of clamps
provided with screws and discs, which said clamps are attached to the bracket of
the aforementioned carriage or truck. The screws to this clamping device are
provided with broad heads in order to enable the same to be easily turned.
order that the bottles may stand directly underneath the compression screws,
suitable recesses lined with felt or other material are provided in the bottom board
or plate upon which the bottles stand.
In

page_text: I employ another arrangement which enables the cork and filtering discs of all
the bottles on one shelf or tier of the carriage to be pressed on at the same
moment, thus saving a great amount of time and labor. In this arrangement the
bottles stand also on a sheet of felt or other suitable material in order to compensate
for any unevenness on the bottom of the said bottles; and in order to steady the
bottles the necks of the same project through borings in a suitable lath or board.
A suitable plate extending the whole length of the truck or carriage is arranged
above the bottles, which said plate is held in raised position by means of springs.
A shaft or axle provided with excentrics is arranged in suitable bearings over the
before mentioned pressure plate; and upon the turning of the said shaft or axle the
excentrics cause the said plate to press down the cork and filtering discs on the
bottles. This said plate is provided with strengthening ribs at those places where
the excentrics act upon it.
The said axle is turned by means of a lever which fits into a socket provided
for the same, so that the lever can be easily removed when the carriage or truck is
introduced into the boiler or apparatus.