Improvements in Apparatus for Sterilizing Milk, Cream, and other Alimentary Liquids.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd June, 1896-Accepted, 8th Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Sterilizing Milk, Cream, and other
Alimentary Liquids.
We, ARTHUR SAXBY BARHAM, Director of Public Companies, of 28 Museum
Street, Bloomsbury, London W.C., and LOUIS DE WYTTENBACH, Merchant, of
7 Bloomsbury Square, London W.C. 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:-
Our invention relates to apparatus for sterilizing, under a low pressure of steam
and under exclusion of the atmospheric air, milk, cream and other alimentary
liquids in bottles or similar vessels which are provided with a stopper held down
on the neck of the bottle or vessel by a wirelever, or in-vessels with an automatic
closing device.
The object of our improvement is to prevent discolouring of the milk through
overheating by using a movable lid which does not fit steamtight and which is at
the same time used to close the bottles or vessels inside the apparatus.
In the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 is a cross section of an apparatus embodying our invention, and Fig. 2 a
horizontal section of same, one half being taken along line I-II and the other
along line III-IV.
Figures 3 and 4 are a cross section and plan respectively of a vessel which is
used in connection with the same apparatus, for sterilizing milk in bulk.
"A" indicates a chamber of sheet metal, preferably of cylindrical shape which
is provided with a lid "B." This lid is guided partly by the walls of the chamber
and partly by the central spindle "C" but does not fit steamtight. The sterilizing
chamber is divided into two compartments by means of a perforated plate "D
which forms a tray on which the bottles or vessels, containing the liquid to be
sterilized, are placed. The space underneath this tray contains a coil "E," or a
nozzle, as may be desired, through which steam is admitted to the sterilizing chamber.
The perforated plate or tray "D" rests on brackets "F" fixed to the walls of the
chamber.
Near the bottom of the chamber there is attached a tap "G" through which
the condensed and the cooling water can be drawn off. Along the outside of the
chamber is placed a pipe "H" which is connected with the coil or nozzle inside
the chamber. The upper part of this pipe ends in a tee pipe I with two separate
valves "J" and "J1" to admit either steam or water to the sterilizing chamber
through the pipe "H."
The walls of the sterilizing chamber are further provided with a tap "K" placed
above the top of the bottles or vessels, through which tap the air is expelled at the
beginning of the operation and the cooling water drawn off after sterilization.
To the centre of the perforated plate is fixed the vertical spindle "C" by two
nuts "L." Another nut "M" which is adjustable is provided and on it rests a
helical spring "N," strong enough to carry the weight of the lid "B." The
position of the lid "B" for the sterilizing operation is thus fixed by the position
of the nut."M" which is screwed up or down according to the height of the bottles
or vessels containing the liquid.
The bottles are placed on the perforated plate or tray in one or more concentric
rows with the stoppers loosely on the mouths so that their wire levers are all

page_text: brought under the collars "O." These collars "O" thus rest on the wire levers ","
they are connected with guides "P," both made of light material such as tinned
sheet-iron, so that they cannot by their weight force the stoppers into the bottles.
airtight and, consequently, prevent the air, contained in the neck of the bottles,
from escaping..
To impart greater strength and certainty of action to the light collars "O" they
are provided with flanges. The guides "P" are tapered according to the shape of
the bottles "T." These collars with guides are independent of each other for each
row of bottles or vessels and also independent of the lid "B," they can, therefore,
be easily exchanged to suit other sizes or shapes of bottles or vessels.
The purpose of these collars is to transmit any pressure from outside on the
lid "B" on to the wire levers of the closing device of the bottles and to close
them. At the same time they, with their corresponding guides prevent the bottles
or vessels from changeing their position while pressure is put on the wire levers.
If it is preferred to close the wire levers by hand after the sterilizing operation
or, if the milk or other liquid to be sterilized is not heated to the boiling point when
no vacuum would be produced in the neck of the bottles to effect an airtight closing
by the atmospheric pressure from outside, then we remove the collars and guides
and the stoppers are forced into the neck of the bottles or vessels directly by the
lid "B," but, in order to prevent the bottles from breaking under the direct
pressure, layers of any suitable elastic material are placed either underneath the
bottles, or between the stoppers and the lid, or on each side. The bottles or vessels
are thus hermetically closed before the liquid contained therein is cooled down.
The lid "B" is pressed downwards for the purpose of hermetically closing the
bottles or vessels by means of the wing nut "Q" which is screwed down on the
central spindle "C" projecting through the lid. The lid is also provided with an
opening and gland, through which a thermometer "R" is inserted into one of the
bottles or vessels to indicate the temperature of the liquid contained therein.
The same chamber can also be used to sterilize milk or other liquids in bulk or
to forewarm it previous to bottling.
For this purpose, a vessel "S" illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, is used. This
vessel is so divided into several concentric compartments which are connected with
each other that the milk is exposed to the heat in thin layers, securing a more even
temperature for all the liquid.
Steam passes through the spaces between the various compartments and a greater
heating surface is thereby obtained.
The closing device is not necessarily required in connection with the vessel "S."
The operation of sterilizing is as follows:
The bottles containing the milk or other liquid to be sterilized are placed on the
perforated plate or tray "D" in concentric rows, the stoppers put loosely on the
mouth of the bottles with the wire levers placed so that the collars rest on them, if
used at all. The nut "M" is then adjusted according to the height of the bottles
or vessels so that the lid "B" when resting on the spring "N" does not come into
contact with the collars and guides, or otherwise the stoppers. The collars and
guides are then put on the wire levers "t," or, otherwise, the elastic-layers on the
stoppers, after which the spring "N" is placed on the nut "M." The lid "B" is
then put on the spring, the thermometer "R" inserted through the gland, fixed on
the lid, into one of the bottles filled with the liquid and the wing nut "Q" screwed
. down without, however, compressing the helical spring "N."
The apparatus is thus made ready for the sterilizing operation. The steam
valve "Jis then opened and steam admitted through the pipe "H" and the
coil "E," or nozzle, to the sterilizing chamber "A," the taps "G" and "K"
being kept open to expel the atmospheric air and the condensing water. Both taps
are closed when steam begins to escape through the tap "K." The temperature
will gradually rise to 212° Fahrenheit or a little over and will be maintained for a
I certain time by the continued admission of steam. The lid "B" not being
absolutely steamtight it is impossible to raise the temperature higher than a

page_text: little over 212° Fahrenheit and thus to discolour the milk by using too high a
temperature.
If, however, a higher temperature is desired, an elastic ring of suitable material
may be placed at the periphery of the lid and just above it, effecting a more or less
steamtight closing of the sterilizing chamber.
When sufficient time has elapsed to completely sterilize the liquid, the tap "K"
is opened for a moment, causing an immediate release of the steam pressure and, as
a consequence, an ebullition of the liquid contained in the bottles or vessels, whereby
any air, which may still have been contained therein, is expelled. The tap "K"
is closed as soon as the thermometer "R" shows a slight decline of temperature.
Pressure is then applied on the lid "B" by screwing down the wing nut "Q"
until the wirestraps or levers are lowered sufficiently to act automatically by their
spring action and close the bottles hermetically, or otherwise, until the lid through
the elastic layers forces the stoppers into the neck of the bottles.
The lid "B" is then removed and water of a suitable temperature admitted, for
cooling down the sterilized liquid, through the valve "J" which is connected with
a water pipe or a funnel.
While the water rises. in the chamber its temperature is gradually reduced.
When it has reached the necks of the bottles or vessels, the operation is complete
and the cooling water is drawn off through the taps "G" and "K."
If the vessel "S" is used for sterilizing liquids in bulk, the device for closing
bottles is not required, but the lid "B" is held above the top of the vessel by
means of the helical spring "M."
As an alternative, sterilization may be effected in the same apparatus by means
of a water bath. The lower part of the sterilizing chamber is, in this case, filled
with water, and the apparatus put over a gas or other fire. The operation of
sterilizing is exactly the same as above described.
In either case the sterilizing chamber is preferably surrounded by a non conducting
substance to prevent loss of heat by radiation.
We are aware that a variety of sterilizing appliances have been made, by means
of which milk contained in bottles is subjected to the action of steam in a closed
vessel and then the bottles are closed while still in the steam space and we do not,
therefore, claim such an apparatus in general.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
1. In apparatus for sterilizing milk or other liquids in bottles or vessels provided
with a stopper and wire lever arrangement, or in vessels with an automatic closing
device, the combination with a sterilizing chamber, of a movable lid adapted to
close the said chamber and provided with a screw or similar device for acting on
the stoppers of the bottles or vessels inside the chamber while still filled with
steam, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a movable lid, for closing the sterilizing chamber, of
one or more collars and guides, by means of which the pressure exerted on the lid
is transmitted on to the wire levers of the stoppering arrangement of the bottles or
vessels, the said collars & guides being adjustable and removable to suit vessels of
various sizes and shapes, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a movable lid for closing the sterilizing chamber of an
elastic layer or layers which may be placed either underneath the bottles, or
between the stoppers and the lid, or on both sides, and by means of which the
pressure exerted on the lid is transmitted direct on the stoppers, thus effecting a
hermetical closing of the bottles substantially as described.
4. The combination with a movable lid for closing the sterilizing chamber, of a
helical spring and adjustable screw nut to suit bottles or vessels of different heights,
substantially as described.

page_text: 5. The combination with a sterilizing apparatus, substantially as described for
sterilizing liquids in bottles, of a vessel by means of which such liquids can also be
sterilized in bulk.
Dated this Twenty-third day of June 1896.
ARTHUR SAXBY BARHAM.
LOUIS DE WYTTENBACH.