Improvements in Machines for Soaking and Sterilizing Bottles.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Soaking and Sterilizing Bottles.
I, EMIL KERSTEN, Brewer, of Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia, United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
The object of this invention is to provide an improved machine for soaking and
sterilizing bottles' so as to facilitate and secure a thorough cleansing of the same
both on the inside and the outside and thus permit of filling the bottles with safety
with the desired liquid.
The invention consists principally of a wheel mounted to revolve and provided
on its face with supports standing in an inclined position with relation to the face
of the wheel.
The improved machine is provided with a suitable tank adapted to receive the
cleansing liquid, such as hot soda or like suitable solution. On the upper end of
the tank, at or near the middle thereof, is journalled a transversely extending
shaft on which is secured a wheel adapted to extend with its lower half portion into
the liquid contained in the tank. On the front face of the wheel which is
preferably made in the shape of a disc are secured supports made in the form of
pins, short pipes, or the like, the said supports standing at an angle to the face of
the wheel and to the shaft, the pins on the left side of the wheel holding the bottles
in a downward position while the pins on the right hand side of the wheel hold the
bottles upside down to permit of their contents to run out and back into the tank.
The supports are placed suitable distances apart and each one is adapted to receive
a bottle the latter being placed in position on the support on the left upper side
of the wheel during the time these supports are out of contact with the liquid in the
tank. On the front of the tank and at the left side thereof is arranged a guide-
board adapted to be engaged by the butt ends of the bottles as the latter move
downward into the liquid so that the bottles are prevented from falling off of the
supports while moving into the liquid contained in the tank. The tank is of such
width as to prevent the bottles from sliding off of the supports during the time the
bottles travel through the liquid in the tank.
The wheel may be operated by a crank connected to the shaft or by any other
suitable means. The bottles to be cleansed being placed on those supports that are
above the liquid the wheel is then turned so that the bottles will be moved into the
liquid contained in the tank, the bottles then being in an inclined position with the
mouth uppermost. Thus the bottles can readily fill with the cleansing liquid in
the tank and the outside of the bottles are also subjected to the action of the liquid
during the time they are moved through the same on the further rotation of the
wheel. The bottles finally pass upward and out of the tank on the right hand side
thereof and in doing so they move into an inclined position with the mouths
downward so that the cleansing liquid in the bottles runs out and back into the
tank. Each bottle thus soaked and sterilized is removed from the support, as soon
D
077

page_text: as it emerges from the sterilizing liquid and passes above the tank and empty bottles
are placed on the supports of the wheel for treatment as above described.
"
I preferably use for the support of the bottles hollow pipes open at both ends and
inserted in openings made in the inclined direction entirely through the wheel
so that one open end of the said pipe is flush with the rear surface of the wheel.
By this construction a counter flow of air and water is created and the cleansing of
the bottles greatly facilitated. While the water is running into the bottle through
That portion of the mouth not taken up by the pipe the air will escape through the
latter; and again while the water is running out of the bottle when the latter
has been inverted by the further revolution of the wheel the air will enter through.
the open pipe. By the arrangement described, a large number of bottles can be
readily soaked and sterilized to facilitate and secure a proper cleaning of the same
on the inside as well as on the outside.
In order to prevent the bottles from cracking when the soaking liquid is very
hot, I prefer to provide two spraying devices or nozzles so that the bottles will be
sprinkled and tempered both before going into the soaking liquid and after passing
therethrough. In order to prevent the wheel or disc from bulging, I prefer to
construct the same of a series of segmental sections or strips connected by bolts.
Dated this 11th day of May 1897.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
Improvements in Machines for Soaking and Sterilizing Bottles.
7
I, EMIL KERSTEN, Brewer, of Richmond, in the County of Henrico and State of
Virginia, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved machine for
soaking and sterilizing bottles, and the like so as to facilitate and secure a thorough
cleansing of the same both on the inside and the outside, and thus permit of
filling the bottles, with safety, with the desired liquid.
The invention consists principally of a wheel mounted to revolve and provided
on its face with supports standing in an inclined position with relation to the face
of the wheel.
:
The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the
same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a face view of the improvement with parts broken out;
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a detail showing part of the wheel, the support attached thereto and
a bottle on the support.
The improved machine is provided with a suitable tank A, adapted to receive
the cleansing liquid, such as hot soda or like suitable solution. On the upper end
of the tank A, at or near the middle thereof, is journalled a transversely-extending
shaft B, on which is secured a wheel C adapted to extend with its lower half portion
into the liquid contained in the tank A, as is plainly indicated in the drawings.
On the front face of the wheel C which is preferably made in the shape of a disk,

page_text: are secured supports D, made in the form of pins, short pipes or the like, the said
supports standing at an angle to the face of the wheel and to the shaft B as is
plainly shown in Figures 1 and 2; the pins on the left side of the wheel holding the
bottles E in a downward position as shown in Figures 2 and 3, while the pins on
the right hand side of the wheel hold the bottles E upside down to permit their
contents to run out and back into the tank A. The supports D are placed at
suitable distances apart, and each one is adapted to receive a bottle E, the latter
being placed in position on the supports on the left upper side of the wheel during
the time these supports are out of contact with the liquid in the tank A.
On the front of the tank A, and at the left side thereof, is arranged, a guide-
board F adapted to be engaged by the butt ends of the bottles, as the latter move
downward into the liquid, so that the bottles are prevented from falling off of the
supports. while moving into the liquid contained in the tank. The tank is of such
width as to prevent the bottles from sliding off the supports during the time the
bottles travel through the liquid in the tank.
The wheel may be operated by a crank connected to the shaft B or by any other
suitable means. The bottles to be cleansed being placed on those supports that are
above the liquid, the wheel is then turned in the direction of the arrow a¹ so that
the bottles will be moved into the liquid contained in the tank A, the bottles then
being in an inclined position with the mouth uppermost, as is best shown in
Figure 2. Thus, the bottles can readily fill with the cleansing liquid in the tank A,
and the outside of the bottles are also subjected to the action of the liquid during
the time they are moved through the same on the further rotation of the wheel C.
The bottles finally pass upward and out of the tank A on the right hand side
thereof, and in doing so they move into an inclined position with the mouths
downward, so that the cleansing liquid in the bottles runs out and back into the
tank. Each bottle thus soaked and sterilized is removed from the support, as soon
as it emerges from the sterilizing liquid and passes above the tank, and unclean
empty bottles are then placed on the supports for treatment as above described.
As shown in Figure 3, I preferably use for the support of the bottles, hollow
pipes open at both ends and inserted in openings made in the inclined direction
entirely through the wheel C, so that one open end of the said pipe is flush with the
rear surface of the wheel, as shown at D¹. By this construction a counter flow of
air and water is created, and the cleansing of the bottles greatly facilitated. While
the water is running into the bottle through that portion of the mouth not taken.
up by the pipe D, the air will escape through the latter; and again while the water
is running out of the bottle, when the latter has been inverted by the further
revolution of the wheel C, the air will enter through the open pipe at D¹.
It will be seen that by the arrangement described, a large number of bottles can
be readily soaked and sterilized to facilitate and secure a proper cleansing of the
same on the inside as well as on the outside.
In order to prevent the bottles from cracking when the soaking liquid is very
hot, I prefer to provide two spraying devices or nozzles, as shown at G and G¹ so
that the bottles will be sprinkled and tempered both before going into the soaking
liquid and after passing therethrough.
In order to prevent the wheel or disk C from bulging I prefer to construct the
same of a series of segmental sections or strips connected by bolts H.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
'
1. A machine for sterilizing and soaking bottles, comprising a tank adapted to
receive a cleansing liquid, a wheel mounted to revolve and arranged to pass with its
lower portion through said liquid, and provided with transverse inclined openings
extending entirely therethrough, and pipes open throughout their length and

page_text: inserted in said openings and arranged to receive and hold the bottles to be cleansed
in an inclined position relative to the face of said wheel, substantially as set forth.
2. A machine for sterilizing and soaking bottles comprising a tank adapted to
receive a cleansing liquid, a wheel mounted to revolve and adapted to pass with its
lower portion through said liquid, supports secured to said wheel and inclined in
the direction in which said wheel is designed to revolve, said supports being
inserted in the necks of the bottles to be cleansed and holding said bottles in the
inclined position relative to the face of said wheel, and a guide board held on said
tank and adapted to be engaged by the bottom of the bottles as the latter move
down into said liquid, as and for the purpose set forth.
3. A machine for sterilizing and soaking bottles, comprising a tank adapted to
receive a cleansing liquid, a wheel mounted to revolve and adapted to pass with its
lower portion through said liquid, hollow pipes open at both ends a wheel mounted
to revolve and adapted to pass with its lower portion through said liquid, hollow
pipes open at both ends and having one end inserted in openings extending entirely
through said wheel, said pipes being inclined in the direction in which said wheel
is designed to revolve and inserted in the necks of the bottles to be cleansed,
whereby said bottles are held in an inclined position, relative to the face of said
wheel, and a guide board held on said tank and adapted to be engaged by the
bottoms of the bottles as the latter are moved down into said liquid, as and for the
purpose set forth.
4. In a machine for soaking bottles, the rotatable disc consisting of segmental
sections or strips bolted together and carrying bottle supports, substantially as
described.
5. In a machine for soaking bottles and the like the rotatable disc or wheel
carrying bottle supports, in combination with one or more spraying devices,
substantially as described.
Dated thi 0541
T
1000