Improvements in the Aeration and Preservation of Milk, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Aeration and Preservation of Milk, and
Apparatus therefor.
I, RICHARD GRAINGER NASH, of Finnstown House, Lucan, near Dublin, Ireland,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to an improved method of and means for aerating and
preserving milk, and cousists in the employment of atmospheric air as the aerating
medium; the gas as also the milk being separately sterilized prior to their admix-
ture, and the mixture sterilized after being decanted or bottled.
According to my improved method, new milk is raised to a temperature of about
160° Fahr. in a suitable vessel for about 15 to 20 minutes and then subjected to
the action of a cream separator for removing the cream. The milk is then cooled
to about 50° Fahr. more or less. During this treatment, the milk should not be
brought into contact with impure air. A gasometer or reservoir of ordinary con-
struction and arranged over water is filled with atmospheric air by drawing the
same through sterilized cotton wool, which may be contained in a hopper or funnel
provided with a regulating valve and fitted on the cover of the reservoir; or the
air may be forced into the reservoir by means of a pump. The air is confined in
the reservoir for a space of about thirty-six hours for the purpose of ensuring the
absorption by the water of any impurities it may have contained; and being
thus purified or sterilized is then forced into the previously sterilized milk through
a pipe which may contain sterilized cotton wool, or other suitable material capable
of effecting sterilization of the air (an aerating pump of the ordinary character
being employed for the purpose) and the mixture bottled at 80 lbs. to 200 lbs.
pressure.
Or
The charged bottles containing the mixture are placed in a bath containing
water which is raised to a temperature of 160° Fahr. for about 30 minutes, and
cooled as quickly as possible, thereby completing the process of sterilization.
the water in the bath may be raised to a temperature of about 186° Fahr. for 15
to 20 minutes, the temperature being then lowered to 90° Fahr. and, after an
interval of two hours, again raised to 186° Fahr. for 15 to 20 minutes; the cooling
of the bath being thereupon effected as quickly as possible.
If the mixture be required for keeping a considerable time, it is subjected to
a re-heating in the bath after an interval of about 24 hours or 48 hours from the
first heating, the temperature of the bath being again raised to 160° Fahr. and
cooled as rapidly as possible. Any fresh germs which may have developed in the
interval between the first and second heating are hereby destroyed. This process
of re-heating may be repeated as often as circumstances may require.
The temperatures at any of the stages may be varied to suit requirements, as
also the pressure at which the bottling is effected.

page_text: Before commencing operation, the apparatus, bottles and other receptacles should
be sterilized.
For the Applicant,
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
Chartered Patent Agent, 191, Fleet Street, London, E.C.
Improvements in the Aeration and Preservation of Milk,
Apparatus therefor.
and
I, RICHARD GRAINGER NASII, of Finnstown House, Lucan, near Dublin, Ireland,
Gentleman, 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:-
i
This invention relates to an improved method and means for aerating and pre-
serving milk, and consists in the employment of atmospheric air as the aerating
medium; the air or gas as also the milk being separately sterilized prior to their
admixture, and the mixture sterilized after being decanted or bottled.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating appa-
ratus for aerating and preserving milk according to my improved method.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of apparatus for use in sterilizing the decanted or
bottled mixture.
According to my improved method, new milk is raised to a temperature of about
160° Fahr. in a vessel such as A for about 15 to 20 minutes and then subjected
to the action of a cream separator B for removing the cream. The milk is then
cooled to about 50° Fahr. more or less by means of a suitable cooling device, such
as C. During this treatment, the milk should not be brought into contact with
impure air. A gasometer or reservoir D of ordinary construction and arranged
over water is filled with atmospheric air by drawing the same through
sterilized cotton wool, which may be contained in a hopper or funnel d provided
with a regulating valve d and fitted on the cover of the reservoir. I have found
that the reservoir D may be charged with air by simply elevating the same with
the aid of the chains d d carrying the balance weights d³ d³. The air may more-
over be forced into the reservoir by means of a pump E, the inlet of which may
be fitted with sterilized cotton wool. The air is confined in the reservoir for a
sufficient length of time, say about thirty-six hours, in order to ensure the ab-
sorption by the water of any impurities the air may have contained. After being
thus purified or sterilized the air is forced by means of an ordinary aerating
pump F into the previously sterilized milk through a pipe F1 which may contain
a quantity of sterilized cotton wool. Or any other suitable material capable of
effecting the further sterilization of the air may be employed. The mixture is
then bottled at 80 lbs. to 200 lbs. pressure any suitable bottling machine being
employed for the purpose. The charged bottles containing the mixture are placed
in a bath H containing water which is raised by suitable means to a temperature
of about 160° Fahr. for about 30 minutes, and cooled as quickly as possible, thereby
completing the process of sterilization. In hot weather, or if the mixture be re-
quired for consumption in hot climates, the water in the bath may be raised to
a temperature of about 186° Fahr. or even higher for 15 to 20 minutes, the tem-
perature being then lowered to 90° Fahr. or thereabouts, and, after an interval
of about 2 hours, be again raised for 15 to 20 minutes to 186° Fahr. or higher if

page_text: the former heating was effected at a higher temperature, and then lowered as
quickly as possible.
If the mixture be required for keeping a considerable time, it is subjected to a
re-heating in the bath after an interval of about 24 hours or 48 hours from the
first heating, the temperature of the bath being again raised to 160° Fahr. or
higher and then reduced as rapidly as possible. Any fresh germs which may have
developed in the interval between the first and second heating are hereby destroyed.
This process of re-heating may be repeated as often as circumstances may require.
The heating of the bath may be effected by passing steam or hot-water into the
bath by means of the perforated pipe h. The cooling is similarly accomplished
by shutting off the flow of steam or hot-water and admitting cold water into the
bath by means of the same pipe h, is an overflow pipe.
The temperatures and duration of treatment at any of the stages may be varied
to suit requirements, as also the pressure at which the bottling is effected.
Before commencing operation, the apparatus, bottles and other receptacles should
be sterilized.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. In the aeration of milk, the employment as an aerating medium, of sterilized
atmospheric air; the milk prior to commixtion being also treated for the purpose
of destroying any bacteria therein, substantially as herein described.
2. The herein described method of aerating and preserving milk, same consisting
in partially sterilizing the milk by heating the same to a temperature of 160° Fahr.
or thereabouts, separating the cream therefrom, cooling the separated milk, then
charging the same with sterilized atmospheric air and completing the sterilization
by subjecting the decanted or bottled mixture to a sufficiently high temperature
in a water-bath, substantially as set forth.
3. In the aeration and preservation of milk, the improved method of sterilizing
atmospheric air, same consisting in drawing the air through sterilized cotton wool,
or other sterilized material into a reservoir arranged over water and confining the
air therein for a period of about thirty-six hours, substantially as herein described.
4. In the treatment of milk with a view to its preservation, heating the decanted
or bottled aerated mixture in a water-bath to a temperature adapted to sterilize
the contents and then rapidly cooling the same, substantially as described.
5. In the aeration and preservation of milk, the employment of an air-holder,
such as D, whereby the sterilization of the aerating medium is effected prior to
admixture with the milk, the air container being furnished with a hopper d con-
taining sterilized cotton wool, or similar sterilized material, and having a regu-
lating cock d¹, substantially as set forth.
6. In the aeration and preservation of milk, the employment of an air-holder
or sterilizer D, in conjunction with milk-heating, -separating and -cooling ap-
pliances (such as A, B, C), an aerating pump and a bottling machine, substantially.
as set forth.
7. In the aeration and preservation of milk, the employment of a water-bath
arranged or operating substantially as herein described, and wherein the charged
bottles are subjected to a high temperature and their contents sterilized; the bath
being provided with means for admitting hot and cold water thereto, whereby
the temperature may be raised to a high degree and rapidly lowered.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1898.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1898.
For the Applicant,
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
Chartered Patent Agent, 191, Fleet Street, London, E.C.