GB404429A - Improvements in or relating to sterilizing means for pasteurizing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

404,429. Pasteurizing liquids. MARSHALL, G. S. C., and CLAYTON, G. S., St. Anne's Works, St. Anne's Street, Limehouse, London. Oct. 31, 1932, No. 30616. [Class 49.] In a multi-container pasteurizer having a draw-off valve common to all the containers, the housing of the valve is adapted to contain or receive a distributer through which a sterilizing medium, e.g. steam, can be passed into the containers to sterilize them. As shown, the containers 10 are surrounded by a common hot water or steam jacket 12 and are arranged in semi-circular formation in respect to a vertical rotating shaft 11 actuated through reduction gear from the main drive 18. The containers are filled with the liquid to be treated from a pan 19 having a spout 20 and carried by the shaft 11 so that it discharges in turn into compartments in a fixed tray 21, each compartment communicating through a pipe 22 with the corresponding container 10. Each container 10 has an outlet communicating through a pipe 26 with an aperture in the housing 27 of the discharge valve 30. This valve has a passage 31 adapted to be related in turn to the outlets for discharging the contents into a receptacle, and is connected to the shaft 11 by a sleeve 34 which is slidable vertically on shaft 11 but has a slot 35, Fig. 3, in which a pin 36 on the shaft engages to prevent relative rotation. The sleeve 34 has square cut lugs 33 which engage with a slotted flange 32 on the valve. When sterilization of the containers is required, the sleeve 34 is raised and held in position by the pin 36 engaging in an offset part of slot 35. The valve 30 is then replaced by a distributer 37, Fig. 5, of corresponding shape and having passages 38, one for each container outlet. Steam is supplied through a flexible pipe 40 and a passage 39 to the passages 38 from which it passes to the containers ; the supply can be controlled by turning distributer 37. The passages 38 may be joined at their outer ends by a groove 38a ; only one passage 38 may be used together with a groove. In a further form, the valve housing 27 may include twin rotary valves, one for drawing off the liquid and the other for introducing the sterilizing medium. The containers may have agitators 23 which are actuated by their shafts being linked to a strap 24 which embraces an eccentric 25 rotatably mounted on shaft 11 and driven through a belt independently from the main drive 18.