GB566879A - Improvements in or relating to washing, drying, sterilising and like plant and to methods of using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

566,879. Washing and sterilizing bottles, tubes, &c. FREEMAN, W. S. July 12, 1943, Nos. 11260 and 20227. [Class 138 (i)] [Also in Group VI] An apparatus for washing, sterilizing and drying articles such as bottles, tubes, bowls, jars, surgical and dental instruments, and for sterilizing liquids such as milk, beer, and plasma or saline solutions used in blood transfusion services, is constructed of a cabinet 10 containing a series of tubes 18, 19 connected to an inlet tube 13 and formed with inclined nozzles 24 over which tubes, bottles, &c. can be placed and held in inclined position by the aid of rests 25. The nozzles can be supplied at will with different fluids from sources outside the cabinet 10 and indicators are associated with these. A tank T at the base of the-cabinet 10 is separated therefrom by a filter 27, and detergent or sterilizing liquid can be supplied to the tank T from a reservoir 84 and led to the nozzles 24 from the tank T. The tube 13 is connected to a pipe 28 which can be supplied from pipes 31, 32, 34, 33 respectively, with hot or cold air from a cylinder 44, cold water, hot water, and steam. The cylinder 44 is connected to a compressed air cylinder 48 supplied by a tank 52 connected to.an air compressor 55 driven by a motor controlled by a switch 60 on a main switch panel 46. An electric heater forthe air is controlled by a switch 45. The pipe 31 is fitted with a gauge 62, valve 61 and valve indicator 63. The pipe 32 for cold water is controlled by a valve 64, and the hot water pipe 34 by a valve 65, the valves having indicators 68, 69. The steam pipe 33 is supplied by a boiler 71 and a control valve 75 and indicator 77 govern the steam supply. The tank T can be filled with detergent &c. by a pump 86, is fitted with a drain pipe 40, and can be connected by means of a valve 39 to a pump 36 which delivers via a pipe 30 to the supply pipe 28 and thence via tube 13 to the nozzles 24. For cleansing &c. articles placed on the nozzles 24, the articles can be sprayed with a detergent solution, then sprayed with cold water to rinse same, then with steam to sterilize, and finally with hot air to blow away the steam before it condenses. The hot air may be used to generate steam in situ and thus cut out the supply of direct steam. The temperatures of the air, water and steam may be controlled by thermostats. When cleansing is not required, a spray of cold water may replace the spray of the detergent solution. For blood transfusion purposes a bottle is sterilized in the cabinet, and a gravity or pressure-fed tank arranged to deliver plasma or saline solutions to the bottle. Sterilized stoppers &c. can be stored in the tank T.