GB942715A - Aseptic canning process and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

942,715. Preserving food. W. M. MARTIN. Jan. 19, 1962, No. 2007/62. Heading A2D. [Also in Divisions B3 and B8] In a process for canning food in which food and cans a r e sterilized separately, empty containers e.g. cans, 17 are fed, Fig. 1, into a sterilizer 11, and are passed through a temperature equalizing and holding unit 12 to a filling device 13 supplied with food from a sterilizer 14. The filled containers 18 are sealed in a unit 16 supplied with covers from a cover sterilizer and feeder 15 and sealed containers 21 then emerge from the apparatus. Each unit 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17 has its own in situ sterilizing heat generating means, e.g. gas burners or electrical elements, applying heat to the containers &c., at atmospheric pressure. In the container sterilizer 11, Fig. 3, the cans 17 while passing through an annular passage 41 are heated by gas burners 44, 47, 49, and are spun freely about their own axes in pockets formed by fingers 46, by means of the rotation of a guide wheel 31 on whose edge 32 the cans are supported and which is rotated at twice the speed of an annular wall and cover 40 on a shaft 26. In the temperature equalizing and holding unit 12 the cans are carried by an endless conveyer 64 over a ribbon gas burner and from this unit are indexed by a mechanism 76 into the filling unit 13, Fig. 8 in which they are moved along an annular passage 84 by pocket forming arms 82 extending from a rotating wall 87 and cover 80. The containers slide along a ledge 88 formed by an L-shaped jacket 90 from which sterile cooling water is leaked in small amounts through small holes on to the ledge to cool the containers. A ribbon burner 98 sterilizes the enclosure while filling material is supplied to fill the containers through feed pipes 105 connected through a valve 102 with supply pipe 100 from the food sterilizer 14. The filled containers 18 are then indexed by a mechanism 115 into the sealing unit 16 and sealed with sterilized covers. Specification 776,092 is referred to.