US1122173A - Cannery exhaust-box. - Google Patents

Description

F. A. TWIGHELL.

GANNERY EXHAUST BOX.

APPLICATION FILED AUG 2o, i914.

LMZA'B. Patented 1360.22, 1.914.n

FRANK A. TWICHELL, OF SEATTLE, lASHING-TON, ASSIGNOR TO SAN JUAN FISHING & PACKING COMPANY, INC., OF SEATTLE. WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF WASH- INGTON.

CANNERY EXHAUST-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914i.

To mit whom 't may concern Be it known that FRANK A. TWICHELL, citizen ot the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Cannery Exhaustloxes; and l do hereby declare the following` to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to mal-:e and use the same.

This invention relates to devices for steri lining cans or cooking the contents thereof in the exhaust box of a canning machine, and the object of the same is to provide means for adjusting the width of the channels or tracks in such ane-xhaust box so that various sizes ot cans may be handled successfully. This object is carried out by means of a removable filler or a series of such fillers adapted to be passed over the partitions between the channels or 'traeks, and the invention lies in the construction and use of such fillers, all as hereinafter more .ttully described and claimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein z- Figure l is a plan View of part of an exhaust box of a canning machine with its cover or closure'removed, showing largesized cans in certain of the channels or tracks, medium-sized cans in other channels which latter are reduced by means of my im` proved filler, and` small-sized cans in yet other channels; and Fig. 2 is a cross section through Fig. 1 on the line 2--2- Fig. '3 is a bottom plan view of one of the fillers. Fig. '1L is an end elevation of a special form of filler as described hereinafter.

The exhaust box B illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings may be of any suitable type, but oi. necessity it has longitudinal partitions P upstanding from its bottom, the latter being closed except for .grooves G along the length of the channels between said partitions which constitute tracks T wherein move the cans C which are to be treated, and in said grooves (i are mounted the devices tor moving the cans, herein shown as endless cables E preferably of wire or other construction which run in the grooves and rise above the surface of the bottom ot the box so that the cans rest thereon. I may 'Say that in general practice the cans are fed into one end. or ratherone corner of the box B (not shown in the drawings), travel down the track T on one side of the same, are carried around the end of the adjacent partition P by any suitable means such as the disk l) which causes them to move laterally i to the next track between said partition;v

and the next partition wherein they travel in the opposite direction or toward the inlet end ot' the box, and then they move around the end of the second partition into the third track, and this action is continued so that the cans tra-vel av zigzag course throughout the length of the box B and are finally delivered at the corner diagonally opposite that from which they are fed, near the letter G in Fig. l. Meanwhile they are subjected to heat by any suitable means forming no part of the present invention, so that the cans if empty may be sterilized or it filled their` contents may be cooked or otherwise treated. This is the usual function oi the exhaust box in a canning machine, and it is the object of the present invention to provide means whereby the channels or tracks T may be altered in width so that cans of various sizes may be treated in such a box. Heretofore these tracks have been of a standard width adapting 4them to cans of an ordinary size, say those containing one pint. It was manifestly such a box with larger cans because the)T would not pass into the tracks. lVhen smallercans were to be used,'it was found that they jammed within the tracks T and prevented the successful action of the device, or it they did travel along against one partition or side wall ot any track, the use of he endless carrier l0 caused them to rotate partly as they moved along, with`the result that eventually they did become jammed and the machine had to be stopped to correct the difficulty.

Coming now more particularly to the details of the present invention, I propose to build my exhaust box with the partitions P spaced such a distance apart that the tracks T are adapted to the largestsize ot canssay those containing one quart-and these cans are usually cylindrical although it is not beyond possibilities that this machine might handle cans of other contour. When now it is desired that the exhaust box shall handle' *.ans ot a smaller circumference than vthose just mentioned, it is obviously necessary to reduce the width of the tracks T to avoid the difficulty above mentioned. Such apossible to use Y reduction I accomplish by means of the imp-roved filler illustrated in the drawings. This filler l has 'a U-shaped body whose channel 2 is of a size to closely it upon the partition P when the iiller is inverted as best seen in Fig. '2v lIn this view the body l is shown as solid, whereas in Fig. 3 the body 3 is shown as made of sheet metal and bent into U-forin as above described, but in order to make its channel fit more closely uponthe partition I, lugs or projectionset are formed upon the inner faces of the side walls of the body at intervals so that' the spaces 5 between the inner faces of the pairs of lugs are of the same width as .the channel 2in the solid members, and can, easily pass over the partitions I. In depth the side walls of each filler are such that they pass down to or nearly to the bottom of the exhaust box, although it is quite possible that the bottom of each channel rests upon the upper edge of the partitions P. All corners are by preference slightly rounded off so that the workman may not injure himself on them and nothing can catch thereon. The material of which the filler is composed is not essential,V

but it should be something that will withstand the te1npeature to which it is subjected in the exhaust box. I would not have the bend of the filler very thick, or otherwise it would rise to a considerable distance above the upper edge of the partition and might interfere with the manual handling of the cans which is sometimes necessary; but this detail is unimportant. At each end each filler is preferably rounded oit on one side as shown at 6 in Fig. 3, the rounded ends permitting the movement of the cans from one track T around the end of this partition and its filler and to the adjacent track wherein they move in the opposite direction in some types of these exhaust boxes, as is well known. If thelugs 4 are employed, I would by preference have a pair of them adjacent each end so that the filler will be reliably held upon the partitions. I do not find it ordinarily necessary to provide any means for holding the filler in place on the partitions, as if made of cast iron its weight l 50 is sufficient, vespecially if the lugs or the inner faces of the side walls of the channelA 2 iit the partitions rather closely. In fact, ifl the device be made of sheet metal as shown inFig. 3 and its side walls be provided with internal lugs or projections at certain points, it may be that the spaces 5 between their inner faces can be a little less than the width of the partition so that in` putting the fillers into places they will have to be opened slightly to be passed down over thev partitions. In that event the spring action of the sheet metal filler will hold it in place4 against all ordinary contingencies tending to displace it.

While it is obvious that the use of fillers of proper thickness may reduce a track 'I from its maximum size wherein we will say quart cans travel nicely, to its next smaller size wherein we will say pint cans travel with equal ease and are always centered over they carrier E whatever type of carrier is employed, it is obvious that along the side of the box B a special'form of filler might be employed, as shown in Fig. 1. In this case the inner wall (whether it be solid or provided with the lugs 4- shown in Fig. 3) is of a thickness corresponding to the adjacent -wall of the filler on the nearest partition. but

width of the tracks T so that the box may handle cans of smaller size and keep them yet centered over the conveying mechanism E in each track, I make use of the improved fillers above described. One is brought into place and slipped over each partition I), and

y one over each side wall S unless there be no machinery or other y reason why a special form of filler shall here be employed as shown in Fig. 4. Care must be taken to dispose the rounded ends 6 of the fillers with reference to the direction in which .the cans pass out of one track around the end of the partition adjacent and in the other direction in the next track. However, if the exhaust box be of such type that it is a single long channel or track, long fillers or a plurality of fillers either of the type shown in Fig. 3 or that shown in Fig. 4, be employed` and the rounded ends 6 maj,l be omitted or it used will form no obstruction. The cans are now fed into the inlet end of the exhaust box and subjected to heat in a well-known manner, and it will be found that the use of these improved fillers keeps these cans in line, holds them constantly centered over the carrying mechanism E. prevents jamming of the cans in place. and converts a. box having wide tracks into one having narrow tracks, while yet leaving it possible to restore the tracks to their original width when larger cans are again to be handled.

What is claimed as new is:-

1. In an exhaust box for canning machines, having channels or tracks separated by upright partitions, iller strips of inverted U-shaped cross section adapted to be mounted on said partitions to reduce the Width of the channels o: tracks.d

2. In an exhaust lbox for canning maby upright partitions,

. ness of saidpartitions, for the purpose set forth.

3. In an exhaust box for canning ma chines, having channels or tracks separated by upright partitions, removable filler strips for said partitions consisting of @shaped sheet metal bodies whose side Walls are spaced farther apart than the Width of said partitions, and lugs at intervals carried by the inner faces of the side Walls of said body portion and disposed in pairs at the ends' thereof, the lugs being spaced to receive said partitions When the fillers are inverted thereover, for the purpose set forth.

L In a canning machine, the combination with an exhaust box having a series of longitudinal partitions producing interposed tracks, and means for moving the cans along the tracks, each end of each filler one track, around the end of a partition, and

along the next track in the opposite direction; of a series of fillers of inverted U- shaped cross section adapted to be slippedl over said partitions to reduce the Width of being rounded for the purpose set forth.

In a canning niachine, the combination with an exhaust box having upright sides,

a bottom, and a series of longitudinal partitions, and means for moving the cans Within the tracks or channels between said partitions; of a series of inverted U-shaped filler bars adapted to be slipped over said partitions vto reduce the Width of said tracks, and special fillers of similar shape for the sides of the box, the outer walls being of less thickness than the inner Walls, for the purpose set forth.

in testimony whereof I alix iny signature in presence of two witnesses. FRANK A. TWICHELL. lVitnesses 1 G.` WARD KEMP, C. C. PHILLIPS.

@opter of this 'patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or retenus.

Washington, D. G.

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