US1761479A - Apparatus for liquefying solidified honey - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1930. A. s. KUYKENDALL APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFYING SOLIDIFIED HONEY Filed June '7, 1927 LII Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED STATES ALECK G. KUYKENDALL, OF GRAND. VIEW, WASHINGTON APrARA'rUs FOR LIQUEFYING sotrnrrrnn HONEY Application filedifune 7, 1927. ScrialNo. 197,087.

My invention relates to apparatus for' liquefying liquid which has solidified, and it has particular reference, although not necessarily, to apparatus for liquefying honey which has solidified in cans in order that it may be removedv for retail distribution.

In apparatus of this characterasheretofore proposed, the cans are submerged in hotwater to liquefy the honey, and through the action of the hot Water the honey is discolored to the extent of greatly darkening it. The quality of the honey is determined by its color, the lighter the honey the finer the quality, hence, any process ofliquefying which darkens the honey lowers its market value.

It is the purpose of myinvention to provide an apparatus whereby liquefaction of solidified honey in action can be effected expeditiously, economically, and without discoloration, thus maintaining its original color. H u

I will describe only one form of apparatus for liquefying solidified honey embodying my invention, and Will then point out the nove features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a view showing invertical ongitudinal section an oven having therein the plurality of one form of apparatus for liquefying honey embodying my inventiom Fig. 2 is a view-showing in top plan one of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. r

Fig. 3 is a view showing the apparatus in side elevation. y

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on 4-4., Fig. 3. I I r Fig. 5 is 'a fragmentary sectional view of one of the cans and breather pipes enibodied inthe apparatus. j Fig. 6 is a view showing the breather pipe in end elevation.

Fig. 7 is a sectional viewof the line Y, the breather pipe taken on the line 7-7" of Fig; i Fig. 8 1s a fragmentary perspective view showing the means for connecting the confronting of any two adjacent racks, theparts thereof being'disassembled.

Similar reference characters refer to Sim-- ilar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, my invention in its present embodiment comprises one or more racks designated generally as P), each comprising longitudinal rails 15 connected at intervals by transverse rails 16, arranged in divergent pairs to support receptacles 17 in inclined position on the rack, so that the discharge orifices or spouts 18 thereof are disposed lowermost to permit drainage of the liquid content of the receptacles. Each receptacle in the present instance is in the form of a rectangular can, the divergence ofthe transverse rails 16 being such as to accommodate an co-act with one of the longitudinal rails 15, in supporting the can in inclined position, so that its discharge orifice will be disposed below the side rail as illustrated in'Fig. 3.

'The several racks R are supported for rolling movement by wheels 19, carried by the side rails 15, in order that the racks with the cans can bemoved into and out of an oven V prior and subsequent to the liq uefying of the honey or other solidifiet liquids contained in the cans to facilitate hlOVGlTlGnll of the racks into and out of the oven. The bottom of the oven is prwided with a track T, which extends beyond the open end ofthe oven or that end normally closed by a door D. Heating units Hin the form of coils of pipes through which a suitable heating medium can be circulated are positioned within the oven, and the heat radiating therefrom is employed to melt and thus liquefy the-solified' honey contained in thecans. p

Theraclrs R are adapted to be handled in trains, a plurality of the racks being arranged in end to end relation and detachably connected to-each other so that they may be handled as one and yet disconnected from each other when desired. To this end the rails of each rack are formed with-terminal tongues and 21, positioned as illustrated in Fig. 8, so as to co-act in locking the rail ends to those of adjacent racks, and to thereby provide a draft connect-ion between the racks.

As illustrated to advantage in Figs. 4 and 5, each can 17 is adapted to contain a device which functions to promote drainage of the liquefied honey from the can, and to prevent the discharge orifice 18 from becoming clogged by the residue solidified honey. In the present instance, this device comprises a breather pipe in the form of anelongated tubular body 22, the upper end of which is cut and constricted to provide a restricted entrance end 23, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The body 22 is perforated at intervals along its length, and a stop linger 24 is formed adjacent to the lower end of the body for engagement with the wall of the orifice to maintain the pipe against accidental displacement from the can.

In practice, the breather pipe is extended into the can through the discharge orifice, so that its upper end 23 is disposed above the body of liquefied honey, thereby admitting air to the can, and thus promoting the drainage or flow'ot honey from the can. Perforations in the breather tube are likewise provided to admit air to the can, the honey draining from the can around the breather tube and not through it as might be expected. In the melting of honey within the can, there always remains a solidified core indicated at 25 in Figs. 4 and 5, and when the can is tilted as illustrated, this core will gravitate and block the discharge orifice and prevent the drainage of the honey from the can. By the use of the breather tube, that the proper drainage of honey can is assured.

In the operation of the apparatus, any number of racks within the capacity oi the oven .V may be rolled into the latter, each rack having stacked in inclined position thereon a plurality of cans 17. By connecting the racks in train formation and by virtue of the relative arrangement of the transverse rails 16, other cans than those directly supported on the racks can be stacked upon the first cans as well between the cans of adjacent racks as illustrated in Fig. 1.

By allowing the cans to remain within the oven a predetermined time, the solidified honey contained therein is, reduced to a liquid with the exception of the usual remaining core 25 as previously described. During the melting process the discharge orifices are closed by suitable caps, but following the removal of the cans from the the core 25 cannot blockthe orifice so from the cyen thecaps-are removed and the breather pipes inserted, thereby admitting air to the cans and thus greatly reducing the time required to effect complete drainage of honey from the cans.

In the process of melting the honey, a temperature of substantially 150 Fehrenheit exists in the oven, and it is important to note that the heating units are not in actual contact with the cans and that a dry heat is produced, which it has been found in practice does not darken or otherwise discolor the honey in liquefying the latter. As a consequence the original color, and hence quality, of the honey liquefied in accordance with my process, is maintained.

Although -I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus for liquefying solidified honey embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit oi the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for liquefying solidified honey, a breather pipe for promoting drainage of liquids from a receptacle com prising an elongated tubular, perforated and open ended body adapted to be extended through a discharge orifice of a receptacle supported in a position for draining of its contents through its discharge orifice, and means by which the body is adapted to be supported in the receptacleagainst displacement therefrom and in a position wherein a portion of the body projects from the receptacle to form a spout for the purpose described.

2. In an apparatus for liquefying solidified honey, a breather pipe for promoting drainage of liquids from a receptacle comprising an elongated tubular, perforated and open ended body adapted to be extended through a discharge orifice of a receptacle supported in a position for draining of its contents through its discharge orifice, and a lateral projection on the body adjacent to one end thereof adapted to engage a wall of the receptacle to support, the body in the latter with said one end of the body projecting from the receptacle to form a spout for the purpose described.

3. In an apparatus for liquefying solidified honey, a breather pipe adapted to be extended through a discharge orifice of a liquid containing receptacle supported in a position for draining of its contents through its discharge orifice, and means by which the breather pipe is adapted to be supported against downward displacement from the receptacle and in a position wherein an end of the breather pipe projects from the discharge orifice of the receptacle to form a spout for the purpose described.

4 In an apparatus for liquefying solidil" 3 ill

Images