US2204131A - Method of sterilizing liquids and filling containers - Google Patents

Description

fnx enl or. ffenryFG/u H. F. GLUNZ Original Filed Aug.

METHOD OF STERILIZING LIQUIDS AND FILLING CONTAINERS June 11, 1940.

19 as 17 25 1s Re\\ i Patented June 11,1940

uNrra-o STATES PATENT OFFICE ui'mon or s'rsam ZING LIQUIDS AND 3 Claims. (01. 99-418) The principal objects the invention are to I provide'liquidsin containers in a sterile condition, so that they maybe transmitted to the consumer in a thoroughly sanitary manner entirely free from harmful bacteria or disease erms.

Theprincipal feature of theinvention resides in the novel method-of treating the liquid and filling same into containers'in a series of continuous steps whereby the liquid is drawn or allowed to flow into a vacuumized receiving chamher in attenuated form through a sterilizing zone and air is concurrently evacuated from contalners to permit the sterilized liquid to pass 1 directly from the vacuumized interior of the chamber to the-'vacuumized interior of the containers free 'from'contamination with germladen air.

Thesccompanying drawing is a vertical midsectional elevational view of an apparatus particularly suitable for the carrying" out of my method.

While various forms ofapparatus may be employed for putting my method into eifect I'have chosen to define the method in connection with a particular apparatus for purposes of illustration; whichqapparatus forms the basis of my pending application Serial No. 94,528, filed August 6, 1936, from which this application has been divided, and 'in order that the method should be fully understood the construction of such apparatus is referred to but not claimed herein.

The device as herein shown consists or a base I of cylindrical form supporting a central shaft 2 encircled by a sleeve 3 having an externally threaded upper end I. s

A cylindrical casing 5 formed with a hollow central boss I isthreaded on to the threaded upper end of the sleeve 3 for vertical adjustment,

the top of the boss being sealed.

The casing 5 is closed at the top by a cover I 'whlch-has a suitable air-tight'joint therewith and the centre of the cover is provided with a cylindrical extension I over which a cap 8 is 5 fitted and whichi air-sealed by a suitable fricu is iormed with a broad spreader mule l2 adapted to discharge a broad thin sheet of liquid in a downward direction.

Secured to suitable supports on the inner wall of the casing 5 is a shelf [3 arranged immediately below the spreader nozzle l2 and this shelf slopes =6 downwardly and inwardly and provides a wide sloping surface and the broad thin sheet of liquid impinges thereagainst angularly so that it' is spread in an effective manner in the form of a thin film. l0

Arranged at a suitable distance above the shelf i3 and extending across same at the zone where the liquid is spread out into film-form, are one or more devices ll; preferably mercury vapour lamps of a suitable design which produce rays having the capability of sterilizing fluids passed therebeneath over the shelf IS in a thin film. The action of the sterilizing rays is enhanced by the fact that the flowing liquid isattenuated by the presence of the vacuum in the .20 chamber and the .liquid is thoroughly sterilized.

If milk is being treated in this apparatus, the passage of a thin film thereof under-the ultraviolet rays of the sterilizing lamps will have the definite effect of irradiating the same and very 25 materially increasing its vitamin D content. The sterilized and irradiated liquid flowing over the shelf-l3 is discharged into the casing 5 and the height of the level of liquid-therein may be regulated by a suitable fioat controlled valve l5 ar- 30 ranged in the liquid supply tube I l.

The bottom l6 of the casing preferably slopes downwardly from the centre boss 6 and a plurality of bosses ll extend downwardly therefrom adjacent to the Periphery. Each of the bosses 35 ll is bored centrally to house a vertical plunger l8, which is held downward by a coil spring IS, the lower end of each plunger l8 having a flange 20 with a rubber gasket to engage in sealed contact with the rim of a bottle or other container 2 I. 40

Each of the bosses "is provided with a vertical' duct 22 opening to a tube 23 extending upwardly into the casing 5 and havinga port at the lower end opening into the bored recess housing the plunger l8, and the plunger is provided with a duct 24 adapted to open to said port at a predetermined point in the upward movement of the plunger to permit the vacuum in the casing to exhaust the air from the container engaging the plunger flange. 0

5 Each plunger has a second vertical duct 25, which communicates with a port at the lower end of a duct 26 in the boss opening to the interior of the casing upon the plunger being moved upwardly to a point where the vacuum duct is closed to permit the flow of the liquid from the chamber 5 into the container under the influence of the vacuum, which will have been created in the container.

It will be understood that by eflecting an upward movement of the container against the plunger l8, the air in the container is first exhausted through the registering ducts and tube 23 to a point above the level of the liquid in the casing 5, and immediately thereafter the container is filled with liquid by the suction of the vacuum therein, or by reason of the fact that the vacuum prevailing in the container is substantially equal to the vacuum within the casing so that the liquid will quickly fill the container and such liquid will not be contaminated by con-- tact with air which might be germ-laden, the

The bottles or other containers to be filled are placed on tables or platens 21 supported on vertical plungers 28 mounted in the base structure and these are operated to lift a predetermined distance by means of a suitable cam 29 engaging a roller contact 30 on the bottom of the plunger 28, a suitable guide 3! being mounted on the centre standard or sleeve 3 to position or hold the containers in a suitable relation to the platens, allowing free vertical movement thereof.

The casing 5 is shown mounted on a threaded support, so that it may be adjusted vertically to suit various lengths of containers to be filled, but other forms of vertical adjustment may be made and the means for lifting the containers may be varied considerably in order to impart the desired vertical motion or motions to the containers.

In carrying out my process in connection with the above-described apparatus, the casing 5 is sterilized, then the air is evacuated therefrom, the liquid to be treated being allowed to fiow thereinto under the action of gravity and the vacuum in the casing, through the spreader noz-.

zle and spread out in a broad surface film, which film is rendered extremely thin by the presence of the vacuum and is readily penetrated in its flow by the irradiating sterilizing rays and all germ and bacilli are. elimnated within the actual dispensing casing.

The sterile liquid then falls into the body of the casing where the liquid level is maintained below the irradiating surface by the operation of the float valve.

The containers tobe filled are sterilized in a suitable manner and fed by suitable mechanism tainers with liquid, the steps of spreading the liquidout in a thin film on a shelf in substantially uniform relation to asource of sterilizing rays while simultaneously subjecting the same to the attenuating action of a vacuum, and then filling the same directly into sterilized and vacuumized containers free from contact with germ-laden air.

' 2. A method of sterilizing liquids and filling bottles and the like for delivery, consisting in producing a vacuum in a liquid-receiving chamber; temporarily supporting a liquid in said chamher in a thin film above the liquid level therein,

spreading and supporting the liquid in a thin film within the vacuumized chamber, directing sterilizing rays over said supported film, producing a vacuum within the bottles to be filled equal to the vacuum in the said chamber, and causing the sterilized liquid to flow by gravity directly from the interior of the vacuumized chamber into the evacuated bottles to completely fill the same in one operation free of contaminating contact with germ-laden air.

' HENRY a. GLUNZ.

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