US2412342A - Apparatus for preventing foaming - Google Patents

Description

II I I I I I I I I I I I Inventor- Philipp M Kallusk.

. Dec. l0, 1946. P; M/KALLUSKY APPARATUS/FOR PREVENTING FOAMNG original Filednec. 21, 1542 III llo QN s 4 wNl.. NW o v Pm. I .o -L`\\ .uur a 4 0 o um mm .|.|Y... 4 .MN a D. mn l .DI I a .n\. f mm Patented Dec. 10, 1946 PAE-ENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING FOAlVIING Philipp M. Kallusky, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner of one-half to Clarence E. Kallusky, Wadena,

v Minn.

Original application December 21, 1942, Serial No. 469,761. Divided and this application October 21, 1943, Serial No. 507,212

4 Claims.

My invention relates to an apparatus for preventing foaming in an agitated body of fluid saponaceous mixture, specifically in connection with mechanism for cleaning bottles. My invention, herein defined and claimed, is adapted to provide a simple and efficient set of instrumentalities for destroying or eliminating froth and foam which tends to form in an agitated body of iiuid saponaceous mixture such as is formed in the operation of cleaning empty labeled bottles, such as soft drink bottles.

What is known as soft drinks in general consists of carbonated water in which is held in solution Syrups formed of sugar and different avoring ingredients. Such a mixture forms a pleasing and stimulating drink sold at drug store soda fountains at all times and very largely con, sumed during warm weather. Soft drinks ordinarily are put up in bottles. Each of these bottles contains substantially a standard glassful of carbonated drink. They are hermetically sealed by means of caps and carry on their sides a label which designates the name of the drink or flavoring and usually also carries the name of its manufacturer. Although such bottled drinks can be cooled in ordinary refrigerators, the usual method of cooling them is to put them in a body of water cooled by ice or by refrigerating apparatus where the bottles remain submerged until sold. The labels must be immersed in the cold water, and to prevent their being quickly washed oif through dissolving of the adhesives or glues, special types of such adhesives or glues have been devised, which are either insoluble in water or soluble in such a degree that the labels will not soak off in the time of immersion usually required before sale.

However, the labels will gradually become somewhat defaced or blurred by being soaked under water, and the bottles themselves must be thoroughly washed and cleansed before they can be reused. It follows that apparatus used to wash the bottles not only must be such as to completely clean and sterilize the inside and outside of the bottles, but also must effect removal of the labels and the adhesive or glue by which they were attached to the bottles. For this washing and removing a large tank is provided in which is a fairly concentrated solution of caustic soda which is kept sufficiently heated. In practice, an endless chain carries the bottles through this caustic soda solution usually by a step by step motion which keeps the bottles in the solution for a sufficient length of time. The bottles are subsequently inverted and a powerful jet of the caus- 2 tic soda solution is forced into the insides of the bottle for a considerable period of time, splashing back into the main body of the caustic soda solution. Thereafter the bottles are rinsed in clear 5 water and the thoroughly clean bottles `are taken from the machine and filled with the carbonated soft drink solutions and are capped and are ready for sale.

In the course of travelof the bottles through l the body of caustic soda solution, which, as stated above will be over a considerable period of time,` the glue by which the labels are fastened on the bottles will be dissolved away by the caustic solution. The labels then are removed ordinarily l by simply falling off in the body of caustic solution or thereafter being washed off by the sprays.

The glue which is taken into the mass of caustic solution has some of the characteristics of fat and lye by which soap is made. The percentage of this adhesive or glue in the body of caustic soda solution increases until finally there is formed a mixture of caustic soda and the organic matter from the glue or adhesive which has the characteristics of a mixture of soap and water. Agitation and particularly splashing of this saponaceous mixture produces films which are tough enough to cause froth or foam from the splashing of the solution falling from the bottles and the top of the tank because of the jets thereof being thrown upward to cleanse both the inside` and the outside of the bottles. This is ordinarily referred to as foaming. It is, however, literally the equivalent of the formation of soapsuds. Periodically it becomes so extensive as to entirely iillv the Whole apparatus and even overflow. This causes considerable periods of idleness or d1suse of the'plant to get rid of the foam, a deleterious condition which has been experienced in this industry for a long time with no practical means 40 known for conveniently and economically eliminating it.

As is Well known .in bottling plants where this washing apparatus is employed, means is provided to produce large quantities of carbonated wa-v Water from the carbonator used in the manufac' ture of the soft drinks, if made by means of a spray of more or less force distributed over the Whole body of the foaming surface of the mass of caustic soda solution in the tank, will have the double effect of destroying the mass of foam already formed and of preventing a recurrence of foaming vfor several hours.

It is a particular object of my invention, therefore, to provide apparatus for use in connection with well known means of washing labeled bottles and removing the labels therefrom, useable in connection with the standard carbonator employed in making the carbonated water of soft drinks, to convey said carbonated water in a desired amount and to spray it with a suitable degree of force over the surface of a mass of caustic soda solution within the washing tank, thus destroying foam and checking foaming.

It is a further object of my invention toV provide apparatus for conveying the carbonated water from any standard carbonator and to cause it to be sprayed over the entire exposed surface of the body of caustic soda solution in the tank.

It is a further object of my invention to provide apparatus adapted -to convey carbonated water taken directly Vfrom the carbonator employed in connection with bottling soft drinks and to form a spray thereof and to cause said spray to impinge upon all parts of the foaming surface of the body of caustic soda solution in the tank and upon any masses of foam von said surface.

. It is a further object of my invention to Vprovide apparatus to control the operation of spraying carbonated water into the caustic soda solution in the tank so that it will take place for a definitely limited time, only long enough toveliminate foam and check foaming, andl to provide in connection with such apparatus means such that the spraying step will be effected for such limited short times periodically at sufficiently spaced intervals so the spraying operation will be caused to take place only as frequently and for as short durations as is necessary to eliminate foam .and check foaming.

This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 469,761, filed December 21, 1942. The full objects and advantages of my inventionwill appear in connection with the description of the apparatus for carrying it into effect, hereinafter given in the appended specification, and the novel features of the invention by which the aforesaid advantageous and desirable results are obtained will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

'I'he single ligure of the drawing illustrates a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a bottle wash- Ving apparatus of standard .construction having associated therewith apparatus for carrying out my invention, some parts of said apparatus being diagrammatically or schematically shown.

'Ihe customary bottle washingapparatus comprises a tank I Yhaving therein a substantial body-of caustic soda solution which has its upper surface |2 below the top of an elongated chamber I3 formed within the lower walls of the tank l0, end walls I4 and l5 together with side walls and a top wall l5 enclosing an elevated chamber Il, A specially constructed top wall I8 has therein an inlet opening I9 by means of which lthe bottles are introduced into the apparatus and an unloading platform 20.

Within the chambers I3 and i1 is an endless chain 2l driven by va sprocket wheel 22 which has its shaft 23 connected with suitable power .4 means not shown. The chain 2| is guided by customary control means, not shown, so as to have a long horizontal =section 2li thereof extending into and along the body of water in 5 the tank I0 at a point a sufficient distance above the bottom 25 of the tank to permit the bottles to be carried through the body of solution for a considerable period of time. .These bot -tles designated as 26 are introduced into hold.-

ing sockets in the chain through the opening i9 and are carried from an inverted position to an upright position in the mass of caustic soda solution From the caustic soda solution the bottles 26 are elevated to the upperv part of chamber Il where'they Vare carried inv inverted position as indicated at 2'! over a horizontal pipe 23 having. thereon a series of nozzles 29. The pipe 28 is connected with a pump indicated diagrammatically at 3l! which draws the caustic vit out in forcibly ejected jets from the several nozzles 29. These nozzles 29 are spaced apart exactly the distance between pairs of bottles as successively positioned and held stationary for a requisite period of time above .the nozzles 29. The jets from thesenozzles are thus caused t0 enter and scour and wash the insides of the Ybottles, A second chamber 3| is formed between partitions I5 and I8 with'an end wall 32 closing the chamber 3| considerably short of the total length of chamber I l. An extension 33 of pipe 3A leading from the pump 30 carries ya body of the caustic soda solution into chamber 3| from which it falls by gravity through openings 35 back over the bottles 27 joining with the return flow of jets from nozzles 29 to splash back into the main body of caustic soda solution H., is this splashing back, with a considerable degree of reflex and gravity force which. agitates `.the mass of caustic soda solution so, when it becomes saponaceous, as to produce the froth and foaming which my apparatus is designed to prevent. f

The endless chain 2| is turned backward as indicated at 50 and is carried into a body of water in a tank 5| which has a sloping rear wall zles 29 away ifrom vthe water in ltank 5|. The

bottles are inverted in the water of tank 5| and 3l having an opening below wall |5 as indicated" The second top chamber 39 is provided, from a source not shown, with clean water as co indicated at 4U, which water flows from 'nozzles 4| `upon the outsides of the bottles 2l' andalso into the tank 5| and down the sloping front wall 53 thereof and inside of said bottles as they go down the sloping platform 31 -by which the vbottles are finally cleansed. .The excess water is drained off through openings 54 and 55 by, means o-f piping, not shown.

The above apparatus is a standard bottle wash-Y ing apparatus whichY usually is of va. width such as to carry a, single endlesschain 2l' and, therefore, a single row of bottles .through thema-.

chine. If, however, a washing machine of.` larger capacity is provided with one or more endless soda solution from the -main body and sends 52 adapted to drain the caustic supply from noz-V Y The endless chain 2| is also turned backwardV creasing lthe number of spraying tubesand rows of nozzles as herein shown.

Inbottling plants a carbonator isV customarily employed, AIt is illustrated diagramatically at 42. Its construction and operation are well known and need not be described here. It isr sufficient to state that at al1-times it forms suflicient quantities of carbonated water which it delivers at quite high pressure to the bottling machine (not shown). There is, therefore, always available in any bottling plant a supply of carbonated water adapted to be delivered at high pressure. The nature of carbonated water produced for use in bottling works is also well known to be a solution of carbonio acid gas in water wherein large volumes of the gas are held in solution because of the pressure `within the-carbonator,

and such excess of gas is released when the pressure is reduced to atmospheric pressure. The term carbonated water is used in this specification with that well known meaning. Having discovered that spraysof carbonated. water will check foaming and destroy foam and froth already formed, I run a pipe 43 along the full length of tank lli spaced above the surface l2 of the caustic soda solution therein. I provide a series of spray nozzles 44 in said pipe directed downwardly toward the surface l2 of the caustic soda solution. The pipe 43 is connected by piping 45, 46, and 41 with the carbonator 42. An automatic valve 48 closes connection between the pipe 43 and the carbonator 42, so that whenever the valve 48 is opened carbonated water will be forcibly sprayed from the carbonator through nozzles 44 and upon the surface l2 of the caustic soda solution within tank l0. Because of the force with which this carbonated water is sprayed out and the number and position of the nozzles 44 this spray will cover the entire surface I2 of the caustic soda solution within the tank ID and will be injected upon that surface and upon any froth or foam thereon with a considerable degree of force. The valve 48 is of common construction and is operated by any suitable motor indicated diagrammatically at 49, the mechanism of the valve being such that the motor will cause it to open at suitably spaced relatively long intervals of usually from one to one and a half, two, or two and a half hours, but to open for short periods of time, in practice only from one to two minutes.

It will be understood, of course, that it is the carbon dioxide or carbonio acid gas which produces the elimination of foam and the checking of foaming. The carbonated water is really only a carrier of this gas, the gas being placed in solution in the carbonated water under heavy pressure, is released when the pressure is reduced. It follows that when the carbonated water is driven through the foam and into the body of caustic soda solution in the tank it `carries the carbon dioxide gas into the foam and into the water, immediately releasing it to operate upon the same in the raw state.

This short period of spraying with carbonated water I have found to be sufficient to entirely reduce any froth or foam existing on the surface I2 4of the body of caustic soda solution Il and to so check foaming that it Will not recur to any substantial degree for a period of from one hour to two and one half hours, according to the degree to which the caustic soda solution has become saponaceous.

The great advantage of my invention, therefore, is that with a simple and inexpensive ad- 6 ditionto apparatus andl means already existir'ig in a standard bottling plant, the difficulty with froth andfoaming is completely removed.

Iclaim:

1. In combination with an open-topped tank adapted to hold a body of fluid saponaceous mix- `ture with an exposed normally level surfaceof substantial area whereon a mass of froth and foam will form from agitation of the mixture, a

carbonator wherein carbonio acid gas is .caused to be absorbed in water under high pressure to produce carbonated water having excess of such gas over what can be held in solution at atmospheric pressure, said carbonator comprising pressure means for forcing out the carbonated water at high speed, means for conducting such carbonated water from the carbonator to points over considerable areas of said surf-ace and masses of said froth and foam thereon, and means for controlling delivery of said carbonated water effected by the pressure in the carbonator to cause it to be forcibly discharged into said froth and foam over the entire surface of said body of mixture.

2. In combination with an open-topped tank adapted to hold a body of fluid saponaceous mixture with an exposed normally level surface of substantial area whereon a mass of froth and foam will form from agitation of the mixture, a carbonator wherein carbonio acid gas is caused to be absorbed in water under high pressure to produce carbonated water having excess of such gas over what can be held in solution at atmospheric pressure, said carbonator comprising pressure means for forcing out the carbonated water at high speed, piping means connected with the carbonator and having a portion extending over considerable areas of said surface where masses of froth an-d foam form, and nozzles in said portion formed and positioned so that carbonated water released thereto will be caused by the gas pressure in the carbonator to enter said masses of foam and through said surface of said mixture, whereby carbonic acid gas will be released therein and the foam thereby will be caused to be eliminated and foaming in the mixture to be checked.

3. In combination with an open-topped tank adapted to hold a, body of uid saponaceous mixture with an exposed normallylevel surface of substantial area whereon a mass of froth and foam will form from agitation of the mixture over the entire surface, a carbonator, a pipe connected with the carbonator and subject to the pressure of carbonio acid gas therein, said pipe extending above the surface upon which said saponaceous masses are held, a multiplicity of nozzles in said pipe turned downwardly. therefrom, a valve in said pipe for releasing the carbonated water in the carbonator to be forced by the pressure therein to go through said masses of foam and into the body of the mixture, and means automatically operated to open the valve for predetermined short periods spaced apart for predetermined long periods of time.

4. In combination with an open-topped tank adapted to hold a body of fluid saponaceous mixture with an exposed normally level surface of substantial area whereon a mass of froth and foam will form from agitation of the mixture over the entire surface, a carbonator, fluid conveyor means connected 'with the carbonator and subject to the pressure of carbonio acid gas therein, said conveyor means being extended above and in close proximity to substantially all parts of said Water therefrom to permit it to move through said conveyor means under pressure, .a multiplicity of downwardly turned nipples on the conveyor Imeans so positioned as to direct carbonio,

acid gas sprayed therefromo-ver all parts of said surface and ofi the masses of foam thereon', and means automatically to openpandcloseftne valve, whereby the carbonated water will Joe --driven through vany foam on the surface of the solution and into the body of lthe solutionand the excess` of carbonic acid gas *thereiny will -be freed in th Vfoam and in the .body of the solution.

.PHILIPP M. KALLUSKY;

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