US3543970A - Reducing the atmospheric oxygen content of bulk materials which can flow or be trickled - Google Patents

Reducing the atmospheric oxygen content of bulk materials which can flow or be trickled Download PDF

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Publication number
US3543970A
US3543970A US707843A US3543970DA US3543970A US 3543970 A US3543970 A US 3543970A US 707843 A US707843 A US 707843A US 3543970D A US3543970D A US 3543970DA US 3543970 A US3543970 A US 3543970A
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United States
Prior art keywords
gas
reducing
oxygen content
atmospheric oxygen
shaft
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Expired - Lifetime
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US707843A
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English (en)
Inventor
Norbert Buchner
Beutelsbach Wurttemberg
Klaus Domke
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FR Hesser Maschinenfabrik AG
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FR Hesser Maschinenfabrik AG
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B39/00—Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers
    • B65B39/04—Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers having air-escape, or air-withdrawal, passages
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23B—PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
    • A23B2/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general
    • A23B2/70—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general by treatment with chemicals
    • A23B2/704—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general by treatment with chemicals in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor
    • A23B2/708—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general by treatment with chemicals in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor in a controlled atmosphere, e.g. partial vacuum, comprising only CO2, N2, O2 or H2O
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B31/00—Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers

Definitions

  • the material is thus prepared for packaging, and the apparatus may be directly combined with a packaging machine.
  • REDUCING THE ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN CONTENT OF BULK MATERIALS WHICH CAN FLOW OR BE TRICKLED I are susceptible to atmospheric oxygen by maintaining them under vacuum or in a protective gas atmosphere, and to provide suitable packaging for this purpose.
  • the packages containing the material in these cases are evacuated, sometimes filled with a protective gas, and then closed in gastight fashion.
  • Another known method consists in placing the bulk material in large quantities in a vessel or silo under vacuum and then filling the vessel with a protective gas whereby, in effect. a gas exchange takes place. The filling of packaging containers with material treated in this way then takes'place with air excluded.
  • the invention provides an apparatus which has means for feeding solid material for treatment in loose condition througha confining conduit, and means for propelling gas through said conduit in countercurrent to the material for treatment.
  • a particularly advantageous form of this apparatus has a vertical conducting shaft which is open at its upper end and supplied with the pourable material, a device in said shaft for fining out the material in at least one zone of the shaft, and means for supplying protecting or scavenging gas through'nozzle openings into said shaft to flow through said zone in countercurrent to the pourable material.
  • This washing by gaspassing in countercurrent to the pourable material has the surprising effect of reducing the atmospheric oxygen content of the material treated to a very low level, with comparatively small quantities of scavenging gas, thus enabling the treated material to be packaged immediately following the gas washing.
  • FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in cross sectionyof an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment ofthe inven-'' tion, to be used in conjunction with a tubular bag machine, and
  • FIG. 2 is a similar view of the lower part-ofa modified form of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. i e
  • the apparatus illustrated in FIG. I intended for the reduction of the atmospheric oxygen content of pourable'niaterials for packaging, primarily comprises a confined conduit in the form of a tubular shaft 1, a supply hopper 2 for introducing the material to be treated into shaft 1, at least one circular edge 3 over which the pourable material can be trickled, and a plurality of nozzles 4 for the admission of scavenging gas.
  • the pourable material is loaded into the supply hopper 2 and thence passes through a pipe connection 5 into the tubustance, disposed at the narrowest part of the material conduit lar shaft 1 where it encounters a plurality of spaced conducting cones 6 each arranged apex uppermost. These cones 6 are bounded at their lower ends by the annular edges 3.
  • the scavenging gas is blown through the nozzles 4, which are located below the edge 3 of the lowermost conducting cone 6, in countercurrent to the pourable material trickling over the edges 3.
  • the nozzles 4 are arranged for this purpose in an annular channel 8 to which the gas is supplied through a tubular conduit 7. Since the tubular shaft 1 is not sealed around the pipe section 5 adjoining the hopper 2 but has a vent opening 9 at this part. and since. at its lower end, it is closed from the exterior by a worm dispensing device 10, the scavenging gas blown in through nozzles 4 flows opposite to the direction ofdescent and showering of the pourable material and expresses the air from the material, particularly at zones 2. As a result of the .repeated trickling over the edges 3 all parts of the poured material are brought into intensive contact with the scavenging gas.
  • the scavenging gas can alternatively be introduced at a lower level than the nozzles 4. for example through nozzle orifices 11 in an annular conduit 12 which is mounted in a hopper 13 of the wormdispensing device 10 arranged below the shaft l. in this event.
  • scavenging gas is introduced through a tubular conduit 14 connected to the annular conduit 12.
  • a conducting cone 17 with a circular edge 18, over which the pourable material may be trickled as described above, is arranged above the nozzle orifices 11 on the driving spindle 15 ofthe dispensing worm 16 of the dispensing device 10, so that cone 17 may turn with the dispensing worm 16 during a dispensing operation.
  • This worm is of known type and the spindle 15 passes vertically through the hopper 13.
  • the dispensing worm l6 conveys the filling material through a tube 19 into a tube of packaging material (not shown) which is transversely sealed, withdrawn and divided into individual bags continuously, in known fashion.
  • the forming of the tube of packaging material from an endless foil strip is likewise carried out in known manner, in that the strip is conducted over a forming shoulder 20 and then into a slit 21 between this shoulder and a hollow forming mandrel 22.
  • the tube 19 around the dispensing worm 16 is arranged inside the forming mandrel 22 so asto leave an annular gap 23 which is in communication at the lower part 24 thereof, with a pipe 25 through which a protective gas is blown. This serves to hinder the ingress of external air into the bulk material. which has been extensively freed ofatmospheric oxygen, during the formation of the tube of packaging material or the eventual bags.
  • FIG. 2 A modified form of apparatus is illustrated in FIG. 2. This shows the lower part of a gas-treating apparatus of which the upper part (not shown) maybe identical with that illustrated in FlG. 1. It will be noted, however, that the cone 17 of the FlG.,l arrangement is not used in the hopper 13 in FIG. 2.
  • connection pipe 33 in an annular channel 32 supplied with gas from a connection pipe 33.
  • a rotary agitating blade 34 is employed instead of using the conducting cone 17 of FIG. 1 in hopper 13, a rotary agitating blade 34 is employed.
  • the upper part (not shown) of the apparatus of HG. 2 can be of identical form to the corresponding part in FIG. 1 or may simply be constituted by a smooth tube without any conducting cones 6.
  • the modification illustrated in HQ 2 is of particular advantage if only small quantities of material have to be delivered at a time as a result of which smaller quantities of scavenging gas are requiredjln instances of this character, the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 may be subject to the disadvantage that because of the relatively large number of orifices 4. the pressure, and hence the speed, of gas emerging therefrom will necessarily be low. There is consequently the danger that some of these orifices may be stopped up by material lodging therein, and this would interfere with the uniformity ofgas flow through the descending material.
  • the present invention is not limited to the example given, that is to say for packaging purposes, because a more universal application is feasible where gas exchange with solid, flowable bulk materials is required.
  • an improvement which comprises means for feeding solid material for treatment in loose condition through a confining conduit, means for propelling scavenging or protecting gas through said conduit in countercurrent with the material for removing the air from said material, said means for feeding solid material comprising a vertical conducting shaft supplied with the pourable material and having an open upper end, and a device in said shaft for fining out the material in at least one zone of the shaft, said means for propelling gas comprising means for supplying said gas through nozzle openings into said shaft to flow through said zone in countercurrent with the pourable material, said device for fining out the material comprising a plurality of upwardly tapering cones arranged in superimposed fashion in said tubular shaft with the lower circular bounding edge of each cone spaced from said shaft to define an annular gap therewith, said nozzles for admission of the protecting or scavenging gas being arranged in circular array beneath the bounding edge of the lowermost of saidcones.
  • an improvement which comprises means for feeding solid material for treatment in loose condition through a confining conduit.
  • a dispensing device coupled to said conduit at the outlet thereof, said dispensing device including a feed hopper.
  • a conducting cone mounted apex-up in said feed hopper with the lower annular edge of said cone spaced from said hopper. and an annular conduit with a plurality of'nozzles opening into the feed hopper beneath the lower annular edge of said cone.
  • said means for feeding solidmaterial comprises a tubular conducting shaft with an open upper end. and a plurality of superimposed conducting cones in said shaft. the lower end of said shaft being mounted on said feed hopper.
  • Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a dispensing device including a feed hopper coupled to said shaft for receiving treated material therefrom.
  • an improvement which comprises means for feeding solid material for treatment in loose condition through a confining conduit.
  • a dispensing device with a feed hopper joined to said confining conduit, a dispensing tube connected to said feed hopper. and a tubular bagmaking machine having a hollow mandrel for forming tubular bag material. said hollow mandrel surrounding said dispensing tube with an annular clearance therebetween. and further means for supplying a protective or scavenging gas through said clearance in counterflow with pourable material passing through said dispensing tube.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
  • Meat, Egg Or Seafood Products (AREA)
  • Devices And Processes Conducted In The Presence Of Fluids And Solid Particles (AREA)
US707843A 1967-03-16 1968-02-23 Reducing the atmospheric oxygen content of bulk materials which can flow or be trickled Expired - Lifetime US3543970A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DEH0062156 1967-03-16

Publications (1)

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US3543970A true US3543970A (en) 1970-12-01

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US707843A Expired - Lifetime US3543970A (en) 1967-03-16 1968-02-23 Reducing the atmospheric oxygen content of bulk materials which can flow or be trickled

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US (1) US3543970A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH466786A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR1561294A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1153696A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5450985A (en) * 1994-04-22 1995-09-19 Meuleman; Guy A. Dispenser for dry application of polyacrylamide
US5454490A (en) * 1993-10-01 1995-10-03 Kamyr, Inc. Conical insets for chip bin
US20040173280A1 (en) * 2003-03-06 2004-09-09 Xerox Corporation Method of dispensing particles, a container filled with particles in accordance with the same method, and a particle filling line arranged to fill containers in accordance with the same method

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2289392A1 (fr) * 1974-10-31 1976-05-28 Copral France Conditionnement Procede pour l'elimination de l'oxygene dans un recipient devant etre ferme hermetiquement et contenir un produit alimentaire
GB2217672A (en) * 1988-04-27 1989-11-01 Metal Box Plc Methods and apparatus for purging oxygen during filling of containers
US5617705A (en) * 1993-09-16 1997-04-08 Sanfilippo; James J. System and method for sealing containers
WO1995031375A1 (en) * 1994-05-17 1995-11-23 Sanfilippo James J System and method for filling and sealing containers in controlled environments
US5961000A (en) 1996-11-14 1999-10-05 Sanfilippo; James J. System and method for filling and sealing containers in controlled environments
MX345995B (es) 2004-02-05 2017-03-01 Nutricia Nv Empaque para material pulvurulento.

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5454490A (en) * 1993-10-01 1995-10-03 Kamyr, Inc. Conical insets for chip bin
US5450985A (en) * 1994-04-22 1995-09-19 Meuleman; Guy A. Dispenser for dry application of polyacrylamide
US20040173280A1 (en) * 2003-03-06 2004-09-09 Xerox Corporation Method of dispensing particles, a container filled with particles in accordance with the same method, and a particle filling line arranged to fill containers in accordance with the same method
US6889722B2 (en) * 2003-03-06 2005-05-10 Xerox Corporation Method of dispensing particles, a particle filling line, and apparatus for dispensing particles

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH466786A (de) 1968-12-15
GB1153696A (en) 1969-05-29
DE1586083A1 (de) 1970-04-02
FR1561294A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1969-03-28

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