US544000A - Churn - Google Patents

Description

(N Model.)

. R.IMGGAHEY.

K CHUM.

2 sheetssheet 1.

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C.' R. MGGAHEY.

- CHURN.

NO. 544,000. Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

CALVERT R. MCGAHEY, OF ELKTON, VIRGINIA.

CHURN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,000, dated August G, 1895.

I Application led March 6, 1894- Serial No. 502,576. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CALvERT R. MCGAHEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elkton, in the county of Rockingham and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Churn, of which the following is a specification. I Myinvention relates to an improvement iu those churns wherein a series of dashers is joined to a central shaft, and by rotating the shaft the cream is properly agitated; and the principal feature of the invention lies in an improved arrangement of the flashers whereby they are made to operate more effectively.

A further feature lies in a peculiar con-4 struction of the dasher blades or dashers proper, so that they are made to act on the cream with more effect and the churning expedited.

A still further feature is an improvement in the modeof mount-ing the main or central shaft, the object of such feature being to provide a desirable mounting for the shaft, and one which will effectually prevent the passage of cream and other liquid through the bearings. v

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a churn having my improvements applied and showing the casing broken away. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the churn complete. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective of one of the dashers, showing its peculiar form. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the lever for supporting one end of the main shaft and giving to it its tension. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of the means for mounting the remaining end of the shaft. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the operative arrangement of the opposite sets of dashers.

Reference-numeral 1 indicates the body or casing of the churn, which may be of preferred construction, and which is provided with the lid 2, whereby it may be closed.

3 indicates the main shaft, which extends longitudinally iu the casing and is provided with the round opening 4 at its left-hand end and with a square opening 5 at the remaining or right-hand end. The opening 4 is adapted for the reception of the stud 6 of the lever 7. Lever 7 is constructed of a bar of metal pivoted to the block 8, which, in turn, passes through the side of the casing 1 and is secured therein by the shank 9 and nut and washer 10. This connection between block 8 and the casing is, of course, such that a water-tight joint will be effected. The stud Gis formed integral with the lower end of the lever 7, and is rounded so that it will operate with the shaft 3 to revolubly mount it, while the upper arm of the lever curves outwardly and projects through the opening 1l in the side of the casing. AFrom the opening 1l the lever extends outwardly and is. formed with the button or-plate 12 on its end.

Interposed between the button 12 and the outer side of the casing is the spring 13, which gives the bent portion of the lever 7 a normal tendency outward, and consequently throws the stud 6 inwardly and'into engagement with one end of the'shaft 3. Thus the shaft is given a normal tendency in one direction. The bearing at the other opposite end of the -shaft 3 consists of a spindle 14, mounted revolubly in the opening 15 of the plate 16,

' which opening is formed with the flanges 17 on each side thereof, whereby the spindle is given a firm seat, the inner ange 17 being seated in an opening in the casing 1, while the outer flange projects out from the adjacent side of the casing.

The spindle 14 has its inner extremity provided with the circular collar or disk 18, which is of a diameter equal to that-of the flanges 17 and adapted to indirectly engage the inner end 0f the inner flange, the rubber gasket 19 being interposed between the two parts. Fixed to the outer end of the 'spindle 14 and and lying in close engagement'with the end of the outer flange 17 is the pinion-gear 20, whereby the spindlevis given its movements and whereby the spindle 14 is prevented from excessive longitudinal movement, the gear 2O and collar 18 being so arranged that the spindle 14 will be allowed a very slight longitudinal movement.

Formed on the inner face of the disk or collar 18 and axially coincident with the spindle 14 is the tapering stud 2l, which is square in cross-section and adapted to enter the opening 5 of one end of the shaft 3, whereby the shaft is removably connected to the spindle and in a way which will cause the shaft to revolve in unison with the spindle.

From

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this construction it will be seen that the lever 7, actuated by its spring, will give the shaft 3 a normal endwise tendency toward the spindle 14.-, and that this tendency is, upon the connection of shaft and spindle, communicated to the latter, which will cause the collar 18 to bind against the gasket 19, and this will in turn bind against the end of the inner iiange 17. This will effect a communication of the motion of the spindle to the shaft 3 in a Way which will be perfect as to the transmission of the motion, but which will effectually prevent the passage of the cream or whatever liquid may be placed in the casing 1, for the spring of lever 7 will operate to continually press the shaft 3 and consequently the spindle 14 in one direction and cause the collar 18 to bind the gasket 19 against theinner fiange 17, thus closing all openings which would otherwise occur. It will also be seen that the shaft 3 may be removed by swinging the lever 7 on its fulcrum to move stud 6 away from the adjacent end of the shaft, thus making the removal of the shaft possible, which it will be found desirous to do when cleaning the body or casing 1.

22 indicates the dashers, which are joined to the shaft 3 by the arms 23. These arms are passed through the shaft 3 and secured therein at their centers,adasherbeing affixed to each end, while the arms are preferably four in number, as shown. Two of the arms 23 extend parallel with each other and in longitudinal alignment on shaft 3, while the remainingr two extendat right angles to the iirst two and are also parallel with each other and in longitudinal alignment with the shaft. Each of the arms 23 are disposed diagonally on the shaft, and the arms of each parallel pair slant in parallel planes. By this construction the ends of the arms 23 are placed partly out of circular alignment, and as the shaft rotates each end travels in its particular path, and this path is partly distinct from the paths of the remaining arms, whereby the cream is subjected to double the agitation which it receives by arms disposed at right angles to the shaft, since by this arrangement each end of the arm travels in the same path.

The dashers 22 are shown in detail in Fig. 3, and consist of integral blocks of wood joined to the arms by diagonal passages, whereby the dashers are located parallel with the shaft and with the body of the casing 1. Each dasher is formed with a point at its front and rear end, and the front point is formed by the face 2t and face 25, arranged one on each side thereof and sloping toward each other to form the point aforesaid. The face 24 curves into the inclined rear face 26, which extends to a point at one side of the arm 23 and communicates with the plain face 27. This face leads into the inner side or face 25, which is compoundly curved.

The principal feature of the dasher lies in the face 25, which, being curved compoundly, engages the cream and throws it inwardly toward the center of the churn, and the dashers of the two arms 23, on one end of the shaft, have their faces 25 arranged toward the center of the churn and the dashers of the opposite arms are similarly arranged with their faces 25 toward the center of the churn, and since the arms of each pair are in longitudinal alignment the faces 25 will be contiguous to each other, and as their dashers proceed through the cream these faces th row the cream toward each other and .cause it to conflict, thus agitating it in a very effective way and expediting the churning process.

After the butter has formed and it is dcsired to separate it from the residue (buttermilk) the shaft 3 is turned until one end of each of the arms 23 lies in the lower portion of the casing 1, after which the shaft 3 is oscillated about one-eighth of a revolution, which will cause the faces 25 of each dasher to throw the butter away from them, only to be caught immediately after by the rear face 2G, which throws the cream back to face 25, and so they alternate until the butter is gathered and formed into lumps or balls, and thereby Separated from the buttermilk.

The plate 16 extends upwardly from the opening 15 and is provided with a post 28, which is formed integral with or rigidly secured thereto, and which projects out to the right. Mounted upon the post 28 is the internal gear 29, which meshes with the pinion 20, and by which the pinion and parts in connection therewith are rotated.

30 indicates a hand-crank, which is fixed to the gear 29, and through the medium of which the gear is rotated.

In using my improved churn, the body l is filled with cream and the lid 2closed, so as to eifectually confine the cream within the body, after which the crank 30 is operated and the shaft 3, in consequence thereof, rotated. This will result in the operation before described, which will reduce the cream to butter. Now the shaft and attached dashere may be operated to form the butter into lumps or balls, all of which has been described hereinbefore.

It has already been Observed that the inner compoundly-curved sides or faces 25 of the opposite sets of dashers are disposed toward the vertical center of the churn-body, and by reference to Fig. 6 of the drawings the peculiar action of these compoundlycurved sides or faces on the cream will be more easily understood. During the revolutions of the shaft 3 the dashers 22 of each set follow each other in regular order. It is to be particularly noted that each dasher travels partly in the same circular path as the dasher immediately in advance thereof, and, furthermore, that the disposition of each set of arms 23 disposes the dashers 22 in what may be termed a spiral or step order, in which each following dasher is nearer toward the vertical center of the churn-body than the dasher in advance thereof. Now with this arrangement of the dashers in mind it is thought that the operA IOO IIO

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ation thereof will be clearer. Remembering that the inner compoundly-curved faces of the opposite sets of dashers are disposed toward each other and toward the vertical center of the churn-body, it will be understood that as the dashers are carried through the cream the said compoundly-curved faces will grasp the same and tend to throw it toward thevertical center of the churn-body, and at the saine time, by reason of the double or compound curvature of said faces, the cream will be thrown toward the vertical center of the churn-bodyin eddies or whirlpools, which are induced by the particular curvature of the inner faces of the dashers, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Furthermore, each succeeding dasher moves the cream a step nearer toward the vertical center of the churn-body than the dasherl immediately in front of the same, so that the cream is caught up by the dashers one after the other, and the only interruption of this agitation of the cream toward the vertical center of the churnbody is at the end of the series of churn-dashers, when the same operation is repeated.

An additional function is to be noted for the dashers or dasher-blocks 22, and that is,

.` by reason of the specific shape of said dashers,

the same form cups that carry air down into the cream so as to aerate the Same. This op# eration will be accomplished by the said dashers, inasmuch as it is understood that the dashers are not entirely submerged in the cream, which only partly fills the churn body, and, therefore, as the dasher-shaft is rapidly rotated the said dashers must necessarily carry a certain amount of air in their concaved sides .when the same enter the cream.

Having described my invention, what I claim isn 1. -A churn, comprising the combination of a body-portion, a dasher-shaft therein, a lever pivoted to the body and adjacent to one end of the shaftand to Which one end of the lever is revolubly connected, a spring actuating the remaining arm of the lever, whereby it is kept in engagement With the shaft and the shaft given a normal endwise tendency, a spindle connected to the remaining end of the shaft and pressed cndwise thereby, the spindle having an enlargement thereon and adapted to be pressed against the body of the churn, whereby a Water-tight bearing is formed, and means connected to the spindle by which it can be rotatedv and the dasher-shaft operated in consequence thereof, substantially as described.

2. The herein described churn dasher comprising a horizontal shaft, opposite sets of dasherI arms fitted to the shaft and disposed diagonally thereto, the dasher arms of each set being arranged in parallel planes to each other, and dasher blocks fitted to the outer ends of said arms, each of said dasher blocks being arranged spirally to travel partlyin'the same circular path as the dasher block immediately in advance thereof, substantially as set forth.

3. The herein described churn dasher comprising a shaft, opposite sets ofl dasher' arms disposed diagonally to the shaft, thediagonal arms of each set being arranged in parallel planes, and the dasher blocks tted to the outer ends of said arms and provided with inner compoundly curved faces disposed toward the center of the churn body in which the dasher is placed, said dasher blocks being arranged in a spiral order successively nearer toward the vertical center of the churn body and each arranged to travel partly in the same circular path as the dasher block immediately in advance thereof, substantially as set forth.

4. A churn dasher comprising a shaft, dasher arms fitted to the shaft, and dasher blocks fitted diagonally to the outer ends of said arms and provided with inner Vcompoundly curved faces 25, inclined straight rear faces 26, outer'straight faces 24 merging into one end of the compoundly curved inner faces and curving into the inclined straight rear faces 26, and plain faces 27 formed at one end of the faces 25 and 26, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

CALVERT R. MCGAHEY.

Witnesses:

J. B. MCGAHEY, CHARLEs O. BLACK.

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