GB924054A - - Google Patents

Abstract

924,054. Sterilising &c. food in sealed containers. M. BEAUVAIS. Jan. 18, 1961 [Jan. 21, 1960; Sept. 28, 1960; Jan. 10, 1961], No. 2093/61. Class 49. [Also in Group XXX] An apparatus for continuously treating articles in a treating enclosure, such as the sterilisation of cans or bottles of food by steam and hot water, which articles may or may not be held in receptacles suitable for the purpose, comprises either a plurality of vertically-spaced surfaces 2, 3, Fig. 1, being of a sufficient number to effect the desired treating, and inclined somewhat to the horizontal plane (e.g. about 1%) whereby the propelling force is gravity, and extending across the enclosure in overlapping relationship, such that articles e.g. 57, are able to drop off an output end of one surface on to the adjacent end of an immediately underlying surface, whereby to define a zig-zag path for the articles down and through the enclosure; means for serially introducing untreated articles and withdrawing treated articles into and out of the enclosure at an upper and a lower end of the path respectively; and feed control means 11, 12, selectively displaceable adjacent opposite ends of the surfaces for respectively preventing and permitting the fall of an article off one surface on to the underlying surface, thereby to control the flow of articles along the path. Or two sets 2, 3, Fig. 4, of generally flat horizontal, vertically spaced, surfaces extending across the enclosure in vertically interspersed relation as between the two sets (the two sets having a sufficient number of surfaces so as to effect the desired treating), each surface having an input end and an output end with the output ends of the surfaces of one set overlying the input ends of the surfaces of the other set, whereby to define a zig-zag path for the articles down and through the enclosure along the surfaces of the two sets alternately; means for propelling the articles along the path (rocking arms 113 carrying rollers 114 upon a reciprocating frame 9, 10); means 121, 122 for introducing untreated articles serially into the enclosure at an upper end of the path and withdrawing the treated articles at a lower end of the path; and feed control means 11, 12, positioned adjacent the opposite ends of the surfaces and selectively displaceable, comprising a generally vertical frame 9, 10 reciprocably mounted in the enclosure and having opposite side frame members positioned adjacent the respective end positions, in one of which one of the frame side members permits and the other side member prevents, and in the other of which the said one member prevents and the other permits, the falling of articles off the output end of a surface on to the adjacent input end of the underlying surface. Referring to Fig. 1, cylindrical receptacles 57 containing cans of food are circulated from a vertical elevator 35 through a lock chamber 32 and up to the top surface 2 of a figure-8 sectioned sterilization enclosure 1, whose centre plane is a perforated stiffener wall 47 and which chamber is provided with steam and hot water heating by steam injection above a heat-insulating partition 45 and cold water cooling beneath, and from the lowermost surface 3 of the enclosure through a further lock chamber 34 back into the vertical elevator; the operation of the lock gates 20, 28, and the pressures in the lock chambers are controlled by a cam assembly 22-30. The cans are raised step by step in the initial chamber 16 of the enclosure by reciprocating pushers 59 in co-operation with retractable latches on the walls of the chamber; reciprocating pushers 37 1 , 37 2 , Fig. 2 (not shown), temporarily tilt the receptacles as they rise in the elevator, whereby treated cans unload from one end of a receptacle by gravity and are then replaced by untreated cans from the other end The enclosure 1 of Fig. 4 has similar heating and cooling zones to that of Fig. 1, but is provided with chambers 123, 124, Fig. 5, having domed caps 126, 127, for sealing the inlet 121 and outlet 122 of the enclosure. The receptacles are loaded and unloaded with can-containing star-shaped mounts 209 to 212, Fig. 7, by pneumatic rams; these mounts are filled with and emptied of cans at positions 211, 212, respectively through apertures 219, 235, both the mounts and the containing cylindrical body 207 being rotatable. Filling of the mounts with cans 249<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 9, is facilitated by dropping a set of (e.g. eight) cans off a pusher conveyer 242 through pneumatically operated trap-doors 248; in falling through its respective vertical channel 246, each can is rotated 90 degrees by guide means (not shown).