Abstract: A milk flow indicator comprises a housing in which the milk is adapted to flow upwardly through a seat coacting with a non-return valve having a density higher than that of the milk. The valve is movable upwardly by said milk flow to a first, open position and is movable downwardly, upon cessation of said milk flow, to a second, closed position under the influence of gravity, the sinking velocity and distance of movement of the valve being such that movement of the valve means to said second position takes place after a predetermined time delay.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for cleaning cutting fluid used for metal machining. The cutting fluid is withdrawn from the collecting tank (1) at a metal cutting machine by means of vacuum and conveyed to a central cleaning plant by way of a container (3) connected to a vacuum pump. From the cleaning plant the cutting fluid is returned to the collecting tank (1) at the metal cutting machine. The cleaning plant may with advantage comprise a separation tank (6), where separation takes place by gravity and a centrifugal separator (8).

Abstract: A method for winterizing (dewaxing) of vegetable oils is described. The method is of an art, comprising the steps of neutralizing the oil, chilling it, mixing in an alkali solution, slow stirring during a residence time to make waxes and other high melting matters precipitate, and removal of same.The present method is especially characterized by the fact that the neutralizing is driven to a soap content of 100-7000 ppm, and that the oil is chilled to a temperature below 15.degree. C., preferably 5.degree.-15.degree. C., and that lye or other alkali is added, corresponding to 0.01-0.06 kgs NaOH per 100 kgs oil, the sequence chilling/addition being optional, whereupon 3-10 kgs water per 100 kgs oil are added with intense agitation, and the mixture so obtained is stirred slowly for more than 1 hour, preferably 1-7 hours, whereupon the mixture so obtained is separated into a heavy fraction, containing water- lye- soap- waxes- and other high melting matters and a lighter fraction consisting of the winterized oil.

Abstract: At its outlet end, a rotary feed screw coacts with a control element which, in a first position relative to the screw, closes a delivery conduit. To effect a dispensing operation, the control element is moved to a second position relative to the screw to form therewith a discharge opening through the delivery conduit, the dispensing being effected by rotating the screw and said opening together to maintain said opening. When the dispensing is to be stopped, the control element is returned to its first position relative to the screw.

Abstract: A milk receptacle is provided at the top with an air outlet and at the bottom with a milk outlet controlled by a float-actuated valve comprising an annular disc engageable with an eccentrically disposed valve seat. The disc is connected at its center to the float and is tiltable in a vertical plane against the valve seat as the float rises, thus ensuring gradual opening of the valve by a small opening force.

Abstract: A milking plant of the kind operating at two different vacuum levels is provided with a vacuum source producing a low vacuum, and an ejector connected to the vacuum source and producing a high vacuum.

Abstract: In a centrifugal separator for separating mixtures into at least two fractions, especially one liquid fraction and one solid phase fraction, where there are permanently open outlets from the rotor for the fractions, there is a need for an automatic control of the flow of at least one of the fractions, especially the solid phase fraction. The invention provides in the outlet a vortex fluidic device which is of a type that does not separate the incoming mixture but which controls the flow by increasing same when the viscosity of the flow increases and vice versa. Thus, there is provided an automatic flow control; and there is a restriction of the flow without reduction of the flow area, which is important for the discharge of the solid phase fraction flow in this type of centrifugal separator.

Abstract: A cheesemaking installation comprising means for forming a mat of curd from a slurry of curd and whey, a plurality of endless conveyors for continuously moving the mat of curd in succession through a drying and de-wheying section, a fusing section, a stretching and cheddaring section, a milling section having means for cutting the curd into separate particles or pieces, a salting section having means for applying salt to the curd, and a mellowing section permitting absorption of the salt into the curd, and means for agitating the curd in the de-wheying and salting sections. Additional agitators are selectively operable when the installation is used for production of granular curd, and water sprays are provided for use when producing washed granular curd. The installation is completely enclosed to enable the temperature to be controlled and prevent air-borne contamination.

Abstract: In a plate heat exchanger, in which the plates are provided with a turbulence generating pattern of grooves and ridges which also form supporting points for plates disposed adjacent to each other, the thermal treatment of a medium will be different in different parts of one and the same passage due to the different length of different flow paths within the passage. In order to equalize the differences of thermal treatment within one and the same passage and/or to provide mutually different treatment of the heat exchanging media, each passage is formed by plates corrugated in a pattern which is unsymmetrical with regard to the central plane of the plates, the ridges and grooves of plates disposed adjacent to each other extending in mutually different directions relative to the longitudinal axis of the plates.

Abstract: In a plate heat exchanger in which the flow rates of the two heat exchanging fluids are different, it is possible to obtain an adjustment to differing proportions of the fluid flows, the pressure drops being given. To this end, the heat exchanger is provided with at least two sections of heat exchanging passages, in at least one of said sections the passages for the two respective fluids having essentially different flow resistances. Furthermore, the proportion of the flow resistances of the passages for the respective fluids in one section differs essentially from the corresponding proportion in at least one other section.

Abstract: In a plate heat exchanger having a large number of heat exchanging passages connected in parallel, the distribution of the flow between the passages will be unequal in that a larger flow passes through passages which are close to the inlets and outlets than through passages far away therefrom. To eliminate this problem, the passages are provided with means for regulating the flow resistance, said means being arranged so that passages which are situated farther away from the inlets and outlets have lower flow resistance than passages closer to said inlets and outlets.

Abstract: In the production of ethanol in plants, comprising a fermenter, a centrifugal separator for the recirculation of the yeast to the fermenter and a plant for the separation of a yeast-free flow, coming from the centrifugal separator, into one flow, rich in ethanol, and into one residual flow, the substrate, that is fed to the fermenter must be rid of solid substance, like fibres etc. In the separation of such solid substance a certain amount of substrate has been lost according to the methods utilized hitherto, or an unnecessarily high consumption of water and energy has occurred. According to the invention the solid substance, which is separated from the raw material flow, is washed, preferably countercurrently with said residual flow, which in turn, enriched in substrate, is fed to the fermenter. If a distillative method is used for said separation the residual flow is called slop.

Abstract: A valve has a pressure chamber within its housing for remote operation. A stem in the housing has axial passages for power fluid and for cleaning liquid. The valve member is a sleeve, biased closed, which engages a movable seat which is resiliently supported. Leakage around the seals between the sleeve and the stem and between the sleeve and the housing is received in chambers and drained away from the housing to prevent mixing of the cleaning liquid and the processing liquids.

Abstract: An apparatus for storing mixed cargo in which a plurality of containers each house therein a plurality of storage channels arranged in tiers and rows filling each container and located immovably with respect to each other. The storage channels lead away from a loading and unloading opening in one container end wall. Each channel has a smooth, low friction bottom extending in its longitudinal direction. Packages are loaded through the loading and unloading opening one in back of the other in series in each channel. The channels are loaded by pushing items of cargo in mutual contact into the channels and by tilting the container to allow sliding of the items of cargo in rows out of the channels.

Abstract: Crumbled cheese curd is fed into the top of a hollow perforated column in a chamber maintained at a sub-atmospheric pressure so as to form in the column a pillar of curd devoid of air pockets, the curd in the lower portion of the pillar being compressed by the weight of superimposed curd to press out whey therefrom and consolidate the curd, the whey passing through the perforations in the wall of the column, and the pillar of curd is repeatedly lowered, the bottom end of the pillar severed to form a block of cheese, and fresh curd added to the top of the pillar. During the lowering of the pillar of curd, the gaseous pressure in the space between the column and the wall of the chamber is increased so as to effect a transverse compression of the pillar of curd and thereby reduce the frictional sliding resistance between the pillar of curd and the column.

Abstract: An outlet from the claw housing is controlled by a valve which allows a small discharge flow even in its closed position. The valve is operated by a pneumatic member comprising two flexible diaphragms defining between them a working chamber, the diaphragms having unequal areas and being exposed outside the working chamber to the pressure in the milk manifold of the claw. Thus, the valve operating member is actuated by changes in the difference between the pressures in the manifold and the working chamber.

Abstract: A housing (11) which is intended for mounting on a process control valve (5) contains electric circuits (3) and means (4) controlled by these circuits for converting electric control signals into operating signals which operate the valve via a cylinder. The electric control signals are supplied via a serializing terminal (7) from the computer (1) of a process control system which includes a plurality of process control valves (5). The housing has a single interconnection (14) with a cable (8) common to several process control valves for transmitting the control signals and for supplying the electric circuits with power. The housing moreover has a single connecting socket (13) to permit coupling the housing to a pressure air line common to a plurality of valves (5).

Abstract: Immediately after the animal raw material is boiled, the main part of its fat content is removed by centrifugal separation. The residue, consisting essentially of sludge and stick-water, is then subjected to a mixing operation, and sludge is removed from the mixture by a second centrifugal separation.

Abstract: A mobile milking unit has a pipe rigidly secured to a first connection means coacting with a second connection means at the inlet of a valve through which the unit can be releasably connected to a vacuum line, a valve body in the valve housing normally closing the passage between the valve inlet and the vacuum line. When the two connection means are coupled together, the valve body is automatically moved to open said passage and thus create in the valve housing a vacuum which serves to hold the two connection means together with a pierced truncated cone of the second connection means closely fitted into a socket of the first connection means, one of said connection means being elastic to facilitate its release from the other connection means.

Abstract: Separate units of a heat-sensitive product are each pre-treated by heating at least the main part of the unit to a pre-heating temperature of at least 50.degree. C., a cooling medium being brought into direct or indirect contact with the unit so that its surface layer is prevented from acquiring a substantially higher preheating temperature than its inner parts; and each product unit is then heated to substantially sterilizing or pasteurizing temperature by electro-magnetic energy of at least microwave frequency.