Abstract: A cleansing arrangement for a milking machine has a reservoir for cleansing fluid. A vacuum line for conveying the cleansing fluid through the milking machine has an inlet end at the bottom of the reservoir and an outlet end at the top of the reservoir. A metering device for measuring predetermined amounts of concentrated cleansing fluid is located inside the reservoir. A pipe connects the metering with the vacuum line. The pipe has a branch which leads to a supply of water to serve as a diluent for the concentrated cleansing fluid. The metering device is further connected with two sources of different concentrated cleansing fluids via two separate pipes. Each pipe has its own valve member which normally closes the respective pipe. A handle is provided for selectively opening the cleansing fluid supply pipes. In operation, the handle is moved to open one of the cleansing fluid supply pipes.

Abstract: A centrifuge consisting of a bottom, a cover, and a closure ring that unites them. The liquid being centrifuged is conveyed through an inlet pipe to an inlet chamber. Bores extend from the inlet chamber down to a surface that demarcates the bottom of the drum. Each bore is provided with an insert in the form of a choking device that has an outlet channel. Each outlet channel empties into a vestibule. The vestibules communicate with rising channels in a disk stack. The distributor and the bottom of the drum can be in one piece.

Abstract: A centrifuge with a self-emptying drum has ejection openings in its jacket that lead out of a solids space and can be blocked off with a piston valve. It has a closure compartment that can be charged with closure fluid and is associated with the piston valve. Part of the closure compartment is divided into an upper and a lower division by a disk. Outflow channels lead out of the drum from the lower division of the closure compartment. The disk can be displaced axially. When it is in its lower position, it hermetically seals off the lower division of the closure compartment from the rest of the compartment. When it is in its upper position, into which it can be displaced hydraulically, the disk allows the lower division to communicate with the rest of the closure compartment so that closure fluid flows out of the compartment through its lower division and through outflow channels.

Abstract: A milking system in which milk is drawn during milking into a vacuumized milk collector and let off through a downstream sluice is rinsed automatically with air being admitted periodically into a preliminary-run line of an automatic rinser to improve rinsing. A preliminary-run container is positioned between the sluice and a preliminary-run line of the automatic rinser and communicates through connecting lines with the preliminary-run line and the sanitary trap and through a run-off and a connecting line with the sluice. Valves are mounted in the run-off and open the line to the sluice only when there is liquid in the preliminary-run container and a vacuum in the sluice. This prevents atmospheric air from flowing from the preliminary-run line into the sluice or air from being drawn out of the sluice when there is atmospheric pressure in the sluice.

Abstract: In a centrifuge of the type in which the solids are continuously discharged through nozzles, the nozzles are dimensioned to ensure that the volume of solids discharged from them is smaller than the volume of solids fed into the centrifuge through a feed line. The solids space in the centrifuge accordingly fills up gradually and, when it is full, the clarified phase begins to get turbid. The level of turbidity is determined by a photocell and the flow of clarified phase returned to the feed line through a diversion valve. Since the amount of liquid being fed into the centrifuge is maintained at a constant level, the volume of new liquid flowing into the centrifuge is decreased by an amount equal to the volume of clarified phase being recirculated.

Abstract: A centrifuge drum with a beveled-plate insert consists of individual plates held apart by spacing strips. The plates are mounted on a distributor foot. The bottom of the distributor foot has channels through which the liquid to be centrifuged is conducted into the separation space. There are ribs in the separation space. Between the ribs are lifting channels into which the channels in the distributor foot empty. The lifting channels are formed by the ribs and are positioned behind the spacing strips in the direction in which the drum rotates. The layout of the lifting channels prevents the liquid flowing into the plate insert from mixing with the solid particles that have been centrifuged out and are sliding out of the insert.

Abstract: A centrifuge with a drive-mechanism that incorporates a vertical spindle mounted on ball or roller bearings and driven by a belt in such a way as to rotate while aligning itself in space around a point of attachment on its longitudinal axis with respect to the framework of the centrifuge and with respect to a bearing housing that is supported on the framework. The midplane of the drive belt extends through the point of attachment, with which the center of mass of the self-aligning components also coincide. The overall length of the spindle is short. The ratio L/D of the distance L between the bearings to the diameter D of the bearings ranges from approximately 0 to 2.

Abstract: Apparatus for admitting a cleaning agent into the vacuum line of an animal milking installation has a reservoir the lower portion of which communicates with an intake portion of the vacuum line, a metering device having a vessel which is installed in the upper portion of the reservoir, valved conduits which connect the vacuum line with a source of water and with the upper part of the vessel, a source of cleaning agent which is connected to and admits into the vessel cleaning agent when the vessel is connected to the vacuum line, a buoyant valve element which floats on the supply of cleaning agent in the vessel and seals the vessel from the vacuum line when the supply of cleaning agent in the vessel rises to a predetermined level, and a valve which allows the supply of cleaning agent to flow into the reservoir when the pressure differential between the interior of the vessel and the reservoir decreases to a predetermined value subsequent to sealing of the vacuum line from the interior of the vessel.

Abstract: An electropneumatic valve control serves for the changeover from vacuum to atmospheric pressure in a working apparatus and is used, for example, as a pulsator for a milker used in vacuum milking installations. The valve control contains a main valve and an auxiliary valve, the main valve being in the form of a conical valve and serving for the communication between the working apparatus on the one hand and the vacuum source and the atmosphere on the other. The auxiliary valve serves for the control of the main valve which is fastened to a diaphragm. The auxiliary valve is in the form of a slide valve and has a recess into which a connecting passage opens during both the working phase and the rest phase of the control, and the connecting passage is connected to a chamber that is continually under vacuum.

Abstract: A continuous, completely jacketed countercurrent centrifugal extractor of the type utilized to mix and separate two liquids that have different specific gravities and enter through separate inlets. The extractor has at least one overflow weir in a mixing zone between the inlet for the specifically lighter and the inlet for the specifically heavier liquid phase and a division of the mixing zone into mixing-and-separation compartments. Access channels empty into the vicinity of the inner surface of a drum jacket and into that of the heavier phase, to conduct the lighter phase out of the compartment inside the hub of a conveyor worm into the initial mixing-and-separation compartment. One or more overflow channels also empty into the vicinity of the heavier phase, in the overflow weir to divert the lighter phase separated in the initial mixing-and-separation compartment into another and subsequent mixing-and-separation compartment.

Abstract: A milk pumping system used in vacuum milking installations for the purpose of withdrawing the milk that is in a vacuum milk receiver that is under constant vacuum, in cases wherein the milk must be pumped to a higher and more remote bulk tank that is under atmospheric pressure. For this purpose a milk releaser provided with a float is connected to the outlet of the vacuum milk receiver, and, when the milk releaser is filled up with milk, the float acts through a linkage to close a vacuum line connecting the first milk releaser to the vacuum milk receiver and establish a communication with the external atmosphere.

Abstract: A centrifuge that has a vertical axis of rotation and that is intended for separating or clarifying mixtures of liquids has a drum with a skimming compartment that accommodates a skimmer for diverting a clarified or separated liquid phase. Above the skimming compartment is a blocking compartment that can be filled with a blocking fluid into which a sealing disk that is rigidly connected to the skimmer is immersed and that is intended to prevent atmospheric air from getting into the skimming compartment. The skimmer and sealing disk are positioned in the compartments at a certain distance from the rotating components of the drum. The portions of the compartments communicate with each other that are below the sealing disk and above the skimmer and are connected to a channel through which a gas that is under higher-than-atmospheric pressure can be supplied to the chambers to prevent blocking fluid from squirting out of the blocking compartment into the skimming compartment.

Abstract: The method for the production of starch from grain or ground grain products by the wet process comprises a brief steeping of the raw material during which the morphological structures are not broken down by chemical or microbiological processes, and of a comminution of the steeped raw material in a high-pressure apparatus equipped with a splitter head. In this high-pressure apparatus, the steeped raw material is subjected to a pressure of at least 10 bar, fragmented under the action of high shear forces, and exposed to the atmosphere, thus causing the necessary structural breakdown between the starch grains and the protein. For shelled corn after the addition of process water, the shelled corn is fed to a heated pressure steeping apparatus. After a maximum of three hours at a pressure of 10 to 15 bar, the necessary moisture absorption is achieved. Excess water is fed to an evaporator. A pressure reducing apparatus at the output of the steeping apparatus produces a preliminary fragmentation of the corn grains.

Abstract: A system of self-purging centrifugal separators for the separation and clarification of liquids, especially heavy oil, which contain solids, has a first separator serving for preliminary separation and a second, clarifying separator connected to the output of the first. Each of these separators is purged of accumulated solids by means of associated controls, the second separator being additionally provided with an automatic purging control. The solids chamber of the clarifier drum is smaller than that of the drum of the first separator and the purging control communicates through a control line with an evaluator and the evaluator in turn communicates with the controls and/or with an alarm, whereby a premature disturbance due to the accumulation of sludge in the first separator is detected and eliminated by extra purges or is signaled by means of the alarm.

Abstract: A self-discharging centrifugal drum for clarifying and separating suspensions has an axially displaceable piston valve that is bounded above by a solids space and that opens and closes expulsion openings in the drum jacket. A closure compartment that can be charged with closure fluid is disposed below the piston valve and into which the closure fluid is supplied through a channel that is connected to an intermediate compartment for closure fluid. The closure compartment is evacuated to initiate discharge of the drum packing by a centrifugal valve. The valve that evacuates the closure compartment is a centrifugal valve that contains a movable valve cone, with the valve cone activated by control fluid and having a valve projection that is smaller in diameter than the valve cone and that is sealed into the drum jacket behind the valve cone so that the valve projection will extensively choke or close the channel that connects the closure compartment to the intermediate compartment when the valve cone opens.

Abstract: A self-discharging centrifugal drum for clarifying and separating suspensions, has an axially displaceable piston valve that is bounded above by a solids space and that opens and closes expulsion openings in the drum jacket. A closure compartment that can be charged with closure fluid and that can be evacuated through a centrifugal valve in the drum jacket is disposed below the piston valve. A second fluid-controlled centrifugal valve in the drum jacket is connected through connecting channels to the closure compartment and through a connecting channel with a reservoir in the drum jacket that is always charged with closure fluid and subjected to fluid pressure when the drum is in operation. When the closure compartment is evacuated, a valve cone in the second centrifugal valve opens to establish a connection between the closure compartment and the reservoir. This permits not only sudden evacuation but also just as sudden charging of the closure compartment with closure fluid.

Abstract: Discharge nozzles are provided in centrifugal separator drums for the continuous discharge of the concentrate separated in the drum, and are inserted into the drum wall from the outside for the sake of ease of installation and cleaning. To enable the discharge orifice to aim itself correctly tangential to the drum circumference during operation and against the direction of rotation of the drum, there is provided opposite a locking projection on the discharge nozzle, an additional, excentrically disposed projection. The center of gravity of the rotatable discharge nozzle lies in this projection, so that, under the action of centrifugal force when the drum is rotating, the center of gravity of the discharge nozzle will set itself, even if incorrectly aligned at installation, on an axis that is radial to the drum axis. The discharge orifice is aimed opposite to the direction of drum rotation at an angle of 90.degree. to the gravity axis.

Abstract: A milk meter for milking installations, for the direct measurement of the quantity of milk taken from a cow, has a separating chamber under a partial vacuum for the separation of the air from the mixture of air and milk coming from the milker, and a milk measuring chamber which is connected therewith through a permanently open inlet aperture and which is equipped with two sensors set at different levels therein. The inlet aperture is located close to the floor of the separating chamber and has an associated weir on that floor. The upper edge of the weir is at a higher level than the upper edge of the inlet aperture and the weir has a drain hole. With this system only air-free milk or milk of low air content can enter the measuring chamber.

Abstract: A volumetric apparatus for milk (FIG. 1) for use by milking plants in the direct measurement of the quantity of milk collected from a cow in milking. The instrument comprises a vacuum separating chamber 1 for separation of the milk from the milk-air mixture drawn from the cow and, following said separating chamber, a measuring chamber 7 for the milk which at its lower end is provided with a milk outlet opening 15 and a valve plug 16 for selectively closing of said outlet opening. The measuring chamber is outfitted with a measuring means, and the separating chamber 1 is connected to the measuring chamber (7) through a constantly open inlet opening (6) of such size that the same pressure prevails in both chambers throughout the measuring operation. A collecting means follows the measuring chamber and communicates with the measuring chamber for receiving milk therefrom when the outlet opening 15 is opened by the valve plug.

Abstract: An arrangement for continuously separating fruits has a housing, a sieve element rotating in the housing and a hammer element rotating inside the sieve element, wherein the sieve element rotates with the speed which is lower than the speed of rotation of the hammer element and the relation between the speeds of rotation of the hammer element and the sieve element is within the region of between 2:1 and 4:1. A method of continuously separating fruits include withdrawing the extracted fruit juice from the inventive arrangement and supplying the same into a screw centrifuge so as to clarify the fruit juice in the latter and to produce a white wine. Red pigment of the fruit skin can be introduced into the fruit juice so as to produce a red fruit wine.