Abstract: A centrifuge drum and a method of filling an automatically discharging centrifuge drum with a mixture of liquids that is to be separated. The mixture is introduced through an intake pipe and a header. The header's intake section communicates with a stack of disks through openings in the header's base. The base is provided with radial supply channels. Channels at the center of the stack divert the separated lighter liquid phase into a diversion chamber and channels at the periphery of the stack divert the separated heavier liquid phase into another diversion chamber. The drum is charged with an auxiliary liquid obtained from a lower section of the base up to a radially inward level that covers the intake openings into the supply channel in an upper section of the base of the foot. The mixture is then introduced at full power through both sections of the base.

Abstract: A solid-bowl centrifuge has a rotatable drum having an interior and a space adjacent to the interior of the drum for receiving separated off liquid conveyed from the drum. A weir disk is disposed between the interior of the drum and the chamber and is rotatable with the drum. Liquid is conveyed past an inner diameter of the weir disk to the space and that determines a level of the liquid in the interior of the drum. Two barrier disks on opposite sides of flat surfaces of the weir disk are gas-tightly joined together by a cylinder extending through the inner diameter of the weir disk. One barrier disk is immersible in the liquid in the interior of the drum and the other barrier disk is immersible in the liquid in the space. The barrier disks and cylinder define a chamber and a gas-supply channel supplies gas to the chamber to vary the pressure therein and thereby vary the level of the liquid in the interior of the drum.

Abstract: A mechanism for driving a centrifuge drum has a shaft housing and a vertical transmission shaft having an upper end on which a centrifuge drum is mountable. Upper and lower bearings mount the shaft for rotation in the shaft housing. A wheel is mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith and a drive belt rotates the shaft via the wheel. An oil pool provides an oil mist for lubricating the upper bearing. The lower bearing is immersed in the oil pool and the wheel is mounted on the shaft above the upper bearing.

Abstract: A system for controlling and operating a cow-milking carousel which is rotatable at different speeds and has an entrance, an exit and a plurality of milking stations wherein teat cups are applied to an animal and are automatically removed when the animal has been milked. The system has at least two checkpoints along a direction of rotation for monitoring a position of the teat cups of milking stations passing thereby and for effecting an automatic adjustment of the speed of the carousel such that the number of teat cups which have not yet been removed at a first of the at least two checkpoint, but have been removed at a second of the at least tow checkpoints, is maximized.

Abstract: A valve assembly for a milking machine having teat cups. Each teat cup has a shell and a rubber lining, a pulsing chamber between the shell and the lining, and a pulsator for alternately pressurizing the pulsing chamber to atmospheric pressure and evacuating the pulsing chamber through a pulsation-forwarding line. The pressurization and evacuation are timed in accordance with a cross-section of a channel that conveys air into and out of the pulsing chamber. The valve assembly has a bypass channel associated with the air channel and a valve shut-off element in the bypass channel that opens when air is evacuated from the pulsing chamber and closes when pressurizing air enters the pulsing chamber.

Abstract: A milking stand having a plurality of adjacent positions accommodating animals to be milked has a barrier at a rear end of the animals to be milked and a horizontal elongated locking component at a front end of the animals to be milked. The locking component has a first wave tube connected thereto and is mounted for vertical movement of the locking component and the first wave tube between a lower position wherein the locking component prevents the animals to be milked from exiting the milking stand and an upper position wherein the locking component does not prevent the animals to be milked from exiting the milking stand. The locking component is mounted for pivoting movement of the locking component and the first wave tube about a longitudinal axis to move the first wave tube into a generally vertical position and into a generally horizontal position when the locking component is in the lower position.

Abstract: A centrifuge drum for concentrating suspended solids, has a peripheral solids collection chamber having outlet channels, a plate insert of disks communicating at a peripheral area with the solids collection chamber such that solids precipitating in the plate insert are conveyed to the solids collection chamber and an inlet chamber through which suspension being clarified is conveyed. The plate insert has central channels for diverting clarified suspension and outer rising channels extending upwardly therethrough with inlets in communication with the inlet chamber and outlets. Diverting channels are in communication with the outlets of the rising channels and have radially outward sections in communication with the solids collection chamber for diverting solids thereto and radially inward sections with outlets for diverting a solids loaded partial stream.

Abstract: A milk line valve comprises a slide, a connector and a saddle. A port in the saddle opens into the milk line through an annular seal and the slide obstructs the seal. When the connector is inserted, it moves the slide into a position in which it unblocks the port and allows it to communicate with an opening in the connector. The slide and connector can be forced against the seal by connector guides and springs which force the guides against the seal with a prescribed force.

Abstract: A pilot valve for controlling a pneumatically actuated main valve of a milking-system pulsator, has an electromagnet that it is alternately energized and de-energized displacing an armature back and forth between each end of a stroke. At one end, the armature seals an air-supply line and at the other end a vacuumizing line. The lines are accordingly alternately connected to a valve chamber, and the valve chamber communicates with the main valve through a control channel. The armature is connected to a diaphragm so as to provide axial guidance for the armature without friction. The diaphragm is made of resilient material and is interposed between the armature and the electromagnet such that, when the armature is at one end of its stroke, it seals off the air-supply line.

Abstract: A device for sorting animals has a first electronic sensor for scanning animals, at least one downstream gate swingable back and forth in accordance with indicators that identify the animals detected by the first sensor to provide alternating access to one of at least two exits, and an entrance upstream of the at least one swingable gate. The entrance opens and closes in response to animal-identification indicators detected by a second sensor.

Abstract: In a solid-jacket centrifuge drum for separating out a liquid phase, a weir is rotatable with the drum around an axis, is disposed in a path of the separated out liquid phase and has at least one channel for the separated out liquid phase. A choke plate regulates flow through the at least one channel in the weir and thereby the level of liquid inside the drum. The choke plate is stationary relative to the rotation of the weir and the drum and is axially displaceable relative to the weir to form a gap therebetween for the separated out liquid phase. The gap has a distance which is varied with the axial displacement of the choke plate.

Abstract: A process and system for controlling fat content in standardized milk and standardized cream. Whole milk is separated in a centrifuge into high-fat cream and low-fat milk. The high-fat cream leaving the centrifuge and the non-fat milk leaving the centrifuge are controlled to maintain the compositions of each constant. A portion of the high-fat cream is added to a portion of the non-fat milk to produce standardized milk and a portion of the non-fat milk is added to a portion of the high-fat cream to produce standardized cream. The fat content of the standardized cream is regulated by controlling the amount of the non-fat milk added to the high-fat cream.

Abstract: A method of and device for manufacturing butter. A continuous-operation mechanical churn has at least one butter-making cylinder, a buttermilk extractor, and at least one squeeze-off. Once most of the buttermilk has been extracted, fragments chopped from a block of stored butter or pure fat are accordingly introduced into the remaining mass of grain and blended with it in one of the squeeze-offs and a homogeneous billet of butter is shaped out of the mixture. At least one chopper is accordingly associated with each block of butter or fat and located above the squeeze-off that is upstream in terms of the direction that the mass of grain moves in, and the chopper has a device for advancing the block that is being chopped from.

Abstract: A bowl for a centrifuge for clarifying or separating mixtures of liquids. The bowl has a valve or slide that is maintained in the closure position by a closure fluid. The closure fluid circulates at the same angular velocity as the bowl. A closure chamber containing the closure fluid is associated with the bowl. To decrease the consumption of closure fluid, the opening motion of the valve or slide is initiated by closure fluids that act on the closure fluid in a direction opposite the one that the bowl is rotating in and that decrease the angular velocity of the closure fluid and hence the closure force exerted on the valve or slide while the bowl continues to rotate at full operating speed.

Abstract: Safety device for centrifugal separator for preventing a disassembly when the drum is rotating. Tipping lever 25 (FIG. 1) is fastened to the offtake 19 which is for removing separated liquid. The tipping lever extends through an opening 27 in hood 2 which is stationary. By magnetic attraction of a permanent magnet 14, which is mounted on the drum, the tipping lever is pulled inwardly so that it engages the inner edge of opening 27 and thereby locks the offtake on the hood. The magnet 14 extends only partway around the drum and when the drum is stopped the offtake can be rotated so that the tipping lever is out of the reach of the magnet 14. The opening 27 is elongated to permit rotating of the offtake.

Abstract: A centrifugal separator having an upper paring chamber 5 and paring disc 6, a lower paring chamber 8 and paring disc 9, an air seal 10, 11 over the upper paring chamber and paring disc, and a radially extending overflow passage 15 disposed between the upper and lower paring chamber for discharge of liquid overflowing from either paring chamber, is provided with a shutoff valve 17 in the overflow passage 15 which is urged to the closed position by centrigual force and has a shoulder 20 for exposure to liquid in the overflow passage when the valve is in the closed position so that centrifugal force of liquid in the overflow passage urges the valve toward the open position. The shut-off valve prevents air from entering through the overflow passage.

Abstract: An improvement in apparatus suitable for continuous separation of the flesh of fruit from its pits and seeds comprising a rotor 13, a screen 19 opposite the rotor wherein the rotor has radial arms provided with hammer heads 15 for working of the fruit for passage of the flesh through the screen and collection of the pits and skins on the screen. The improvement comprises the screen being rotatably mounted, drive means for the rotor and the screen for driving the rotor and screen at circumferential speeds differing by at least 10%, the hammer heads having striking surfaces inclined so as to form an acute angle with the axis of rotation in the radial projection of the striking surfaces onto the axis, and the rotor and screen being conical and disposed in nested relation. The heads can be so inclined that they advance the fruit along the surface of the screen.

Abstract: Centrifuge (FIG. 1) having an insert composed of lower portion 9a and upper portion 9b. The insert portions have helical passageways, respectively, 24, 26, for circulation of a heat exchange fluid for temperature control of the separated solids in solids chamber 8. A rib 31 joins the insert portions and has a passageway 25 for transfer of the fluid from the helical passage of the lower portion 9a to the helical passageway of the upper portion 9b, and a passageway 27 for discharge of the fluid.

Abstract: Centrifuge having a self-emptying clarifying drum outfitted with a clarified liquid paring chamber 7 and a clarified liquid paring disc 6. For controlling of emptying of the drum, an auxiliary paring chamber 4 is communicated via a control liquid passageway 9 with the sludge chamber 1. A first auxiliary paring disc 3 is disposed in the auxiliary paring chamber 4, and a second auxiliary paring disc 5, which is smaller in diameter than the first auxiliary paring disc, is disposed in the clarified liquid paring chamber 7. An auxiliary passageway 10, 12 communicates the first and second auxiliary paring discs 3, 5 so that control liquid flows from the auxiliary paring chamber 4, through the auxiliary passageway 10, 12 to the clarified liquid paring chamber 7.