Untitled record

Application filed May 8, 188S. (No model.)

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Frederick A. Hickson, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and 5 useful Improvement in Milk-Cans, which improvement is fully set forth in the followingspecification and accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce a can or receptacle for milk or other liquids for io the purpose of carriage or transportation, the same being constructed with reference to keeping said contained milk or liquid of moderate and even temperature in hot or cold weather, and with reference to preventing agitation of 15 the same during transportation, andtocombine in said can or receptacle certain other improvements,-all of which are fully described in the following specification, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

.Referring- to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the parts in place; Fig. 2, a transverse section of the same upon the dotted line x; Fig. 3, a view upon top of the can, with cap-piece removed 25 and a part broken away; Fig; 4, a view of the cap inverted, with a part sectioned and broken away; and Fig. 5, an enlarged drawing of a ventilator and air-supply device, with parts sectioned and broken away.

This. can.is designed to be made of sheet metal, and' is double-walled. In the figures, A is the outer wall 1 of the can, and Bthe inner wall, with a space; b, between them to receive some non-heat-conducting substance—as pow35 dered charcoal.

The cover is provided with an arched cover, C, resting upon the upper sloping edge of the same, with a flange entering within the can to secure the cover to place, as shown. At the 40 center of the cover is provided a circular opening fitted with a straight neck, a, and flaring or funnel-shaped mouth-piece d. A straight tube, D, is fitted to slide within the neck a, and of such a length as to reach nearly to the 45 bottom of the can, as shown, and provided with a flaring-or funnel-shaped upper end, k, which fits and rests up on and within the mouth piece d of the cover, which supports’the tube within the can, the edge of the part k bending 50 over the edge of the part d, as shown, for the purpose of forming a tight joint.

F is a cap-piece, consisting- of a curved top or cover, /, and cylindrical part c, which latter is made to telescope within the tube D. The top/rests upon the outward-turned edge 55 of the part k, and extends some way therebeyond for the purpose of protection from rain and dust, and is provided upon its outer surface with a knob or handle, g, for the purpose of handling. The cylindrical part cis purpose- 60 ly made of the capacity of a quart-measure, and when withdrawn from the tube and inverted, as shown in Fig. 4, it serves as a measure for the milk, holding, when full, a quart, and when filled to the mark i, at the middle, a 6; pint. ’ °

A light float, G, rests upon the surface ofthe milk, fitted to move freely within the inner wall, B, of the can and upon the'tube D, the design of which is to prevent, as far as possi- 70 ble, splashing of the milk within the can during handling or conveying the same. This splashing- or agitation of the milk held in a can of common construction, due to conveyance or handling, injuriously changes the text- 75 ure of the milk by producing a partial separation of the watery and oily parts of the same, or ⁱ ' churns ’ ’ the milk.

Ribbon-springs p, attached to the inner periphery of the float, press upon the exterior 80 of the tube and serve as a tension for the float. The friction of these springs upon the tube is not sufficient to prevent tlie float falling with the surface of the milk as the latter is drawn out at the faucet h; but they serve to prevent 85 the float being continuously moved up and down from the motion of the milk incident to carriage.

The float may be provided with a flange or part, e, extending up or down, for the pur- 90 pose of forming a broader bearing against the inside of the can’ to prevent tilting of the float, and consequent binding- of the same within the can. The float has several slight projectingribs, 0, upon its periphery, which fit within 95 corresponding longitudinal grooves, v, in the inner surfac’e of the wall B, as appears in Fig. 2.. This prevents any rotary motion of the float from the jolting ofthe cars or wagons carrying the cans, which rotation would, tend to com- 100 municate motion to the milk, which is designed to be prevented.

280,820

Small ventilators L are provided at the top of the cover C, through which air is supplied to the interior of the can as the milk is drawn out, and through which vapor arising from the 5 milk may escape. These ventilators are provided internally with valves s, formed and operating like a common stove-pipe damper, which'open or close the passage-way through the ventilators, as maybe needed. Each venio tilator is covered by a broad cap or canopy, n, supported by standards r over the same, to protect the openings from the entrance of rain or dust. .

These cans are designed for use in shipping 15 milk on railroads, as well as to be carried in a delivery-wagon, and the faucet h, which may be of any suitable kind, is designed to be unscrewed from the socket I and replaced by a plug, as shown, when shipping on board of 20 cars, the removing of which faucet prevents the same being bent or broken, and the cans may be more closely packed or placed in the cars after the faucets are removed.

The space at tlie bottom of the can between 25 the outer and inner Avails is filled with cement or other similar substance, /, ina plastic state, which reaches up slightly above the corner « ofthe insidewall, B, or above the seam thereat. This cement, when solidified, serves to hold or 30 stay the two parts A and B relatively in position, and, being impervious to milk, also serves to prevent any leakage from the inner can into the charcoal-filling y through defects or openings that may occur in said seam. 35 This cement, after becoming solidified, also adds to the strength ofthe can by making the bottom of the same rigid.

For the purpose of keeping the milk at a desirable temperature, the tube D in cold 40 weather is filled with hot water, and in warm weather with pounded ice, and being suspended in the middle ofthe mass of milk quickly communicates cold or warmth to the milk for the purpose stated.

A bail, z, Fig. 3, attached within the liar- 45 ing upper end of the tube D, serves as a handle with which to draw said tube out of the can, and suitable handles are intended to be attached to the exterior of the can with which to handle the same. 5°

The cover C and interior parts being removable from the can enables all parts, including the interior of the can, to be conveniently cleansed.

The tube D, on account of its contents serv- 55 ing to temper the milk contained within the can, also acts as a guide or track for the springs p to slide upon as the float moves up or down, as before mentioned.