372,810. Milk pasteurizing and other fluid treatment apparatus. PFAUDLER CO., 89, East Avenue, Rochester, New York, U.S.A.-(Assignees of Jacobsen, J. N. ; 563, Arnett Boulevard, Rochester, New York, U.S.A.) Feb. 6, 1931, No. 3828. Convention date, Oct. 14, 1930. [Class 49.] Apparatus for the treatment of fluids, more particularly for pasteurizing milk comprises a holding tank having an inlet and an outlet for the fluid and a device for introducing a washing liquid into the tank and discharge means for the liquid arranged so that the discharge means must remain open until after the supply of washing liquid has been cut off. In the construction described a holding tank 20 for the milk, which has previously been raised to pasteurizing temperature in a heater, is covered with insulation 21 and has milk inlet and discharge pipes 23, 24, and observation windows 25. The inlet pipe 23, Fig. 16, has a check valve 26 and is connected to a well 36 in the tank bottom into which extend a tube 27 which has a check valve disposed adjacent to its top end and connects the tank 20 to the discharge pipe 24. The tank is filled with milk by connecting it through a three-way valve 33, Fig. 4, with a vacuum conduit 31, milk being drawn in past valve 26. The supply of milk is stopped by disconnecting conduit 31 by turning valve 33 or automatically by a float valve 35. When the holding period is over the valve 33 is turned to connect the tank to a pressure conduit 32 to discharge the milk. A spray of water is then supplied to the empty tank to remove the milk film on the walls, before a fresh batch of milk is added, by spray means consisting of a valve body 40, Figs. 10 and 12, detachably secured in an opening 41 in the tank 20 by nuts 43, 44, and having a cavity 50 supplied with washing liquid through a conduit 51, and connected through a cylindrical bore 53, and a cavity 52 to the spray nozzle. A valve member 56 slides vertically in bore 53, and, when raised, connects, through ports 58 and bore 57 therein, the water supply to the spray nozzle. The supply is cut off by lowering member 56, a conical portion 64 thereon engaging a seating 55 on the valve body 40. Leakage of water into the tank when the valve is closed is prevented by providing a groove 115 thereon registering with a drainage opening 116 and pipe 117. The spray nozzle comprises a stud 90, extending from a crosspiece 91 in chamber 52 which leaves openings 92. Discs 95, Fig. 14, having apertures 98, and a sleeve 108 are mounted on stud 90 and held on by a nut 111. The nozzle apertures 109, 105, 110 provide upwardly, horizontally, and downwardly directed sprays covering the entire surface of the tank. The valve actuation means comprises a bolt 68 having a spherical head 67 engaged in a spherical seating 66. 70 on valve member 56, slight play therein being allowed to provide a swivel joint permitting rotation of the valve member on its seat 55 to give even wear. The upper end of bolt 68 is threaded in a hollow block 75 through which a valve-operating arm 76 passes, a pin 77 in the block engaging in a slot 78 in the arm 76 to provide connection therebetween. The arm 76 at one end is pivoted to a bracket 81 secured to the valve body, and at the other end carries a weight 82 having a slot 83 in which the end 84 of a valve-operating arm 85 slides to raise the weight 82 and open the valve. The arm 85 is operated by a hand-lever, attached to the shaft 135 carrying the arm, which also operates the wash water discharge valve 124, Fig. 16, closing it some time after the spray is shut off to allow the water to drain from the tank. The discharge valve opens and closes a port 120 in well 36, leading to a discharge port 126. The shaft 135 carries a driving gear 140 having a toothed segment 141 and a locking segment 142 operating a rocking gear 145 secured to a shaft 146 journalled at one end in bracket 81 and at the other end in a bracket 149, Fig. 4, secured to the tank 20. The gear 145 has a toothed portion 143 and locking portions 144 co-acting with the corresponding portions on gear 140. The shaft 146 operates the discharge valve 124 through an arm 150, Fig. 4, a rod 151, a bell crank 166 having on one arm a weight 167, and a rod 171 detachably connected to the valve stem 130. Warm wash water is supplied to the spray nozzle from a receptacle 195, Fig. 1, having a cold-water inlet 196. The water is heated by steam supplied to a pipe 199, through which the water circulates from the receptacle 195, by a nozzle 200 supplied from a pipe 201 having a valve 206 operated by a heat-responsive element 205 in the receptacle 195 thus providing automatic tem. perature control of the water. Reference is made to the use of the apparatus for chemical reactions between gases, for gas storage tanks, for storing fruit juices or other fruit products or for cooking tomatoes, dairy products or other foodstuffs.