US1810545A - Sterilizer - Google Patents

Description

l atent ecl June 16, 1931 UNITED STATES PA ENT oFFicE GEROIME TRUPILANO, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK srneILIz'aR Application filed October 4, 1930. Serial No. 486,327.

- This invention relates to sterilizers, and has particular reference to devices of this character which are used for sterilizing towels.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having an improved article receiving cabinet and water tank'of a unitary construction.

- Another object of the invention is theprovision of an article receiving cabinet hav- 1o ingimproved shelving for supporting the steam generating tank in improved associa-- tion and connection with each-other.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a supporting base connected in an improved and'reenforcing manner with the water tank. 7

Another object is to furnish an improved radiating perforated plate to impart heat to the water tank, and avoid excessive wear 2 thereon; also an improved means for mounting the grate. i

Another object is to construct a sterilizer having improved means for venting steam from the same; alsoimproved means for filling water into the steam generating tank. 1

A further object is to furnish'a sterilizer having few and simple parts, and which is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, may be made of sheet metal, and is rugged, as reliable, and efficient in use.

Other objects and'advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds. Y

With the aforesaid objects in View, the in 40 vention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in'their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the su-bjoined claims, and illustrated on the annexed. drawings, wherein like parts are 0 designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawings; 7 Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a sterilizer embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on line 22of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a cabinet shelf.

Fig. 41 is a plan view of a radiation plate.

Fig. is an enlarged fragmentary sec-' tlonal vlew showing a joint between the water tank, the cabinet and the radiatorplate.

The advantages of the invention as hereoutlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the Whole. v a

It will be obvious tothose skilled in the art to' which this invention appcrtains, that a the samemay be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying ddrawings, therefore, is submitted merely-as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detailto the drawings,'10'de-' notes a deviceembodying the invention. The same maybe regarded as a means for cleaning, disinfecting,'or heat treating various articles, but a specific function thereof is to sterilize articles such astowels, by the action of steam.

The terms used herein are to be given acorrespondingscope.

The sterilizer 10 may include a container or cabinet 11 for receiving articles which are to be sterilized, a water tank or steam generator 12, a base 13, and heating means 14.. While I the cabinet and water tank maybe separately constructed, they'are preferably of a unitary nature, and may include integral side and rear walls 15, 16. The latter may be made of any suitable materialand insulated in any desired manner,-but they may consist merely of sheets of metal fabricated in asuitable manner. The base 13 may be any feasible "type of support, but preferably consists of a sheet metal enclosure including walls that may be 5 in theplanes ofthe walls of the water tank 12. Angles 17 secured, to the base support transverse bars 18, upon which rests any desired heating means, forinstance, a gas burner 19. The latter may be-connected by pipes 20 with a source of fuel gas. To admit air to the burner and vent the burnt gases, openings 21 may be provided in the side walls of the base.

Superimposed above the burner is a radiation plate 22 having perforations 23. This plate may be made of a high temperature metal, and prevents any flames from contacting the tank, so that the latter may under no circumstance be burned. More important still, the radiator plate functions as a distributor to cause an even heating of the water tank and consequently an even and quiet boiling and generation of steam.

WVhile the water tank 12 may be variously secured to the base, it is preferred to position the plate 22 on the base, with edges in coincidence, and then the water tank on the plate. A strap 24 may be extended around the oint line, and the base and water tank secured to said straps by bolts or rivets 25, providing what is in the nature of a butt joint 26. The bottom 27, of the water tank, which may be flanged at 28 may be simultaneously secured by said rivets 25. Thus a simple and compact j ointis provided.

The plates 15 and 16 constituting the side and: rear walls of the cabinet and water tank extend to the top of the former, and have a top wall 29 secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by angles 30. The cabinet and water tank may also have a continuous integral front wall 31, but the same is provided with openings 32, closedby one or more doors 33, whereby articles to be sterilized may be placed into the cabinet, and subjected to the action of steam when the doors are closed. lVliile these doors are hingedly mounted at 34, have glass panes 35, suitable latches 36, and close against a central strike element 37 which may be integral with said front wall, suffice it to say that the doors are generally speaking so arranged as to close the door openings 32 and to have closure coaction with the edge portion 38 of the front wall of the water tank.

The above described arrangement causes the water tank to have communication with the cabinet over the entire area of both, and without obstruction of any kind. The steam as it rises from the water tank may directly flow upward into the cabinet in, through, and aroundthe articles therein.

The cabinet may have shelves 39 therein, each of which may include a; frame 40 and a rustless wire mesh or netting 41 connected across the frame. The shelves may rest upon angles 42 secured to the side and rear walls of the cabinet. By means of these perforated shelves, articles such as towels may be supported in individual relation, or otherwise on the shelves and fully sterilize, with the steam passing through all parts of the shelves.

In order to permit a quantity of steam to be vented from the cabinet, to assure a constant flow of steam therethrough, a suitable valve means 43 may be provided. For this purpose a portion of the upper wall 29 of the cabinet may be perforated at 44, and a plate valve 45 slidingly mounted on guides 46 for snugly moving along the underside of said wall. The plate valve may have a portion 47 extending outside of the cabinet through a suitable opening, said portion being bent to afford a handhold for manipulation of the valve.

The valve means 43 permits the vent area to be adjusted as desired, so that a pressure condition of the steam may be maintained in the sterilizer, while venting a small amount of the steam into the atmosphere. Since the vent is at the extreme top of the sterilizer, and in substantially central relation therein, a maximum traveland sterilizing action of the steam is assured. The perforated shelves andthe articles that may be positioned thereon also break up the fiow of steam and serve to cause distribution thereof.

lVater may be supplied to the water tank in any desired manner. For example, a spout like member or guide trough 48 may be connected to a side wall ofthe water tank to communicate therewith, at a suitable elevation. A closure 49 may be provided for the inlet, which may, for simplicity, consist of a cap pivotally mounted at. 50 on the said wall so as to close the inlet by the action of gravity.

To indicate the water level in the tank 12,

a water gage 51 of any conventional type may be connected to the water tank, as by elbows 52, within which the ends of the glass may be packed.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made in the device as shown in the drawings, and that the same is submitted in an illustrative and not in a. limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A sterilizer including a container having perforated shelves for supporting articles to be sterilized, a water tank communicating with said container, said water tank and said container having certain walls thereof of continuous integral construction, a base supporting the water tank and having the walls thereof in the plane of the walls of the water tank, a radiation plate secured between the edges of the said container andVsa-id base, a strap extending around the line of junction of the water tank and the base, means securing the water tank and base to the strap, and heating means in the base in relative proximity to the radiation plate.

2. A sterilizer including an article containing cabinet and a water tank superimposed upon each other and having rear and side walls lying in the same upright planes, the rear and side walls of the water tank and cabinet being respectively integral, the cabinet having a door constituting the front wall CPI thereof, said door having closure coaction with the water tank,and heating means for ,i said water tank, and a base enclosing said heating means and having walls lying in the planes oi the walls of the water tank, the walls of said cabinet, water tank and base being made of sheet metal, and a strap extendlng around the joint between the water tank and the base and ooacting to form a butt connection between the latter. 7 In testimony whereof I aflix my signature;

GEROME TRUPIANO.

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