[54] VACUUM TRANSFER SYSTEM AND
METHOD FOR FOOD GRADE PRODUCT
[76] Inventor: Marcus J. Engle, 1732 Beltline Rd., Sauk Centre, Minn. 56378
[21] Appl. No.: 09/061,408 [22] Filed: Apr. 16, 1998
Related U.S. Application Data
[63] Continuation-in-part of application No. 08/632,558, Apr. 15,
1996, Pat. No. 5,839,484. [60] Provisional application No. 60/001,846, Aug. 2, 1995.
[51] Int. CI.7 B08B 9/032; B08B 9/08
[52] U.S. CI 134/169 R
[58] Field of Search 134/166 R, 169 R,
134/168 R, 172, 115 R; 141/89, 91
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Primary Examiner—Philip R. Coe
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Patterson & Keough, PA.
[57] ABSTRACT
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning and sanitizing a tank, the tank for holding liquid food grade product, the liquid food grade product being transferred into and out of the tank by means of vacuum, the tank having a vacuum transfer system for transferring liquid food grade product includes apparatus for cyclically alternating a flow of cleaning fluid between the tank and the vacuum transfer system. Further, a method for cleaning and sanitizing a tank for holding liquid food grade product, the liquid food grade product being transferred into and out of the tank by means of vacuum, the tank having a vacuum transfer system for transferring liquid food grade product, includes the steps of:
(a) providing a cleaning fluid to a fluid inlet;
(b) cyclically alternating the flow of cleaning fluid between the tank and the vacuum transfer system; and
(c) venting the cleaning fluid from the tank and from vacuum transfer system;
whereby the tank and the vacuum transfer system are cleaned and sanitized during a single cleaning program having a selected series of rinse, cleaning and sanitizing cycles.
12 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets
