Pressure Vessel For Uniformly Treating Articles In Batch Form

Abstract

A plurality of perforated, article containing baskets are removably fixed for rotation with a treating fluid distributing shaft assembly, which is removably insertable axially through an end access opening of a horizontally disposed pressure vessel in telescopic relationship with a treating fluid supply conduit extending through an opposite closed end of the vessel. The outer end of the shaft assembly and a door for closing the access opening are supported by a track mounted trolley, whereby the shaft assembly is withdrawn from the vessel or inserted thereinto as the door is moved into open or closed positions thereof. Streams of treating fluid are directed radially through the baskets as the assembly is rotated within a treating fluid filled vessel, thereby to obtain essentially uniform treatment of the articles contained therewithin.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to improvements in pressure vessels of the type adapted to perform treating operations on batches of articles. More specifically, the present invention is directed towards improvements insuring relatively uniform thermal treatment of the articles comprising the batch and facilitating insertion and removal thereof from the vessel. The present invention has particular utility in and will be primarily described with reference to the canning industry, wherein food products sealed within containers, such as glass bottles or metal cans, must be subjected to controlled cooking and/or sterilizing temperatures. However, it is anticipated that the present invention possesses utility in diverse industries, wherein articles must be subjected to uniform treatments, such as the dye industry.

The vessel of the present invention includes a processing fluid distributing shaft assembly, which serves to removably mount a plurality of food container carrying baskets for rotation within a horizontally disposed pressure vessel shell. The shaft assembly is telescopically associated adjacent its inner end with a treating fluid supply conduit, which extends through a rear or closed end of the vessel. The outer end of the shaft assembly is supported together with a vessel access opening door on a trolley; such that the shaft assembly is withdrawn axially from the vessel shell as the door is moved into open position.

The mounting for the outer end of the shaft assembly and its drive connection to an external power source are arranged to freely pass through the door in a fluid pressure sealed relationship therewith in order to permit independent movements of the shaft assembly, its drive connection and the door relative to each other and the trolley, thereby to insure that the door is properly seated in closed condition under varying shaft assembly loading and/or vessel thermal distortion conditions.

A particular feature of the present construction is that the food containers comprising a batch to be treated are carried in perforated baskets removably carried for rotation with the shaft assembly, and treating fluid, such as hot water, steam or hot water with entrained air, is directed as a plurality of streams radially through the baskets, as the contents of the containers are "stirred" or "agitated" due to shaft assembly rotational movements. Preferably, the vessel is initially filled, such as by means of the streams of treating fluid, to define a bath of treating fluid having depth sufficient to completely immerse the moving containers, and is provided with associated apparatus to withdraw treating fluid from the bath for reheating and subsequent reintroduction as streams into the vessel. The streams of treating fluid cooperate to define within the bath annularly arranged regions of progressively decreasing temperature radially outwardly of the axis of assembly rotation. In that heat is more efficiently transferred to the relatively fast moving containers in the relatively outer or cooler regions of the bath than to the relatively slow moving containers in the relatively inner or hotter regions of the bath, it is possible to coordinate the assembly rotational speed with the temperature and/or flow rates of the treating fluid such that the containers forming the batch are subject to relatively uniform heat treatment. This ability to subject radially spaced containers to relatively uniform heat treatment maximizes the number of containers which can be treated in any given size of pressure vessel.

DRAWINGS

The nature and mode of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pressure vessel embodying the present invention with the vessel access door in open position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the vessel illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 3--3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along line 4--4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along line 5--5 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the area in FIG. 3 designated as FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an alternative form of the shaft assembly; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken generally along line 8--8 in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference is now made particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein the pressure vessel of the present invention is generally designated as 10. Vessel 10 includes a horizontally disposed cylindrical shell 12 having an end access opening 14 bounded by an annular sealing surface 12a; a door 16 having an annular sealing surface 16a engageable with surface 12a; and a conventional rotary type locking ring mechanism 18 for releasably clamping sealing surface 16a in fluid pressure sealed engagement with sealing surface 12a after the door is moved into its closed position. Moreover, vessel 10 includes a fluid supply conduit 20 arranged to extend axially through the rear or closed end wall 22 of shell 12; a fluid distributing shaft assembly 24, which has its inner end telescopically associated with conduit 20; and a trolley 26 for supporting door 16 and the outer end of assembly 24 fo reciprocating movements between door open and closed positions, wherein assembly 24 is respectively removed from and inserted into shell 12.

The construction of locking ring mechanism 18 and its mode of operation by which adjacent parts (in this case shell 12 and door 16) may be releasably locked together in a fluid sealed relationship is well known, as evidenced by my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,792. Thus, it is not deemed necessary to the understanding of the present invention to again describe mechanism 18 in detail.

Trolley 26 is shown in the drawings as including a horizontally disposed base portion 28, which is movably mounted on a pair of rails 30 by pairs of front and rear transport wheels 32 and 34, respectively; and a standard 36, which upstands from base portion 28 and serves to mount door 16 and the front or outer end of assembly 24 thereon. Trolley 26 may be driven along rails 30 for the purpose of opening and closing door 16 by any suitable means, such as base portion mounted electric motor 38 coupled to one or both of front transport wheels 32 by a suitable transmission 40. A suitable limit switch or trolley proximity sensor, not shown, may be employed to the deenergized motor 38 when door 16 has been moved to its closed position.

More specifically, standard 36 comprises a pair of facing, main U-shaped channel members 44, which upstand in a converging relationship from adjacent the front end of base portion 28; a plurality of assembly mounting angle irons 46, which are arranged to extend transversely between channel members 44 intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof; door suspending angle irons 50, which extend transversely between upper ends of channel members 44; and a pair of bracing angle irons 52, which extend downwardly from adjacent the mid points of channel members 44 for attachment to base portion 28 adjacent the rear end thereof.

Now referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that assembly 24 includes a shaft device 54, which is of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration and has its relatively inner and outer rounded end portions supported by inner and outer bearing devices 56 and 58 for rotation about an axis extending axially of shell 12. Inner bearing device 56 is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 as being carried on a transversely extending inner bearing support 60, which is in turn end supported on a pair of shell affixed rails 62 by rollers 64. Outer bearing device 58 is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as being carried on a transversely extending outer bearing support 66, which is in turn cantilever supported on trolley angle irons 46 by a pair of steel pins 68. Thus, shaft device 54 is removably inserted into shell 12 in a telescopic relationship with conduit 20 as trolley 26 is reciprocated for the purpose of moving door 16 between its closed and open positions.

As will be understood by referring to FIG. 8, each of pins 68 is arranged to be freely received within an associated door aperture 70, which is fluid pressure sealed relative to its associated pin 68 by flexible metal bellows device 72 having its front end affixed to pin 68 adjacent standard 36.

Referring to FIG. 2, it will be understood that rotation is imparted to shaft device 54 by a trolley mounted variable speed electric motor 74 acting through a motion transmission linkage including inner and outer flexible drive couplings 76 and 78 and an intermediate drive shaft 80, which extends through a fluid-pressure seal device 82 fixed within door aperture 84. Opposite ends of shaft 80 are journaled by inner and outer door mounted bearings 86 and 88, such that the shaft is permitted to undergo both rotary and axial reciprocating movements relative to seal device 82 and thus door 16.

Assembly 24 additionally includes four right angularly related clamping devices 90, which are fixed for rotation with shaft device 24 and individually dimensioned to removably receive a single loader device 92, which is in turn dimensioned to removably receive a plurality of container carrying baskets 94. Baskets 94 may be of the type conventionally employed in the canning industry to support food product containers within an autoclave. For any given installation, more than four loader devices would be provided in order to permit baskets to be loaded or unloaded at separate areas of a plant while vessel 10 is in use.

Normally, baskets 94 are of open topped, wire mesh construction, and containers are end inserted thereinto for arrangement in two or more layers with adjacent layers being separated by a perforated spacer plate. Each of loader devices 92 has an open topped base portion 96, which comprises an open framework of angle irons; and a top portion 98, which is hingedly secured to base portion 96 and also of open framework construction. As will be apparent from viewing FIGS. 1 and 6, a plurality of perforated plates 100 are independently and adjustably supported on top portion 98 by a plurality of spring adjustment devices 102. Thus, when top portion 98 is latched in closed position, as by suitable latch devices 104, plates 100 are resiliently maintained in engagement with the upper ends of containers 106, which are arranged in an uppermost layer of containers in one of the baskets positioned within the loader device, thereby to resiliently retain the containers in their baskets and prevent damage thereof during the treating operation.

Adjustment devices 102 are shown in FIG. 6 for purposes of illustration only as including a bolt 108, which is freely received within a top portion carried sleeve bearing 110; a stop nut 112, which is threaded onto bolt 108; a retainer pad 114, which is weld affixed to plate 100 and rotatably carried by the lower end of bolt 108; and a coil type compression spring 116, which is arranged concentrically of bolt 108 to bear adjacent its opposite ends on top portion 98 and plate 100. As will be apparent from viewing FIG. 6, adjustments of nut 112 relative to bolt 108 controls the extent to which spring 116 is permitted to expand and thus the degree of compressive force to be exerted on the containers when top portion 98 is latched in closed position.

Again referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, it will be seen that cages 90 are defined by a plurality of stationary "bottom" support bars or angle irons 120; stationary "end" brackets 122; a pair of pivotally supported "top" clamping bars 124, which are pivotally fixed for movement in opposite directions about parallel axes disposed transversely of the axis of rotation of shaft device 54; and a pivotally supported "front" bracket 126, which is fixed for opening movement about an axis disposed essentially parallel to the axis of rotation of the shaft device. "Top" bars 124 and "front" bracket 98 may be releasably latched to their associated "end" brackets 94 for the purpose of releasably retaining a loader device mounted on shaft device 54 by means of suitable latch devices 130 and 132, respectively. As will be apparent from viewing FIGS. 2 and 3, "bottom" bars 120 of one cage defines the "rear" of an adjacent cage. The loader devices may be removably inserted into their respective cages in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3.

By referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, it will be appreciated that the cage arrangement, wherein each cage is disposed at a right angle relative to an adjacent cage, facilitates insertion of the loader devices and insures that the containers in each loader device are subject to the same degree of contents agitation, even though the individual containers are disposed at varying distances from the axis of shaft device rotation.

In accordance with the present invention, a treating fluid, such as steam or hot water or hot water with entrained air, is directed as a plurality of streams radially of the axis of rotation of shaft device 54 for passage in surface scrubbing relationship with containers 106 as the latter are moved in an orbital path about the axis of the shaft device through a bath or body of previously discharged treating fluid contained within shell 12. In the preferred construction, treating fluid is introduced into the hollow interior of shaft device 54 through a plurality of apertures 20' spaced lengthwise of conduit 20 and thereafter discharged radially of the shaft device through side wall apertures 140. The effective area of apertures 140 and thus the flow of treating fluid may be adjustably varied by four wall mounted, apertured valve plates 142, which are supported by the shaft device for adjustable sliding movement lengthwise thereof. To insure that the treating fluid is distributed to the several apertures 140 in a uniform manner, the size and/or number of apertures 20' may be varied lengthwise of conduit 20. Alternatively, suitable baffle devices 144 may be positioned within the shaft device to achieve this purpose.

Again referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that shell 12 is provided with a bottom discharge conduit 146. For treating operations during which the treating fluid is not considered reusable, conduit 146 may be selectively blocked or connected to drain conduit 147 by a two way valve device 148. In operations for which the treating fluid is reusable, as for instance a cooking operation employing hot water, valve 148 would be in the form of a three way valve permitting connection of conduit 146 to a recirculation conduit 149; the latter being connected through a suitable pump and heat exchange system, not shown, to conduit 20 for reintroduction as streams into the vessel.

As by way of specific example, when a cooking operation is to be performed using hot water, the vessel is initially filled with water to define a bath having a depth, which is preferably sufficient to completely immerse the containers. Then, as the shaft assembly is rotated, water is withdrawn from the lower level of the tank and after being heated is reintroduced into the bath radially of the rotational axis of the shaft assembly. The radially directed streams serve to produce a temperature gradient varying inversely radially of the axis of the shaft assembly rotation, such that the annular region immediately adjacent the axis of rotation is relatively hotter than a radially outwardly spaced annular region. However, in that it has been determined that heat is more efficiently transferred to the relatively outer containers than to the relatively inner containers due to their differences in speed relative to the bath, it is possible to coordinate the speed of rotation of the shaft assembly with the temperature and/or flow rate of the streams of hot water such that the containers are subjected to relatively uniform heat treatment. Of course, the ability to subject radially spaced containers to like heat treatments permits the cross sectional area of any given vessel to be most effectively utilized and thus increases the number of containers which may be treated in any given batch.

Door 16 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as being mounted on standard 36 independently of pins 68 by a three point mounting or suspension, which includes an upper adjustable mounting or suspension device 150 fixed to channel members 50 and a pair of lower mounting devices 152 fixed one to each of bracing channel members 52. The suspension is preferably of the type described in my co-pending patent application entitled "Pressure Vessel," Ser. No. 200,048, filed Nov. 18, 1971.

Upper device 150 includes a pin shaft 154, which is fixed to door mounted flange 156, such that its axis is essentially horizontally disposed and extends generally transversely of the path of trolley reciprocation; and a pair of standard mounted brackets 158, which are formed with aligned, horizontally elongated slots 160 for freely receiving opposite ends of pin shaft 154. A pair of threadably adjustable spring biased devices 162 are employed to normally bias pin shaft 154 towards the rear ends of slots 160, that is to the right as viewed in FIG. 2, while permitting rotations and forward movement of the pin shaft within the slots as required to insure proper seating of the door in its closed position.

Lower mounting devices 152, which accommodate for movements of pin shaft 154 within slots 160, are each in the form of a pair of loosely fitted telescopic sleeve members 162 and 164, which are fixed respectively to door 16 and a bracing angle iron 52. A coil type compression spring, not shown, which is arranged concentrically within members 162 and 164, may be subject to adjustments by a threaded bolt, also not shown.

Upon installation of a vessel incorporating the present invention, spring devices 162 are first adjusted to insure that pin 154 is maintained adjacent the rear ends of slots 160 when door 16 is in open position while permitting the pin to move forward and, if required, horizontally swing within the slots when the door is moved into closed, unlocked position by trolley 26; this forward movement being at least sufficient to thereafter permit the pin to be moved towards the rear end of the slots when the door is clamped by locking ring mechanism 18 in closed, fluid pressure sealed position. Lower mounting devices 152 are adjusted to tilt door 16 vertically and/or horizontally as required to insure that the annular sealing surface 16a of the door is properly disposed in alignment for proper seating with the annular sealing surface 12a of shell 12 when the door is moved into closed position. As will be apparent, by adjustments of one or both of devices 152, the orientation of door 16 may be modified from time to time as necessary to accommodate for vertical and/or horizontal displacements of the annular sealing surface 12a, which likely will occur during use, due to thermal distortions of the shell. Of course, the flexibility of bellows devices 72 and the provision of flexible couplings 76 and 78 permit universal and independent displacements of the door relative to pins 68, as well as standard 36. The provision of bellows devices 72 and the slide fitting relationship between drive shaft 80 and seal device 82 additionally permits breathing, that is, in and out movements of the domed central section of the door as a result of being under vacuum or pressure conditions and/or as a result of thermally induced distortions thereof.

As discussed in my above mentioned co-pending application, it is preferable that variations in loading of the shaft assembly produce deflections of pins 68, rather than standard 36, and that bellows device 72 are sufficiently flexible to permit such deflections to occur without influencing the previously adjusted orientation of door 16. However, should deflections of standard 36 occur under high loading conditions, door 16 may be again properly positioned by adjustments of devices 152. Of course, for installations where shell 12 would not be subject to thermal distortions and/or is constrained, such that movements of sealing surface 12a is in some manner prevented, and all shaft assembly load induced deflections are confined to the mounting pins, the above described adjustable door mounting arrangement may be dispensed with.

FIG. 7 illustrates an alternate form of the invention wherein shaft device 54 is replaced by four secondary shaft devices 54', which are rotatably supported at the ends of spiders 170. Spiders 170 are in turn supported by a single through or pair of stub shafts 172. Within this form of the invention various constructions are contemplated. In this respect, cages 90' may be rotated about the axes of their associated shaft devices 54' by means of belt drive 174, as streams of treating fluid are directed radially from such shaft devices. Spiders 170 may be rotatably driven solely for the purpose of moving cages 90' into positions convenient for insertion and removal of their associated loader devices, and if desired, continuously driven during the treating operation in order to move cages 90' throughout the interior of shell 12.

Claims

We claim:

1. In a vessel for use in treating a batch of articles, the improvement for maximizing the number of articles treated in each batch while obtaining substantially uniform treatment of such articles, which comprises:

shaft means;

drive means for rotating said shaft means within said vessel about a horizontally disposed axis;

a plurality of perforated baskets, each of said baskets being adapted to removably carry a plurality of articles therewithin;

mounting means for removably mounting said baskets on said shaft means for rotation therewith, said baskets when mounted positioning said articles carried therewithin at unequal radial distances from said axis, whereby when said shaft means is rotated said articles move in orbital paths about said axis at individual speeds proportional to the radial distance thereof from said axis;

means for establishing a bath of heated fluid within said vessel at a depth sufficient to completely immerse said articles therewithin during rotation of said shaft means, said means for establishing said bath including flow means connected with a source of said heated fluid for directing a plurality of streams of said heated fluid essentially radially outwardly of said axis for flow through said baskets in surface contact with said articles, said streams producing a temperature gradient within said bath radially of said axis, whereby radially spaced articles moving at different speeds relative to said bath may be subjected to relatively uniform heat treatment.

2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said flow means and said drive means are adjustable.

3. In a vessel for use in treating a batch of articles, the improvement for maximizing the number of articles treated in each batch while obtaining substantially uniform treatment of such articles, which comprises:

shaft means;

drive means for rotating said shaft means within said vessel about an axis;

a plurality of perforated baskets, each of said baskets being adapted to removably carry a plurality of articles therewithin, each of said baskets being dimensioned to receive a plurality of articles therewithin and having an open wall through which said articles may be freely inserted into and withdrawn therefrom;

mounting means for removably mounting said baskets on said shaft means, said baskets when mounted positioning said articles carried therewithin at unequal distances from said axis, said basket mounting means including fluid flow through loader devices and means to removably fix said loader devices for rotation with said shaft means, said loader devices being arranged about said axis in an annularly spaced relationship and said loader devices being dimensioned to receive at least one of said baskets and including cover means for releasably retaining said baskets therewithin and for resiliently constraining said articles from movement within said baskets; and

flow means connectable with a source of treating fluid for directing a plurality of streams of said fluid essentially radially outwardly of said axis for flow through said baskets in surface contact with said articles.

4. The improvement according to claim 3, wherein four loader devices are fixed to said shaft means, said articles are food containers arranged in at least two layers within each of said baskets by end insertion of said containers through said end wall thereof, and said layers of containers in baskets of each said loader device being disposed to extend transversely of said axis and at essentially right angles relative to layers of containers in baskets of adjacent circumferentially spaced loader devices.

5. A pressure vessel comprising in combination:

a shell having an access opening bounded by annular sealing surface means;

a door having annular sealing surface means engageable with said shell surface means for closing said access opening;

a shaft assembly for supporting articles to be treated within said shell;

a trolley supported for movement relative to said access opening;

door mounting means for supporting said door on said trolley for movement therewith between access opening closed and opened positions and for permitting movements of said door relative to said trolley as required to arrange said door surface means for proper sealing engagement with said shell surface means when said door is moved into said closed position; and

assembly mounting and drive means extending through said door in a fluid pressure sealed relatively movable relationship therewith for rotating said shaft assembly about an axis relative to said door and said trolley and said shell and for coupling said shaft assembly to said trolley for movements therewith whereby to removably insert said shaft assembly within said shell as said door is moved between said closed and opened positions.

6. A pressure vessel comprising in combination:

a shell having an access opening bounded by an annular sealing surface means;

a door having annular sealing surface means engageable with said shell sealing surface means for closing said access opening;

a trolley supported for movement relative to said access opening;

door mounting means for supporting said door on said trolley for movement therewith between access opening closed and open positions;

shaft means;

shaft means mounting and drive means extending through said door in a fluid pressure sealed relatively movable relationship therewith for rotating said shaft means about an axis relative to said door and said trolley and said shell and for coupling said shaft means to said trolley for movement therewith whereby said shaft means is removably inserted axially into said shell as said door is moved between said closed and opened positions;

a plurality of perforated baskets, each of said baskets being adapted to removably carry a plurality of articles therewithin;

basket mounting means for removably mounting said baskets on said shaft means, said baskets when mounted positioning said articles carried therewithin at unequal distances from said axis; and

flow means connectable with a source of treating fluid for directing a plurality of streams of said fluid essentially radially of said axis for flow through said baskets in surface contact with said articles.

7. A pressure vessel according to claim 6, wherein said flow means includes a flow conduit extending through the end wall of said shell opposite to said access opening, a flow passageway extending axially within said shaft means and a plurality of flow apertures in communication with said flow passageway, said flow apertures being spaced apart lengthwise of said shaft means and opening radially therethrough, and shaft means and said flow conduit are arranged in a telescopic relationship.

8. A pressure vessel according to claim 6, wherein each of said baskets has an open wall through which said articles may be freely inserted into and withdrawn therefrom, and said basket mounting means includes fluid flow through loaded devices and means to removably fix said loaded devices for rotation with said shaft means, said loader devices being arranged about said axis in an annularly spaced reltionship, and said loader devices being dimensioned to receive at least one of said baskets and including cover means for releasably retaining said baskets therewithin and for resiliently constraining said articles from movement within said baskets.

9. A pressure vessel according to claim 6, wherein said shaft means includes a main shaft means rotatable about said axis and a plurality of secondary shaft means carried for rotation with said main shaft and spaced substantially equally apart annularly thereof, each said secondary shaft means being rotatable about a secondary axis arranged parallel to said axis of rotation of said main shaft means, said basket mounting means mounting pluralities of said baskets on each of said secondary shaft means for rotation about its associated secondary axis, and said flow means directing said streams radially of each said

10. A pressure vessel comprising in combination:

a shell having an access opening bounded by annular sealing surface means;

a door having annular sealing surface means engageable with said shell sealing surface means for closing said access opening and having three apertures extending therethrough;

a trolley supported for movement relative to said access opening;

door mounting means for supporting said door on said trolley for movement therewith between access opening closed and open positions and for permitting movements of said door relative to said trolley as required to arrange said door surface means in proper sealing engagement with said shell surface means when said door is moved into said closed positions;

shaft means;

inner and outer bearing means for supporting said shaft means for rotation about an axis extending lengthwise of said shell;

first support means for supporting said inner bearing means on said shell for movement lengthwise therewithin;

second support means for supporting said outer bearing means on said trolley whereby said shaft means is removably inserted into said shell when said door is moved between said closed and open positions, said second support means including a pair of pin members arranged to freely extend one through each of a pair of said door apertures for connection adjacent opposite ends thereof to said trolley and to said outer bearing means;

a pair of flexible metal bellows arranged one substantially concentrically outwardly of each of said pin members, said bellows being affixed adjacent opposite ends thereof to said pin members and to said door;

drive means for rotating said shaft means about said axis, said drive means including motor means carried by said trolley, a drive shaft extending through a third of said door apertures for both rotary and reciprocating movements, inner flexible coupling means for connecting an inner end of said drive shaft to said shaft means, outer flexible coupling means for connecting an outer end of said drive shaft to said motor means;

means for providing a fluid pressure seal between said door and said drive shaft;

a plurality of perforated baskets, each of said baskets being adapted to removably carry a plurality of articles therewithin;

mounting means for removably mounting said baskets on said shaft means, said baskets when mounted positioning said articles carried therewithin at unequal distances from said axis; and

flow means connectible with a source of treating fluid for directing a plurality of streams of said fluid essentially radially of said axis for flow through said baskets in surface contact with said articles.

11. A pressure vessel according to claim 10, wherein said flow means includes a flow conduit extending through the end wall of said shell opposite to said access opening, a flow passageway extending axially within said shaft means and a plurality of flow apertures in communication with said flow passageway, said flow apertures being spaced apart lengthwise of said shaft means and opening radially therethrough, and said shaft means and said flow conduit are arranged in a telescopic relationship.

12. A pressure vessel according to claim 11, wherein each of said baskets has an open wall through which said articles may be freely inserted into and withdrawn therefrom, and said basket mounting means includes fluid flow through loaded devices and means to removably fix said loaded devices for rotation with said shaft means, said loader devices being arranged about said axis in an annularly spaced relationship, and said loader devices being dimensioned to receive at least one of said baskets and including cover means for releasably retaining said baskets therewithin and for resiliently constraining said articles from movement within said baskets.

13. A pressure vessel according to claim 11, wherein said shaft means carries means to adjustably vary the size of said flow apertures, and said drive means includes means to vary the rotational speed of said shaft means.