Object Record

Images

1 of 1977

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Metadata

Object Name

Separator, Cream

Date

1910-1920

Maker

DeLaval Separator Co.

Material

Steel/Tin

Used

Minerva and Olmstedville

Description

DeLaval Junior cream separator. Sheet metal decoratively-painted base with circular metal pan for setting a receptacle to catch separated cream. Crank assembly bolted to the top of stand with metal crank arm with a wooden handle and bell. Painted on side of assembly is "DE LAVAL / JUNIOR". Detachable bottom spout. Detachable milk pan (round) with spout at the base. Detachable plug with a wire handle (b) sits upright into base of milk pan and turned to let milk through in base to be separated. Piece of wood (c) can be attached to top of wire stopper through a hole in one end to be used as an extension handle. d: Side cup for catching residue from spout on side of crank assembly.

Embossed metal plate below bowl: "THE DE LAVAL / JUNIOR / No. 8 225 lbs. / 65 revs. of crank / MADE IN SWEDEN". Raised and painted lettering on crank handle: "65 PER MIN".

Maker's mark on metal plate attached to the crank assembly: "THE DE LAVEL SEPARATOR CO. / JUNIOR / No. 2 225 lbs. / 65 revs. of crank / MADE IN SWEDEN". The DeLaval Separator Co. began making cream separators in 1882.

Notes

DeLaval Junior cream separator, 49 inches high x 25 inches wide is a manually driven centrifugal separator. The decoratively-painted base is made of steel and can be bolted to the floor. At the top is a deep receptacle into which the fresh milk is poured. A plug in the bottom controls the flow of milk into the centrifuge below. The centrifuge is operated via a crank assembly bolted to the top of stand; it has a metal crank arm with a wooden handle. The separator has two spouts that can be rotated in different directions; these are for the separated components of skim milk and cream. Below the spouts is a platform for setting a small container to catch the cream. The skim milk (heavier, and a much larger quantity) would typically flow into a large bucket on the floor. An embossed metal plate below bowl: "THE DE LAVAL / JUNIOR / No. 8 225 lbs. / 65 revs. of crank / MADE IN SWEDEN". Raised and painted lettering on crank handle: "65 PER MIN".

A cream separator is a device used to separate fresh milk into its two main components: skim milk (thin and watery) and cream (thick and fat-rich). This practice was common on many farms years ago. Most farmers milked a few cows, usually by hand, and separated milk. Some of the skim milk was consumed; the rest was used to feed the calves and pigs. Enough cream was saved to make butter and the excess cream was sold to provide much needed income for many families. This separator was originally owned by Arthur Persons, of Minerva. He was a logging contractor, farmer, and handyman. It was donated to the museum by his son.

This separator works by spinning the milk in a centrifuge. When it spins, the skim milk, which is heaviest, is pulled outward against the walls while the cream, which is lighter, is collected in the middle. The cream and milk then flow out of separate spouts. Gustaf de Laval manufactured and sold the first centrifugal separator, making it possible to separate cream from milk faster and more easily, without having to let the milk "set" and sour first.

Maker's mark on metal plate attached to the crank assembly: "THE DE LAVEL SEPARATOR CO. / JUNIOR / No. 2 225 lbs. / 65 revs. of crank / MADE IN SWEDEN". The DeLaval Separator Co. began making cream separators in 1882. The company began manufacturing in the United States before 1900.

Dimensions

H-48.75 W-25 D-23 inches

Collection

AG060C Agriculture: Processing

Catalog Number

2001.051.0001a-d

Imagefile

080\2001.051.0001.JPG

Species