Patent GB-386644-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to sausage casings and other containers for edible products
IPC: A22C13/00
Filed: 1931-04-08
Abstract: Hollow containers for edible products, particularly sausage casings and like tubular or other hollow body containers, consist of a tube of felted cellulosic fibres impregnated with regenerated cellulose. The cellulose fibres act as a strengthening medium for the film of structureless cellulose, and for this purpose the fibres of the plants mitzumata, kodzu and gampi are preferred because of their strength and suppleness. The tube &c. may be formed by impregnating with regenerated cellulose the felted cellulose fibres, for instance, in the form of Yoshiro paper, either in sheet form or after being formed into a tube; or, as an alternative, by mixing the fibres with a solution of cellulose or a cellulose derivative so as to form a pulp, and after forming the pulp into a tube, applying such treatment as will regenerate the cellulose from the admixed solution. The impregnation may be effected with the aid of solutions of cellulose in cuprammonia solution, zinc chloride solution either under heat or with the addition of acid, acid solutions of chlorides of antimony, bismuth and titanium, acid solutions of calcium, barium, lithium and magnesium chlorides and bromides, or hot thiocyanate solutions; alternatively, cellulose derivatives such as viscose and cellulose acetate, nitrate or other esters may be employed, these being applied as solutions in appropriate aqueous or organic solvents, and the cellulose derivative being subsequently decomposed, as for example by treatment with acid baths, or with aqueous or alcoholic alkali solutions to de-esterify the cellulose acetate, or with alkali sulphide solution to denitrate the nitrocellulose. The impregnation of the fibrous envelope may be performed before or after the introduction of the edible products. The tube is formed, when the pulp method is adopted, by the application of the latter as a layer to a mandrel; similarly, the fibrous envelope may have inserted therein a mandrel, before subjection to the impregnation process. To close the tube, the end may be softened, then twisted so as to form a closed nipple, and the tube afterwards dried.  The finished tubes are generally opalescent, but the opalescence may be reduced by mercerization &c. of the fibrous cellulose base, or by treatment with oils etc.; and the tubes may be rendered flexible or otherwise prepared for use, by the inclusion of oils in the impregnating cellulose ester &c. solution, or by treatment of the impregnated tubes with glycerol, glycol, sulphonated oils, hydrocarbon oils, edible oils and fats, &c. When using viscose as the solution for impregnating the fibrous cellulose base, the latter may be before such impregnation superficially esterified, or it may be treated as by spraying with a cellulose ester solution in either case with or without a separate deesterification step.  If a coloured tube is desired, the fibrous cellulose may be coloured before impregnation, or colouring matter may be dissolved in the impregnating solution, or the impregnated product may be dyed before or after the regeneration step.  For identification purposes, a permanent imprint may be made on the fibrous base or on the impregnated product at any stage of the manufacture.ALSO:Sausage casings and like tubular containers for edible products consist of a tube of felted cellulosic fibres impregnated with regenerated cellulose.  The cellulose fibres act as a strengthening medium for the film of structureless cellulose, and for this purpose the fibres of the plants mitzumata, kodzu and gampi are preferred because of their strength and suppleness. The tube may be formed by impregnating with regenerated cellulose the felted cellulose fibres, for instance, in the form of Yoshino paper, either in sheet form or after being formed into a tube, or, as an alternative, by mixing the fibres with a solution of cellulose or a cellulose derivative so as to form a pulp, and after forming the pulp into a tube, applying such treatment as will regenerate the cellulose from the admixed solution.  The impregnation may be effected with the aid of solutions of cellulose in cuprammonia solution, zinc chloride solution either under heat or with the addition of acid, acid solutions of chlorides of antimony, bismuth and titanium, acid solutions of calcium, barium, lithium and magnesium chlorides and bromides, or hot thiocyanate solutions; alternatively, cellulose derivatives such as viscose and cellulose acetate, nitrate or other esters may be employed, these being applied as solutions in appropriate aqueous or organic solvents, and the cellulose derivative being subsequently decomposed, as for example by treatment with acid baths, or with aqueous or alcoholic alkali solutions to de-esterify the cellulose acetate, or with alkali sulphide solution to denitrate the nitrocellulose.  The impregnation of the fibrous envelope may be performed before or after the introduction of the edible products. The tube is formed when the pulp method is adopted, by the application of the latter as a layer to a mandrel; similarly, the fibrous envelope may have inserted therein a mandrel, before subjection to the impregnation process.  To close the tube, the end may be softened, then twisted so as to form a closed nipple, and the tube afterwards dried.  The finished tubes are generally opalescent, but the opalescence may be reduced by mercerization &c. of the fibrous cellulose base, or by treatment with oils etc.; and the tubes may be rendered flexible or otherwise prepared for use, by the inclusion of oils in the impregnating cellulose ester &c., solution, or by treatment of the impregnated tubes with glycerol, glycol, sulphonated oils, hydrocarbon oils, edible oils and fats, &c. When using viscose as the solution for impregnating the fibrous cellulose base, the latter may be before such impregnation superficially esterified, or it may be treated as by spraying with a cellulose ester solution, in either case with or without a separate de-esterification step.  If a coloured tube is desired, the fibrous cellulose may be coloured before impregnation, or colouring matter may be dissolved in the impregnating solution, or the impregnated product may be dyed before or after the regeneration step.  For identification purposes, a permanent imprint may be applied to the fibrous base or to the impregnated product at any stage of the manufacture.