Patent GB-281380-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to preserving fruit and the like
IPC: A23B7/08
Filed: 1926-08-31
Abstract: 281,380. Jellicoe, R. V. Aug. 31, 1926. Preserving food.-Apparatus for preserving fruit or other foodstuffs comprises a boiler 8 heated, for example by a hot water or steam jacket 7, and having means, for example a pump 34. for circulating syrup or other preserving fluid in a closed path through the material therein. The boiler 8 has a series of supporting trays 18 which can be collapsed to deposit the material after treatment and reinstated in succession for recharging. In the construction described, the boiler 8 has a removable open-ended container 15 resting on feet or on a flange 16 therein. The trays 18, which are of semicircular or other shape to correspond with that of the container 15, are formed as perforated or slotted plates or as frames carrying gauze or like material, and are hinged in pairs on spindles 17 in the container so that they can be moved from an upper to a lower vertical position. The trays are supported in the horizontal position by lugs 20 on rods 19, rotatably mounted in the container so that the lugs can be swung round and out through slots 22 in the container to release the trays. To retain the trays 18 in the upper vertical position, a fork 24, Fig. 4, is provided which can be drawn upwards to release the trays in succession during recharging. Alternatively, each tray 18 may have a handle extending through container 15 and on the side opposite to that of the adjacent tray, the container 15 having stops co-operating with the handles to retain the trays in the desired positions. In the production of glacÚ cherries, when the boiler 8 has been charged with fruit, syrup is supplied thereto from tanks 29 through a four valve connection 27 and pipe 25. The syrup is then circulated by means of pump 34 in closed circuit through the boiler 8, pipes 35, 33, valves 32, 26, and pipe 25, and may be heated by means of a steam or water jacket 36 on pipe 33. The boiler outlet 11 has a strainer or gauze 12. When a water jacket 7 is employed for boiler 8, it may be heated directly for example by electric heaters 10 or by gas, or hot water may be supplied thereto from an independent boiler. The jacket has preferably a thermostat device for controlling the temperature. The boiler 8 is connected through pipe 37 to a condenser 38 the outlet of which passes into a collecting chamber 39 having a draw-off pipe 43 and connected through valve 42 and pipe 40 to vacuum. Chamber 39 has a gauge glass 44 which is calibrated so as to give by direct reading the density of the syrup in the boiler 8. Interchangeable scales may be provided in the treatment of different fruits or where different densities of syrup are required. Alternatively the chamber 39 may have a series of floats arranged to give audible or visible indication when the condensate has reached a certain level or levels. In a further form, the closed circuit of the syrup from boiler 8 may have a chamber arranged so that the syrup therein is quiescent and of uniform temperature and having a glass wall or walls through which a series of hydrometers indicating the density of the syrup can be observed. When the treatment is concluded the container 15 can be removed from the boiler 8 and the fruit released into a receptacle by collapsing trays 18, or the syrup may be removed through pump 34 and connection 27 and the fruit kept in the container 15 at a predetermined temperature, and preferably still under vacuum, until it has crystallized. The boiler and other parts which come into contact with the syrup may be of aluminium or stainless steel, or of aluminium or other metal plated or enamelled, for example, copper &c. plated with silver.