Improved Means for Smoke-curing Fish and Flesh Foods, and in Fuel Compounds for the Purpose.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 12th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Smoke-curing Fish and Flesh Foods, and in
Fuel Compounds for the Purpose.
I THOMAS WILLIAMS of 110 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for object an improved system of smoke curing Fish, Flesh
and kindred foods, whereby, the curing is effected by a compound which may be
loose or compressed in cubes or other forms and arranged in a cage or combustion
chamber so that a slow and regular combustion is effected without flame but giving
the maximum yield of preservative gases or smoke. The operation may be carried
on in a specially constructed curing house or box, so that the food under treat-
ment can be kept enveloped in a dense atmosphere of preserving gases or smoke
whereby the curing is more effectually and rapidly completed than by the present
system.
The compound may consist of wood debris, wood tar, sulphur, or saltpetre mixed
together in varying proportions to suit the particular food to be treated and this
compound may be loose or compressed in cubes or briquettes.
The compound, preferably in cubes, is placed in a cage the sides top and bottom
being open or having perforation to allow of the air supplied to the bottom for
combustion and the smoke to escape freely at the top and sides into the curing
house or box. No air is admitted to the curing house except such as is com-
mingled with the smoke and gases.
The curing house or box is closed at the top and upper sides and at a line
above the top level of the cage a series of ports are left for the escape of the
surplus gas.
The food products under treatment are above the level of these ports and are
therefore enveloped in an atmosphere of curing smoke and preserving gases.
T: 0L
£ More 1000
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said T. Williams.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Smoke-curing Fish and Flesh Foods, and in
Fuel Compounds for the Purpose.
I, THOMAS WILLIAMS, of 110 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention has for object an improved system of smoke curing Fish, Flesh and
kindred foods, whereby the curing is effected by a compound which may be in a loose
state or compressed into cubes, briquettes, or other forms and arranged in a cage or
combustion chamber, so that a slow and regular combustion is effected, giving the
maximum yield of preservative gases or smoke. The operation may be carried on in
a specially constructed curing house or box, so that the food under treatment can be
kept enveloped in a dense atmosphere of preserving gases or smoke, whereby the
curing is effectually and rapidly completed.
The compound may consist of wood refuse, peat, wood tar, and sulphur, or in lieu
thereof saltpetre mixed together in varying proportions to suit the particular food to
be treated..
The cage has the sides, top nd bottom sufficiently open, or perforations are made

page_text: to allow of the air supplied to the bottom for combustion, and the smoke to escape
freely at the top and sides into the curing house or box, no air being admitted to the
curing house except such as can commingle with the smoke and gases.
The curing house or box is closed at the top and upper sides and at a line above
the top level of the cage, a series of ports are left for the escape of the surplus gas.
The food products under treatment are above the level of these ports, and are
therefore enveloped in an atmosphere of curing smoke and preserving gases.
When it is necessary to obtain a high temperature at first to drive off either the
natural moisture in the food, or that due to pickling, another cube or compound is
used containing the same ingredients but in different proportions and having perfora-
tions to admit a supply of oxygen to increase the combustion, these cubes may be
used separately, or placed on top of the smoking cubes, and as they are intended for
heating purposes, the flame from them is sufficient, and as they become nearly
consumed, they ignite the cubes below, which then supply smoke and effect the
curing.
The cubes may have a coating of sawdust, to which a proportion of saltpetre
dissolved in water has been added, and the briquettes for curing from their component
parts ignite readily.
The process of smoke curing at present in use varies in localities, and to suit the
different foods under treatment, but broadly it is as follows. Wood either in logs,
billets, or debris is burned with or without flame as more or less heat may be required,
the food under treatment is suspended above the burning fuel, and the gases or smoke
ascending therefrom in their passage upward act on this food and cure or smoke it.
Difficulty is experienced in keeping the combustion regular because the inflow of
air for supporting combustion lowers the temperature of the smoke-house and retards
the curing.
By my invention, the curing can be effected independently of atmospheric influence.
A sheet of metal with or without perforations may be placed above the combustion
chamber to act as a spreader and thus ensure equal distribution of heat and smoke to
the food under treatment.
The constituents of the compound vary in the proportions in which they are mixed
to suit the class of food it is designed to cure, and this again may be modified to suit
the different modes in which the particular class of food may be required for market.
For fish curing, I employ for the first or heating compound.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The process herein described, whereby food is first exteriorly dried by flame
heat and then smoked and cured.
2. The substances forming the compounds described for the purposes specifierì.
3. The arrangement of combustion cages, with or without the distributor when
employed for the purpose described.
The 0th Jo.. of Wahanan 1800
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said Thomas Williams.