IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Primerose Howard Vaughan, F.C.S., of 67,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING
ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES." A communication from abroad by
John Hopkins, of St. John's, New Brunswick, in the Dominion of Canada.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Primerose Howard
Vaughan at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th September
1877.
EDWARD PRIMEROSE HOWARD VAUGHAN, F.C.S., of 67, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN
APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES." A communi-
cation from abroad by John Hopkins, of St. John's, New Brunswick, in the
Dominion of Canada]
This Invention consists in improvements in the method of and in apparatus for
preserving animal and vegetable substances, and by means of which the same are
exposed to an atmosphere at a very low temperature, and entirely free from moisture,
thus possessing great advantages over those methods and apparatus at present in
use, where the air is cooled previously to being admitted to the chamber or recep-
tacle by being passed over ice or other refrigerating substance or substances, and by
which means it consequently becomes supercharged with moisture, which has an
injurious effect upon the substances which it is desired to preserve.
The present Invention is applicable to railway and other conveyances, rooms, and
other receptacles, and allows of the fans and similar expensive apparatus, which in
many cases are employed, being dispensed with.
I will now describe the said Invention as applied to a railway car:-The sides,
floor, and roof of the car are constructed of any suitable non-conducting material,
T

page_text: or they may be lined or covered with the same for the purpose of diminishing the
effect of the temperature of the external atmosphere upon the air contained in the
car. From the top or roof of the latter is or are suspended a tank or tanks con-
structed so as to present a great amount of surface to the air in the car, and to occupy
as little space as possible, while at the same time they are of such a capacity as will
admit of their containing the mixture of ice and salt or other refrigerating material
or materials which may be employed. These tanks may be formed of any suitable
material, but, by preference, they are constructed of galvanized iron or copper, the
upper part thereof passing through the top or roof of the car in such a manner that
the tanks may be supplied with the refrigerating material or materials from the
outside of the car. The said tanks are provided with close-fitting covers constructed
of non-conducting material for the purpose of excluding the external air. The
lower portions of the tanks are provided with taps or valves for the purpose of
drawing off the liquid contained therein, and of emptying the same. When desired
the lower portions may also be provided with pipes, which conduct the liquid to
similar tanks resting on the bottom or base of the car. These latter tanks are also
provided with taps or valves for the purpose of emptying the same. By these
means the temperature of the air contained in the car can be reduced to such an
extent as to cause the moisture contained in it to be condensed into the form of
frost, thus leaving the substance or substances which it is desired to preserve
exposed to a cold dry atmosphere, which may be maintained for any desired length
of time.
The modifications necessary for adapting the said Invention to rooms or other
receptacles will be well understood.
In all cases the doors or other openings for the admission of the substances to be
preserved are made to close in an air-tight manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Primerose Howard Vaughan in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th March 1878.
EDWARD PRIMEROSE HOWARD VAUGHAN, F.C.S., of 67, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN
APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES." A communi-
cation from abroad by John Hopkins, of St. John's, New Brunswick, in the
Dominion of Canada.
This Invention consists in certain improvements in the method of and in appa-
ratus for preserving animal and vegetable substances, and by means of which the
same are exposed to atmospheric air which has been reduced to a very low
temperature, and which is entirely free from moisture, thus possessing great
advantages and simplicity as compared to those methods and apparatus hitherto in
use, in connection with which the air is cooled previously to being admitted to the
chamber or receptacle to which the apparatus is applied by being passed over ice or
other refrigerating substance or substances, and by means of which such air becomes
supercharged with moisture, and consequently exercises an injurious effect upon the
substances which it is desired to preserve.
The present Invention is applicable to railway cars or carriages and other convey-
ances, and also rooms and other receptacles, and allows of fans and other expensive
apparatus, which have hitherto in many cases been employed, being dispensed
with.
I will now describe the said Invention as applied to a railway car, the same
arrangements, with, in some cases, obvious modifications, being applicable to other
conveyances, rooms, and other receptacles:-The sides, floor, and roof of the car are
constructed of any suitable non-conducting material, or they may be lined or
covered with the same for the purpose of diminishing the effect of the temperature
of the external atmosphere upon the air contained in the car. From the top or roof
of the latter is or are suspended a tank or tanks constructed so as to present a
great amount of surface to the air in the car, and to occupy as little space as
possible, whilst at the same time such tank or tanks is or are of such a capacity as
will contain the mixture of ice and salt or other refrigerating material or materials
which may be employed. The tanks may be formed of any suitable material or
materials, but, by preference, they are constructed of galvanized iron or copper, the
upper part thereof passing through the top or roof of the car in such a manner that
the tanks may be supplied with the refrigerating material or materials from the
outside. The said tanks are provided with close-fitting covers constructed of non-
conducting materials or materials for the purpose of excluding the external air. The
lower portions of the tanks are provided with taps or valves for the purpose of
drawing off the liquid contained therein, and of emptying the same. When desired
the lower portions of the tanks may also be provided with pipes, which conduct the
liquid to similar tanks which are placed on the bottom or base of the car. The
last-mentioned tanks are also provided with taps or valves for the purpose of
emptying the same. By these means the temperature of the air contained in the
car can be reduced to such an extent as to cause the moisture contained in it to be
condensed, and to assume the form of hoar frost, thus leaving the substance or
substances, which it desired to preserve (and which are placed in any convenient
and desired positions in the interior of the car), exposed to the influence of a cold
dry atmosphere, and which condition may be maintained for any desired length
of time.
As before mentioned, the modifications necessary for adapting the said Invention
to rooms and other receptacles will be well understood.
In all cases the doors or other openings for the admission of the substances to be
preserved should be made to close in an air-tight manner.

page_text: Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion that what
I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the Invention
secured by the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the method of
and apparatus for preserving animal and vegetable substances, substantially as
herein-before described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Primerose Howard Vaughan, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.