Improved Means for Preserving Eggs.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left. 6th Dec. 1892-Accepted. 21st Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Preserving Eggs.
We GEORGE FARQUHAR Junior and ROBERT NORTH both of 205 St. George's
Road, Peckham in the County of Surrey, Merchants do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
-
The object of this invention is to preserve eggs in such a manner that they can
be transported and kept in the ordinary ways without special means being necessary
for packing or transporting. According to our invention we cover the eggs with a
thin covering of a hard material impervious to air. This thin hard covering we
find is readily obtained by means of gelatine applied in solution and afterwards
hardened.
A convenient way of applying the gelatine (to which way however we do not
limit ourselves) is to suspend the eggs in loops of thin thread and dip them into a
solution of gelatine and then withdraw them and allow the thin coating to dry by
suspending the eggs in the air. The dried coating forms a hard covering which is
a very efficient preservative of the eggs.
Dated this 22nd day of August 1892.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Preserving Eggs.
We, GEORGE FARQUHAR, Junior, and ROBERT NORTH, both of 205 St. George's
Road, Peckham, in the County of Surrey, Merchants, 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:-
The object of this invention is to preserve eggs in such a manner that they can
be transported and kept in the ordinary ways without special means being necessary
for packing or transporting. It has been proposed to keep eggs in a solution of
lime, salt and cream of tartar. This presents the serious objection that the eggs
when removed from the solution very soon go bad, moreover this is an impracticable
system for purposes of transit. It has also been proposed to cover eggs with a
coating of wax or of butter and then to cover them with a paper wrapper but the
wax is very liable to become injured and of course the least defect in the entirety
of the covering vitiated the efficiency thereof whilst the butter covering is liable to
become rancid and it is well known that eggs very readily acquire the flavour of any-
thing in contact with them. Moreover the greasy covering whether of butter or
of wax is liable to be liquified under the influence of warm weather or of artificial
heat when the coating will run off from the eggs or from portions of them thus
destroying the efficiency thereof. We have therefore directed our attention to the
provision of a coating which will not possess any of these defects but which will
form a secure and impervious covering not liable to injury and which will not
interfere with the ordinary packing, transport, sale and keeping of the eggs by
the shipper, merchant, retailer and consumer. We have found that a thin hard
covering impervious to air and eminently adapted for preserving the eggs and
allowing of their manipulation in the ordinary way as regards packing, sale and
use is obtained by means of gelatine applied in solution and afterwards hardened.
A convenient way of applying the gelatine (to which way we however do
not limit ourselves) is to suspend each egg in a loop of thin thread and dip them

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into a solution of gelatine and then withdraw them and allow the thin coating
which then covers them completely to dry by suspending the eggs in the air.
eggs to be treated should be collected as fresh as possible and then slip-knots be
made in pieces of cotton thread or the like and loops made therein to surround
the eggs the said loops being drawn closely around the eggs and then a number of
the eggs will be suspended upon a frame say a wooden frame provided with a
number of hooks. The batch of eggs thus suspended will then be dipped into the
solution of gelatine contained in a suitable vessel which may be provided with a
heating device to keep the solution at a temperature of say 110° to 120° Fahrenheit.
A solution of one part by weight of gelatine in two parts by weight of water has
we have found when at the above temperature a consistency well suited to the
purpose.
The frame with the eggs attached is then raised so that the eggs are removed
from the solution and superfluous gelatine drains off and afterwards the frame
with the eggs attached to it is hung up for a time necessary to ensure the coating
becoming hard or firm enough to allow of handling. The eggs are then removed
and the ends of the suspending threads can be cut off if desired and the eggs be
wrapped in thin paper.
The eggs thus prepared have a thin bard covering which will preserve them
for a great length of time and will admit of their being shipped for long voyages
or of being stored for long periods the hard coating of gelatine affording complete
isolation of the egg so that there is no danger of their being contaminated by
injurious external influences.
Having now particularly described and ascertained 'the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
The preservative treatment of eggs by the application to them of a covering or
coating of hardèned gelatine substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 6th der of December 1909
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.