IMPROVEMENTS IN SINGEING PIGS BY THE APPLICATION OF GAS, THEREBY SAVING FUEL AND LABOUR AND MAINTAINING AN EQUALIZATION OF HEAT, AND THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Pakenham, of Cork Street, in the County
of the City of Dublin, Bacon and Ham Curer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SINGEING PIGS BY THE APPLICATION OF GAS, THEREBY
SAVING FUEL AND LABOUR AND MAINTAINING AN EQUALIZATION OF HEAT, AND
THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 2nd April 1874, and dated the 23rd January 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Pakenham at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd January 1874..
I, THOMAS PAKENHAM, of Cork Street, in the County of the City of
Dublin, Bacon and Ham Curer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SINGEING PIGS BY THE APPLICATION OF
GAS, THEREBY SAVING FUEL AND LABOUR AND MAINTAINING AN EQUALIZATION OF
HEAT, AND THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
An apparatus consisting of a gas chamber formed by the annular
space between two vertical cylinders, one of about twenty-two inches in

page_text: diameter, and the other of about twenty-seven inches in diameter, each
about ten inches high and placed one within the other concentrically at
a height of about eight feet from the ground.
The gas chamber is supplied by four or any other number suitable
number of pipes; the inner cylinder is filled with a number of burners
of equal length spread evenly over its entire surface perpendicularly to
it, and with their nipples pointing inwards into the inner cylinder. The
inner cylinder is fitted above and below with angle irons of a depth
equal to the length of the burners.
A vertical cylinder closed at its upper end about six feet eight inches
in height, and of the same diameter in the inner cylinder is attached to
the top of the gas chamber so as to form in effect a prolongation of the
inner cylinder; this upper cylinder is fitted with four or any other
suitable number of doors or dampers to regulate the heat or air current.
A chain with a hook at its lower extremity passes up the centro of the
cylinders through an aperture in the covering of the upper cylinder over
a pully fastened above the apparatus and to a windlass by which it is
raised and lowered. The above measurements might if desirable be
increased or diminished.
The process of using said apparatus is this:-The gas is admitted into
the chamber & the burners lighted, the interior of the inner cylinder
is thus filled with flame, the chain is then adjusted until the hook is on
a level with the end of a horizontal iron bar on which a number of
wrought iron double hooked gambols, on each of which the carcase of a
pig is slung by both hind legs, the gamoral is brought to the end of the
bar and attached by the hook to the chain which is then rapidly raised
until the entire carcase has been passed through the inner cylinder &
then rapidly lowered again, when the process of singeing is generally
complete, if not the carcase is again raised & lowered until the process
is complete.
The upper cylinder prevents the flame being dispersed & scattered
by an upward current of air on the passage of the carcase through it.
If necessary to reduce the heat or produce and upward current for any
purpose the doors or dampers can be opened & shut according as
required.

page_text: filed by the said Thomas Pakenham in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
PAKENHAM, of Cork Street, in the County of the City of Dublin, Bacon
and Ham Curer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Pakenham, Her special
licence that I, the said Thomas Pakenham, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Pakenham, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SINGEING PIGS BY THE APPLICATION OF GAS, THEREBY SAVING FUEL AND LABOUR
AND MAINTAINING AN EQUALIZATION OF HEAT, AND THE APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Pakenham, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Pakenham, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof:-
My Invention relates to the singeing of pigs in an expeditious manner
hy the annlication of cas in the manner described, and thereby saving

page_text: fuel and labor and maintaining an equalization of heat so as perfectly
and evenly to singe the carcase. For this purpose I form a gas chamber
by the annular space between two vertical cylinders (the sizes I prefer
being one of about 22 inches in diameter, and the other of about 27
inches in diameter) and placed one within the other concentrically (in
preference at the height of about 8 feet from the ground).
The gas chamber is supplied with four or any other suitable number
of supply pipes, the inner cylinder being fitted with a number of burners
of equal length spread evenly over its entire surface perpendicularly to
it with their nipples pointing inwards into the inner cylinder. The
inner cylinder is fitted above and below with angle irons of a depth
equal to the length of the burners.
A vertical cylindrical chamber closed at its upper end (in preference
about 6 feet 8 inches in height) and of the same diameters as the inner
cylinder of the gas chamber is attached to the top of the gas chamber so
as to form in effect a prolongation of the inner cylinder. This cylinder
is fitted with four or any other suitable number of doors or dampers to
regulate the heat or air current. A chain with a look at its lower
extremity passes up the centre of the inner cylinder through an aperture
in the covering of the upper chamber and over a pulley fastened above
the chamber to a windlass by which it is raised or lowered.
The above apparatus may be constructed of any suitable material or
of any suitable materials, but, I in preference use iron and steel. The
above admeasurements might if desirable be increased or diminished.
The process of using my said Invention is as follows:-The gas is
admitted into the gas chamber and the burners are lighted, the interior
of the inner cylinder being thus filled with flame. The carcase to be
singed is attached to the hook of the chain, and is then raised until the
entire carcase has been passed up into the inner cylinder, and is then
rapidly lowered, when the process of singeing is generally complete; if
not the carcase is again raised and lowered until the process is complete.
The upper chamber prevents the flame being dispersed and scattered
by an upward current of air on the passage of the carcase through the
cylinder.

page_text: If necessary to reduce the heat or produce an upward current for any
purpose the doors or dampers can be opened as should be required.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood, I have annexed
to this Specification a Sheet of Drawings, and have marked the same
with figures and letters of reference.
The gas chamber is formed by the annular space A, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,
between the two vertical cylinders B and C, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The gas chamber (A, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4,) is supplied with supply
pipes (D, D, Figures 1, 2, and 3). The inner cylinder is fitted with
burners of equal length spread evenly over its entire surface perpen-
dicularly to it (E, Figures 1, 3, and 4), with their nipples pointing
inwards into the inner cylinder. The inner cylinder is fitted above and
below with angle irons (F, F, Figures 1, 3, and 4,) of a depth equal to
the length of the burners. The vertical cylindrical chamber (G, Figure 1,)
is attached to the top of the gas chamber so as to form in effect a pro-
longation of the inner cylinder. This chamber is fitted with a suitable
number of doors or dampers (H, Figure 1). The chain with a hook at
its lower extremity (I, Figure 1,) passes up the centre of the cylinders
through an aperture in the covering of the upper chamber over a pulley
(K, Figure 1,) fastened above the chamber to a windlass (L, Figures 1
and 2), by which it is raised and lowered. In using the said apparatus
the gas is admitted into the chamber (A, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4), and the
burners (E, Figures 1, 3, and 4,) are lighted. The interior of the inner
cylinder (M, Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4,) is thus filled with flame, the chain
(I, Figure 1,) is then adjusted by means of the said hook at the end
thereof to the carcase of the newly killed pig which is then raised until
the entire carcase has been passed up into the cylinder and inner
chamber and then rapidly lowered.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of my Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, what I claim under
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The perfect singeing of pigs by the application of gas, in the
manner above described.
Second. The equalization of heat in the application of gas to singeing

page_text: Third. The whole of the above apparatus in its application to the
singeing of pigs.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Pakenham, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the said Thomas Pakenham in
presence of
PETER J. FOWLER,
REUBEN JAMES DODD.
THOMAS PAKENHAM. (L.S.)