IMPROVED MEANS OF PRESERVING BUTTER IN CASKS AND BOXES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Mahony, of Waterford, in the County of Water-
ford, Ireland, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS OF PRESERVING BUTTER
IN CASKS AND BOXES."
Sealed the 4th June 1878, and dated the 13th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Mahony at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th March 1878.
RICHARD MAHONY, of Waterford, in the County of Waterford, Ireland.
PROVED MEANS OF PRESERVING BUTTER IN CASKS AND BOXES."
« IM-
Hitherto in packing butter in casks or firkins and boxes it has been usual to
wrap the butter in a cotton cloth in order to keep it clean and prevent contact of
the butter with the wooden cask or box. The use of a cotton cloth wrapper is
however open to objection, as the cotton absorbs a portion of the pickle in the
butter, rendering the outer portions of the butter white and dry, and impairing its
keeping properties; moreover, the cotton cloth wrapper fails to protect the butter
from the action of the air, or to prevent the "greenness" and bitterness of the
wood being communicated to the butter, which consequently soon becomes green
in color, bitter in taste, and eventually rancid for a greater or less depth, according
to the length of time, the result being a great loss to the owner.
My Invention has for its object to provide a wrapper absolutely impervious to
air and moisture, so as to afford an efficient protection to the butter when packed
in cask or box from the action of the air, and prevent the communication to
it of any of the qualities of the wood, and thus avoid the objections above
mentioned, besides preventing the escape of the butter through the seams of the
cask in warm weather when the butter becomes soft.
My Invention consists in enveloping the butter in a wrapper of tin foil coated
with gutta percha, india-rubber, or a compound of these and other substances, or
of layers or sheets of tinfoil and gutta percha, or india-rubber, or a compound
thereof, separately applied, cemented, or otherwise united at the joints, so as to

page_text: hermetically enclose the butter and effectually protect it from external influences,
and enable it to be kept in stock for a length of time without deterioration.
In applying this wrapper the butter after being packed in the cask, firkin, or
box, and so moulded to its shape, is removed therefrom and completely enveloped,
top, bottom, and sides, with sheets of tinfoil and gutta percha, or india-rubber, as 5
above mentioned, in separate pieces of the appropriate shape, which are cemented
or otherwise united at the joints or seams by a suitable composition.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Malony in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
September 1878.
RICHARD MAHONY, of Waterford, in the County of Waterford, Ireland.
PROVED MEANS OF PRESERVING BUTTER IN CASKS AND BOXES."
IM-
Hitherto in packing butter in wooden casks or firkins and boxes it has has been
usual to wrap the butter in a cotton cloth in order to keep it clean and prevent
contact of the butter with the wood. The use of a cotton cloth wrapper is however
open to objection, as the cotton absorbs a portion of the pickle in the butter,
rendering the outer portions white and dry, and impairing its keeping properties.
Moreover, the cotton cloth wrapper fails to preserve the butter from the action of
the air, or to prevent the "greenness" and the bitterness of the wood being imparted
to the butter, which consequently soon becomes green in color, bitter in flavor, and
eventually rancid for a greater or less depth, according to the length of time it bas
been kept in the firkin or box, the result being a great loss to the owner.
My Invention has for its object to provide a wrapper, which being absolutely
impervious to air and moisture, and having itself no action whatever on the butter,
will effectually protect the butter against the action of the air and prevent the
communication to it of any of the qualities of the wood of which the firkin, cask,
or box in which it is packed is made.
My Invention thus avoids the objections above mentioned, so that the butter can
be kept in stock for a length of time without deterioration, and it moreover
prevents the butter escaping through the seams of the firkin or box in warm
weather.
My Invention consists in enveloping the butter in a wrapper composed of one or
more layers or sheets of tin foil.
In applying this improved wrapper the butter after being packed in the cask,
firkin, or box, and so moulded to its shape, is removed therefrom by knocking off
the hoops at the bead of the firkin and turning out the butter on a stripping board.
The butter is then cleaned, and a sheet of tin foil is wrapped round it, and another
applied to the bottom (which is now uppermost), after which the butter is turned
back into the firkin, the latter being held open by a galvanized irou hoop of rather
larger diameter than the firkin, temporarily placed within it to prevent the tin foil

page_text: being injured by the stares. A sheet of tin foil is then put on the head of the
butter, which is now completely enveloped, and the firkin is "headed up."
The sheets of tin foil are cut of appropriate shape, according to the position they
are to occupy, and of a size to overlap one another an inch or two at the edges or
joints.
It is found in practice that a single layer of tin foil alone is generally sufficient,
and that no cement is necessary to unite the sheets at the edges, as the overlapping
portions adhere closely together without being closely enclosed as they are by the
firkin.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, the application and employment of sheets
of tin foil as a wrapper for preserving butter in firkins or boxes as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Mahony, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
TATT
RIC
AT-A
CHART
MAHONY. (L.S.)