IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING AND PACKING BUTTER AND LARD, AND IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR KEEPING THE SAME COOL, WHICH LATTER IMPROVEMENTS ARE PARTLY APPLICABLE TO COOLING PURPOSES GENERALLY
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William McDonnell and Charles
McDonnell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th June
1876.
WILLIAM MCDONNELL and CHARLES MCDONNELL, both of the City and County
of Limerick, Ireland. " IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING AND PACKING BUTTER AND
LARD, AND IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR KEEPING THE SAME COOL, WHICH
LATTER IMPROVEMENTS ARE PARTLY APPLICABLE TO COOLING PURPOSES GENERALLY."
The first part of this Invention consists in cleaning and purifying dirty butter or
butter scrapings, as hercafter described.
:-
For this purpose the butter is first melted at a low temperature so as only
to make it liquid, and by any known suitable means, or by preference as follows,
viz. The butter is placed on a flat pan or tray with perforated sides, and formed
with an outer gutter or channel, into which the melted butter may pass, and
whence it may escape by a spout or pipe. This pan is placed so as to form the
cover to an ordinary water boiler. The butter passing away as it melts a fresh
surface is constantly exposed to the heat, which may therefore be kept very low.
The melted butter is next passed into the lower part of a vessel, by preference
narrow below, this vessel may contain some heated water to a depth a little above
the butter inlet opening; the melted butter thus passes up to the surface, much
of its dirt and sediment falling to the bottom, the same happens even when there
is no water in this vessel, the dirt being the heaviest sinks, but by the use of the
water the butter is kept sweeter, and some of the flavor caused by the melting is
taken off, from this vessel the butter by overflowing passes into a third vessel;
it is now purified; but to bring it to its original solid state without injuring its
grain or texture, and in order to improve its flavor, it is placed in a churn or cistern
with cream milk, or butter milk, or water or pickle, and agitated or re-churned.
The cream, milk, or water may be heated to nearly the same temperature as the
liquid butter, when the texture of the butter will be smooth and even, but it is not
absolutely necessary to use such temperature, as a low temperature will answer and
quicken the process, only the butter does not come out so well blended, but rather
in small clarified balls or grains; when the latter method is adopted some still
liquid butter is poured on the materials so as to bring the mass to a consistency
somewhat thicker than cream. The butter is then salted and packed for the market.
The next part of this Invention consists in blending butter, or butter and
purified butter scrapings, with oleo-margarine. The butter to be blended is first
softened by being passed through rollers into tubs or barrels and water poured on
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page_text: it, this water is heated sufficiently to soften the butter, its temperature being
higher in winter than in summer. The purified scrapings and the butter after
being softened, as above described, or in any other manner, are placed in other tubs
or vessels and oleo-margarine in a liquid state blended with some heated milk,
cream, butter, milk or water or pickle, poured over them. The mass is then well
blended or churned together, when it obtains an even texture and is fit for being
salted and packed or otherwise prepared for the market. When butter is to be
blended with oleo-margarine it is softened, as above described, or by any other
process of softening, it is then placed in tubs, and we then pour over it melted
oleo-margarine blended with some heated milk, cream, butter, milk, water, or
pickle. The mass is then well blended together or churned, whereby the material
obtains an even texture, and is rendered fit for being salted and packed and
otherwise prepared for the market.
To improve lard and the packing of lard into bladders or other packages or
vessels after being melted it is immersed into cold water, when it becomes smooth
in texture, but like the butter scrapings as aforesaid it forms into small grains or
balls, on them other liquid lard is poured and blended therewith till the mass
becomes of one consistency, when cooled to a consistency of cream it is fit for
packing, by this process the grain is found to be much improved.
The next part of this Invention consists in a mode of packing butter in packages
so as to make them more suitable for the retail dealer and consumer. For this
purpose the firkin as it comes into the honie markets from Ireland and other
inland places is divided in two as follows:-The hoops are taken off one end, by
preference the top, the firkin is turned upside down and removed from the butter
(this latter does of course not apply to empty firkins), the hoops are then put on
again, but wider apart, two at. the edge and two further down or near the bulge,
the head being also put in again, the same is done to the hoops at the other end.
The firkin is then cut or sawn in two equal parts forming pails, but it is not
always necessary to change the position of the hoops as the cutting of the firkin
will form it into pails, though not into pails of as good an appearance as when the
hoops are removed as described, the butter is likewise cut by means of a wire, and
each part put into its package or pail.
The next part of this Invention consists in keeping butter cool while in the
dairy or other place where it is manufactured, or in the warehouse, shop, or other
place where it is kept For this purpose a perforated pipe or gutter is placed
round the vessel containing the butter, or round the wall or ceiling of the dairy,
room, or place where the butter is manufactured or kept. As applied to a warehouse
or other place the perforated pipe is placed all or partly round the ceiling or wall
at or near the ceiling, this pipe is in communication with a cistern containing
water, and where required some ice. Canvas or other cloth is suspended from or
below the pipe, and the water is allowed to trickle slowly down this curtain,
regulated by a cock so as to keep the curtain sufficiently damp and to produce
cooling by the evaporation of the water. Appliances as described may be adapted
and used for the awnings and blinds used for shops, ships, verandahs, and other
purposes where it is desirable to produce cooling.
4
An appliance specially applicable to the counter of grocers or for larders is used
and constructed as follows:-The butter taken out of the firkin for the day's sale
is placed under a cage or curtain appliance, consisting of a stand with a perforated
ring at the top, a small water cistern above it, and a curtain suspended by curtain
rings from the perforated pipe, when the butter is required to be got at the curtain 5
is pushed aside, the water constantly trickling down the curtain keeps it damp
and cool, and thus keeps the butter cool also.
X