Improvements in Smokehouses for Curing Fish and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 8th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 11th Jan.. 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Smokehouses for Curing Fish and the like.
I, FRANCIS LEY, of Vulcan Iron Works, Derby, Engineer, do hereby declare,
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
At present the fish are hung on bars which are placed in tiers by hand 'on"
supports extending along the walls of the smokehouse.
In this invention the horizontal bars on which the fish are hung are supported
at their ends, on other, horizontal. bars at right, angles to the bars-which carry-
the fial, and their ends are attached to four strands of chain, belts or ropes
arranged vertically and, passing, over wheels or rollers at the top and bottom of
smokehouse..
The wheels or rollers at the top are actuated and' are moved from time to time><
by means of worm wheels and worms, bevil wheels or other gear driven by chain or
other suitable, means, thus.raising or lowering the bars as desired.
1
The method. of working, is as follows:-The bars with fish attached are placed
on the supporting, bars by persons standing on the floor of smokehouse. When
one pair of supporting bars has received as many of the fish bars as there is room
for, the supporting bars are raised for a short distance by the means described.
above until another pair of supporting bars are brought into a convenient position
for filling and so on until the smokehouse is filled.
In emptying the smokehouse. the process is roversed. The lowest tier of fish
bars is first removed, and the next is lowered to 'the proper position for removal*
and so on.
The supporting bars after being emptied pass round the bottom wheels
out of the way.
Or.apparatus for the same purpose may be so arranged that each set or tier of
bars with fish attached is supported and carried by two swing carriers attached to
two strands of chain, belts, or ropes in such a manner that the carriors always hang
vertically...
The chains, belts or ropes pass up and down the smokehouse oror'a series of
wheels or rollers at the top and bottom. Each pair of carriers when it is filled is
moved upwards a step and so the fish bars whilst always remaining horizontal are
caused step by step to traverse the smokohouse for a length of time sufficient to.
cure the fish, so that when any carrier arrives at the filling station its contents are
ready for removal, the process thus becomes a continuous one.
1005
Improvements in:Smokehouses for Curing Fish and the like.,
I, FRANCIS LEY, of Vulcan Iron Works, Derby, Engineer, 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:-
At present the fish are hung on bars which are placed in tiers by hand.on
supports extending along the walls of the smokehouse.

page_text: In this invention the horizontal bara on which the fish are hung are supported
at their ends on other horizontal bars at right angles to the bars which carry
the fish, and their ends are attached to four strands of chain, belts or ropes
arranged vertically and passing over wheels or rollers at the top and bottom of
smokehouse.
The wheels or rollers at the top are actuated and are moved from time to time
by means of worm wheels and worms, bevil wheels or other gear driven by chain or
other suitable means, thus raising or lowering the bars as desired.
The method of working is as follows:-The bars with fish attached are placed
on the supporting bars by persons standing on the floor of smokehouse. When
one pair of supporting bara has received as many of the fish bars as there is room
for, the supporting bars are raised for a short distance by the means described
above until another pair of supporting bars are brought into convenient position
for filling and so on until the smokehouse is filled.
In emptying the smokehouse the process is reversed. The lowest tier of Ash
bars is first removed, and the next is lowered to the proper position for removal
and so on. The supporting bars after being emptied pass round the bottom wheels
out of the way.
Or apparatus for the same purpose may be so arranged that each set or tier of
bars with fish attached is supported and carried by two swing carriers attached to
two strands of chain, belts, or ropes in such a manner that the carriers always hang.
vertically.
The chains, belts or ropes pass up and down the smokehouse over a series of
wheels or rollers at the top and bottom. Each pair of carriers when it is filled is
moved upwards & step and so the fish bars whilst always remaining horizontal are
caused step by step to traverse the smokehouse for a length of time sufficient to
cure the fish, so that when any carrier arrives at the filling station its contents are
ready for removal, the process thus becomes a continuous one.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings annexed.
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 show a smokehouse having apparatus arranged in the
manner first herein before referred to with apparatus having four parallel endless
obains and
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 show a smokehouse provided with apparatus having two
endless chains and swinging carriers.
Figure 1 is a vertical section taken across the smokehouse; the walls of other
adjacent houses are also shown. Apparatus is shown in one house only but all may
be similarly fitted. Figure 2 is a vertical section taken lengthwise of the house.
Figure 3 is a plan of the houses with the roofs removed, and Figure 4 shows
portions of the apparatus to a larger scale.
a a and b b are two pairs of horizontal axes carried in suitable bearings at the
bottom and at the top of the house respectively. Each axis carries two chain
wheels, those on the axes a are marked a¹ and those on the axis & are marked b'.
cooc are four endless chains each passing around wheels a' and b'. d d are guide
pulleys to direct the course of the chains. At Figure 4 portions of two of the
chains are shown; the links are represented in section and as will be seen at
suitable distances apart the links of one chain are connected with those of the
other by bars d' d' which are bolted to lugs provided upon certain of the links.
ee are the fish bars on which the fish are hung. ff are worm wheels fixed upon
the axes bb and worms on the transverse axis 9 engage with them. g' is a chain
wheel on the axis g and h is a chain passing around it and also around a chain
wheel on an axis which by means of a crank handle is turned from time to time
when it is required to move the fish upwards whilst filling the house or downwards
when emptying it.

page_text: Figure 5 is a vertical section taken crosswise through a series of smokehouses,.
one of which is fitted with apparatus comprising a pair of endless chains with
swing carriers. Figure 6 is a vertical section lengthwise of this house. Figure 7
shows to a larger scale the face of one of the carriers and Figure 8 shows to a like
Beale portions of the chains with a pair of carriers and a fish bar is shown in place
extending between the carriers. kk are two endless chains passing as shown
around two similar chain wheels on the axis and around pairs of pulleys * 1*-
; the even numbers at the top of the smokehouse and the odd numbers at.
the lower part.
Certain of the links of the chains. at suitable distances apart are formed with
bosses and these receive pins from which the swinging carriers m are suspended.
nn are the fish bars ou which the fish are hung. The carriers m are arranged
at equal distances apart all along the chains but only a few of them are shown in.
the drawing. The axis has upon it a worm wheel o with which a worm on an
axis p is engaged. g is a crank handle by means of which the axis p is turned
from time to time as required to circulate the fish through the smokehouse and to-
bring the carriers into position at the floor of the house to receive the fish and for
the removal of the fish already cured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The arrangement of smokehouses substantially as described in respect to.
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, wherein the fish bars are carried up and down the house by
four endless chains to which like movements are imparted.
2. The arrangement of smokehouses substantially as described in respect to.
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, wherein the fish bara are carried up and down the house by
two endless chains which support between them swinging carriers on which the fish.
bars lie.
Witness-
ALICE KIRKLAND,
13 Bloomfield Street, Derby, Commercial Clerk.
FRANCIS LEY.