IMPROVED MEANS OF PRESERVING AND CURING RAW MEAT, IN PACKING THE SAME, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREWITH
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Alison, of Elgin Road, Bayswater,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS
OF PRESERVING AND CURING RAW MEAT, IN PACKING THE SAME, AND IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 18th February 1873, and dated the 25th October 1872.

page_text: Thirdly. To a process of packing fresh meat in barrels and tins from
which the air can be exhausted and liquid fat poured or forced in.
Fourthly. To fitting permanent air-tight bunkers on board ship with
spars or rods in the interior to strengthen them.
Fifthly. To a process of preparing raw meat artificially dried.
The several means and processes for preserving and curing meat, and
the construction of apparatus or appliances for packing or retaining the
meat in a state to be transported and otherwise according to my Inven-
tion, will be gathered from the following:-
First. My air cooling machine consists of an air vessel immersed in
water in a tank, air is compressed in the cylinder, the water outside
hastening the cooling. This machine should be used in all cases of
curing and packing meat when the temperature is over 45 degrees of
heat, for when the temperature is above that the meat does not readily
take the salt, and is therefore imperfectly cured. As to fresh meat for
exportation, it too should be packed at a low temperature, for then it is
in the best state for packing.
Secondly. For uncooked salt meat the following is my process:- -The
carcase is cut into convenient pieces and salted, when it is allowed to
lay or hang in a cool place for several days. It is then packed into
barrels or other packages, after which the barrels are filled up with
liquid fat, which surrounds the meat with a coating of solid fat which
excludes the air. The object of this process is to produce corned beef,
mutton, and pork with less saltness than the ordinary process of packing
the meat in brine. By the use of my cold air condenser this process
can be carried on all the year round in summer as well as in winter (when
the temperature is high meat does readily take the salt).
:-
Thirdly. For fresh uncooked meat in tins I adopt the following plan:-
I pack the pieces of meat in tins, leaving a small opening on the top of
each tin. I put the tins into an air-tight vessel and extract the air. I
then fill the vessel containing the tins with melted fat, which fills the
tins. As soon as the fat has become solid in the tins, the tins are taken
out of the vessel, when the openings at the top of the tins are sealed up.
Fresh meat may likewise be packed in metallic barrels thus:-The air
is extracted and liquid fat forced in. The openings in the heads of the
barrels are then hermetically closed.

page_text: Fourthly. For packing fresh uncooked meat on board ship I adopt the
following plan:-Permanent air-tight bunkers are fitted up in the ship,
which are supported by bars inside to prevent caving. When the meat
is put in and the door closed the air is extracted and liquid fat may be
admitted.
Fifthly. For dry uncooked meat the pieces of meat should be cut into
thin slices and allowed to dry in a room artificially heated. When quite
dry the pieces may be rubbed over with fat previously boiled with salt-
petre and spices. They may then be packed in bales in canvas or other
package.
on the 20th April 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
ALISON, of Elgin Road, Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Alison, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Alison, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Alison,
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
IMPROVED MEANS OF PRESERVING AND CURING RAW MEAT, IN PACKING THE SAME,
AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Alexander Alison, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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,
«

page_text: Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Alison, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):-
same
I erect a building for curing and packing meat as nearly air-tight as
possible. This building will have double walls of brick or other material,
with an open space between the walls properly ventilated.
The machine I use for cooling the above curing and packing house is
a pump or ram to compress air from 60 lbs. to 200 lbs. pressure per
square inch. The compressed air is passed into a receiver consisting of
Both the pump and the
a series of pipes or other suitable vessel.
receiver are immersed in water, with a continual flow to keep them cool.
The compressed air passes out of the receiver into the curing and packing
house, and is conveyed in perforated pipes along the whole length of the
buildings on or under the floor, which equalizes the supply throughout
the building. The warm air is allowed to escape at the ceiling and roof
by a chimney, which may be opened or shut at pleasure. The doors
and windows will be kept closed except when the cold is in excess.
the compressed air escapes through the flooring into the building it
expands, which produces coldness.
As
The machine is driven by water power, steam engine, or other motive
power.
For corned meat the pieces of meat are rubbed over with a mixture
of dry sugar, salt, and saltpetre. After allowing the meat to lay or hang
for several days in the curing house in a room artificially cooled it is
packed into barrels, tins, or other package, and liquid fat poured in.
The fat is melted in coppers, and may be treated with chemicals to make
it keep.
For fresh meat the meat is packed in the curing house artificially
cooled in the barrels, tins, or other packages, without curing, from which
the air is extracted and liquid fat poured in with or without using a

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First. The Invention of an air-tight curing and packing house and air-
cooling machine for reducing the temperature of such curing and
packing house.
Secondly. The Invention of preserving and packing cured meat in a
room artificially cooled by pouring in liquid fat.
Thirdly. The Invention of preserving fresh meat in a room artificially
cooled by exhausting the air from the barrel in which it is packed, and
pouring in liquid fat.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Alison, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
ALEXANDER ALISON. (L.S.)