A New or Improved Method or Process and Apparatus for the Preservation of Perishable Produce, such as Meat, Game, Fish, and the like Articles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method or Process and Apparatus for the
Preservation of Perishable Produce, such as Meat, Game, Fish,
and the like Articles.
1, PERCY NORTHUMBERLAND JENKINS of Swanston Street, Melbourne, in the
Colony of Victoria, Auctioneer, 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide a means of preserving perishable foods
such as meat, poultry, fruit &c. for a considerable time, thus enabling such articles
to be carried from one country to another and delivered in sound condition, or to be
stored, for a convenient time.
The invention provides an economical means of effecting this object and obviates
partially or altogether the employment of refrigerating machinery. The invention
is based on the fact that the germs of putrefaction depend greatly for their
germination and growth upon oxygen or atmospheric air, or in other words such
septic germs do not multiply or cause decomposition with the same rapidity in
vacuum as under ordinary conditions.
In my method or process I exhaust the air from a chamber containing the
perishable product thus freeing it from the agent necessary to the development of
such germs or septic agencies. Previous to exhausting the air I inject or circulate
some antiseptic gas or vapour such as sulphurous acid gas (sulphur fumes) to
sterilize any fermentative or putrefactive germs that may exist at the time in the
said chamber. This may be done in any simple manner as for instance by a pair
of bellows or by temporarily inserting a small dish or receiver of burning sulphur
attached to a rod so that the aerial space and products in the chamber "A
become sterilized. Having exhausted the air from the chamber to as thorough a
vacuum as possible the chamber is then hermetically sealed in a staunch manner.
It will be understood that for the successful operation of my invention it is
necessary to use healthy animals or products for preservation and the same should
be enclosed within the chamber and sterilized or partially sterilized before any
serious deterioration has commenced.
"
may
In order that my invention may be the more easily understood reference may be
made to the accompanying drawings in which―
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a chamber in which the perishable articles or
produce is to be conveyed or stored.
Figure 2 an elevation of the said chamber and vacuum producing machinery to
be used in connection with same.
Figures 3 and 4 are alternative detail views of the top lid of the said chamber
whilst―
Figures 5 and 6 are views of a portion of the top lid of chamber in Figure 1.
In these drawings "A" is a chamber to contain the perishable products such as
game or poultry "B." This chamber is constructed of metal staunch enough to
resist the outer atmospheric pressure, preferably cylindrical in form, and constructed
of annular corrugated metal and should be galvanized or tinned to render it
impervious and to prevent rusting of the iron, the ends "A" being made of plates
of stouter metal also galvanized or tinned and in one of these plates an opening "C"
is provided through which the articles "B" to be preserved are passed and placed

page_text: in position. A lid "D" (see Fig. 6) is provided to form a cover to close this
opening so that when the chamber "A." is full the said lid "D" is soldered round
at its edge "D" or otherwise securely fixed in position on to the top "A" so as
to form an air-tight cap. This lid "D" is preferably secured in such a manner
that it may be removed when required and re-used many times. In this lid or
cover is an open sealing box "E" which is preferably of cylindrical form and
soldered, or otherwise secured, to the lid in such a manner that it will project into
the chamber "A when lid is in position, or this box may be secured to the
chamber itself in a similar manner. In this box "E" is arranged a pipe or cock
connection "E" in or to which is secured a cock "F" the latter being provided
at its opposite end with a threaded shank " F¹."
"
In lieu of the cock "F" I may as an alternative employ a portion of pliable
lead or composition piping "G" which can be secured to a nipple screwed or set
in connection "E" (see Fig. 3) and which will be hereinafter described.
"
A connecting exhaust tube "H" (see Fig. 2) is secured to the threaded shank "F1"
(Fig. 6) of the cock "F by means of a carefully constructed air-tight coupling "F*"
(Fig. 1) or said tube "H is alternatively attached to the pliable composition
$
piping "G" (Fig. 3) for the purpose of exhausting the air from the chamber "A."
This connecting exhaust tube "H" is connected by piping "J" with an exhaust
chamber "K."
The exhaust chamber "K" is in circuit with one or more pumps as "L" or
analogous vacuum producing systems or mechanisms said pump "L" (or other
mechanism) being designed with special care to obtain as near as possible a perfect
vacuum within the chamber "A" containing the perishable goods. When using a
pump to obtain the vacuum I may enclose the exit retention valves in a bath or
surrounding of quick-silver, or in dilute sulphuric acid, a solution of salicylic acid,
or other antiseptic liquid, having for its object either or both the prevention of
minute portions of air returning to the parts in vacuum or the sterilization of such
air should any atmospheric ingress occur at such exit valves.
It will be seen that with the exhaust pipe "H" thus attached to the cock "F"
(or to the pliable piping "G as the case may be) the necessary connection is
made for exhausting the air from the chamber "A" containing the goods "B."
The pump "L" may now be operated by means of the engine "M" and the air
thus drawn from the chamber "A." When the required vacuum is obtained, as
will be indicated by the gauge "J" on the exhaust pipe "J," the cock "F" will
be turned so as to shut off the passage to the said chamber "A." This cock "F"
should be most carefully fitted so that it will prevent any atmospheric ingress to
the vacuum in "A."
"
Having thus perfectly sealed the chamber "A" the coupling "F2" is removed
and the projecting box "E" filled with a tenacious sealing substance such as glue
plaster or the like (see "N" Fig. 4) which when solidified will form an impenetrable
body and prevent the inlet of air through any interstices or imperfections that
might exist in the fittings in the said projecting chamber "E," the cock "F" or
alternative plied pipe "G¹."
I may form this sealing box "E" with indents or corrugations to form a key for
the better holding of the filling material as at "N'" (Fig. 3).
When the connecting exhaust tube "H" is connected with the pliable metal
pipe "G" (Fig. 3 as aforesaid) and the vacuum within the chamber "A" has been
acquired the pliable piping "G" is clinched or plied over so as to perfectly close
same and is then cut off and the closed portion is preferably turned over as
at "G" (Fig. 4) within the box "E" which latter is immediately filled with an
air-tight material "N"before mentioned.
With reference to the intermediate exhaust chamber "K," placed between the
chamber "A" containing the perishables and the pump "L," its object is to
economise time in obtaining the vacuum in the goods chamber "A," so that in the
interval when a chamber as "A" is being connected, or disconnected, the time of
the pump
"L" is being employed to obtain a partial vacuum in the exhaust

page_text: chamber "K." By this means a saving of the time of the pump "L" is effected
as when the exhaust chamber "K" is connected with the goods chamber "A" a
partial vacuum is immediately obtained-the exhaust chamber "K"
can then be
shut off by the cocks "P" and "0" from both the pump "L" and the goods
chamber A."
66
The pump "I"
can then be placed in direct connection with the chamber "A"
by opening the cock "R" so as to complete the obtention of the greater degree of
vacuum, the simple pipe and cock circuit "S" "S1" "S" being conveniently
arranged for this purpose.
"
With reference to cocks "F" (Fig. 1) and "T" (Fig. 2) the greatest care must
be exercised in seeing that they are properly closed before the connecting nut or
coupling "F" (Fig. 1) is loosened, and as an extra precaution the cocks "R'
and "O" should also be closed before the said coupling "F" is unscrewed.
Directly the coupling "F" has been loosened and the impervious material "N"
(Fig. 4) filled into the projecting sealing box "E" the cock "P" (Fig. 2) should
be opened so as to allow the pump "L" to exhaust, to as high a degree of vacuum
as possible, the exhaust chamber "K" for the purposes of after use in manner
hereinbefore set forth.
Referring to the pump "L" (Fig. 2) "L'" represents the exhaust pipe leading
from the outlet valves placed in the valve boxes "L" and may, as an extra
precaution, be provided with any carefully constructed simple exhaust retention
valve placed preferably at "L'." I may in some cases allow the pipe "L" and a
valve placed at "L" to be set in a box containing water or any antiseptic solution
so that if such valve were to leak only such liquid (and not air) might enter the
tube "L" and find its way to the pump valves in "L" The dotted lines "L"
and "L" represent the extra valve and box in which the liquid might be placed,
but if the construction of valves throughout the pump "L" and the packing of its
piston are carefully attended to, the employment of this extra valve "L" and
tank "L" may be dispensed with.
"L" is a cylindrical water vessel placed so as to surround the piston rod and
packing box of the pump "L" so that should any leakage occur at this point the
water contained in "L" would disappear into the pump
6: L" and thus arouse the
attention of the operator in charge of the machinery to the faulty state of the gland
or packing. The vessel "L" is provided with a small outlet tube as "L" on
which a small cock may be placed so as to permit the water in "L" to be run off
whilst the repairing of the gland is receiving attention. I would have it under-
stood that I do not arbitrarily confine myself to the arrangement of the pump
as "L" for obtaining a vacuum, nor to the employment of the intermediate exhaust
chamber "K," as in some cases I may place a chamber as "A." in direct communi-
cation with the vacuum pump.
66
Returning again to the sealing substance N" in the box "E" (Fig. 4) I prefer
the employment of glue or a combination of glue with other suitable mediums so
that when the chamber "A" has reached its destination and is required to be
opened it may be laid upon its side and a small steam hose (provided with a nozzle)
be employed to impinge a jet of steam upon and into the said glue "N" in the
box "E" so as to melt same and thus permit either the cock "F to be turned, or
the plied pipe "G₁" to be nipped open so as to again admit the air in the
chamber "A" prior to the lid "D" being removed to enable the poultry "B" or
other products, to be removed from the said chamber "A."
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. My improved method or process for the transportation or storage of perishable
produce consisting essentially in placing poultry or other perishable produce in a
chamber of staunch construction then wholly or partly sterilizing such products
and any air contained in the said chamber by a gaseous injection or circulation, then

page_text: .connecting such chamber with a vacuum producing apparatus such as a pump and
when a sufficient vacuum has been obtained in such said chamber shutting off the
connection with the vacuum' apparatus by a cock or otherwise and hermetically
.sealing such cock'so as to retain the vacuum in said chamber during its transit or
storage substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. In apparatus for the transportation or storage of perishable produce-the
combination of a hermetically sealed chamber as "A" with a fixed or removeable
air-tight lid as "D" and cock as "F" substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
3. In apparatus for the transportation or storage of perishable produce the
combination of a hermetically sealed chamber as "A" with a fixed or removeable
air-tight lid as "D" and a pliable tube as "G" substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
4. In. apparatus for the transportation or storage of perishable produce-the
combination of a chamber as "A" with a sealing box as "E" in which is a pipe or
cock connection as "E" substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
5. In apparatus for the transportation or storage of perishable produce-a pipe
as "H" for connecting a chamber containing perishable articles with a vacuum
producing pump as or apparatus substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
"L
,,
6. In apparatus for the transportation or storage of perishable produce the
combination of a chamber containing perishable articles with a pliable tubing
ав "G" for connecting the said chamber with a vacuum producing machine or
apparatus substantially as and for the purposes set forth."
7. In apparatus for the transportation or storage of perishable produce an
intermediate exhaust chamber as "K" substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
8. The general combination and arrangement of the whole of the parts illustrated
in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings comprising a complete apparatus
for the carrying out of my improved method or process for the transportation or
storage of perishable produce substantially as herein before set forth.
Dated this 12th day of August 1995.
P. N. JENKINS.
Marks & Clerk,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.