Improvements in the Process of Chilling and Freezing Meat, and other Alimentary Substances, and Means therefor.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1897--Accepted, 25th Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Process of Chilling and Freezing Meat, and
other Alimentary Substances, and Means therefor.
We, HENRY GRONO of Newtown, Sydney in the Colony of New South Wales, Mine
Manager, and HENRY PATESON of Sydney aforesaid, Manager of the New South
Wales Fresh Food and Ice Company Limited 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 objects of this invention are to remove the aqueous vapour and moisture from
chilling and freezing rooms, independently of that which is mechanically deposited,
as snow, inside or on the pipes in existing processes; and to prevent the growth of
fungus and the development of bacteria.
It is well known that, even with the excellent appliances at present used, for
extracting moisture from the air of a chilling or freezing room, after every effort
has been made, a very appreciable quantity of aqueous vapour remains, and, that
the effect of this on the meat or other alimentary substances which may be in the
room for any length of time, is very deleterious, as it tends to promote the growth
of fungus and develop bacteria, and in many ways is objectionable.
This invention is especially applicable to chilling rooms, where the temperature
is kept above freezing point (say from 33° to 40° Fah.) and where meat or other
alimentary substances, is to remain for a considerable length of time, as when con-
veying same on board ship from one country to another.
Where meat is under treatment, and has to be kept for a lengthy period, it is
now necessary to freeze it, at a temperature considerably below freezing point;
with the result that a rupture of the cellular structure takes place, which does not
become evident until the temperature is raised above freezing point; the juices are
thus released, and if it is not used almost immediately after thawing, it loses
its nutritious properties, and will not have the wholesome appearance it would have
had, had it been chilled only. Moreover the difference between the cost of freezing
and chilling meat is very considerable, and much in favour of the latter.
Although this invention is especially adapted to chilling rooms, we may with
beneficial results apply it to freezing rooms.
In other alimentary substances such as fruit, it is essential if it has to be
kept for any length of time, as in exporting, that the atmosphere surrounding it
should be dry, that is to say, contain as little aqueous vapour as possible, and at
a temperature suitable for such purpose, say from 33° to 42° Fah.
To absorb the aqueous vapour, in a cold room, which has not been deposited in
the ducts as snow, if a cold air machine is used for cooling; or on the pipes in the
room if other mechanical means are used, we place either in the room, or connected
with it, in any convenient position, strong sulphuric acid, which is highly
deliquescent, or some other substance having a similar property such as solid
calcium chloride, which are capable of absorbing several times their volume of
moisture from the air; we also provide means for the manipulation of same.
For purifying the air and preventing the development of bacteria, we allow drie l
Llorine gas to enter the room, in only sufficient quantity for the purpose.

page_text: chat calcium chloride dissolved in a large quantity of water 15
used in some cold rooms as a heat exchanger, and we disclaim its use for that
purpose.
To enable the invention to be clearly understood, we annex drawings of which:
Eig. 1. represents a cold room, cooled by means of cold air, showing porous per-
forated carbon plates, saturated with sulphuric acid, in a chamber connected with
the suction pipe of the machine, and an apparatus for supplying dry air to the room
for ventilation, also a chlorine apparatus.
Fig. 2. shows an elevation of one of the porous carbon plates, and Fig. 3 a section
of same.
Fig. 4. represents a cold room, cooled by the expansion of ammonia gas, and
containing a trough in which is strong sulphuric acid, covered with perforated
porous caroon plates, and means for drying the air before it enters the room for
ventilating purposes.
Fig. 5. represents a cold room, cooled as in Fig. 4, containing a trough in which
is placed solid calcium chloride or other highly deliquescent salt; an antechamber
for charging same to the trough, means for drawing off the liquified salt, and
means for drying air before entering the room for ventilating purposes.
In Fig. 1, a is the cold room, with insulation b, c the inlet to the room for the
cold air from a cold air machine, d the return pipe or suction to the machine, e an
air-tight chamber containing extremely porous perforated carbon plates f, held in
position by cleats, and made preferably of charcoal mixed with molasses, and
charred in a mould, and preferably as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.
On the top of the chamber e is shown a vessel g, from which pipes lead to the
recess in the top of said plates for supplying fresh strong sulphuric acid to them,
is an outlet from the chamber for drawing the weakened acid into the vessel j.
A is an air drying apparatus, & being a vessel containing a highly deliquescent
liquid or salt, such as sulphuric acid or calcium chloride, is an air inlet, and m
the outlet for same, connected with the suction pipe d of the machine, and na
cock for communication.
B, is a chlorine apparatus, for the production of chlorine gas, connected with a
gas drying device o, which contains a highly deliquescent material, p a pipe from
same to the room and q a communicating cock.
Figs. 2 and 3, shew an enlarged view of one of the porous perforated carbon
plates (Fig. 1.) grooved at the top to enable fresh strong sulphuric acid to be
distributed evenly over the plate, and at the bottom, so that the weakened acid
may readily reach the outlet i, of the chamber e (Fig.1) the perforations are
sufficiently large to allow a full volume of air to pass through, and inclined so
that it may be longer in contact with the acid.
In Fig. 4 a is the cold room, 6 the insulation, ca trough supported on the shelf d,
e sulphuric acid in said trough, covered with perforated porous carbon plates, pre-
ferably made of the material before described, fa pipe for supplying the acid to the
trough, and g an outlet pipe for drawing off the weakened acid into the vessel h.
A is an air drying apparatus similar to that before described, r a pipe connecting
the interior of the room with an exhaust fan for ventilating the room, and s a cock
for shutting off the room.
In Fig. 5 a is a cold room, the insulation, e a trough, in which is a perforated
tray c, containing solid calcium chloride or other highly deliquescent matter,
e
an outlet for the liquified material, f a vessel for receiving same, ga tank
for evaporating the water from the liquified material, n an insulated antechamber
in which is the door i, j is a shutter in the wall of the room, to enable the solid
calcium chloride or other highly deliquescent material to be placed in the trough.
A is an air drying apparatus similar to that before described, r a pipe for con-
necting the interior of the room with an exhaust fan, for ventilating the room.
In Fig. 1, the perforated porous carbon plates f are saturated with sulphuric
acid. and as the air is drawn to the machine through the suction d, in passing
through the perforations in said plates, it becomes robbed of its aqueous vapour

page_text: and moisture, the sulphuric acid eagerly absorbing same; the weakened acid falls
to the bottom of the chamber e and is drawn off through the outlet i into the
vessel j. The moisture is evaporated from this solution until it has gained a
requisite strength when it is used over again. To keep the plates charged with the
acid, occasionally, strong acid is poured into the vessel g, which passing through
the tubes enters the recesses on the top of said plates and percolates through the
mass.
When it becomes necessary to supply the room with fresh air to purify and
ventilate same, we employ an air drying apparatus such as A; the air before
entering the room is drawn through a highly deliquescent material, and passing
through the pipe m enters the suction pipe d of the cold air machine in a dry state,
and after being cooled enters the room.
For further purifying the room and killing and preventing the development of
noxious germs, we employ a chlorine gas apparatus such as B and allow dry chlorine
gas to enter the room when requisite."
In Fig. 4, the aqueous vapour or moisture is removed from the air of the cold
room by means of strong sulphuric acid placed in a trough c, the acid being covered
with perforated porous carbon plates which float on the surface of the acid, and
if the room is portable prevents the splashing of same. Or we may place pumice
stone or other suitable material in the trough and saturate it with strong sulphuric
acid. As the acid becomes weakened by absorbing the aqueous vapour or moisture
contained in the air of the room, it is drawn off by the pipe g into the vessel h,
and evaporated for use again.
Fresh supplies of strong acid are delivered into the trough by means of the
pipe f.
For ventilating the room, fresh air is drawn into the room when required through
the air drying apparatus A, by means of an exhaust fan connected with pipe r.
We may pass dry chlorine gas into the room for the above specified purpose.
In Fig. 5, the aqueous vapour or moisture is removed from the air by means
of highly deliquescent calcium chloride or other highly deliquescent salt, which is
contained in a trough c; as the solid material dissolves by the absorption of moisture
it is drawn off by means of a pipe e into a vessel f from which it is tapped off
into a box and evaporated to dryness, to be used again. The ante-chamber n
is provided to enable the dry deliquescent salt to be placed in the trough, after
removing the shutter j, without entering the room a.
For ventilating the room, fresh air is drawn in when required, through the air
drying apparatus A, by means of an exhaust fan connected with the pipe r.
We may pass dry chlorine gas into the room, for the purpose before specified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is said to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
-
1. In a chilling or freezing room, the employment of strong sulphuric acid for
the purpose of absorbing the aqueous vapour or moisture contained in the air of
said room, in combination with a chlorine apparatus.
2. In a chilling or freezing room, the employment of calcium chloride in a
highly deliquescent state, or other highly deliquescent salt, for the purpose of
absorbing the aqueous vapour or moisture contained in the air of said room, in com-
bination with a chlorine apparatus.
3. In a chilling or freezing room, in combination, a chamber containing per-
forated highly porous carbon plates such as f (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) saturated with
strong sulphuric acid, means for keeping said plates charged with strong sulphuric
acid and means for drawing off the weakened acid from said chamber, means for
ventilating said room by the aid of dried air, and means for supplying dry chlorine
gas to said room, substantially as described and shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and
for the purpose herein set forth.
4. In a chilling or freezing room in combination, a trough containing strong

page_text: sulphuric acid, covered with perforated carbon plates, means for drawing off the
weakened acid from said trough, and means for charging same with fresh strong
sulphuric acid, means for ventilating said room, with dry air, and means for supply-
ing dry chlorine gas to said room substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth:
5. In a chilling or freezing room, in combination, a trough containing highly
deliquescent calcium chloride or other highly deliquescent salt, means for drawing
off the liquified calcium chloride or other highly deliquescent salt, from said
trough, means for charging same with fresh deliquescent material, without enter-
ing said room, means for ventilating said room with dry air, and means for supply-
ing dry chlorine gas to said room, substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth.
Dated this 19th dow of Tul.. 1907
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.