Improved Process and Apparatus for Preserving Eggs.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL, SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process and Apparatus for Preserving Eggs.
I, OTTO LEUPOLD of 12, Werastrasse, Stuttgart in the Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the preservation of eggs in such a way
that they retain their natural colour, the contents of the eggs being in no way
damaged, and remaining for a long time in a good state of preservation.
The means hitherto employed for preserving eggs-for instance, lime, water
glass or the like-could not be employed for eggs which were to be brought to
table in their shells, because the shells were so attacked by the substances herein-
before mentioned that they cracked during the boiling. The above mentioned
means of preservation also always impart to the egg an unpleasant taste and
smell. Other means of preservation such as gum arabic, dextrin and the like-
again do not effect their object because the pores of the egg shell are always
filled with bacilli, which are of course the main cause of the comparatively
rapid decomposition of eggs. These bacilli are only partially removed by
washing of the eggs which are to be preserved, and the remaining ones are not
destroyed. The micro-organisms then decompose the contents of the eggs, that is
to say, they destroy the egg in spite of the latter being protected against the
admission of air by coating the shell.
My improved process consists as follows:-
The eggs are first cleansed in a weak soda solution and dried, and then dipped
once or twice in a liquid of the following composition which destroys the bacilli
and acts as a preservative by perfectly shutting out the air.
The liquid is made as follows:-
About 10 grammes of formalin (dissolved formic aldehyde) are mixed with
100 grammes of alcohol in which first 50 grammes of boric acid and afterwards
20 gramnies of shellac are dissolved cold, and the preservative liquid thus
obtained has then the following properties. The solution of boric acid in alcohol
with the addition of formic aldehyde rapidly destroys all bacilli and micro-
organisms contained in the egg shell; notwithstanding which, there is no action
exerted on the contents of the egg by the boric acid or the formic aldehyde or the
alcohol of the solution. The drying of the preservative takes place so rapidly
that a penetration of the above mentioned substances into the interior of the egg
is prevented.
For carrying out the process an apparatus which is shown in Figs. 1-5 of the
accompanying drawings is employed. In order to keep the same as small as
possible, it is so arranged that the eggs are placed in stages one above the other, a
conical "drip" plate being provided between each two stages to convey to the
outside the superfluous liquid dripping off and to protect the eggs of the lower
stages from the dripping of the liquid running off the upper ones.
The eggs may of course be dipped in a frame without stages if preferred. The
liquid which destroys the bacilli and which acts as a preservative by shutting off
the air is contained in a vessel A which is closed by means of a lid a. In this
vessel A, a frame B is dipped after the lid a has been removed, on which frame
the eggs E are previously arranged in stages one over the other lying with their

page_text: points downwards in openings c in three wire frames C. The eggs do not however
lie on the edge of the annular shaped openings c, but on several projecting wire
points c¹ so that the preservative liquid can conveniently come in contact with the
whole surface of the shells.
In order that a drop of the preservative liquid may not remain pendent in
consequence of adhesion to the point of the eggs after the same have been dipped,
it is preferable to arrange in addition to the points at the sides of the eggs, a wire
point in the openings c of the wire frame C in which the eggs are arranged, wire
loops being arranged below the eggs to carry these lower points, one wire point
for each opening e, in such a way that the point of the egg rests on this wire
point. A kind of conductor is thus formed for the drop of liquid adhering to the
lower part of the egg after dipping and conducts the same so completely away that
a thoroughly even thin coating of the preservative liquid is obtained on the egg.
Between each two wire frames C there is a domed or conical dripping plate D,
provided in its centre with a few small openings d so that on the dipping of the
frame with the eggs opportunity is afforded for a rapid exit of air from the bath.
The wire frames C and drip plates D are connected with one another outside by
means of several vertical wires F on which the frame B is carried. The drip
plates D have the object herein before specified, after the eggs have been raised
out of the liquid, of conveying to the outside the liquid dripping from off the
eggs on to the upper stages, in order that such liquid shall not drip on to the eggs
in the lower stages.
In order to obviate the necessity of holding the frame B by hand whilst the
preservative is dripping off, a hook b is arranged on the centre upright, adapted to
be engaged in a loop g on the folding handle or carriers G of the vessel A. For
this purpose the handle G of the vessel must be suitably brought into a vertical
position and fixed therein, whilst on the other hand during the dipping, the
handle G must be folded down in order not to be in the way. This is attained by
causing the handle G pivoted on the vessel A. to snap with its ends into small
spring clamps i and be thereby automatically fixed, whilst when desired to be
turned down only a slight resistance is offered.
If a larger or smaller number of eggs are to be simultaneously dipped, the
vessel A and frame B are made of suitable sizes; thus there may be employed,
two, three, four or more stages of suitable size lying one over the other in the
rings of which the eggs are placed. As also by a double dipping the preservation
is completed in a few minutes, and the eggs may then he laid away undamaged
in their preservative coating, it is possible to provide several hundred eggs per
day with their preservative coating in a small dipping apparatus such for instance
as the one shown in the drawing. The cost of the preservation is hardly worth
mentioning.
Dated this 9th day of March 1896
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents.
I, OTTO LEUPOLD of 12, Werastrasse, Stuttgart in the Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention has for its object the preservation of eggs in such a way that they 5

page_text: retain their natural colour, the contents of the eggs being in no way damaged, and:
remaining for a long time in a good state of preservation.
The means hitherto employed for preserving eggs-for instance, lime, water glass
or the like could not be employed for eggs which were to be brought to table in
their shells, because the shells were so attacked by the substances hereinbefore
mentioned that they cracked during the boiling. The above mentioned means of
preservation also always impart to the egg an unpleasant taste and smell. Other
means of preservation such as gum arabic, dextrin an! the like-again do not effect.
their object because the pores of the egg shell are always filled with bacilli, which
are of course the main cause of the comparatively rapid decomposition of eggs.
These bacilli are only partially removed by a washing of the eggs which are to be
preserved, and the remaining ones are not destroyed. The micro-organisms then
decompose the contents of the eggs, that is to say, they destroy the egg in spite of
the latter being protected against the admission of air by coating the shell.
My improved process consists as follows:-
The eggs are first cleansed in a weak soda solution and dried, and then dipped.
once or twice in a liquid of the following composition which destroys the bacilli and
acts as a preservative by perfectly shutting out the air.
The liquid is made as follows:-
About 10 grammes of formalin (dissolved formic aldehyde) are mixed with
100 grammes of alcohol in which first 50 grammes of boric acid and afterwards
20 grammes of shellac are dissolved cold, and the preservative liquid thus obtained
has then the following properties. The solution of boric acid in alcohol with the
addition of formic aldehyde rapidly destroys all bacilli and micro-organisms.
contained in the egg shell, notwithstanding which, there is no action exerted on
the contents of the egg by the boric acid or the formic aldehyde or the alcohol of
the solution. The drying of the preservative takes place so rapidly that a
penetration of the above mentioned substances into the interior of the egg is
prevented.
For carrying out the process, an apparatus which is shown in Figures 1-5 of
the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification is employed. In order,
to keep the same as small as possible, it is so arranged that the eggs are placed in
stages one above the other, a conical "drip" plate being provided between each
two stages to convey to the outside the superfluous liquid dripping off and to
protect the eggs of the lower stages from the dripping of the liquid running off
the upper ones.
The eggs may of course be dipped in a frame without stages if preferred. The
liquid which destroys the bacilli and which acts as a preservative by shutting off
In this.
the air is contained in a vessel A which is closed by means of a lid a.
vessel A, a frame B is dipped after the lid a has been removed, on which frame-
the eggs E are previously arranged in stages one over the other lying with their
points downwards in openings c in three wire frames C. The eggs do not however
lie on the edge of the annular shaped openings c, but on several projecting wire
points c¹ so that the preservative liquid can conveniently come in contact with the
whole surface of the shells.
In order that a drop of the preservative liquid may not remain pendent in.
consequence of adhesion to the point of the eggs after the same have been dipped,
it is preferable to arrange in addition to the points at the sides of the eggs, a wire
point in the opening c of the wire frame C in which the eggs are arranged, wire
loops being arranged below the eggs to carry these lower points, one wire point for
each opening c, in such a way that the point of the egg rests on this wire point.
A kind of conductor is thus formed for the drop of liquid adhering to the lower
part of the egg after dipping, and conducts the same so completely away that a
thoroughly even thin coating of the preservative liquid is obtained on the egg.
Between each two wire frames C there is a domed or conical dripping plate D,
provided in its centre with a few small openings d so that on the dipping of the
frame with the eggs, opportunity is afforded for a rapid exit of air from the bath.

page_text: The wire frames C and drip plates D are connected with one another outside by
means of several vertical wires F on which the frame B is carried. The drip
plates D bave the object hereinbefore specified after the eggs have been raised out
of the liquid, of conveying to the outside the liquid dripping from off the eggs on
to the upper stages, in order that such liquid shall not drip on to the eggs in the
lower stages.
In order to obviate the necessity of holding the frame B by hand whilst the
preservative is dripping off, a hook 6 is arranged on the centre upright, adapted to
be engaged in a loop g on the folding handle or carriers G of the vessel A. For
this purpose the handle G of the vessel must be suitably brought into a vertical
position and fixed therein, whilst on the other hand during the dipping, the handle G
must be folded down in order not to be in the way. This is attained by causing the
handle G pivoted on the vessel A to snap with its ends into small spring clamps i
and be thereby automatically fixed, whilst, when desired to be turned down, only a
slight resistance is offered.
If a larger or smaller number of eggs are to be simultaneously dipped, the vessel A
and frame B are made of suitable sizes; thus there may be employed, two, three,
four or more stages of suitable size lying one over the other in the rings of which
the eggs are placed. As also by a double dipping the preservation is completed in
a few minutes, and the eggs may then be laid away undamaged in their preservative
coating, it is possible to provide several hundred eggs per day with their
preservative coating in a small dipping apparatus such for instance as the one
shown in the drawing. The cost of the preservation is hardly worth mentioning.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my sa
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A process for the preservation of eggs which retains all the natural colour
and constitution of the shells, characterized by the eggs being dipped one or more
times in a preservative fluid composed of a mixture of about 10 grammes of formalin
(dissolved formic aldehyde) with 100 grammes of alcohol, in which first 50 grammes
of boric acid and afterwards 20 grammes of shellac are dissolved cold, by which
means the bacilli adhering to the egg shells are destroyed, and a protective covering
is imparted to the egg.
2. An apparatus for carrying out the hereindescribed process for the preservation
of eggs, whereby a number of eggs may be dipped simultaneously, which consists
of one or more wire frames (C) arranged one over the other on a common rod or
bar (B), the openings (c) of said frame being adapted to receive and support the
eggs at the sides on projecting points (c) and also if necessary on a wire point
below, roof-like projecting drip-plates (D) being arranged between each two wire
frames over the eggs to convey to the outside into the reservoir (A) the superfluous
preservative liquid dripping from the eggs after the immersion of the frame in a
vessel (A) filled with the dipping fluid, the frame with the eggs being suspended
on a hook (b) in the handle (H) of the dipping vessel (A) substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Dated this 4th
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents.