AN IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND PRESERVING MEAT FOR TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Kennard Knott, of 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD AND
APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND PRESERVING MEAT FOR TRANSPORTATION AND
STORAGE".
Sealed the 27th October 1877, and dated the 21st August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Kennard Knott at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st August 1877.
"
KENNARD KNOTT, of 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex.
AN IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND PRESERVING MEAT
FOR TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE."
This Invention relates to further improvements in the method and apparatus for
preserving meat for transportation and storage, for which Letters Patent were
granted to me dated the Eighth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-six, No. 1920, the object of the present improvements being to provide
means for preparing the meat previous to its being packed for preservation, and to
improve the construction of the refrigerating apparatus described in the Specification
of my said former Letters Patent.
I have found in practice that meat to be properly preserved must first be brought
to an even temperature of about fifty degrees Fahrenheit, and be kept at this tem-
perature until the animal heat it contains has been extracted. When this is effected
the temperature of the meat must be gradually reduced to the degree at which it
is to be preserved for transportation or storage; and my improvements in preparing
meat for packing consist in providing suitable premises which will afford the means
of effecting this object.
I construct these premises with stockyards, in which the beasts are allowed to
rest after a journey so as to bring the animals to a proper state for slaughtering.
Adjoining the stockyards are suitable slaughter houses, and at the back of these

page_text: slaughter houses I arrange the preparing room in which, by means of elevated
tramways, I place the carcases or ineat when dressed, and subject it to the treatment
herein-before described.
My improvements in refrigerating apparatus consist in providing a means for
condensing and collecting the moisture in the air of the refrigerating chamber, and
discharging it therefrom. To carry out this part of my Invention I place the coil
of pipes in the freezing box, horizontally instead of vertically, as described in the
Specification of my said former Letters Patent; along the entire length of the coil
of pipes, and on the upper side thereof, passes a small pipe coming from a small
tank or reservoir, containing any suitable dissolving agent; the said small pipe is
provided at suitable distances apart with nipples which open into the pipe coil or
coils, and the under side of the coil or coils is formed throughout the entire length
with a small gutter communicating by means of a narrow opening or slit with the
coil or coils. By this arrangement it will be understood that small quantities of
the agent contained in the herein-before described small pipe will be projected at
regular intervals into the coil, and will melt the rime which forms therein, and that
such melted rime will fall into and be carried away in the aforesaid gutter, and may
be discharged at the mouth of the blower out of the apparatus by suitable means
which will prevent the inlet of the external air.
I dispense with the air chest described in the Specification of my said former
Letters Patent, and in place thereof a pipe continues from the coil through the
freezing box near the top thereof, and passes along the top of the refrigerating
chamber; this pipe is perforated to allow of the discharge into the refrigerating
chamber of the cold air. Along the top of each side of the refrigerating chamber I
place a collecting pipe having suitable apertures, such pipes leading to a chamber
enclosing the blower or blowers. By means of these two pipes alone can the said
blower or blowers be supplied with air to be again driven through the coil in the
freezing box and out of the discharge pipe, as before described, so that a continuous
circulation of the same dry air is kept up in the refrigerating chamber.
To economize the freezing agents employed I provide a pipe passing from the
freezing box and coiled round the refrigerating chamber, so that when the freezing
agents are partially exhausted they may be allowed to pass by means of a stop-cock
into the said pipe until they are thoroughly exhausted, when they are discharged
from the apparatus by means of a suitable discharge cock. The rime forming on
the said coil pipe is collected and conveyed out of the apparatus by an arrangement
of gutters formed at the bottom of sheets of zinc placed over the pipe in such a
manner as to allow of the free passage of the air, while at the same time the melted
rime is prevented from coming into contact with the meat.
When ice is employed as a refrigerating agent, I provide an apparatus for breaking
up or fining the same. This apparatus consists of a hopper enclosed within a
chamber on the top of the refrigerating chamber, such hopper being provided with
a drum having a number of cutters arranged helically around the same; the drum
is driven by a belt from the donkey engine; or otherwise, and as the blocks of ice
are placed in the hopper they will be cut or broken into small pieces by the said
cutters, after which the chemical agents employed are added, and the whole is passed
into the freezing box.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Kennard Knott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st February
1878.
«
KENNARD KNOTT, of 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex.
'AN IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND PRESERVING MEAT
FOR TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE."
This Invention relates to further improvements in the method and apparatus for.
preserving meat for transportation and storage, for which Letters Patent were
granted to me dated the Eighth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-six, No. 1920, the object of the present improvements being to provide
means for preparing the meat previous to its being packed for preservation, and to
improve the construction of the refrigerating apparatus described in the Specification
of my said former Letters Patent.
I have found in practice that meat to be properly preserved must first be brought
to an even temperature of about fifty degrees Fahrenheit, and be kept at this
temperature until the animal heat it contains has been extracted. When this is
effected the temperature of the meat must be gradually reduced to the degree at
which it is to be preserved for transportation or storage, and my improvements in
preparing meat for packing consist in providing suitable premises which will afford
the means of effecting this object.
I construct these premises with stockyards, in which the beasts are allowed to
rest after a journey so as to bring the animals to a proper state for slaughtering.
Adjoining the stockyards are suitable slaughter houses, and at the back of these
slaughter houses I arrange the preparing room, in which, by means of elevated
tramways, I place the carcases or meat when dressed, and subject it to the treat-
ment herein-before described.
My improvements in refrigerating apparatus consist in providing a means for
condensing and collecting the moisture in the air of the refrigerating chamber,
and discharging it therefrom. To carry out this part of my Invention I place the
coil of pipes in the freezing box horizontally instead of vertically, as described in
the Specification of my said former Letters Patent; along the entire length of the
coil of pipes, and on the upper side thereof, passes a small pipe coming from a tank
or resevoir containing any suitable dissolving agent. The said small pipe is
provided at suitable distances apart with nipples which open into the pipe coil or
coils, and the under side of the coil or coils is formed throughout the entire length
with a small gutter communicating by means of a narrow opening or slit with the
coil or coils. By this arrangement it will be understood that small quantities of
the agent contained in the berein-before described small pipe will be projected at
regular intervals into the coil, and will melt the rime which forins therein, and that
such melted rime will fall into and be carried away in the aforesaid gutter, and may
be discharged at the mouth of the blower out of the apparatus by suitable means,
which will prevent the inlet of the external air. Or I may dispense with the said
small pipe and nipples, and also with the gutters, and put the coil of pipes into
communication with the said tank direct so as to entirely fill the coil with the
dissolving agent when required to melt the rime, and to prevent this agent running
into the delivery pipe a suitable stop-cock is provided, which can be operated from
the outside of the apparatus, a similar stop-cock being provided to prevent the agent
entering the blower.
I dispense with the air chest described in the Specification of my said former
Letters Patent, and in place thereof a pipe continues from the coil through the
freezing box, near the top thereof, and passes along the top of the refrigerating,

page_text: chamber; this pipe is perforated to allow of the discharge into the refrigerating
chamber of the cold air. Along the top of each side of the refrigerating chamber I
place a collecting pipe having suitable apertures, such pipes leading to a chamber
enclosing the blower or blowers. By means of these two pipes alone can the said
blower or blowers be supplied with air to be again driven through the coil in the
freezing box, and out of the discharge pipe, as before described, so that a continuous
circulation of the same dry air is kept up in the refrigerating chamber.
To economize the freezing agents employed I may provide a pipe passing from
the freezing box, and coiled round the refrigerating chamber, so that when the
freezing agents are partially exhausted they may be allowed to pass by means of a
stop-cock into the said pipe until they are thoroughly exhausted, when they are
discharged from the apparatus by means of a suitable discharge cock. The rime
forming on the said coil pipe is collected and conveyed out of the apparatus by an
arrangement of gutters formed at the bottom of sheets of zinc placed over the pipe
in such a manner as to allow of the free passage of the air, while at the same time
the melted rime is prevented from coming into contact with the meat.
When ice is employed as a refrigerating agent I sometimes provide an apparatus
for breaking up or fining the same. A suitable apparatus for this purpose consists
of a hopper enclosed within a chamber on the top of the refrigerating chamber, such
hopper being provided with a drum having a number of cutters arranged helically
round the same; the drum is driven by a belt from the donkey engine or otherwise,
and as the blocks of ice are placed in the hopper they will be cut or broken into
small pieces by the said cutters, after which the chemical agents employed are added
and the whole is passed into the freezing box.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and to make the same clearly
understood and to be readily carried into effect, I will now proceed to describe it
by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which,-
Figure 1 is a ground plan shewing the general arrangement of the premises I
employ for allowing the beasts to rest, for slaughtering the beasts, and afterwards
for preparing the carcases for preservation and transportation.
Figure 2 is a plan of the floor above.
Figure 3 is a plan of a refrigerating room on the fore part of the deck of a vessel
fitted up with my improved refrigerating apparatus for preserving and transporting
meat previously prepared according to my improved method.
Figure 4 is a plan of the ceiling of the said room.
Figure 5 is a plan of the deck over the same.
And Figures 6 and 7 longitudinal and transverse sections of Figure 4 respectively.
In Figures 1 and 2, A is the stockyard, which consists of an open space in front
of the building, with sheds, water troughs, hay racks, and the necessary offices, and
enclosed by a suitable fence a, a; B is an opening or gate into the passage B¹
leading to the pounds or pens C, C, each pound or pen having a lifting or rising
door Dat front, and corresponding door E at back, the latter opening into the
slaughtering and dressing houses; F is a gateway for men and vehicles to the
slaughter houses; G, G, is the dressing floor; H, H, are dressing stalls; I is a mixen
chamber for containing the slaughter house manure; J, J, J, are entrances to the
preparing room; L, bottom of the freezing tank or box; M, fan; N, an engine
room; 0, 0, is a tramway; P, a weighing machine; Q, door from the preparing
room opening into the weighing machine P; R, R, Figure 2, is a foot walk of
planking placed above the pounds or pens C, C; S, S, are sinks; T, floor; U, U,
holes in same for the passage of chains for suspending the animals below; V, V, offal
elevators; W, ice room above the tank L, and provided with two entrances to same;
X, work room convenient for doing various operations.
The animals to be slaughtered are first led into the stockyard A, where they are
fed and allowed to rest after their journey until fit for slaughtering; they are then
driven through the doors D (which are raised) into the pounds or pens C, C, with

page_text: their heads towards the doors E, E, and both doors are closed. Men on the foot-
walk R above then pith, by means of a spear, the animals in the first joint of the
vertebræ so as to render them insensible; they are then drawn out through the
doors E (which are raised) on to the dressing floor, where they are poleaxed and
are suspended by the hind legs for bleeding by chains operated by winches on the
floor Tabove, the said chains, passing through the holes U, and the carcases are now
lowered, partly dressed, and again elevated by chains passing through the holes U',
and are suspended on two wheel hooks and elevated tramways, and the dressing
completed in the stalls H, whence they are removed through the doors J, J, into the
preparing room K. In this room the carcases are hung, and first subjected to a
temperature of about fifty degrees Fahrenheit, until the animal heat of the carcases
is extracted, which is usually effected in about six hours. When the animal heat is
thus extracted to fifty degrees, the temperature of the meat is gradually reduced to
about thirty-three degrees Fahrenheit, the degree at which it is to be preserved for
transportation or storage; and the required low dry temperature of the air is
produced in the refrigerating or preparing chamber K by the refrigerating apparatus
L, M, which is substantially the same as that herein-after described in reference to
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The meat thus prepared is then carried through the door
Q, and placed in refrigerating cars or trucks on the weighing machine P, and carried
away on the tramway O. The said cars or trucks are constructed according to the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to me, dated the Twentieth day of August,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, No. 3162.
The offal froin the carcases is raised by the clevators V on to the floor T, and
treated for utilization for various known purposes.
I will now describe, by reference to Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, the refrigerating
apparatus and store room on board ship for the transportation of meat prepared by
my improved method and premises just herein-before described. G is the
refrigerating chamber, the sides, ends, top, and bottom of which are rendered non-
conducting and air-tight in any suitable manner; A is the entrance to the
refrigerating chamber; B is the freezing box; C is the coil of pipe placed horizontally
and leading from the fan or blower D, which fan or blower may be placed in other
suitable position than that shewn, either in or outside of the refrigerating chamber
G, provided it be rendered non-conducting; E is the donkey engine or other suitable
motive power for driving the fan or blower D; H is the pipe passing from the coil
C through the top of the freezing box B, and along the top of the refrigerating chamber
G, the said pipe being perforated, as shewn, so as to discharge into the refrigerating
chamber the cold air (either dry or becoming dry) from the coil C; J, J, are the
perforated collecting pipes placed on the side of each chamber at the top, such pipes
being connected to the pipe X, which opens into a chamber Y containing .charcoal
or other suitable filtering material, such chamber opening into the chamber of the
blower or fan D. This chamber Y is always to be placed in close proximity with
the fan or blower D; F, F, are uprights on which the meat to be transported is
suspended, as described in the Specification of my Letters Patent, dated the Eighth
day of May, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, No. 1920.
By this arrangement it will be seen that the air forced by the fan or blower D
through the coil C will pass into the perforated pipe H, from which it will be dis-
tributed into the upper part of the refrigerating chamber G and will descend, and
the warmner portion of the air in the chamber rising to the top will pass through the
perforations and apertures in the collecting pipes J, J, and thence into the pipe X,
into the chamber of the fan or blower D; but before passing into the chamber it will
pass through the chamber Y, containing animal charcoal or other suitable filtering
material, which will take up any impurities the said air may contain. By this
means the same air will be constantly circulated through the refrigerating chamber
and be kept at almost an uniform temperature.
To melt the rime which may form in the coil C I provide a tank N, Figure 5, for

page_text: containing brine or other suitable dissolving agent, such tank being connected by
means of a pipe (provided with a stop-cock), with the coil C, stop-cocks being also
provided to prevent the brine from passing into the delivery pipe H or into the
blower D. The coil having been filled with the brine, it will melt any rime which
may have formed in the coil from the moisture of the air, and will then be dis-
charged by means of a stop-cock and syphon from the bottom of the coil into a
suitably-placed receptacle, from which it may be pumped back into the tank N,
ready to be again used when required. By this means any moisture in the air of
the refrigerating room will be condensed into rime, and be afterwards melted and
discharged, so that I thus obtain a dry air in the refrigerating room; or the rime
may be melted by forming the coil, as shewn in Figures 8 and 9, by which it will
be seen that the coil pipe C is formed with a gutter g on the under side, communi-
cating with the coil pipe C by means of the slit s; above the coil pipe C runs the
small pipe p, provided with nipples n at suitable distances, say six feet apart, and
opening into the coil pipe; this pipe p comes from the tank N, and is to be pro-
vided with a stop-cock before its connection with the coil C. If this said stop-cock
be turned on, the brine in the tank N will pass along the pipe p and be discharged
through the nipples n into the coil C, and will melt any rime therein, and such
melted rime and the brine will fall into and be carried away by the gutter g and be
discharged from the bottom of the coil into the aforesaid receptacle, to be returned
to the tank N for use over again.
I have not shewn in the Drawing the coil of pipes and gutters (round the refri-
gerating chamber) for economizing and utilizing to the full extent the refrigerating
agents placed in the freezing box, as the arrangement of this coil and of the gutters
is substantially the same as that described in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to me, dated the Twentieth day of August, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-seven, No. 3162. If this coil is not required the refrigerating agents when
exhausted will be discharged from the bottom of the freezing box through a syphon
or otherwise to prevent the ingress of the air.
When ice is employed as a refrigerating agent I employ an apparatus, as herein-
before described, placed at M (or other suitable apparatus) for breaking up or fining
the same, such apparatus needing no further description and to which no claim is
made.
Having thus fully described my Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein laid down and shewn in the Drawing, as the same may be varied without
departing from the peculiar character of my Invention, and I would have it further
understood that although to explain clearly the manner in which my said Invention
is to be carried into effect, I have described slaughtering houses and other premises;
no claim is herein made to any such slaughtering houses and premises, but what I
do claim is,
Firstly. The method of preparing meat for transportation or storage by first sub-
jecting it, after dessing, to a sufficiently low temperature in a pure dry air refri-
gerating room to extract the animal heat it contains to the said low temperature,
and then reducing it (in the same refrigerating room) to the temperature at which
it is to be kept during, transportation or storage, substantially in the manner
herein-before described.
Secondly. I claim in a non-conducting and air-tight refrigerating room for pre-
serving meat during transportation or storage, the combination with the freezing
box and horizontal coil, and a fan or blower, with or without a charcoal or filtering
chamber of the perforated distributing and collecting pipes, whereby a circulation
of the same dry cold air is kept up in the refrigerating room, the whole arranged
and operating substantially as herein-before described, and represented in Figures
3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the Drawing.
Thirdly. The method and arrangements for melting and discharging the rime

page_text: which may form in the freezing coil so as to allow of keeping the air constantly dry
and pure, as herein-before described, and represented in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Kennard Knott, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
G. F. REDFERN,
Patent Agent,
4, South St.,
Finsbury,
London.
KENNARD KNOTT. (L.S.)