Improvements in or relating to the Packing and Keeping of Cheese, Butter and other like Articles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 6th Jan., 1898-Accepted, "2th Feb.,
1898
Improvements in or relating to the Packing and Keeping of Cheese,
Butter and other like Articles.
I, JAMES LUNHAM GRANT, of 5, Rainford Square, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Provision Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
This invention has for its object a new or greatly improved method of packing
butter, cheese, and mixtures of these with other ingredients.
I will describe the invention mainly for cheese, for which it was specially
designed. I form a jar preferably perfectly cylindrical inside or very slightly
conical upwards and having on the outside a grooved rim into which an india-
rubber band or ring is sprung. The lid fits over this india rubber ring against a
rebate in the body of the jar or I may simply place an india-rubber ring on this
rebate and let the lid press against it. The lid has a conical hole in the centre
tolerably small at the bottom and larger at the top and in this hole I place an
india-rubber ball or an india-rubber cone. The cheese, butter, or mixture of the
two are made into a compact cylinder or cone the exact size and shape of the
interior of the jar. Great care is taken that there are no interstices containing air
in this cylinder or cone. The cylinder or cone is now placed in the jar and when
a large number of these jars are thus filled the lids are placed thereon and the
india-rubber balls or cones being placed in the holes the whole are closely packed
in a chamber and the air withdrawn from them by means of a vacuum pump. If
necessary carbonic acid or antiseptic gas of any sort is then admitted extremely
slowly so that it may percolate past the india-rubber balls into the pots and when
a tolerable pressure of this gas has been formed exhaustion is again applied and
the best possible vacuum made. Air, carbonic acid or an antiseptic gas is then
suddenly admitted causing the balls to at once press tightly against their seats
and hermetically close the lids. The lids are now held tight in position by means
of their india-rubber balls. The balls can now be covered by a label if desired, so
as to prevent undue tampering and instructions given on the label for opening,
namely, to press a knife or any other tool down into the hole between the side and
the ball when air is at once admitted. In thus describing my invention I do not
limit myself to placing the block of material in the jar. I may pack the material
in the jar direct ramming it in such manner as to avoid all liklihood of air being
enclosed. If desirable too the ramming can actually be done in an atmosphere of
carbonic acid or other antiseptic gas, and other forms of pots & pots or glasses
of any suitable material can be used.
Dated the 16th day of March 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to the Packing and Keeping of Cheese,
Butter and other like Articles.
I, JAMES LUNHAM GRANT, of 5, Rainford Square, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Provision Merchant, 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 a new or greatly improved method of packing
butter, cheese, and mixtures of these with other ingredients.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 shows a transverse vertical section of a cylindrical jar designed mainly
for cheese;
Figure 2 is a detail section showing a different form of ring;
Figure 3 section and Figure 4 plan of a somewhat simpler modification ;
Figure 5 a box closed with an airtight lid and having an air pump connected
therewith.
Referring first to Figures 1 and 2:
I form the jar A preferably perfectly cylindrical inside or very slightly conical
broad end upwards, and having on the outside a grooved rim B into which an
india-rubber band or ring C is sprung, either of the forms shown will do, but I
prefer the one shown in the main drawing, Figure 1, to the one shown by itself
in Figure 2. The lid E fits over the india-rubber ring against a rebate F in the
body of the jar as in Figure 2, or I may simply place an india-rubber ring on this
rebate and let the lid press against it as in Figure 1. The lid has a conical hole G
in the centre, tolerably small at the bottom and larger at the top, and in this hole I
place an india-rubber ball H or an india-rubber cone. The cheese, butter, or
mixture of the two are made into a compact cylinder or cone the exact size and
shape of the interior of the jar. Great care is taken that there are no interstices
containing air in this cylinder or cone. The cylinder or cone is now placed in the
jar and when a large number of these jars are thus filled, the lids are placed thereon
and the india-rubber balls or cones being placed in the holes the whole are closely
packed in a chamber J, Figure 5, the lid K with its sharp edges bedding in a ring
of india-rubber L placed round the upper edge of the box so as to hermetically
seal same and the air withdrawn by means of a vacuum pump M. If necessary
carbonic acid or antiseptic gas of any sort is then admitted extremely slowly so
that it may percolate past the india-rubber balls into the pots, and when a tolerable
pressure of this gas has been formed, exhaustion is again applied and the best
possible vacuum made. Air, carbonic acid or an antiseptic gas is then suddenly
admitted, causing the balls to at once press tightly against their seats and
hermetically close the lids. The lids are now held tight in position by means of
their india-rubber balls. The balls can now be covered by a label if desired, so
as to prevent undue tampering, and instructions given on the label for opening,
namely, to press a knife or any other tool down into the hole between the side and
the ball, when air is at once admitted.
A
Figures 4 and 5 show a modification whereby the ball is done away with, and an
ordinary disc E, but with a nick G¹ to one side, is used instead of the more elaborate
lid shown. B is the grooved rim into which the disc fits, and F the rebate.
ring of rubber C¹ is shrunk on round the edge of the dise E and covers the nick.
To open the jar a pointed stick or pin is inserted at the nick pressing the rubber
into the nick and leaving a passage for the air to enter.
In thus describing my invention, I do not limit myself to placing the block
of material in the jar. I may pack the material in the jar direct, ramming it in in

page_text: such manner as to avoid all likelihood of air being enclosed. If desirable too the
ramming can actually be done in an atmosphere of carbonic acid or other anti-
septic gas and other forms of pots and pots or glasses of any suitable material
can be used.
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. As a new article of manufacture a box and lid having an india-rubber band
closing the cracks between them hermetically, a passage for air, and a tough
yielding material covering the same, substantially as described.
2. As a new article of manufacture, a vessel filled with solid dairy produce
exhausted of air and hermetically sealed.
3. The combination of a vessel, a lid loosely fitting that vessel, an elastic air-
proof packing between the lid and the vessel, a passage for air through that lid,
and an elastic plug hermetically closing that passage when pressed down, and
means for forming a vacuum substantially as described.
4. The method of packing cheese, butter and the like, which consists in filling
it into receptacles, withdrawing the air therefrom, and hermetically sealing same,
substantially as described.
5. The method of packing cheese, butter and the like, which consists in filling it
into receptacles, withdrawing the air therefrom, admitting a preservative gas, and
again forming a vacuum and hermetically sealing the receptacle substantially as
described.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London.