IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING EGGS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn.
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING EGGS." -A communication from
abroad by Dawson Miles, of Boston, State of Massachusetts, United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 2nd March 1874.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING EGGS," a communication
to me from abroad by Dawson Miles, of Boston, in the State of Massa-
chusetts, United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved mode of preserving eggs, and

page_text: mass, after removing them from the shells, the degree of heat employed
being so low as not to prevent them from being afterwards dissolved
when required for use; and in the employment of sugar and other
substances in combination with the eggs for the purposes herein-after
described.
In carrying out this Invention the yolks and whites of the eggs are
first taken out of the shells and thoroughly beaten or mixed together,
after which they are condensed, either by evaporating in vacuum or by
spreading in very thin layers upon a suitable surface, the degree of
heat employed in either case being so low as not to cook the eggs or
prevent them from being afterwards dissolved. After being condensed
to about the consistence of thick molasses a small quantity of sugar and
salt is added in the proportion of about one and one-half ounce of sugar
and one-third of an ounce of salt to cach dozen of eggs.
Instead of using both sugar and salt cither may be used alone, in the
proportion of two ounces of the former or one ounce of the latter to each
dozen of eggs. About one-tenth of an ounce of sulphite of soda is also
added to each dozen of eggs and the whole mass thoroughly mixed
together.
The sulphite of soda effectually arrests decomposition and avoids the
necessity of using an excessive quantity of sugar or salt to preserve
the eggs, as would otherwise be required, & which would render them
unfit for most purposes. The sugar, salt, and sulphite of soda can
be mixed with the eggs, if preferred, before they are beaten up and
condensed.
The sugar, salt, and sulphite of soda have a very important effect
in the preservation of the eggs, as they prevent fermentation and
decomposition from taking place while, the eggs are undergoing evapora-
tion, as would otherwise be the case unless a degree of heat were used
that would cook the egg instead of evaporating a portion of it, they
also render the semi-liquid mass more easily soluble, since by reason of
their great affinity for water they will readily absorb it which the cgg
itself will not do.
Eggs treated as above described will keep for a great length of time.
without becoming spoiled, and can be put up in bottles or other con-
venient receptacles which need not be hermetically sealed.

page_text: When required for use the prepared compound of eggs and other
specified substances is to be dissolved in milk or water and brought to
the required consistence.
For many purposes the whites of eggs alone are used, and to supply
this demand the whites may be separated from the yolks, and condensed
as above described, and pulverized if desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 19th August 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her
special license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING EGGs," a communication to me from abroad
by Dawson Miles, of Boston, State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and scal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
'declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say :—
This Invention relates to an improved method of preserving eggs
which have been heretofore dessicated and thereby reduced to a dry
powder difficult of solution.
The first part of this Invention consists in condensing eggs after
removing them from their shells to a semi-liquid or plastic condition
by extracting most of the water from them, or enough to prevent
fermentation, while sufficient water is left in the eggs to facilitate their
solubility when wanted for use. The condensed plastic egg substance
thus produced may be preserved for a long time.
The second part of my Invention consists in combining certain
ingredients, as salt, sugar, or sulphite of soda, with the condensed plastic 1
egg substance.
The yolks and whites of the eggs are first taken out of the shells and
thoroughly beaten or mixed together, after which they are condensed,
either by evaporating in vacuum or by spreading in very thin layers
'upon a suitable surface, until they are condensed into a thick syrupy or
semi-liquid or plastic condition, the degree of heat employed in cither
caso being so low as not to cook the eggs or prevent them from being
afterward readily dissolved when wanted for use.
Eggs treated as above described will keep for a great length of time
without becoming spoiled, and can be put up in bottles or other con-
venient receptacles.
When required for use the eggs so prepared must be dissolved in milk
or water and brought to the required consistency.
For many purposes the whites of eggs alone are used and to supply
this demand the whites may be separated from the yolks and condensed
as above described.
This improved method of preserving eggs enables large quantities of
them to be put up at the most favorable times and in places where
they can be procured at the lowest prices, consequently they can be sold
at all seasons of the year at a moderate price.

page_text: Eggs when condensed as above described occupy very little space and
all liability of breakage in transportation incident to eggs in the shell is
avoided.
To further improve the condensed egg substance after being condensed
to about the consistency of a thick syrup a small quantity of sugar and
salt is added, in the proportion of about one and a half (1) ounces of
sugar, and one-third (%) of an ounce of salt to cach dozen of eggs.
Instead of using both sugar and salt either may be used alone in the
proportion of about two (2) ounces of the former, or one (1) ounce of
the latter to each dozen of eggs. About one-tenth (10) of an ounce of
sulphite of soda is also added to each dozen of eggs, and the whole
mass thoroughly mixed together.
The sugar, salt, and sulphite of soda or either of them can be mixed
with the eggs, if preferred, before they are beaten up and condensed.
The sugar, salt, and sulphite of soda assist the preservation of the eggs
and facilitate the production of an article of food that will keep in good
condition for an indefinite period.
The Invention is not confined to the use of any special form of
apparatus for effecting the condensation described, nor to the exact
proportions of the ingredients mentioned, as these may be varied without
departing from the Invention.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,--
First. The preservation of eggs by condensing the same to a semi-
liquid or plastic condition, substantially as herein-before described.
Second. As an improved article of manufacture, eggs condensed
to a semi-liquid or plastic condition, substantially as herein-before
described.
Third. The employment in combination with the egg substance of
the following ingredients, namely, sugar, salt, and sulphite of soda, or
either of them, using one or more of said ingredients, as may be desired,
5 substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.

page_text: Fourth. As an improved article of manufacture the condensed egg
substance having one or more of the following ingredients incorporated
therewith, namely, sugar, salt, or sulphite of soda, substantially as
herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of
August One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)