AN IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SINGEING OFF THE HAIRS, BRISTLES, AND OTHER MATTERS ON PIGS IN ORDER TO PREPARE THEM FOR BEING CONVERTED INTO BACON
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Fennelly, of Wellington Chambers,
London Bridge, London, and Patrick Kenny, of Waterford, in
Ireland, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS
FOR SINGEING OFF THE HAIRS, BRISTLES, AND OTHER MATTERS ON PIGS
IN ORDER TO PREPARE THEM FOR BEING CONVERTED INTO BACON,"
Sealed the 16th June 1868, and dated the 20th February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Fennelly
and Patrick Kenny at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 20th February 1868.
We, RICHARD FENNELLY, of Wellington Chambers, London Bridge,
London, and PATRICK KENNY, of Waterford, in Ireland, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD
AND APPARATUS FOR SINGEING OFF THE HAIRS, BRISTLES, AND OTHER MATTERS
ON PIGS IN ORDER TO PREPARE THEM FOR BEING CONVERTED INTO BACON," to be
as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the carrying out of an improved
method and apparatus for singeing off the hairs, bristles, and other
[Price 8d.]

page_text: matters on pigs in order to prepare them for being converted into bacon.
For this purpose we employ a jet or jets of flame obtained by forcing
air into a chamber or chambers containing ignited fuel. In this way
carbonic oxide is formed, and this, together with the other heated
products of combustion, is allowed to issue from the chamber or chambers
by a jet or jets and is inflamed as it issues. The carcase of the pig is
suspended in front of or between the jet or jets which are caused to
impinge upon it, and the carcase is raised and lowered and turned about
in front of or between the jet or jets so that every part may be
sufficiently acted upon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Fennelly and Patrick Kenny in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 20th August 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, RICHARD
FENNELLY, of Wellington Chambers, London Bridge, London, and
L'ATRICK KENNY, of Waterford, in Ireland, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Richard Fennelly and Patrick Kenny
Her special licence that we, the said Richard Fennelly and Patrick
Kenny, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
wc, the said Richard Fennelly and Patrick Kenny, our executors,
administrators, and 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, use, exercise and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SINGEING OFF THE HAIRS, BRISTLES, AND OTHER
MATTERS ON PIGS IN ORDER TO PREPARE THEM FOR BEING CONVERTED INTO
BACON," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Richard
Fennelly and Patrick Kenny, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the
hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and

page_text: 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Fennelly, on behalf
of myself and the said Patrick Kenny, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object the carrying out of an improved
method and apparatus for singeing off the hairs, bristles, and other
matters on pigs in order to prepare them for being converted into bacon.
For this purpose we employ a jet or jets of flame obtained by forcing
air into a chamber or chambers containing ignited fuel.
In this way
carbonic oxide is formed, and this, together with the other heated
products of combustion, is allowed to issue from the chamber or chambers
by a jet or jets and is inflamed as it issues. The carcase of the pig is
suspended in front of or between the jet or jets which are caused to
impinge upon it, and the carcase is raised and lowered and turned about
in front of or between the jet or jets so that every part may be
sufficiently acted upon.
We prefer to proceed in the following manner:-One or more furnaces
are erected upon piers or pillars or otherwise so arranged as to suit the
convenience or requirements of the operator or of the premises on which
the machine is constructed. Into the furnace or furnaces is introduced
coke or other suitable fuel which is ignited. The furnace or furnaces
are operated on by a draught or current of air produced by a fan,
bellows, or other arrangement. This draught or current of air passes,
through the burning fuel in the furnace or furnaces, combines therewith
and forms carbonic oxide, and this carbonic oxide, together with the
other heated prod icts of combustion, issues in an inflamed state at jets
or openings provided in the furnace or furnaces for this purpose. These
jets or openings are so arranged as to cause the ignited gas to impinge
upon the carcase of the pig which is passed in front of or between them.
Arrangements are made whereby the carcase of the pig is drawn up
to or presented before these jets or openings. The carcase is lowered
or raised or moved about as may be required
until it is completely

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents the ground plan, Figure 2 the front elevation,
Figure 3 a sectional plan, as divided from A to B on Figure 1, and
Figure 4 a sectional plan, as divided from C to D on Figure 1, of an
In each of these
apparatus suitable for operating on a large scale.
Figures similar parts are indicated by the same letters of reference.
F represents a fan driving air into the tube or flue G which separates
at four points into the smaller tubes g, g, 9, g. The fan may conveniently
be of the size known as an eight-fire fan, that is to say, adapted to work
eight smiths' fires; there is a regulating valve or damper in the tube
or flue G. The tubes 9, 9, pass through the pillars or piers H, H, to
points under the furnaces R, R. Through the fuel in these furnaces
(we use coke by preference) the air is driven, and as when in operation
the furnaces are closed at all points except the openings O, O, (which
are each about four inches in diameter) the gas formed by the com-
bination of burning fuel and the oxygen from the air escapes in an
ignited state at these openings and impinges on the carcase of the pig P
and rapidly singes off the bristles, hairs, and other matters. J is the
outer covering of iron which binds the brickwork Q, Q, of the furnaces
together; K is a beam supporting the gallows L on which the bar M
rests. This bar passes from the slaughter house to the singeing machine,
the pig thus remaining in an unaltered position from the time of its
being killed until the singeing is completed. N is a chain passing round
one leg of the pig P and suspended by a hook from the bar M. This
chain N is provided with a double hook, so that whilst one limb of the
hook catches over the bar M and slides down it to conduct the pig to
the singeing apparatus, the other limb is ready to be attached to the
chain W. The chain being connected by the workman the pig is drawn
up between the openings 0, 0, at such a speed that the singeing may be
properly accomplished; S, S, are the bars upon which the fuel rests;
T, T, are openings provided with doors for the purpose of removing the
cinders or ashes from the furnaces; V, V, are openings provided with
doors for supplying fuel; X is a windlass driven by steam power or
otherwise for lifting the pig P; Y is a pulley over which the chain W
passes. The time required for the singeing of a pig with this apparatus

page_text: varies from 14 to 20 seconds. The admission of air to the furnaces should
be so arranged as to produce a reddish flame. The workman, who is
armed with an iron rod with a suitable look at the end, and who watches
the operation from below, having attached the chain W to the hook from
which the pig hangs gives a signal for the lifting apparatus to be set to
work; he, if necessary, turns the pig about as it rises between the jets
of flam, and usually just as the head leaves the flame he causes the
upward motion to cease for on instant in order that the head may receive
an additional exposure to the flame. The pig when singed can be
dropped
on to a bar above, below, or at the side of the furnaces, which
bar may lead to the tack or scraping house. The bar for conveying the
singed pigs from the apparatus, where the arrangements of the works
admit, is most conveniently placed with its receiving end immediately
under the block Y; in this case the pig is raised until the hook from
which it hangs is just over the bar, and then on lowering by letting the
chain W run out the larger limb of the hook catches on the bar, whilst
the smaller disengages itself from the chain. The chain and block are
so constructed that the chain cannot twist, otherwise the hook might
not present itself truly to the bar.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, we would have it understood that
what we claim is, the improved method herein described of singeing pigs
in order to prepare them for being converted into bacon by means of
a jet or jets of flame obtained from a chamber or chambers containing
ignited fuel into which air is forced or passed.
We also claim the arranging apparatus for singeing pigs, substantially
as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Fennelly, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
RICHARD FENNELLY. (L.S.)