Improvements in the Method and Process of Thawing Frozen Meat and other Perishable Substances, and in the Apparatus and Appliances connected therewith.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 9th Nov.,
1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method and Process of Thawing Frozen Meat
and other Perishable Substances, and in the Apparatus and
Appliances connected therewith.
I. RICHARD LONG, of 31 Williams Street, Balmain Sydney in the Colony of
New South Wales, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to economically increasing the temperature of air in
chambers containing frozen meat or other suitable frozen substances requiring to be
thawed.
To secure and retain the flavour of and appearance of the meat before it
was frozen. I utilize the waste "cold" from the frozen meat to control and alter
the temperature of the fresh air before it is admitted into the thawing chamber, by
passing it through an apparatus (hereinafter referred to as the temperature-changer
and condenser) fixed in, or adjoining to, the thawing chamber, and on or below the
floor level, and connect it with the apparatus and appliances.
;
To more particularly describe the method and process and the apparatus and
appliances, the following statement is given, reference being had to the drawings.
Figure 1. shews a sectional elevation of part of a thawing chamber, and also an
adjoining shed or room, together with a side elevation of the various apparatus and
pipes. A, the temperature-changer and condensor: B, the exhaust pipe connected
with the exhaust ventilator C: D, the inlet for the waste cold air from the thawing
chamber E, the fresh air delivery pipe connected with the distributing pipe F,
near the ceiling and side walls; this pipe has holes at set distances for the delivery
of air. G, air heating apparatus with steam supply pipe H, and fresh air inlet
pipe J. K, a moisture absorber connected with the air heating apparatus by the
pipe L. The pipe M, connects the absorber and the air heating apparatus with
the temperature-changer and condensor A. O, is a branch pipe from the absorber
to connect it with the temperature-changer and condensor, so that when the
damper in pipe L, is closed and O2, in pipe M, opened, the heated air flows
direct to the temperature-changer and condensor without passing through the
absorber.
Figure 2, shews a sectional side elevation of the temperature-changer and
condensor A, having transverse plates or mid-feathers N. between which are spaces
for the tubes P, for the passage of air from the thawing chamber to the exhaust
ventilator. The dotted line R, is the water level, the water being required for
closing the air communication under the mid-feathers, so that the condensed
moisture from the air may have a free passage to the overflow pipe R'.
Figure 3, shews a longitudinal section through the line a, a, in Figure 2, the
arrows shewing the direction of the cold air as it passes through the transverse
tubes from the thawing chamber.
Figure 4, shews a transverse section through the line b, b, in Figure 2. The
transverse air tubes are fixed in each space between the mid-feathers.
The use for which each apparatus is required is as follows:-The air heating
apparatus is for heating the air before it is admitted to the temperature-changer
and condensor, but with an outside temperature of about 70 degrees it is not
necessary to heat it, and the natural warm air passes through it. The absorber K,

page_text: is charged with fused or crystalised chloride of calcium, on account of its great
chemical affinity for aqueous vapour at any temperature. The heating of air does
not extract the moisture, and hot air may contain a large quantity of vapour.
Towards the finish of the thawing, the temperature of the air from the thawing
chamber does not so rapidly condense the moisture in the fresh air as before, and
the fresh air may be passed through the absorber before entering the temperature-
changer and condensor; when the absorber is not in use the air passes through the
pipe M, direct.
The exhaust ventilator works by either the wind or a small jet of water, and will
exhaust air up to 500 cubic feet per minute, according to its size.
The circulation of the air commences from the exhaust ventilator C, and flows
up the pipe B, from the temperature-changer and condenso: A, into which the cold
air from the thawing chamber is drawn at D, and passes thro' the transverse tubes.
This causes a partial vacuum in the thawing chamber, and draws the fresh air
through the openings in the distributing pipe F, from and through the temperature-
changer and condensor A, and the absorber K, (when connected) and the air
heating apparatus G, in the direction of the arrows, and as shewn in Figure 2.
It will be seen that the waste cold air from the thawing chamber is utilised for
cooling and gradually and progressively altering the temperature of the fresh warm
air to be admitted to the chamber, and as the temperature of the cold air in the
thawing chamber increases the fresh air is delivered at a higher temperature. It
will also be seen that the process is automatic in its working after the speed of the
exhaust ventilator has been regulated to suit the capacity of the thawing chamber,
and the steam for the air heating apparatus in cold weather is supplied.
Dated this 30th day of November 1894.
FREDERIC PRINCE,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method and Process of Thawing Frozen Meat
and other Perishable Substances, and in the Apparatus and
Appliances connected therewith.
1, RICHARD LONG of 31 William Street, Balmain Sydney in the Colony of
New South Wales, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
My invention relates to renomically erasing the temperature of air in
chambers containing frozen men: or other perishable substances requiring to be
thawed.
To secure and retain the flavour and appearance of the meat it had before it
was frozen, I utilize the waste "cold" from the frozen meat to control and elter
the temperature of the fresh air before it is admitted into the thawing chamber,
by passing it through an apparatus (hereinafter referred to as the temperature
changer and condensor) fixed in or adjoining to, the thawing chamber, and on or
below the floor level, and connect it with other apparatus and appliances. To
more particularly describe the method and process, and the apparatus and
appliances, the following statement is given, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings filed with the Provisional Specification.
Figure 1. shows a sectional elevation of part of a thawing chamber, and also an
adjoining shed or room, together with a side elevation of the various apparatus and
pipes. A, the temperature changer and condensor: B, the exhaust pipe connected
with the exhaust ventilator C: D, the inlet for the waste cold air from the thawing
chamber: E, the fresh air delivery pipe connected with the distributing pipe F,

page_text: near the ceiling and side walls; this pipe has holes at set distances for the delivery
of air: G, air heating apparatus with steam supply pipe H, and fresh air inlet
pipe J K, a moisture absorber connected with the air heating apparatus by the
pipe L. The pipe M, connects the absorber and the air heating apparatus with the
temperature changer and condensor A. O, is a branch pipe from the absorber to
connect it with the temperature changer and condensor, so that, when the
damper O' in pipe L is closed, and O2 in pipe M opened, the heated air flows
direct to the temperature changer, and condensor without passing through the
absorber.
Figure 2 shows a sectional side elevation of the temperature changer and
condensor A, having transverse plates or midfeathers N, between which are spaces
for the tubes P, for the passage of the air from the thawing chamber to the
exhaust ventilator. The dotted line R, is the water level; the water being
required for closing the air communication under the midfeathers, so that the
condensed moisture from the air may have a free passage to the overflow pipe R¹.
Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section through the line a, a, in Fig. 2, the
arrows showing the direction of the cold air as it passes through the transverse
tubes from the thawing chamber.
Figure 4 shows a transverse section through the line b, b, in Fig. 2. The
transverse air tubes are fixed in each space between the midfeathers.
The use for which each apparatus is required is as follows: The air heating
apparatus is for heating the air before it is admitted to the temperature changer
and condensor; but with an outside temperature of about 70 degrees it is not
necessary to beat it, and the natural warm air passes through it. The absorber K,
is charged with fuzed or crystalized chloride of calcium, on account of its great
chemical affinity for aqueous vapour at any temperature. The heating of the air
does not extract the moisture, and hot air may contain a large quantity of vapour.
Towards the finish of the thawing, the temperature of the air from the thawing
chamber does not so rapidly condense the moisture in the fresh air as before, and
the fresh air may be passed through the absorber before entering the temperature
changer and condensor. When the absorber is not in use, the air passes through
the pipe M, direct. The exhaust ventilator works by either wind or a small jet of
water, and will exhaust air up to 1,500 cubic feet per minute, according to its
size. The circulation of the air commences from the exhaust ventilator C, and
flows up the pipe B from the temperature changer and condensor A, into which
the cold air from the thawing chamber is drawn at D, and passes through the
transverse tubes. This causes a partial vacuum in the thawing chamber, and
draws the fresh air through the openings in the distributing pipe F, from, and
through the temperature changer and condensor A, and the absorber K, when
connected, and the air heating apparatus G, in the direction of the arrows, and as
shewn in Fig. 2. It will be seen that the waste cold air from the thawing
chamber is utilized for cooling and gradually and progressively altering the
temperature of the warm air to be admitted to the chamber, and as the
temperature of the cold air in the thawing chamber increases, the fresh air is
delivered at a higher temperature. It will also be seen, that the process is
automatic in its working after the speed of the exhaust ventilator has been regu-
lated to suit the capacity of the thawing chamber, and the steam for the air heating
apparatus in cold weather is supplied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The construction of the combined temperature changer and condensor,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The combination and arrangement of the various apparatus, as shewn and
described, with the air pipe arrangements between them for circulating the air,
and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 3. The method and process of utilizing the "cold" from the frozen meat by
exhausting the cold air from the thawing chamber and using it for gradually and
progressively altering the temperature of the fresh air, before it is drawn into the
thawing chamber by the partial vacuum formed in the thawing chamber by the
exhaust ventilator.
Dated this 4th day of September 1895.
FREDERIC PRINCE,
37 Cursitor Street, London, Agent for Applicant.