An Improved Mode of Apparatus for, and Materials to be used in Preserving Fresh Meat and other Analogous Comestibles, by Fumigation.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 21st Mar., 1398-Accepted, 28th June, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Mode of Apparatus for, and Materials to be used in
Preserving Fresh Meat and other Analogous Comestibles, by
Fumigation.
Thomas Affleck, of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (present address) 21,
Pine Road, Cricklewood, London, N.W., Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:
An improved mode of apparatus for and materials to be, used in preserving fresh
meat and other analogous comestibles by fumigation, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement.
"
Meat and other analogous comestibles such as bacon and ham, have for centuries
been cured by fumigation but only after the product has been previously treated
by another process the curing being especially designed to give a grateful flavour
to the cured comestible.
The present invention is. more particularly intended to arrest the process of
decomposition and decay that commences to set in directly the animal has been.
killed or the article of food it is desired to preserve, is removed from its natural
position or state where it would continue to grow and develop. By the application
of my improved process, conducted as is hereinafter described the food will be
rendered practically impervious to the usual disintegrating and oxydizing process
of decay, and no other curing than that herein described will be required' to
preserve the food for several weeks. Moreover the food will be practically fresh
food and not cured food as may be exemplified by the difference between a roast
leg of pork (fresh) and a boiled ham (cured). Thus pastoralists and others will be
enabled by the aid of this process, to transport fresh food, such for instance as
freshly killed mutton beef pork or poultry or fresh laid eggs &c. &c. to immense
distances under unfavourable conditions, with perfect safety, so far as the condition
of the food, when it reaches its destination is concerned.
In curing the food I make use of a mixture or combination of the following
ingredients viz.
The ingredients are mixed together dry with the exception of the extracts or
oils, which are dropped in, in their proper proportions. In giving effect to my
process, two seperate chambers, are used, the two being connected together by
anitable pipes or passages. The first chamber called herein No. 1 chamber is used
solely for the purpose of burning the above mentioned combination of ingredients

page_text: so that sugh combination shall give off a fume, while the second chamber, called
herein No. 2 chamber is so constructed as.to admit of the carcases or other food
being suspended therein, so that the fumes, introduced into No. 2 through the
pipes or passages leading from No. 1 shall be able to come in contact with every
part of the surface of the carcases or other food that may be disposed therein.
The above mentioned 300 oz. of ingredients will be about sufficient to cure
100 carcases of mutton. The proportions of the ingredients may be varied accord-
ing to the nature of the food to be cured, but, under no circumstances will the
proportions be greatly more or less than those above specified.
It is important to remark that certain of the ingredients, contain properties that
are found in other materials of a similar character, e.g., the wattle bark might be
replaced by oak bark or other material rich in tannic acid, and the general
properties of the composition would remain practically unchanged.
200
י
1000
COMPLETE SPOTTICATION.
An Improved Mode of Apparatus for, and Materials to be used in
Preserving Fresh Meat and other Analogous Comestibles, by
Fumigation.
I, THOMAS AFFLECK, of 25, Elizabeth Street, Sydney, in the Colony of New South
Wales, Commercial Traveller, 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 aud by the following statement :-
Meat and other analogous comestibles, such as bacon and ham, have for centuries
been cured by fumigation but only after the product has been proviously treated by
another process, the curing being especially designed to give a grateful flavour to
the cured comestible.
The present invention is more particularly intended to arrest the process of
decomposition and decay that commences to set in directly the animal has been
killed or the article of food it is desired to preserve, is removed from its natural
position or state where it would continue to grow and develop. By the application 3
of my improved process, conducted as is hereinafter described, the food will be
rendered practically impervious to the usual disintegrating and oxydizing process
of decay, and no other curing than that herein described will be required to preserve
the food for several weeks; moreover the food will be practically fresh food and
not cured food as may be exemplified by the difference between a roast leg of pork
(fresh) and a boiled ham (cured). Thus, pastoralists and others will be enabled,
by the aid of this process, to transport fresh food, such for instance as freshly
killed mutton, beef, pork, or poultry or fresh laid eggs, &c. &c. to immense
distances under unfavourable conditions, with perfect safety, so far as the condition
of the food, when it reaches its destination is concerned.
In curing the food, I make use of a mixture or combination of the following
ingredients, viz. :-
4

page_text: The ingredients aro mixed together dry with the exception of the extracts or oils,
which are dropped in, in their proper proportions.
In giving effect to my process, two separate chambers are used, the two chambers
being connected together by suitable pipes or passages. The first chamber, called
horein No. 1 chamber, is used solely for the purpose of burning the above-mentioned
combination of ingredients so that such combination shall give off a fume, while
the second chamber, called herein No. 2 chamber, is so constructed as to admit of
the carcases or other food being suspended therein, so that the fames, introduced
into No. 2 through the pipes or passages leading from No. 1 shall be able to come
in contact with every part of the surface of the carcases or other food that may be
disposed therein.
'
It is very important that the combination of ingredients should be fired in a
separate chamber from the one, in which the food is placed, so that no direct fire-
heat may be introduced within the food chamber.
The above-mentioned 300 ozs. of ingredients will be about sufficient to care 100
carcases of mutton. The proportions of the ingredients may be varied according to
the nature of the food to be cured, but, under no circumstances will the proportions
be greatly more or less than those above specified.
It is important to remark that certain of the ingredients contain properties that
are found in other materials of a similar character, e.g., the wattle-bark might be
replaced by oak-bark or other material rich in tannic acid, and the general
properties of the composition would remain practically unchanged.
The construction of No. 1 chamber should be such that the products of combus-
tion from the fire, if any, cannot mingle with the fumes from the curing ingredients.
The construction of No. 2 ohamber may be varied to suit the requirements of the
class of food to be cured, but must be so contrived that the fumes from No. 1 may
enter it freely but be unable to escape therefrom.
.
In order to intercept any solid matters that might pass from No. 1 with 'the
fumes to No. 2 an intercepter of any suitable construction, will be placed in the pipe
or passage between the two chambers.
In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated an apparatus for carrying out
my present invention.
a is the No. 1 chamber connected by a pipe b to the No. 2 chamber c.
d are the herein before described ingredients in the No. 1 chamber a which latter
is closed by a suitable door f hinged at a* to said chamber and which can be firmly
closed by the pinching nut on the scrow a¹ or in any other suitable manner.
Any suitable safety valve such as 9 may be provided on or in connection with said.
chamber a..
Heat is applied to said chamber a in the case illustrated by a gas burner h.
¿ is outer case enclosing said chamber a and burner h the products of combustion
from which latter are led away through the outlet j and cannot enter either the
chamber a or chamber c..
represents carcasses or parts of carcasses suspended in the chamber c for
treatment therein according to the present invention:
The chamber e is provided with any suitable door or means (not shown) to afford
access to the interior thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved process of preserving fresh meat or other analogous perishable
comestible, and arresting decomposition therein, consisting essentially in firing the
fumigating composition in a No. 1 chamber, conveying the fumes generated in No. 1
chamber by a pipe or passage to the No. 2 chamber where such fumes will play
over the surface of the comestibles therein, while, at the same time the products of
combustion from the fire that generates the fumes in No. 1 chamber shall be
•

page_text: conveyed away so that they shall not enter the No. 2 chamber with the preservative
fumes as and for the purposes herein set forth.
2. The improved combination of materials for fumigating fresh meat or other
analogous comestible, consisting ossentially of the combination of ingredients
berein specified, but the proportions of which may be slightly varied to suit the
nature of the particular comestible to be treated, as herein set forth.
3. In combination, a No. 1 chamber in which the fumigating composition is
fired, a No. 2 chamber in which the comestible to be treated is suitably disposed
auch No. 2 chamber being in communication by pipe or passage with the fume.
generator in No. 1 chamber, but not with any fire therein, as herein described and
for the purposes specified.
(Signed) E. GEOFFREY CHUBB,
34 and 36, Gresham Street, E.C., Solicitor,
Agent for the said Thomas Affleck.