Improved Means applicable for Use in the Curing of Fish and other Commodities.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 30th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 4th Jan., 1896
Improved Means applicable for Use in the Curing of Fish and
other Commodities.
We, THOMAS HENRY HORNER and WILLIAM WIDDOWSON, both of Billings-
gate, Hull, in the County of York, Fish Curers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to the curing of fish and other commodities, and consists
in improved means applicable for use in the smoke-house, whereby the operation
of arranging and manipulating the fish in such house is facilitated and expedited,
and the risk of accident to the operatives, attendant on the present mode of
working, is obviated.
In a smoke-house as ordinarily arranged, the fish, after having been cleaned,
are attached to rods or laths which are hung across the smoke-house at regular
intervals, with the result that the fish are disposed equidistantly from one another,
both longitudinally and transversely. The ends of the rods or laths rest upon
tiers or supports fastened to the side walls of the house. Each rod or lath,
furnished with fish, is handed up from one attendant to another and placed in the
required position; the attendants standing meanwhile on the tiers or supports.
When cured, the fish are removed by handing each rod or lath down in a similar
manner, the employés standing on the tiers or supports as before.
In constructing a smoke-house according to our invention, the tiers or supports,
instead of being fixed as at present, are carried by endless chains suspended at
each side of the house. These chains pass over and under chain-wheels. The
chain-wheels at the upper part of the house are arranged on shafts carried in
suitable bearings; the said shafts being caused to rotate in opposite directions by
means of worms, arranged on a cross-shaft, engaging with worm-wheels on the
chain-wheel-shafts. A chain, arranged conveniently to the hand of the operator,
passes over and engages with a wheel or pulley on the worm-shaft, and serves to
impart the requisite movement, to the chains carrying the tiers.
The operations of arranging the fish in and withdrawing the same from the
smoke-house may thus, with the aid of our improved appliances, be accomplished
from the floor level; the rods or laths, as they are filled with fish, being placed by
the attendants on the movable tiers or supports, and then raised to the desired
altitude by means of the hand-chain and chain-wheel.
31
of Fahrry 1895

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means applicable for Use in the Curing of Fish and
other Commodities.
We, THOMAS HENRY HORNER and WILLIAM WIDDOWSON, both of Billings-
gate, Hull, in the County of York, Fish Curers, 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 relates to the curing of fish and other commodities, and consists
in improved means applicable for use in the smoke-house, whereby the operation of
arranging and manipulating the fish in such house is facilitated and expedited, and
whereby the risk of accident to the operatives, attendant on the present mode of
working, is obviated.
In a smoke-house as ordinarily arranged, the fish, after having been cleaned, are
attached to rods or laths which are hung across the smoke-house at regular
intervals with the result that the fish are disposed equidistantly from one another,
both longitudinally and transversely. The ends of the rods or laths rest upon tiers
or supports fastened to the side walls of the house. Each rod or lath, furnished
with fish, is handed up from one attendant to another and placed in the required
position; the attendants standing meanwhile on the tiers or supports.
When
cured, the fish are removed by handing each rod or lath down in a similar manner;
the employés standing on the tiers or supports as before.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the means we employ in carrying out our
invenciou ;
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 being respectively a longitudinal section, a transverse section
and a horizontal section of a smoke-house fitted for carrying out our improved
method of working.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are similar views representing an alternative design.
Only so much of the smoke-house is shown as is necessary to illustrate the
application and working of the present invention.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the tiers or supports a a, upon which rest the
láths a*, are carried by endless chains b b suspended at each side of the house;
the tiers being furnished with hooks a' a¹ for engaging in the links of said carrying
chains. The chains b¹ pass over chain- or pitch-wheels c c', and under sheaves
or chain-wheels d d'. The chain-wheels c c are keyed on shafts e e. arrauged near
the roof of the house; said shafts being carried in suitable bearings housed in the
walls A A or otherwise mounted. The shafts e e are furnished with, worm-
wheels meshing with worms 9 g on a cross-shaft h; a chain i, arranged con-
veniently to the hand of the operator and passing over and engaging with a wheel
or pulley k on the worm-shaft h, serving to impart the requisite movement to the
chains carrying the tiers. By this means, the shafts ee are caused to rotate in
opposite directions and thereby to raise or lower the tiers a a.
Each chain- or pitch-wheel d or d may be carried in a vertically adjustable
holder, secured to the floor B of the smoke-house by means of screw-tackle such
as m. The spindle of the holder is screw-threaded, the shackle m' being
similarly screw-threaded, but in the opposite direction; the two screwed portious
being connected by the union or nut 2. On turning this nut in one direction or
the other, the tension of the tier-carrying chains may be increased or diminished as
required. Or, each pair of wheels d d may be arranged on a longitudinal shaft n
carried in bearings adjustable in a standard o. By employing guide-sheaves pp,
the carrying chains bb may be maintained in close proximity to each other, and a
more compact arrangement of the chains secured.
According to the alternative form of construction, illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6,
the chain-wheels c* c* are keyed on shafts ex e* disposed one near each end of the

page_text: stroke-house, just beneath the roof; said shafts being carried in suitable bearings;
in the walls A. Each shaft ex has keyed upon it, at or about the middle of its,
length, a worm-wheel fx. The worm-wheels mesh with worms g* g* on.a longitu-
dinal shaft ; to which latter is secured the wheel or pulley carrying the hand-
chain. The shaft his supported in suitable bearings arranged in wall-boxes.ini
the end-walls of the smoke-house. The chain b for carrying the tiers a a pass over:
the chain-wheels ex cx, and under the chain-wheels d-d; the latter being arranged
in holders secured to the floor B of the smoke-house by means of adjustable
tackle of the character previously referred to.
In using the apparatus, a number of tiers a a are attached by means of the
hooks a¹ to the carrying chains b, the topmost pair of tiers being placed so as to be
within reach of the attendants when standing upon the floor. The rods or
laths a* a* having the fish attached are now placed on the tiers a a the operation
being commenced at the back and continned towards the front of the smoke-house.
When a sufficient number of tiers have been loaded, the carrying chains to which
the tiers are attached are caused to travel upwards by means of the hand-chain i
and pulley k, the tiers and rods together with the fish being thus raised to a height
just beyond the reach of the attendant, who proceeds to attach a further number of
tiers to the carrying chains and to place more fish-laden rods or laths thereon ; and
so on until the house is filled. For removing the fish, the operations are reversed;.
that is to say, the lowest laths are first removed and the tiers dismounted; the
hand-chain is then pulled in the direction for lowering the upper tiers; and so on
until the house has been emptied or the required quantity of cured fish removed
therefrom.
It will thus be seen that the operations of arranging the fish in, and withdrawing
the same from, the smoke-house may, with the aid of our improved appliance, be
accomplished from the floor level; the rods or laths a* filled with fish being raised
to the desired altitude and again brought within the reach of the attendant by
means of the hand-chain and chain-wheel k. The distance vertically from one
tier to another may moreover be varied. The higher series of tiers together with.
the fish they carry may also be lowered for further smoking, when necessary,.
without having to resort to the tedious process of handing down each lath and
re-arranging the same at a lower level as heretofore.
Pitch-chains of the type ordinarily used for pulley blocks may be employed,
the upper sheaves being appropriately formed for engaging the chains. The chain-
wheels at the lower part of the house may be plain grooved pulleys. If desired,
the chains may be of the kind commonly known as the detachable link type, the
chain-wheels being formed to suit the same.
The tiers may be made of iron, of angle or other suitable section, the hooks for
connecting with the carrying chains being attached by rivets about which they are
free to turn.
In some cases, the hand-chain may be dispensed with and the worm-shaft rotated
through a friction-clutch from a shaft running in front of the smoke-house and.
connected with a steam or other motor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we claim :-
1. The improved means, applicable for use in the curing of fish and other
commodities, whereby the placing of the fish or other commodities in position
for curing and their subsequent removal may be effected from the floor level of
the curing-house, substantially as herein described.
2. The improved apparatus adapted for use in the curing of fish and other
commodities and arranged substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1, 2
and 3 or Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings; same comprising remove-
able tiers for receiving the laths to which the fish are attached, endless chains to.
which the tiers are connected and whereby said tiers are raised or lowered; suitable

page_text: means being provided for operating the said tiers from the floor level of the
curing-house.
.
3. In a smoke- or other curing-house, the employment of tiers such as a connected
to endless chains arranged to pass over chain-wheels; means being provided for
imparting rotative motion to the chain-wheels and thereby raising or lowering
the tiers.
For the Applicants,
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agent.