A Method of and Apparatus for Preserving Meat, Cereals, and other Animal or Organic Substances; Destroying Parasites and Vermin, Extinguishing Fires, and Disinfecting Leather, Fabrics, and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Method of and Apparatus for Preserving Meat, Cereals, and
other Animal or Organic Substances; Destroying Parasites and
Vermin, Extinguishing Fires, and Disinfecting Leather, Fabrics,
and the like.
I, JEAN VIGERIE, of 14, Rue St. Jacques, Lille, in the Republic of France,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-.
This invention relates to a novel application of the properties of liquefied or
compressed carbonic acid for the purpose of providing a means suitable for different
industrial purposes such as the preservation of food, cereals and other animal or
organic substances, the destruction of parasites, the extinction of fire, and the
disinfection of leather, fabrics and the like.
The invention is based on the idea of utilizing at the same time the poisonous
action of carbonic acid gas and the pressure which it develops in passing from the
liquid to the gaseous state and consists in the employment of carbonic acid gas CO
arising from liquefied or compressed acid as well as in certain arrangements and
apparatus hereinafter described.
In applying the process for the preservation of meat, game and other animal or
organic substances I employ a case or receptacle of metal or other suitable material
adapted to be hermetically closed to prevent the gas escaping owing to variations
of temperature and capable of resisting a moderate internal pressure.
The nature, form and dimensions may be varied according to the nature and
quantity of the substances to be preserved.
The substances having been placed in the apparatus carbonic gas is introduced
by means of a tube communicating with a coil placed within the apparatus at the
lower part.
An opening in the upper wall allows the air to escape under the action of the
carbonic gas and when the air is completely driven out the opening is closed and
the necessary pressure is applied to ensure the preservation of the contents of the
receptacle.
Foods preserved in the manner above described remain in the same condition as
when introduced into the apparatus and their appearance, odour, and flavour are in
nowise affected even if they are kept in the carbonic acid for several months.
For the preservation of cereals and flour large granaries or storehouses may be
provided in which the contents will be preserved indefinitely without fear of their
germinating or growing mouldy and they will also be protected against the attacks
of insects and rodents.
The destruction of weevils and other insects can be effected with great ease by
the employment of my process.
The substances to be rendered wholesome are placed in suitable closed receptacles
and carbonic gas is then introduced in the manner hereinbefore described for the
preservation of food and other alimentary substances.
The substances are allowed to remain for about forty eight hours under ordinary
pressure in order that the insects may be effectually destroyed; if, however, a
moderate pressure is employed this time may be considerably diminished.
On ships it will be sufficient to suitably close the openings and then disengage at
the lower part carbonic gas which will rapidly destroy any insects or rodents
present.
All the apparatuses are based upon the same principle; the apparatus for

page_text: Y
:
extinguishing fires hereinafter described can be employed with or without liquid
and can serve either for the preservation of food or the destruction of insects.
The apparatus for preserving food and destroying insects etc. can be utilized for
disinfecting articles and clothing of silk, leather, wool, fur etc. which by the
processes hitherto known can only be disinfected at the expense of being rendered
almost unfit for use by heat or the corrosive action of the ingredients employed.
For extinguishing fires carbonic gas CO2 is employed in two ways:-
1. Alone in a dry state; or
2. In combination with a liquid, generally water.
Carbonic gas is employed alone for extinguishing fire in ships, cellars, basements
and other places capable of being closed, if not hermetically at least sufficiently to
prevent the gas being carried outside by currents of air.
:.
The apparatus which I employ for carrying out this part of my invention
comprises one or more tubes of liquid acid and one or more metal receptacles
containing the gas under pressure. Pipes of metal or other suitable material
connect the receptacle with the place to be preserved from fire.
The gas is discharged under moderate pressure onto the ground or the floor of
the place on fire and the fire will be gradually overcome and finally extinguished as
the layer of carbonic acid rises and replaces the atmospheric air.
Where receptacles in which the gas is previously stored up are not employed the
gas is drawn directly from the tubes, in which case it is sufficient to convey
carbonic acid under moderate pressure to the place on fire by means of tubes
leading to the floor or ground thereof.
Carbonic gas
is employed in combination with a liquid to extinguish fires in the
open air or in places insufficiently closed, that is to say, from which air escapes too
freely.
The apparatuses can be fixed, arranged to run upon wheels, or portable and each
apparatus comprises one or more tubes of liquid acid and one or more metal
receptacles which may be of any desired form or dimensions. A system of pipes
puts the receptacles in communication with the places to be preserved against fire.
The receptacles being previously filled with liquid this liquid is first saturated
with carbonic acid by causing a tube of liquid acid to be placed in communication,
by means of a tube, with a coil having small holes and placed within the receptacle
at the lower part. The carbonic gas introduced into the coil passes through the
liquid and partly dissolves therein the excess of gas passes into the upper part of
the receptacle and there mixes with the air, the pressure resulting therefrom
being utilized for the projection of the saturated liquid.
The apparatus is always ready for use and can be operated by simply turning a
cock without the assistance of any other mechanism.
The operation can be effected by hand by means of a tube of leather, india-
rubber or other suitable material provided with a nozzle; or automatically by
means of small fusible apparatuses placed at the ends of the pipes which conduct
the saturated liquid into the places to be preserved against fire; or by means of an
electric spark.
The internal pressure and consequently the force of projection of the liquid
on the fire to be extinguished can be kept constant, or increased or diminished as
may be required.
:
Dated the 7th day of February. 1893.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Method of and Apparatus for Preserving Meat, Cereals, and
other Animal or Organic Substances; Destroying Parasites and
Vermin, Extinguishing Fires, and Disinfecting Leather, Fabrics,
and the like.
I JEAN VIGERIE, of 14, Rue St. Jacques, Lille, in the Rupublic of France,
Engineer, 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 a novel application of the properties of liquefied or
compressed carbonic acid for the purpose of providing.a means suitable for different
industrial purposes such as the preservation of food, cereals and other animal or
organic substances, the destruction of parasites, the extinction of fire, and the
disinfection of leather, fabrics and the like.
The invention is based on the idea of utilizing at the same time the poisonous
action of carbonic acid gas and the pressure which it develops in passing from the
liquid to the gaseous state and consists in the employment of carbonic acid
gas CO2 arising from liquefied or compressed acid as well as in certain arrangements
and apparatus hereinafter described.
In applying the process for the preservation of meat, game and other animal or
organic substances I employ a case or receptacle a (shewn in elevation at Figure 2
of the accompanying drawing) of metal or other suitable material adapted to be
hermetically closed by a cover b to prevent the gas escaping owing to variations of
temperature and capable of resisting a moderate internal pressure.
The nature, form and dimensions may be varied according to the nature and
quantity of the substances to be preserved.
The substances having been placed in the apparatus a, carbonic gas is introduced
from a generator c by means of a tube d communicating with a coil e placed within
the apparatus a at the lower part.
An opening in the upper wall controlled by a cock fallows the air to escape
under the action of the carbonic gas and when the air is completely driven out the
opening is closed and the necessary pressure is applied to ensure the preservation of
the contents of the receptacle.
Foods preserved in the manner above described remain in the same condition as
when introduced into the apparatus and their appearance, odour, and flavour
are in nowise affected even if they are kept in the carbonic acid for several
months.
For the preservation of cereals and flour large granaries or storehouses may be
provided in which the contents will be preserved indefinitely without fear of their
germinating or growing mouldy and they will also be protected against the attacks
of insects and rodents.
The destruction of weevils, mites, and other insects can be effected with great
ease by the employment of my process.
The substances to be rendered wholesome are placed in suitable closed receptacles
and carbonic gas is then introduced in the manner herein before described for the
preservation of food and other alimentary substances.
The substances are allowed to remain for about forty eight hours under ordinary
pressure in order that the insects may be effectually destroyed; if, however, a.
moderate pressure is employed this time may be considerably diminished.
On ships it will be sufficient to suitably close the openings and then disengage
at the lower part carbonic acid gas which will rapidly destroy any insects or
rodents present.
All the apparatuses are based upon the same principle; the apparatus for
extinguishing fires hereinafter described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing:

page_text: can be employed with or without liquid and can serve either for the preservation of
food or the destruction of insects.
The apparatus for preserving food and destroying insects etc. illustrated in
Figure 2 can be utilized for disinfecting articles and clothing of silk, leather, wool,
fur etc. which by the processes hitherto known can only be disinfected at the
expense of being rendered almost unfit for use by heat or the corrosive action of
the ingredients employed.
For extinguishing fires and preventing conflagrations carbonic acid gas CO² is
employed in two ways:-
1. Alone in a dry state; or,
2. In combination with a liquid, generally water.
Carbonic acid gas is employed alone for extinguishing fire in ships, cellars, base-
ments and other places capable of being closed, if not hermetically at least
sufficiently to prevent the gas being carried outside by currents of air.
The apparatus which employ for carrying out this part of my inventiou
comprises one or more tubes of liquid acid and one or more metal receptacles con-
taining the gas under pressure. Pipes of metal or other suitable material connect
the receptacle with the place to be preserved from fire.
The gas is discharged under moderate pressure onto the ground or the floor of
the place on fire and the fire will be gradually overcome and finally extinguished
as the layer of carbonic acid gas rises and replaces the atmospheric air.
Where receptacles in which the gas is previously stored up are not employed the
gas is drawn directly from the tubes, in which case it. is sufficient to convey
carbonic acid under moderate pressure to the place on fire by means of tubes leading
to the floor or ground thereof.
Carbonic acid gas is employed in combination with a liquid to extinguish fires in
the open air or in places insufficiently closed, that is to say, from which air escapes
too freely.
The apparatuses can be fixed, arranged to run upon wheels, or portable and each
apparatus comprises (as shewn in elevation and plan at Figures 1 and 1^ respectively)
one or more tubes c of liquid acid and one or more metal receptacles a which may
be of any desired form or dimensions. A system of pipes 9, 9 puts the receptacles
in communication with the places to be preserved against fire.
C
The receptacles being previously filled with liquid this liquid is first saturated
with carbonic acid by causing the tube c of liquid acid to be placed in communi-
cation, by means of a tube d, with a coil e having small holes and placed within the
receptacle a at the lower part. The carbonic acid gas introduced into the coil e
passes through the liquid and partly dissolves therein; the excess of gas passes
into the upper part of the receptacle and mixes with the air therein, the pressure
resulting therefrom being utilized for the projection of the saturated liquid.
The apparatus is always ready for use and can be operated by simply turning
cocks h, h, without the assistance of any other mechanism.
The operation can be effected by hand by means of a tube of leather, india-
rubber or other suitable material provided with a nozzle; or automatically by
means of small fusible apparatuses placed at the ends of the pipes 9 which conduct
the saturated liquid into the places to be preserved against fire; or by means of an
electric spark.
The internal pressure and consequently the force of projection of the liquid on
the fire to be extinguished can be kept constant, or increased or diminished as may
be required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The herein described method of preserving meat, cereals and other animal
or organic substances, destroying parasites and vermin, extinguishing fires and
disinfecting leather, fabrics, and the like cousisting in utilizing the poisonous action

page_text: of carbonic acid gas and the pressure which it develops in passing from the liquia
to the gaseous state, substantially in the manner herein before described.
2. The improved apparatus for preserving meat, cereals and other animal or
organic substances, destroying parasites and vermin, extinguishing fires and
disinfecting leather, fabrics and the like, substantially as herein before described
with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Deted the 4th day of November 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.