An Improved Process of Preserving Dried Vegetables.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left. 25th July, 1893-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process of Preserving Dried Vegetables.
I GABRIEL DUPONT-DENNIS of Rue Arthur III, Nantes, France, Manufacturer
of Preserved Alimentary Products do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
This invention relates to an improved process of preserving dried vegetables in a
cooked condition, and it consists in a special method of preparing the vegetables on
a large scale by means of the apparatus herein-after described.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this
Specification wherein
Figures 1 and 2 represent an elevation and plan respectively of a charger
employed for the preliminary steeping of the vegetables.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 show respectively an elevation, vertical section and plan of a
vessel for containing the vegetables during the cooking operation.
Figure 6 represents the wire cloth liner with which said vessel is provided.
Figures 7 and 8 represent an elevation and plan of a clamping frame for holding
and closing steam tight a number of the said vessels represented in Figures 3, 4
and 5.
Figure 9 represents a vertical section of the holder with the superposed vessels
secured therein.
Figure 10 is a plan of one of the covers for the cooking vessels, and
In
Figure 11 is a plan of a tray into which the cooked vegetables are discharged.
In treating haricot beans according to this process for the purpose of preserving
them, the dry haricots are placed in the charger represented in Figures 1 and 2,
the sides and bottom of which are made of wire cloth a. The charger is then
lowered by means of a crane into a tank filled with cold water, the temperature of
which is brought to 30° C. and then further raised at intervals of half an hour
to 50° C. After steeping for 2 hours the charger is raised out of the water by
means of the crane and the vegetables plunged in a saturated solution of salt and
water at a temperature of 50° C. The vegetables are then transferred to the
vessels in which they are to be cooked. These vessels of which one is represented
in Figures 3, 4, and 5, are made in the form of a basin or sieve having a closed
bottom upon which is placed a strong wire cloth c (separately represented in
Figure 6) supported by cross-bars about an inch more or less from the bottom.
the vessel is placed a cloth well soaked with water upon which the haricots are
placed and then covered with a similar wet cloth. Water in the proportion of one
litre to five kilogrammes of vegetables, is then poured in without the water however
being permitted to come in contact with the vegetables this being an essential
condition for preserving the haricots whole. The sheet metal cover d, Figure 10,
is then placed on the vessel, after having first applied a hemp packing upon the
flange rivetted to the upper edge of the vessel. From ten to twelve of these
vessels are placed one upon the other in the frame represented in Figures 7, 8,
and 9, which is provided with a fixed bottom plate g, and with a movable plate or
follower worked by a screw i whereby pressure is applied upon the whole of the
vessels, thus firinly clamping the covers d upon their packings e and preventing the
admission of water or steam to the interior of the vessels. The vessels are
perforated around their lower edges with holes ; to permit water or steam to
circulate between the bottom of the one vessel and the cover of the next beneath it
and expose the cover to pressure in order that the heat may be equally distributed.
When the vessels are clamped in the holder, the whole is lowered by a crane into a
boiler containing water or steam at 100° C. which is then closed and the temperature

page_text: raised to 102° C. and maintained at this point for two and a half hours, after
which the vessels are withdrawn and allowed to cool in order to prevent the bursting
of the beans.
It will be understood that the temperature and duration of the operations above
described, would be varied to suit the kind of vegetable under treatment, the
figures above given being, however, those which have been found by practice to
give the best results in the majority of cases. The essential feature of the process
is the cooking without water by means of the apparatus described, this being
indispensable for the preservation of dry vegetables and by it alone can haricots be
preserved whole without liability of becoming rancid. If the haricots are to be
reduced to the condition of flour or meal they are dried in a kiln and then ground
up and treated in the manner before described which alone permits of obtaining a
meal from haricots not liable to become rancid. The principal object, however, of
the invention is the preservation of the haricot beans whole, a result which has
never hitherto been attained.
The haricots, after having been cooked by the above process and cooled in the
cooking vessels, are spread out upon coarse wrapping cloth laid in trays formed of
coarse meshed wire cloth (see Figure 11) and then covered over with another coarse
wrapping cloth, the object of employing these cloths being to prevent the haricots
from splitting and opening during the drying which they would be liable to do if
exposed to the slightest current of air, thus losing their commercial value. The
haricots should be spread out side by side and not placed one on the other as other-
wise they would become oily and require to be passed over a drier at a higher
temperature. The haricots, spread out on trays and covered as described, are
placed in a stove, the temperature of which is first raised to from 15° to 18° C. and
afterwards progressively increased as the haricots become dried, but care must be
taken to avoid too suddenly raising the heat, to prevent the haricots from splitting.
The salt water in which the vegetables are plunged after steeping, is intended to
prevent the production of small white fungi which, without this precaution were
taken, would form very rapidly during the drying of the vegetables at a low
temperature. After complete desiccation, which requires from two to three days,
the vegetables are to be turned out on the floor of a dry store.
It will be understood that the temperatures, the duration of the operations, and
the other conditions, may be varied to suit the nature of the vegetable to be treated
and the other attendant circumstances.
Dated this 26th day of November 1892.
G. DUPONT-DENNIS,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Process of Preserving Dried Vegetables.
IGABRIEL DUPONT-DENNIS, of Rue Arthur III, Nantes, France, Manufacturer
of Preserved Alimentary Products 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 an improved process of preserving dried vegetables in
a cooked condition, and it consists in a special method of preparing the vegetables
on a large scale by means of apparatus such as hereinafter described.
Reference is to be had to the drawings accompanying my Provisional Specification,
wherein
Figures 1 and 2 represent an elevation and plan respectively of the vessel
employed for the preliminary steeping of the vegetables.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 show respectively an elevation, vertical section and plan of a
cooking vessel,

page_text: Figure 6 represents the wire cloth liner or false bottom of said vessel.
Figures 7 and 8 represent an elevation and plan of a clamping frame for holding
and closing steam tight a number of the said cooking vessels superposed therein as
represented in Figure 9.
Figure 10 shows the cover for the cooking vessel, and
Figure 11 a tray into which the cooked vegetables are discharged.
In treating haricot beans according to this process for the purpose of preserving
them, the dry haricots placed in the vessel a having its sides and bottom
made of wire cloth are immersed in a tank containing cold water, the temperature
of which is brought to 30° C. and then further raised at intervals of half
an hour to 50° C. After steeping for 2 hours the haricots are withdrawn
and plunged in a saturated solution of salt at a temperature of 50° C. They
are then transferred to vessels such as shown in Figures 3, 4, 5, in which the
cooking operation is to be performed in the manner hereafter described. Each of
these vessels has a closed bottom b on which a strong wire cloth liner cor perforated
false bottom is supported by cross-bars about an inch more or less from the
bottom b Upon this false bottom a cloth well soaked with water is spread whereon
the haricots are placed and then covered with a similar wet cloth. Water in the
proportion of one litre to five kilogrammes of vegetables is then poured in and runs
between the liner c and bottom b so as not to come in contact with the vegetables,
which are cooked in a moist or steam atmosphere this being an essential condition
for preserving the haricots whole. The sheet metal cover d, Figure 10, is then
placed on the vessel, a hemp packing e being applied between the cover and the
flange of the vessel. These vessels each closed by its cover d are superposed and
clamped in the frame represented in Figures 7. 8 and 9, between the fixed bottom
plate g, and the movable plate or follower worked by a screw i whereby the
whole of the vessels are tightly closed. j are holes in the flanges of the vessels
below the bottoms b to permit water or steam to circulate between the bottom of
the one vessel and the cover of the next beneath it and expose the cover and bottom
of the vessel above to fluid pressure in order that the heat may be equally
distributed. The vessels clamped in the holder are lowered by a crane into a boiler
containing water or steam at 100° C. which is then closed and the temperature
raised to 102° C. and maintained at this point for two and a half hours, after which
the vessels are withdrawn and allowed to cool in order to prevent the bursting of
the beans.
It will be understood that the temperature and duration of the operations, above
described, would be varied to suit the kind of vegetable under treatment, the figures
above given being, however, those which have been found by practice to give the
best results in the majority of cases. The essential feature of the process is the
cooking without contact with water by means of the apparatus described, this being
indispensable for the preservation of dry vegetables and by it alone can haricots be
preserved whole without liability of becoming rancid. If the haricots are to be
reduced to the condition of flour or meal they are dried in a kiln and then ground
up and treated in the manner before described which alone permits of obtaining a
meal from haricots not liable to become rancid. The principal object, however, of
the invention, is the preservation of the haricot beans whole, a result which has
never hitherto been attained.
The haricots, after having been cooked by the above process and cooled in the
cooking vessels, are spread out upon coarse wrapping cloth laid in trays formed of
coarse meshed wire cloth (see Figure 11) and then covered over with another coarse
wrapping cloth, the object of employing these cloths being to prevent the haricots
from splitting and opening during the drying which they would be liable to do if
exposed to the slightest current of air, thus losing their commercial value. The
haricots should be spread out side by side and not placed one on the other as
otherwise they would become oily and require to be passed over a dryer at a higher
temperature. The haricots spread out on trays and covered as described, are
placed in a stove, the temperature of which is first raised to, from 15° to 18° C. and

page_text: afterwards progressively increased as the haricots become dried, but care must be
taken to avoid too suddenly raising the heat, to prevent the haricots from splitting.
The salt water in which the vegetables are plunged after steeping, is intended to
prevent the production of small white fungi, which, without this precaution were
taken, would form very rapidly during the drying of the vegetables at a low
temperature. After complete desiccation, which requires from two to three days,
the vegetables are to he turned out on the floor of a dry store.
It will be understood that the temperatures, the duration of the operations, and
the other conditions may be varied to suit the nature of the vegetable to be treated
and the other attendant circumstances.
For example, in order to obtain haricots in a very tender condition they may
in addition to soaking in cold water be moistened in the following manner.
After soaking the haricots in cold water from one to three hours I spread them
out upon the floor of a room, the atmosphere of which is kept in a highly moist
condition and sprinkle them with water if they appear dry and on the morrow
repeat the soaking and sprinkling and so on for as many days as necessary
until they are rendered thoroughly soft. Two or three days of this treatment
will suffice in the majority of cases. After the haricots have acquired the
desired degree of softness without being too much swelled, they are steeped in
cold water for about twelve hours and the treatment then continued
manner hereinbefore described.
in the
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
1. In the herein described process of preserving dried vegetables, the employment
of the hereindescribed cooking apparatus consisting of the series of superposed
vessels lined with wire cloth and closed by covers interposed between the several
vessels, as shown and described.
2. In a process of preserving vegetables in a cooked condition, the method of
cooking the vegetable without contact with the water, by means of specially arranged
vessels, as specified.
3. In a process of preserving vegetables in a cooked condition, the step which
consists in immersing the vegetable in a saturated solution of salt at a suitable
temperature, before cooking it, as described and for the purpose specified.
4. The herein described method of desiccating dry vegetables, prepared and
cooked as described, in superposed trays having cloths interposed between the layers
of vegetable, as specified.
5. The herein described process of preserving dried vegetables, which consists in
first steeping the vegetables in cold water, then immersing them in a saturated
solution of salt, then cooking them in closed vessels without contact with water,
then cooling them, then drying the cooled vegetables on trays or screens, and
finally storing them, as specified.
Dated this 25th day of Lul, 1802
G. DUPONT-DENNIS,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.