IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING UP PACKAGES OF LARD FOR SALE
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I GEORGE HENRY MIDDLETON of N° 69 Oliver Street Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Provision Merchant and Lard Refiner do hereby declare the
nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING
UP PACKAGES OF LARD FOR SALE to be as follows:-
"
Lard is ordinarily poured while in a melted stato either into pig's bladders or
pans made of tin plate and after cooling and solidifying is stored for commercial
purposes. In the case of lard contained in bladders there is the inconvenience
that each package is of a different weight and the packages cannot be conveniently
divided so as to supply definite quantities to retail customers. In the case of lard
in tin pans definite quantities can be weighed out but the lard in the pans is
exposed to the air and in time becomes more or less rancid.
My invention has for its object to remedy these inconveniences and consists in
making up packages of lard for salo in the following manner and in apparatus to
be employed for that purpose.
I take bags inade of vegetable parchment (an article of commerce) the said bags
being either cylindrical rectangular or of other desired shape and of a size somewhat
larger than is necessary to contain say one or two pounds or other desired quantity
of lard. I insert these bags in tin wood or other supports of the same shape but
somewhat larger the said bags constituting temporary linings to the said supports
pour melted lard into the bags thus supported the bags being filled to a height
which measures approximately the required weight of the package. After the lard
has cooled and solidified the bags containing the lard are removed from the
supports and by weighing the exact required weight is adjusted by the removal or
addition of the necessary quantity of lard. The open inouths of the bags are
closed by being folded and pasted down and there is thus produced a series of
packages of lard of the required weight uniform in size and practically sealed
hermetically so as to be uninjured by the air. When the packages are rectangular
they can be stored very conveniently.
Or instead of pouring the melted lard into the bags supported as described it
may be poured into moulds of the same figure as but somewhat less than the
vegetable parchment bags. The said moulds are, preferably inade of tin plate
After the lard has cooled and solidifiod the moulds may be immersed for a few
Umina 11

page_text: moments in hot water when the blocks of lard cast in them are loosened and can
be passed from the moulds into the bags of vegetable parchment by a sliding
motion. The weight of the blocks of lard is adjusted and the bags are closed and
sealed as herein before described.
In place of the vegetable parchment bags described card or other light boxes
lined with vegetable parchment may be employed.
By my invention the time of the retailer is economised the lard is as effectually
prevented from becoming rancid as when enclosed in bladders and the packing
material is more cleanly and cheaper than animal membrane.
The filling of the vegetable parchment bags or the boxes lined with vegetable
parchment may be effected by hand but I prefer to employ for that purpose
apparatus constructed as follows.
To the underside of the bottom of the reservoir containing the melted lard I fix
a pipe opening into the said reservoir This pipe opens into the top of a measuring
vessel the communication between which and the reservoir is opened and closed by
a stopcock. At the top of the measuring vessel is a small nearly horizontal pipe
which serves ne an overflow and air pipe. The bottom of the measuring vessel is
furnished with a pipe and stop cock The two stopcocks described are geared
together so that when one is opened the other is closed.
The action of the apparatus is as follows. One of the vegetable parchment bags
contained in its support is brought under the apparatus. The bottom stopcock
being closed the upper one is open and melted fard runs from the reservoir into
and fills the measuring vessel the running of the melted lard from the overflow
pipe indicating when the measuring vessel is full. The bottom stopcock is opened
and the upper one consequently closed the measuring vessel empties itself into the
bag air entering the vessel by the overflow pipe. The filled bag being replaced by
an empty one the stopcocks are reversed when melted lead again fills the measuring
vessel and is delivered into the bag by again reversing the stopcocks. Rows of
the measuring vessels described may be fixed under the bottom of the reservoir and
their stopcocks may be geared together so that they are simultaneously opened and
closed and several bags or rows of bags may thus be simultaneously filled The
measuring vessels may be made of various sizes say for containing one of two
pounds of lard and may be made replaceable so that one set of measuring vessels of
a particular size may be used at one time and a set of a different size at another
time. Or the reservoir may be fitted with rows of measuring vessels of different
sizes the different sizes being used as occasion requires.
Dated this twenty second day of March 1884.

page_text: I GEORGE HENRY MIDDLETON of No. 69 Oliver Street, Birmingham in the
County of Warwick, Provision Merchant and Lard Refiner, do hereby declare the
nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING UP
PACKAGES OF LARD FOR SALE" and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Lard is ordinarily poured while in a melted state either into pigs' bladders.
or pans made of tin plate and after cooling and solidifying is stored for commercial
purposes. In the case of lard contained in bladders there is the inconvenience that.
each package is of a different weight and the packages cannot be conveniently.
divided so as to supply definite quantities to retail customers. In the case of lard
in tin pans definite quantities can be weighed out but the lard in the pans is exposed
to the air and in time becomes more or less rancid.
My invention has for its object to remedy these inconveniences and consists in
making up packages of lard for sale in the following mannor and in apparatus to bo
employed for that purpose. I take bags made of vegetable parchment (an articlo of
commerce) the said bags being either cylindrical, rectangular or of other desired
shape and of a size somewhat larger than is necessary to contain, say, one or two
pounds or other desired quantity of lard. I insert theso bags in tin, wood or other
supports of the same shape but somewhat larger, the said bags constituting
temporary linings to the said supports. I pour melted lard into the bags thus
supported, the bags being filled to a height which measures approximately the
required weight of the package. After the lard has cooled and solidified the bags
containing the lard are removed from the supports and by weighing, the exact
required weight is adjusted by the removal or addition of the necessary quantity of
lard. The open mouths of the bags are closed by being folded and pasted down and
there is thus produced a series of packages of lard of the required weight uniform in
size and practically sealed hermetically so as to be uninjured by the air. When the
packages are rectangular they can be stored very conveniently.
Or instead of pouring tho melted lard into the bags supported as described it may
be poured into moulds of the same figure as but somewhat less than the vegetable
parchment bags. The said moulds are preferably made of tin plate. After the lard
has cooled and solidified the moulds may be immersed for a few moments in hot
water when the blocks of lard cast in them are loosened and can be passed from the
moulds into the bags of vegetable parchment by a sliding, motion. The weight of
the blocks of lard is adjusted and the bags are closed and scaled as herein before
described.
In place of the vegetable parchment bags described card or other light boxes.lined
with vegetable parchment may be employed.
The bags of vegetable parchment and the linings of the boxes described may be
made from vegetable parchment and used without any preparation. I prefer
however to treat the bags or linings of vegetable parchment with the solution
herein after described, whereby all porosity in the vegetable parchment is destroyed
and the material of the bags made air and liquid tight. The solution I employ for
this purpose is composed of

page_text: dipped in this solution are dried either spontaneously or by a very low heat and are
then ready for use.
By my invention the time of the retailer is economized the lard is as effectually
provented from becoming rancid as when enclosed in bladders and the packing
material is more cleanly and cheaper than animal membrane.
The filling of the vegetable parchment bags or the boxes lined with vegetable
parchment may be effected by hand but I prefer to employ for that purpose
apparatus constructed as follows:-
To the underside of the bottom of the reservoir containing the melted lard I fix
a pipe opening into the said reservoir. This pipe opens into the top of a measuring
vessel the communication between which and the reservoir is opened and closed by
a stopcock. At the top of the measuring vessel is a small nearly horizontal pipe
which serves as an overflow and air pipe. The bottom of the measuring vessel is
furnished with a pipe and stopcock. The two stopcocks described are geared
together so that when one is opened the other is closed.
Rows of the measuring vessels may be fixed under the bottom of the reservoir and
their stopcocks may be geared together so that they are simultaneously opened and
closed and several bags or rows of bags inay thus be simultaneously filled. The
measuring vessels may be made of various sizes, say, for containing one or two
pounds of lard and may be made replacable so that one set of measuring vessels of
à particular size may be used at one time and a set of a different size at another time.
Or the reservoir may be fitted with rows of measuring vessels of different sizes, the
different sizes being used as occasion requires.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in perspective a filling apparatus
constructed according to my invention and Figure 2 represents in perspective, a portion
of the same drawn to a larger scale: a, a are the sides or uprights of the apparatus
fixed on the platform or table b. On the top of the uprights a, a the reservoir c
containing the melted lard is supported; d, d, d are the measuring vessels the tops
The bottoms of
of which are connected by the pipes e, e with the said reservoir c.
the said vessels are furnished with delivery pipes f. f. By incans of taps m, m the
melted lard in the reservoir c may be allowed to run into or bo cut off from the
mensuring vessels d. Communication between the pipes ee and the measuring
vessels d, d is made and cut off by means of stopcocks in the said pipes e e above
the said vessels and similarly the communication of the delivery pipes ff with the
measuring vessels is made and cut off by stopcoks in the said pipes f below the
measuring vessels. The two sets of stopcocks of the pipes e and fare geared
together by the slide g, g and arms fixed to the said slide. The slide g, g works in
slots in the uprights a, a of the apparatus so that the said stopcocks can be
simultaneously opened and closed, that is, when one set of stopcocks is opened the
other set is closed. The way in which the stop cocks are operated will be under-
stood by an examination of Figure 2 where it will be seen that the finger plate of
the stop cock h of the measuring vessel d is fixed to the arm i carried by the slido
ör sliding frame g. When the slide is moved in one direction all the taps in the
pipes e, e are opened and all the taps in the delivery pipes ff are at the same time
closed and when the slide is moved in the opposite direction the reverso action takes
place, that is, the taps in the pipes e e are closed and the taps in the pipes f, fare
opened. As the two sets of taps are opened and closed by the action of the slido g
and the arms i the said slide besides the sliding motion rises and falls in the slots
in the uprights a, a in consequence of the finger plates or levers of the taps moving
through a semi-circle. Each measuring vessel is furnished with a small overflow
pipe which delivers any excess of lard supplied to the measuring vessel to the
receiver . The said pipes also serve as air pipes; n is a divided tray in which
the bags p are supported during the filling operation. Or a separate support may
be used with each bag.
.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-A series of the vegetable parchment
bags is placed in the supporting tray and the latter is brought under the apparatus
in the position represented. The bottom stopcocks in the delivery pipes being

page_text: closed the upper ones in the pipes e e are opened and melted lard runs from the
reservoir c into and fills the measuring vessels d d the running of melted lard from
the overflow pipes k, & indicating when the measuring vessels are full. The bottom
stopcocks in the pipes ff being opened and the upper ones in the pipes ee
consequently closed the measuring vessels empty themselves into the bags pp, air
entering the vessels by the overflow pipes k, k. The filled bags being replaced by
empty ones the stopcocks are reversed when lard again fills the measuring vessels d, d
and is delivered into the bags by again reversing the stopcocks.
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
First Making up packages of lard for sale by enclosing the lard in bags of
vegetable parchment or in card or other light boxes lined with vegetable parchment,
the bags and linings of vegetable parchment being used either without any
preparation or treated before use for the purpose of destroying the porosity of the
vegetable parchment substantially as berein before described.
Secondly-The construction and combination of the parts of apparatus herein
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing for filling the bags
of vegetable parchment or the boxes lined with vegetable parchment with melted
lard.
Dated this Thirteenth day of November 1884.