Improvements relating to the Preservation of Meat and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 3rd Oct., 1891
עגעם VULL
Improvements relating to the Preservation of Meat and to Apparatus
therefor..
I, JEAN FALCIMAGNE, of 243, Rue du Tondre, Bordeaux, in the Republic of
France, Doctor, 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 :-
My invention relates to the preservation of meat and to apparatus therefor.
According to my said invention the meat to be preserved is smoked by means
of alkaline sulphites or sulphurous acid.
I will hereinafter describe the different stages of the treatment and the parts
composing the apparatus employed.
The accompanying drawing represents my improved apparatus in full detail.
Figure 1 is a vertical section.
Figure 2 shows a section on the line 1-2 Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-4 Figure 1.
My apparatus has two walls A A' of metal or any other suitable material
for the purpose of obviating the action of the heat upon the interior chamber B.
These two walls permit the circulation of air through the space C between them.
The latter may also be filled up with any non-conducting material..
A door D having double walls which is arranged to slide or to turn on hinges and
to bo hermetically closed, enables the introduction of the substances to be preserved
into the interior of the chamber B.
These substances are suspended from the bars E.
The chamber B is provided' at its top with wire gauze H and a funnel F having a
damper G.
At the lower part is arranged a platform I of sufficient strength, in the case of
large smoking chambers, to support a man, when it may be necessary to step upon
this platform for the purpose of suspending the substances to be preserved the said
platform being covered with a wire gauze K upon which are spread crystals of
carbonate of soda and lime.
I provide below the platform a free space R the lower part of which is closed by
means of a plate L.
Upon this plate one or more supports M are arranged for suspending a suitable
number of candles N of sulphur provided with a wick of sulphurated cotton and
lighted at its lower end.
Glazed openings 00'0' enable the progress of the treatment to be watched
and controlled.
Doors P P P are arranged around the space R to afford access to the sulphur
candles for lighting them. They are provided with vent holes S S₁ S' for the
purpose of admitting air into this space to regulate or intercept the draught.
The mode of operation is as follows:-
The substances to be preserved being introduced through the door D and
suitably suspended, the carbonate of soda or lime is spread upon the wire gauze K,
whereupon the door is hermetically closed. One of the doors P P P³ is then
opened, and, after the introduction of the sulphur candles, lighted at their lower
end, this door being closed and the vent-holes S S S opened to permit
combustion.
The sulphurous vapours generated by the combustion of the candles traverse
the layer of carbonate crystals and are transformed into sulphites which spread in
the smoking chamber B, their action being to destroy all the putrescible elements

page_text: which the substances may contain, thus preserving the same by protecting them
from the action of the atmosphere.
The vent holes S S S are after some moments closed and the apparatus allowed
to remain closed for a greater or less length of time so that the substances under
treatment may be rendered antiseptic..
When the preserved substances are to be removed the doors- P. P P and also
the dampers G are opened to cause an upward current of air thus effecting the
outlet of the gases through the chimney T.
Then the door D is opened the preserved substances are removed and the process
hereinbefore described may be repeated. I may vary the form of my improved
apparatus so as to adapt the same to any requirements and also vary the nature
and dimensions of the materials used in its.construction.
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. For smoking meat the employment of sulphurous acid and transformation
of the same into sulphite by means of the apparatus hereinbefore described.
Second. For smoking meat the employment of alkaline carbonates for the trans-
formation of the sulphurous acid into sulphite.
Third. For smoking meat the general arrangement of an apparatus comprising
a smoking chamber and a chamber for the production of sulphurous acid.
Fourth. The general arrangement of apparatus provided with the parts herein-
before described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
. 1
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.