AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PREPARING, DESSICATING, AND PRESERVING FISH
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PREPARING, DESSICATING, AND PRESERVING
FISH." A communication from abroad by William D. Cutler, of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
-
Sealed the 23rd March 1869, and dated the 19th October 1808.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th October 1868.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
3 No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OP PREPARING, DESSICATING, AND
PRESERVING FISH," a communication, to be as follows:-
I take fish either fresh or salted and remove all the skin and bones
from the same, I then put it in a machine for grating or grinding, this

page_text: process being continued till the fish is thoroughly broken up. The next
process is to dessicate it thoroughly; I do this by spreading the mass
upon a metal or stone or other suitable surface heated by means of steam
pipes passing beneath the slab. The fish remains on this slab and is
subjected to a gentle heat until it is well dried and in suitable condition
for packing. The usual time occupied by the drying process under
ordinary circumstances is from one-half hour to three or four hours. I
put up the fish in close paper or wooden boxes to prevent absorption of
moisture or unpleasant odour; the same is also packed in metal boxes
tightly closed for shipping. If desired any other suitable method of
drying may be adopted. Fish that are very fatty and oily may be
subjected to pressure after being ground to remove the superabundance
of oil, and afterwards dried and packed. By my method of skinning,
boning, breaking up, and dessicating fish it is rendered not only
convenient for packing for commercial purposes, but will be preserved
sweet and unchanged for a long time, during which in the ordinary state
it would deteriorate and become unfit for use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th April 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,.
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,"
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,

page_text: and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF PREPARING, DESICCATING, AND PRESERVING FISH," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
tlicir, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
R.
The next
the mass
s of steam
I take fish either fresh or salted and remove all the skin and bones
from the same, I then put it in a machine for grating or grinding, this
process being continued till the fish is thoroughly broken
process is to desiccate it thoroughly; I do this by spre
upon a metal, stone, or other suitable surface heated by
pipes passing beneath the slab. The fish remains on ti slab and is
subjected to a gentle heat until it is well dried and in suite condition
for packing. The usual time occupied by the drying process under
ordinary circumstances is from one-half hour to three or four hours. I
put up the fish in close paper or wooden boxes to prevent absorption of
moisture or unpleasant odour; the same is also packed in metal boxes
tightly closed for shipping. If desired any other suitable method of
drying may be adopted. Fish that are very fatty and oily may be
subjected to pressure after being ground to remove the superabundance
of oil and afterwards dried and packed. By my method of skinning,
boning, breaking up, and desiccating fish it is rendered not only con-
venient for packing for commercial purposes, but will be preserved sweet
and unchanged for a long time, during which in the ordinary state
it would deteriorate and become unfit for usc. The absence of offensive
odour from fish put. in this way will go far towards commending its
usc.
Having thus particularly described the said Invention as commu

page_text: may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim,
preparing, treating, and preserving fish, substantially as hercin set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Seventeenth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-
nine.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)