IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESERVATION WITH SUGAR OF FRUITS AND PEELS, SUCH AS ORANGE, LEMON, AND CITRON PEEL, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOr
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Herbert Hill, of Commercial Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Confectioner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PRESERVATION WITH SUGAR OF FRUITS AND PEELS, SUCH AS ORANGE, LEMON,
AND CITRON PEEL, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOr."
Sealed the 7th May 1880, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Herbert Hill at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th October 1879.
EDWARD HERBERT HILL, of Commercial Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Confectioner. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESERVATION WITH SUGAR OF FRUITS
AND PEELS, SUCH AS ORANGE, LEMON, AND CITRON PEELS, AND IN APPARATUS.
THEREFOR.'
"
This Invention relates to improvements in the preservation with sugar of
fruits and peels, such as orange, lemon, and citron peel, and in apparatus
therefor.
I will first describe my Invention as applied to the preservation of peel. I proceed
at first as in the ordinary method, that is to say, the fruit (say lemons) are first
squeezed to expel the juice; they are then soaked in salt and water till wanted,
and afterwards boiled, and the insides taken out by hand, all of which processes
are well known. The next ordinary process is to soak the peel in frequently
changed water for some days to extract the salt. Instead of this I place the peel
in an exhaust pan, and after having by exhaust extracted therefrom as much
moisture as possible, shut off the exhaust, and let in gradually a new supply of
fresh water, which in consequence of the vacuum enters all the pores of the peel;
this water is then again exhausted as before, and the same process is repeated for
several times till the whole, or as much as is practicable of the salt, is extracted;
whilst a vacuum (more or less) is still on, the syrup for the preservation of the peel
is then let gradually into the pan, when it at once enters the pores of the peel.
When desired this process may be supplimented by putting any desired pressure
on the syrup to assist it in penetrating the peel. The charging of the peel with
the syrup is thus effected in a comparatively very short space of time. The pan in
which this process is effected may be a steam jacket pan, so that any desired degree
of heat can be applied to its contents during any part of the process. In treating
fruits a similar method is adopted with only such slight modifications as are well
known in the trade.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Edward Herbert Hill
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th May 1880.
EDWARD HERBERT HILL, of Commercial Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Confectioner. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRESERVATION WITH SUGAR OF FRUITS
AND PEELS, SUCH AS ORANGE, LEMON, AND CITRON PEEL, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR."
of
My Invention relates to improvements in the preservation with sugar
fruits and peels, such as orange, lemon, and citron peel, and in apparatus
therefor.
And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood, and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe it, with the aid of the accompanying
Drawings, reference being had to the letters and figures marked thereon, and in which
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved apparatus, and Fig. 2, a part plan thereof
taken on the line a, b, Fig. 1.
I will first describe my Invention as applied to the preservation of peel. I at
first proceed in the ordinary method, that is to say, the fruit (say lemons) are first
squeezed to express the juice; they are then soaked in salt and water till wanted,
and are afterwards boiled, and the insides taken out by hand; all of which processes
are well known, and are not claimed by me. The next process ordinarily is to
soak the peel for some days in frequently changed water, in order to extract the
salt. Instead of this I place the peel in an exhaust pan A, and subject it to the
following process:-The air is exhausted from pan A, and concurrently as much as
possible of the moisture is extracted from the peel; clean water is then let into A,
and well enters the pores of the peel by reason of the existing vacuum and
additional pressure put on.
This water is after a time run off, and the residue of
moisture held by the peel is then as far as possible exhausted by the action of an
extraneous vacuum; more clean water is then let into A, which is again in like
manner run off and exhausted, and this process is repeated till the salt is well
removed from the peel, which is thus thoroughly washed. In practice I find about
five or six such changes of water sufficient for this purpose; the air is then
exhausted as fully as possible and the syrup let in, when (by reason of the vacuum)
it at once enters the pores of the peel, which is thus very quickly made ready for
use. I assist the syrup in penetrating the pores of the peel by subjecting it to an
additional pressure of, say, twenty to forty pounds to the square inch.
I will now proceed to describe the process and apparatus more minutely. The
exbaust pan A is jacketed to enable the temperature of the interior of the pan and
its contents to be regulated at will by the adinission of steam or cold water as
desired, the steam entering by pipe B, and the cold water by pipe C; S being the
run off pipe. I use a perforated false bottom a¹ within the pan. More than one
such partition may be used. I prefer to make the inner shell of the pan of copper,
as also the cover. The joint between the pan and the cover should be carefully
made. In practice I find the best packing to be a wooden ring; D is a pressure
gauge to show the pressure within the pan; E is an outlet for air, and containing
at top a small cup to show when pan is full of syrup or other liquid. A small
hand hole a is provided, so that the contents of the pan may be readily examined
when required. The lid of hand hole has an indiarubber seating, and may easily
be screwed down steam tight. The peel having been prepared for washing as
described is carefully and closely packed within pan A, and the cover secured on;
steam is now let into condenser F through pipes B and G, the cocks in the other
part of the apparatus and pipes having been previously closed; the air contained
within F having been driven out at cocks 5 (opened for the purpose, and closed
afterwards) steam is now shut off at cock 6, and a little cold water is sniffed into
condenser F by opening for an instant or so cock 2, which establishes communi-

page_text: cation by pipes H & C with water cistern I; this causes the condensation of the
steam, filing condenser F with the result of the formation of a vacuum more or
less complete therein. In practice I find it easy to get a vacuum of twelve pounds,
to the square inch, though less than this, say, nine pounds, is quite sufficient for"
effectual working; cock 1 is now opened, establishing communication between
condenser F and pan A, with the result that the formation of a partial vacuum is
instantaneously commenced in pan A, and much of the salt water contained in the
peel is drawn out into condenser F. This effect may be increased by reforming.
the vacuum in condenser F, and repeating the process as described; cock 1 is now
closed, and water from cistern I let into pan A by opening cocks 9 & 7, which
are closed when A has been filled, any air contained therein escaping at E, which
is opened at the last moment for an instant, and is then also closed; a little clean
water (the salt having been previously run or blown off at cock 3) is now let into F
by cock 2, and this is pumped into A until a required pressure is put on. For this
purpose cocks 4, 5, & 7, have to be opened, after which they are closed, and the
pressure allowed to remain on a short time, say, for 10 to 15 minutes; cock 1 is
now opened, and as much as possible of the water in A run off, when cock 1 is
closed, and a vacuum again formed in F, which has been previously cleared of
water by running or blowing off at cock 3; cock 1 is then again opened, with the
result that most of the liquid remaining absorbed in the peel is sucked out into F.
This action is repeated several times, till at last on opening the vacuum cock E is
also opened, and the air allowed to rush through the peel with very great result
in cleansing the pores thereof of the salt water; A is then refilled with water, and
the whole of the process described repeated, and this is done several times until
the peel is thoroughly cleansed. This condition may be ascertained by sampling
the water drawn from pan A at cock 12 in condenser F; it now becomes necessary
to charge the peel with syrup. This is contained in open jacket pan N, the steam
for heating entering at pipe O, and the condensation water being run off at pipe P.
After the last charge of water has been withdrawn from A a vacuum is formed
therein in the manner described, and cocks 10 and 7 are then opened, thus
establishing communication between syrup pan N, and pan A, into which latter
the syrup rushes, filling it, and entering thoroughly the pores of the peel, any air
forced to the top escaping at E on its being opened for an instant; cocks 10 & 7
are then closed, and additional pressure put onto the syrup by hand pump L, for
which purpose cocks 7 & 8 are opened, the rest being kept closed. The syrup is
then drawn by way of pipe Q through the pump, and forced by way of pipe J into
pan A till the required pressure is obtained, at which it is kept for some hours by
occasional additional pumping, when cocks 7 & 8 are shut off; cock 1 is now
opened, and the surplus syrup run off from A into F; cock 1 is then again shut off,
and cocks 4, 5, & 10 opened, when the surplus syrup in F is pumped through
pipes M and R again into pan N. This process with the syrup is repeated several
times, adding at each repetition more sugar to the syrup in pan N.
During the process of charging the peel with the syrup pan A is kept cool by
circulating cold water through the jacket, the surplus water running off at pipe T.
In treating orange and citron peel the peel is afterwards boiled for the usual time
in pan, A. This is effected by the admission of steam to the jacket. The peel may
now be removed from pan A, and a fresh supply introduced to be treated in a like
manner.
In treating other peels and fruits the same apparatus is used, and with only such
slight modifications throughout the whole process of treatment as are well understood
in the trade.
I claim as my Invention to be secured by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent,-
-
1. In the preservation with sugar of fruits and peels condenser F in combination
with pan A, substantially as herein before set forth and described and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: 2. In the preservation with sugar of fruits and peels the combination of apparatus,
substantially as hereinbefore set forth and described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Herbert Hill, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
JOHN W. GRAY, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
27, Southampton Bldgs.,
W.C.
EDWARD HERBERT HILL. (L.S.)