Improvements relating to the Preservation of Liquid and Semi- liquid Food, and to Receptacles therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1884
Complete Specification Left, 29th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 5th Oct.,
1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Preservation of Liquid and Semi-
liquid Food, and to Receptacles therefor.
I, PAUL REICHARD, of 14" Pallasstrasse, Berlin, W., in the Empire of
Germany, Author, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the preservation of liquid and semi-liquid food and to
receptacles therefor.
Articles of food containing albuminous substances or fats, when in the hot season
they have taken up germs from the air by contact with the latter, are subject to
chemical decompositions which, render them, unfit for use. The method heretofore
practised of keeping articles of food sterile consists in placing them in the sterilized
state in an hermetically closed receptacle. This mode of preservation is however
sufficient only when the contents of a receptacle closed hermetically for instance by
soldering or cementing are used, in a, comparatively, short time after the opening of
the said receptacle, as otherwise by the contact of the food with the air on the
first opening a pollution. by germs. will take place which may give rise to the
before-mentioned chemical, decompositions.. The danger of, articles of food being
spoilt after the opening of the receptacles is particularly great in the case of
preserves which are transported in hot climates, for example on expeditions.
Experience has shown that there, and chiefly in low-lying and very damp parts of
the earth, the contents of preserve receptacles may become quite unfit in a
comparatively short time after the opening. Owing to the value of food preserves
and to the trouble occasioned by their transport on expeditions, a method which
enables articles of food to be kept permanently sterile is of considerable
importance.
By my improved method I have solved this problem of keeping the preserved
articles of food sterile and protecting the same from spoiling also after the opening
of the receptacles. This method is substantially based upon the fact that the
receptacles, which serve for containing the sterilized articles of food, or in which
the articles of food in order to be sterilized are boiled, or steamed, are not made
as heretofore customary, from rigid or elastic sheet metal or glass, but from very
thin, pliable and unelastic metal which can be easily pressed inwards, and has no
tendency after such pressing to return automatically to its original position.
If the customary methods of sterilizing articles of food are combined with the
preservation of the same in receptacles of this kind the contents of such receptacles
may be kept perfectly sterile until they have been completely used, not by pouring
the food from the receptacle in the customary manner and allowing a corresponding
volume of air to pass into such receptacle, but by pressing the wall of the
receptacle inwards so as to reduce the capacity of the same, thereby forcing out the
contents through an orifice adapted to be properly closed. That portion of the food
which remains in the receptacle does not come in contact with the air and is
protected from infection by germs.
The shape of the receptacles used for carrying the before-described method into
practice is optional, and the metals or metallic alloys employed for the manufacture
of such receptacles may be selected at will from the well-known alloys suitable for
this purpose. The essential point is only that the walls shall be made of a metal
which is not elastic to an appreciable extent and which on being pressed inwards
г

page_text: does not return to its original position, as otherwise in consequence of the return of
the wall of the receptacle to the original position a suction of air and therefore a
pollution of the food would take place.
A receptacle which I use for preserving sterilized articles of food according to
the before-described method may be described by way of example. The cover
and bottom of this receptacle consist of comparatively thick metal which cannot
be pressed inwards, only the intermediate sides or wall, which may be either of
plain or corrugated shape, being pliable. After the removal of the screw plug the
contents of the receptacle can be forced out by pressing the bottom and cover
towards each other.
Smaller receptacles may of course consist entirely of pliable metal which can be
pressed inwards.
If instead of semi-liquid food, in which an automatic mixing of the several
.particles does not take place during the transport, liquid food is to be preserved
according to the before-described method, it is expedient to use a pinch cock in
lieu of the said screw plug, as otherwise, when the liquid is expelled, the drops
which have come in contact with the air might accidentally pass back to the
interior of the receptacle and become mixed with the remainder of the contents.
Dated this 29th day of October 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements relating to the Preservation of Liquid and Semi-
liquid Food, and to Receptacles therefor.
I, PAUL REICHARD, of 14" Pallasstrasse, Berlin, W., in the Empire of
Germany, Author, 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 liquid and semi-liquid food and to
receptacles therefor.
Articles of food containing albuminous substances or fats, when in the hot
season they have taken up germs from the air by contact with the latter, are
subject to chemical decompositions which render them unfit for use. The method
heretofore practised of keeping articles of food sterile consists in placing them in
the sterilized state in an hermetically closed receptacle. This mode of preservation
is however sufficient only when the contents of a receptacle closed hermetically for
instance by soldering or cementing are used in a comparatively short time after the
opening of the said receptacle, as otherwise by the contact of the food with the
air on the first opening a pollution by germs will take place which may give
rise to the before-mentioned chemical decompositions. The danger of articles of
food being spoilt after the opening of the receptacles is particularly great in the
case of preserves which are transported in hot climates, for example on expeditions.
Experience has shown that there, and chiefly in low-lying and very damp parts of
the earth, the contents of preserve receptacles may become quite unfit in a com-
paratively short time after the opening. Owing to the value of food preserves and
to the trouble occasioned by their transport on expeditions, a method which enables
articles of food to be kept permanently sterile is of considerable importance.
By my improved method I have solved this problem of keeping the preserved
articles of food sterile and protecting the same from spoiling also after the opening
of the receptacles. This method is substantially based upon the fact that the
receptacles, which serve for containing the sterilized articles of food, or in which
the articles of food in order to be sterilized are boiled or steamed, are not made as

page_text: heretofore customary from rigid or elastic sheet metal or glass, but from very
thin, pliable and unelastic metal which can be easily pressed inwards and has no
tendency after such pressing to return automatically to its original position.
If the customary methods of sterilizing articles of food are combined with the
preservation of the same in receptacles of this kind the contents of such receptacles
may be kept perfectly sterile until they have been completely used, not by pouring
the food from the receptacle in the customary manner and allowing a corresponding
volume of air to pass into such receptacle, but by pressing the wall of the receptacle
inwards so as to reduce the capacity of the same, thereby forcing out the contents
through an orifice adapted to be properly closed. That portion of the food which
remains in the receptacle does not come in contact with the air and is protected
from infection by germs.
The shape of the receptacles used for carrying the before-described method into
practice is optional, and the metals or metallic alloys employed for the manufacture
of such receptacles may be selected at will from the well-known alloys suitable for
this purpose. The essential point is only that the walls shall be made of a metal
which is not elastic to an appreciable extent and which on being pressed inwards
does not return to its original position, as otherwise in consequence of the return
of the wall of the receptacle to the original position a suction of air and therefore
a pollution of the food would take place.
The accompanying drawing represents a receptacle which I use for preserving
sterilized articles of food according to the before-described method.
and
Figure 1 is a section of the said receptacle in the position it occupies when filled
Figure 2 is a section of said receptacle when compressed.
The cover A and bottom B of this receptacle consist of comparatively thick
metal which cannot be pressed inwards the intermediate sides or wall C which may
be either of plain or corrugated shape, being pliable. After the removal of the
screw plug A¹ the contents of the receptacle can be forced out by pressing the
bottom and cover towards each other.
Smaller receptacles may of course consist entirely of pliable metal which cau be
pressed inwards.
If instead of semi-liquid food, in which an automatic mixing of the several
particles does not take place during the transport, liquid food is to be preserved
according to the before-described method, it is expedient to use a pinch cock in
lieu of the said screw plug, as otherwise, when the liquid is expelled, the drops.
which have come in contact with the air might accidentally pass back to the
interior of the receptacle and become mixed with the remainder of the contents.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
An improved process of preserving liquid and semi-liquid food stuffs so as to
keep them in their sterilized state even after the receptacles have been opened,.
the characteristic feature of this process being that the sterilized food stuffs are
placed in hermetically closed receptacles the walls of which consist of an unelastic
metal which is capable of being easily pressed inwards.
Dated this 29th day of August 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.