US334966A - Fouetijs to edgae males - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

L. MOMURRAY.

Patented Jan. 26, 1886.

WITNESSES INVENTOR.

2o vessel designed to hold fruit.

35 is ascertained.

4o them hermetically.

design to make of suitable sizeto hold l'rom LOUIS MCBIURRAY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF THREF- FUUBTIIS TO EDGAR MALIN, ARTHUR \V. LAXVTON, AND LOUIS IlOIICrlIiON, ALL OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR PRESERVING BY GAS.

ICATIUN forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,966, dated January 26. 1886.

A ndication filed June 20, 1984. Serial No. 135,474. (No model.)

for .Kee nin and Itrescrvim Fruits and Ye e- 5 I a a: e

tables, of which the toll tion.

My invention relates, especially, to such articles of food, in their crude state-such as owing is a specificastrawberries, peaches, &c.as they come to market from the tree or vine.

The following is a full description of an apparatus and process for effecting the purpose illustrated by the accompanying drawings, of

which Figure 1 is an upright view of the apparatus, showing the pump, portable vessels, and intermediate ta-nk,with pressure-gages and connecting-pipes. Fig. 2 is atop view of a square Fig. 3 is a view of a specially-constrncted can or vessel for convenience in preparing food articles for transportation. I

In the drawings, A represents apump, con- 2 ncctred by the pipe a to a tank or other receptacle containing a purifying-gas. This gas may be made in any way suitable for the purpose.

5 is a large tank or receptacle provided with the cover 0, by which it may be closed tightly. The tank B communicates with the pump A by means of the pipe I). This tank is also provided with the pressuregage (it, by means of which the pressure of gasin the tank tank Ihave p aced the cockc, to allow the air to escape as the gas is forced into the tank.

l.) I) are portable vessels, made ot'metal,and provided withthc covers S S, to close and seal These receivingwessels i one to four baskets oi market size.

(I is a pipe connecting the small portable peaches ol' the ordinary caskswiththelargctank l3. Uponany portion of this pipe (1', I place the prcssurcgagel1), and connect the portable tanks with the pipe (I by means ofthe coupling 0, so as to connect or disconnect the portable vessels 1) I) from the .At or nearthe bottom oi the pipe (1 at pleasure. The portable casks are each provided with the cock 1', to open or close communication with the tank B and gas-supply, and also with the cocks i, to allow the air to escape as the gas under pressure enters the vessels 1). I have also provided the apparatus with the cockfin the pipe (1- to open or closeot't' the supply ot'gas from the main receptacleto which the pipe leads, (but notshown in the drawings) the cocky in the pipe b leading from the pump to the tank B, to open or sh utoft communication between the pump and the tank B, the cock h inthe pipe at to close communication between the tank B and the portable vessels I), and also the cock is in the same pipe d, which may be dispensed with, it 6 desired, but is used to save any waste of gas between the cock It and the end of the pipe (Z, when the small casks are disconnected.

A can of special construction is shown in Fig. 3, which Ldesire to make a part of my invention. This can I construct of heavv tin "or light iron, galvanized, if preferred. At the top of the can I havej'n'ovided a collar, H, upon which a screw is cut, to receive the cover S, which contains a corresponding female screw. This cover is secured upon the collar, at the bottom of which and surrounding the collar I place an ordinary i1idia-rubber gasket, or make a joint with lead in the ordinary way. To this can I attach the cocks i and i, as in the others, and provide the connecting-pipe with the coupling c, to connect and disconnect the can from the pipe. In a can constructed in this way the fruit or other article of food may be put through the opening at the top and closed for transportation by the screwvessels has attained the desired height.

close the cock I in the pipe d. The cockf in the pipe a is then opened, and the operator works the pump by the handle or by any suitable power applied thereto. The gases thus drawn through the pump are forced into the cylinder ortank B until the air is expelled, when the cock 0 in the tank B is closed. The

.operation of the pump is then continued until pipe b is then closed, leaving the tank B filled with a preservinggas under high pressure. I then prepare my portable tanks by placing the fruit or vegetables within them and closing them tightly with their covers S S. They are then connected to the pipe d by means of the coupling e. The cocks t and z" are then opened and the fruit or vegetables are ready to receive the gas. I now open the cook or cocks in the pipe d, allowing the gas to enter the portabletanks D until the air has escaped, when the cocks i are closed, the gas continues to enter under pressure from the tank B, and by watching the pressure-gage E, I. ascertain when the pressure of gas within the portable At this point all the-cocks between the portable tanks D and the tank B are closed, the tanks disconnected by loosening the coupling 6, and the portable vessels retain the fruit or vegetable surrounded by the preserving-gas at high pressure, and are ready for transportation.

It will be seen that the food articles may be supplied with the preserving gas direct... from the pump to the portable tanks D D without the intermediate tank, B. We prefer, however, to use this tank for the reason that the gases'entering the portabletanks from the tank B would probably tlow more steadily, and it also affords means for filling the tank I B with a supply of gas under pressure, and

having it ready when the portable tanks are ready to receive it. It will also be seen that the tank B may be used as a preserving-tank for keeping articles of food by taking off the cover and filling the tank with the food article 'to be preserved, then closing the same. Thus the tank may be filled with the gas and surround the article of food therein under high pressure, induced therein by the pump and kept there until required for sale.

I am not able to state at present the exact pressure required for each and all classes of 1 am, however, prepared to state that in my experiments upon strawberries I have found a pressure of gas from ten to fifteen pounds toact perfectly, and the goods so prepared andkept have come out dry withoutappareut moisture and in good salable condition.

I am aware that it is not new to preserve vegetable and animal substances for food when desiccated by expelling the air from the vessels in which they are inclosed, by allowing gas to enter which will not support combustion, and substituting this gas'in place of the air thus expelled; but this is not my invention.

I am also aware that articles of food have been placed within closed vessels in bulk and a preserving-gas allowed to surround said articles under such' pressure as may be obtained from the gasometer; but this pressure I believe to be insuflicient for the purpose. There must be a greater pressure than can be obtained in thisway, in order that the gas may not "only expel all the air in the cylinder,

but may also surround the food in close con tact therewith under a considerable pressure to maintain and hold the gases in close and permanent contact withsthe article of foodto be kept, and hencethe necessity of providing I a pump or other equivalent method o'f inducing and maintaining a higher pressure thereon.

WVhile the process as well as the apparatus is a distinctive part of my invention, 1 shall confine my claims in this patent to the apparatus, and make the process the subject ofa separate application.

What I claim is-- 1. In an apparatus for keeping and preserving fruits and vegetables, the pump A, and preserving-vessel D, in combination with the intermediate gas-receiving tank, B, the said tank provided with the cook a, andpressuregage, as described and set forth.

2. In an apparatusfor keeping and preserving fruits and vegetables, the combination of the force-pump A, the intermediate gasreceiving tank, B, and pipe (1,, provided with the coupling 6, and pressure-gage E, arranged and operating as set forth. I

3. In an apparatus for keeping and preserving fruits and vegetables, the combination IIO of the pump A, intermediate tank, B, having the cock 0, connecting-pipes b and d, and cooks g and h, substantially as set forth.

LOU lS MGMURRAY. Witnesses:

BERNARD A RoGGE, GEo. SAVAGE.

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