US855618A - Apparatus for treating meats. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

J. GUNNING. y APPARATUS POR TRBATING MEATS. v

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 26, 1906.

.dottd' lines 3.3 an Fi 1, illustrating more clearly certain de-` PATENT OFFICE. l

JAMES cUNNrNc, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.-

APPARATusFon TREATING. MEMS.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented J une 4, 1907.

Application nea Maat ze, 190e. serai No. 308,030.

To LZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES CUNNING,y a

vcitizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county' of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Treating Meats, of which the following is a s eciiication.

' In reparing meats for t e market, it is desirali le that the same be put into an at tractive and symmetrical form, both as a matter of economy and .for the purpose-of m'ore convenient handling and transportation; and my invention has for its object the puttinginto such form boneless ieces of meat.I

While the invention is app icable to pork, beef, mutton, and other meats, I have used it especially in preparing hams for the market, and will, therefore, especially describe said invention as used in treating hams.

The accompanying drawings illustrate` a pressing and shaping apparatus such as I have usedl in carrying out my invention.v

Figure 1 is a side elevation of such an apf paratus, a portion of the cylinder being roken away to show the interior construc-Y tion and arrangement as the same a pears when the meat has been placed therein, the apparatus being in the position it occupies just before the cooking operation commences;

Fig. 2 a sectional view w1th the parts in therelative position which they occupy after the cooking operation has been completed; Figs. 3 and 4 detail sectional views on a somewhat enlarged scale at the oints indicated by the d) 4 4,1 respectively, in

tais of construction, and Fig. 5 a lan-sectional viewlooking downwardly y om the dotted line 5-v 5 in Fig. 1.

The a paratus in question consists of an open-en ed cylinder 21 within which the meat is to be laced for treatment. The ends of this cy' der are preferably flared outwardly somewhat, as shown, to facilitate the introduction and withdrawal of the meat.

The cylinder is a'plain cylindrical structure' having no structural connection with any other part.

Surrounding the cylinder is a telescopic frame composed of two separable structures. One of said structures is composed of a trans"- verse member 22 and two llegs 23 and 24 exi tending out at right an les with said transverse member; and sai legs,'when the apparatus is in use, are arranged substantially parallel to'the cylinder. vThe otherstructure is of similar construction, being composed ofa transversev member 25 and two legs 26 and '27, which legs are arranged to engage telescopically with the legs -23 and 24; and in the operation, as will be presently described, the transverse members` are posi- -tioned nearer to or farther from each other,

,as-the work may happen to require, and after the desired positions have been reached the telescopic legs are adapted to be secured together ymeans of suitable engaging devices, as ins 28 and 29.

istons or followers having suitable piston rods are mounted in appropriate bearings 2,2 and 25 in the transverse members 22 and 25 of the framework. Said pistons or -followers are adapted to enter the open ends of the cylinder 21, and, when pressure is a plied, to follow the contents of said cylin er, as the same shrinks or yi'elds, and compress said contents into a so 'd mass. The piston rods 32v are tubular in form, and contain stout springs 33. Followers 34 are arranged above said springs, and are adaptedLas will be presently described, to be forced down so .as to compress said springs? Any suitable means (as a rod 41 which may be arranged to enter the chamber in the piston rod through a suitableperforationin the cap 32 of such rod, as is best shown in Fig. 4) may be employed in performing the compressing operation. After thesprings are compressed they are adapted lto'be held in compressed condition by means of suitable gagi gdevices, as ins 35. Said vpins however do not engage wit the hollow piston rods themselves, which, in the construction shown are slotted as well as' hollow, but pass freely through the slots in the piston rod and engage the followers directly with the surrounding bearings; so that, as the article against which the pistons bear yields, the springs will causej the pistons to 4follow said article, 'and thus exert a continuous pressure upon. the contents ofthe cylinder while under treatment. These parts are prevented from revolving relatively to each other by means of projections on the' bearings and on the followers which enter the4- slots in the hollowpiston, as y'best shown in',A

Fig. 4'. These rojections (bfon the bearing and] on the fo lower) extend in a distance slightly less thanone-half the thickness of the wall of the hollow iston' rod,so that those on the fo lower wil not come into contact with those on the bearing, vas the follower moves up and down. Said projections are however entirely sufficient to electually prevent; the parts from revolving relatively to each other, while relative longitudinal movement within the predetermined limits is nevertheless freely ermitted.

A number o cylinders of. varyingsizes should be provided, i order to accommodate the various sized hams or other masses of meat. .The piston heads should be conveniently adjustable accordingly. The piston heads are therefore composed of two parts-4 the part 31 which is intended to bey permanent y attached to the: piston rod, and a removable plate 36. ese are united in any su table detachable manner, as by the headed pins 37 secured to the plates by passing through keyhole openings in the parts 3l, as is best'shown in Fig. 5. -"By providing a multiplicity of these platesS, of differentdiameters, the apparatus can be quickly transformed from one size vto another. As elsewhere indicated, the cylinders 21` are structurally free from the frame and istons, and these light plates 36 can be quic y and easily attached anddetached by the means `meat therein.

stated. o

, I will nowproceed to describe the method or process ofcarrying out lmy present invention in the .treatment of a ham: I iirst remove all bones from lthe ham and then wrap the same up tightly in a suitable fabric, such asa light cotton cloth,'foi'cin1r the same as nearly as possible into cylindrical form during the process of Wrapping. I then put the package into the cylinder, fitting the saine into said cylinder as tightly as is convenient. I then `put said cylinder into the frame above described, so that the pistons or followers carried by .said frame will enter. the endsl of said cylinder and bear lagainst the package of Pressure is then applied which forces the two frame parts to'ward each other until .the meat is compressed (in its cold raw state) into substantially a cylindrical form, the irregular and unshapely ends being driven in, and the cavities whence the bones were removed being closed and filled. When sulicient pressure has been applied, the pins 28 and 29 (or other en aging devices) are inserted in the legs of the frame so that .they are held together atV the adjusted point. lI

' then, by means of suit-able pistons, apply an additional pressure to Athe followers bearing against the springs, until said springs are compressed to substantially the position shown in Fig. 4, and then insert the keepers, such as the pins 35, which has the effect lof bringing the meat under a spring pressure.

l The means of applying power to the followers isy immaterial; and I have not illustrated it', further than to show a fragment of a pis- -means desired esame ton rod 41 in Fi 4. -It may be any pressing aving sufiicient power and strength to compress the springs of my apparatus. After the springs are compressed, and the parts fastened, as described, the complete structure, containing the meat, is in-j troduced into the cooking receptacle, and;V subjected to the cooking operation. During the process of cooking the'meat gradually shrinks, and, as it shrinks, the pistons, actuated 'by the springs, exert a continuous pressure' thereon, following the meat and taking rup all slack until the cooking is complated. The cylinder of meat is then allowed to cool ci?, and, after cooling, the pressure is removed, and the meat taken out of the cylinder, and freed from the cloth wrapper-the result being a shapely, solid, cylindrical piece of meat with flattened ends; As the vpistons fit in the ends ofthe cylinder reasonably tight the natural juice and flavor of the meat are retained, and there is also considerable economy to the purchaser, who receives, instead of a chunk of meat having irregular ends so that only small iragmentaryslices can he. taken from the butt and shank ends of the ham, ashapely mass, 'of uniform diameter, so'. that there will be little or no loss in cuttin Such meats, when cooked and kcooled og, besides being capable of being wrappedin suitabler material and sold for immediate consumption, can, ifdesired, be putin cylin- `drically-shaped cans, and then recessed and hermetically sealed, so as to e capable of being shipped long distances and kept any reasonable length of time in fa wholesome condition.

IOO i -Havingy thus fully described my said in- I.

vention, what I claim as new, and-desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. An apparatus forlpreparing meat consisting of a cylindrical receptacle, a surrounding telescoplc lframe, and pistons carried by sald frame and Ventering the ends of said re-` ceptacle. A

. 2. An apparatus for preparing meats con- IIC sisting of a cylindrical open-ended receptacle,

pistons entering the ends of said receptacle, a frame carrying said pistons, and compressible springs connected to said pistons and :arranged to exert a continuous pressure upon the contents of the cylinder. I

3. An apparatus for-preparing meats consisting of a cylindrical open-ended receptacle, pistons entering the ends of; said receptacle, a telescopic frame carrying said pistons, and springs arranged 'to exert a continuous pressure upon said pistons and through them upon the contents of the receptacle.l

4. An apparatus for preparing meats consistin of an open-ended cylindrical receptacle, pistons enterin the ends of said receptacle and having tu ular piston rods, a telescoplc frame 1n which said piston rods are mounted, means for engaging the telescopic members of said frame at points to which it may be adjusted, springs within the tubular piston rods, followers for'said springs, and means for engaging said followers t`o hold said-springs to compressed position.

5. In an apparatus for preparing meats the combination of a receptacle,- a piston entering'said receptacle, a frame surrounding said receptacle and carrying said'piston, and a spring connected to the piston rod and adapted to be compressed, the arrangement being such that said spring when compressed will exert continuous pressure upon the contents of the receptacle. 4

6. In an apparatus for preparing meats the combination of a receptacle, a' piston entering said receptacle, a tubular piston rod to said piston having slots in its sides, a frame surrounding said receptacle and embodying .a bearing for said piston rod, a compression spring arranged within said tubular piston rod and bearing against the piston head, a follower also within said tubular piston rod and resting o n said spring,^and a device passing through the slots in the sides of the piston rods and arranged to engage with said follower and the frame structure adjacent to the piston rod.

7. In an apparatus for preparing meats the combination of a receptacle,' afpiston entering said receptacle, a tubular piston rod to said piston having slots in its sides, a frame surrounding said receptacle and embodying a bearing for said piston rod, a compression spring arranged within said tubular piston rod and bearing against the piston head, a follower also within said tubular piston rod andi-resting on said spring, and a device passing through the slots in the sides of the piston rods and arranged to engage with said follower and-the frame structure adj acentto the piston rod, the piston rod bearing and the follower being provided with lprojections which engage with the slots in lthe pistonrod and prevent relative rotation ofthe parts.

8. An apparatus for preparing meats consisting of an open-ended receptacle adapted to surround the meat, pistons entering the openings in said receptacle and arranged to bear u on the contents thereof, and automatica ly-acting means for exerting a conduring the process of preparing, whereby a' cylindrical well-compressed mass of cooked meat with flattened ends is produced.

10. AA meat container comprising a sur-v rounding wall and contained members which y are relatively movable toward and from each other and automatically-acting means for eX- erting a continuous pressure thereon whereby the contents of the container are constantly compressed during the cooking operation.

1'1.. lhe combination in an apparatus for preparing meats of a stationary surrounding wall, relatively movable receptacle partsv contained therein, and automatically-acting means for constantly urging said parts toward each other and diminishing the lcubical contents of the receptacle, whereby a continuous pressure is maintained upon the con- `j tents of the receptacle during the preparing operation.

12. The combination, in an apparatus of the class described, of a shaping receptacle, followers which bear against the contents of said receptacle, automatically-acting means whereby continuous pressure on said followers shall be maintained, and means for adjustably regulating the pressure, thus keep- -ing said followers constantly and iirmly against the contents until the preparing operation is'completed.

'In testimony whereof, I, have hereunto set my hand and'seal at Indianapolis, Indi-A ana, this 23 day of March, D. one thou-l sand nine hundred' and six.`

JAMES CUNNING. [1; si

Witnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, THOMAS W.- McMnANs.

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