Untitled record

United States Patent Office.

JOHN K. JENKINS, OF KINGSTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRESERVING FRUITS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 22,433, elated December 28, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, John K. Jenkins, of the township of Kingston, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Preserving Fruits, Vegetables, Hams, Eggs, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

The nature of my improvement consists in giving to fruit, vegetables, hams, eggs, &c., an air-tight water-proof coating or envelope, impervious to dampness or dryness of cellars or climate, and a safeguard against rats, vermin, and insects of all kinds.

I am aware that there are many ingredients, mixtures, aud compounds that will answer the same purpose; but what I use is—viz., sixteen parts rosin, two parts tallow or lard, one part beeswax. Melt the rosin in an iron or some other suitable vessel over a slow and moderate fire, but do not let it reach a boiling-heat. Then mix in the rosin and tallow or lard and stir thoroughly. The compound should be kept in a melted state only. If too hot, there is danger of heating and injuring the fruit, &c. The articles to be coated should first be dusted with plaster-ofparis, pulverized chalk, coal or wood ashes, or brick-dust or fine sand. This prevents the compound from adhering to the articles to be coated and permits it to come off easily when wanted for use. Hams, fresh meat, butter, &c., should be wrapped in paper or cloth previous to coating. The dust remaining on the fruit, &c., after the covering or envelope is removed can easily be brushed off, leaving the fruit, &c., perfect and entire without injury to its luster or flavor. As soon as the coating is done they should be carefully packed away in chaff, leaves, cut straw, sawdust, or sand, or any other suitable material, to prevent jostling about and cracking the envelope.

I am aware that the mode of preserving such articles by incrusting them with a composition impervious to the air and which will prevent their desiccation and decay is not new. Robert Warington obtained, March 5,1846, a patent in England for the use in this manner of many such compositions. I do not wish, therefore, to claim broadly this mode; but

What I do claim as my improvement, and desire to