US 3,937,847 AGranted

Method of and means for preserving perishable foodstuffs

OwnerWilliam Elkins, Harold H. Kuehn +1inventors

InventorsWilliam Elkins, Harold H. Kuehn, Richard H. Chamberlin

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Abstract

A method of preserving foodstuffs by placing them in a container of given volume in which air at atmospheric pressure is present and selectively removing the oxygen from the air in the container while maintaining substantially atmospheric pressure therein is disclosed. According to the invention, a flow of air is established through the container by means of an external conduit in which the oxygen in the air is catalytically reacted with hydrogen gas concurrently generated and added to the air flow for at least a predetermined length of time after which the generation and addition of hydrogen gas is terminated when the hydrogen/oxygen reaction falls below a given level. Various embodiments of the apparatus for practicing the method according to this invention are described.

Claims15

Dependent claims

The method of preserving foodstuffs comprising the steps of:

a. placing said foodstuffs in a container of air at atmospheric pressure that may be selectively sealed substantially air-tight;
b. sealing said container substantially air-tight with said foodstuffs therein and establishing air flow of given time rate through said container by means of a substantially closed circuit system external to said container and including a gas pump, said conduit having its inlet and outlet coupled to said container at spaced locations;
c. generating hydrogen gas at a given time rate less than 40% of said given time rate of air flow for a given predetermined length of time and introducing said hydrogen gas into said substantially closed conduit system at a point in said conduit system intermediate said gas pump and said outlet of said conduit;
d. reacting said hydrogen gas with the oxygen in said air flow in a catalytic means interposed in said substantially closed conduit intermediate said point of introduction of said hydrogen gas and said outlet of said substantially closed conduit;
e. admitting air into said substantially closed conduit system intermediate said gas pump and said catalytic means during operation in an amount just sufficient to maintain substantially atmospheric pressure in said container and said conduit system;
f. thermally or electrically sensing the level of reaction of said hydrogen gas with said oxygen in said catalytic means;
g. after the end of said predetermined length of time, decreasing said given time rate of generation of said hydrogen gas in a direct relation to said level of reaction of said hydrogen gas with said oxygen in said catalytic means;
and
h. restarting said predetermined length of time each time said container is opened and subsequently substantially resealed after a prior said predetermined length of time.

6 more elements

Apparatus for preserving foodstuffs comprising:

a. means defining a container for a given volume of air at atmospheric pressure including means for selectively sealing said container substantially air-tight;
b. means establishing air flow of given time rate through said container including a gas pump interposed in a substantially closed conduit having its inlet and outlet communicating with said container at spaced locations;
c. means for generating hydrogen gas at a given time rate less than 40% of said given time rate of air flow during a given predetermined length of time and for introducing said hydrogen gas into said substantially closed conduit system at a point in the conduit intermediate said gas pump and said outlet of said substantially closed conduit;
d. catalytic means for reacting said hydrogen gas with the oxygen in said air flow interposed in said conduit intermediate said point of introduction of said hydrogen gas into said conduit and said outlet of said conduit;
e. pressure sensitive valve means extending through the wall of said substantially closed conduit intermediate said gas pump and said catalytic means and adapted to admit air into said conduit when the gas pressure within said conduit is below atmospheric pressure;
f. means for thermally or electrically sensing the level of reaction between said hydrogen gas and said oxygen in said catalytic means and for decreasing the time rate of generation of hydrogen gas in a direct relation to said level of reaction between said hydrogen gas and said oxygen in said catalytic means;
g. means for operating said means for generating hydrogen gas independently of said means for sensing the level of reaction between said hydrogen gas and said oxygen in said catalytic means for a given predetermined length of time including switch means for restarting said given predetermined length of time upon opening and subsequent closure of said means for selectively sealing said container substantially air-tight after the end of a prior said given predetermined length of time.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.