1052 FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. [22] 



BefriGtERAtor oyster can — Continued. 



jecting from the ends of the can. In the center of the can, ex- 

 tending from top to bottom, is formed a rectangular ice-cham- 

 ber, which is opened at the top and has four sides exposed 

 within the body and to the contents of the can. The can 

 proper is filled with oysters through an opening in the top, 

 which is securely closed by means of a screw. The ice-chamber 

 is closed by means of a wooden cover, of suitable dimensions 

 to fit snugly within the flanged edges of the end of the can over 

 the opening into the ice-chamber and upon and against the 

 screw-cap and projecting a little beyond the ends of the flanges, 

 and secured thereto so as to be easily removed. At the other 

 or opposite end of the can is also firmly and securely fastened 

 a similar wooden cover or guard. Those covers or guards also 

 serve the purpose to. protect the ends of the can from injury 

 during transportation. After the can is filled with oysters, the 

 ice-chamber with ice, and the covers securely fastened, the 

 sides of the can are enveloped with a woolen covering to ab- 

 sorb moisture and to assist in producing evaporation, thereby 

 more effectually excluding heat from the contents of the can." 



LOW'S PATENT ICE-CRUSHER. 



Adapted for hand, steam, or water power. Adjustable cylinders 

 move the cutting knives so that ice may be crushed to any 

 desired degree of fineness. Used at Gloucester and other fish- 

 ing ports where fish are packed fresh for transportation inland. 

 " It may not break up ice as rapidly as some other crushers, 

 but no other machine has so complete command of its feed, 

 enabling one machine to do the work for packing all kinds of 

 fish. Adding more than two cylinders to a machine requires 

 heavier balance-wheel and more power to run it. It is more 

 likely to get broken, and cannot be so durable as the simpler 

 form, fed with ice picked to the required size to feed readily 

 and shoveled into the hopper, when one man turning can break 

 it up as fast as another can shovel it in." Exhibited by Col- 

 onel David W. Low. Gloucester, Mass. 



Devil's claw. 



Iron ; claw with semicircular shank hinged to bar which has step 

 at end. Length, 2£ feet. Gloucester, Mass., 1878. 32,695. U. 

 S. Fish Commission. Used by fish packers to press down the 

 covers of fish boxes during the x>rocess of nailing. 



Ice-mallet (large). 



The head is a cylindrical block of lignum-vitsB, sawed off square 

 at the ends, and slightly flattened at the side next the 

 handle, which is of hard wood. Length of head 6| inches, 



