A Bedford patent offers a clue to frozen grape juice
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Frederick W. Bedford's work with frozen juice concentrate went beyond freezing juice. A 1944 patent assigned to Bedford Products describes a way to recover more juice after concentrate was separated from ice.
The patent uses grape juice as its example, but Bedford was not claiming the initial freezing step. His process addressed juice solids that clung to the ice crystals: the remaining ice was crushed and washed in stages with portions of the same juice at different strengths, then processed through a centrifuge. Tanks, pumps and reservoirs moved the juice used in the washing stages so more juice could be recovered.
Figure 3 is a flow sheet for that recovery process. It identifies functional equipment such as a crusher, tank, centrifuge and pumps, but does not name manufacturers. The drawing documents the process Bedford patented; it cannot show which machines were installed at his Dunkirk plant or whether they came from Huntley Manufacturing, S. Howes or another maker.
Simplified process illustration is based on Figure 3 of U.S. Patent 2,354,633. It is not the original patent drawing and does not identify equipment suppliers or prove which machines were installed at Bedford's Dunkirk plant.
A local-history account also reports that Bedford sold its processing and storage plant to Red Wing soon after 1948 and that the Bedford company was sold in 1954. Red Wing made grape juice and fruit products, but the timing and scope of the reported transfer remain unresolved. Other materials point to a later National Dairy and Kraft connection. Available records do not establish what equipment or expertise may have moved between the businesses.
Former employees and families may help clarify the story through plant photographs, equipment nameplates, purchase or maintenance records, and recollections.
Patent details: U.S. Patent 2,354,633, "Process for Producing Fruit or Vegetable Juice Concentrate," filed May 22, 1943, and granted July 25, 1944. Frederick W. Bedford, inventor; assigned to Bedford Products.
Tom Muldowney can be reached at tommuldowney7@gmail.com