IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward John Davis, of West Smithfield, in the City
of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING AND
Sealed the 5th December 1862, and dated the 19th June 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward John Davis
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th June 1862.
I, EDWARD JOHN DAVIS, of West Smithfield, in the City of London, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING
AND PREPARING FOOD FOR HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in treating and preparing
food for horses and other animals. For these purposes hay, clover, and straw,
either cut or uncut, and whether separate or mixed, also oats and other grain,
and also beans, peas, lintels, tares, and locusts, either whole, bruised, or ground,
and whether separate, or two or more mixed together, are subjected to the
action of free steam, the dried vegetable substances above mentioned being
spread on reticulate trays or other suitable surfaces, so that the steam may
pass freely amongst and act on every part of the same, or in place of steam
boiling water may in some cases be used, free steam is, however, preferred.
The vegetable substances above mentioned are next to be dried in a suitable.

page_text: chamber heated by steam pipes or by other suitable means, and it is preferred
that the interior of the chamber should be kept to a temperature of 150° to
200° of Fahrenheit, provision being made for the free passage away of the
moisture driven off from the vegetable substances. When these prepared
substances have been well and sufficiently dried, they are, either separate or
mixed, fit for the food of horses and other animals, and when prepared for
transport and close stowage these substances are subjected to pressure in
suitable moulds, the moulds being heated and the substances retained under
pressure for a time, and allowed to set or cool in the moulds.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward John Davis in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th December 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
JOHN DAVIS, late of West Smithfield, in the City of London, but now of Globe
Wharf, Mile End Road, send greeting.
WHEREAS IIer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward John Davis, Her special licence, that I, the said Edward
John Davis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edward John Davis, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING AND PREPARING FOOD FOR HORSES AND OTHER
ANIMALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward
John Davis, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward John Davis, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in treating and preparing
food for horses and other animals. For these purposes hay, clover, and straw,
either cut or uncut, and whether separate or mixed, also oats and other grain,
and also beans, peas, lentils, tares, and locusts, either whole, bruised, or ground,
and whether separate, or two or more mixed together, are subjected to: the
-action of free steam, the dried vegetable substances above mentioned being
spread on reticulate trays or other suitable surfaces, so that the steam may
pass freely amongst and act on every part of the same, or in place of steam
boiling water may in some cases be used, free steam is however preferred.
In treating hay, or clover, or straw when in the form of chaff or otherwise,
it is first placed in trays with perforated bottoms, or with bottoms of woven
hair or other material readily permeated by the steam. The steaming process
occupies about twenty minutes, and the steam used is about ten pounds on the
square inch in the boiler, but the time of the process, and the pressure of the
steam may be varied. In treating oats and other grain, and also beans, peas,
lentils, tares, and locusts, they may be subjected to the process of steaming, as
above described, and to subsequent dry heating, as hereafter described, when
in the whole, or unground, or unbruised state; it is, however, preferred to
bruise or grind them first, and then to subject them to the steaming process in
like manner to what has been described above in respect to hay, clover, and
straw.
Where mixed food is to be treated according to my Invention the mixing
some of the vegetable matters above mentioned may, if preferred, take place
before the steaming and subsequent dry heating processes are performed on such
mixed food. In those cases where the oats and other grain or beans, peas,
lentils, tares, or locusts, have been well harvested, and have not become
injured by heating or moisture, the steaming process may be dispensed with,
provided such vegetable matters are first ground or bruised, and then subjected
to the dry heating process hereafter explained. The vegetable substances
above mentioned are to be removed from the steaming chamber, and without
being allowed to become cold, are next to be dried in a suitable chamber
heated by steam pipes, or by other suitable means; and it is preferred that the
interior of the chamber should be kept to a temperature of 150° to 200° of
Fahrenheit, provision being made for the free passage away of the moisture
driven off from the vegetable substances.
The process of drying generally lasts about one hour, but the time varies,
and it should be understood that the vegetable matters above mentioned should

page_text: not be dried to such an extent as to become brittle, on the contrary, although
the vegetable matters should feel dry when taken from the heating chamber,
they should when cold retain a softness of feel in contradistinction to being
harsh, brittle and readily friable.
1
When these prepared substances have been well and sufficiently dried, they
are, either separately or mixed, fit for the food of horses and other animals,
and when prepared for transport and close stowage, these substances are
subjected to pressure in suitable moulds, the moulds being heated and the
substances retained under pressure for a time, and allowed to set or cool in
the moulds.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is the
subjecting of the vegetable matters herein mentioned to the process of dry
heating after steaming, as above described.
And I also claim the subjecting crushed or bruised oats and other grain,
and also beans, peas, lentils, tares, and locusts to a process of heating, as above
⚫ described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward John Davis, have hereunto set
my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
EDWARD JOHN DAVIS. L.S.)