Improved Process of and Apparatus for Preparing Cereals.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 10th Nov., 1894
UMI LEIE DIECIFICATION.
Improved Process of and Apparatus for Preparing Cereals.
A communication from the CATSKILL MILL COMPANY, a co-partnership, having
its mill at Catskill, Greene County, New York, and its principal office at
354, Produce Exchange, New York City, New York, United States of
America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in process of and
apparatus for preparing grain and like cereals, substantially as will hereinafter be
more particularly described.
The object of the invention is to prepare grain and like cereals in such manner
that the same may be sold in the market as an edible article and requiring but a
slight additional heating or cooking to complete their condition or readiness for the
table. Other objects will also appear hereinafter.
In the accompanying drawings is represented a general plant or construction of
apparatus employed in the practice of the improved process.
Heretofore in the preparation of grain and like cereals as an article of food, it
has been the practice to first subject the cereals to a drying process in a kiln or
drying pan before removing the hulls therefrom, and then after milling the cereals
or reducing them to what is known as "groats," the latter are finally subjected to
the action of steam for the purpose of effecting their partial cooking.
In the treatment referred to, the grain or other cereals are subjected to the
direct action or contact of hot air generated by the heating furnace, and as such
heated air is always mixed or impregnated more or less with injurious gases a large
proportion or percentage of these gases is absorbed by the cereals, and the latter
thereby become very much impaired both in quality and flavour and are very
frequently rendered unwholesome as an article of food.
Again, in some instances, it has been the practice to subject the material to the
direct action of steam for a similar purpose, but similarly in such processes the
grain or other cereals become so saturated with water as to make them starchy
and very indigestible, and they are besides deprived of their sweetness and
require too much subsequent treatment or manipulation to bring them to the state
or condition desired.
In the practice of this present invention, I first separate or remove all dust or
chaff therefrom and then I take the grain or other material in its natural or raw
state, as when brought from the field, and subject the same to the action of dry
heat in a closed vessel or chamber. In other words, the grain or other material is
brought into contact with heat by radiation rather than by heated air directly from
the fire, the vessel or chamber itself being heated from the fire rather than the
material under treatment, and the said vessel is preferably of some non-porous
substance, as malleable iron for instance.
The above first step of the invention is for the purpose of thoroughly drying the
material without robbing it of any of its inherent qualities, and after being so
treated the grain or like cereals is then subjected to a milling action by friction so
as to thoroughly remove the hulls therefrom.
Next to the first heating and the milling operation, I pass the material into a
second heating or what in this instance may be termed a roasting apparatus, and
there such material is again subjected to a strong dry heat by radiation to such an

page_text: extent as to become thoroughly penetrated to the centre of the berry or kernel.
At this stage the cereal or grain is in a softer condition and more easily acted upon
by the heat, and thus it will be seen that the starchy matter of the grain is turned
into dextrine which renders the article very much more digestible. Furthermore,
by this second heating or roasting of the grain or like material, all insect germs
will be effectually destroyed, besides removing all moisture and making it possible
to keep the material in any climate and for an indefinite length of time without
becoming musty or mouldy. The flavour and sweetness of the cereals will be
maintained, and they will otherwise be reduced to a far more acceptable and
desirable article of food.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 represents a receiving hopper into
which the grain or like material is fed fresh just as it is brought in from the fields.
From such hopper the said material falls by gravity down through an inclined
shoot 2 and is deposited at the base or boot 3 of an elevator shaft 4, in which is
arranged and works an endless elevating apparatus having a series of buckets 5.
The number of these buckets may be regulated as desired and they may be
spaced such distance apart as to deliver the material in the proper quantities and
required intervals.
Arranged at both the base or head 3 of the shaft 4, and the head 6 is a pulley 7
over which the endless elevator passes, and at the head 6 is arranged or located a
separator 8, which receives the material from a shoot 9, leading to the same from
the said elevator head. The said separator is constructed of any well known
forms, such for instance as are provided with shaking screens onto which the
material falls. A fan or air blower 10 is arranged beneath the separator, preferably
at or near its forward end, so that while the material is being fed upon the separator
a blast of air will be forced up through the same and blow away or carry off all
loose hulls chaff or dirt.
Falling from the separator onto an incline 11 beneath, the separated grain or
other material passes down through a hopper 12, leading to a drying or roasting
cylinder 13, which is surrounded by an outer casing or chamber receiving heated
air or steam from any suitable source of supply. In this cylinder the material
receives its first heating or drying as herein before explained; and from such it
passes down into a revolving or rotary mill 14, consisting of a hollow pan or vessel
in which two or more stones 14" are caused to rotate. The material is rubbed in
this mill to such an extent that its hulls become loosened and fall off by frictional
rubbing or contact.
When the grain have had their hulls all removed in the manner described they
have been brought to the condition known as "groats," and these together with
the loose hulls that have been just removed are then allowed to pass from the
mill 14, down through a shoot 15 to the base or boot of a second elevator shaft 16,
having also an elevator provided with buckets in like manner as the elevator first
named. The material is carried up by this second elevator and delivered at the
head 17, through a shoot 18 to a second separator 18ª. This second separator is
preferably provided with a series of shaking screens 19, as shown, onto which the
material falls, while a blower is also arranged beneath similarly as with the
separator first mentioned. The blast of air produced by this second blower will
carry off all the loose hulls and dirt from the grain and convey them in any
suitable manner to a bin or other collecting device; while at the same time the
fresh clean groats will pass from one of the screens to the other until it enters the
shoot 20 which conveys the sanie to a polishing gr brushing machine 21. This
machine may be constructed in any of the well known ways to subject the
material as it passes through to a scrubbing or polishing action by means of
rotating brushes or cylinders. I do not herein represent any specific details of
machinery for the purpose since any machine for such purpose now in use will be
found suitable.
Passing from the brushing or polishing machine the grain or other material
enters a shoot 22 leading down to the boot or base of a third elevator shaft 23

page_text: from whence such material is conveyed by a third elevator 24 to the head 25 of
the shaft and thence through a shoot 26 to the second drying or roasting
apparatus 27.
This second drying or roasting kiln or apparatus may be constructed in any well
known way. Generally speaking this apparatus consists of a stationary outer case
containing an inner revolving case or cylinder, the space between the two being
supplied with heated air or steam while the grain or material is fed to the interior
revolving case or cylinder. From the revolving heating chamber, the material
passes into a cooler arranged beneath so that the material may be delivered in the
desired state or condition. This reference to the said apparatus will, it is thought
be sufficient herein for the purposes of the present invention.
The thoroughly cleaned groats now pass through the revolving heating or drying
cylinder while at the same time they are subjected to agitation by means of
revolving agitators in said cylinder. From this drying cylinder 28 they pass into
the cooling cylinder (which is supplied with cold air by means of a blower)
beneath, where they are restored to the proper temperature for crushing, and then
they fall down through a shoot 29 and are delivered to a hopper 30 which supplies
the same between a pair of crushing rolls 31 revolving in opposite directions. By
the action of these rolls the groats are couverted into flakes of a pure, sweet
natural flavour, and which are finally delivered through a shoot 32 to the boot or
base of a fourth elevator shaft, having an elevator 33 provided with conveyors or
buckets 34 which lift or carry the fakes up to a delivery hopper leading into a
storing bin where they are received all ready to be put up in proper packages or
boxes and placed on the market.
It will be seen that the grain or cereal is not handled at any stage of the
process, thereby contributing largely as a labor saving process. The material
produced by the process simply requires a very slight further heating or cooking
by the persons purchasing the same, whereupon it is ready for the table in an
edible condition.
The several different apparatus or parts of apparatus employed by me may
be constructed in any of the well known ways, except the second and final roaster
which is preferably constructed as already explained. The different parts may
all be properly connected so as to be driven or operated from a single source of
power.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The process herein described of preparing grain and like cereals the same
consisting in first removing the dust and chaff therefrom and drying the same then
removing the hulls and separating the latter from the groats then scrubbing
and polishing the groats and roasting them to the centre and finally reducing the
groats to flakes as set forth.
a
2. In the process herein described of preparing grain and like cereals the
combination of a separator and preliminary heater or dryer milling device an
additional separator a polishing or scrubbing device a roaster and cooler and
suitable crushing rolls substantially as set forth.
Dated this 18th day of September 1891
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT
Agents for the Applicant.