Improvements in Wheaten Flour and in the Manufacture thereof.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 6th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheaten Flour and in the Manufacture thereof.
I, JAMES AMOS, of Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales, Miller, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
"
In the modern methods of milling or grinding wheat to obtain flour therefrom, the
wheat undergoes a continuous reducing and dressing process, whereby the flour
obtained is characterised by the presence of close, regular and finely pulverised
particles, and generally speaking a greasy" texture. This is alike true of roller and
stone flour, but especially of the former, and is the result of the flour being ground
too uniformly small, which may be attributable to the desire of millers to satisfy the
popular error that the finest flour is the best, and that whiteness is a proof of its
quality. Flour thus produced is not, however, the best suited for bread-making or for
similar purposes, because in consequence of the extreme fineness of the particles, the
ferment acts simultaneously, rapidly and exhaustively on the dough before it is
possible to manipulate it and place it in the oven; this action often causing the bread
produced to be dark, sour and heavy. The fermentative action should be sustained
until arrested by the heat of the oven.
This inherent defect in uniformly fine flour may be remedied by adding particles of
flour of a coarser texture and of various gauges, such admixture causing fermentation
to continue and be sustained during the progress of the several operations which the
dough must undergo before it reaches the oven, and likewise causing its continuance
until the action is arrested by the heat. The reason of the desired effect being thus
accomplished is attributable to the unequal action of the ferment on the grains of
flour, the smaller being acted upon more quickly than the larger particles, which
require a longer time for the ferment to penetrate into their substance; a com-
paratively continuous fermentative action being thus kept up. The larger particles,
which are not entirely spent so soon as the smaller ones, offer new acting surface to
the ferment until the action thereof is arrested by the heat. If, therefore, it be found
that, under certain conditions, the fermentative action does not continue sufficiently
lively until the dough reaches the oven, the defect can he remedied by adding to the
flour a proportion of coarser grade Semolina, which will furnish new material for
the action of the ferment, and maintain the fermenting process for the requisite
period.
By the use of this system, those elements or properties are retained which are
necessary for the nourishment of the various organs of the human body, and which
contain the most nutritious portions of the wheat. Such flour also absorbs more water
than is absorbed by fine flour, and produces a light and bulky loaf, which is rendered
spongy and porous to a remarkable degree by the longer duration of the fermentative
action.
I am aware that, under the old systems of reducing and dressing flour in which the
finest sieve had no more than sixty-five meshes to the inch, a material of irregular
gauge was obtained, because, during the reducing process, much of the grain was
necessarily though unintentionally ground finer than the standard gauge; the presence
of the finer particles in the finished product being attributed both to accident and to
causes which the miller could not control with the aid of the apparatus with which he
was then provided. As, however, time went on, and improved machinery was brought
into use, a constantly increasing tendency to turn out a finer and whiter flour became
manifest, until, at the present day, the flour produced is a fine, dusty, pulverulent
body of snowy whiteness almost entirely free from fibre. The disadvantages attendant
upon the use of flour so manufactured have been already referred to. Whilst the old
process remained in vogue, the bread, although inferior in colour, contained greater

page_text: strength, and, it is affirmed by many, possessed a better flavour than bread manu-
factured from the more modern material; the colour is, however, the chief drawback
to the use of the old and coarser flour.. Now my invention mainly consists in a system
or process by which opportunity is afforded for removing the "fibre," which is the
cause of discoloration in the old-fashioned flour, whilst at the same time preserving in
the flour the beneficial qualities which it would retain if manufactured according to
the old process.
In addition it offers to the miller a system or process under which
he has full and absolute control, practically speaking, of every particle of flour which
enters the finished product; thus enabling him to produce a flour containing pure
unreduced Semolina in whatever degrees of fineness and in whatever proportions he
may require or prefer.
A study of the grades and proportions of flour hereinafter specified will shew that
the system or mode of procedure followed, which is essential to the successful working
of this invention, consists in separating and carrying to straight-grade flour the finest
products of first reductions and the highly-purified finished products obtained from
the cut-off and tails or middlings, which contain in a large proportion unreduced
Semolina.
In making a flour for bakers' requirements, I use the grades of Semolina and flour
and the proportions thereof hereinafter stated, as I find the best results are obtainable
therefrom, but I wish it to be understood that, since this mixture is in effect a
mechanical process, such quantities must only be regarded as approximate, and may
tlierefore be varied in a greater or less degree according to circumstances, or as the
experience of the miller may dictate. I find that variations from the specified pro-
portions are most marked in opposite cases, as with hard and soft wheat or wheat of
different seasons. It will likewise be necessary to allow a little latitude in the size of
the dressing gauzes, which must be varied to suit the weather and the various other
disturbing influences well known to millers. One of the chief features of this
invention consists in mixing certain different grades of flour during manufacture,
substantially in the proportions hereinafter specified, and not in mixing certain
definite and fixed proportions thereof. It will be obvious to an experienced miller that
one or more of the grades might even be omitted altogether without departing from
the principle of my invention.
The following are the grades I prefer to mix and their approximate quantities, the
latter being stated as percentages of the mixed product.
Break-roll products, dressed through silks, Nos. 7-10,
(having 80-100 meshes to the inch), and re-dressed through
centrifugals clothed. Nos. 12-15, (having 124-150 meshes to
the inch). [Care must be taken to exclude products of bran-
breaks from break-roll products, the offal. being thereby excluded
from the Semolina]. Of re-dressed product-
Tails from centrifugals passed over both sieve and gravity
purifiers, or passed twice over a sieve or gravity purifier, the
product being highly purified unreduced Semolina from break-
roll products. Of re-purified product-
First slight reduction of thoroughly purified Semolina from
smooth rolls, dressed through silks, Nos. 6-12, (baving 73-124
meshes to the inch). Of dressed product-
t will thus be seen that about 50% of the total bulk of the prod
ulated Semolina, which is present in the proportion of about 10
luced; it is on these particles that I rely for the development and c
entation in the dough, which is so vitally important during its man
g in the oven].

page_text: Second reduction of purified Semolina from smooth rolls,
dressed through silks, Nos. 9-15, (having 95-150 meshes to
the inch). Of dressed products-
Third reduction of purified Semolina from smooth rolls,
dressed through silks, Nos. 11-15, (having 117-150 meshes to
the inch). Of dressed product-
Fourth reduction of purified Semolina from smooth rolls
and bran-break products, combined or separately, dressed through
silks, Nos. 13-17, (having 128-170 meshes to the inch). Of
dressed product
ese quantities are mixed together to form a straight-grade flour, a
ibed; the last-named ingredient may be omitted altogether, or
ortion thereof used.
applying this invention to combination roller and stone flour, a sin
ment to that adopted in treating roller flour is pursued; increas
thus given to mill-stone plant. In this case, I find it preferable
the proportions, as under :-
COMBINATION ROLLER AND STONE FLOUR :—
First reduction of wheat from break-rolls and thence over
stones or only over stones sufficiently low to pass 55% of the
flour through silks, Nos. 7-10, (having from 80-106 meshes to
the inch); and re-dressed over centrifugals clothed Nos. 12-13,
(having 124-128 meshes to the inch). Of re-dressed products-
Tails from centrifugals passed over sieve and gravity purifiers
or passed twice over a sieve or gravity purifier clothed 5, 3, 1;
product re-purified over purifiers clothed 8, 6, 4. Of re-purified
product, which is highly purified unreduced Semolina,
Tails and cut-off from purifier used in second purification,
and tails of silk reel slightly reduced over smooth rolls and
dressed through centrifugals clothed Nos. 3-11, (having 84-117
meshes to the inch). Of product
Tails from centrifugals purified and reduced a second time,
and dressed through centrifugals, Nos. 10-13, (having from
106 128 meshes to the inch). Of product-
Tails from centrifugals purified and reduced a third time
and dressed through centrifugals clothed Nos. 12-16, (having
from 124-160 meshes to the inch). Of product-

page_text: Tails from centrifugals passed over sieve and gravity
purifiers, or passed twice over a sieve or gravity purifier,
clothed 8, 6, 4. Of purified product, which is highly purified
unreduced Semolina,-
Bran ground over No. 3 pair of stones, dressed through
silks Nos. 13-16, (baving 128—160 meshes to the inch). Of
dressed product-
Remainder of products purifieri and then dressed over one
pair of dull stones, and dressed through centrifugals clothed
Nos. 13-16, (having 128-160 meshes to the inch). Of dressed
product
For a continuous and completely finished manufacture on any number of mill-
stones, just clean the bran in grinding, dress the meal through silk reels clothed
Nos. 10-16 at the head and 000-2 at the tail, passing products from Nos. 10-16
to straight-grade flour, and products from Nos. 000-2 to purifier clothed Nos. 8-4,
(having 84-62 meshes to the inch), and thence to straight-grade, and pass the
products of cut-off and overtails from the purifier to the eye of the dullest stone to
form part of the feed and be further reduced, the remainder of the feed being wheat.
The dull face of the stone will not reduce the offal of the overtails to any great extent,
and having less wheat to grind will clean the bran better than it would if the feed
were composed entirely of wheat.
Dated this 6th day of March 1889
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wheaten Flour and in the Manufacture thereof.
I, JAMES AMOS, of Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales, Miller, 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 :-
*
3:
In the modern methods of milling or grinding wheat to obtain flour therefrom, the
wheat undergoes a continuous reducing and dressing process, whereby the flour
obtained is characterised by the presence of close, regular and finely-pulverised
particles, and, generally speaking, a greasy texture. This is alike true of roller
and stone flour, but especially of the former, and is the result of the flour being
ground to uniformly small, which may be attributable to the desire of millers to
satisfy the popular error that the finest flour is the best, and that whiteness is a proof
of its quality. Flour thus produced is not, however, the best suited for bread-making
or for similar purposes, because in consequence of the extreme fineness of the particles,
the ferment acts simultaneously, rapidly and exhaustively on the dough before it is
possible to manipulate it and place it in the oven; this action often causing the bread
produced to be dark, sour and heavy. The fermentative action should be sustained
until arrested by the heat of the oven.
This inherent defect in uniformly fine flour may be remedied by adding particles of
Hour of a coarser texture and of various gauges, such admixture causing fermentation
to continue and be sustained during the progress of the several operations which the
dough must undergo before it reaches the oven, and likewise causing its continuance
until the action is arrested by the heat. The reason of the desired effect being thus
accomplished is attributable to the unequal action of the ferment on the grains of
flour, the smaller being acted upon more quickly than the larger particles, which

page_text: require a longer time for the ferment to penetrate into their substance; a com-
paratively continuous fermentative action being thus kept up. The larger particles,
which are not entirely spent so soon as the smaller ones, offer new acting surface to
the ferment until the action thereof is arrested by the heat. If, therefore, it be found
that, under certain conditions, the fermentative action does not continue sufficiently
lively until the dough reaches the oven, the defect can be remedied by adding to
the flour a proportion of coarser grade Semolina, which will furnish new material
for the action of the ferment, and maintain the fermenting process for the requisite
period.
By the use of this system, those elements or properties are retained which are
necessary for the nourishment of the various organs of the human body, and which
contain the most nutritious portions of the wheat. Such flour also absorbs more
water than is absorbed by fine flour, and produces a light and bulky loaf, which is
rendered spongy and porous to a remarkable degree by the longer duration of the
fermentative action.
I am aware that, under the old systems of reducing and dressing flour in which the
finest sieve had no more than sixty-five meshes to the inch, a material of irregular
gauge was obtained, because, during the reducing process, much of the grain was
necessarily though unintentionally ground finer than the standard gauge; the presence
of the finer particles in the finished product being attributed both to accident and to
causes which the miller could not control with the aid of the apparatus with which he
was then provided. As, however, time went on, and improved machinery was brought
into use, a constantly-increasing tendency to turn out a finer and whiter flour became
manifest, until, at the present day, the flour produced is a fine, dusty, pulverulent
body of snowy whiteness almost entirely free from fibre. The disadvantages attendant
Whilst the old
upon the use of flour so manufactured have been already referred to.
process remained in vogue, the bread, although inferior in colour, contained greater
strength, and, it is affirmed by many, possessed a better flavour than bread manu-
factured from the more modern material; the colour is, however, the chief drawback
to the use of the old and coarser flour. Now my invention mainly consists in a
system or process by which opportunity is afforded for removing the "fibre," which is
the cause of discoloration in the old-fashioned flour, whilst at the same time preserving
in the flour the beneficial qualities which it would retain if manufactured according to
the old process.
In addition, it offers to the miller a system or process under which
he has full and absolute control, practically speaking, of every particle of flour which
enters the finished product; thus enabling him to produce a flour containing pure
unreduced Semolina in whatever degrees of fineness and.in whatever proportions he
may require or prefer.
A study of the grades and proportions of flour hereinafter specified will show that
the system or mode of procedure followed, which is essential to the successful working
of this invention, consists in separating and carrying to straight-grade flour the finest
products of first reductions and the highly-purified finished products obtained from
the cut-off and tails or middlings, which contain in a large proportion ureduced
Semolina.
In making a flour for bakers' requirements, I use the grades of Semolina and flour
and the proportions thereof hereinafter stated, as I find the best results are obtainable
therefrom, but I wish it to be understood that, since this mixture is in effect a
mechanical process, such quantities must only be regarded as approximate, and may
therefore be varied in a greater or less degree according to circumstances or as the
experience of the miller may dictate. I find that variations from the specified pro-
portions are most marked in opposite cases, as with hard and soft wheat or wheat of
different seasons. It will likewise be necessary to allow a little latitude in the size of
the dressing gauzes, which must be varied to suit the weather and the various other
disturbing influences well known to millers. One of the chief features of this
invention consists in mixing certain different grades of flour during manufacture,
substantially in the proportions hereinafter specified, and not in mixing certain
definite and fixed proportions thereof. It will be obvious to an experienced miller

page_text: t one or more of the grades might even be omitted altogether withou
n the principle of my invention.
The following are the grades 1 preper to mix and their approximate qu
er being stated as percentages of the mixed product :-
ROLLER FLOUR :-
Break-roll products, dressed through silks, Nos. 7-10,
(having 80-106 meshes to the inch), and re-dressed through
centrifugals clothed Nos. 12-15 (having 124-150 meshes to
the inch). [Care must be taken to exclude products of bran-
breaks from brake-roll products, the offal being thereby excluded
from the Semolina]. Of re-dressed product :-
-
Tails from centrifugals passed over both sieve and gravity
purifiers or passed twice over a sieve or gravity purifier, the
product being highly-purified unreduced Semolina from break-
roll products. Of re-purified product:-
First slight reduction of thoroughly-purified Semolina from
smooth rolls, dressed through silks Nos. 6-12 (having 73—124
meshes to the inch). Of dressed product:-
It will thus be seen that about 50% of the total bulk of the product
nulated Semolina, which is present in the proportion of about 10%
reduced; it is on these particles that I rely for the devolopment and cor
mentation in the dough, which is so vitally important during the manip
ting in the oven.
Second reduction of purified Semolina from smooth rolls,
dressed through silks, Nos. 9-15 (having 95-150 meshes to
the inch). Of dressed products:
-
Third reduction of purified Semolina from smooth rolls,
dressed through silks, Nos. 11-15 (having 117-150 meshes to
the inch). Of dressed product :-
:-
-
Fourth reduction of purified Semolina from smooth rolls
and bran-break products, combined or separately, dressed through
silks, Nos. 13-17 (having 128-170 meshes to the inch). Of
dressed product:-
These quantities are mixed together to form a straight-grade flour, as hereinbefore
described; the last-named ingredient may be omitted altogether, or only a small
proportion thereof used.
In applying this invention to combination roller and stone flour, a similar course of
treatment to that adopted in treating roller flour is pursued; increased durability
being thus given to mill-stone plant. In this case, I find it preferable to somewhat
alter the proportions, as under
First reduction of wheat from break-rolls and thence over
stones, or only over stones sufficiently low to pass 55% of the
flour through silks, Nos. 7-10, (having from 80-106 meshes to
the inch); and re-dressed over centrifugals, clothed Nos. 12-13
(having 124-128 meshes to the inch). Of re-dressed products :-
=

page_text: Tails from centrifugals passed over sieve and gravity purifiers
or passed twice over a sieve or gravity purifier clothed 5, 3, 1;
product re-purified over purifiers clothed 8, 6, 4. Of re-purified
product, which is highly-purified unreduced Semolina :-
Tails and cut-off from purifier used in second purification,
and tails of silk reel slightly reduced over smooth rolls and
dressed through centrifugals clothed Nos. 8-11 (having 84-117
meshes to the inch). Of products :-
Tails from centrifugals purified and reduced a second time,
and dressed through centrifugals, Nos. 10-13 (having from
106-128 meshes to the inch). Of product :-
Tails from centrifugals purified and reduced a third time,
and dressed through centrifugals clothed Nos. 12-16 (having
from 124-160 meshes to the inch). Of product :-
applying my invention to stone flour, a similar course of proc
ved, the grades and proportions being, however, slightly altered.
s and proportions refer to a plant consisting of four pairs of stones
STONE FLOUR :-
Wheat ground over No. 1 and No. 2 pairs of stones
sufficiently low to pass about 75% of flour through silks,
Nos. 8-12 (having 84-124 meshes to the inch); product re-
dressed over centrifugals clothed Nos. 11-14 (having 113-136
meshes to the inch). Of re-dressed product :-
-
Tails from centrifugals passed over sieve and gravity purifiers
or passed twice over a sieve or gravity purifier clothed 8, 6, 4.
Of purified product, which is highly-purified unreduced Semo-
lina :- -
Bran ground over No. 3 pair of stones, dressed through
silks Nos. 13-16 (having 128-160 meshes to the inch). Of
dressed product:-
-
Remainder of products purified and then dressed over one
pair of dull stones, and dressed through centrifugals clothed
Nos. 13-16 (having 128–160 meshes to the inch). Of dressed
product-
For a continuous and completely-finished manufacture on any number of mill-
stones, I just clean the bran in grinding, dress the meal through silk reels clothed
Nos. 10-16 at the head and 000-2 at the tail, passing products from Nos. 10-16
to straight-grade flour, and products from Nos. 000-2 to purifier clothed Nos. 8-4
(having 84-62 meshes to the inch), and thence to straight-grade, and pass the
products of cut-off and overtails from the purifier to the eye of the dullest stone to
form part of the feed and be further reduced, the remainder of the feed boing wheat.
The dull face of the stone will not reduce the offal of the overtails to any great-extent,
and having less wheat to grind will clean the bran better than it would if the feed
were composed entirely of wheat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The herein-described system or process of manufacturing wheaten flour, which

page_text: consists in grinding the wheat to different degrees of fineness and mixing the same
during manufacture to form a straight-grade flour; the products being purified by
the extraction therefrom of the fibre and other discolouring particles and afterwards
added to the flour.
2. The process of reducing and dressing wheaten flour with roller plant, substantially
as herein described, which consists in carrying to straight-grade (1) 20-15% of
finest re-dressed products from break-rolls; (2) 5-15% of dressed products from
break-rolls re-purified (re-purified Semolina); (3) 25-20% of purified dressed
product of first reduction from smooth rolls; (4) 15-20% of purified dressed
products of second reduction from smooth rolls; (5) 20-15% of purified
dressed products of third reduction from smooth rolls; the residue or balance
required to complete being made up of purified dressed products of fourth reduction
from smooth rolls.
3. The improved manufacture of bakers' flour (roller) consisting of the com
pound of flours and Semolina of various grades as herein described and enumerated
in the next preceding claiming clause.
4. The process of reducing and dressing wheaten flour with combination roller and
stone plant, substantially as herein described, which consists in carrying to straight-
grade (1) 40-35% of re-dressed products from break-rolls and stones or from stones
alone; (2) 5-15% of re-purified Semolina products from centrifugals used in
re-dressing (1); (3) 20-15% of tails from purifier used in (2) lightly reduced
over smooth rolls and dressed; (4) 20-25% of tails from centrifugals used in (3)
purified and reduced a second time and dressed; the residue or balance required to
complete being made up of tails from centrifugals used in (4) purified and reduced a
third time and dressed.
5. The improved manufacture of bakers' flour (combination roller and stone)
consisting of the compound of flours and Semolina of various grades as herein
described and enumerated in the next preceding claiming clause.
6. The process of reducing and dressing wheaten flour with stone plant (4 pairs)
substantially as berein described, which consists in carrying to straight-grade (1) 80%
of re-dressed product of wheat ground over No. 1 and No. 2 pairs of stones;
(2) 10-20% of Semolina of tails from centrifugals used in (1) re-purified;
(3) 5-10% product of bran ground over No. 3 pair of stones and dressed; the
residue or balance required to complete being made up of the remainder of products
purified and reduced over No. 4 pair of stones and dressed.
7. The improved manufacture of bakers' flour (stone) consisting of the compound
of flours and Semolina of the grades herein specified and enumerated in the next
preceding claiming clause.
8. The herein-described system or process of manufacturing wheaten flour, which
consists in separating and then carrying to straight-grade flour the finest products of
first reductions, and purifying in the requisite degree the cut-off and tails or
middlings, which contain in large proportion unreduced Semolina, and afterwards
carrying the highly-purified finished products thereof to the flour.
9. The herein-described continuous and complete process of manufacturing wheaten
flour with stone plant; the same consisting in cleaning the bran, in grinding and
dressing the meal through silk reels, in passing the finest products to straight-grade,
and middlings to purifier, and thence the product, highly-purified unreduced Semolina,
to straight-grade flour; the cut-off and overtail products being carried to the eye of
the dullest stone to form part of the feed.
Dated thic fith doxx of Manamhan 1000
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.