Improvements in the Preparation or Treatment of Rice or other Cereals.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 30th May, 1891
Improvements in the Preparation or Treatment of Rice or other
Cereals.
A communication from abroad by FRANK LAUHOFF, of Detroit, in the County of
Wayne, State of Michigan, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 :-
The invention relates to certain improvements in the reduction of rice to a
compressed flake or film as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, the inven-
tion having more particular reference to the production of such a product from
rice, although other cereals may be reduced in a similar manner, within the scope
of the invention.
In carrying out the present invention the rice to be reduced is passed through
compression rollers in its dry, raw, merchantable condition.
To accomplish the result aimed at in the most satisfactory manner a drawing
compression is employed in the reduction of the cereal. For this purpose, two
smooth compression rolls are employed, one of which travels faster than the other,
in consequence of which the rice is simultaneously drawn out and compressed into
a very thin, broad, light film, the kernel being thus reduced to a flattened and
curled lamina, having a large exposed surface. The cells of the cereal in this
operation are all crushed and laid open so that their contents and the entire film
may readily and quickly be dissolved.
It is to be observed as a matter of great importance that by thus reducing the
cereal wholly in its dry raw condition possessing its normal character, without any
steaming or cooking or soaking or heating, the full strength of the cereal is preserved,
in consequence of which the article of manufacture is of superior quality, still
retaining in the fullest degree, all its normal nutrition and strength, without any
diminution thereof in the process of reduction as has heretofore uniformly been the
case. In this manner rice is reduced to a very light, thin, flattened, curled film
without the necessity of always crushing the material before its compression, but
passing the raw material, as it is obtained in the market, through the compression
rolls.
The process is most economical, simple and expeditious, while the results are
most satisfactory.
Where the rice is steamed or otherwise softened, prior to compression, it is liable
to become sticky and difficult to work. At the same time its strength is materially
dissipated.
The heating of the product also tends to render it less soluble, impairing and
changing its quality also. All such difficulty and injury are entirely overcome by
the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. As a new article of manufacture the herein described product from rice,
consisting of drawn and compressed films formed from the rice in its normally dry
and raw condition, substantially as described.

page_text: 2. The herein described process of producing films from rice, consisting of
subjecting the normally dry and raw material to a drawing compression,
substantially as described.
3. The herein described process of producing films from rice, consisting of
subjecting the normally dry and raw material to compression between rollers, one
of which has a faster rotation than the other, whereby the material is simultaneously
drawn out and compressed into the said film, substantially as described.
Dated this 27th day of Anril 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.