NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FORMING STARCH OR YEAST INTO BLOCKS OR CAKES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of Kensington, Middlesex for an
Invention of NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FORMING STARCH OR YEAST
INTO BLOCKS OR CAKES a communication to him from abroad by W. H. Uliland,
of Leipzig Saxony, and Vincenz Machovsky, of Prag, Austria-Hungary
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th June 1883.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex, "NEW OR IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR FORMING STARCH OR YEAST INTO BLOCKS OR CAKES," a commu-
nication to me from abroad by W. H. Uhland, of Leipzig, Saxony, and Vincenz
Machovsky, of Prag, Austria-Hungary,
This invention has for its object to convert starch or yeast, when in a semiliquid
state or in the shape of irregular pieces, into solid blocks or cakes, preferably
rectangular, and with the application of compressed air.
For compressing fine sorts of starch, for instance rice starch, construct the
apparatus as follows:
One or more prismatic forms open at the top are supported vertically by a frame
bolted to an underframe or stand, each of the said forms being closed at the bottom
by a strainer covered with a sheet of filtering material. At the top the frame is
closed with a movable lid hinged to the frame and having in the centre a pipe joint
for attaching the flexible inlet pipes for compressed air.
The weight of the lid is more or less balanced by a movable counterweight
attached to a lever, and when closed the lid is secured to the frame by bolts
pivoted to the latter. The frame is made of two parts placed one over the other
and bolted together. The upper part supports the flanges of the forms which are
shaped so that they can be easily lifted out, while the lower part of the frame
supports the open bottom of the forms.
The apparatus is used by opening the lid, filling the forms more or less with
starch, closing the lid hermetically and putting it in communication with an air

page_text: compression pump, which drives the greatest portion of the liquid, mixed with the
starch, through the filtering bottom, into the hollow stand, from where the liquid
is drawn off, the solid cakes or blocks obtained in the forms being subsequently
removed by opening the lid, lifting out the forms and upsetting them.
For making cakes or blocks from coarse starch or from yeast the apparatus may
be simplified by making the frame of one piece provided with vertical compart-
ments, which instead of receiving detachable forms receive directly the starch or
yeast to be moulded, a strainer and filtering cloth common to all compartments
being pressed between the frame and the hollow stand, and the lid being pivoted to
a vertical extension of the latter. Instead of lifting out the forms, the whole frame
must be removed for removing the cakes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th December 1883.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex, "NEW OR IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR FORMING STARCH OR YEAST INTO BLOCKS OR CAKES," a commu-
nication to me from abroad. by W. H. Uhland, of Leipzig, Saxony, and Vincenz
Machovsky, of Prag, Austria-Hungary,
This invention has for its object to convert starch or yeast, when in a semiliquid
state or in the shape of irregular pieces into solid blocks or cakes, preferably
rectangular, and with the application of compressed air.
In describing this invention reference will be made to the accompanying
drawings of which Figs. 1 to 6 represent an apparatus for converting fine sorts of
starch, for instance rice starch, into rectangular cakes or cube shaped blocks, while
Fig. 7 to 10 represent an apparatus for the similar treatment of inferior kinds of
starch, for instance wheat starch, as well as for compressing yeast, and fig. 11 to 18-
represent arrangements for detaching the starch or yeast cakes from the moulds.
The apparatus represented by Fig. 1 to 6 comprises the stand a-on which is
firmly screwed the frame c provided with one, two, four or more rectangular
apertures serving to receive a corresponding number of metal moulds d d which
rest below on the stand a, while their upper flanges are supported by the frame c
in such manner that the moulds may be conveniently placed into the apertures or
removed therefrom, the upper part of the moulds being so shaped as to be easily
seized by hand or by suitable instruments.
The bottom of these moulds is formed by strainers a covered with a filtering
cloth. The apparatus is closed by a movable lid e secured by bolts f. The lid is
pivoted on the axle g and balanced by the counterweight h. The centre of the
lid is connected with an air compressing pump by means of a pipe i. The cover e
is packed with indiarubber rings so as to permit an air tight closing of the
moulds d.
The apparatus works as follows :―
⋅
The moulds are filled with starch or yeast in a semiliquid state or in the shape

page_text: of irregular pieces, as taken out of the vats, after which the apparatus is closed air
tight by means of the lid e and connected with the receiver of an air compressing
pump or with the pump itself by means of the pipe i. For the purpose of causing
the compressed air, which enters the apparatus, to act uniformly on the surfaces of
the material contained in the moulds, the cover e is made convex as indicated in
the drawing (Fig 2) and is perforated in such manner that a special air conduit
leads from the central air channel towards each mould.
Owing to the efficacious pressure thus produced the material contained in the
moulds obtains the shape of solid cubical blocks if the moulds have been
completely filled; if the moulds are only partly filled the material in the moulds is
transformed into rectangular cakes. The liquid mixed with the material escapes
through the strainer and is let off through the pipe k. The screws f are then
loosened, and after opening the lid, the moulds with their contents may be removed.
As the blocks thus obtained firmly adhere to the moulds, they are removed by
means of a device forming an integral part of the apparatus and which serves to
remove the blocks without damage.
The appliance for removing the blocks may either be fixed to the apparatus and
constructed so that it is not necessary to lift out the moulds, in which case the
latter may be made fast in the apparatus, or the appliance may form an auxiliary
to the apparatus (see Fig. 11 to 16).
د.
The necessary pressure required for removing the cakes from the moulds may be
obtained by means of screws or hydraulic power. This appliance may be
constructed in such manner that one, two or more blocks are removed at the same
time.
Fig. 11 to 13 show a device for removing or pressing out one block at a time.
The mould d is introduced with its upper flange into a slot a of the discharging
appliance, and thus firmly held. By turning the hand wheel, and thereby two
bevel wheels, the screw o provided at its upper end with a plate p is turned
upwards. The plate p is thereby pressed into the mould d and forces the block or
cake upward out of the mould. For the purpose of removing the contents from
the mould without damage and for preventing particles from adhering in the
corners, the platform p is covered with a sheet of indiarubber, which is somewhat
larger than the diameter of the mould and consequently pressed close to the walls
of the latter, whereby blocks with sharp edges are obtained.
The apparatus represented by Fig. 14 to 16 serves to press out two blocks at the
same time. In this arrangement, instead of the bevel wheels, a pair of skew
wheels s act on two skew wheels and mounted on two screw spindles o, o' one
of which has a right handed and the other a left handed screw thread, and which
spindles are turned by the skew wheels.
Fig. 17 and 18 represent the discharging appliance in combination with the
draining and moulding apparatus, and by means of which 4 blocks may be removed
from the moulds at the same time. The hydraulic piston is guided in the
underframe and provided at its upper end with a large platform m, on which are
mounted the four spindles v provided with the four small platforms p.
The strainers of the moulds are fixed on the platforms p, and after the material
in the moulds has been relieved of water, the strainer is lifted with the block by
the upward motion of the piston t.
Instead of hydraulic pressure, screw or lever pressure may be applied, while in
the apparatus for lifting out one or two blocks, lever or hydraulic pressure may be
applied, instead of screw spindles.
The apparatus represented by Fig. 7 to 10 serves to make blocks or cakes from
inferior starch or from yeast, and it comprises three principal parts A, B, C. A is
the cast iron base plate or underframe supported by an iron or wooden stand.
B is the mould or form receiving the material either in a semiliquid state or in
small pieces. C is the cover balanced by a counterweight. The mould is divided
into several compartments & according to the size of the apparatus, and placed as a
whole on the strainer s covered with the filtering cloth f.

page_text: After the mould or the series of moulds have been filled, the apparatus is closed
air tight by means of the lid C and the bolts f, and connected with the air
compression pump by means of a flexible pipe i joined to the lid.
The pressure exerted on the material contained in the moulds converts the same
into more or less high rectangular blocks, while the water escapes from the
apparatus at e. The blocks are then removed either by lifting out the mould and
upsetting the same or by an arrangement similar to those described above.
·
CLAIMS:
1. Apparatus for the manufacture of starch or yeast cakes or blocks by means of
compressed air, comprising in its construction a fixed stand or underframe
carrying fixed or movable straining plates, an upper frame containing one or
more fixed or movable moulds, and a hermetically closing lid, the whole being
constructed and adapted to operate substantially, as described and illustrated.
2. In apparatus for the manufacture of starch or yeast cakes or blocks by means
of compressed air the appliances for discharging one or more blocks of starch or
yeast from the mould or moulds, substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof I the said Herbert John Haddan have hereunto set my hand
and seal this 6th day of December A.D. 1883.
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