A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS OF TREATING AND CURING TOBACCO
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henri Adrien Bonneville, of the British and Foreign
Patent Offices, 18, Rue de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, France, and 5, Piccadilly,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "A NEW OR
IMPROVED PROCESS OF TREATING AND CURING TOBACCO." A communication
from Charles Hornbostel, of the City, County, and State of New York, United
States of America.
Sealed the 10th October 1879, and dated the 17th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henri Adrien Bonneville at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th April 1879.
HENRI ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 18, Rue
de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, France, and 5, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS OF TREATING AND CURING
TOBACCO." A communication from Charles Hornbostel, of the City, County, and
State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to a new process of treating and curing tobacco for the
purpose of improving its quality and rendering it more palatable and less injurious
to the user, and to simplifying the process and reducing the expenses of manufacture,
and consists in treating the tobacco with air charged with chemical oxygen, by
means of which the nitrogenous substances become readily oxydized and eliminated,
and in consequence whereof the tobacco becomes improved in taste, flavour, and
burning.
In carrying out the Invention an air-tight compartment is used of any desired
construction for holding the tobacco to be treated, into which compartment is
forced by means of an air-pump or any similar air-forcing apparatus from the place
of its manufacture or storage, the chemical oxygen mixed with atmospheric air.
The tobacco is placed, either as leaf or in a manufactured state, in such compart-
ment in such a manner that the current of oxygenated air on being forced in and
in passing through the tobacco penetrates all parts evenly and alike.
For obtaining the needful oxydizing effect in the carrying out of the Invention
the following method is best adapted:-The compartment holding the tobacco is

page_text: connected with a suitably-constructed vessel for receiving a mixture of black oxidė
of manganese and sulphuric acid in about equal proportions, which said vessel is
also connected with an air-forcing apparatus in such a manner that on forcing air
into said vessel a current of air under pressure is discharged upon and mixes with
the mixture of manganese and sulphuric acid, and on leaving said vessel passes into
the compartment holding the tobacco, and becomes forced through this. The air
from its contact and mixing with aforesaid mixture becomes possessed of a highly-
increased oxydizing effect, and is thus rendered proper for the purpose of the
Invention. Instead of using manganese only in the aforesaid mixture a compound
may be obtained by fusing two parts of caustic potash with one part of manganese,
thereby obtaining a stronger oxydizing action.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henri Adrien Bonneville in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
October 1879.
HENRI ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 18, Rue
de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, France, and 5, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS OF TREATING AND CURING
TOBACCO." A communication by Charles Hornbostel, of the City, County, and
State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to a new process of treating and curing tobacco for the
purpose of improving its quality and rendering it more palatable and less injurious
to the user, and to simplifying the process and reducing the expenses of manu-
facture, and consists in treating the tobacco with air charged with chemical oxygen,
by means of which the nitrogenous substances become readily oxydized and
eliminated, and in consequence whereof the tobacco becomes improved in taste,
flavour, and burning. In carrying out the Invention an air-tight compartment is
used of any desired construction for holding the tobacco to be treated, into which
compartment is forced by means of an air-pump or any similar air-forcing apparatus
from the place of its manufacture or storage, the chemical oxygen mixed with
atmospheric air. The tobacco is placed, either as leaf or in a manufactured state,
in such compartment, in such a manner that the current of oxygenated air on
being forced in and in passing through the tobacco penetrates all parts evenly
and alike.
For obtaining the needed oxydizing effect in the carrying out of the Invention
the following method is best adapted:-The compartment holding the tobacco is
connected with a suitably-constructed vessel for receiving a mixture of black oxyde
of manganese and sulphuric acid in about equal proportions, which said vessel is
connected with an air-forcing apparatus in such a inanner that on forcing air into
said vessel a current of air under pressure is discharged upon and mixes with the
mixture of manganese and sulphuric acid, and on leaving said vessel passes into
the compartment holding the tobacco, and becomes forced through this. The air, from
its contact and mixing with aforesaid mixture becomes possessed of a highly increased
oxydizing effect, and is thus rendered proper for the use of the Invention. Instead
of using manganese only in the aforesaid mixture a compound may be obtained by
fusing two parts of caustic potash with one part of manganese, thereby obtaining a
stronger oxydizing action. However, other known methods of generating oxygen
and creating an oxydizing effect stronger than that which the atmospheric oxygen
in a normal state will exert might be applied. On the energy of the oxydizing effect
applied will depend the length and thoroughness of the treatment.
The object of the Invention has heretofore been only partly accomplished by the
usual processes of sweating and fermenting, and many attempts have been made
to improve upon such processes without effect of the constituent parts of tobacco;
some have to undergo great changes before it is fit for use. The nicotine in the
new tobacco is combined with a great variety of nitrogenous substances, which are
the source of a bitter and harsh taste and of a raw and rank flavour, and also of an
imperfect combustion of the tobacco when smoked. On the thorough elimination
of these nitrogenous substances from the tobacco depends its fitness for use. Age
will partly bring this effect about, also ferimentation; artificial stimulation and pro-
longing of fermentation is much practised for throwing off these objectionable
properties. The tobacco is also frequently subjected to the influence of high
temperatures for destroying its vegetable life, and thereby to insure its keeping.
The disadvantages of these proceedings are manifold; they retard the use of new
tobacco, endanger the quality, and are often the cause of the loss of the tobacco,
and finally effect but partially what is needed and wanted.

page_text: The Invention is destined to overcome these disadvantages, and also to improve
the quality of the tobacco to a degree so far not obtainable through treatments
known or in use.
The successful carrying out of the Invention does not so much depend upon any
exact quantitative proportions in which the chemical oxygen should be present in
the volume of air with which the tobacco is treated; however, it is conditioned on
the presence of an oxygen effect from a chemical source and of more oxydizing
energy than the atmospheric oxygen is possessed of. The application of atmo-
spheric oxygen in a normal state alone will not exert sufficient oxydation on
the oxydizable constituent bodies of the tobacco for serving the purpose of the
Invention.
What I claim as new and my Invention is the process herein described of
treating and curing tobacco through artificial oxydation by subjecting the tobacco
to the action of chemically generated oxygen or a current of air charged with an
oxygen effect from a chemical source, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
H. BONNEVILLE. (LS.)