An Improved Method of Preparing Compressed Spices.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th June, 1890-Accepted, 12th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Preparing Compressed Spices.
ERNEST HEINRICH 36 Mark Lane London E.C. Merchant, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The purport of this invention is, to provide an improved method of utilising broken,
shrivelled & otherwise defective nutmegs, which on account of their faulty condition
are of low market value.
My manner to proceed is as follows:
I first subject the defective nutmegs to a process of cutting up or chopping into
pieces, preferably not larger than a pea, but during this operation smaller pieces & some
grit are also formed.
I then proceed to make a thin paste by mixing any suitable kind of flour or
farinaceous substance with a solution of gum tragacanth or of some other gum, or
with some other liquid adhesive substance, whichever may best commend itself to my
choice, for the production of a strongly binding paste.
Of this paste I knead into the chopped nutmegs a quantity, sufficient to produce a
plastic dough.
This dough I roll out to a suitable thickness, cut it up into pieces of the size of
nutmegs & subject these pieces to pressure in a mould which represents the exact
negative of a nutmeg. By this operation consequently, the compressed dough receives
the outward shape & the veined markings of a nutmeg.
"
After removing them from this mould, the "artificial nutmegs as I will now call
them are put out to dry & may then be used in the same way as genuine nutmegs are
used.
In carrying out my invention, although preferring to use chopped pieces of nutmeg,
because on section they somewhat preserve the peculiar mottled appearance of the
interior of a nutmeg, still I do not confine myself to using these pieces but sometimes
use powdered nutmegs in conjunction with the binding paste instead. Neither do I
confine myself to forming the dough into the shape of nutmegs but at times give it
other suitable forms.
In a similar manner to the above I also treat all the other spices, mixing them either
whole or ground with the aforesaid paste & compressing them into sticks or bars or
other suitable shapes, so as to provide a handy collection of spices for the kitchen or
for the dinner table, these sticks or bars etc. to be used in a similar manner as are
nutmegs, viz. by rubbing them on the grater.
Dated this 10th day of September 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Preparing Compressed Spices.
I, ERNEST HEINRICH 36 Mark Lane, London E.C. Merchant 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 first part of this invention is intended to provide an improved method of
utilising broken, shrivelled or otherwise defective nutmegs, which on account of their
faulty condition or appearance are of low market value.
My manner to proceed is as follows:
I first subject the defective nutmegs to a process of disintegration by cutting
or chopping them into pieces, preferably not larger than a pea, but during this opera-
tion smaller pieces & some grit are also formed. I then proceed to make a thin paste,

page_text: by mixing any suitable kind of flour or farinaceous substance with a solution of gum
tragacanth or with some other liquid adhesive substance, whichever
may best commend
itself to my choice for the production of a strongly binding paste. Of this paste I
knead into the disintegrated nutmegs a quantity just sufficient to produce a plastic
dough. This dough I roll out to a suitable thickness, cut it up into pieces of the size
of nutmegs & subject these pieces to pressure in a mould, which represents the exact
negative of a nutmeg. By this operation the compressed dough receives the outward
shape & the veined markings of a nutmeg. Or I attain the object of a slight com-
pression & the moulding & marking of the dough into the shape of a nutmeg by rolling
the cut up pieces of dough in a pill machine, the grooves of which are engraved with
the veined markings of the exterior of a nutmeg in negative. After removing them
from these moulds, the "artificial nutmegs" (as I will now call them) are put out to
dry & may then be used in the same manner as natural ones. In carrying out this
invention, although preferring to use coarsely chopped pieces of nutmeg (because on
section they somewhat preserve the peculiar mottled appearance of the interior of a
nutmeg) I do not confine myself to using these pieces but sometimes use finely ground
nutmegs in conjunction with the binding paste instead ; neither do I confine myself to
forming the dough into the shape of a nutmeg, but at times give it other suitable
forms.
The second part of this invention is :-
To treat all the other spices in a similar manner, that is: mixing them, either whole
or disintegrated, with a binding substance & compressing them into sticks, bars or
other suitable shapes so as to provide a handy collection of spices for the kitchen or
for the dinner table, these sticks or bars etc. to be used like nutmegs, viz. by rubbing
them on a grater. I also sometimes blend several kinds of spices together & treat
them in the manner described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is this:
1. The manufacture of artificial nutmegs essentially in the manner described
above.
2. Using coarsely disintegrated nutmegs in the manufacture of artificial nutmegs.
3. Using finely ground nutmegs for the same purpose.
4. Mixing disintegrated nutmegs with an adhesive paste for the purpose of cementing
the former together.
5. The use of a mould, representing a negative of the outward appearance of
a nutmeg.
6. The use of a pill-machine, the grooves of which are engraved with the veined
exterior markings of a nutmeg in negative.
7. To compress the aforesaid nutmeg-dough into desirable shapes, other than that
of a nutmeg.
8. Mixing all the other spices either whole or disintegrated with an adhesive
substance & compressing them into any desirable shape.
9. To treat mixed or blended spices in a like manner.
Dated this 9th day of June 1890.
E. HEINRICH.