Improvements in Corn Product for Brewers' Use and in the Manufacture thereof.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Oct., 1890-Accepted, 29th Nov., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Corn Product for Brewers' Use and in the
Manufacture thereof.
I, HERVEY BATES, Junior, of Indianapolis, Marion County, State of Indiana, United
States of America, Manufacturer, 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 :—
This invention relates to the art of manufacturing from "Indian corn” or “maize”
a product specially adapted to brewing purposes.
"
My invention has for its object the production of a new alimentary product from
Indian corn and maize which shall have especial adaptitude for brewing purposes.
It is well known by those skilled in the treatment of Indian corn or maize to bring
it to a condition for use by brewers that it is impossible to rupture the starch-corpuscles
of the grain by crushing it in a dry state and hence various plans have been suggested
and a variety of processes devised involving the generic idea of moistening the grain
and subsequently crushing it, so as to expose the starchy contents, whereby it may be
directly acted upon by the diastase of the malt in brewing.
The main object of my invention is to accomplish this result in a novel manner, and
at the same time to give to the product certain desirable characteristics not heretofore
obtained by any process of manufacture of which I am aware.
In order that those skilled in the art may know how to practise my improved
process and fully understand the resultant effects, 1 will proceed to describe the several
steps of my improved process and the order in which they are taken, and to define the
characteristics of the product by which it may be readily distinguished from analogous
products.
To carry out this invention the corn is first subjected to the process of hulling and
degerminating for the removal of the exterior skin from the kernel and extracting the
germ. The hard corn granules are then placed in a suitable basin or lank of warm
water, plenty of water being used, to completely soften and bleach the granules, care
being taken to keep the temperature high enough to hasten the softening process and
yet sufficiently below the boiling point to obviate any possibility of cooking the corn,
thereby gelatinizing the starch or toughening the granules in any way. The exact
temperature and length of time will vary with the condition of the corn, new corn as
a rule being softer and tenderer to begin with than old corn." A little experience
enables the operater to judge of the proper temperature. I have found from experience
that good results are obtained by the use of water varying in temperature from 70°
to 100° Fahrenheit. When the granules have become soft throughout their entire
mass they are conveyed from the tank and are passed between closely-adjusted cold
rolls when all of the starch corpuscles throughout the soft and swollen kernel are
ruptured and the starchy contents freely exposed. After leaving the rolls, the
completed product is produced by drying the laminated particles in any well-known
way, the result being dry tender approximately white absorbent flakes.
It has been common heretofore to soften corn by cooking it, but this gelatinizes the
starch and greatly deteriorates the value for brewers' use. The same may also be said
of steaming which acts chemically on the component parts of the kernel and toughens
as well as softens the grain.
I am aware that it is not new in the treatment of Indian corn or maize to first effect
a separation of the bulls and impurities from the kernels in a variety of ways and then to
subject the granular product to the action of steam, and subsequently to roll the same
between heated rolls to bring the product into the condition of flakes; but this mode
of treatment which necessarily subjects the corn to a high degree of heat, (which must
exist in the steam) and to a greater or less degree according to the temperature of the

page_text: "heated" rolls, results in gelatinizing the starch and a partial conversion of the same
into sugar, so that the final product-namely the thin white flakes-have a hard or
semi-gelatinized quality which requires some appreciable time to soften by contact
with moisture. I do not therefore lay claim to any such process or to any such resultant
product my process and product differing therefrom in the particular that at no time
do I allow the material being treated to be subjected to a cooking heat and I thereby
avoid any possibility of any cooking effect and as a result the finished product consists
of thin flakes which are dry, very tender, approximately white, and exceedingly
absorbent.
It is not desired to limit this invention to corn which has been hulled and
degerminized. While this step is desirable in that by the removal of these unessential
parts a cleaner product is obtained it is evident that grain in its entirety may be used
or if desired the hominy, grits, or corn meal of commerce might be substituted without
departing from the spirit of this invention or seriously impairing the value of the
product for brewers' use.
The soaking of corn in water warmed to accelerate the softening without steaming
or cooking is claimed only when combined with the step of passing the soft particles
between close cold rolls whereby the starch cells are ruptured and of subsequently
drying as specified. By said steps this process is distinguished from any other for
the preparation of corn for brewing purposes.
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 :-
1. As a new article of manufacture the herein described corn product consisting of
dry very tender uncooked or gelatinized and very absorbent flakes.
2. The process of preparing corn which consists in soaking the corn in warm water
(in contradistinction to the use of steam) until perfectly soft throughout then draining
the water from the grains then rupturing the maximum of starch corpuscles by
laminating the grain between cold rolls and subsequently drying the resulting flakes
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.