IMPROVEMENTS IN SYRUPS, MINERAL WATERS, AND OTHER BEVERAGES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolphus Clark, of Frith Street, Soho, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SYRUPS, MINERAL
WATERS, AND OTHER BEVERAGES." A communication from abroad by Gustavus
Davis Dows, of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 6th August 1878, and dated the 9th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolphus Clark at the Office
. of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th February 1878.
ADOLPHUS CLARK, of Frith Street, Soho, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SYRUPS, MINERAL WATERS, AND OTHER BEVERAGES." [A communication
from abroad by Gustavus Davis Dows, of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United
States of America.]
The Invention communicated to me relates to improvements in syrups, mineral
waters, ciders, beers, ales, and other liquids or beverages containing carbonic acid
gas, whether natural or artificial; the object of the improvements being to create
and sustain a sparkling frothy foam or head on the drink when drawn from the
bottle or fountain, or in whatever manner drawn; and this Invention consists in
combining with syrups, mineral waters, or other beverages as aforesaid, a small
quantity of saponin extracts produced from any vegetable matters containing
saponin, such as for instance, "soap bark" from the Quillaya saponaria tree, the
root and leaves of "soap wort" (Saponaria officinalis), seneca or snake root, and
of the various species of smilax or other vegetable products containing saponin as
aforesaid.
The saponin extract may be obtained from the vegetable products containing the
same by soaking, steeping, or boiling such products in water, alcohol, ether, or
by any other menstruum or process by which the saponin properties may be
extracted.
This liquid extract of saponin is or may be separated and prepared by any other
suitable process, and is afterwards filtered or strained, and is then ready to be

page_text: mixed with the syrup, mineral water, aërated liquor, or other beverage. This gum
or liquid containing saponin, when mixed in small quantities with syrups, mineral
waters, and other beverages, produces a beautiful sparkling frothy foam or head on
the drink; and what is still better, this foam remains on the drink for a long time,
so that the carbonic acid gas in the drink is prevented from escaping, and the drink
thereby retains its vivacity, and invigorating properties a long time after it is
drawn.
Where soda water or ginger ale is drawn, it fills the glass with a beautiful cream-
like foam which remains for a long time.
It is also excellent in small beer, for champagne-cider, and in all preparations
where carbonic acid gas exists, either fermented, charged natural, or artificial. This
saponin gum is very pure and wholesome, will not hurt or spoil or make any liquid
morbid or cloudy whether used in large or small quantities.
It has also the tendency to preserve beer and syrups from souring.
The advantage of the froth and foam produced by this mixture of saponin extract
with the drinks is not merely to please the eye, but it tends to hold the carbonic
acid gas a long while in the liquid after it is drawn, which makes a drink taste
more palatable and pleasant. Where this saponin extract is used, the soda water,
ginger ale, or whatever it is used in need not be charged as high by twenty degrees
to produce the same effect, by which a great saving is effected where liquids or
drinks are charged with carbonic acid gas.
The chief merit of combining this saponin extract with syrups, mineral waters,
and other beverages is that it prevents the carbonic acid gas from escaping from
the tumbler, and, as is well known, when soda water, beer, and similar beverages
are drawn in an open tumbler, the gas escapes so rapidly, that unless it is drunk
instantly it is flat and worthless...

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Adolphus Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th August
1878.
"IM-
ADOLPHUS CLARK, of Frith Street, Soho, in the County of Middlesex.
PROVEMENTS IN SYRUPS, MINERAL WATERS, AND OTHER BEVERAGES." A communi-
cation from abroad by Gustavus Davis Dows, of Boston, Massachusetts, in the
United States of America.
The Invention communicated to me relates to improvements in syrups, mineral
waters, ciders, beers, ales, and liquids or beverages containing carbonic acid gas,
whether natural or artificial; the object of the improvements being to create
and sustain a sparkling frothy foam or head on the drink when drawn from the
bottle or fountain, or in whatever manner drawn; and this Invention consists in
combining with syrups, mineral waters, or other beverages aforesaid a small
quantity of saponin extracts produced from any vegetable matters containing
saponin, such as for instance, "soap bark" from the Quillaya saponaria tree, the
root and leaves of "soap wort" (Saponaria officinalis), seneca or snake root, and of
the various species of similax or other vegetable products containing saponin, as
aforesaid.
The saponin extract may be obtained from the vegetable products containing the
same by soaking, steeping, or boiling such products in water, alcohol, ether, or any
other menstruum or process by which the saponin properties may be extracted.
This liquid extract of saponin is or may be separated and prepared by any other
suitable process, and is afterwards filtered and strained, and is then ready to be
mixed with the syrup, mineral water, aërated liquors, or other beverages. This
gum or liquid containing saponin when mixed in small quantities with syrups,
mineral waters, and other beverages produces a beautiful sparkling, frothy foam, or
head on the beverage; and what is still better, this foam remains on the beverage
for a long time, so that the carbonic acid gas in the beverage is prevented from
escaping, and the beverage thereby retains its vivacity and invigorating properties
a long time after it is drawn.
Where soda water or ginger ale is drawn, it fills the glass with a beautiful cream-
like foam, which remains for a long time.
It is also excellent in small beer, for champagne-cider, and in all preparations
where carbonic acid gas exists, either fermented, charged natural, or artificial. This
saponin gum is very pure and wholesome, will not hurt or spoil or make any liquid
morbid or cloudy, whether used in large or small quantities.
It has also the tendency to preserve beer and syrups from souring.
The advantage of the froth and foam produced by this mixture of saponin
extract with the drinks as aforesaid, is not merely to please the eye, but it tends to
hold the carbonic acid gas a long while in the liquid after it is drawn, which makes
the drink taste more palatable and pleasant. Where this saponin extract is used,
the soda water, ginger ale, or other beverage need not be charged as high by twenty
degrees as heretofore to produce the same effect, by which a great saving is effected
when liquids or drinks are charged with carbonic acid gas.
The chief merit of combining this saponin extract with syrups, mineral waters, or
other beverages is that it prevents the carbonic acid gas from escaping from the
tumbler, and as is well known, when soda water, beers, and similar beverages are
drawn in an open tumbler, the gas escapes so rapidly that unless the beverage be
drunk at once it becomes flat and comparatively worthless.
Having thus fully described the Invention cominunicated to me, I wish it to be
understood that what is claimed and intended to be secured by the herein in part
recited Letters Patent is, the combination of saponin extracted from vegetable
products with syrups, mineral waters, ciders, beers, ales, or other liquids or

page_text: beverages containing carbonic acid gas, whether natural or artificial, as and for the
purposes berein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adolphus Clark, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
G. F. REDFERN,
Patent Agent,
4 South St.,
Finsbury,
London..
·ADOLPHUS CLARK. (LS.)