A NOVEL TREATMENT OF MAIZE OR INDIAN CORN TO OBTAIN A PRODUCT SUITABLE FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Wellesley Elliot, of Bruges, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, for an Invention of "A NOVEL TREATMENT OF MAIZE OR INDIAN
CORN TO OBTAIN A PRODUCT SUITABLE FOR MAKING BEVERAGES." Partly
a communication by Charles Van Outrive, of Roulers, Belgium.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Wellesley Elliot at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th April 1881.
ARTHUR WELLESLEY ELLIOT, of Bruges, in the Kingdom of Belgium. "A NOVEL
TREATMENT OF MAIZE OR INDIAN CORN TO OBTAIN A PRODUCT SUITABLE FOR
MAKING BEVERAGES." [Partly a communication by Charles Van Outrive, of Roulers,
Belgium.]
The object of this Invention is to prepare or treat maize or Indian corn so as to
obtain a product which will form a good and economical substitute for coffee or
chicory, or which can be otherwise utilized as a beverage.
The manner in which I prepare or treat the maize or Indian corn is as follows:―
I first roast it, and this I prefer to effect by submitting it in a revolving cylinder or
pan, or other suitable apparatus, to the action of a slow coke furnace, and in some
cases in order to facilitate the roasting operation I crack or roughly crush the grain
or berry beforehand. I continue the roasting operation until the grain has attained
a yellowish brown color penetrating the whole of the substance, and it is necessary
to carefully watch the operation and to regulate the heat of the furnace to one
proper and uniform degree. In order that the grain may not become calcined or
caked I introduce into the roasting pan a comparatively small proportion of chicory
roots, which may afterwards be separated or if preferred be left with the roasted
grain and be ground therewith.
Or the caking of the grain while roasting may be avoided by mixing with it a
small quantity of a material such as sand, which could be afterwards removed by
sifting.
The roasted grain is then cooled in rocking cooling cylinders, or by being raked
or stirred on suitable cooling surfaces or otherwise, and I then crush or grind it

page_text: into either a powder or small grain as required like chicory or coffee. This may be
effected in vertical or horizontal mills of stone or steel or in large coffee mills or
disintegrators.
The novel product thus obtained forms a good and economical substitute for
coffee, as it possesses in a considerable measure some of the best qualities of this
plant, especially the flavour and aroma, and it is besides more nutritious; or it may
be employed to manufacture fermented or distilled drinks. For any of these uses
it may be mixed with other ingredients according to requirement, for example,
when employed as a substitute for coffee, it may be mixed in various proportions
with coffee or chicory. A mixture of equal parts of maize and chicory with a
slight addition of good coffee makes an excellent and cheap beverage.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Arthur Wellesley Elliot in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th October 1881.
ARTHUR WELLESLEY ELLIOT, of Bruges, in the Kingdom of Belgium. "A NOVEL
TREATMENT OF MAIZE OR INDIAN CORN TO OBTAIN A PRODUCT SUITABLE FOR
MAKING BEVERAGES.” (Partly a communication by Charles Van Outrive, of
Roulers, Belgium.)
The object of this Invention is to prepare or treat maize or Indian corn so as to
obtain a product which will form a good and economical substitute for coffee or
chicory, or which can be otherwise utilized as a beverage.
The manner in which I prepare or treat maize or Indian corn is as follows:-
I first roast it, and this I prefer to effect by submitting it in a revolving cylinder
or pan, or other suitable apparatus, to the action of a slow coal or coke furnace, and
in some cases in order to facilitate the roasting operation I crack or roughly crush
the grain or berry beforehand. I continue the roasting operation until the grain
has attained a yellowish brown color penetrating the whole of the substance, and
it is necessary to carefully watch the operation and to regulate the heat of the
furnace to one proper and uniform degree. In order that the grain may not become
calcined or caked I sometimes find it of advantage to introduce into the roasting
pan a small quantity of sand or other suitable material of a non-deleterious nature,
which I afterwards remove by sifting.
I then cool the roasted grain in rocking cooling cylinders, or by raking or
stirring it on suitable cooling surfaces or otherwise, and I then crush or grind it
into either a powder or small grain as required like chicory or coffee. This may be
effected in vertical or horizontal mills of stone or steel or in large coffee mills or
disintegrators.
The novel product thus obtained forms a good and economical substitute for
coffee, as it possesses in a considerable measure some of the best qualities of this
plant, especially the flavour and aroma, and it is besides more nutritious and less
exciting; or it may be employed to manufacture fermented or distilled or aerated
drinks. For any of these uses it may be mixed with other ingredients according
to requirement. When employed as a substitute for coffee it may be mixed in
various proportions with roasted and ground coffee or chicory. A mixture
consisting of 50 per cent. of my roasted and ground maize, 30 per cent. of chicory,
and 20 per cent. of coffee, makes an excellent and cheap beverage; a mixture
consisting of 60 per cent. of the maize and 40 per cent. of coffee forms a still
better but not quite so cheap a beverage as the foregoing, although much cheaper
than ordinary coffee.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
The treatment of maize or Indian corn, substantially as hereinbefore described,
in order to obtain a product suitable for making beverages.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Wellesley Elliot, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.
ARTHUR W. ELLIOT. (L.S.)