IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF STARCH YIELDING MATERIALS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR 13
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT. to James Henry Staples Wildsmith of 131 Upper Kennington
Lane in the county of Surrey, Manufacturing Chemist for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF STARCH YIELDING MATERIALS AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR
13
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Henry Staples
Wildsmith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
28th August 1883.
JAMES HENRY STAPLES WILDSMITH of 131 Upper Kennington Lane in the
County of Surrey, Manufacturing Chemist "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
OF STARCH-YIELDING MATERIALS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
"
My invention has for its object a more simple and effective method of
disintegration of starch yielding matters such as maize, rice and other grain for
the preparation of brewing meal with or without conversion into glucose and
convertible into starch and dextrine or either of them, more readily than by the
ordinary method of treatment as I have hereinafter described.
For the purpose of carrying out this my method, I take any given quantity of
the starch containing substance and place the whole in a vat large enough to
rather more than contain all and provided with a cover and of any shape,
preferably rectangular, with plug-hole or pipe in the bottom covered by means of
fine grating or perforated metal, so as to prevent loss of material. This I term
the macerating vat. Having closed the same, I next run onto the substance
placed in it a saturatedsolution of of calcic oxide and 1/, water and allow the
same to macerate for 36 to 48 hours, at the end of which time I draw the plug or
open the tap at the bottom and allow the solution with the dissolved fusil or
grain oil and albuminoidal matters to drain off.
da
I next run a quantity of water on the top and over the whole charge so as to
completely remove and dissolve out all these soluble matters and if desirable I add
to the wash water a small quantity of sulphurous acid to dissolve out any calcic
oxide or carbonate that may remain in the mass. Other acids may be used for*

page_text: this purpose but I prefer sulphurous acid as it produces considerable bleaching
effects. The whole is lastly treated with water only and allowed to drain as much
as it will. It is then removed out of the tank on to a floor, which has been
covered with thick felt, where it remains another 48 hours or so. At this point
the rice or other grain will have been rendered so porous and soft as to readily
absorb suflicient dilute acid for its conversion into glucose or be easily crushed or
ground to a pulp for the liberation of starch.
Secondly, for the conversion into glucose: For this purpose I simply take the
macerated grain somewhat drained and dried and treat it with solution of acid,
either sulphuric or hydrochloric, but by preference sulphuric, especially when a
pure article is required, and well mix the same to allow the whole to rest until the
grain has absorbed sufficient of the acid "to ensure its conversion into glucose or
dextro-maltose, determining this by the object required and in the manner hore-
after described. I however prefer first to convert the macerated grain into what I
term "
green starch" before treating with dilute acid and before conversion as
hereafter set forth, as yielding the best and purest glucose or dextro-maltose.
Diastase may also be used in place of the dilute acid and I find a temperature of
130° to 140 for about the first hour preferable which may be afterwards raised to
the usual temperature of 158° F. I prefer to have my converter of the cylindrical
shape with a hollow shaft passing through its whole length and perforated here.
and there with holes say: 1 foot apart and / of an inch in diameter, such shaft is
made so as to revolve preferably at the rate of 7 to 9 revolutions pr minute, and
on which I cause to be fitted a double blade in the manner of the archimedian
screw and perforated.in like manner as the shaft only the holes have ½ of an inch
diameter and are by preference 1 inch or not more than 1%, inch apart. The holes
in the hollow shaft are made to correspond with the hollow screw-like blades for
the purpose of supplying steam and rapidly mixing the same with the prepared
charge of material operated upon.
Such hollow shaft and screw-like blades are preferably not more than 1 foot in
diameter and fixed as near the bottom of the converter as possible, such converter
being fitted with manholo, feed box, safety gauge &c.
This arrangement is much more effectual and rapid in action than any other:
known to me and yields a product much superior and less coloured, especially when
the material operated upon is in the state of "green starch," and leaves but slight
débris except that added for neutralizing the acid and purification of syrup thus
saving much time and cost in the manufacture. Besides by this my arrangement,
a sinuller vessel for converter than is usual may be used as my process may be inade
almost a continuous one, for the time taken up working a charge is so short, only
about 20 minutes, when the grain is used in the solid porous state as above set
forth. For this purpose I use a second vat placed at a lower level than the
converter and in which any further boiling and neutralization may be effected
during the time a further charge is being mado in the converter. The completion
of the process must be tested in the usual way with solution of fodine and alcohol
of 90° the first for free starch and the latter for dextrine. When the process is
found to be complete, I neutralize with fine carbonate of lime and use therewith a
little animal charcoal say 56 lbs to 2 tons of grain; about 20 lbs. of this quantity
is first converted into monophosphate of lime and added to the syrup before using
the chalk and when nearly neutralized the remainder of the animal charcoal is
added and the whole boiled for a few minutes and neutralization completed. The
whole solution may then be run off into a subsiding tank and there allowed to
settle for 12 or 14 hours, then run off and the precipitate wash drained and
pressed. The liquor is perfectly bright and has a Sp. g. of 15° to 20° Beaumé and
is now evaporated in vacuo to 30°-35° Beaumé or may be at once diluted and
used for brewing for beer vinegar and spirits.
In the third place I grind or crush the macerated material under a stream of
water after the manner of starch making and soparate the husky inatter and
broken cellular tissue by means of a sieve through which the starch and water

page_text: "
pass and are collected in a tank placed at a lower level and so fixed as to receive
the whole as it runs through the sieves and therein allowed to settle. The water
being syphoned and run off, the meal is further washed if desired a second time.
The result I term "Green Starch meal" which may be used as above stated for the
production of Glucose, Dextro-maltose capillair syrup" and sugar-starch or
dextrine. Or fourthly the grain after maceration as above described for the
removal of the fusil oil and nitrogenous matter may be dried and then ground to
meal and will in this state be found by my process to form the best brewing meal
devoid of noxious matter, more easily and completely acted on by diastase of
the malt used and producing lighter and better wort than can be obtained by any
ordinary method

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Henry Staples Wildsmith in the Patent Office on the
28th February 1884.
JAMES HENRY STAPLES WILDSMITH of 131 Upper Kennington Lane in the
County of Surrey, Manufacturing Chemist "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
OF STARCH-YIELDING MATERIALS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR"
My invention has for its object a more simple and effective method of disinte
gration of starch yielding material such as potatoes, maize, rice and other grain
for the preparation of "brewing meal" with or without conversion into glucoso
and convertible into starch and dextrine or either of them more readily than by
the ordinary method of treatinent.
The accompanying drawing is a vertical sectional elevation of the converter
which I employ in carrying out my invention for the conversion into glucose.
I take any given quantity of the starch containing substance and place the
whole of it in a vat large enough to rather more than contain the whole of it,
provided with a cover, and of any suitable shape, but preferably rectangular, and
having a draw-off cock or equivalent at the bottom protected by a fine grating or
perforated falso bottom to prevent loss of the material. This I term the macerating
vat and its construction will be well understood.
Having closed the vat tight, I run onto the substance placed in it a saturated
solution of two thirds (%) of calcic oxide and one third (/) water (or the '/
portion of water may be omitted altogether or modified) and allow the contents of
the vat to macerate for 36 to 48 hours, more or less, at the end of which time I open
the tap or equivalent at the bottom and allow the solution with the dissolved fusil
or grain oil and albuminoidal matters to drain of.
I next run a quantity of water (adding if desirable an alkali or alkaline earth in
solution at the rate of 2 to 2%, per cent) on the top and over the whole charge so
as to aid the more complete removal of, and dissolve out these soluble matters;
I then wash with water again, allow to drain, and then cover the whole with water
containing a small quantity of neutral sulphito of soda say 2 to 3 per cent or other
combination of this acid, letting the same stand for several hours, and I then add
an equivalent proportion of sulphuric or other mineral acid to decomposo the salt
used and liberate the sulphurous acid in combination, and so act on the starchy
matter in the nascent state so as to bleach it and complete its purification, Other
acids may be used for this purpose, but I prefer the above on account of the
bleaching effects. The whole mass is lastly treated with water only and allowed
to drain as much as it will and is then removed from the vat on to a floor which
has been covered with thick felt, where it remains for another 48 hours or so.
At this point the rice or other grain will have been rendered so porous and soft
as to readily absorb sufficient dilute acid for its conversion into glucose, or be
easily crushed or ground to a pulp for the liberation of the starch.
For the conversion into glucose I simply take the macerated grain as above set
forth, somewhat drained and dried and treat it with a solution of acid, either
sulphuric or hydrochloric but by preference sulphuric, especially when a pure
article is required, well mix and allow the whole to rest until the grain has
absorbed sufficient acid to ensure its conversion into, glucose or dextro-maltose,
determining this by the object required and in the manner hereafter described.
I however prefer first to convert the macerated grain into what I term "green
starch." before treating with dilute acid and before conversion as hereafter set
forth, as yielding the best and purest glucose or dextro-maltose, diastase may also
be used in place of the dilute acid but for the most complete conversion the

page_text: diastase must be supplemented by the additional treatment of dilute sulphuric
acid,
3
ว
EPG 14
If diastase be used I find a temperature of 130° to 140°-Fahrenheit, for, about
the first two hours preferable, which may be afterwards raised to, the u
the usual
temperature of 158° Fahrenheit
· The converter A is shown in the drawing and is preferably cylindrical with a
hollow shaft or tube B passing through it and perforated with holes C which may
be say of an inch in diameter and spaced at convenient distances apart.
"
Round the hollow shaft B is coiled a worm, D'also,hollow and perforated with
holes E but spaced much closer together, so constructed, as to be capable of being
revolved say by means of the pulley F at a suitable speed-generally 7 to 9.
revolutions per minute. A stuffing box G makes a tight joint with the converter
and the open end of the shaft B passes through the converter into the steam-box
or case H which is supplied with steam by the pipe I the steam entering the open
end of the tube B filling both that and the worm and escaping into the converter
by the holes C and E.
The precise form of this worm can of course be varied if desired; for instance
it could be cast in one hollow piece and the worm might become a complete screw
thread in one piece with the shaft. However I find the form above described to
give very satisfactory results. The worm is located as near the bottom of the
converter as possible and its function is to supply steam to the charge in the
converter and mix the steam in with the charge so that the whole may be equally
and thoroughly saturated.
The converter is also provided with the pipe K to admit. the acid and the pipe L
to admit the charge both these being provided with stop cocks. There is also a
pressure gauge M safety valve N and man-hole O and all usual accessories.
This arrangement is much more effectual and rapid in action than any other
known to me and yields a product much superior and less coloured especially,
when the material operated upon is in the state of "green starch" and leaves but
slight debris or refuse to be got rid of in the after process of refining the glucose
except that added for neutralizing the acid and for the purification of syrup, thus
saving much time and cost in the manufacture. A smaller vessel also than usual
can be employed for the converter, as my process may be made almost a
continuous one on account of the very short time-generally only about five or
six minutes-occupied in changing a charge. When the grain is used in the solid
porous state above described the operation of working the charge usually lasts,
1 Hour to 1/, Hours, often less, according to the degree of conversion. In order
to make the process as continuous as possible, I use a boiling vat rather above the
level of the converter in which the preliminary mixing with boiling acid and
water is carried on and from which the partially prepared material is run into the
high pressure converter. I employ a second vat placed at a lower level than the
converter in which any requisite further boiling and neutralization may be
effected during the time that a fresh charge is being placed in the converter.
The completion of the process may be tested in the usual way with solution of
iodine and alcohol of 90° the first for free starch and the latter for dextrine.
When the process is found to be complete I neutralize with fine carbonate of
lime or carbonate of baryta using therewith a little animal charcoal, say about
56 lbs to 2 tons of grain; about 20 lbs of this quantity is first converted into
monophosphate of lime and added to the syrup before using the carbonate of lime
and when nearly neutralized the remainder of the animal charcoal is added and
the whole boiled for a few minutes and neutralization completed. The whole
solution may then be run off into a subsiding tank and there allowed to settle for
about 6 or 8 hours and the precipitate wash drained and filtered. The liquor is
perfectly bright and of a specific gravity of 15° to 20° Beaumé and is now
concentrated to 28° or 30° Beaumé again filtered or pressed to remove any
remaining sulphate of lime and finished in vacuo to 35° or 40° Beaumé as may

page_text: be required, or may be at once diluted and used for brewing for bear vinegar and
spirits.
In the third place I grind or crush the macerated material under a stream of
water, after the manner of starch making, and separate the husky matter and
broken cellular tissue by means of a sieve through which the starch and water
pass, and are collected in a tank placed at a lower level (so fixed as to receive the
whole as it runs through the sieve) and therein allowed to settle.
"
The water being syphoned and run off, the starch is further washed if desired a
second time. The result I term "green starch which may be used as above
stated for the production of glucose, dextro-maltose," capillair syrup," grape sugar
and starch or dextrine.
Or in the fourth place, the grain after maceration as above described for the
removal of the fusil oil and nitrogenous matters, may be dried and then ground to
meal, and will in this state be found by my process to form the best " brewing
meal" devoid of noxious matter, more easily and completely acted on by the
diastase of the malt used, and producing a fuller and more palatable bear than can
be obtained by any ordinary method.
Having now described my invention and the manner of performing the same
I claim.
•
First: The breaking of the cellular tissues and removal of the fusil or grain
oil and albuminoidal matters by treating with a saturated solution of calcio oxido
substantially in the manner specified.
Second-The addition to the washwater of an alkaline earth, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
Third The further dissolving out the soluble matters by treatment with
neutral sulphite of soda or its equivalent substantially as specified.
Fourth-The addition of sulphuric acid or its equivalent to the neutral
sulphite of soda previously introduced substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
Fifth-The combination with a converter A of the worm (or equivalent) B D
capable of being revolved and provided with holes or apertures CE constructed
and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth and shown.
Sixth-The employment of the boiling vat in which the preliminary mixing
and treatment takes place thus lessening the work required in the high pressure
converter and shortening the time required for the complete process substantially
as set forth:
In witness whereof I the said James Henry Staples Wildsmith have hereunto set
my hand and seal this twenty second day of February in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
S
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HIINSATIM 'SH