Improvements in the Treatment or Preparation of Rice and other Grain or Cereals for Brewing and other Purposes, and in Means or Apparatus Employed therein.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 11th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 10th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment or Preparation of Rice and other
Grain or Cereals for Brewing and other Purposes, and in Means
or Apparatus Employed therein.
I ALEXANDER PERRY of 71 Fairfield Road, Bow in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows':-
The object of my invention is to render rice and other grain or cereals more
suitable for brewing distilling and vinegar making and for purposes of food than
heretofore.
For this purpose I first reduce the material to be treated to a fine state of division.
by any suitable means and I then pass it into a washing chamber or cylinder which
is at one end continuously fed with cold water and at the other end is provided with
a suitable overflow outlet.
At the bottom of this washing chamber is arranged a screw conveyor whose shaft
is at one end mounted in suitable bearings and at the other end passes through a
gland or stuffing box to the outside of the chamber where it receives a rotary motion
from any suitable source of power.
The material which I desire to utilize and which subsides to the bottom of the
washing chamber is by the screw conveyor carried along the floor of the washing
chamber until it falls into a well or pocket from which it is elevated by means of a
revolving screw arranged at an angle and enclosed in a tubular shaft extending above
the washing chamber and the washed material then falls into the hopper of the
cooking apparatus hereinafter described.
The material is by the process above described freed from all impurities and in the
case of some kinds of grain the finer particles thereof and the germ which naturally
float upon the surface of the water in the washing chamber are carried away with the
overflow and may be dealt with as desired.
The washed material after passing out of the washing apparatus is received into
the hopper of a cooking apparatus which is constructed as follows:-
The feed hopper of the cooking apparatus communicates with and conducts the
material into a long tubular chamber which is surrounded by a steam jacket and is
supplied with steam at high pressure and the tubular chamber is narrowed tapered or
contracted towards the delivery end thereof and is furnished with a conveyor
consisting of a number of angularly disposed blades fixed upon a shaft which is
mounted in suitable bearings and at one end passes through a gland or stuffing box
to the outside of the tubular chamber where it is provided with a pulley or other
means by the aid of which it may receive rotary motion from any suitable source of
power.
At the feed end of the tubular chamber a pipe furnished with a suitable cock or
valve conveys a regulated supply of hot water and steam to the material under
treatment in order to soften and scald the saine and assist its conversion and a similar
pipe passing through the steam jacket at about the middle of the length of the
tubular chamber is provided for use in cases where the material is of such a nature
that by the action of the beat in the tubular chamber it is liable to become too dry to
allow of its conversion in its passage therethrough.
The conveyor forces the material through the tubular chamber and by reason of
such chamber narrowing towards the delivery end thereof the material is compacted
or compressed and the heat is enabled to act more efficiently thereon in order to
cook the material and more or less saccharify or gelatinize the starchy constituents
thereof.
The material issuing from the delivery end of the cooking annaratne
L

page_text: further treated in any desired manner but I preferably force it through a die or
grating from which it issues in the form of shreds, ribbons or filaments as hereinafter
described.
The shredding apparatus the lower end of which is enclosed in a hot air chamber
consists preferably of a circular chamber within which is fitted a plate or die formed
with a number of perforations or holes therein of any suitable size and shape and
one or several inclined curved or bevelled blades or pressers or they might be rollers
are caused to revolve in contact with the plate or die. and thus force the material
which is lying upon the plate through the perforations or holes therein.
The moist material passing through the shredding apparatus is thus caused to
issue from the holes or perforations of the plate or die in the form of glutinous
shreds, tapes or filaments which will gradually increase in length until their own
weight causes them to break and fall when they may be carried away and dried
by any suitable means.
In some cases I provide the shredding chamber with two or more perforated plates
or dies and corresponding blades, pressers or roilers and I may perforate each plate
with different sized holes preferably larger in the upper one than the lower one and
I sometimes where the nature or condition of the material renders it necessary
introduce steam or water or both into the shredding chamber in order to moisten the
inaterial under treatment.
I sometimes introduce into the cooking apparatus together with the material under
treatment the juices of vegetables or fruit or other colouring or flavouring matter in
order to flavgur and colour such material or I may introduce such juices into the
shredding apparatus together with the material.
For some purposes I introduce potato or other starch into the shredding apparatus
and combine the same with the material under treatment.
LL 1000
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment or Preparation of Rice and other
Grain or Cereals for Brewing and other Purposes, and in Means
or Apparatus Employed therein.
I ALEXANDER PERRY of 71 Fairfield Road Bow in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer 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 object of my invention is to render rice and other grain or cereals more suit-
able for brewing distilling and vinegar making and for purposes of food than
heretofore.
For this purpose I first reduce the material to be treated to a fine state of division
by any suitable means and I then pass it into a washing chamber which is at one end
continuously fed with cold water and at the other end is provided with a suitable
overflow outlet.
.
At the bottom of this washing chamber is arranged a screw conveyor whose shaft
is at one end mounted in suitable bearings and at the other end passes through a
gland or stuffing box to the outside of the chamber where it receives a rotary motion
from any suitable source of power.
The inaterial which I desire to utilize and which subsides to the bottom of the
washing chamber is by the screw conveyor carried along the floor of the washing
chamber until it falls into a well or pocket from which it is elevated by means of a
revolving screw arranged at an angle and enclosed in a tubular shaft extending
above the washing chainber and the washed material then falls into the hopper of the
cooking apparatus hereinafter described.
The material is by the process above described freed from all impurities and the finer
i

page_text: particles thereof and some or all of the germ and husk which naturally float upon the
surface of the water in the washing chamber are carried away with the overflow and
may be dealt with as desired.
The washed material after passing out of the washing apparatus is received
into the hopper of a cooking or converting apparatus which is constructed as
follows.
The feed hopper of the cooking apparatus communicates with and conducts the material
into a long tubular chamber which is surrounded by a steam jacket and supplied
with steam at high pressure and the tubular chamber is narrowed tapered or contracted
towards the delivery end thereof and is furnished with a conveyor consisting partly
of a number of angularly disposed blades and partly of a worm or screw fixed upon
a shaft which is mounted in suitable bearings and at one end passes through a gland
or stuffing box to the outside of the tubular chamber where it is provided with a
pulley or other means by the aid of which it may receive rotary motion from 'any
suitable source of power.
At the feed end of the tubular chamber pipes furnished with suitable cocks or
valves convey a regulated supply of hot water and steam to the material under treat-
ment in order to soften and scald the same and assist its conversion and a similar
steam pipe passing through the steam jacket at about the middle of the length of the
tubular chamber is provided for use in cases where the material is of such a nature
that by the action of the heat in the tubular chamber it is liable to become too dry
to allow of its conversion in its passage therethrough.
The conveyor forces the material through the tubular chamber and by reason of
such chamber narrowing towards the delivery end thereof the material is compacted
or compressed and the heat is enabled to act more efficiently thereon in order to
cook the material and more or less saccharify or gelatinize the starcby constituents
thereof.
The material issuing from the delivery end of the cooking apparatus may be
further treated in any desired manner but I preferably force it through a die or
grating from which it issues in the form of shreds ribbons or filaments as hereinafter
described.
The shredding apparatus the lower end of which is or may be enclosed in a hot
air chamber consists preferably of a circular chamber within which is fitted a plate
or die formed with a number of perforations or holes therein of any suitable size and
shape and one or several inclined curved or bevelled blades or pressers or they
might be rollers are caused to revolve in contact with the plate or die and thus force
the material which is lying upon the plate through the perforations or holes
therein.
The moist material passing through the shredding apparatus is thus caused to
issue from the holes or perforations of the plate or die in the form of glutinous shreds
tapes or filaments which will gradually increase in length until their own weight
causes them to break and fall when they may be carried away and dried by any
suitable means.
In some cases I provide the shredding chamber with two or more perforated plates
or dies and corresponding blades pressers or rollers and I inay perforate each plate
with different sized holes preferably larger in the upper one than the lower one and
I sometimes where the nature or condition of the material renders it necessary
introduce steam or water or both into the shredding chamber in order to moisten
the material under treatment.
I sometimes introduce into the cooking apparatus together with the material
under treatment the juices of esculent vegetables or fruit or other colouring or
flavouring matter in order to flavour and colour such material or I may introduce
such juices into the shredding apparatus together with the material.
For some purposes I introduce potato or other starch into the shred ling apparatus
and combine the saine with the material under treatment.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily

page_text: .
carried into effect I will proceed aided by the.accompanying drawings more fully to
describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of an apparatus constructed according
to my invention.
Figure 2 is a plan thereof with the upper part or washing chamber removed and
Figure 3 is an end view of the washing apparatus separately.
In the several figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
In the drawings I have shown two sets of- washing and cooking or converting
apparatus placed side by side and adapted to supply the converted material to one
large, shredding apparatus but as both sets are precisely alike I will for facility of
description refer only to one of them.
a, represents the washing chamber or tank which is at one end provided with a
hopper a through which the material to be treated, and which has previously been
reduced to a fine state of division by any suitable means is fed thereto.
The washing chamber a is formed of a V like section in order that the materia!
under treatment may be caused to settle in a given line at the bottom thereof and it
is at the feed end continuously supplied with cold water through an inlet a² controlled
by a cock as whilst at the delivery end it is furnished with an outlet or overflow a'.
Along the trough formed by the contracted bottom of the washing chamber a is
arranged a screw conveyor b whose shaft b' is at one end mounted in a bearing 2
carried by a bracket within the chamber a and at the other end passes through a
gland or stuffing box 64 to the outside of the chamber a where it has fixed thereon a
toothed wheel 65 which engages another toothed wheel fixed upon a short shaft
at one end mounted in bearings in a frame 6S and at the other end mounted in a
bearing carried by the washing chamber or tank a and which shaft bis provided
with fast and loose pulleys 610 11 through which it receives rotary motion from a
. belt as hereinafter described.
The material which I desire to utilize and which subsides to the bottom of the
washing chamber a is by the screw conveyor b carried along the floor of the washing
chamber a until it falls into a well or pocket as provided for that purpose from
which it is elevated by means of a revolving screw c arranged at an angle and
enclosed except at its lower end in a tubular shaft c* extending above the walls of
the washing chamber a.
The shaft c¹ of the elevator c is at its lower end supported in a footstep bearing c
carried by the bottom of the pocket whilst at its upper end it passes through a
bearing carried by the bend of the tubular shaft c* and has fixed thereon a
bevelled toothed wheel c which engages a corresponding wheel & fixed upon a short
'shaft & mounted in bearings in a frame d* and upon which shaft is also fixed a spur
wheel which engages a corresponding wheel (3 fixed upon a driven shaft d' by
which the necessary rotary motion is communicated to the elevator c whilst the driven
shaft dis provided with fast and loose pulleys d³ do to receive a belt. d** which also
passes around the pulleys 610 611 and thereby communicates motion to the screw
conveyor and the washed material is thus conveyed to the outside of the washing
chamber or tank a whence it falls through a descending shoot c** into the hopper
of the cooking apparatus hereinafter described.
The material is by the process above described free from some or all impurities and
the finer particles thereof and the germ or part thereof and the busk which naturally
float upon the surface of the water in the washing chamber or tank a are carried
away with the overflow and may be dealt with as desired.
The washed material after passing out of the washing apparatus as herein before
described falls by way of the shoot c** and opening e¹ into the hopper e of the cooking
apparatus which is constructed as follows.
The feed hopper e of the cooking apparatus is of cylindrical form and at the end
opposite to that at which the washed material is received it communicates by a suitable

page_text: opening e' with the interior of the cooking chamber f and in order to feed the material
in regulated quantities through such opening e² to the cooking chamber f I provide
a feed screw e the shaft et of which is at one end mounted on a bearing formed in
the end of the cylinder whilst at the other end it passes through a gland, or stuffing
box e in the cylinder cover which forms a bearing therefor whilst upon the extreme
end of such shaft e is fixed a toothed wheel ei through which the feed screw e³ receives
motion as hereinafter described.
The material fed forward by the feed screw falls through the opening e² into a
long tubular chamber which is surrounded by a steam jacket f¹ supplied at the upper
part thereof with steam at high pressure through a branch pipe 2 and regulating
cock whilst at the lower part thereof a cock f³ to which is connected a pipe f* is
provided to drain off the water of condensation from time to time or when a greater
degree of heat is required within the tubular chamber f I introduce superheated steam
into the jacket f¹.
The tubular chamber f is narrowed tapered or contracted towards the delivery end
thereof and is furnished with a conveyor consisting of a number of angularly disposed
blades g' fixed upon one half of the length of a shaft g and a worn or screw gl* fixed
upon the other part of such shaft.
The shaft g at the delivery end is mounted in a bearing g² carried by a beam or
girder g* whilst at the other end it passes through a gland or stuffing box fs beyond
which it is mounted in a bearing g³ carried by a bean or girder g** supported by
studs or brackets g*** from the end framing.
Upon the end of the conveyor shaft g is fixed a toothed wheel g' which engages a
toothed wheel g5 fixed upon a shaft ge mounted in bearings f g and provided with
fast and loose pulleys gs by the aid of which it may receive rotary motion from any
suitable source of power and as the toothed wheel also gears with the toothed
wheel e upon the shaft et of the feed screw the necessary rotary motion is thus
communicated both to the conveyor g¹ g¹* and feed screw e³.
At the feed end of the tubular chamber f a pipe fo furnished with a cock or
valve conveys a regulated supply of hot water whilst a similar pipe f** fitted with
a valve fi* conveys a regulated supply of steain to the stream of material entering
the tubular chamber through the opening e² in order to soften and scald the same
and assist its conversion and a steam pipe passing through the steam jacket f¹ at
about the middle of the length of the tubular chainber f and fitted with a cock fis
provided for use in cases where the material is of such a nature that by the action of
the heat in the tubular chamber fit is liable to become too dry to allow of its com-
plete conversion in its passage therethrough thus necessitating the introduction of a
jet of steam in order to moisten it.
The water is preferably supplied through the pipe from any suitable form of
water heater such as an open cistern into the lower part of which steam is introduced
in order to maintain the water at or at about boiling point the water being maintained
at a constant level in such cistern by means of a ball cock controlling the supply or
by other suitable means.
By these means I ensure a constant pressure in the pipe f and I am thus enabled
to obtain a regular supply of hot water to the material in the tubular cooking or con-
verting chamber and to adjust it with that degree of accuracy which is necessary to
the successful carrying out of the process.
The conveyor y g₁* forces the material through the tubular converting chamber f
and by reason of such chamber narrowing towards the delivery end thereof the
material is compacted or compressed and the heat given off by the steam within the
jacket is enabled to act more efficiently thereon in order to cook or convert the
material and inore or less saccharify or gelatinize the starchy constituents thereof
whilst by such tapered formation the hot water is retained at that end of the tubular
chamber where the mixing thereof with the material takes place. '
The office of the angular blades g¹ of the conveyor is to stir or agitate the
ground material and thus efficiently incorporate therewith the hot water and steam
and at the same time to carry the mass along the tubular chamber f until it reaches

page_text: the worm or screw g¹* which is better adapted to force it through the narrow part
of the tubular chamber and out at the delivery end thereof and in order to carry
the mass well beyond the end of the tubular chamber the worm or screw g¹* is
continued beyond the end thereof.
In cases where it is not considered necessary or desirable to wash the ground
material previous to the cooking operation dispense with the washing chamber a
and substitute therefor a reservoir of dry ground material which is allowed to flow
through a regulating valve into the feed hopper e¹ of the cooking apparatus or directly
into the opening e² in a given stream.
...
It will be evident that when introducing dry ground material into the cooking
apparatus the quantity of hot water admitted by the cock f must be proportionately
increased.
The material issuing from the delivery end of the converting or cooking apparatus
may be further treated in any desired manner, but I preferably force it through a
die or grating from which it issues in the form of shreds ribbons or filaments as
hereinafter described.
I have shown in the drawings two sets of apparatus such as that herein before
described arranged side by side and delivering the cooked or converted material
into one shredding apparatus as such arrangement will be found convenient and
compact in practice but it will be understood that I may if desired employ a single
washing and cooking or converting apparatus in such combination..
The shredding apparatus consists of a circular chamber h within which is fixed a
plate or die formed with a number of perforations or holes therein of any suitable
size and shape and this plate or die is preferably formed in sections and sup-
ported upon a grating h² constituting the bottom of the shredding chamber h and
to which such sections are secured by means of screws or bolts so as to be easily
removeable for the purpose ef changing the die for another of a different kind or for
other purposes as fully described in a complete specification filed in pursuance of an
application for Letters Patent made by me on the 5th day of January 1889
No. 221.
The grating is formed with lugs ³ by means of which it is firmly bolted to
the framing hand at its centre it is provided with a V pointed stud or bearing i*
to fit a correspondingly shaped seat in the lower end of a boss in the upper end
of which is fixed the lower end of a vertical shaft 23 the upper end of which
is supported in a bearing ** carried by the framing and has fixed thereon a
bevelled toothed wheel it which engages a corresponding wheel j₁ fixed upon a
horizontal shaft which is supported in bearings * carried by the framing * and
is provided with fast and loose pulleys ja around which is passed a driving belt.
from any suitable source of power and rotary motion is thus given to the vertical
shaft 3.
Passing horizontally through a vertically elongated hole or slot in the boss i and
so as to be capable of slight vertical motion therein is an axle upon which are
mounted with capability of revolution two heavy rollers, and these rollers in the
revolution of the shaft 3 run upon the plate or die and thus force the cooked
material which is lying upon the plate or die through the holes or perforations
therein the peculiar method of mounting the axle i¹ in the boss i adapting the rollers
to run loosely. on the die or plate and accommodate themselves to any slight
inequalities.
Or in lieu of the rollers 2 inclined curved or bevelled blades or pressers might be
employed as shown and described in the specification No. 221 of 1889 herein before
referred to.
Scrapers or doctors are employed to remove any material adhering to the
weighted rollers and these scrapers or doctors are carried by arms projecting
froin a boss mounted with capability of slight vertical movement upon the vertical
shaft but otherwise fixed in relation thereto and the shredding chamber his formed
or provided at its centre and periphery with inclined walls h to guide or deflect the
inaterial beneath the rollers i².

page_text: The moist material passing through the shredding apparatus is by these means
caused to issue from the holes or perforations of the die or plate in the form of
glutinous shreds tapes or filaments which will gradually increase in length until their
own weight causes them to break and fall.
The shreds tapes or filaments are received upon an endless travelling belt or apron k
which passes around a roller mounted with capability of revolution in bearings k
carried by the framing * and provided upon one end thereof with fast and loose
pulleys around which passes a band from similar pulleys j³ upon the shaft j and
the necessary motion is thus given to'the endless belt or apron k.
The endless belt or apron passes around another roller (not shown) at the extremity
of its traverse as will be readily understood and conveys the shreds tapes or filaments
to a drying apparatus of any suitable construction but that which I prefer to employ
is a rotary cylinder through which a forced draught of air is maintained and such for
example as the well known Gibbs's apparatus.
I may if desired and as described in my said former specification enclose the lower
part of the shredding apparatus in a hot air chamber or I may entirely enclose it
therein and I may provide the shredding chamber with two or more perforated plates
or dies and corresponding blades pressers or rollers arranged one above the other and
I may perforate each plate with different sized holes preferably larger in the upper one
than in the lower one and where the nature or condition of the material renders it
necessary I may introduce steam or water or both into the shredding chambers in
order to moisten the material under treatinent.
I sometimes introduce into the tubular converting chamber together with the
material under treatment the juices of esculent vegetables or fruit or other colouring
or flavouring matter in order to colour and flavour such material or I may introduce
such juices into the shredding chamber together with the material.
For some purposes I introduce potato or other starch into the shredding apparatus
and combine the same with the material under treatment or I may mix it with the
material previous to introducing it into the cooking or converting chamber.
Although I have hereinbefore stated and prefer that the grain or cereals to be treated
by ny process should be previously reduced to a fine state of division I would have
it understood that I do not confine myself to any particular degree of fineness as I
find by experiment that I may also obtain good results by the employment of broken
rice.
I would also remark that I may if desired dispense with the tapered formation to
the tubular chamber and construct the same cylindrical from end to end but in such
case I prefer to arrange the tubular chamber in an inclined plane in order to keep the
hot water back at the feed end of the apparatus as hereinbefore described with respect
to the tapered tubular chainber.
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. The improvements in the treatment of rice and other grain or cereals and in
means or apparatus employed therein substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In the treatment of grain or cereals for brewing and other purposes scalding
ground crushed or broken grain with hot water and steam and then passing the mass
gradually through a long tubular heater chamber in innner substantially as herein
described and for the purpose stated.
3. In the treatment of grain or cereals for brewing and other purposes scalding
ground crushed or broken grain with hot water and steam then passing the inass
gradually through a long tubular heated chamber then reducing the mass to shreds
tapes or filaments by pressing it through a perforated plate or die and afterwards
drying such threads tapes or filaments all in manner substantially as herein described
und for the purpose stated.
4. In the treatment of grain or cereals for brewing and other purposes the
continuous process consisting of washing finely ground grain in a cold water bath

page_text: then feeding it into a long tubular heated chamber where it is scalded with hot
water and steam then passing the mass gradually through such chamber then reducing
the mass to shreds tapes or filaments by pressing it through a perforated plate or
die and afterwards drying such shreds.tapes or filaments all in manner substantially
as herein described and for the purpose stated.
5. In the treatment of grain or cereals for brewing and other purposes scalding
ground crushed or broken grain with hot water and steam then passing the mass
gradually through a long tubular heated chamber and combining therewith the juices
of esculent vegetables or fruit then reducing the mass to shreds tapes or filaments
by pressing it through a perforated plate or die and afterwards drying such shreds
tapes or filaments all in manner substantially as herein described and for the purpose
stated.
6. In apparatus for the treatment of grain or cereals for brewing and other
purposes a long tubular jacketted chamber provided with a feed opening at one end-
a delivery opening at the other end and a conveyor for forcing the material through
the tubular chamber substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose
stated.
7. In apparatus for the treatment of grain or cereals for brewing and other
purposes a long tubular jacketted chamber provided with a feed opening at one end
a delivery opening at the other end inlets controlled by valves for the admission of
hot water and steam at the feed end and a conveyor for forcing the material through
the tubular chamber substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose
stated.
8. In apparatus for the treatment of grain or cereals for brewing and other
purposes a long tubular jacketted chamber tapered or contracted towards the delivery
end and provided with a feed opening at one end a delivery opening at the other
end and a conveyor for forcing the material through the tubular chamber sub-
stantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
9. In apparatus for the treatment of grain or cereals for brewing and other purposes
the combination of a cooking or converting apparatus consisting of a long tubular
jacketted chamber provided with a feed opening at one end a delivery opening at
the other end and a conveyor for forcing the material through the tubular chamber with
a shredding apparatus placed beneath the delivery end of the tubular chamber and
consisting of a perforated die or plate arranged within a suitable chamber and
travelling rollers or pressers adapted to force the material through such perforations
all in manner substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose
stated.
10. In apparatus for the treatment of grain or cereals for brewing and other
purposes the combination of a washing apparatus consisting of a chamber or tank
provided with a water supply at one end, an overflow at the other end, a screw
conveyor for traversing the material towards the delivery end a pocket to receive
such material an elevator enclosed within an inclined shaft to lift such material out
of the chamber or tank and a shoot to conduct the material to a cooking or
converting apparatus; a cooking or converting apparatus consisting of a long tubular
jacketted chainber provided with a feed opening at one end, a delivery opening at
the other end and a conveyor for forcing the material through the tubular chamber;
a shredding apparatus placed beneath the delivery end of the tubular chainber and
consisting of a perforated die or plate arranged within a suitable chamber and
travelling rollers or pressers adapted to force the material through such perforations
all in manner substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose
stated.
13
1004
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.