AN IMPROVED PREPARATION OF FARINACEOUS FOOD
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED PREPARATION OF FARINACEOUS FOOD." A communication
from abroad by Minnie Bucklin Lloyd and Sarah Elizabeth Andres, both of
the City and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 12th March 1880 and dated the 4th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th December 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED PREPARATION OF FARINACEOUS
Food." [A communication from abroad by Minnie Bucklin Lloyd and Sarah
Elizabeth Andres, both of the City and State of New York, United States of
America.]
This Invention has for its object the preparation of farinaceous food from potatoes
and beans or other like vegetables in such a manner as to remove therefrom their
property of causing flatulence and other disorders in the stomach, and to transform
the same into a palatable, substantial, and wholesome substance which is condensed
into a very small bulk, is very readily transportable, capable of easy and convenient
preparation, will be especially suitable for children and sick or convalescent persons,
and will not be affected by the weather or atinospheric influences or variations of
temperature or climate.
In practising this Invention the potatoes, haricot beans, or similar substances are
chosen with great care, then hulled or skinned in a dry state, and then cooked by
steam or otherwise, then they are crushed through the interstices of perforated
plates or woven wire or other fabric, and then the mass is moulded into balls,
tablets, blocks, strips, or any other desired forms.
This substance is then desiccated by means of a current of hot air, or by the
action of centrifugal force, or by agitation or otherwise. I prefer however to effect
this desiccation by the use of hot air which quickly penetrates the mass and
removes all traces of humidity from the same.
The removal of the hull or skin from the beans and potatoes or other vegetables,
and the preparation of the same as above described deprives them of their flatulent
quality, and leaves the pure farina which when compressed and dried will possess
highly nutritious properties.
This improved condensed food will he found highly advantageous for the army
and navy, for hotels and public institutions, as well as for domestic purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd June
1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED PREPARATION OF FARINACEOUS
Food." A communication from abroad by Minnie Bucklin Lloyd and Sarah
Elizabeth Andres, both of the City and State of New York, United States of
America.
This Invention has for its object a special preparation of farinaceous food from
potatoes and beans or other like vegetables. In this preparation the property or
quality which causes flatulence and other disturbances of the stomach is eliminated
from the vegetables, and a palatable and wholesome substance is produced which
may be condensed or compressed into a very small bulk and in a convenient form
for storage or transport; the food thus manufactured may be very easily and
quickly prepared for the table in a variety of dishes, and if properly cooked will
form an article of diet especially suitable for children and sick or convalescent
persons. Moreover it will keep for a great length of time without being affected
by atmospheric influences or variations of climate or temperature.
In practising this Invention the potatoes, beans, or other vegetables, which should
be selected with great care, are skinned, peeled, or hulled in a dry state and cooked
by steam or otherwise; they are then crushed or forced through the interstices
of perforated plates, or through the meshes of woven wire or other suitable fabric.
The mass of uniformly and finely disintegrated farinaceous material thus obtained
may be moulded into balls, blocks, cakes, or tablets, or produced in the form of
pipes or sticks like maccaroni, as hereinafter described, and is desiccated by means
of a current of hot air, by centrifugal action, by agitation, or otherwise. I prefer
however to effect the desiccation or drying by hot air which quickly penetrates the
mass and effectually frees the same from all traces of humidity. The dried mass
may be reduced to the condition of meal or flour by grinding or otherwise.
By the removal of the rind or skin from the beans, potatoes, or other vegetables,
and the preparation of their farinaceous portions as above described, all of the
nutritious and palatable properties of the fresh vegetables will be retained without
any of the innutritious, unwholesome, and indigestible portions of crude or
unprepared vegetable substances, that is to say, I obtain from the vegetables so
treated or prepared puro farina in a condition wherein it may be preserved to form
at any time a highly nutritious and agreeable article of food.
The condensed or compressed food prepared as above described by reason of its
comparatively slight bulk and weight will be found highly advantageous for the
army and navy. It will also be of great utility for hotels, hospitals, or other public
institutions, as well as for domestic purposes.
Although my Invention may be carried into effect with any suitable machinery
or apparatus I prefer to employ for the preparation of my improved farinaceous
food the machinery shown in the accompanying Drawing, which I will now proceed
to describe.
Figure 1 is an end clevation, and
Figure 2, a side elevation of apparatus for hulling beans.
Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section of a cooking apparatus.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of a pulverizing or mashing apparatus.
Figure 5 is a plan or top view of a portion of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of the drying machine to which the
said pulverizing apparatus is an attachment.
Figure 6 is drawn to a smaller scale than the other Figures.

page_text: The hulling machine, Figures 1 and 2, is provided with a suitable hopper (not
shewn) and two pairs of rolls a, a, and b,'b, which are mounted in adjustable
bearings and provided with tight belts c, c', of.india-rubber or other suitable
material passed around them and kept properly stretched. The two pairs of rolls
are geared together by toothed wheels so arranged that, the belt c runs faster than
the belt c. The boiler or cooking apparatus, Figure 3, is constructed of iron or other
suitable material in the form of a chest or box & which has an inner and outer
flange d', d; it is provided with coils of steam-pipe c and a drip-pipe f. Inside the
box & is a perforated box g which is supported upon the flange d. This inner box
should be constructed of galvanized iron or other metal which will not impair the
flavour of or discolour the farinaceous material placed theroin. The lid h is so
fitted to the box that it may be hermetically closed and secured by means of a snap-
bolt i or other suitable device. The apparatus shown in Figures 4 and 5 is designed
to be placed on the drying machine, as shewn in Figure 6. This apparatus has a
hopper j, at the lower part of which is arranged a curved piece or segment in
combination with a projecting plate or ledge provided with openings arranged
to be alternately covered and uncovered by the front edge of the said segment;
m, Figure 6, is an endless apron or conveyor formed of any suitable non-corrosive
material. The said conveyor passes over rollers enclosed within the casing of the
machine, and ineans are provided for admitting a blast or current of hot air to the
same at one end and exhausting the air at the other end of the machine, as indicated
by the arrows.
In preparing beans for the purpose of this Invention they are first put into the
hulling machine, Figures 1 and 2, and subjected to the action of the belts c, c²;
whereby their hulls or skins are loosened and removed, then by washing with water in
a suitable vessel the beans are separated from the hulls, the latter Hoating on the top
of the water and being carried off by the same. The beans are then placed in the
boiler, Figure 3, the cover of the same being hermetically closed. Steam is then
admitted to the coil e and the beans are thereby properly cooked. The cooked
mass is then placed in the hopper j, and by means of the segment k and its lever
the mass is forced through the holes or perforations in the plate l, whence it passes
in the form of maccaroni and falls on the conveyor m and is subjected to the action
of the current of heated air, whereby it is quickly and thoroughly dried. The
above described machinery may also serve for the preparation of the potatoes with
the exception of removing their skins which must be done by hand.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I do not claim the construction or arrangement of the machinery or apparatus
shewn in the Drawing or any part or parts of the same, but I claim,-
First. The improved manufacture of compressed and dried farinaceous food,
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Second. The employment in the successive operations necessary for the prepara-
tion of the above described farinaceous food of the several parts of the machinery
or apparatus shewn in the accompanying Drawing, in the manner and for the
purposes above specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty