Improvements in and relating to the Treatment of Alimentary Substances and Beverages.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in and relating to the Treatment of Alimentary
Substances and Beverages.
I, JAMES HOGARTH, of West Mills, Kirkcaldy, Fifeshire, Miller and Corn Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:―
This invention has for its object to treat alimentary substances, either in the raw
or manufactured state, such as grain or flour or other cereals and fermented or
fermentable liquors or substances so as to improve their properties, and is mainly
developments of my former invention Patent No. 9003 29th April 1896.
The improvements consist first in subjecting the substances to be treated to the
action of electricity whether in the form of rays from lamps, currents or sparks.
This may be carried out by taking a transformed current of electricity from a
"Tesla" or other secondary generator, and passing the granular or liquid material
to be treated between plates or wires electrified with this current, the current
passing across the material from the one plate on to the other, but other electric
currents may be used such as continuous, alternating pulsating or induced. The
material to be treated may be fed by gravity, or carried onl endless
bands, or over revolving surfaces, or forced by pressure, or be kept in
agitation, or in some cases be stationary. When the rays of incandescent lamps are
to be used, the lamps may be placed within vessels through which the material
passes, or be placed outside these vessels, when the latter are made of material
which is pervious to the current, rays, or sparks.
In some cases when liquids are to be treated they may flow through pipes round
which a coil of wire is wound and a current made to pass through same to set up a
induced action. Or granular material may be placed in vessels round which similar
induction coils are wound.
In applying my improvements to fermented or fermentable liquors or substances,
I use the Rontgen rays of my former patent, or the electric rays, currents or sparks,
hereinbefore described to pass through the substances, and also through a suitable
membrane or transparent screen, so that certain portions of the liquid or substance
under treatment may pass through the membrane or filter into water or other
suitable receiving liquid or substance under or alongside of it, and the
water may be kept in circulation or agitation or the membrane may be used as a
partition in a vessel, and water be in one portion, and the liquid to be treated in
the other portion of vessel, and the rays or currents pass through same, and both
the water, and the material under treatment may continuously flow in at top
and pass out through a pipe at bottom of vessel, and be repumped back again.
Or the vessel may be fitted with paper, wood, or other tubes pervious to rays or
electric current, through which the liquid to be treated would pass or flow, and

page_text: water or other suitable receiving liquid annularly surround these tubes. When
Rontgen rays are used from Crookes vacuum tubes or the like these would or may
be in the form of violet or other colour or a combination of colours.
Dated 20th day of Wahua1007
Improvements in and relating to the Treatment of Alimentary
Substances and Beverages.
I, JAMES HOGARTH, of West Mills, Kirkcaldy, Fifeshire, Miller and Corn Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
This invention has for its object to treat alimentary substances, either in the raw
or manufactured state, such as grain or flour or other cereals or fermented or fer-
mentable liquors or substances so as to improve their properties, or separate the
products, and is mainly developments of my former invention Patent No. 9003,
29th April 1896.
The improvements consist first in subjecting the substances to be treated to the
action of electricity whether in the form of rays from lamps, currents, or sparks.
This may be carried out by taking a transformed current of electricity from a
"Tesla
or other secondary generator, and passing the granular or liquid material
to be treated between plates or wires electrified with this current, the current
passing across the material from the one plate on to the other, but other electric
currents may be used such as continuous, alternating, pulsating or induced. The
material to be treated may be fed by gravity, or carried on endless
bands QT over revolving surfaces, or forced by pressure, or be kept in
agitation, or in some cases be stationary. When the rays of incandescent lamps are
to be used, the lamps may be placed within vessels through which the material
passes, or be placed outside these vessels, when the latter are made of material
which is pervious to the current, rays, or sparks.
In some cases when liquids are to be treated they may flow through pipes round
which a coil of wire is wound and a current made to pass through same to set up an
induced action, or granular material may be placed in vessels round which similar
induction coils are wound.
In applying my improvements to fermented or fermentable liquors or substances,
I use the Rontgen rays of my former patent, or the electric rays, currents or sparks,
herein before described to pass through the substances, and also through a suitable
membrane or transparent screen, so that certain portions of the liquid or substance
under treatment may pass through the membrane or filter into water or other
suitable receiving liquid or substance under or alongside of it, and the
water may be kept in circulation or agitation or the membrane may be used as a
partition in a vessel and water be in one portion, and the liquid to be treated in
the other portion of vessel, and the rays or currents pass through same, and both
the water and the material under treatment may continuously flow in at top
and pass out through a pipe at bottom of vessel and be repumped back again,
or the vessel may be fitted with paper, wood, or other tubes pervious to rays or
electric current, through which the liquid to be treated would pass or flow, and
water or other suitable receiving liquid annularly surround these tubes. When

page_text: Kontgen rays are used from Crookes vacuum tubes or the like, these would or may
be in the form of violet or other colour or a combination of colours.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of carrying same into
practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended three sheets of
explanatory diagram drawings in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in the several figures where shown. Referring to
said drawings-
In Figure 1 a container comprising what is known as a miller's "cyclone" is
used, and either granular material or liquid is fed to same through a conduit a,
the material coming in with a velocity and impinging in spiral form round its
inner surface. An incandescent or vacuum tube lamp b is fitted within this vessel,
and electric current of either primary or secondary generation is conveyed to and
from it by the wires 61 62 and the current may be either continuous, alternating, or
pulsating.
In Figure 2 is shown a glass or other suitable fountain vessel in which liquid
under pressure is fed to it through a pipe a, and after impinging on the surfaces
of vessel a¹ it is discharged through an exit orifice a². Rays from incandescent
lamps arranged as shown shine on the liquid to give same the treatment desired.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 3 granular material from a shoot a falls on
to and passes between plates g g¹ which are electrified by a current of transformed
electricity generated in a Tesla or other secondary generator, the current passing
across the material from the one plate on to the other at the opening 2. The
granular material is received on to an endless travelling band d, where it may be
subjected to further treatment by one or more sets of similarly electrified plates g g¹.
The material may be transmitted from the endless band d back to the shoot a by
bucket or other elevators for further treatment.
"
"
In the arrangements shown in Figure 4 the granular material passes from a
shoot a on to a rotating roller g' where it would be subjected to electric action
from transformed electrified plates g g¹ the plates 9 being connected to a stationary
ring g³. In the arrangement shown in Figure 5 spirits or other liquor is conveyed
from a cistern B through a pipe el fitted with a regulating cock e² to plates glg
electrified with transformed electricity and treated as in Figure 3 and the liquid
is then conveyed by a pipe e³ to a receiving vessel B. The liquid may be pumped
from the vessel 13* to the cistern B to get retreated in the same manner. In the
arrangement shown in Figure 6 liquid is made to flow through a pipe a¹ and a coil
of wire b is wound round it. Electric current which may be either continuous
alternating, pulsating or transforming current is conveyed to the terminals b¹ or b²
and an induced current is set up from the coil 6 in the liquid passing through
pipe.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 7 the coil 6* is wound round a vessel a¹
in which material to be treated is placed, and the electric current from said, coil
will set up an induced current through the material.
In the arrangements shown in Figures 8 and 9 transformed electric current is
transmitted through the liquids contained in the vsesels a¹ by means of the
wires b¹ 62.
Figures 10 to 15 show views illustrating my improvements as applied to the
treatment of fermented or fermentable liquors or substances, and in which I use
the Rontgen rays or electric rays, currents or sparks to pass through the substances
or be brought in close proximity thereto and also through a suitable membrane
or transparent screen, so that certain portions of the liquid or substance under treat-
nent may pass through the membrane, or filter into water or other suitable
eceiving liquid or substance under or alongside of it, and the water may be kept
n circulation or agitation, or the membrane may be used as a partition in a vessel
nd water be in one portion and the liquid to be treated in the other portion of
essel, and the rays or currents pass through same, and both the water and the
naterial under treatment may continuously flow in at top and pass out through a
ipe at bottom of vessel and be repumped back again.

page_text: In Figures 10 and 11 the fermented liquor is placed in a vessel B and filtered
through a membrane h into a lower receiving vessel B. The Rontgen rays are
shown applied at 6 in Figure 10 and the electric current in Figure 11.
In Figure 12 water is placed in a vessel B fitted with a membrane / in front
down which the fermented liquor flows from a pipe above and gets acted on by the
Rontgen rays or electric current.
In Figure 13 the membrane / forms a partition for the vessel B. The fermented
liquor would be placed in one portion of vessel and water in the other, and flow
away by the cocks at bottom. The electric current would act as shown by the
wires bb. The Figure 14 the membrane forms the partition of the vessel B,
in which the fermented liquor is placed in the one portion and water in the other.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 15 the vessel B is fitted with tubes 2 of
wood, paper, or other material pervious to rays or electric current, and the material
to be treated, flow down these tubes from a vessel h¹ above, while water or other
suitable receiving liquid would annularly surround these tubes.
When Rontgen rays are used, these may be in the form of violet or other colour
or a combination of colours.
In Figure 16 an arrangement is shown wherein a limited quantity of spirits or
other liquors can be treated at intermittent periods by turning on the electric
currents. A box B which may be of wood, glass, or the like is portably fitted at
the bottom of a cask of spirits and the electrode b is carried down inside a glass
tube 63 into said vessel B, while the other electrode 62 is insulated from the spirits
in the cask. The quantity of liquor within the box thus gets electrified, and as it
gets drawn away by the crane or cock from the box B it can be further charged by
lifting the valve b or the box B may simply have a hole on top or end to let in a
supply of liquor as it is being used.
In the arrangement shown in elevation in Figure 17 a vessel B is made to rotate
and subjected to the action of the transformed current from the wires T T¹. In
the case of using electricity of a low tension the current could be caused to travel
along the vessel B longitudinal from a branch at A to A¹. The substance being
treated would be affected by the induced current besides or along with the direct
radiation. The same object might be attained by the use of a metallic travelling
band or stationary inclined plane made of metal. In the arrangement shown in
Figure 18 the liquor is made to flow through a pipe Z while being acted on by the
electric current.
Figure 19 shows a method by which a short exposure for liquids in bottles can
be obtained. Here the bottle is suspended by a string Z between two terminals T T¹,
and the bottle allowed to swing through between these.
I have found in practice that when the materials are placed in wooden or like
casks or confined spaces that it is unnecessary to bring the terminals of the wires
of the transformed electric current inside these vessels, it being sufficient that said
terminals be placed in close proximity to each end or side of the vessel, the radiation
of the current from the wires or terminals being sufficient to effect the action desired.
The terminals used may be either wires, rods, plates, or tubes of metal filings..
It is found that when certain wheats are subjected to the aforementioned treat-
ment, and sufficient time allowed to elapse between electrical treatment. and grind-
ing, a small proportion of semi-transparent flakes are formed of an albuminous and
diastasic nature, those cannot be reduced into flour by the usual milling methods,
and can either be allowed to pass away with the bye products of the wheat, or can
be separated with the ordinary appliances of sieves or air currents if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
First. The method of treating alimentary substances by an electric current, or
rays from an electric lamp substantially as herein set forth.
Second. The method of treating fermented or like liquors or substances by using

page_text: a membrane or screen while being acted on by electric currents or Rontgen rays,
substantially as herein described in reference to Figures 10 to 15 of the accom-
panying drawings.
Third. The method of treating a limited quantity of spirits or the like substan-
tially as herein described in reference to Figures 16 to 19 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated the 20th
1
1007