An Improved Process of Chemical Decortication and Apparatus 'for Use therein, applicable for the Treatment of Grain.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2 st Aug., 1895
Complete Specification Left. 21st May, 1896-Accepted, 11th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by ERNEST DE MOERLOOSE, of Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer.]
An Improved Process of Chemical Decortication and Apparatus 'for
Use therein, applicable for the Treatment of Grain.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved process of decortication by chemical
means, and has for its object the separation from the grain, which remains
undivided, of the bark or husk and the germ in its entirety, while at the same
time eliminating from the grain the nitrogenous and mineral substances.
This process which is restricted to a few operations of great simplicity, is
especially suitable for the treatment and preparation of crude grain for brewing,
also in the manufacture of grape sugar, maltose-and the like, since owing to its
purity it will not have the defects of preserving the bad taste peculiar to crude
grain, or of producing the coloration of the worts, or of causing trouble in the
fermented worts or of producing sediments during the evaporation etc., which are
only imperfectly obviated by the processes heretofore in use such as the extraction
of the oil therefrom, the treatment with benzines, ethers of petroleum, sulphur
of carbon and others, which moreover are not suitable for removing the germs..
For this latter purpose recourse is had to crushing by means of special machines.
Such crushing however, does not realize the extraction of the non-amylaceous
substances, so that in order to obtain a satisfactory result, it was necessary to
have recourse to grinding which apart from its expensive character involves a
considerable loss of fecula, so that a method of operation,-effecting at the same
time with the entire separation of the bark or husk and of the germ, the extraction
of all noxious non-amylaceous materials-presents considerable advantages in this
industry.
This process, which is the object of this invention consists in treating the grain
in a solution which dissolves the nitrogenous materials and softens the bark while
separating the germ, this separation taking place before the fecula is attacked,
then, at this moment, withdrawing the grain from the solution and separating
the same from the bark and from the germs by an appropriate clearing
process.
Among the solutions possessing the before mentioned qualities are the acids in
general, and more especially the mineral acids and amongst these latter more
especially the bydrochloric acid suitably diluted in water which I have discovered
possesses the characteristic quality of only successively attacking the constituent
elements of the grain instead of exerting its action simultaneously upon all
elements at the same time. The action of the hydrochloric acid takes place first
upon the azotic substances which become peptonized and enter into solution, and
subsequently the acid softens the cellulose of the bark and separates the germs.
It is only after these actions that one recognises that the starch is attacked, this
attack being followed by a dissolution.
This succession of facts allows, on interrupting the soaking at the desired
moment, of freeing the grain from the azotic and mineral substances, also from

page_text: the outer layer and from the germ without starch being lost. This action of the
acid solution is considerably increased on raising the same to the temperature of
from 30 to 50 degrees and the same solution is still more efficient if an appropriate
oxidizing agent such as a bichromate, a permanganate, oxygenated water etc. is
added thereto; this oxidizing agent having especially the advantage of only
furthering the softening of the cellulose and the solution of the azotic
substances, without exerting any influence whatever upon the solubility of the
starch.
In order to explain very clearly the treatment I will describe in detail the
improved process, using as an example a solution of hydrochloric acid of from
05 to 3% an oxidizing agent being added to the solution in the proportion of
from 2 to 4 grammes per 100 litres of solution, if for example bichromate of
potassium is in question.
In the solution thus prepared the grain is kept immersed at a temperature of
from 30 to 50 degrees Centigrade until the dissolution of the non-amylaceous
substances takes place and the bark is sufficiently softened so that the germ
becomes detached from its cell. This degree of soaking can be easily verified by
a slight compression of the grain between the fingers which has the effect of
causing the bark to break up and become separated and of causing the germ
while preserving its hardness to separate by a sort of sliding movement from the
grain, which has preserved its whole resistance and its hardness.
The duration of the immersion and of the soaking evidently depends upon the
nature of the grain, upon the higher or smaller degree of acidity of the solution,
upon the nature and the proportion of the oxidizing agent and finally upon the degree
of temperature at which the process is carried on. The duration may vary according
to these different factors from 6 to 48 hours and it is self apparent that on treating
the same grain for which an invariable composition of the solution and a fixed
temperature has been adopted, the necessary duration of time for the soaking
process is likewise fixed, so that the end of the process needs no further fixing by
the test indicated herein before or by other experiments.
After the bath has served for the operation it is collected by simple decantation
and can be applied for a further operation after having been suitably supplemented
or renewed with acid and an oxidizing agent.
After the solution has been withdrawn, the grain is immediately subjected to
the cleaning operation or in other words to the separation of the grain proper
from the pellicles of bark and the germs. This operation which likewise does not
present any difficulties, consists in a methodical brushing of the grain in presence
of water, which completely separates the bark and the germs.
For this purpose any suitable arrangement of moving brushes is used, between
which brushes the grain is passed by a continuous current. The surfaces of the
brushes may be plane or cylindrical, or they may have their bristles arranged in
alternately projecting and receding rows. As the friction to be exerted upon the
grain by the oppositely arranged brushes must only be very slight or, in other
words, the pressure upon the grain very feeble, the brushes present between each
other & constant interval slightly smaller than the size of the grain. If, for
instance, this size is equal to 6 millimetres, the interval between the brushes will
be from 5 to 5 millimetres.
For grains, from which the germ separates with the same or nearly the same
facility as the bark, it is sufficient to employ brushes with even surfaces, the hairs
or bristles of which are arranged sufficiently close together without being too
hard; but if grains are to be treated which have their germs very closely
embedded, as for instance is the case with maize, it is preferable to use brushes
having their bristles arranged in alternately projecting and receding rows.
cylindrical brushes it is useful to employ one concave and one convex brush, one
revolving in the other, and each presenting rows of bristles projecting either in
rows parallel to the axis of rotation or in helical form around this axis. The
projecting rows extend beyond the receding rows for about 2 millimetres and
In

page_text: remove the
the latter are wider than the projecting rows, the projecting rows having for
instance a width of from 2 to 3 millimetres and the others a width of from 15
to 20 millimetres. Under these conditions the receding rows
epidermis of the maize by compressing the same and slightly brushing it, whilst
the projecting rows, which are flexible in proportion to their narrowness, will
excavate the cell which closely encases the germ and will thus radically remove
the same.
On treating grains of very irregular size, the case may happen that a portion
escapes the action of the brushes and in this case it would be necessary to pass
them subsequently between a pair of brushes placed closer together which then
radically terminate the cleaning process.
During the passage of the grain between the brushes which is effected in the
presence of a continuous current of water as herein before mentioned, the grain
loses by diffusion almost the whole of its albuminous substances and the whole of
their mineral substances which can be collected at will.
When leaving the brushes, the mass is transported into a tub with washing
water, where the grains are separated from the malt in the ordinary known
manner and where the aforesaid diffusion is completed if the same did not have
sufficient time to be finished during the brushing process, as may be the case when
the brushing is carried on comparatively rapidly.
The collected grain can be saccharified with extremely great facility by the
malt and the acids, and the dregs obtained constitute an excellent fodder.
Moreover the germs furnish an excellent oil.
Dated this 21st day of August 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Process of Chemical Decortication and Apparatus for
Use therein, applicable for the Treatment of Grain.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :—
This invention relates to an improved process of decortication by chemical
means, and has for its object the separation from the grain, which remains
undivided, of the bark or husk and the germ in its entirety, while at the same time
eliminating from the grain the uitrogenous and mineral substances.
This process which is restricted to a few operations of great simplicity is
especially suitable for the treatment and preparation of crude grain for brewing,
also in the manufacture of grape sugar, maltose, and the like, since owing to its
purity it will not have the defects of preserving the bad taste peculiar to crude
grain, or of producing the coloration of the worts, or of causing trouble in the
fermented worts or of producing sediments during the evaporation and the like,
which are only imperfectly obviated by the processes heretofore in use such as the
extraction of the oil therefrom, the treatment with benzenes, ethers of petroleum,
sulphur of carbon and others, which moreover are not suitable for removing the
germs. For this latter purpose recourse is had to crushing by means of special
machines. Such crushing however does not realize the extraction of the non-
amylaceous substances, so that in order to obtain a satisfactory result, it was
necessary to have recourse to grinding which apart from its expensive character
involves a considerable loss of fecula, so that a method of operation,-effecting at
the same time with the entire separation of the bark or husk and of the germ, the

page_text: extraction of all noxicus non-amylaceous materials
advantages in this industry.
---
presents considerable
This process, which is the object of this invention consists in treating the grain
in a solution which dissolves the nitrogenous materials and softens the bark while
separating the germ this separation taking place before the fecula is attacked, then,
at this moment, withdrawing the grain from the solution and separating the same
from the bark and from the germs by an appropriate clearing process.
Among the solutions possessing the before mentioned generalities are the acids in
general, and more especially the mineral acids and amongst these latter more
especially the hydrochloric acid suitably diluted in water, which I have discovered
possesses the characteristic quality of only successively attacking the constituent
elements of the grain instead of exerting its action simultaneously upon all elements
at the same time. The action of the hydrochloric acid takes place first upon the
azotic substances which become peptonized and enter into solution and subsequently
the acid softens the cellulose of the bark and separates the germs. It is only after
these actions that one recognises that the starch is attacked, this attack being
followed by a 'dissolution.
This succession of facts allows, on interrupting the soaking at the desired
moment, of freeing the grain from the nitrogenous and mineral substances, also
from the outer layer and from the germ without starch being lost. This action of
the acid solution is considerably: increased on raising the same to the temperature
of from 30 to 50 C. degrees and the same solution is still more efficient if an
appropriate oxidizing agent such as a bichromate, a permanganate, oxygenated water
or the like is added thereto; this oxidizing agent having especially the advantage
of only furthering the softening of the cellulose and the solution of the nitrogenous
substances, without exerting any influence whatever upon the solubility of the
starch.
In order to explain very clearly the treatment I will describe in detail the
improved process, using as an example a. solution of hydrochloric acid of from 0.5
to 3%; an oxidizing agent being added to the solution in the proportion of
from 2 to 4 gramines per 100 litres of solution, if for example bichromate of
potassium is in question.
In the solution thus prepared the grain is kept immersed at a temperature of
from 30 to 50 degrees Centigrade until the dissolution of the non-amylaceous
substances takes place and the bark sufficiently softens so that the germ becomes
detached from its cell. This degree of soaking can be easily verified by a slight
compression of the grain between the fingers which has the effect of causing the
bark to break up and become separated and of causing the germ while preserving
its hardness to separate by a sort of sliding movement from the grain, which has
preserved its whole resistance and its hardness.
The duration of the immersion and of the soaking evidently depends upon the
nature of the grain, upon the higher or smaller degree of acidity of the solution,
upon the nature and the proportion of the oxidizing agent and finally upon the
degree of temperature at which the process is carried on.
The duration may vary
according to these different factors from 6 to 48 hours and it is self apparent that
on treating the same grain for which an invariable composition of the solution and
a fixed temperature has been adopted, the necessary duration of time for the
soaking process is likewise fixed, so that the end of the process needs no further
fixing by the test indicated herein before or by other experiments..
After the bath has served for the operation it is collected by simple decantation
and can be applied for a further operation after having been suitably supplemented
or renewed with acid and an oxidizing agent.
After the solution has been withdrawn the grain is immediately subjected to the
cleaning operation or in other words to the separation of the grain proper from the
pellicles of epidermis. and the germs. This operation which likewise does not'
present any difficulties, consists in a methodical brushing of the grain in the
presence of water, which completely separates. the bark and the germs.
#

page_text: For this purpose any suitable arrangement of moving brushes is used, between
which brushes the grain is passed in a continuous current of water. The surfaces
of the brushes may be plane or cylindrical, or they may have their bristles arranged
in alternately projecting and receding rows. As the friction to be exerted upon
the grain by the oppositely arranged brushes must only be very slight, or, in other
words, the pressure upon the grain very feeble, the brushes present between each
other a constant interval slightly smaller than the size of the grain. If, for
instance, this size is equal to 6 millimetres, the interval between the brushes will be.
from 5 to 5 millimetres.
For grains, from which the germ separates with the same or nearly the same.
facility as the bark, it is sufficient to employ brushes with even surfaces, the hairs.
or bristles of which are arranged sufficiently close together without being too hard ;:
but if grains are to be treated which have their germs very closely embedded, as
for instance is the case with maize, it is preferable to use brushes having their
bristles arranged in alternately projecting and receding rows. In cylindrical
brushes it is useful to employ one concave and one convex brush, one revolving in
the other, and each presenting rows of bristles projecting either in rows parallel to
the axis of rotation or in helical form around this axis. The projecting rows.
extend beyond the receding rows for about 2 millimetres and the latter are wider
than the projecting rows, the projecting rows having for instance a width of
from 2 to 3 millimetres and the others a width of from 15 to 20 millimetres..
Under these conditions the receding rows remove the epidermis of the maize by-
compressing the same and slightly brushing it, whilst the projecting rows, which
are flexible in proportion to their narrowness will excavate the cell which closely.
encases the germ and will thus radically remove the same.
On treating grains of very irregular size, the case may happen that a portion.
escapes the action of the brushes and in this case it would be necessary to pass them.
subsequently between a pair of brushes placed closer together which then radically
terminate the cleaning process.
During the passage of the grain between the brushes which is effected in the
presence of a continuous current of water as hereinbefore mentioned, the grain
loses by diffusion almost the whole of its albuminous substances and the whole of
their mineral substances which can be collected at will.
When leaving the brushes, the mass is transported into a tub with washing water,.
where the grains are separated from the malt in the ordinary known manner and
where the aforesaid diffusion is completed if the same did not have sufficient time.
to be finished during the brushing process, as may be the case when the brushing is.
carried on with comparative rapidity..
The collected grain can be saccharified with extremely great facility by the malt.
and the acids, and the dregs obtained constitute an excellent fodder. Moreover-
the germs furnish an excellent oil.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me.
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An improved chemical process for the decortication of grain characterized by
the soaking of the grain in a solution which modifies the nature of the bark of the
grain without altering the condition of the fecula for the purpose of easily
separating the bark and the germ and for obtaining the fecula in the form of
undivided grains.
2. A method of carrying out the process indicated in the first claim, consisting
in soaking the grain in a hydrochloric acid solution containing from 0.5 to 3% of
acid to which, according to requirement, an oxidizing agent (bichromate, permau-
ganate or the like) is added in small quantity, the temperature of the said solution
being from 30 to 50 degrees Centigrade, and then passing the soaked grain between
moving brushes in the presence of water and finally washing the grain for the:
separation of the dregs.

page_text: 3. A constructional form of the brushes for the separation of the dregs from the
grain as described in the first and second claims, the said brushes being plane or
cylindrical and possessing alternately projecting and receding rows of hairs or
bristles and serving to facilitate the separation of the germs enclosed in the cells
of the grains; the whole substantially as hereinbefore described and for the
purpose specified.
Dated this 21st day of May 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.