An Improved Apparatus for Ascertaining the Degree of Maceration of Barley when Malting.
Year: 1888

page_text: An Improved Apparatus for Ascertaining the Degree of Maceration
of Barley when Malting.
We, KARL BERNREUTHER and WILHELM KUMPFMILLER, both of Munich, Bavaria,
in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be
as follows:-
Whereas in the preparation of barley for malting purposes, the barley is steeped in
water, a certain quantity of which is absorbed, which swells the barley, the absorption
of water causing the barley to approach the condition known as germination. The
success of the process of germination or fermentation depends upon the quantity of
water absorbed during maceration: the temperature during germination: and the
extent to which the sprouting of the radicles is allowed to proceed. The practice in
Vienna is to allow the barley to absorb water to the extent of 40 per cent. of its own
The methods of
weight in Munich 50 per cent., and in England 30 per cent.
ascertaining the degree of maceration have been (among others) by taking the grains
between the thumb and finger and pressing them to ascertain whether they have
ceased to sprout: or of cutting the grains through the middle after a preliminary
grinding. Such tests however, require long experience to render them reliable.
it is required to ascertain the relative weight of water absorbed by the barley, as (for
instance) for scientific purposes, the weight of a certain quantity of air dried barley
must first be ascertained and compared with the weight of the same quantity after
maceration, the difference indicating the relative weight of water absorbed. The
method which depends upon the time occupied in the process is, of course very
hazardous, as the hardness and temperature of the water; the thickness of the husks,
and the character of the barley, all more or less affect the result; and it is a matter
of great importance not only to know the amount of water absorbed when the
maceration is completed, but also to obtain such knowledge at any time during the
process, in order that the operation may be stopped when the relative quantity of
water has been absorbed.
When
Now the object of our invention is to manufacture improved apparatus for ascertaining
the degree of maceration at any time, during the process.

page_text: A
Our apparatus consists of a small vessel formed of perforated sheet metal. The top
and bottom are fitted with movable covers, of a conical or pyramidal form.
moveable rod is provided to screw into the upper cover, and a handle is fitted to the
rod. A certain quantity of barley is placed in the vessel.
The vessel can on
account of its form, be readily dipped into the malt, in any desirable part, and to
any depth.
When the vessel is withdrawn in order to ascertain the amount of water absorbed,
the rod and handle are removed and the vessel is carefully weighed, the increase of
weight indicating the exact relative amount of water absorbed, and shewing the state
of the bulk in the larger vessel. As the small vessel can be dipped into any suitable
part of the larger vessel, the progress of the germination or malting can be watched
and ascertained in every part.
When mucilaginous matters adheres to the barley, the presence of which would
interfere with the correctness of the result, the vessel may be agitated in clear water,
in order to remove such mucilaginous matter which will pass through the perforations
or openings.
We sometimes insert a small perforated cylinder in the vessel containing the barley,
in which cylinder the sinall testing vessel is suspended at a suitable depth.
The hereinbefore described apparatus has the great advantage that at any time and
in any suitable part of the vessel containing the malt, the absorption of water by the
barley, and hence its malting progress can be accurately ascertained.
Dated March 26th 1888
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Ascertaining the Degree of Maceration
of Barley when Malting.
We, KARL BERNREUTHER and WILHELM KUMPFMILLER, both of Munich, Bavaria,
in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
Whereas in the preparation of barley for malting purposes, the barley is steeped in
water, a certain quantity of which is absorbed, which swells the barley, the absorption
of water causing the barley to approach the condition known as germination. The
success of the process of germination or fermentation depends upon the quantity of
water absorbed during maceration; the temperature during germination; and the
extent to which the sprouting of the radicles is allowed to proceed. The practice in
Vienna is to allow the barley to absorb water to the extent of 40 per cent. of its own
weight; in Munich 50 per cent., and in England 30 per cent. The methods of
ascertaining the degree of maceration have been (among others) by taking the grains
between the thumb and finger and pressing them to ascertain whether they have
ceased to sprout: or by cutting the grains through the middle after a preliminary
grinding. Such tests, however, require long experience to render them reliable.
When it is required to ascertain the relative weight of water absorbed by the barley,
as (for instance) for scientific purposes, the weight of a certain quantity of air-dried
barley must first be ascertained, and compared with the weight of the same quantity
after maceration, the. difference indicating the relative weight of water absorbed.
The method which depends upon the time occupied in the process is, of course, very
hazardous, as the hardness and temperature of the water: the thickness of the husks,
and the character of the barley, all more or less affect the result; and it is a matter
of great importance not only to know the amount of water absorbed when the
maceration is completed, but also to obtain such knowledge at any time during
the process, in order that the operation may be stopped when the relative quantity of
water has been absorbed.
Now the object of our invention is to manufacture improved apparatus for
ascertaining the degree of of maceration, at any time during the process.
And in order that our said invention may be particularly described and ascertained
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 shows one method of
using the same.
The apparatus consists of a small vessel a, formed of perforated sheet metal. The
top and bottom are fitted with movable covers, c d, of a conical or pyramidal form. A
movable e is provided to screw into the neck a¹ of the upper cover c' and a handle a²
is fitted to the rod. A certain quantity of barley is placed in the vessel.

page_text: The vessel can, on account of its form, be readily dipped into the malt, in any
desirable part, and to any depth.
When the vessel is withdrawn, in order to ascertain the amount of water absorbed,
the rod and handle are removed, and the vessel is carefully weighed, the increase of
weight indicating the exact relative amount of water absorbed, and shewing the state
of the bulk in the larger vessel.. As the small vessel can be dipped into any suitable
part of the larger vessel, the progress of the germination or malting can be watched
and ascertained in every part.
When mucilaginous matter adheres to the barley, the presence of which would
interfere with the correctness of the result, the vessel may be agitated in clean water,
in order to remove such mucilaginous matter, which will pass through the perforations
or openings.
We sometimes insert a small perforated cylinder 6 in the vessel containing the
barley as shown in Fig. 2 in which cylinder the testing vessel a is suspended at a
suitable depth.
The hereinbefore described apparatus has the great advantage that at any time, and
in any suitable part of the vessel containing the malt, the absorption of water by the
barley, and hence its malting progress, can be accurately ascertained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The manufacture and use of the improved apparatus for ascertaining the degree of
maceration of barley in malting, consisting of a perforated vessel a, of definite weight
and cubical capacity, having a movable cover c and bottom d, and fitted with a handle,
whereby it can be dipped or placed in the malt, or in the vessel b fitted in the malt
vessel, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.