IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE PROAL
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Pool, of Charleston, Kanawha County, West
Virginia, in the United States of America, at present of 17, Holborn, in the
City of London, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Pool at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th March 1881.
FREDERICK POOL, of Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia, in the
United States of America, at 'present of 17, Holborn, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIG POWDER, AND IN THE MACHINERY
THEREFOR."
The object of my Invention is the preparation of powder. from figs in such
manner that it shall form a nutritious and healthy article of food in its prepared
state, and which may be substituted with advantage for coffee.
My Invention consists as follows:-
I take the figs and in the first instance expose them in such manner to artificial
heat or the heat of the sun that they shall be dried to such an extent that they
will not afterwards suffer deterioration from mould.
I next take such dried figs, and by pressure, hydraulic or otherwise, press them
into cakes or blocks of convenient size. The cakes or blocks are then arranged on
shelves or otherwise suitably placed to season.
When the cakes or blocks are found to be sufficiently seasoned I subject them
to the action of a cutting machine, by which they are reduced into thin slices.
The sliced figs are next placed in a revolving wire sieve and heated or dried
therein. The revolving sieve I make by preference of a cylindrical form with
elliptical or rounded ends. This cylinder is provided with a central shaft carried
-in-suitable bearings in the upright or vertical portions of a frame carrying or
supporting the whole arrangement.
When the fig slices thus treated are sufficiently dried I next place them in a
revolving metal cylinder, preferably of steel, such cylinder being a close cylinder,
and the fig-slices are therein roasted. The cylinder has at each end trunnions or
short shafts and is revolved by steam or other power as may be most convenient.
It is also provided with hoppers or openings for the reception of fig slices; the wire
sieve and this cylinder last named are placed over or near to a furnace or fire place
at such a distance therefrom as may be found most suitable.
When the fig slices are sufficiently roasted the cylinder is opened and when they
are cooled to the extent required they are ground to a fine powder.

page_text: t
:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Pool in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th September
1881.
FREDERICK POOL, of Charleston, Kanawha County, West Virginia, in the
United States of America, at present of 17, Holborn, in the City of London.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIG-POWDER, AND IN THE MACHINERY
THEREFOR."
"
The object of my Invention is the preparation of powder from figs in such
'manner that it shall form a nutritious and healthy article of food in its prépared
state, and which may be substituted with advantage for chicory as a mixture with
coffee.
.My Invention consists as follows:-
I take the figs and in the first instance expose them in such manner to artificial
heat or the heat of the sun that they shall be dried to such an extent that they
will not afterwards suffer deterioration from mould.
I next take such dried figs, and by pressure, hydraulic or otherwise, press them
into cakes or blocks of convenient size. The cakes or blocks are then arranged on
shelves or otherwise suitably placed to season.
When the cakes or blocks are found to be sufficiently seasoned I subject them to
the action of a cutting machine, by which they are reduced into thin slices, which
'slices should be again air dried.
The sliced figs are next placed in a revolving wire sieve and heated or dried
therein. The revolving sieve I make by preference of a cylindrical form with
elliptical or rounded ends. This cylinder is provided with a central shaft with
knives carried in suitable bearings in the upright or vertical portions of a frame
carrying or supporting the whole arrangement.
When the fig slices thus treated are sufficiently dried I next place them in a
revolving metal cylinder, preferably of steel, such cylinder being a close cylinder,
and the fig slices are therein roasted. The cylinder has at each end trunnions or
short shafts, and is revolved by steam or other power as may be most convenient.
It is also provided with hoppers or openings for the reception of fig slices.
The wire sieve and this cylinder last named are placed over or near to a furnace
or fire place at such a distance therefrom as may be found most suitable.
When the fig-slices are sufficiently roasted the cylinder is opened, and when they
are cooled to the extent required they are ground to a fine powder.
In order that the nature of my said Invention, and in what it consists, may be
particularly described and ascertained, this Specification is accompanied by a Sheet
of Drawings having Figures and letters marked thereupon, by reference to which
and the following description it may be distinctly understood. The same letter is
used to denote a similar or corresponding part in each Figure.
In these Drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, and Figure 2 a
transverse section of my revolving sieve for heating or drying the sliced Figs. It
will be seen that the sieve is carried on a shaft A supported in the bearings as
shown on the standards forming the frame B. The sieve is revolved by means of
a band or pulley C on the hollow shaft D, whilst the central shaft A is revolved or
rotated in the opposite direction by means of the pulley E. The central shaft
carries knives or agitators of paddle form F for the purpose of stirring up or
keeping in motion the sliced figs whilst they are exposed to the heating or drying
action of the furnace or gas jets. In the Drawings in Figure 1 the dotted line
represents the position of the line of gas jets when such are employed for heating
or drying purposes. A door or cover G is provided for the purpose of introducing

page_text: and removing the figs. Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, and Figure 4
a transverse section of the roasting cylinder. This cylinder H is rotated or
revolved by means of the pulley L. The cylinder is supported in bearings on the
frame J, and is provided internally with scoops or stirrers K for the purpose of
keeping all portions of the mass of sliced figs subject to the roasting action of the
gas jets or furnace, the position of which is indicated by the dotted lines. The
sliced figs are introduced into this cylinder at the cover or door L, and when
sufficiently roasted the cylinder can be withdrawn from its position as shown by
removing the bolts and nuts on that part of the frame marked J¹, the upper part
of which, being hinged to the lower, as shown at M, can be thrown back for the
purpose of withdrawing the frame with the scoops or stirrers and therewith the
roasted fig-slices. Whilst this is being done the cylinder itself is maintained in
position or carried by the hinged bracket N.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be
distinctly understood that what I claim and desire to secure by the hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is,-
The manufacture of fig powder by the process and means as set forth in this
Specification, and also the machinery for drying and roasting, as in this Specification
described and in the accompanying Drawings illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Pool, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Third day of September, One thousand eight hundred and
eighty one.