A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING COFFEE FOR FACILITATING THE TRANSPORT AND USE OF A communication from abroad by Paul
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Griffith Brewer, of 33, Chancery Lane, in tho
County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD
OF TREATING COFFEE FOR FACILITATING THE TRANSPORT AND USE OF
A communication from abroad by Paul Pesier, of Valenciennes,
SAME."
France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Griffith Brewer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th October 1880.
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING COFFEE FOR FACILITATING THE
TRANSPORT AND USE OF SAME." (A communication from abroad by Paul Pesier,
of Valenciennes, France.)
The object of this Invention is to obtain a new product, and it refers to the
manufacture of cakes or tablets, or portions wherein pulverized coffee and sugar
are well mixed in convenient proportions for consumption, and solidified by means
of powerful pressure.
These cakes, tablets, rations, or lozenges, when moulded, are made of any
desired size and weight, according to the quantity of the portion determined on, in
order that it may be only necessary, according to requirement, to dissolve one or
more of them in a convenient quantity of hot water, and allow to settle, to obtain
coffee sweetened and ready for immediate usc. A convenient proportion of coffec
for cach ration is half an ounce of coffee, and of sugar three quarters of an ounce.
These cakes, tablets, rations, or lozenges, are obtained by compressing the
powdered mixture in moulds of the shape it is desired to impart to the products to
be produced. The pressure may be obtained by any known means, but the most
suitable products are obtained simply by pressure, either cold or hot, in cast iron
matrix lined with bronze; the pressure should be of about 6,000 to 7,000 lbs. for
each superficial square inch pressed.
The properties which the coffee possesses render it one of the most essential
alimentary products, and, for example, especially useful for military purposes,
whereby soldiers are placed beyond many existing inconveniences, such as supply
of provisions, difficulties as to distribution, heavy, expensive, and cumbersome
material.

page_text: These cakes or tablets of sweetened coffee avoid all these inconveniences. The
proportion of coffee and sugar, the mixture of different kinds of coffee, and, if
desired the addition of chicory can at first be decided on and carried out.
The roasting, grinding, preparation of mixture, and compression, as well as the
packing, can be done commercially and in great quantity at very little expense.
These cakes or tablets when covered with tinfoil will keep well without losing
aroma.
The preparation of coffee is made very quickly and easily, all that is necessary is
to boil some water in any kind of vessel, the quantity of water being calculated
according to the number of rations to be distributed; the vessel containing the
boiling water is then taken off the fire, and the tablets are dropped in it, and these
are melted, the sugar dissolves, and the coffee dregs are precipitated at the bottom of
the vessel, leaving in the liquid the soluble particles. After a short rest the liquid
is decanted or filtered through a piece of muslin or any other suitable fabric.
A "cafetiere" may be used as usual if desired by putting the tablets' in it.
From the preceding description it is easy to understand the numerous advantages
resulting from the employment of these tablets aforesaid, viz., economy in packing
and storing, reduction of volume, and facility of supply, prolonged preservation,
dispensing with weighing and grinding materials, facility and rapidity in the
distribution, economy of time and stuff, suppression of waste.
These important advantages with regard to military administration will be also
found applicable to factories where the workmen have hot water at hand.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Griffith Brewer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th April 1881.
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING COFFEE FOR FACILITATING the
TRANSPORT AND USE OF SAME." (A communication from abroad by Paul Pesier,
of Valenciennes, France.)
The object of this Invention is to obtain a new product, and it refers to the
manufacture of cakes or tablets, or portions which the inventor calls "tablet-rations,"
wherein pulverized coffee and sugar are well mixed in convenient proportions for
consumption, and solidified by means of powerful pressure.
These cakes, tablets, rations, or lozenges, when moulded, are made of any desired
size and weight, according to the quantity of the portion determined on, in order
that it may be only necessary, according to requirement, to dissolve one or more of
them in a convenient quantity of hot water, and allow it to settle, to obtain coffee
sweetened and ready for immediate use. A convenient proportion of coffee for cach
ration is 1/2 oz. of coffee, and of sugar 3/4 oz.
This is obtained by compressing the powdered mixture in moulds of the shape it is
desired to impart to the products to be produced. The pressure may be obtained by
any known means, but the most suitable products are obtained simply by pressure,
either cold or hot, in cast iron matrix lined with bronze; the pressure should be of
about 6,000 to 7,000 lbs. for each superficial square inch pressod.
The properties which the coffee possessos render it one of the most essential
alimentary products, and, for example, ospecially useful for military purposes,
whereby soldiers are placed beyond many existing inconveniences, such as supply
of provisions, difficulties as to distribution, heavy, expensive, and cumbersome
material.
These cakes or tablets of sweetened coffee avoid all these inconveniences. The
proportions of coffee and sugar, the mixture of different kinds of coffee, and if
desired, the addition of chicory can at first be decided on and carried out.
The roasting, grinding, preparation of mixture and compression, as well as the
packing, can be done commercially and in great quantity at very little expense.
These cakes or tablets when covered with tin foil will keep well without losing
aroma.
The preparation of coffee is made very quickly and easily, all that is necessary is
to boil some water in any kind of vessel, the quantity of water being calculated
according to the number of rations to be distributed; the vessel containing the
boiling water is then taken off the fire, and the tablets are dropped into it, and
there melted, the sugar is dissolved, and the coffee dregs are precipitated at the
bottom of the vessel, leaving in the liquid the soluble particles. After a short rest
the liquid is decanted or filtered through a piece of muslin or any other suitable
fabric.
A cafetière may be used as usual if desired by putting the tablets in it.
From the preceding description it is easy to understand the numerous advantages
resulting from the employment of these tablets made of sweetened coffee; economy
in packing and storing, reduction of volume, and facility of supply, prolonged
preservation, dispensing with weighing and grinding materials, facility and rapidity
in the distribution, economy of time and stuff, suppression of waste. These
important advantages with regard to military administration will be also found
applicable to factories where the workmen have hot water at hand.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I am aware that attempts have been made to compress

page_text: coffee or chicory alone, as also to compress coffee with the addition of liquid gum;
it is not intended to claim the agglomeration, this is public property, but I claim
as the Invention communicated to me,-
The new and complete product, which the inventor calls " tablet-rations,"
consisting of sweetened coffee essentially composed of sugar and coffee mixed in
suitable proportions, and compressed in a dry or cold state into the form of tablets
or lozenges of suitable shape and size, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Griffith Brewer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
E. G. BREWER. (L.S.)