An Improved Method of Preparing Cereals and Leguminous Food Materials, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 12th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 9th July, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Preparing Cereals and Leguminous Food
Materials, and Apparatus therefor.
We, WILLIAM JOHN ROBINSON, JOSEPH ROBINSON, and ROBERT ROBINSON,
trading as Robert Robinson & Sons, of Annan, Dumfries-shire, do hereby declarc
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for preparing
cereals and leguminous material for food. Hitherto it has been the practice
first to cook, next to flake and finally to dry such material; the operation of
cooking has commonly been effected by steam in such a manner that trouble
has been experienced by reason of the condensation of steam in the cooked
material and the consequent dampness thereof.
According to the present invention the operation of drying may be effected
in the same apparatus and operation as that in which the cooking is effected,
and the process of flaking concludes the treatment. The medium employed
for cooking may conveniently be steam as hitherto but it is applied in a different
manner and thus the disadvantage of condensation such as is hereinbefore
referred to is obviated.
A convenient apparatus according to this invention consists of a perforated
cylinder of fine wire gauze enclosed in a casing and containing a worm conveyor,
there being a jacket space between the outer wall of the cylinder and the inner
surface of the chamber. The material to be treated for instance oats, barley, rice,
lentils, wheat etc., is fed into the cylinder through which it is propelled by the
conveyor, which also stirs or agitates it during its transit. The perforated
cylinder in which the conveyor works may itself receive a rotary movement in a
direction opposite to that in which the conveyor turns. The rotation of the
conveyor and cylinder can be effected by worm
or other gear.
Steam or any other medium by which the cooking is to be effected is intro-
duced into the jacket space between the outer casing and the perforated cylinder,
and it is found that the results obtained in apparatus of the kind described in
which the material treated is enclosed by the perforated cylinder, are superior
to those obtained when the steam is delivered directly into that material instead
of into a jacket space as in the present instance.
Drains are provided for facilitating the exit of any liquid which may condense
upon the interior of the jacket or the exterior of the gauze; the apparatus may
be inclined, if desired, to facilitate such drainage. In certain cases the steam
or other medium employed in the manner described will effect not only the
cooking but also the drying of the food material; but if desired the chamber
in which the perforated cylinder is contained may be provided with a diaphragm
dividing the jacket space into two parts in one of which the cooking operation
occurs, the drying operating being effected in the other compartment by hot
air, for instance circulated in the jacket space.
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page_text: An Improved Method of Preparing Cereals and Leguminous Food
Materials, and Apparatus therefor.
We, WILLIAM JOHN ROBINSON, JOSEPH ROBINSON, and ROBERT ROBINSON,
trading as Robert Robinson & Sons, of Annan, Dumfries-shire, 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 method of and apparatus for preparing
cereals and leguminous material for food. Hitherto it has been the practico
first to cook, next to flake and finally to dry such material; the operation of
cooking has commonly been effected by steam in such a manner that trouble
has been experienced by reason of the condensation of steam in the cooked
material and the consequent dampness thereof.
According to the present invention the operation of drying may be effected
in the same apparatus and operation as that in which the cooking is effected,
and the process of flaking concludes the treatment. The medium employed
for cooking may conveniently be steam as hitherto, but it is applied in a different
manner and thus the disadvantage of condensation such as herein before
referred to is obviated.
The apparatus employed in carrying out this invention comprises a perforated
cylinder enclosed in a casing and containing a worm. conveyor; there being a
jacket space between the outer wall of the cylinder and the inner surface of
the chamber. The material to be treated, for instance, maize, oats, barley, rice,
lentils, wheat etc., is fed into the cylinder through which it is propelled by the
conveyor, which also stirs or agitates it during its transit. The perforated
cylinder in which the conveyor works may itself receive a rotary movement in
a direction opposite to that in which the conveyor turns. The rotation of the
conveyor and cylinder can be effected by worm or other gear.
Steam or other medium by which the cooking is to be effected is intro-
duced into the jacket space between the outer casing and the perforated cylinder,
and it is found that the results obtained in apparatus of the kind described, in
which the material treated is enclosed by the perforated cylinder, are superior
to those obtained when the steam is delivered directly into that material instead
of into a jacket space as in the present instance.
In certain cases the steam or other medium employed in the manner described
will effect not only the cooking but also the drying of the food material; but
if desired the chamber in which the perforated cylinder is contained may be
provided with a diaphragm dividing the jacket space into two parts in one of
which the cooking operation occurs, the drying operation being effected in the
other compartment by hot air, for instance, circulated in the jacket space.
The accompanying drawing shows in longitudinal central section, partly in
elevation, a convenient form of apparatus constructed according to this inven-
tion.
A is a cylinder perforated throughout with the exception of its ends A² A³
and a central band A which are held within glands or stuffing boxes of any
ordinary construction, formed in the heads B B+ and a central plate 135 respec-
tively of the outer casing B. The perforated portions of the cylinder A may
be made of a finely-meshed gauze of copper or galvanized-iron wire, but prefer-
ably of metal plates with holes or fine slots formed in them as shown at A¹
The casing B, conveniently of iron, is formed in two cylindrical portions B₁ Bs,
supported in standards C and bolted together at B5, and is of a diameter sufficiently
greater than that of the cylinder A to leave a space between them to form a
1

page_text: jacket, divided into two separate compartments B6 B7 by the plate B. Pipes B
are provided for the supply of steam to the jacket B7 and a pipe B for the supply
of hot air or steam to the jacket Be.
Within the cylinder A extending throughout its whole length is a worm or
like conveyor D, carried on a shaft E, one end of which is conveniently sup-
ported in a bearing carried by arms E¹ formed in the head B3 of the casing B;
the other end being carried on a standard C¹ and provided with rotating gear,
consisting in this case, as shown, of a wheel E worm E3 and driving pulley E.
The cylinder A may be made to revolve in the opposite direction to the con-
veyor; a convenient gear for rotating it comprises a wheel A5 and worm
with a driving pulley A.
Aº
A hopper is furnished for feeding the cylinder A with the material to be
cooked and dried.
Escape pipes for the steam and hot air may be provided in the upper part
of the casing, which may be lagged to prevent loss of heat. Drain pipes may
be provided for facilitating the exit of any liquid which may condense upon
the interior of the jacket or the exterior of the cylinder A and to facilitate such
drainage the apparatus may be slightly inclined, instead of being placed level
as shown in the drawing. Cocks and all necessary fittings are provided.
When in operation the material to be operated upon is fed into one end of
the cylinder A from the hopper F and is carried forward, and at the same time
stirred and agitated, by the revolving worm or conveyor 1, this agitation being
assisted by the rotation of the cylinder itself. Steam is admitted through the
pipes 138 into the jacket B7 and passing through the perforations A¹ acts
the material moving within the cylinder A. Hot air is supplied through the
pipe 1 into the jacket 136 in order to dry the material which is discharged
through the open end of the cylinder at As ready to be operated upon by rollers
or the like.
•
on
Although steam-and-hot air are herein before referred to by way of example
as the cooking and drying media respectively, other gases or vapours may be
used for either of these purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is; -
1. Cooking or cooking and drying cereals and leguminous food materials by
placing them in a perforated chamber and circulating gas or vapour in contact
with its exterior substantially as described.
2. The method of cooking and drying cereals and leguminous food materials
in one continuous operation by passing the material to be operated on through
a perforated chamber surrounded by a jacket containing gas or vapour sub-
stantially as described.
3. In apparatus for cooking and drying cereals and leguminous food materials
the combination with a perforated cylinder of an outer casing forming a jacket
and a conveyor substantially as described.
4. The complete cooking and drying apparatus substantially as described or
illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
WILLIAM JOHN ROBINSON.
ROBERT ROBINSON.
JOSEPH
ROBINSON.