Improvements in Machinery Used in the Manufacture of Bread.
Year: 1888

page_text: is Specification was, upon the 14th day of March 1891, Amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
[The Amendments are shown in erased and italic type.]
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED)..
Improvements in Machinery Used in the Manufacture of Bread.
I, JOHN ADAIR, Commission Agent of the City of the County of Waterford
Ireland, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MACHINERY USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BREAD and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in Machinery used in the manufacture of
Bread-particularly to Dough Making Machinery and Apparatus for Baking Bread.
Many unacquainted with the laws of good Bread Making, which comprise a
knowledge of barm, sponge, dough & baking, it being from beginning to end a
chemical action, regulated by heat by strength of fermenting power, by quality of
matter to be fermented, and so forth, have invented machines which when used may
be lawfully condemned; such as Iron trays for baking Bread on, which as a matter
of course, quickly impart a heat to the bottom of the loaf, causing thereby a crust,
close & hard that prevents the further ascension of heat into the loaf, while on the
other hand a tile, being slow to conduct heat, permits the bread to be well acted on
by the heat, before forming a crust. Also, Dough Machines, that make dough by a
compressing force, the evil of this being, that the dough is worked into a cloddish
mass, even & uneven, yet by the great power of the force, made to appear the
same; also the power required for such machines, & last tho' not least, the method
of cleaning them, which is often far from easy-Again, another class of machine is
made to work by cutting force; but these cut in the same place, over & over again,
never being able to change their position or action, as if a man were to keep turning
his arms through & through the dough in the same direction; of course power is
wasted by this. Also if a part of the dough is too light, & another part too stiff
the worker has no power to deal with both differently, but must give two different
bodies the same treatment.
A dough machine that requires least power & that will use most liquid in a given
quantity of substance, and consequently will yield most bread to the sack, is the
best machine. Now how this rule will apply to machines which have no control

page_text: in their action, but work stiff and light dough in the same manner, needs no
comment.
The advantages of the Dough Machine to which this invention relates are,
1st. There is no compressing force of any kind-in fact the Dough is made
almost by soakage, as the box revolving lifts the dough upward by means of the
arms, and the dough by its own weight falls upon the cutting knives, which revolve
quickly enough to prevent much dongh getting on them & as they work reverse
to each other, the dough is scattered about in small pieces, to each side of the
dough box.
Whatever loose flour may be in box, will of course be lifted up with the
dough, & this also falling with the dough on the revolving knives, will be scattered
Of course the person in
about the box, thus helping to make the Dough even.
charge of the dough making will retain a small portion of the flour, to dust the
dough as needed, taking care to watch for the light dough and dusting it. This
dusting operation only to he performed when the dough is nearly worked.
2nd. A principal advantage also in this machine, is that no dough can stick around
any axle, or clam in any way, but all parts must be shook up, in a kind even
manner- -without any compressing force or claming action. Indeed I am quite
certain that if the dough machines at present in use, were properly understood,
it would be discovered that great injury is done to Dough by applying such force to
make it. In many machines the water has not time to fully enter into the flour &
soak it, before the force of such dough machines, clams up the mass, & tho' the
dough may appear to look even, it is not so.
With my machine there is no hurry required dough box may revolve slowly or
quickly, but no matter how it works the dough is carried upward & is scattered by
the revolving knives, which may also work slowly, all depending upon the fancy of
the dough-maker, or the class of dough he may be making.
In my Invention of 1873 No. 4076-which was the first Invention of a traverse
dough-mixer that moved from end to end of the dough-box & could be controlled in
its action like a baker's arms, found the compressing force, caused by the traverse
motion at both ends of dough-box, was injurious to the dough, at least so I thought,
by the considerable force required, at this particular point of working.
Making dough upon the soakage principle, that is giving the flour plenty of time
to absorb the water, is a new principle, and when it is considered that the great object
of good dough-making is to make the dough even and also to put as much water into
it as possible, so that there may be a profit, I think it is evident that my machine
stands in the fore front here.
But where it is necessary to have a good Dough Machine, working off even doughs
with as much water in them as possible, it would be impossible to set such doughs in
an oven upon the present system of Batch setting. Those conversant with the trade
know well how necessary it is that dough she of a certain stiffness to stand
upon the peel; and this being absolutely necessary, there is no attempt made to work
light doughs. But in the machine which I now describe, the lightest dough can be
baked, & outside loaves will be almost done away with, as they can be set in such a
manuer as to be perfectly straight & not over-crusted.-The machine 1 invented in
1873, No. 4076-(tho' admirable in its working as regards being able to put a
batch of bread into the oven in five minutes, placing the bread on the bare tiles, &
being the only machine on record that could accomplish this feat) had this one
disadvantage that the usual set-sticks could not be dispensed with, & consequently
outside loaves were the result.
Again the Batch of Bread being covered with Oil papers, will have the steau
retained underneath in such a manner as to permit the loaf to rise & bake thoroughly
the top crust not forming until such baking is accomplished-to those acquainted wit
Baking the forming of a top-crust too soon on bread, means the destruction of th
quality, not to speak of the size of the loaf.
The ease with which a Batch of Bread can be set by the machine which I now
describe, put into oven & drawn out when baked, needs no comment, when compare

page_text: I have a light small set stick which I wrap in greased paper, & in some cases where
it is required to have the outside loaves high, the greased paper is creased into fluted
folds in such a manner that as the loaf rises, the paper yields with without tearing.
When Batch is set, I cover it over with greased papers which will confine under-
neath the steam arising from Bread in baking, the advantage being that a softer
richer crust will be on loaves, also the bread will be better baked as the top crust will
form much more slowly than in the ordinary way.
When all is ready I push the tray into oven by means of the handle U. the wheels
running along the side bars C. as shown in Sheet 2. fig. 3. I then lower the Batch
setter by means of the handle A. working the rod W. which causes the slides B. B. to
all under the wheels, & thus allow the bread to rest upon the sole of oven.
To take the Batch out the handle A is worked reversely.—lifting wheels, sufficiently
high to permit batch setter to be drawn out of oven.-The bread may then be left in
tray as long as desirable, & being together in one mass will stand a long time fresh:
as these trays are comparatively cheap there could be several trays for the same
oven.
During the time of the setting of Batch a board is fixed underneath the tray of
hatch-setter, which supports the paper, while loaves are being set, so that it will not
run down in one place more than in another-and the same board can be used when
batch is drawn out of oven, tho' this latter process will not be necessary as the loaves
when baked form one solid mass across the tray.
The oven used for this machine is the same proposed in my former Invention of
1873. No. 4076.
It will be particularly noticed that greased papers will not stick to bottom of loaves,
but will come off quite freely after baking-and if care is taken same papers will do
for several batches and also let it be particularly & distinctly understood that for the
covering of tray over the wires, & for the covering of set-sticks which go around batch
of bread on tray and for the covering of batch while Baking- use asbestoes thus:
Sheets of asbestus are placed over the wires on tray & over these may be placed the
greased papers or other material, or if preferred the ashestus sheets may be used
without any covering in which case they may be greased or dusted-also if the
asbestos sheets are constantly used, there will not be need for the lowering of tray
in oven, and consequently this machinery may be dispensed with-yet for some special
bakings the lowering might be an advantage, and in cases where the baking is done
with only greased papers or other material of such weak nature, the lowering of tray
while batch is baking will be an important assistance.
The covering of set sticks may be done by-casing them in asbestos sheets-and
the covering of batch of Bread in baking, may be done by placing thin sheets of
Asbestus over it so that steam may be retained underneath. Of course this covering
is in choice of the operator, as it may or may not be covered.
When it is desirable to reduce the conducting power of asbestos, clay or other
material of slow conducting power may be mixed in the manufacture-or sh it be
desirable to strengthen sheets-wire can be woven into them in the manufacture.
Thus asbestus sheets may be made according to choice-slow or quick conductors of
heat and can be strengthened by wire-weaving, to any desired strength.
As the principle which I have strictly kept in view in making my dough machine
is to make Doughs on the soakage principle I specially state that it is not necessary
10 confine to this exact method represented; in drawing Sheet No. 1.
Thus, a dough Box may be suspended on a centre axle, which axle may have keyed
into it a wheel, which wheel may be worked by a screw pinion--this screw pinion may
be drawn by a pair of Cross Belts, which can reverse motion when required, &
consequently the box when working will rise & fall at each end alternately, & thus
throw the contents of box from one end to the other- of course the axle of Box may
be placed in any part of box, thus if placed in the ends of box the sides will run & fall
alternately & so on.
Though no lid is shewn in drawing as covering dough box, yet if required a lid

page_text: may be fastened on box, but in some cases as where dough is made slowly, no lid will
be required.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention & in what manner the same
is to be performed I declare, that I claim the following as my improvements in machinery
used in the manufacture of bread.
1st. A dough Making Machine after the manner described in this Invention: con-
structed and acting substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2nd. The novelty of a A revolving Dough Box, as a means of Making Dough,
constructed and acting as and for the purpose set forth with reference to Sheet 1.
3rd. The Method of Guarding working Shaft, after the manner described.
4th. The driving of several arms having a common centre by means of Axles inside
each other, as set forth.
5th. The Raising & Lowering of the different parts, or of some particular parts of
a Dough Box--as a means of making dough, which box, may or may not revolve, but
may rise or fall alternately at each end or side, whereby the dough is caused to move
from one side to the other and to be acted upon by the mixing arms as set forth.
6th. A Batch-setting Machine constructed and acting after the manner described in
this Invention Specification.
7th. The using The combination with such a batch setting machine as claimed under
the 6th claiming clause of the employment of a material such as greased paper, or if
preferred, thin sheets of timber perforated or other material of like nature, as regards
its conductive power in transmitting heat, & its supporting power to hold up Bread
during batch-setting after the manner described, & be it particularly & distinctly
understood, that I claim specially the novelty, herewith of using in the Baking of
Bread asbestos sheets, which sheets may be used in any form or manner-as for
instance, if the Baking trays are small one sheet of asbestos may make a good &
sufficient bottom for tray, without any underneath support of any kind; indeed the
tray might be simply made of asbestos only-but I claim as a novelty specially &
distinctly the using of asbestos in the baking of Bread, substantially as set forth.
8th. The using of such material combined with set-sticks to hold in batch or tray,
as described in this Invention, Specification, thus almost doing away with outside
loaves, and the covering of bread during baking with such material, as a means of
retaining steam & thereby forming a rich soft brown crust & much more thoroughly
baking bread.
9th. In batch setting trays the supporting of the material on which batch of Bread
rests, by wires set apart as represented, or other material which will serve like
purpose of wires; as laths of timber, or wire cords or such like, substantially as set
forth.
1000
JOHN ADAIR,
Commission Agent,
Waterford.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery Used in the Manufacture of Bread.
I, JOHN ADAIR, Commission Agent of the City of the County of Waterford
Ireland, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MACHINERY USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BREAD and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in Machinery used in the manufacture of
Bread particularly to Dongh Making Machinery and Apparatus for Baking Bread.
Many unacquainted with the laws of good Bread Making, which comprise a
knowledge of barm, sponge, dongh & baking, it being from begining to end a
chemical action, regulated by heat by strength of fermenting power, by quality of
matter to be fermented, and so forth, have invented machines which when used may
be lawfully condemned; such as Iron trays for baking Bread on, which as a matter
of course, quickly impart a heat to the bottom of the loaf, causing thereby a crust,
close & hard that prevents the further ascension of heat into the loaf, while on tho
other hand a tile, being slow to conduct heat, permits the bread to be well acted on
by the heat, before forming a crust. Also, Dough Machines, that make dough by a
compressing force, the evil of this being, that the dough is worked into a cloddish
mass, even & uneven, yet by the great power of the force, made to appear the
same; also the power required for such machines," & last tho' not least, the method
of cleaning them, which is often far from easy-Again, another class of machine is
made to work by cutting force; but these cut in the same place, over & over again,
never being able to change their position or action, as if a man were to keep turning
his arms through & through the dough in the same direction; of course power is
wasted by this. Also if a part of the dough is too light, & another part too stiff
the worker has no power to deal with both differently, but must give two different
bodies the same treatment.
A dough machine that requires least power & that will use most liquid in a given
quantity of substance, and consequently will yield most bread to the sack, is the
best machine. Now how this rule will apply to machines which have no control

page_text: in their action, but work stiff and light dough in the same manner, needs no
comment.
The advantages of the Dough Machine to which this invention relates are,
1st. There is no compressing force of any kind in fact the Dough is made
almost by soakage, as the box revolving lifts the dough upward by means of the
arms, and the dough by its own weight falls upon the cutting knives, which revolve
quickly enough to prevent much dough getting on them & as they work reverse
to each other, the dough is scattered about in small pieces, to each side of the
dough box.
Whatever loose flour may be in box, will of course be lifted up with the
dough, & this also falling with the dough on the revolving knives, will be scattered
about the box, thus helping to make the Dough even. Of course the person in
charge of the dough making will retain a small portion of the flour, to dust the
dough as needed, taking care to watch for the light dough and dusting it. This
dusting operation only to be performed when the dough is nearly worked.
2nd. A principal advantage also in this machine, is that no dough can stick around
any axle, or clam in any way, but all parts must be shook up, in a kind even
manner without any compressing force or claming action. Indeed I am quite
certain that if the dough machines at present in use, were properly understood,
it would be discovered that great injury is done to Dough by applying such force to
make it. In many machines the water has not time to fully enter into the flour &
soak it, before the force of such dough machines, clams up the mass, & tho' the
dough may appear to look even, it is not so.
With my machine there is no hurry required dough box may revolve slowly or
quickly, but no matter how it works the dough is carried upward & is scattered by
the revolving knives, which may also work slowly, all depending upon the fancy of
the dough-maker, or the class of dough he may be making.
In my Invention of 1873 No. 4076-which was the first Invention of a traverso
dough-mixer that moved from end to end of the dough-box & could be controlled in
its action like a baker's arms, I found the compressing force, caused by the traverse
motion at both ends of dough-box, was injurious to the dough, at least so I thought,
by the considerable force required, at this particular point of working.
Making dough upon the soakage principle, that is giving the flour plenty of time
to absorb the water, is a new principle, and when it is considered that the great object
of good dough-making is to make the dough even and also to put as much water into
it as possible, so that there may be a profit, I think it is evident that my machine
stands in the fore front here.
But where it is necessary to have a good Dough Machine, working off even doughs
with as much water in them as possible, it would be impossible to set such doughs in
an oven upon the present system of Batch setting. Those conversant with the trade
know well how necessary it is that dough she be of a certain stiffness to stand
upon the peel; and this being absolutely necessary, there is no attempt made to work
light doughs. But in the machine which I now describe, the lightest dough can be
baked, & outside loaves will be almost done away with, as they can be set in such a
manner as to be perfectly straight & not over-crusted. The machine I invented in
1873, No. 4076 (tho' admirable in its working as regards being able to put a
batch of bread into the oven in five minutes, placing the bread on the bare tiles, &
being the only machine on record that could accomplish this feat) had this one
disadvantage that the usual set-sticks could not be dispensed with, & consequently
outside loaves were the result.
Again the Batch of Bread being covered with Oil papers, will have the steam
retained underneath in such a manner as to permit the loaf to rise & bake thoroughly,
the top crust not forming until such baking is accomplished-to those acquainted with
Baking the forming of a top-crust too soon on bread, means the destruction of the
quality, not to speak of the size of the loaf.
The case with which a Batch of Bread can be set by the machine which I now
describe, put into oven & drawn out when baked, needs no comment, when compared

page_text: Fig. 1. shews the wires drawn on Batch setter, which is made of 2 in. angle iron,
the flanges being turned inward-the wires are strained by the screw R. fig. 2. which
draws the wires around the pulley S. The grasp T. tightening down on top of Angle
Iron these grasps may be moved to any place on the Angle Iron; consequently the
wires may be opened or closed at pleasure.
The handle U. fig. 1 pushes in & draws out Batch of bread-The fall V. drops into
a catch so as to prevent batch setter from running out when wheels are lowering.
Wheels are lowered by the rod W. fig. 3. which works in the screw bed Z. & as the
handle A is turned rod W. comes forwd lifting the plates B. B. The lowering will
be done by the opposite direction & thus allow wheels to fall when batch setter is in
oven in order to bring wires in contact with the floor of the oven.
So that they may
run freely along the Rail C. C.-this rail C. is the head of a metal frame underneath
which the rod W. works.
Dough is made by throwing the blended sponge into the box A. with the quantity
of flour required for the Dough Making. The Box A is then set revolving & the
lifting arms X carry the dough upwards letting it fall upon the cutting arms G & K.-
When the dough is worked sufficiently and dusted as described above, a slide at the
bottom of the box is drawn & dough falls into dough boxes prepared to receive it.
The Batch setter is worked thus. Upon the strained wires I place paper well
greased on both sides with good sweet lard, papers to be of sufficient length to reach
from side to side of batch setter. On these papers I place the loaves between the
wires using the wires to mark lines for loaves to be set straight by, and as these wires
are very thin, they will form no obstruction whatever to the setting of loaves tight &
close to each other. Indeed it is not at all necessary to set the loaves between the
wires, if preferred they may be set on them as the wire will not burn greased paper,
the only disadvantage of this system being, that there will be a slight wire mark at
the bottom of the loaf, also the loaves will not be as straightly set.
Around the interior sides of this tray I place well fitted set sticks, and inside these

page_text: I have a light small set stick which I wrap in greased paper, & in some cases where
it is required to have the outside loaves high, the greased paper is creased into fluted
folds in such a manner that as the loaf rises, the paper yields with it without tearing.
When Batch is set, I cover it over with greased papers which will confine under-
neath the steam arising from Bread in baking, the advantage being that a softer
richer crust will be on loaves, also the bread will be better baked as the top crust will
form much more slowly than in the ordinary way.
When all is ready push the tray into oven by means of the handle U, the wheels
running along the side bars C. as shown in Sheet 2. fig. 3. I then lower the Batch
setter by means of the handle A. working the rod W. which causes the slides B. B. to
fall under the wheels, & thus allow the bread to rest upon the sole of oven.
To take the Batch out the handle A is worked reversely.-lifting wheels, sufficiently
high to permit batch setter to be drawn out of oven.-The bread may thon be left in
tray as long as desirable, & being together in one mass will stand a long time fresh:
as these trays are comparatively cheap there could be several trays for the same
oven.
During the time of the setting of Batch a board is fixed underneath the tray of
batch-setter, which supports the paper, while loaves are being set, so that it will not
run down in one place more than in another-and the same board can be used when
batch is drawn out of oven, tho' this latter process will not be necessary as the loavos
when baked form one solid mass across the tray.
The oven used for this machine is the same proposed in my former Invention of
1873, No. 4076.
It will be particularly noticed that greased papers will not stick to bottom of loaves,
but will come off quite freely after baking-and if care is taken same papers will do
for several batches and also let it be particularly & distinctly understood that for the
covering of tray over the wires, & for the covering of set-sticks which go around batch
of Bread on tray and for the covering of batch while Baking-I use asbestoes thus:
Sheets of asbestus are placed over the wires on tray & over these may be placed the
greased papers or other material, or if preferred the asbestus sheets may be used
without any covering in which case they may be greased or dusted-also if the
asbestos sheets are constantly used, there will not be need for the lowering of tray
in oven, and consequently this machinery may be dispensed with yet for some special
bakings the lowering might be an advantage, and in cases where the baking is done
with only greased papers or other material of such weak nature, the lowering of tray
while batch is baking will be an important assistance.
.
The covering of set sticks may be done by-casing them in asbestos sheets-and
the covering of batch of Bread in baking, may be done by placing thin sheets of
Asbestus over it so that steam may be retained underneath. Of course this covering
is in choice of the operator, as it may or may not be covered.
When it is desirable to reduce the conducting power of asbestos, clay or other
material of slow conducting power may be mixed in the manufacturo-or shª it be
desirable to strengthen sheets-wire can be woven into them in the manufacture.-
Thus asbestus sheets may be made according to choice-slow or quick conductors of
heat and can be strengthened by wire-weaving, to any desired strength.
As the principle which I have strictly kept in view in making my dough machine
is to make Doughs on the soakage principle I specially state that it is not necessary
to confine to this exact method represented; in drawing Sheet No. 1.
Thus, a dough Box may be suspended on a centre axle, which axle may have keyed
into it a wheel, which wheel may be worked by a screw pinion-this screw pinion may
be drawn by a pair of Cross Belts, which can reverse motion when required, &
consequently the box when working will rise & fall at each end alternately, & thus
throw the contents of box from one end to the other of course the axle of Box may
be placed in any part of box, thus if placed in the ends of box the sides will run & fall
alternately & so on.
Though no lid is shewn in drawing as covering dough box, yet if required a lid

page_text: may be fastened on box, but in some cases as where dough is made slowly, no lid will
be required.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention & in what manner the same
is to be performed I declare, that I claim the following
1st. A dough Making Machine after the manner described in this Invention.
2nd. The novelty of a revolving Dough Box, as a means of Making Dough.
3rd. The Method of Guarding working Shaft, after the manner described.
4th. The driving of several arms having a common centre by means of Axles inside
each other.
5th. The Raising & Lowering of the different parts, or of some particular parts of
a Dough Box-as a means of making dough, which box, may or may not revolve, but
may rise or fall alternately at each end. or side.
6th. A Batch-setting Machine after the manner described in this Invention.
7th. The using of a material such as greased paper, or if preferred, thin sheets of
timber perforated or other material of like nature, as regards its conductive power in
transmitting heat, & its supporting power to hold up Bread during batch-setting after
the manner described, & be it particularly & distinctly understood, that I claim
specially the novelty, of using in the Baking of Bread asbestos sheets, which sheets
may be used in any form or manner-as for instance, the Baking trays are small
one sheet of asbestos may make a good & sufficient bottom for tray, without any
underneath support of any kind; indeed the tray might be simply made of asbestos
only-but I claim as a novelty specially & distinctly the using of asbestos in the
baking of Bread.
8th. The using of such material combined with set-sticks to hold in batch or tray,
as described in this Invention, thus almost doing away with outside loaves, and the
covering of bread during baking with such material, as a means of retaining steam &
thereby forming a rich soft brown crust & much more thoroughly baking bread.
9th. The supporting of the material on which batch of Bread rests, by wires set
apart as represented, or other material which will serve like purpose of wires; as laths
of timber, or wire cords or such like.
Dated thin 4th do the and manth 1000
JOHN ADAIR,
Commission Agent,
Waterford.