IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRE- PARATION AND USE OF STARCH FOR MANUFACTURING, BLEACHING, AND FINISHING Dance
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hamilton, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim,
Starch Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRE-
LETTERS PATENT to John Hamilton, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim,
Starch Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRE-
PARATION AND USE OF STARCH FOR MANUFACTURING, BLEACHING, AND FINISHING
Dance"
Sealed the 14th August 1858, and dated the 12th May 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hamilton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th May 1858.
I, JOHN HAMILTON, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Starch Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION AND USE OF STARCH FOR MANUFACTURING, BLEACHING,
AND FINISHING PURPOSES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the preparation and use of starch for manu-
facturing purposes of various kinds in such manner that it may be applied
with greatly superior economical results. Instead of finishing and drying up
the starch, as is commonly done, the process of manufacture is carried on no
further than the actual deposition or solidification of the starch, when it is at
once taken for use without any further preparation; starch used in this way is
most effectual in its action, whilst it is peculiarly economical.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Hamilton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HAMILTON, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Starch Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Hamilton, Her special license that I, the said John
Hamilton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Hamilton, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVELIENTS IN THE PREPARATION AND USE OF STARCH FOR MANUFACTURING, BLEACH-
ING, AND FINISHING PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Hamilton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Hamilton, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to the preparation and use of starch for manu-
facturing purposes of various kinds, in such manner that it may be applied
with greatly superior economical results. Instead of finishing and drying up
the starch, as is commonly done, the process of manufacture is carried on no
further than the actual deposition or solidification of the starch, when it is at
once taken for use without any further preparation. Starch used in this way
is most effective in its action, whilst it is peculiarly economical.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the same in detail, for the purpose of showing certain

page_text: modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously carried out in
practice.
My improvements have reference to the manufacture of starch from the
grain of wheat, which is taken and crushed between iron rollers, or in lieu
thereof the grain may be used in the natural or unbroker state. The wheat
is put into a "kieve" or other steeping vessel, and a sufficient quantity of
water is allowed to run into the kieve to cover the grain lying at the bottom
of the vessel. The grain remains in the steep water until it is completely
softened throughout, so that the separate seeds may be easily crushed between
the fingers; in this state the grain will have absorbed a large quantity of
water. The absorption of the water causes the grain to swell and burst the
husks, at which point the steeping operation is stopped, and the supernatant
water is run off from the kieve, and the solid matters are allowed to
drain. The softened wheat is now removed from the kieve and transferred
to a mill for the purpose of crushing the grains; this operation is, however,
only necessary when whole or unbroken grain is used for the manufacture.
The steeped grains may be crushed by means of a pair of horizontal rollers,
or in lieu thereof is roughly crushed by a pair of ordinary millstones. The
grain, after undergoing the crushing operation, is transferred to a steeping
"kieve," or suitable holder, and is washed with water so as to separate the
gluten from the starch, which communicates to the water a milky appearance.
The water containing the starch in suspension is allowed to run through a
sieve into a vessel or vessels in which it remains until the starch is deposited
at the bottom of the kieve, and the supernatant liquid becomes transparent.
In treating the crushed grain in this manner, several charges of water may be
required in succession before the whole of the starch is separated from the
mass of solid matter; the washing or separating operation is, therefore, con-
tinued until the water passes off clear. When the whole of the starch
granules have sunk to the bottom, the transparent supernatant liquor is run
off from the kieve, or containing vessel, through a tap or other valvular
apparatus, and in this manner as much of the water as will drain from the
starch is run off. And the gluten that may have passed along with the starch,
and is not held in suspension by the water, settles on the top of the starch in
the kieve, and is skimmed off and passes down inclined runners (in the usual
way), by which means the gluten passes over the end of the runner, and the
starch settles at the bottom; this process is repeated as often as necessary for
its entire purification from gluten by again dissolving in water, and running
down the runner until the starch is thoroughly separated from all gluten.

page_text: Hitherto it has been the practice to dry the starch thus obtained in ovens or
by other applications of artificial heat; but according to one modification of
my present Invention, I avoid this part of the preparation, and hence effect a
considerable saving of time, labour, and fuel. The partially solidified stratum
of starch left in the "kieve," or containing vessel, after being sufficiently drained
from the water, is packed or put up in jars, boxes, or other holders ready for
sale and the consumer's use. Or the mass of starch may be divided into
pieces or cakes of a uniform size and predetermined weight, these cakes being
packed in tin foil or other suitable wrappers. The starch thus prepared
requires only the addition of a small quantity of boiling water to render it fit
for use for stiffening yarns, fabrics, starching linen, or other purposes to which
this material is applied.
Among the advantages attending the use of the starch prepared according
to this mode are the avoidance of waste, and the ease and rapidity with which
it may be got ready for use, even by the most inexperienced person. The
process of solidifying or partially solidifying the deposited starch may be
effected at once by removing the starch from the kieve, or containing vessel,
and placing it in a perforated box lined with calico or other cloth, having a
moveable cover fitted thereto, and which rests upon the surface of the starch.
The box containing the starch is placed in a hydraulic press, and the lid is
pressed down so as to squeezo out the moisture to the required extent. In
this manner any degree of solidity may be given to the starch, and the tedious
operation of drying it, according to the ordinary mode of manufacture, is wholly
avoided.
The result of the improvements being the production of an article more
generally useful to the consumer, and one that can be manufactured at a
cheaper rate than heretofore.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself
to the preciso details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe
or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, the system or mode of manufacturing starch, in which the drying
operation is dispensed with, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of manufacturing starch, in which the starch

page_text: is made up for sale in a damp or partially solidified state, as herein-before
described.
Third, the system or mode of subjecting starch as deposited from the wash
waters to pressure, in order to press out the absorbed water, and render the
mass more or less solid, and in a state fit to be made up for sale, as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hamilton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, One thousand cight
hundred and fifty-eight.
JOHN HAMILTON. (L.S.)
JOHN HAMILTON. (L.S.)