Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1888
Specification Accepted, 14th Dec., 1888
I, CHARLES BENET, of Upper Clapton, in the County of Middlesex, Confectioner,
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:-
My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of sweetmeats and.
particularly of thoso, which have a sticky or adhesive character.
Of late it has been the practice, in the manufacture of certain classes of sweetmeats,
to coat them with a thin film of gelatine, with the object of giving them a gloss or
brilliancy, and in the case of certain tacky goods, such as jujubes, to prevent their
adherence to one another.
Other advantages also were claimed for this process of coating sweetmeats, but,
as hitherto made and sold, these articles were liable to become, in time, dull on the
surface, and more or less sticky, and therefore unsaleable.
Now, by my invention, I am enabled to avoid these defects, and to secure further
important advantages, as hereinafter enumerated.
My invention consists in coating, covering, or encasing sweetmeats, such as jujubes
and other gum goods, also various preparations of chocolate and other confectionery,
the appearance of which is liable to deteriorate by efflorescence, with a solution of
gelatine so modified as to render it less soluble, harder, and less pervious to moisture
than it otherwise would be.
This result I obtain by combining with the gelatine, in the mauner hereinafter
mentioned, alum, or a double sulphate, containing, alumina or iron alum, or chrome
alum, or aluminium salts, or tannic acid. The use of the alum or aluminium salts has
the further important advantages of preserving the gelatine solution employed in
coating the sweetmeats, in good condition for long periods, and further, of causing
the solution, when applied, to adhere better when the surfaces of the goods to be
treated are greasy.
To obviate the disadvantage of goods so treated being practically tasteless when
first placed in the mouth, 1 further improve the coating by the addition thereto of a
small quantity of so-called saccharin, which imparts to the goods a flavour of sweet-
ness, which is appreciated directly they are placed in the mouth.

page_text: This saccharin, as it possesses antiseptic properties; 'bas the: further advantage or
tending to preserve the gelatine solution.
The alum or double sulphate containing alumina, or iron alum, or chrome alum,
or aluminium sulphate, may be used in either of the following ways:-
If the gelatine solution be a weak one, the alum or other salt of aluminium may be
dissolved in it, but if it be a thick solution, the alum cannot be added to it without
causing the solution to become solid. In this case, the goods to be treated should be
first passed through a solution of alum, and, when dry, through the gelatine solution.
The alum on the surface is dissolved in the gelatino film, and produces its character-
istic action in the coating.
For the weaker solution, I prefer the following proportions, viz.:-Gelatine, one
pound; alum, either potassium, sodium, ammonium, iron, or chrome alum, one pound;
or sulphate of alumina, 11 ounces; water four gallous.
For the stronger solution, I first pass the goods to be treated through a solution of
about seven ounces of alum, or about five ounces of sulphate of alumina, por two
gallons of water; they are then dried, and afterwards dipped in a solution of one
pound of gelatine in one gallon of water, and fifteen grains of saccharin. A little
orange-flower-water may be added to improve the flavour of the coating. Half an
ounce of alum, or one-third of an ounce of sulphate of alumina, is added for every
six pounds of gelatine used for the thicker solution, to preserve it from decomposing.
The tannic acid may be used in the following way-the goods to be treated aro
first passed through a solution, and, when dry, through the gelatine solution. I prefer
the strength of the solution of tannic acid to be about 2%, or lb to two gallons
of water the goods are then dried, and afterwards dipped into a solution of about
one pound of gelatine to one gallon of water and fifteen graine of saccharin.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
The coating of sweetmeats such as those above indicated, with a gelatine solution
combined with the hardening and sweetening substances, as and for the purpose above
set forth.
Dated this 10th low of November 1000