AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING STARCH FROM GRAIN FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GRAPE-SUGAR AND OTHER PRODUCTS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING STARCH FROM
GRAIN FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GRAPE-SUGAR AND OTHER PRODUCTS."
A communication from abroad by William Thomas Jebb, of Buffalo, New
York, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st March 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING STARCH FROM GRAIN FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
GRAPE-SUGAR AND OTHER PRODUCTS." A communication from abroad by
William Thomas Jebb, of Buffalo, New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to an improved method of obtaining starch from grain for
the purpose of converting such starch into grape sugar, glucose, spirits, or other
products, and to apparatus therefor. Heretofore one of three principal methods
has generally been employed for this purpose. The first method which is most
widely practised at the present time consists briefly in separating the starch water
from the ground grain by sifting, then permitting the starch to settle out of the
water in which it is suspended; then drawing off, the water and mixing alkali
with the starch to render the gluten soluble; then adding water to the mixture
and running the same over depositing tables upon which the starch is deposited
while the gluten runs off; then removing the deposited starch from these tables
and purifying it by repeated washing and settling. This method produces good
starch, but it requires a great deal of room or space for the accommodation of the
numerous settling and washing vats, depositing tables, and other apparatus, and
the principal defect consists in the use of alkali, which is never entirely eradicated
י.

page_text: The
from the starch, and which causes various difficulties in the subsequent conversion
of the starch into grape-sugar or glucose. For the purpose of effecting this
conversion sulphuric or oxalic acid is added to the starch. This acid is to a large
extent neutralized by the remaining alkali, which forms with the acid a salt which
imparts to the grape-sugar or glucose a disagreeable bitter after taste.
presence of the alkali also necessitates the employment of a large quantity of acid,
as that portion of the acid which combines with the alkali does not aid in effecting
the desired conversion. Another great objection to this process is the enormous
quantity of water which is required for the repeated washing of the material, and
the power expended in pumping such water and in breaking up the starch after
each settling.
Another well known process is distinguished by repeatedly siphoning the water
holding the starch in suspension from the offal, which has been deposited in the
bottom of the settling vats; this method requires still more room or space and
water than the process first mentioned. It has been attempted to avoid the
objections of these methods in the manufacture of grape-sugar or glucose, by
converting the ground grain directly without first extracting the starch from the
grain, and this method produces grape-sugar, which is sweeter than the sugar
produced from starch obtained by the alkali process; but the sugar so produced is
discolored by the bran and gluten which are present in the material during the
conversion of the starch into grape-sugar.
The object of this Invention is to extract the starch from the grain, and prepare
such starch for the final conversion into grape sugar, spirits, or such other product
as may be desired in a simple and direct manner, and without the drawbacks and
objectionable features which exist in the now known methods.
In the accompanying Drawings,
Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a train of machinery or apparatus
whereby my improved method is carried into practice.
Figure 2 is a side elevation drawn to an enlarged scale of the shaking separator.
Figure 3 is a plan or top view; and
Figure 4, a longitudinal section thereof.
Figure 5 is a transverse section drawn to an enlarged scale on the line x, x,
Figure 3; and
Figure 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the shaking separator.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
A represents the weigh-hopper or other receptacle in which the grain to be
worked up is received, and from which it passes to the steep-tub B, which is
arranged below the said hopper A. This steep-tub is preferably constructed as
described and shewn in the Specification of my former Letters Patent dated
January 28th, A.D. 1881, No. 386, so that the grain is steeped and freed from the
accompanying impurities at the same time; the grain is steeped in this tub for a
sufficient length of time to thoroughly soften it without causing fermentation to
set in, and the steep-water is preferably maintained at a temperature of from
120° to 130° Fahrenheit; B' is a hot water tub or tank from which water is supplied
to the steep-tub B.
C represents a disintegrating mill which may be of any suitable or well known
construction, and which receives the softened grain from the steep-tub, and in
which the grain is coarsely ground or broken. I prefer to employ a mill provided
with several concentric rows of pins which revolve in opposite directions;
D represents a grinding mill which may be of any suitable or well known
construction, and which receives the coarsely broken grain, and reduces the same
to such a degree of fineness that the bran and gluten can be separated from the
starchy portions of the kernels. By first reducing the grain coarsely in the
disintegrating mill, and then grinding the reduced grain to the required degree of
fineness in the subsequent grinding mill D, each apparatus can be adjusted to
accomplish its peculiar function to the best advantage, and the crowding of the
mills and the waste of power resulting therefrom are avoided, and a more uniformly

page_text: ground product is obtained. If desired two or more of the said mills D may be
employed. As the capacity of the disintegrating mill is much greater than that of
the subsequent grinding mill, a single disintegrating mill will effect the preliminary
reduction of the grain for several of the subsequent grinding mills D. Both the
disintegrating mill and the subsequent grinding mills inay be supplied with water
to facilitate the reduction of the grain.
E represents a receiving tub or vat in which the ground material is received
from the grinding mill or mills D, and in which it is thoroughly mixed by a
rotating stirrer or other suitable agitator. The material is elevated by a pump f
and pipes f¹ from the receiver E to a receiver F located in the upper part of the
building; from this receiver F the material is distributed to the separating
machines. The said receiver F is also provided with a rotating stirrer, whereby
the material is kept in agitation.
G represents a separating machine, whereby the starch-water is separated from
the bran, gluten, and the like. This separating machine consists of one or more
pairs of horizontal rollers, between which passes an endless apron of wire cloth or
other strong porous or perforated material, which permits the starchy water to
pass through its meshes while the bran, gluten, and other coarse matter remain on
its surface. The material is delivered upon the endless apron g of this separator
by a pipe g¹ and transverse feed-trough g³, or other suitable means, whereby the
material is evenly distributed over the entire width of the feed-apron. A large
portion of the starch-water passes directly through the meshes of the endless apron,
and the remainder of the starch-water is pressed out of the material by the rollers.
The pressure applied to the material as it passes between the rollers separates the
greater portion of the starch from the bran and other coarse material. The starch-
water is collected in a trough h beneath the apron, and conducted therefrom by a
pipe to a receiving tub I. If desired the separation of the starch from the coarse
material may be accelerated by sprays of water delivered by perforated pipes upon
the endless apron of the separator.
K represents a secondary separating machine constructed and operating in all
respects like the first described separator G, and arranged to receive the tailings
from the first separator, and subject the same to a further separating operation. If
desired the tailings may be mixed with water before they are fed to the second
separator. The starch-water derived from the second separation is conducted by a
pipe to the receiving tub I.
It is obvious that a number of such separators may be employed in each
separation, according to the quantity of grain operated upon. The receiving tub I
is provided with a revolving or other suitable agitator, whereby the starch water is
kept in motion and the starch prevented from settling. L represents a shaking
separator covered with bolting cloth, which receives the starch water from the
receiver I, and whereby the fragments of bran and other coarse material that may
still be contained in the starch water are separated therefrom. The separator L is
preferably constructed as represented in Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the Drawings,
in which represents a rectangular sieve-frame, and vibrating arms, which
support both ends of the said frame. These arms l¹ may be secured at their lower
ends to the floor, and be made of elastic material which permits the necessary
flexion of the arms, or they may be pivoted to the floor, as may be preferred. They
are connected with the sieve-frame by pivots, which enter sockets secured to the
sides of the sieve-frame. The latter receives motion by a connecting rod from an
excentric or crank on a driving shaft 1. 1, 14, represents a series of narrow
rectangular frames arranged side by side in the main frame 1, and having their
undersides covered with bolting cloth. These frames are each composed of side
pieces and end pieces, which rest upon a rabbet or shoulder 17 formed on the
inner sides of the main frame l. The bolting cloth is secured to the underside of
the side pieces 15 and to cross pieces 1, which are secured to the underside of the
said side pieces at a short distance from the end pieces 16, leaving an opening
between each cross piece 18 and the end piece le, through which the coarse offal is

page_text: discharged. The rabbet is cut away at the proper places to make room for the
cross pieces 18. 10 is a plate or board extending across the bottom of the main
frame at its head below the frames, and closing the openings at the heads of
the several frames, the cross pieces 18 of the frames resting against the rear
edge of the plate 110, as clearly shown in Figures 4 and 6.
The outer faces of the cross pieces 18 are preferably inclined or bevelled down-
wardly, and the rear edge of the plate 10 is correspondingly bevelled. 1, 1, are
set screws, which work in screw threaded holes in the tail piece of the main
frame, and bear against the tail pieces of the removable sieve frames 1. By
tightening these screws 11 the cross pieces are pressed against the head board 110º,
and the inclined faces of these pieces form a tight fit and prevent the removable
frames from being accidentally lifted out of place when the machine is in operation.
The rear face of the board 10 may be covered with a strip of india rubber or other
elastic material, and the rear face of the head board of the main frame may be
similarly covered to form a tight fit between the removable frames and the main
frame
. Upon loosening the screws (11 the frames can be removed from the main frame
or turned end for end, thereby bringing the former tail portion of the cloth to the
head of the sieve, and the head portion of the cloth to the tail. As the wear of
the cloth is greater at the head, where the material is fed upon the cloth, than at
the tail of the sieve, the wear is readily equalized by reversing the frames from
time to time. The frames are made no wider than the strength of the bolting
cloth will permit, so that the said bolting cloth will not sag or bag under the
weight of the material resting thereon. The side pieces of the frames form inter-
mediate supports for the bolting cloth, and also serve to divide the material and
prevent it from working to one side when the sieve is not perfectly level in the
direction of its width. 1 represents the feed hopper or trough arranged over the
head portion of the sieve, and extending across the entire series of removable sieve
frames, whereby the material which issues from a slot in the bottom of the
hopper is equally distributed over the entire width of the sieve. [13, 113, are covers
or shields which are fitted over the pair of contiguous side pieces of the removable
frames beneath the free hopper, and which prevent the material which is dis-
charged from the hopper from entering between the side pieces of the contiguous
frames. These covers are secured by set screws or other suitable means, so that
they can be readily removed when the frames are to be reversed. ¹ is the
hopper or trough, which is arranged beneath the sieve, and which receives the
material which passes through the meshes of the said sieve, and i³ is a trough
which is arranged under the tail openings of the sieves, and receives the coarse
offal which escapes over the tail end of the bolting surface. ³ represents the
water pipes, which are arranged in the usual manner above the sieve, and deliver
sprays of water upon the bolting surface, whereby the starch is washed through the
meshes thereof.
M is a tank which receives the starch water from the separator l, and m is a
pump, by which the starch water is drawn from the tank M and forced through a
pipe m¹ into a receiver N located in the upper portion of the building,
O represents a converter, which may be of any suitable or well known con-
struction, either open or closed, whereby the starch is converted into grape-sugar
or glucose, as may be desired. If the ultimate produce desired is spirits or laundry-
starch, the apparatus to which the starch-water is conducted from the final
separator L is constructed with reference to the production of the desired goods.
If the liquid in the final receiver, before it is converted into the desired ultimate
product, should not have the proper density, its specific gravity may be increased
by adding a suitable quantity of starch which has been obtained by depositing it
on tables or in any other suitable manner.
If desired the tailings from the several separators may be re-ground with water
to liberate the starch which may still adhere to the bran, and this starch may be
extracted by separating the starch-water from the bran and other coarse offal, and

page_text: then treating it with alkali and depositing the starch on the tables. The starch so:
recovered will be very small in quantity and of inferior quality to that produced
by the main process, and should be converted or be otherwise worked up separately.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that my improved method is a con-
tinuous one in which the material is kept in motion, and follows its course through
the different stages of the process without interruption until it reaches the final
receiver. The advantages which are derived from this method are chiefly a large
saving in space and in the number and capacity of the tubs and separators, whereby
the first cost of the machinery is greatly reduced, a saving in the power required
for operating the machinery, as the starch is not permitted to settle and therefore
does not require to be repeatedly broken up as in the old process, a greater yield
of starch, as the repeated washing of the starch whereby in the old process a
considerable quantity of the starch is carried off, and the loss of starch by being
carried over the ends of the depositing tables are avoided, a large saving in time,
as the material is not permitted to come to rest, and the starch is made ready for
the final conversion into the desired product in a few hours, and finally the pro-
duction of purer starch, and consequently a purer ultimate product, as no alkali is
employed, and the time during which the material is treated is so much reduced
that fermentation cannot set in.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,-
First. In the extraction of starch from grain the employment of the herein
described method or process, which consists in first reducing the grain with water,
and then subjecting the reduced material to pressure, whereby the starch water is
pressed out and separated from the bran and other coarse matter.
Second. In the extraction of starch from grain the employment of the herein
described method or process, consisting in first coarsely disintegrating the grain,
then reducing the grain in a separate machine to the proper degree of fineness, and
then separating the starch-water from the grain by pressure.
Third. In the extraction of starch from grain the employment of the herein
described method or process, consisting in first reducing the grain with water, then
separating the starch-water from the grain by pressure, and then treating the
starch water for the production of the desired product, the material passing through
the several stages of the process continuously and without interruption.
Fourth. In the extraction of starch from grain the employment of the herein
described method or process, which consists in first reducing the grain with water,
then separating the starch-water from the grain by pressure, and then separating
the remaining impurities from the starch-water by sifting...
Fifth. In the extraction of starch from grain the employment of the berein
described method or process, which consists in first reducing the grain with water,
then separating the starch-water from the bran and other coarse material, and
treating the starch-water for obtaining the desired product, then regrinding the
bran and other coarse material, and extracting the starch from this ground material
separately.
Sixth. In apparatus for extracting starch from grain the combination of reducing
mechanism, whereby the grain is reduced to the desired degree of fineness with
water and a separating machine composed of an endless perforated or porous apron
and pressure-rollers, whereby the starch-water is separated from the coarse particles,
substantially as set forth.
Seventh. In apparatus for extracting starch from grain the combination of
reducing mechanism, whereby the grain is reduced to the desired degree of fineness,
a separating machine, whereby the starch-water is separated from the bran and
other material, and a separator, whereby the remaining impurities are separated
from the starch-water, substantially as set forth.
Eighth. In apparatus for extracting starch from grain the combination of a
reducing machine, whereby the grain is reduced to the desired degree of fineness,

page_text: a separating machine, whereby the starch-water is separated from the bran and
other material, and a subsequent separator which receives the tailings from the first
separator and separates the remaining starch from the bran and the offal, substan-
tially as set forth.
Ninth. In apparatus for extracting starch from grain the combination of the
steep-tub B, the preliminary disintegrator C, the grinding mill D, the receiver E,
the separator G, and the subsequent separator L, and the subsequent separator L,
substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.