Improvements in or relating to the Production of Alcoholic Liquors, Flour or Meal, and Malted or Readily Digested Foods.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Production of Alcoholic Liquors,
Flour or Meal, and Malted or Readily Digested Foods.
We, JAMES SLEEMAN, of Carlton House, Portishead, in the County of Somerset,
Maltster, and SAMUEL WHITE, of The Holt, Taunton, in the County of Somerset,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to produce alcoholic liquors, flour or meal,
and malted or readily digested foods from maize.
Hitherto, despite numerous attempts by various processes and machinery, it
has been found impossible to convert maize into malt (i.e. to germinate and
wither maize in a manner analogous to the treatment of barley) or to make
the conversion of maize into malt so complete as to be practically identical with
barley malt and fit to be used as a substitute therefor in the various commercial
uses to which barley malt is put.
The reasons for this are:-That the acrospire of maize grows outside the
corn and is consequently unprotected from injury, whereas in barley the acrospire
grows beneath the outer layer of husk and is thereby protected, also that the
acrospire and rootlets of maize are exceptionally "fleshy," soft and tender and
very liable to injury even under the most gentle handling.
We have discovered that in malting maize it is absolutely necessary to hold
perfect control of the temperature of the germinating maize without being
compelled to resort to turning or moving in order to keep down or to equalize
the temperature of the mass of grain, such turning or moving being of necessity
frequent and consequently damaging the growings of the maize.
These difficulties we have overcome in a successful manner, and the following
is a description of a process by which we have obtained a malt from maize in
every way practically identical with barley malt and suitable for many useful
purposes.
We soak or steep the maize in water for about 80 hours, the steeping
being effected in an ordinary tank or in a vessel specially contrived for aërating
and germinating. The soaked grain is then subjected to aëration; this is pre-
ferably effected in a vessel, drum, or machine in which the grain is permitted
to rest in layers (preferably vertical) not exceeding about two feet in thickness
and so arranged with intermediate air chambers between the layers that every
layer is subjected to an even and equal aeration: the air chambers are connected
with suitable air supply and exhaust apparatuses so that fresh air is caused to
pass evenly through each layer of grain and the gases generated are carried
away by the exhaust, whereby the grain is kept at the desired temperature
without the necessity for turning or moving. The aeration, temperature and
germination of the growing maize must be absolutely under control whilst the.
grain is in a state of rest, and turning or moving must only be effected at long
intervals say, once in twelve hours-and then only to prevent the grain
"packing" to tightly and growing together; the movement or turning must

page_text: be thorough to separate and loosen the grain and yet sufficiently gentle to avoid
damage.
The germination is effected at a temperature of from 80 to 85° Fahr. derived
by means of moist heated air which is passed through the layers of grain, the
grain being turned or moved very gently and thoroughly-say, once in twenty-
four hours.
As soon as germination is sufficiently advanced, drier air, in less volume,
is passed through the layers of grain in order that a process analogous to what
is termed "withering in barley malting may be effected, whereby the maize
is made tender and fit for brewers use. The malt is then dried and cured by
having hot dry air passed through it or by removing the malted grain to an
ordinary kiln or drying chamber. After scrubbing or brushing, in order, to
remove the dried rootlets and cleanse the malt, the malt may be used for the
production of alcoholic liquors; or it may be crushed, and the germ and husk
or portions thereof dressed or sifted out, to form a fine flour suitable for
the production of yeast, as well as alcoholic liquors, and for use as an article
of diet for all the purposes for which the finest wheat and corn flours are used
and is specially suitable for confectionery. Also, having been malted, the flour
is practically digested and is therefore suitable for food for invalids, infants,
and persons of weak digestion.
Dated 1
"
1000
Improvements in or relating to the Production of Aleoholic Liquors,
Flour or Meal, and Malted or Readily Digested Foods.
I, JAMES SLEEMAN, of Carlton House, Portishead, in the County of Somerset,
Maltster, and SAMUEL WHITE, of The Holt, Taunton, in the County of Somerset,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
The object of our invention is to produce alcoholic liquors, flour or meal,
and malted or readily digested foods from maize.
Hitherto, despite numerous attempts by various processes and machinery, it
has been found impossible to convert maize into malt (i.e. to germinate and
wither maize in a manner analogous to the treatment of barley) or to make
the conversion of maize into malt so complete as to be practically identical with
barley malt and fit to be used as a substitute therefor in the various commercial
uses to which barley malt is put.
The reasons for this are:-That the aerospire of maize grows outside the
corn and is consequently unprotected from injury, whereas in barley the acrospire
grows beneath the outer layer of husk and is thereby protected; also that the
acrospire and rootlets of maize are exceptionally "fleshy," soft and tender and
very liable to injury even under the most gentle handling.
We have discovered that in malting maize it is absolutely necessary to hold
perfect control of the temperature of the germinating maize without being
compelled to resort to turning or moving in order to keep down or to equalize

page_text: the temperature of the mass of grain, such turning or moving being of necessity
frequent and consequently damaging the growings of the maize.
These difficulties we have overcome in a successful manner, and the following
is a description of a process by which we have obtained a malt from maize in
every way practically identical with barley malt and suitable for many useful
purposes.
We soak or steep the maize in water for about 80 to 88 hours (according to
the description of the maize) the steeping being effected in an ordinary tank
or in a vessel specially contrived for aerating and germinating, towards the
end of which steeping the temperature of the water and grain should be raised
to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The soaked grain is then subjected to aeration;
this is preferably effected in a vessel, drum, or machine in which the grain is
permitted to rest in layers (preferably vertical) not exceeding about two feet in
thickness and so arranged with intermediate air chambers (about corresponding
in area to the surface area of the grain) between the layers, that every layer
is subjected to an even and equal aeration; the air chambers are connected
with suitable air supply and exhaust apparatuses so that fresh air is caused to
pass evenly through each layer of grain and the gases generated are carried
away by the exhaust, whereby the grain is kept at the desired temperature,
without the necessity for turning or moving. The aeration temperature and
germination of the growing maize must be absolutely under control whilst the
grain is in a state of rest, and turning, or moving must only be effected at long
intervals say, once in 24 hours and at the most frequent period once in 12 hours
-and then only to prevent the grain packing too tightly and growing
together; the movement or turning must be thorough to separate and loosen
the grain and yet sufficiently gentle to avoid damage.
"
The germination is effected at a temperature according to the description of
the maize of from 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit derived by means of moist heated
air which is passed through the layers of grain, the grain being turned or moved
very gently and thoroughly, say, once in 24 hours.
As soon as the germination is sufficiently advanced (after about 7 days) drier
air from 5 to 10 degrees warmer, in less volume, is passed at frequent intervals
through the layers of grain (allowing rests of from to 8 hours between) in
order that a process analogous to what is termed " withering in barley malting
may be effected, whereby the maize is made tender and fit for brewers use.
The malt is then dried and cured by having hot dry air (at first large volumes
of moderately dry warm air for drying, followed by smaller volumes of hotter
air for curing) passed through it or by removing the malted grain to an ordinary
kiln or drying chamber. After scrubbing or brushing, in order to remove the
dried rootlets and cleanse the grain, the malt may be used for the production
of alcoholic liquors; or it may be crushed (and the germ and husk or portions
thereof "dressed" or sifted out) to form a fine flour suitable for the production
of yeast as well as alcoholic liquors, and for use as an article of diet for all the
purposes for which the finest wheat and corn flours are used and is specially
suitable for confectionery. Also, having been malted, the flour is practically
digested and is therefore suitable for food for invalids, infants, and persons of
weak digestion.
Any apparatus which will enable the necessary operations to be performed
in the manner specified may be used, such for instance as those described in
Patents No. 11804 of 1898, 18412 of 1898 and 2109 of 1899. Another apparatus
suitable for the purpose consists of one or more perforated floors arranged with
a hollow space beneath the same for the inlet or exhaustion of air; preferably
the floor is divided into sections each of which is hinged or moveable about a
centre independently of its neighbour in such a manner that by raising or
tilting one section the growing grain thereupon is caused to roll gently on to
a neighbouring space or empty section. The removal of the growing grain is

page_text: thus effected from section to section thereby separating or disintegrating the
grain layers without injury to the rootlets.
During the germinating stage the growing corn is frequently sprinkled with
water by any known means, the temperature of the water being such that it
greatly assists the regulation of the temperature of the grain; care must however
be taken to drain away the surplus water from below the grain. Also, with
some hard descriptions of maize it is necessary to soak or strep it for a few
hours after growth has proceeded for three or four days.
In drying and curing maize it is necessary to use, at every stage, lower tem-
peratures for a longer period than is usual with barley malt, because the husk
of maize is much thinner and the grain would be more easily scorched, and
also because the berry of the maize being much larger than barley it takes longer
for the heat to permeate the centre of the corn and eliminate the moisture.
The best temperatures have been found to be, starting at 75 degrees to 80 degrees
Fahr. gradually rising to 95 degrees at the end of sixty hours; then gradually
rising from 95 degrees to 130 to 140 degrees Fahr. in the next sixty hours so
that the maximum temperature is maintained during the last six hours of that
period.
Slight variations of these temperatures are permissible depending upon the
particular description of maize used, and the particular purpose for which the
malt is intended to be used.
Until arrangements have been made for the importation of maize specially
selected or of maize of one years growth unmixed with that of any other year's
growth (of which it is now difficult to obtain in this country a regular supply)
dead or ungerminated corns may be eliminated from the malted corns by any
gravitation process preferably by a strong blast of warm dry air, or they niay
be eliminated by water, in which the dead corns will sink and the malted corns
float. In the latter process the separation must be quickly effected so that
water does not permeate the malt. The latter (water) process may be effected
previous to withering or previous to drying, or after drying, but in the last
case more particularly the water must be quickly dried off again and not allowed
to soak into the malt.
To remove the germ and husk, the dried and cured malt corns are crushed
between rolls and sifted in a similer manner to the manufacture of wheat flour,
the process of crushing and sifting being continued until the desired degree
of disintegration and separation of the meal from husk and germ has been
effected.
By another method, we remove the malt in process of drying, when it is
"hand-dry" (or dried so as to contain only say 10% to 15% of moisture) and
then crush it. At this stage it is easier to separate the meal from the germ
and husk as there is then a greater difference between the friability of the
meal and of the germ and husk; the meal disintegrates freely when crushed,
whilst at this stage of dryness the germ and husk (especially the germ) is of a
more glutinous character and roll's out into larger tougher flakes which are
then more easily and completely separated from the meal, than when, at a
later stage of drying, the germ and husk have become more brittle and more readily
disintegrates under the rolling process.
When the latter method of separation is adopted the separated meal is then
cured or roasted in rotating heated cylinders at the required curing temperature
when it is in a condition suitable for brewing or distilling.
When intended for food the meal is subjected to a finer grinding and dressing
in order to obtain a finer purer flour. This flour can then be mixed in varying
proportions as desired, with ordinary flour and used for ordinary dietetic pur-
poses. Or it can be used with an admixture of dessicated milk, meat extract,
or any other desirable albuminous substance to form a partially digested food
easily assimilable by infants and by people of weak digestion.
The process of separation herein before described can be made use of also to

page_text: eliminate from the malt flour the particles (if any) of unmalted starch, as the
latter being more granular, less friable, and less easily disintegrated, would
not pass with the malt flour, in the finest separation.
The separated, germ, husk, and starch particles are used for, and' are valuable
for cattle foods.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. The herein described process and the modifications thereof for the treat-
ment of maize substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. A malted maize produced as herein described, and the meal and fine flour
manufactured therefrom, substantially as and for the various purposes set
forth.
3.7
www.
JAMES SLEEMAN,
SAMUEL WHITE.
By George Downing & Sons,
Chartered Patent Agents, S, Quality Court, London, W.C.