A NEW AND IMPROVED PROCESS FOR REGENERATING CERTAIN ALIMENTARY SUBSTANCES, AND IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henri Adrien Bonneville, of the British and
Foreign Patent Offices, 10, Sackville Street, Piccadilly, in the
County of Middlesex, and 24, Rue du Mont Thabor, Paris, in
the Empire of France, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "A NEW
AND IMPROVED PROCESS FOR REGENERATING CERTAIN ALIMENTARY SUBSTANCES,
AND IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."-A communi-
cation from Alphonse Louvel, residing at St. Denis, in the Empire
of France, aforesaid, M.D.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henri Adrien Bonneville
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 2nd September 1868, pursuant to the
9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRI
ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices,
10, Sackville Street, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex, and 24, Rue
du Mont Thabor, Paris, in the Empire of France, Patent Agent, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "A NEW AND
IMPROVED PROCESS FOR REGENERATING CERTAIN ALIMENTARY SUBSTANCES, AND IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH,” a communication from
Alphonse Louvel, a person resident at St. Denis, in the Empire of
France, aforesaid, M.D., and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto
me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent
for the same, and made solemn Declaration that it is a communica-
tion.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification, under my
hand and seal; fully describes and ascertains the nature of the Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, that is to
say:-
The object of the Invention communicated to me is, first, to regenerate
grain, seed, berries, flour, fecula, dry vegetables, potatoes, and other
such like alimentary substances spoiled by fermentation or excessive
moisture so as to render them once more fit for food. The said process
solves a problem denied by science and vainly sought up to the present
day. In order to bring about this regeneration and to arrest the fermen-
tation produced by the moisture or any other cause, it is merely
necessary to place these substances in apparatus from which the atmo-
spheric air has been driven by means of pneumatic pumps or other
means, thus leaving a void or vacuum which need not exceed from 65
to 70 per cent. or thereabouts; in this state the alimentary substance is
allowed to remain during a greater or lesser length of time according to
the degree of deterioration or, moisture. After submitting them to this
treatment the substances present no difference with those which have
always been in a healthy state, and the flour notably becomes again
fit for conversion into bread. This application may be made in any
capacity or receptacle of any convenient shape or arrangement in which.
a void or vacuum is feasible, but cylindrical apparatus should preferably
be employed.
The Invention further consists in certain improvements in the apparatus
by means of which the process of regeneration may be applied. The best
material to be used in the construction of these apparatus, namely,
ordinary sheet iron, might be most usefully employed perhaps for
apparatus of very small size, but even then small apparatus remain air-
proof but for a limited length of time. The shocks and trepidation

page_text: resulting from the ordinary use of the pneumatic pump to effect the
void or vacuum and the atmospheric pressure on the sheet iron when
the air has been driven out would specdily disjoin the rivetted parts
and depress the sheet iron especially towards the apertures provided for
the replenishing or emptying of the apparatus. In those of a large size
the contents of which would be considerable, and the apertures of which
would be in proportion with the mass of substances to be treated, the
said disjunction and depression would take place immediately; the air
from without would therefore soon have free access by the joints and
rivetted parts or round about the closing fixtures of the apertures.
Besides the limited capacities which one would be compelled not to
exceed, even if the void or vacuum could be made to last a certain
length of time, would restrict the use of these apparatus or defeat the
object to be attained, namely, the wholesale regeneration of alimentary
substances in particular.
These improvements, which constitute the second part of this Invention,
purpose to overcome the difficulty signalized, insomuch as in order to
apply a void or vacuum as a regenerating agent the first and indis-
pensable condition is to have air-tight apparatus. These improvements
allow of establishing apparatus fit to produce and to maintain a void or
vacuum which may be used in the regenerating particularly of corn and
flour.
One of these improvements would consist in using for the con.
struction of these apparatus ribbed sheet iron obtained from the rolling
mill instead of the ordinary sheet iron. The strength and rigidity of
this ribbed sheet iron would allow of establishing apparatus which by
their size would answer at the same time the purpose of repositories for
grain or other alimentary substances. This strength and this rigidity
might be further increased by disposing the sheet iron in such wise
that the ribs be on the inside of the apparatus, especially for apparatus
of cylindrical shape, and apertures might thus be had of such a diameter
that the filling or emptying be easily effected.
Another of these improvements consists in applying a coating or
putty upon the apparatus, especially on the joints, in order to render
the same air-tight. This application should be made on the outside and
not on the inside of the apparatus, so that the atmospheric compressure
as soon as the air is driven out may contribute to cement more firmly
by penetrating deeper into the joints and pores of the metal.

page_text: A third improvement to prevent the dislocation of the apparatus
would consist in operating the void or vacuum by first filling the
apparatus with liquid when it has been replenished with the substances
to be regenerated. By means of stop-cocks the apparatus would be put
into communication with cylindrical reservoirs also made of ribbed
sheet-iron and of a capacity equal to that of the regenerating apparatus
and even of a smaller size, but in this latter case the vacuum should be
repeatedly effected.
Having thus fully described the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it to be
clearly understood that I do not intend to confine myself to the precise
details above enumerated, as these may be modified without departing
from the principle of the Invention; but what I claim is,-
1°. The regenerating of alimentary substances by means of a void
or vacuum so as to render them once again fit for food, substantially as
herein-before fully set forth and described.
2º. The constructing of ribbed sheet-iron apparatus and reservoirs
combined, in order to apply the process of regeneration of alimentary
substances by a void or vacuum, substantially as herein-before fully set
forth and described.
3°. The obtaining of a void by previously filling with liquid the
apparatus serving to regenerate the alimentary substances, such as
herein-before substantially fully set forth and described.
4°. The obturation of the joints and pores of the metal whereof are
made the said apparatus, and reservoirs serving to regenerate the
alimentary substances by a void, by means of an outward application
of putty or other coating on to the said apparatus and reservoirs.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of
August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-eight.