IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT. APPLICATION, AND USE OF MAIZE OR INDIAN CORN
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Anderson, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Stirch Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT. APPLICATION, AND USE OF MAIZE OR
INDIAN CORN."
Sealed the 2nd October 1857, and dated the 30th April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Anderson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th April 1857.
I, JAMES ANDERSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Starch Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT, APPLICATION, AND USE OF MAIZE OR INDIAN
CORN," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the treatment or preparation of maize or Indian
corn in such a manner as to obtain from it starch and oil or oleaginous matter.
According to this Invention, the grains of the maize or Indian corn are first
steeped in water, or in an alkaline or other solution, for the purpose of bringing
them into such a condition of partial disentegration that the subsequent
separation of the embryo from the perisperm or albumen may be easily
effected. After removal from the steep the grains are subjected to frictional
5 pressure, or such mechanical process as will effect the partial disintegrative
[Price 8d.1

page_text: reduction of the component parts. This loosens the embryo from the
perisperin, albumen, or rich starchy portion of the grain. The perisperm or
albumen is then entirely separated and removed from the embryo in any
convenient manner,and the perisperm or albumen alone is then operated upon
according to the usual starch convertive process. The embryo contains the oil
or oleaginous matter, and this portion of the grain, as thus separated, is then
subjected by itself to the usual process of expression as pursued in expressing
oil from seeds and fruits. By pursuing this general process a rich yield of
good pure starch is secured at an economical cost, inasmuch as the actual
starch-making process is confined in its action to the perisperm, albumen, or
rich starchy portion of the grain. Similarly fine pure oil is produced from
the embryo by treating that part alone also.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Anderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
Anderson, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Starch Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Anderson, Her special license that I, the said James
Anderson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said James Anderson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and uo 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 "In-
PROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT, APPLICATION, AND USE OF MAIZE OR INDIAN
CORN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Anderson,
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..

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said James Anderson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to the treatment or preparation of maize or
Indian corn in such a manner as to obtain from it starch and oil or oleaginous
matter. According to this Invention, the grains of the maize or Indian corn
are first steeped in water, or in an alkaline or other solution, for the purpose of
bringing them into such a condition of partial disintegration that the sub
sequent separation of the embryo from the perisperin or albumen may be
easily effected. After removal from the steep the grains are subjected to
frictional pressure, or such mechanical process as will effect the partial dis-
integrative reduction of the component parts; this loosens the embryo from
the perisperm, albumen, or rich starchy portion of the grain. The perisperm
or albumen is then entirely separated and removed from the embryo in any
convenient manner, and the perisperm or albumen alone is then operated upon
according to the usual starch convertive process. The embryo contains the
oil or oleaginous matter, and this portion of the grain, as thus separated, is
then subjected by itself to the usual process of expression as pursued in
expressing oil from seeds and fruits. By pursuing this general process a rich
yield of good pure starch is secured at an economical cost, inasmuch as the
actual starch-making process is confined in itsaction to the perisperm albumen
or rich starchy portion of the grain. Similarly fine pure oil is produced from
the embryo by treating that part alone also..
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 in
what manner the improvements may be judiciously carried out in practice.
A quantity of the grains of maize or Indian corn is primarily placed in a
trough or other suitable vessel, for the purpose of steeping them, so as to
disintegrate or partially disintegrate the component parts of the solid matter of
the grain. The softening of the grains may be effected either by means of
water, or the operation may be hastened by using analkalme or saline solution
in lieu of pure water. Whatever menstruum or fluid be used, a sufficient
quantity thereof to cover the grains of maize or Indian corn contained in the
trough or other vessel is poured or allowed to flow into the same. 'The maize
is allowed to remain in the fluid until it is sufficiently softened. The fluid
having access to the solid internal matter of the grains, acts upon the vegetable
granules, and serves to separate or partially separate them from the embryo
of the plant. This softening or partially disintegrating process having been

page_text: effected, the steep water or fluid is run off from the trough or vessel containing
the grains. The maize, after undergoing the preparatory process of steeping,
is passed between rollers, or otherwise subjected to mechanical pressure or
frictional action, in order to further reduce the grains and effect the more
complete separation of the embryo from the perisperm or albuminous vegetable
matter. The maize thus far prepared is now to be placed in a fluid, the
specific gravity of which must be such as to allow the perisperm or albuminous
portion of the grain to sink to the bottom of the containing vessel, whilst the
embryo floats upon the surface of the fluid This separation of the starchy
matter from the embryo by gravitation may be conveniently and economically
effected by means of salt and water, the density or strength of which must he
regulated so that the albuminous or starchy matter is not held in suspension,
but will fall through the solution to the bottom of the vessel. The floating
embryo of the grain is skimmed, or otherwise removed from the fluid, and is
dried, preparatory to submitting it to pressure for the purpose of obtaining oil
therefrom. The saline or other solution is now to be run off from the
perisperm or albuminous portion of the maize or Indian corn, and the
perisperm is then fermented and subsequently washed repeatedly, or otherwise
treated according to the manner of making starch in the usual way. The
embryo of the maize which is separated from the perisperin is dried by means
of a suitable stove or upon a drying floor, in manner similar to the process for
preparing malt. The dried embryo is then subjected to severe pressure, either
by means of rollers or in a stamping mill, in order to extract the oil, according
to the common process of extracting oil from seeds By treating maize or
Indian corn in this manner a large proportion of starch is obtainedthere from,
and in addition the otherwise waste matter is made to yield a considerable
percentage of
pure and fine vegetable oil.
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 coufine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the pri ciples 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 treating maize or Indian corn so as to separate
the albuminous or starchy matter from the embryo of the grain by gravitation,
as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of treating the perisperm or albuminous matter

page_text: contained in the grain of maize or Indian corn after the removal of the einbryo
so as to obtain the starch therefrom, as herein-before described.
'Third, the system or mode of treating the embryo of the grain or seed of
maize or Indian corn so as to obtain oil therefrom after being separated from
the perisperm, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Anderson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-seven.
JAMES ANDERSON. (Ls.)