AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GELA- TINIZING BONE OR OTHER ANIMAL SUBSTANCES
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frederick Burnett Houghton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th June 1878.
FREDERICK BURNETT HOUGHTON, of 13, Crooked Lanc, in the City of London,.
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR GELA-
TINIZING BONE OR OTHER ANIMAL SUBSTANCES."
The object of my Invention is to reduce bone or other hard animal substances
to an edible and nutritious form of jelly; and the means by which I effect this is
to use heat at an exceptionally high temperature or steam at an exceptionally high
pressure.
Whereas at present the only means in use for the production of jelly is to boil
bone or other animal substances at atmospheric pressure, or only at a few pounds
above atmospheric pressure, my Invention enables me to use a pressure of steam of
from 100 to 200 pounds per square inch or upwards above atmospheric pressure for
the direct reduction to jelly of bones or other similar animal substances.
And whereas the boiling of bones at atmospheric or other moderate 'pressures as
at present in use reduces to jelly only the meat, fat, or marrow adhering to such
bones, my improved apparatus using either a pressure of steam of 100 pounds per
square inch and upwards, or heat of 340° Fahr. or upwards, reduces the whole of
the fat and other soluble substances contained in such bones or other animal sub-
stances to an exceedingly strong and nutritious jelly at an extremely moderate
cost.
My apparatus consists of a boiler of any known and approved type, in which
steam of high pressure is generated, such steam to be of at least 100 pounds per
square inch and upward as may be most advantageous for the purpose. From this
boiler the steam is conducted by means of a pipe fitted with stop valve for its
suitable regulation to a rotatory digester. The pipe enters through a gland at one
end of this rotatory digester, dripping down below the water and material in the
digester that is about to be gelatinized. An exit pipe is taken from the upper part
of this digester, passing through the gland at its other extremity or side, to which
is fitted a relief valve in order to ascertain and regulate the pressure in the said
digester. In this rotatory digester are placed the bones or other animal substance

page_text: through a suitable man-hole, and the material is covered by a suitable quantity of
water. This water is to prevent the material from charring. The digester is then
rotated by means of an engine or any other suitable motive power, driving by
means of a strap on to a pulley on the axis of the said digester; or a series of arms
or beaters may be used upon a revolving axis, the digester remaining in such case
stationary. The material is thus kept in constant movement and agitation, which
always keeps it subject to the gelatinizing influence of the heat; and internal pro-
jecting flanges assist to disintegrate bones and such friable material when softened
by the heat.
The hollow axes of the rotatory digester are supported in suitable bearings or
plummer blocks, which are fixed to pedestals to carry the whole at a suitable
height from the floor.
The digester is also fitted with a large drain cock on its under side opposite to
the man-hole, from which the liquid products may be conveniently drawn.
I further may arrange my apparatus without an independent boiler, so that the
heat may be applied directly to the digester for the gelatinizing of the contents, as.
before described.
In the case of an extensive plant, using more than one boiler, it may be advisable
to convey the high-pressure steam when blown off from the first digester in which
the work has been completed to a second digester ready to commence, thus utilizing
the heat of the waste steam from the first in raising the temperature of the second.
After this point the gelatinizing may be continued by live steam from the boiler.