AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF DAMPING BISCUITS BEFORE BAKED, AND FOR KEEPING THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE OVEN DAMP TO ASSIST THE ACTION OF THE SAME." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Harvey, Biscuit Manufacturer, of 28, Brackenbury
Street, Preston, in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "AN
IMPROVED PROCESS OF DAMPING BISCUITS BEFORE BAKED, AND FOR KEEPING
THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE OVEN DAMP TO ASSIST THE ACTION OF THE
SAME."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Harvey at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd June 1880.
CHARLES HARVEY, Biscuit Manufacturer, of 28, Brackenbury Street, Preston, in
the County of Lancaster. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF DAMPING BISCUITS
BEFORE BAKED AND FOR KEEPING THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE OVEN DAMP TO
ASSIST THE ACTION OF THE SAME."
Whereas it has hithertoo been the practise to damp biscuits before baked by
placing a damp cloth upon them, or by sprinkling water upon them with a brush
or machine for that purpose, but my improved process is to damp them by
steam.
At the mouth of travelling ovens just outside the door I arrange a perforated
steam pipe reaching across the baking space of the oven with the holes turned
downwards, so that the steam will blow at an angle upon the biscuits as they pass
under the door into the oven. This pipe has one row of very fine holes about 1
inch apart; the two ends are blocked up and it is supplied by steam at the centre,
the supply pipes reaching to the steam boiler with a convenient stop tap near the
mouth of the oven to regulate the supply of steam.
To prevent the condensed steam (as water) droping upon the biscuits as they
travel into the oven, I swing two small metal troughs from the steam pipe, the
outside ends leaning downwards a little to carry off the water.
For damping biscuits to be baked in hand ovens, I arrange a steam pipe, as above
described, at any convenient place, and pass the pans containing the biscuits under
it before they are put into the oven.
To keep the atmosphere of the travelling oven damp when required and to assist
the action of the above named biscuit. damping. process, I use another perforated

page_text: steam pipo situated outside the baking space and below the baking rails; this also
roaches across the baking space of the oven, and the holes are set so that the steam
will blow direct into the oven just over the top of the bottom tiles; this pipe is
supplied by steam at one end, the other end being blocked up, and has also a
separate stop tap to regulate the supply of steamı.
For damping the atmosphere in hand ovens I use a steam pipe let in through the
wall of the oven with a perforated T head with a stop tap outside to regulate the
supply of steam.
5
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it to be understood that I claim the process of damping biscuits!
before baked and keeping the atmosphere of the oven damp, as herein sot fourth, or
by steam applied to biscuits in any manner before baked.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Harvey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
December 1880.
CHARLES HARVEY, Biscuit Manufacturer, of 28, Brackenbury Street, Preston, in
the County of Lancaster. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF DAMPING BISCUITS BEFORE
BAKED AND FOR KEEPING THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE OVEN DAMP TO ASSIST THE
ACTION OF THE SAME."
Whereas it has hitherto been the practice to damp biscuits before baked by placing
a damp cloth upon them, or by sprinkling water upon them with a brush or
machine for that purpose, but my improved process is to damp them by steam. At
the mouth of travelling ovens just outside the door I arrango a perforated steam pipe
reaching across the baking space of the oven with the holes turned downwards so
that the steam will blow at an angle upon the biscuits as they pass under the door
into the oven. This pipe has one row of very fine holes about an inch apart; the
two ends are blocked up and it is supplied by steam at the centre, the supply pipe
reaching to the steam boiler with a convenient stop tap near the mouth of the oven
to regulate the supply of steam. To prevent the condensed steam (as water)
dropping upon the biscuits as they travel into the oven, I swing two small metal
troughs from the steam pipe, the outside ends leaning downwards a little to carry
off the water, the inside ends being stopped up; the steam blow at an angle so as
to avoid contact with the said troughs. For damping biscuits to be baked in hand
ovens I arrange a steam perforated pipe, as above described, at any convenient place
in the bakehouse, and pass the pans containing the biscuits under it before they are
put into the oven. To keep the atmosphere of the travelling oven damp and to
assist the action of the above named biscuit damping process, I use another
perforated steam pipe situated outside the baking space of the oven and below the
baking rails or between the top and bottom chains. This also reaches across tho
baking space of the oven; the holes being set so that the steam will blow direct
into the oven just over the top of the bottom tiles; this perforated pipe is supplied
by steam at one end, the other end being blocked up, and has also a separate stop
tap to regulate the supply of steam. I arrange a small metal trough under this
pipe to carry off the water to a receptacle outside the end of the oven. For
damping the atmosphero in hand ovens I use a steam pipe let in through the wall of
the oven with a perforated
Λ
head with a stop tap outside to regulate the supply
of steam. This application of steam to biscuits before baked, as above described,
I do not entirely confine to such biscuits as are usually what may be termed washed
before baked, but I apply it to all kinds of biscuits, hard or soft, sweet or otherwise.
Description of the Drawing.-The Drawing is a front view representing the feeding
end of a travelling oven with the front of the lower part of the end of the baking
space removed. A, A, is the end of the oven; B is the main steam pipe leading to
the steam boiler; C is the downward branch leading to the centre of the top
perforated steam pipe; D is the stop tap for the top perforated pipe; E, E, is the
top perforated steam pipo; F, F, are the small troughs that carry off the condensed
steam (as water); G is the downward branch leading to the bottom perforated
steam pipe; H is the stop tap for the bottom perforated steam pipe; I, I, is tho
the door of the oven; J, J, J, J, is the baking space of the oven above the chains
where the pans and biscuits enter; K, K, K, K, are the pulleys carrying the chains;
L, L, is the shaft of the pulleys; M, M, M, M, is the baking space of the oven
between the chains; N is the bottom perforated steam pipe; O is the trough that
carry off the condensed steam (as water). Having thus fully described my said

page_text: Invention and the manner of using the same, I wish it to be understood that I
claim the process of damping biscuits before baked and keeping the atmosphere of
the oven damp to assist the action of the same, as herein set forth, or by steam
applied to biscuits in any manner before baked.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Harvey, have hereunto set my hand 5
and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
CHARLES HARVEY. (L.S.)