IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND UTILIZING DATE FRUIT AND SEED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BEVERAGES OF TILE NATURE OF COFFEE OR COCOA"
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Frederick Henley, of the Date Coffee Company,
Limited, No. 9, Walbrook, in the City of London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND UTILIZING
DATE FRUIT AND SEED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BEVERAGES OF TILE
NATURE OF COFFEE OR COCOA"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Frederick Henley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th November 1880.
THOMAS FREDERICK HENLEY, of the Date Coffee Company, Limited,
No. 9, Walbrook, in the City of London. "IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS
FOR TREATING AND UTILIZING DATE FRUIT AND SEED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
BEVERAGES OF THE NATURE OF COFFEE OR COCOA."
The object of this Invention is to treat the date fruit in a manner so as to
render it suitable for the production of a beverage or beverages of the nature of
coffee or cocoa.
For this purpose I take the date fruit as imported, and subject it to a regulated
amount of torrefaction in a close retort or oven in such manner as to convert the
parenchyma or substance of the fruit into a high flavoured bitter material. The
said retort or oven is furnished with an outlet pipe, which is placed in communi-
cation with a condensing worm or surface jacketed by a vessel or cistern containing
cold water, in such a manner as to condense the vapours arising from the fruit
under operation within the retort or oven aforesaid, and thereby obtain a byo
product in the form of a valuable essential oil, as also of an acid liquor,
resembling, and which may be employed as an agreeable substitute for ordinary
vinegar.
The dried dates, when removed from the retort or oven are subjected to the
action of a revolving drum or scrubbing machine, having a wire gauze or perforated
surface, through the texture of which the pulverized parenchyme of the fruit passes,
leaving the seeds as aforesaid in a cleansed separate state.
The seeds are now to be roasted after the ordinary manner of coffee or cocoa, and
then ground to. a coarse powder in any ordinary and well known mill for that
purpose. The said seed powder is now to be added to the powdered fruit pulp, as
aforesaid, the mixture of the two being employed in the manner of coffee or
cocoa, producing a perfectly wholesome and nutritious beverage of the nature of
those substances.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Frederick Henley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th May 1881.
THOMAS FREDERICK HENLEY, of the Date Coffee Company, Limited, of
No. 9, Walbrook, in the City of London. "IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS
FOR TREATING AND UTILIZING DATE FRUIT AND SEED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
BEVERAGES OF THE NATURE OF COFFEE OB COCOA."
The object of this Invention is to treat the date fruit in a new and improved
manner, so as to render it suitable for the production of a beverage or beverages of
the nature of coffee or cocoa.
For this purpose I take the date fruit as imported, and subject it to a regulated
amount of torrefaction in a close retort or oven, into which I introduce steam in
such manner as to convert the parenchyma or substance of the fruit into a high
flavored bitter material. The said retort or oven is furnished with an outlet pipo,
which is placed in communication with a condensing worm or surface jacketed by a
vessel or cistern containing cold water, in such manner as to condense the vapour
arising from the fruit under operation within the retort or oven aforesaid, and
thereby obtain a bye product as well, in the form of a valuable essential oil, as also
of an acid liquor, resembling and which may be employed as an agrecable substitute
for ordinary vinegar.
The dried dates when removed from the retort or oven are subjected to the
action of a revolving drum or scrubbing machine, having a wire gauze or perforated
surface, through the texture of which the pulverised parenchyma of the fruit
passes, leaving the seed or dato stones as aforesad in a separato state.
The secds are then roasted in closed ovens, or it may be in the ordinary manner
of coffee or cocoa in a revolving cylinder, though I prefer the former method, and
then ground to a coarse powder in an ordinary and well known mill for that
purpose. The said seed powder is to be added to the powdered fruit pulp obtained
as aforesaid, the mixture of the two being employed in the manner of coffee or
cocoa, producing a thoroughly wholesome and nutritious beverage of the nature of
these substances.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that I am aware that liquid
food and beverages have been hitherto produced from the seeds and fruit of the
dato by certain processes, and among others by the process described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to J. L. De Montoison, dated 6th October
1877, No. 3712, and also in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me, and
dated the 9th August 1878, No. 3151, and I make no claim to such processes or
other modes of production already in use, but what I claim is,-
First. The new and improved process or method of treating the entire date fruit,
that is to say, both flesh and seeds, substantially as and by the appliances and for
the purposes herein described.
Secondly. The production of the bye products of essential oil and acid liquor
during the process of treatment of the dates, substantially as and in the manner
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Frederick Henley, have hereunto set
my band and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.