IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR MASHING AND DISINTEGRATING MAIZE, GRAIN, SEEDS, AND CEREALS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas James Smith, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman,
and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents,
for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR MASHING AND
DISINTEGRATING MAIZE, GRAIN, SEEDS, AND CEREALS." A communication
from abroad by Rudolph d'Heureuse, of New York, in the United States of
America."
Sealed the 8th August 1876, and dated the 21st April 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas James Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st April 1876.
THOMAS JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of
166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "IMPROVED MEANS
AND APPARATUS FOR MASHING AND DISINTEGRATING MAIZE, GRAIN, SEEDS, AND
CEREALS."
The object of the Improvement is to mash and to disintegrate the substance of
Indian corn or maize, grain, malt, seeds, and cereals of this class more perfectly
and economically than by the present modes in use. The hulls or skins of the
maize, grain, or leguminous products being left intact by this process, they may be
separated quickly and economically from the useful portion.
The first object is accomplished by subjecting the maize, grain, or the like entire
with water in a closed vessel by slow stirring to the action of heat and pressure
by steam or otherwise, when after some time the substance of the maize, grain, or
like material will be found entirely disintegrated, forming a homogeneous soup or
pasty mass. The hulls or skins left intact can now be readily removed from the
disintegrated pulp by blowing or forcing the mass through suitable sieves or
strainers, on which the hulls remain while the rest passes through the meshes. This
is done to best advantage directly from the tank in which the disintegration has
taken place.
The apparatus is composed of a vertical or nearly horizontally fitted tank, in
which a shaft provided with stirrers can revolve entirely or execute a rocking,
swinging, or to and fro motion; the shaft passes through one or more stuffing
[Price 6d]

page_text: boxes in the head or side of the tank, the upper part of which is provided with a
charge or man-hole; one or more pipes supply steam directly from without or by
way of the shaft, which then has to be hollow and to have all or some hollow
stirrers, these being perforated or opened for the passage of steam; there is a
discharge pipe with valve, gate, or faucet, as also a screen, sieve, or strainer suitably
constructed.
The mode of operation is as follows:-The tank is charged with the maize, grain,
or other substance previously cleaned or washed if required, and the proper pro-
portion of water, of which for distill mash a quantity in weight about twice that
of the corn, maize, or other substance, answers well; all openings are closed, the
steam is turned on, and the stirrers are put in operation, which may be done by
revolving or swinging the shaft or tank. With a steam pressure of about 40 pounds
per inch maize is disintegrated; a homogeneous mass produced within 4 or 5 hours
with 75 pounds pressure in less than 2 hours; other products in more or less of that
time; and the mass is then ready to be discharged into the mash tun if intended for
distillation, brewing, or kindred purpose. There the addition of crushed malt (or
its extract) to the disintegrated raw grain at the proper temperature quickly and
completely converts all starch into dextrine or glucose, considerably more of which
is formed than by the ordinary modes in use for mashing maize, grain, or other
similar substance ground in a mill. The conversion of the starch is also accom-
plished much quicker, doing away with a great deal of onerous labour, careful
attention, and considerable risk, upon which the satisfactory yield of spirits to a
large degree depends. The reason for a more complete and quick production of
glucose must be found in the fact that by this process the disintegration of all
particles is more complete by far than is done by a mill, and that thus every
particle of the mass is brought, and immediately, into contact with the acting
diastase. As a consequence a richer wort is drawn, or more alcohol produced, by
15 per cent. and upwards from the same quantity of raw maize, grain, or other
similar substance than by the ordinary mode and of a quality not inferior.
For some purposes of disintegrating maize, grain, seeds, and other similar sub-
stances, for which a high heat is injurious (for instance, for malt), the pressure
employed is with advantage produced entirely or partly by compressed air (or
other gases), so as to increase and maintain the pressure at option without unduly
increasing the pressure of the steam and thereby the temperature suitable for the
article under treatment. In this manner steam at low pressure will answer, and
is admitted to the water and substance only till the required temperature is
reached, which in malt should not exceed 200° Fahrenheit; or dry heating may be
resorted to.
The compressed air for the purpose of producing the required pressure enters
the disintegrator above or below the surface of its contents even at or near the
bottom. By this mode malt is more thoroughly exhausted than in the ordinary
mashing, and a superior article obtained from maize, grain, and other similar sub-
stance than by the employment of steam at a heat corresponding with the required
pressure.
Peas, beans, and other leguminous products are reduced to a pasty consistency
more quickly and completely in the manner explained by direct steam pressure or
that of air than by the ordinary mode of boiling in open kettles.
The homogeneous mass produced as above described from maize, grain,
leguminous products, or other similar materials, if blown through suitable
sieves or strainers, is freed from all hard gritty matter pertaining to the hulls
or skins, which is retained by the strainers, through which only the finely
disintegrated parts are allowed to pass. By attaching the strainer or strainers
to the discharge pipe the object is accomplished quite conveniently and econo-
mically while the mass is blown or discharged from the disintegrator, though it
may be done at a subsequent operation and centrifugal or other contrivances
be employed.

page_text: A mass is thus obtained at a trifling cost without the use of mills or other
expensive machinery and labour, which contains all of the valuable portion of the
products named and free from the grit due to the hulls or skins, which are
unpleasant components of the present corn meal.
The mass in this condition is ready for immediate consumption as an article of
food, and constitutes a basis of numerous articles of diet. It may, however, be
dried in a suitable manner in form of cakes, sheets, strings in granular or other
form, and in such condition can be kept for any length of time ready for immediate
consumption. Salt, condiments, or other substances may be added while in the
tank, and thus thoroughly incorporated and mixed with the mass, or they may be
added subsequently.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Thomas James Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st October
1870.
THOMAS JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of
166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "IMPROVED MEANS
AND APPARATUS FOR MASHING AND DISINTEGRATING MAIZE, GRAIN, SEEDS, AND
CEREALS." A communication from abroad by Rudolph d'Heureuse, of New York,
in the United States of America.
The object of the Invention is to disintegrate the substance of Indian corn or
maize, grain, and seeds or cereals of this class, also to accomplish the saccharifying
mashing of malt or unmalted material more perfectly and economically than by the
present modes in use, without the necessity in many instances of grinding in a mill;
and it consists in subjecting the materials with water in a close vessel under slow
stirring to the action of pressure by high pressure steam or its equivalent as will be
described.
The hulls or skins left comparatively intact by this process can be readily removed
from the disintegrated portion by blowing or forcing the mass against suitable sieves
or strainers upon which the hulls remain.
In the accompanying Drawing like letters indicate like objects. Figure 1 and
Figure 2 represent each as it were two devices, the right side of Figure 1 and the
left side of Figure 2; the application of direct steam by pipes D from the outside or
through hollow shaft, the other sides heating, if necessary, by steam jacket j. V,
Figure 1, represents the false bottom for mashing malt, M the grate for discharging
the residue at same process.
"
Figures 2 and 3 represent an inclined or nearly horizontally acting tank A. of
suitable material in which a shaft B provided with stirrers S can revolve entirely
or execute a rocking, swinging, or to and fro motion. The shaft passes through
one or more stuffing boxes in the side or sides of the tank.
Cis the charge
or man-hole. The pipe or pipes D supply the steam directly from without or
by way of the shaft B, which then is hollow and has all or some hollow stirrers
suitably perforated or opened. Any pressure producing agent other than steam
may be admitted in the same manner at any suitable place. E is the discharge
with valve, faucet, or gate F, and G is the screen, sieve, or strainer suitably
constructed.
There may be other pipes (for instance b), gates, faucets, or valves where needed
with gauges, thermometer, and other requisites.
(a) The mode of operation is as follows:-The tank is charged with the entire
maize, grain, or other seed or cereal previously cleaned or washed if required, and
he proper proportion of water of which for distill mash a quantity in weight about
wice that of the corn or other seed or cereal answers well, all openings are closed,
he steam is turned on, and all the stirrers are put in operation, which may be done by

page_text: the movement of the shaft B or tank A. With a steam pressure of about 40 pound
per inch maize is disintegrated; a homogeneous mass produced within about 3 hours;
other products in more or less of that time; and the mass is then ready to be. dis-
charged into a mash tun if intended for brewing, distilling, or kindred purposes.
There the addition of the malt or its equivalent at the proper temperature converts 5
quickly and completely the starch into sugar (considerably more of which is formed
than by the ordinary modes in use for mashing maize, corn, and other seeds or
cereals), and ground in a mill. The conversion of the starch is also performed
uncommonly rapidly, owing to the perfect access of the acting diastase to the perfectly
disintegrated starch. As a consequence a richer wort is drawn, or more alcohol I
produced, from the same quantity of grain than by the ordinary modes and of equally
good quality.
(b.) For all purposes for which the heat of steam under high pressure would be
injurious, the disintegration of the substances under treatment is performed with
such modification from the operation described that the heat is controlled by direct
steam, steam jacket, or other means, and the required pressure is produced by the
admission of steam under pressure on top (where its heating action is slight), by
admission of compressed air or other gases, or by that of liquids under steam or
hydrostatic pressure or its equivalent, which may have to be considerably below
212° Fah., or slightly above, independent of the pressure, and is applied with special
advantage in the mashing or saccharification of malt by its diastase, which has to
be done at a temperature below 200° Fah. (generally about 160° Fah.), and also
for the saccharification of unmalted material, such as grain, meal, or other seed or
cereals, with addition of malt or extract from malt. at the stated temperature.
Under an appropriate pressure produced in the manner above described, and rarely
exceeding 60 pounds per inch, the dissolved diastase is forced into the substance of
the malt (or unmalted material under treatment) and is rendered accessible to
many particles of starch which without the use of pressure would escape conversion
into dextrine or sugar and be lost for the purposes intended. Grinding or crushing
of the malt is not absolutely required for the described process of mashing it under
pressure; however, unmalted material, subjected to it for saccharification, will need
preparatory softening by soaking, scalding, or equivalent means to open the tissue ;
in either case the extraction of soluble dextrine and sugar is quicker and more
completely accomplished than by the usual modes of operation in mash tuns under
ordinary atmospheric pressure.
It will be understood that corn or other grain disintegrated by the processes
above described will saccharify speedily and perfectly even under ordinary atmo-
spheric pressure with addition of malt, owing to its complete state of divisions.
Peas, beans, and other leguminous products are by the processes above described
reduced to a pasty consistency more quickly and completely than by the ordinary
modes of boiling in open vessels.
(c.) The mass produced as above described under pressure, if blown or forced
through suitable sieves or strainers G, is freed from all hard gritty matters per-
taining to the hulls and skins, which is retained by the strainers, through which
only the finely disintegrated parts are allowed to pass. This can be accomplished
conveniently and economically while the mass is blown or discharged from the
disintegrator, though it may be done at a subsequent operation and centrifugal .or
other contrivances be employed.
A treatment similar to that last described under (b.) is of great advantage in the
saccharifying mashing of malt by its diastase, which has to be done. at a tempera
ture below 200° Fah. (generally about 160° Fah.), and also for the saccharification
of unmalted material grain, meal, or other seed or cereal with addition of malt o
extract from malt at the stated temperature.
Under an appropriate pressure produced in the manner described under (b.), and
rarely exceeding 60 pounds per inch, the dissolved diastase is forced into the
tissue of the malt (or unmalted material) under treatment, and thus rendered

page_text: accessible to many particles of starch, which without the use of pressure would escape
conversion into dextrine or sugar and be lost for the purposes intended.
(d.) The operation of mashing malt by my method is performed in an apparatus
similar to that described under (b.) A perforated false bottom or plate to drain the
liquid and a gate to remove the residue may be of advantage. The tank is charged
with the water of the required temperature, generally between 120° and 170° Fah.,
and with the malt, which is not necessarily crushed or ground, the mixing is effected,
the tank closed, and a pressure produced within in such a manner as not materially
to influence the temperature of the mash, which requires to be kept under perfect
control. The use of direct steam to produce the pressure would have to be restricted
to its admission above the surface of the mash where its heat communication is
slight, and with more safety the pressure is produced by admission of impelled air
or gases (for instance, carbonic acid gas), or of liquids under hydrostratic or an
equivalent pressure into the closed tank. The conversion of the starch under even
a moderate pressure takes place more quickly and completely than by the usual
modes of operation in mash tuns under ordinary atmospheric pressure. When
accomplished, the contents of the tank may be drained, discharged, or otherwise
treated.
(e.) The operation on unmalted material, grain, meal, seed, or other cereal
presupposes generally its preparatory softening by scalding, steaming, or other
known or convenient modes to open the particles of starch for the subsequent
action. Unless this preparatory mashing is done in the tank or vessel (like that
for malt), this is charged with the prepared unmalted material and water if
required, and while at a temperature of 150° to 175° Fah., a proportion of malt
(generally to 20 of the unmalted material) or an equivalent proportion of
wort or extract of malt is added, the tank is closed, the contents thoroughly mixed,
and a pressure is applied to the same by impelled air or other gases (for instance,
carbonic acid gas), by admission of liquid under pressure, or by direct admission
of steam above the surface of the contents. The saccharification the same as in
malt will take place very rapidly and completely, saves much time and uncertainty
of the results, for instance, for distilling, brewing, and kindred purposes. It will be
understood that the mode by which the pressure is produced for the purposes
described will depend in each case upon facilities which favour one mode or another.
In either of the processes described great advantages in time, labour, simplification
of machinery, or superiority of the resulting products, as the case may be, are
secured; the process of disintegration obviates for purposes of brewing or distilling
the necessity of mill and mill machinery, so does the malt mashing process, while in
both, as well as that of the saccharifying mashing of unmalted material, a considerably
higher yield results.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim-
First. The process herein described for disintegrating or reducing grains, seeds,
and similar products to a pulpy mass, consisting in treating the entire grains or
seeds whole or broken in a close vessel by high pressure steam or by heat and
an equivalent pressure, substantially as described.
Secondly. The process of mashing and extracting malt, and of saccharifying
unmalted material with malt or its equivalent, by subjecting the malt or other
material in a close vessel to pressure by direct steam from above, by compressed air
or other gases, or to an equivalent pressure, substantially as described.
Thirdly. The process of preparing pulp or paste from cereals, grains, or other
seeds, consisting in softening the substance of the articles, so as to loosen the pulp
from the hull and then forcing the mass against a sieve or filter to separate the
hard from the soft portion as set forth.
Fourthly. The process of treating grains or seeds such as described, consisting of
the following operations, namely, softening the pulp, then separating the hard
portion, and finally drying the mass substantially in the manner described.

page_text: Fifthly. The new manufacture herein described, consisting of pulped grains and
seeds of the classes named, free from hulls, in paste, or dried as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas James Smith, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of October, One thousand eight hun-
dred and seventy-six.
THOMAS JAMES SMITH. (L.S.)