Improvements in and in Apparatus for Converting Amylaceous Substances into Soluble Products.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Jan., 1892-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in Apparatus for Converting Amylaceous
Substances into Soluble Products.
A communication from abroad by ALBERT HENRI JACQUES BERGÉ, of Brussels,
in the Kingdom of Belgium, Doctor of Natural Sciences.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
There exists quite a series of bodies derived from amylaceous substances and
forming, by insensible transitions, the passage between starch and glucose. These
products, of which dextrines are the most often used, have the common character of
being soluble in water, some only in warm water, whilst others dissolve also in cold
water.
Up to the present time, a large number of processes have been suggested for
obtaining these products, but none allow of the object aimed at being accomplished
in a practical manner, some not yielding satisfactory results and others whilst giving
incomplete results often required a very considerable expenditure of labour.
The object of this invention is consequently, a process allowing of the conversion
in a simple and complete manner of amylaceous substances into products soluble
either in warm or cold water, and consists in submitting dry starch to the action of
sulphurous acid gases under pressure, and at a given temperature, in a closed vessel,
such pressure and temperature varying according to the nature of the substance to
be converted and the products to be obtained.
The substances to be converted into dextrines may be submitted to the above
mentioned treatment in the vessel under any desirable form, that is to say, under
the form of starch, of flour or farina, grain ground, bruised, or even whole, and the
vessel may be of any suitable construction, provided it be possible to hermetically
close the same, and expose it to a uniform temperature. This latter point is
preferably attained by the use of an oil bath or by steam beating by means of a
double casing. However, in order to obtain a regular heat and consequently in
order to realise the uniform and regular action of the sulphurous acid contained in
the vessel, the latter must be supplied with an agitator, or even a mechanism causing
it to revolve above or inside the heating apparatus.
An arrangement of a sufficiently practical apparatus consists of a simple
cylindrical vessel supported at its extremities by two trunnions in pedestals and
capable of revolving on its longitudinal axis. Inside the vessel there is placed a
steam coil formed of a series of tubes connected with each other. This coil is fed
by a tube branching from one of the trunnions and the steam escapes finally by the
two pipes which have their exit at the other trunnion and are provided with
valves. These trunnions are fitted with stuffing boxes in order to avoid any escape
of steam.
As has been already said the apparatus revolves on its longitudinal axis on
pedestals, the rotary motion being produced by two geared wheels and transmitting
pulley. The vessel is provided with a manhole easily opened and hermetically
closed, and it has further two tubes for the admission and exit of the sulphurous
acid.
Into the vessel thus formed, the amylaceous substance, which is to be converted
into soluble products, is introduced to the extent of about half its capacity, and
then the sulphurous acid is caused to pass into the vessel as low down as possible

page_text: by means of a perforated tube, fixed to an entrance tap and extending to the bottom
of the apparatus. The air contained in the vessel is thus completely driven out
and through an exit tap which is immediately closed when the vessel is filled
with sulphurous acid and the amylaceous substances thoroughly impregnated with
this acid.
According to the capabilities of conversion of the substance treated and the
solubility required for the products to be obtained, the apparatus is raised to a
temperature varying from 120° to 190° Centigrade. The pressure existing in the
vessel will be more or less raised according to the temperature, seeing that the
expansion of the sulphurous acid corresponds to the temperature. The excess of
pressure accelerates the conversion, and this pressure may be obtained in the easiest
way by causing sulphurous gases in excess to enter therein by the entrance tap, but
for this purpose other gases may also be driven in, provided they have no action on
the sulphurous anhydride, that is to say, that their presence exercises no influence
on the action of the sulphurous anhydride. As soon as the conversion is completed,
the sulphurous vapours are allowed to escape so as to cause the pressure to fall.
The apparatus is then opened and the substance collected in order to be utilised
again.
Dated this 25th der of Anmil 1901
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in Apparatus for Converting Amylaceous
Substances into Soluble Products.
A communication by ALBERT HENRI JACQUES BERGÉ, of Brussels, in the Kingdom
of Belgium, Doctor of Natural Sciences.
J, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool & 6 Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, & 323 High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
There exists quite a series of bodies derived from amylaceous substances and
forming, by insensible transitions, the passage between starch and glucose. These
products, of which dextrines are the most often used, have the common character
of being soluble in water, some only in warm water, whilst others dissolve also in
cold water.
Up to the present time, a large number of processes have been suggested for
obtaining these products, but none allow of the object aimed at being accomplished
in a practical manner, some not yielding satisfactory results and others, whilst
giving incomplete results, often required a very considerable expenditure of labour.
The object of this invention is, consequently, a process allowing of the conversion,
in a simple and complete manner, of amylaceous substances into products soluble
either in warm or cold water, and consists in submitting dry starch to the action of
sulphurous acid gas under pressure, and at a given temperature, in a closed vessel,
such pressure and temperature varying according to the nature of the substance to
be converted and the products to be obtained.
The substances to be converted into dextrine may be submitted to the above
mentioned treatment in the vessel, under any desirable form, that is to say, under
the form of starch, of flour or farina, grain ground, bruised, or even whole, and the
vessel may be of any suitable construction, provided it be possible to hermetically
close the same, and expose it to a uniform temperature. This latter point is
preferably attained by the use of an oil bath or by steam heating by means of a
double casing. Further, in order to obtain a regular heating and, consequently, in

page_text: order to realise the uniform and regular action of the sulphurous acid contained in
the vessel, the latter must be supplied with an agitator, or at least a mechanism
causing it to revolve above or inside the heating apparatus.
In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference should be had to
the accompanying drawing, which represents an arrangement of a sufficiently
practical apparatus:-
On this drawing-
B is a simple cylindrical vessel supported at its extremities. by two hollow
trunnions H in pedestals S and capable of revolving on its longitudinal axis.
Inside the vessel B there is placed a steam coil D, formed of a series of tubes
connected with each other. This coil is fed by a tube R, branching from one of
the hollow trunnions H, and the steam escapes finally by the two pipes R¹ R' which
have their exit at the other hollow trunnion H and are provided with valves V V.
These trunnions are fitted with stuffing boxes in order to avoid any escape of steam.
As has been already said, the apparatus revolves on its longitudinal axis on the
pedestals SS, the rotary motion being produced by two geared wheels Z Z¹ and
transmitting pulley R². The vessel is provided with a manhole M, easily opened
and hermetically closed, and it has further two taps E and A for the admission and
exit of the sulphurous acid.
Into the vessel thus formed, the amylaceous substance, which is to be converted
into soluble products, is introduced to the extent of about half its capacity, and
then the sulphurous acid is caused to pass into the vessel as low down as possible
by means of a perforated tube, fixed to an entrance tap E and extending to the
bottom of the apparatus. The air contained in the vessel is thus completely driven
out through an exit tap A, which is immediately closed when the vessel is filled
with sulphurous acid and the amylaceous substances thoroughly impregnated with
this acid.
According to the capabilities of conversion of the substances treated and the
solubility required for the products to be obtained, the apparatus is raised to a
temperature varying from 120° to 190° Centigrade. The pressure existing in
the vessel will be more or less raised according to the temperature, seeing that
the expansion of the sulphurous acid corresponds to the temperature. An increase
of pressure accelerates the conversion, and this pressure may be obtained in the
easiest way by causing sulphurous gases in excess to enter therein by the
entrance tap E, but, for this purpose, other gases may also be driven in, provided
they have no action on the sulphurous anhydride, that is to say, that their
presence exercises no influence on the action of the sulphurous anhydride. As
soon as the conversion is completed, the sulphurous vapours are allowed to
escape so as to cause the pressure to fall. The apparatus is then opened and
the substance collected in order to be utilised again.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The improvements in converting amylaceous substances into soluble products,
which consists in submitting the substances to be converted, in a dry state, to the
action of gascous sulphurous anhydride at a temperature of from 120° to 190°
Centigrade, and under a variable pressure obtained in the manner mentioned, all
substantially as herein before described.
2. The general construction and arrangement of apparatus as herein before
described and shown, for use in the conversion of amylaceous substances into
soluble products according to the process specified in Claim 1.
Dated this und day of JanIAU 1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.