IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF DOUGH FOR BREAD, PASTRY, CAKE, AND OTHER FARINACEOUS ARTICLES OF FOOD
Year: 1858

page_text: application for Letters Patent was not given
by the Act.)
the
presorted
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George. Tomlinson Bousfield at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
February 1858.-A communication from James Perry and Elisha
Fitzgerald, of New York.
I, GEORGE TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF DOUGH FOR BREAD, PASTRY, CAKE, AND OTHER
FARINACEOUS ARTICLES OF FOOD," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the preparation of dough
for bread, pastry, cake, and other farinaceous articles of food. For these
purposes carbonic acid gas is employed, and is obtained in the following
manner-An air-tight vessel, which is called the generator, is used; the
upper part of which is provided with an aperture covered with a cap, through
which the charge can be introduced; the bottom of the vessel is provided
with a discharge pipe, having a cock or valve for discharging the contents of
the vessel. Within this vessel is a stirrer, to mix and stir the ingredients
in the vessel during the process of generating gas. To the top of this vessel
is connected another vessel, of a spherical or other suitable form, to contain
sulphuric acid, there being an aperture in the vessel through which the acid
can be introduced; at the bottom of this spherical vessel there is a valve,
which is attached to a stem which passes up through a stuffing 'box, and is
connected to a weighted lever; the object of this valve is to admit the chargo

page_text: of sulphuric acid from the upper vessel into the first-mentioned vessel or
generator. Attached to the upper part of the generator is a pipe enlarged
near its upper end, for the purpose of giving the gas, when making rapidly, an
opportunity of freeing itself from the effervesence of the materials in the
generator. Above the enlargement the pipe is provided with a safety valve,
which may be raised to allow any deleterious gas to pass off, and then be
weighted sufficiently to prevent the escape of the gas until it reaches a
pressure above what is required. A pipe from the enlargement above men-
tioned extends down to conduct the gas to the bottom of a gasometer of the
usual construction; opposite where this last-mentioned pipe is connected with
the previously-mentioned pipe another pipe with a stop-cock is connected
with the sulphuric acid vessel, to equalize the pressure therein with that in the
generator, and for the further purpose of facilitating the removal of the
atmospheric air from such vessel at the same time that the other parts of the
apparatus are exhausted, which is arranged to be done without disturbing
the water in the gasometer. Provision is also made for the purpose of re-
moving any atmospheric air which may be contained in the water in the
gasometer, and which may escape as the gas is first introduced into the water,
and for the better washing of the gas the end of the pipe is coiled, and is
perforated with numerous small holes, so as to divide the
gas into numerous
jets. The weight of the gas receiver is balanced as usual within the gasometer
and extending up within and nearly to the top of the tube in the gasometer
there is a pipe, passing down through the bottom of the gasometer and thence
to the air pump; this pipe is provided with a compound way-cock between
the gasometer and the air pump. The objects of this cock are, that when
turned in one direction it opens the pipe to the atmosphere, in order that the
gas first introduced may expel the contained atmospheric air; when turned in
the other direction the cock shuts the pipe and permits the air pump to
exhaust the other parts of the apparatus; when turned in the third position,
the cock connects the gasometer with the air pump used to force the gas into
the mixing vessel; the pump is also arranged to exhaust the mixing vessel
previous to filling it with gas. The pump has, as usual, an induction and
an eduction valve. The gas may by the pump be compressed in the mixing
vessel to any desired extent, the same pump having been first used to exhaust
the mixing vessel, and all other of the parts of the apparatus, before it is used
to take gas from the gasometer and force it into the mixing vessel. The
flour, previously mixed with salt and water in suitable proportions and cooled
to the proper temperature, is put into the mixing vessel, the vessel is then
closed, the apparatus is exhausted of atmospheric air, and the gas is pumped

page_text: from the gasometer into the mixing vessel. It is preferred to use the same
pump for exhausting the atmospheric air and to pump the gas, but separate
pumps may be used if desired. The mixing vessel is surrounded by a vessel
into which a cooling medium is placed, and the gas pipe in proceeding from
the pump takes several turns around the outside of the mixing vessel and
interior of the cooling vessel, by which the contents of the mixing vessel may
be lowered to near the freezing point, or as much above as desired. In place
of the water being mixed with the flour before introducing them into the
mixing vessel, the water, or salt and water, may be first exhausted of any air
it may contain, and then be forced into the mixing vessel through a rose head,
or otherwise, to be there mixed with the flour. And although it is preferred
to introduce the water and the gas separately, the water, or the water and salt,
may be first combined with the gas, in which case the water is to be first
exhausted of atmospheric air before combining the water or the water and salt
with carbonic acid gas.