IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN VEGETABLE MATTERS, AND, IN THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME TO THE PURPOSES OF SIZEING, STIFFENING, DRESSING, AND FINISHING TEXTILE MATERIALS, AND WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO THICKENING COLORS FOR PRINTING
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Tempest Booth, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Gum and Starch Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN VEGETABLE MATTERS, AND, IN THE
APPLICATION OF THE SAME TO THE PURPOSES OF SIZEING, STIFFENING, DRESSING,
AND FINISHING TEXTILE MATERIALS, AND WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO
THICKENING COLORS FOR PRINTING.":
ealed the 29th June 1858, and dated the 30th December 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Tempest Booth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
December 1857.
I, TEMPEST BOOTH, of. Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Gum and
5 Starch: Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN VEGETABLE MATTERS, AND IN THE
APPLICATION OF THE SAME TO SIZEING, STIPPENING, DRESSING, AND FINISHING
TEXTILE MATERIALS, AND WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO THICKENING COLORS FOR
PRINTING," to be as follows:
The improvements relate first, to the novel treatment of such vegetable
matters as wheat flour, rice flour, barley flour, farina, sago, mandioca; and
tapioca, and other similar vegetable matters having: amylaceous qualities, and

page_text: consist in treating such vegetable matters with oxalic acid, or other acid
having similar effect, the acid is to be applied to the flour in the dry state,
which has the effect of producing the starch as required for use, instead of
developing the same in the ordinary manner by steeping, &c., &c.
The second part of my Invention being the application of such vegetable
matters (so treated), to the purposes above-named, and also to the thickening
of colors for printing calico, mousselaine de laine, carpets, or other similar
surfaces.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Tempest Booth, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
June 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, TEMPEST
BOOTH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Gum and Starch Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Tempest Booth, Her especial license that I, the said Tempest Booth, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Tempest
Booth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
OF CERTAIN VEGETABLE MATTERS, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME TO THE
PURPOSES OF SIZEING, STIFFENING, DRESSING, AND FINISHING TEXTILE MATERIALS,
AND WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO THICKENING COLORS FOR PRINTING," upon, the
condition, amongst others, that I; the said Tempest Booth, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I the said Tempest Booth, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention; and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: .
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
The improvements relate first, to the novel treatment of such vegetable
matters, as wheat flour, rice flour, barley flour, farina, sago, mandioca, and.
tapioca, and other similar vegetable matters containing amylaceous qualities,
and consists in treating such vegetable matters with oxalic acid or other acids;.
having similar effect. The acid is to be applied to the flour in the dry
state, which has the effect of producing the starch as required for use,
instead of developing the same in the ordinary manner by steeping.
The second part of my Invention being the application of such vegetable
matters (so treated), to the purposes above-named, and also to the thickening
of colors for printing calico, mousseline de laine, carpets, or other similar
surfaces.
In order that my Invention may be clearly understood, I will proceed to
describe the practical process of: manufacture.. I take one hundredweight of
wheat flour, rice flour, barley. flour, farina, sago, mandioca, tapioca, or other
vegetable matters, containing amylaceous substances, and mix with it from
half a pound. to one pound of oxalic acid, tartaric acid, or citric acid. I do
not bind myself to take one hundredweight all of one description of the above-
named vegetable matters, but half of one and half of another, or a portion
from each, according to the starch required, neither do I confine myself to
mixing exactly half a pound or a pound of the acid, but a smaller or larger
quantity, varying according to the starch wanted. I then put the vegetablé
matter and acid through a dressing machine having about forty "picks" to
the inch of wire, (it will do without being put through the dressing machine
if well mixed, but I prefer the former mode), after this I put the flour and
acid on a steam chest which has high-pressure steam passing through or in
a furnace, or through a calcining cylinder, the furnace or cylinder being
nearly the same heat as the steam chest, or in any other description of heated
stove, chest, or cylinder, provided. they are. about the same heat as the high-
pressure steam chest, after submitting the flour and acid to one of these pro-
cesses for from eight to ten hours, more or less, the acid will have converted
the insoluble starch contained in the above-named. substances, into soluble
starch, and dextrine. For some qualities of starch that are required I
treat the above-named vegetable matters and acid, without putting them
either on a steam chest, or in a furnace, or through a calcining cylinder,
or applying any heat at all, by merely mixing them with cool water in
the proportion of one pound of the former to one gallon of the latter,
and a more soluble starch will be produced than the best crystal starch at

page_text: present in use. This combination may also be made to produce an excel-
lent soluble starch by boiling, either by inserting a high-pressure perforated
steam pipe, or other suitable means), and letting the mixture boil for fifteen
minutes, more or less, after it reaches the boiling point, or if. low-pressure
steam be used, for twenty minutes, more or less, after it reaches the boiling
point, or if boiled in a steam pan or over a fire, a still shorter time will be
required. The same result is obtained by the direct application of fire-
heated air, or any other source of heat. For some purposes the starch can
be made by putting one pound, or more or less, of oxalic acid, tartaric acid,
or citric acid, into cold water, in the proportions previously given, and adding
one hundredweight of any of the vegetable matters named above, or a por-
tion of each to make up one hundredweight, and mixing the whole in the
usual way. If the starch is wanted for use without acid, add sufficient car-
bonate of soda, or, common soda of commerce, or ground chalk, or any other
neutralizing substance. In this case the neutralizing substance must be
added after the starch has boiled the stated time, and the whole then allowed
to boil a little longer.
The second part of my Invention is for producing a starch, or gum, or
dextrine for thickening colors for printing. I prefer in this case starch, or
slimes of starch ground and dressed into flour, but for some colors the
vegetable matters containing amylaceous substances previously named will
answer the purpose. The remainder of the process is the same as already
described, except that in this instance the application of a calcining heat is
required to convert more completely the insoluble amylaceous substances into
gum or dextrine.
Having now clearly explained and set forth the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and also the most suitable means that I am acquainted with for carrying
it into practical effect, I claim as my Invention the addition, application, or
use of oxalic acid, tartaric acid, or citric acid to wheat flour, barley folour;
rice flour, farina, sago, mandioca, tapioca, starch, and slimes of starch ground
and dressed into flour, or any other vegetable matters containing amylaceous
substances, so as to convert them into soluble starch, gum, or dextrine.
In witness whereof, I, the said Tempest Booth, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
TEMPEST BOOTH.
(L.S.)