A New or Improved Method of Improving the Quality of Damaged or other Coffee.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1893
Complet Specification Left, 24th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of Improving the Quality of Damaged
or other Coffee.
I ADOLPH BROUGIER, Councillor of Commerce, of 13 Maximilianstrasse,
Munich in the Empire of Germany do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to improve the quality of coffee and particularly
of inferior sorts without addition of inappropriate substances and without any
other qualities being imparted such as would lower the commercial value of the
product. Even averaged (sea damaged) beans may be completely rendered
serviceable and delicate in taste by using this improved method.
The coffee beans are placed in a rotating apparatus of any kind permitting
a tube to be temporarily introduced in the roasting drum (for instance along its
axis). After the roasting has progressed so far that the beans begin to puff up and
get mellow, then by means of a suitable spraying device a liquid extract containing
coffeine is passed into the roasting apparatus. The beans loosened in their
structure readily suck up the solution, heating the same to the roasting temperature
of the beans. The roasting is continued a little longer to drive off the superfluous
water and the beans remain impregnated with the extract and ready for use.
By this method of adding extract the latter is protected against the consequences
of too much roasting which would destroy the aromatic substances therein.
The roasted coffee is quickly cooled, and cannot be distinguished in its appearance
from coffee roasted in the usual way, while nevertheless the beans possess a greater
percentage of substances soluble in water, is purer and more aromatic in taste, and
remains mellow and brittle.
The impregnating liquid, as already mentioned, must contain coffeine substances.
Usually this extract consists of a solution obtained from the pulp of the coffee-
cherry, this solution being extracted from fresh and sound coffee cherry shells,
or the pulp of the coffee cherries by repeated boiling with water either alone or
after the addition of a small quantity of muriatic acid.
The decoction thus obtained is neutralized with bicarbonate of soda, and then
concentrated by evaporating.
An extract containing coffeine may also be obtained from the leaves of the coffee
plant, cocoa fruit or cocoa shell, the kola plant (fruit or leaves) mathé leaves,
vanilla, tea plant etc.
It is understood that by using the one or the other of those coffeine containing
extracts the proper coffee taste is slightly altered. However the nice and
appetizing appearance of the beans when roasted in the before described manner,
their preservability and other good qualities of the coffee are equally attained with
any of the above solutions.
If coffee is to be treated after sea damage or neglect in its treatment and packing
or any other circumstances has given it a disagreeable after taste the afore
described method of roasting is not alone sufficient and in such cases, the following
special preliminary treatment is applied.
The coffee beans are placed in fresh lime water (the slaked lime being dissolved
in the water) where they are left some time, then taken out, rinsed in clean water
and afterwards dried. This being done, the roasting can be proceeded with in the

page_text: above described manner. The beans may possibly also be treated and impregnated
with the lime solution during the roasting process.
Dated this 24th day of April 1893.
R. HADDAN,
Agent for Applicant.
A New or Improved Method of Improving the Quality of Damaged
or other Coffee.
I ADOLPH BROUGIER, Councillor of Commerce of 13 Maximilianstrasse,
Munich in the Empire of Germany 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved process for improving the quality of all
sorts of coffee and more especially of the inferior qualities without foreign
substances being added or such qualities being imparted as would contribute to
lessen the commercial value of the coffee. Even sea damaged beans can be
entirely restored in quality and original aroma by this improved process of
treatment.
Roasting, as a known fact, takes place in coffee beans from outside toward inside
and it is consequently easily conceivable that owing to the intense action of the
heat, the outer layers of the bean will be far more roasted than the inner parts
which fact is shown in the microscopic structure of the beans as well as in their
appearance in cross section. Consequently to attain as equal and uniform a roasting
as possible a slow and gentle fire for roasting is used, which latter process however
highly delays the operation of roasting.
The new process consists therein that the coffee beans are heated in
any roasting
apparatus of known form, which apparatus however, must be constructed so as to
allow of a periodical insertion of a tube into its roasting drum for instance through
the hollow axis etc., to that point where the beans begin to swell and to get mellow.
This point being reached, a coffeine extract or coffeine containing or similar solution,
corresponding to the taste of coffee is sprayed over the beans by the aid of a
distributing apparatus.
By this manipulation at a certain point of condition of the coffee, of distributing
over the outer layers of the coffee any desired extract or solution or even pure
water which may be imparted in atomized form or be poured into the drum; the
roasting is intended to be delayed on the outer layers while the roasting process
proceeds in the inside of the bean.
The period (point of time) when this intermediate cooling and impregnating
process should take place is given by the swelling of the beans and their simultaneous
developing a blue smoke, smelling of roasted coffee while before this point is reached
a white smoke is generated, smelling like any green substance. This appearance of
distilled off volatile oil is a sign that roasting on the outer layers of the beans has
gone far enough.
The beans under these circumstances rendered mellow and loosened in their
structure, readily suck up the extract, heating the latter up to their own
temperature. If then roasting is a little further continued, the superfluous
water is vaporized and the beans thus impreguated or saturated with extract are
ready for use.
By this manipulation the outer layers of the beans are at the same time protected
against too high a roasting temperature which latter would have the effect of
destroying the aromatic substances of the coffee.
Although any coffee roasting apparatus may be adopted and utilized in carrying

page_text: out this improved method, yet the most suitable arrangement may be described
hereinafter.
A cylindrical or spherical roasting drum is bored through at both ends of its
axis. The one bore serves for observing the moment when the smoke appears
through it, the other for introducing a tube with a perforated distributing
arrangement through the medium of which by any suitable means (funnel, pump,
syringe steam injector, or injector operated by compressed air, or by means of
hydraulic pressure) water, steam, or any desired suitable extract or solution is
passed into the roasting drum, so that a complete atomizing and regular distribution
will take place under the continuous rotation of the drum. Said axial hole may
likewise serve to withdraw from the apparatus samples at any moment by the aid of
a suitable tool inserted in the said hole.
By thus treating the coffee a very uniform cooling down of the upper layers
of the beans takes place, while at same time thereby the above mentioned purpose
is fully attained, namely that the roasting of the inner layers is but slightly inter-
rupted and by continuing the heating process an absolutely uniform roasting of the
beans is obtained.
The coffee treated and roasted in this manner, in its outer appearance does not
differ from coffee roasted in the usual way, while it possesses a higher
percentage of substances soluble in water and moreover has a purer and more
aromatic taste.
The impregnating liquid in ordinary cases suitably consists of a solution
extracted from the juice of the coffee-berry, which juice is obtained by the
repeated boiling of new and sound coffee shells or the pulp of the coffee-berries
with water alone or by boiling the same with water containing a small quantity of
muriatic acid. The decoction thus obtained is neutralized by bicarbonate of soda
and thereupon concentrated by evaporation.
An extract containing coffeine may also be obtained from the leaves of the
coffee-plant, cocoa fruit or cocoa shell, the kola plant (fruit or leaves) from the
mathé leaves, vanilla tea plant etc. According as the one or the other of these
substances is used, it is obvious that the characteristic taste of the coffee will vary
respectively, though slightly.
The nice appetizing appearance of the coffee roasted in the above described
manner its preservability and other characteristic qualities are not influenced in
the least.
Where raw coffee is to be treated, which, by sea damage or owing to negligent
packing or any other circumstances has got a disagreeable after taste, the above
described process will not be sufficient to impart to it by the new roasting method
an agreeable aroma; in such cases the coffee must be previously subjected to the
following treatment.
The beans are placed in clear lime water (that is where the slaked lime is
dissolved in the water) left therein for some time, then taken out, rinsed in clean
water and afterwards dried. Then roasting in the above described manner can be
proceeded with.
If desired the beans may also be treated with the solution of lime during the
roasting process.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A new or improved process for improving the quality of coffee consisting in
subjecting the beans after they have been heated up to the roasting temperature
to a treatment in the roasting apparatus with an extract containing coffeine or any
other suitable solution or water, the roasting process being then continued and
finished; the coffeine extract being obtained by boiling new unroasted shells or the
pulp of the coffee-berry or coffee leaves or leaves of the cocoa, kola, mathé, or tea-
plant, said extract or solution or water being imparted to the coffee within the

page_text: roasting apparatus at the moment when the outer layers of the beans begin to distil
off volatile oil and to develop a bluish smoke.
2. The treatment of sea-damaged or other coffee of inferior quality consisting in
placing the beans in lime-water and rinsing the same with clean water preliminary
to roasting or consisting in impregnating the beans with a solution of lime during
the process of roasting.
Dated thie 94th day of Jonna 1804
R. HADDAN,
Herbert Haddan & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, Agent for Applicant.