Improvements in or relating to the Roasting of Coffee, Cocoa, and similar Materials.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 21st Aug., 1894-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Roasting of Coffee, Cocoa, and
similar Materials.
A communication from CARL ALEXANDER OTTO, Merchant, of Dresden,
Kaulbachstrasse 18.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a new or improved method of and
apparatus for roasting coffee, cocoa and the like, in such a manner that small
quantities of the material to be roasted are constantly fed into the apparatus and in
the same are subjected to the action of fire, hot air or other means of heating,
whereby the said materials are roasted very rapidly, uniformly and thoroughly.
On a suitable foundation, the stands are erected, in which a shaft is journalled.
This said shaft supports a helically-wound tube by means of arms, which preferably
are connected with each other by a cylindrical casing, or may be connected by
suitable rods. The helically-wound tube is surrounded by a fixed casing, within
which some suitable heating apparatus is provided, for example, a gas-heater,
composed of tubes and burners, or provision may be made for conducting heated air
into the casing. Into the front enlarged end of the helically-wound tube the outlet
tube of the feed-shoot projects, through the lower part of which outlet neck a part
of the shaft passes, which shaft is provided, at that part of its length within the
outlet neck with spiral conveyor-blades, which serve to conduct the material into
the enlarged end of the helically-wound tube. The shaft is provided at one end
with a belt-pulley or other suitable power-transmitting device, by means of which
the shaft and the helically-wound tube can be rotated and the material gradually
conveyed through said tube to the outlet end of the same. That end of the shaft
opposite the one provided with the belt-pulley carries a cog-wheel that engages a
second cog-wheel fixed in the tubular shatt, which in turn is journalled transversely
in the feed-shoot. On the said tubular shaft a hollow ball is mounted within the
feed-shoot and serves for delivering the material to the rotating helical tube at
proper intervals. The hollow ball is provided with an opening, through which the
material can pass into said ball and when the ball has made half a revolution under
the action of the cog-wheels, the material can drop out of the hollow ball and into
the outlet-neck or tube of the feed-shoot. For the purpose of permitting an
adjustment of the capacity of the said tube, it is provided in its interior with a
fixed wing and an adjustable wing. The latter is fastened by screws that pass
through slots of the tubular shaft into a solid shaft that passes longitudinally
through the tubular shaft and is provided at its outer end with a fixed hand that
can be locked in different positions by engaging its ends with the notches of a
notched segment fastened to the spokes of the wheel. By turning this hand the
solid shaft and with it the wing are turned so as to be a greater or less distance
from the fixed wing, whereby the capacity of the ball is increased or decreased.
As the hand is locked to the notched segment on the wheel the solid shaft
pelled to rotate with the hollow shaft. In the upper part of the feeding shoot
directly below the hopper a second hollow ball with two diametrically opposite
openings is fixed on a shaft mounted to turn in the feed-shoot which shaft is
com-

page_text: provided at one end with an arm carrying a weight. When said weight hangs
downward the two openings of the ball will be in line with the bottom of the hopper
and the material can pass through said ball into the other ball. If the arm is
turned 90° so that the ball closes the bottom opening of the hopper, none of the
material can pass into the lower ball. In the helically-wound tube a series of
heart-shaped partitions or stops are arranged which serve for the purpose of
thoroughly mixing and agitating the material passing through said tube. The
material to be roasted, for example, coffee, cocoa malt or other substance, passes
from the hopper and the ball below the same into the feed-shoot and by the lower
ball is delivered in uniform quantities into the outlet neck of the feeding shoot
and from the said outlet neck passes into the helically-wound roasting tube. The
material is fed into the roasting tube in uniform quantities, for example, so that an
equal quantity of the material is in each turn of the helical tube. Although the
material to be roasted passes into the helical tube, which is of a very small diameter,
very rapidly, every part of the material comes in contact with the hot metal walls
of said roasting tube and is thus roasted in a very short time and without any loss
by volatilization of the volatile oils contained in coffee cocoa etc.
Dated this 25th day of November 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Roasting of Coffee, Cocoa, and
similar Materials.
A communication from CARL ALEXANDER OTTO, Merchant, of Dresden,
Kaulbachstrasse 18.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide a new method of and apparatus for
roasting coffee, cocoa, and the like. The characteristic feature of this improved
process is that small quantities of the material to be roasted are constantly fed into
the apparatus and in the same are subjected to the action of a rotating helically
coiled pipe, raised to a high temperature by fire, hot air or other means of
heating, whereby the said materials are roasted much more rapidly, uniformly,
continuously and thoroughly, than by the processes hitherto in use.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the roasting apparatus partly in side
elevation as regards the hinder part showing the helically coiled pipe;
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same;
Figure 3 is a partial elevation thereof as seen from the rear;
Figure 4 is a partial cross-section, of the apparatus on the line of one of the
convolutions of the helically coiled pipe, showing the scoops;
Figure 5 is a cross section through one of the convolutions and scoops of the
coiled pipe.
Figure 6 is a section of the hollow ball for feed purposes.
On a suitable foundation a the stands bare erected in which a shaft c is
journalled. This shaft supports a helically-wound tube d by means of arms e
which are connected with each other by suitable bars f. The helically-wound
tube d is surrounded by a fixed casing 9, g' in two parts (of which gl serves as a
smoke-chamber) within which some suitable heating apparatus is provided, such as
for example a gas-heater, composed of tubes h and burners i; or provision may be

page_text: The feed-
made for conducting heated air into the casing. Into the front enlarged end k of
the helically-wound tube d the outlet tube of the feed-shoot m projects, through
the lower part of which outlet-neck a part of the shaft c passes.
shoot m is provided with a hollow ball o having an opening n and rotated by
3 suitable spur-gear zz by the shaft c for the purpose of delivering the substances to
be roasted from the upper part of the feed-shoot m into the lower part thereof..
This hollow ball o is located in a special casting p open at the top in the form of a
funnel or hopper, fitted to the ball.
As the specific gravity of each of the substances that may have to be roasted
varies considerably, the volume of the mass may be larger or smaller, requiring a
larger or smaller opening for its passage. The hollow-ballo is therefore fitted
with a regulating device of such kind that by its means the effective receiving
capacity of the ball may be increased or diminished at will For this purpose, the
hollow-ball, as shown in Figure 6 is provided with a fixed wing q and a wing g
adjustable in relation to g by means of studs connecting it with a shaft or spindler
in the hollow shaft r'.
The studs move to and fro in slots in the hollow shaft which extend over
preferably one half of the circumference of the latter. On the toothed-wheel z, as
shown in front elevation in Figure 2 is secured a perforated segments over which
the arm which is secured to the shaft can be adjusted a change in the position of
the said arm causing a corresponding adjustment of the movable wing q' and
thereby an enlargement or diminution of the effective receiving capacity of the
hollow ball o and consequently an increase or decrease in the rate at which the
material is supplied to the helical coil d. By fixing the arm t to the segment & by
means of a pin or equivalent the shaft r is secured to the hollow shaft r in such
manner that it rotates with the latter. The removable hopper T serving for
filling the apparatus with the substance to be roasted, is preferably fitted, instead of
a less easily managed disc, with a similar casting to that which contains the hollow
ball o, similarly containing another perforated hollow ball O provided with a shaft.
carrying an arm w by turning which round through an arc of say 90° the feed is
cut off, inasmuch as thereby the unperforated part of the ball O entirely fills up the
feed-opening.
The shaft c is rotated by a hand-wheel u communicating its rotary motion by
means of bevel-gear v to c which together with the helical tube d is thus caused to
rotate, whereby the substance to be roasted is conveyed to the outlet opening d
through which it is delivered. Any other suitable motive power may be employed
to rotate the helical pipe or conveyor.
In this manner the material to be roasted, wiz.: e.g., coffee, cocoa, malt, or other
desired substance, passes from the hopper T, and through the ball O below the
same into the feed-shoot m and is thence delivered by the lower ball o at brief
intervals, intermittently but regularly, and in uniform quantities, into the outlet
neck of the feeding-shoot, whence it passes in similar manner into the rotating
helical tube d. The material is fed into the latter in uniform quantities, for
example, such that each consecutive convolution contains at the same time an equal
quantity of the material to be roasted.
Not less important than the regulation of the feed is the commingling and
thorough admixture of the material roasted while passing through the helical pipe,
inasmuch as it is mainly upon the efficiency with which the various kinds of
substances are so mixed, that the goodness and uniformity of the roasted product,
in point of quality, depends. For this purpose, a number of heart-shaped
Scoops (Figures 4 and 5) are arranged in each convolution of the helical pipe d
whereby the substance passing through the pipe is constantly elevated and let fall,
bus effecting an intimate admixture of the same and bringing every particle
hereof in continually renewed contact with the heated ball of the pipe. Thus the
oasting process is very short and speedy to the great advantage of the quality of
he roasted product, because the volatile ether-oils contained therein have not
ufficient time allowed for them to evaporate in any material quantity.
'

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion as cominunicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In the roasting of coffee cocoa malt and other substances in unbroken
continuity intermittently feeding at brief intervals the substance to be roasted into
a helically-wound tube or coil in which the materials are conveyed and roasted in
small separate quantities.
2. In the roasting process described in Claim 1 the employment of a rotating
helically-wound tube or coil heated in any convenient manner and connected with a
feed apparatus which delivers the materials to be roasted in measured quantities and
at shorter or longer intervals according to the speed of rotation of the coil
substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for carrying out the roasting process described in Claim 1 the
combination of a heated rotating helically-wound tube or coil with a stationary
adjustable feed-arrangement with direct delivery into the coil substantially as
described.
4. In apparatus for carrying out the roasting process described in Claim 1 the
arrangement of fixed heart-shaped scoops in each separate convolution of the rotary
coil substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. In apparatus for carrying out the roasting process described in Claim 1 the
combination with the fixed feed-device of a hollow ball therein provided internally
with a fixed wing and an adjustable wing for the purpose of increasing or
diminishing the feed-capacity of the hollow ball substantially as described.
6. In apparatus for carrying out the roasting process described in Claim 1 the
combination of the hollow ball described in Claim 5 with a second hollow-ball
under the feed-hopper for the purpose of cutting off the feed by its partial rotation
substantially as described.
Dad his of Awoust 1904
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Of London, Nottingham, Liverpool, and Manchester,
Agents for the Applicant.