Improved Method of Extracting Oil from Nuts.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of Extracting Oil from Nuts.
We, THORNTON CLEM GRAHAM, Foreman, JOHN HARVEY KELLOGG, Physician,
and WILLIE KEITH KELLOGG, Manager, all of Battle Creek, County of Calhoun,
and State of Michigan, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to improvements in methods of extracting oil from
nuts and other similar products, and it consists in slightly roasting the nuts,
blanching them or removing the skins which surround the kernels, grinding
the kernels to a paste, and then adding water slowly and in certain proportions
while the paste is being stirred, as will be more fully described hereinafter
The object of our invention is to extract oil from nuts of all kinds without
the use of either heat or pressure, or of any special apparatus for the treat-
ment of the nuts after they are ground.
In treatment of the nuts of whatever kind we first take the kernels and
slightly roast them, at a temperature from 300 to 350 degrees Fah., then the
skins which surround the kernels are removed and the kernels are ground to
a paste. The reduction to a paste of the kernels is effected by means of
pressure such as may be employed by rollers or any other suitable mechanism.
And then the mass is put into a mixer and hot. water is then added to form a
paste. While this paste is being stirred or rolled by an apparatus similar to
that used by confectioners and bakers, water in just the right proportion is
slowly added and stirred into the paste. Either cold or hot water may be
used, the result being the same in either case, but the process is somewhat
shortened by using hot water, because it enters into the mass more readily.
The term "blanching " is employed synonymously with removing the skins.
Water is not added during the grinding operation, but during the stirring
which takes place after the paste has been introduced into the mixer.
water is added little by little, the oil begins to exude from the thick mass,
rising to the top.
As the
while
By practical experience we have found that 32 pounds of oil may be removed
from 100 pounds of peanuts by the addition of 32 pounds of water, a pound
of oil being obtained for each pound of water used. The amount of oil varies
somewhat, however, according to the temperature of the mixture. The maxi-
mum amount of oil being obtained at a temperature of about 130° F.,
three or four per cent. less is obtained at a temperature of 40° F. It is not possible
to remove all of the oil by our method, the best results we have obtained is
nearly 33 per cent. from peanuts. which contain about 45 per cent. of oil. We
The residue
obtain about three fourths of all the oil contained in the nuts.
left in the nuts is not wasted, as it is used in manufacturing various valuable
food products.
This oil is not obtained by any process or pressure nor by dissolving the
nuts in water and separating the oil so that it floats on the top, nor by the use

page_text: of heat or heat and pressure in the usual manner. If more than a certain definite
amount of water is added the oil disappears, being converted into an emulsion.
The water, as it enters into the combination with the crushed nuts, displaces
the oil which is thrown out and rises in liquid form upon the semi-solid mass
beneath.
By our process the oil is more quickly, and cheaply removed than by any
process heretofore known, and is obtained in a perfectly clear and pure state
so that it requires no further process of refining or filtering, more than simply
straining to remove extraneous particles. The oil is simply dipped off the top
of the pasty mass, is allowed to settle, then decanted in a clear and pure state.
Oil thus prepared keeps well at all temperatures and is a remarkably limpid
product.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: :―
The process herein described of obtaining oil from nuts and other similar
substances, consisting in slightly roasting the nuts, removing their skins, then
grinding them, then rolling them so as to form a thick pasty mass, and then
adding water to the mass, in a certain regulated proportion and stirring it
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 95th day of November 1800.
THORNTON CLEM GRAHAM.
WILLIE KEITH KELLOGG,
JOHN HARVEY KELLOGG.
Boult & Wadle,
Agents for the Applicants.