Improvements in Appliances for Automatically Signalling when Dough is sufficiently Fermented.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1898-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Automatically Signalling when
Dough is sufficiently Fermented.
I, JOHANN STRATTNER, of 122, Schwabacherstrasse, Nuremberg, Bavaria, in the
Empire of Germany, Baker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
It is a well known fact that the production of good bread depends on observing
the exact moment when the fermentation caused by the leaven, yeast, or the baking
powder is sufficiently developed i.e. is not too far advanced for the further treat-
ment of the dough.
As the fermentation depends on the nature of the baking materials on the
weather and on the leaven itself it is not at all times possible to determine from the
time or the expansion of the dough when the latter is finished and this even when
the baker is experienced and it frequently happens that the fermentation is too
long continued and thus a part of the carbonic acid generated thereby escapes.
The object of the present invention is to construct a self acting apparatus which
signals and warns the baker or attendant when the due degree of fermentation is
attained. Part of the dough is placed in a closed vessel and by the pressure of
the carbonic acid generated and acting on a gauge a self acting bell or alarum
is set in motion and signals that the due degree of fermentation has been reached.
Such being the nature and object of my said invention the following is a com-
plete description of same reference being had to the accompanying drawings in
which Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of the apparatus for purpose aforesaid.
According to this invention the vessel 1 contains a certain quantity of the pre-
pared dough and such vessel 1 has a lid 2 which can be closed hermetically and
which is furnished with a sensitive gauge 3 which has an insulated and adjustable
finger or indicator 4 concentric with the dial 5 which like the gauge 3 is in
connection with the conductor of an electrical bell. The finger 4 is placed in such
a position that its pointer rests on the part of the dial 5 which the hand 6 of the
gauge will occupy when the fermentation of the dough is sufficiently advanced
in consequence of the pressure of the carbonic gas generated in the vessel 1.
When the dough is fermented and carbonic gas generated the two hands 6 and 4
touch, the circuit is completed, the electric bell is set in motion and signals that
the degree of fermentation of the dough in the vessel is completed. If then a
similar quantity of the fresh made dough is put in the vessel the position of the
finger 4 being the same, the same degree of fermentation must be reached before
the signal is given.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
The vessel 1 combined with which is the gauge 2 and adjustable finger 4 the
latter and the finger 6 of the gauge being connected to an electric battery and bell

page_text: as and for the purpose herein described and substantially as illustrated by the
annexed drawing.
Dated this 1st day of February 1898
JOHANN STRATTNER,
By his Agents,
Brierley & Howard,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax.