IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE BREAD
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Harris Lake at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th February 1883. Communicated
to him from abroad by Théophile Montérichard, of Paris, France
"
OF
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
BREAD." [A communication to him from abroad by Théophile Montérichard, of
Paris, France]
This invention relates to an improved process whereby I am enabled to obtain
a yield of bread, about ten per cent greater than by the ordinary processes, that is
to say, assuming one hundred kilogrammes of flour to be treated on the one hand
by the present improved process and on the other hand by the ordinary process,
the former will produce about ten kilogrammes of bread more than the latter
process. Considering the immense quantity of bread produced and consumed daily,
it will be seen that the present improved process, the cost of which is very slight
and which does not require any chemical manipulation, is very advantageous so far
as the production is concerned. Moreover, the bread obtained by this process
possesses hygienic and nutritive properties superior to those of the bread produced
by the ordinary processes, and its appearance and taste are also superior to those
of the bread obtained by the ordinary processes
Various attempts have heretofore been made to attain this object, generally by
cooking the grain or bran in water until it is completely split up or broken; then it
is strongly compressed and the starch coming from the press is collected and mixed
with the water intended for the kneading. The water charged with mucilage is
distributed unequally in the paste; it evaporates insufficiently during the baking
and part of it remains in the bread, augmenting its weight, but diminishing its
quality and nutritive value.
The present improved process, on the contrary, assimilates the water remaining
limpid in the paste; which water is combined therewith, adding to the nutritive
richness of the food. The results obtained by the processes heretofore employed
are entirely different
The present process does not necessitate any alteration in the operations of bread-
making and the preparation of the paste, the kneading and baking remaining the
same as heretofore. The improved process is based solely upon the mixture of the

page_text: flour with water peculiarly prepared, and consists in employing for this operation
water in which a suitable proportion of grain has been subjected to ebullition.
Although I do not limit the invention to the nature or quantity of the grain
employed, I prefer to proceed in the following manner, that is to say :-I place say
one hundred litres of cold water in the boiler A represented in the accompanying
drawing by way of example. For this volume of water, I place two litres of grain
(preferably wheat) in the basket or plunger B made of wire gauze, in such a
manner that the grain can be easily retained therein while the said plunger is
caused to descend into the boiler until the water covers the grain contained in the
basket or plunger. The water in the boiler is then subjected to ebullition for
about an hour, the plunger is lifted out and allowed to drain, and the preparation
of the water coming from it to serve for the making of bread is completed.
When this water is cooled to the desired degree, it should be used for all the
operations of bread-making, for mixing with the flour and for the fermentation,
that is to say, for the preparation of the leaven of fermented paste, which is used
in bread-making together with the yeast of beer.
The quantity of this water employed is the same as that of ordinary water, but
it is essential that it should not be mixed with water not prepared as above
described; moreover, it should be stirred before being used, particularly if it has
been prepared some time before hand. Whatever be the quantity of flour, the
water thus prepared aids the separation of the glucose and dextrine, whilst it gives
more body to the gluten and the fecula, hence the augmentation of the yield of
bread by this improved process. It is evident that I may apply this invention with
advantage to the manufacture of some kinds of biscuits, without changing the
operations of the workmen.
It will be seen that this process is economical and does not entail much extra
cost inasmuch as the grain which has served for the preparation of the water can be
used advantageously as food for horses or other animais-