Improvements relating to the Roasting of Coffee and other Vegetable Materials, and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 18th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements relating to the Roasting of Coffee and other Vegetable
Materials, and to Apparatus therefor.
We GERRIT CORNELIS OTTEN, and KAREL FREDERIK HENNEMAN, both of
20 Humsterstraat, The Hague, in the Kingdom of Holland, Manufacturers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the roasting of coffee and other vegetable materials and
to apparatus therefor.
According to our improved method the coffee or other vegetable materials to be
roasted are brought in direct contact with a flame which is obtained by burning
the vapours formed by the heating of spirits (alcoholic liquors) in a closed space,
the heating power of the said flame being adapted to be increased at will by access
of air.
The apparatus employed for the practical application of this method comprises a
drum which is to contain the coffee or the like to be roasted; a frame, a device
which supplies the fuel; and a device for cooling the coffee or the like, with a box
which collects the pellicles and dust during the roasting.
The drum may be cylindrical or of any suitable form, such as spherical, oval or
the like. Its dimensions depend upon the quantity of coffee to be roasted. This
drum is entirely or partly perforated, and closed at its two ends.
At one end of the drum is provided an opening for the pipe of the device which
supplies the heat, and at the other end a journal for turning the said drum.
In the drum are arranged a number of strips which have for their object to mix
the coffee or the like and to throw the beans or grains across the flame.
We fix in the drum a metallic double cone which is designed to mix the coffee
or the like and to prevent the beans or grains leaving the drum during the rotation.
In roasting apparatus with a very large drum or very long cylinder we use two
of these double metallic cones, one being arranged at either end."
The above-mentioned frame supports the drum and the device which supplies
the heat.
This apparatus is constructed in such a manner that there is no danger in its
employment; that the flame produced is absolutely pure, has a great heating power
and is of sufficient thickness for regular roasting; that the flame can be easily
reduced without diminishing the quantity of air admitted; and that the flame can
be immediately extinguished.
The device for supplying the heat, comprises a frame which contains a lamp, a
tube, and a boiler with its accessories.
The lamp which is attached to the door of the frame serves to heat the boiler
and to light the vapours which pass through the said tube.
If necessary we can adjust the height of the wick in the lamp, and consequently
the height of the flame, by means of a key.
A cover or valve serves to prevent the evaporation of the spirits when the flame
is extinguished.
Through the aforesaid tube pass the vapours generated in the boiler and which,
by reason of the impetus with which they enter the tube, carry away the air and
form an absolutely pure flame of great heating power.
The flame projected into the drum will not be thin, which would interfere with a
regular roasting operation, but will be of sufficient thickness.
By making the tube larger the flame will become thicker.
At the lower side of this tube is a small opening for enabling the flame of the
lamp to light the vapours.

page_text: .
With the object of enabling the flame of the lamp to be extinguished from the
moment when it has lighted the vapours in the said tube so that the apparatus can
be operated without the least danger, and also with the object of being always able
to regulate the size of the flame projected into the drum the upper side of the
above-mentioned tube is provided with an opening.
When the flame traverses this
tube a portion of the flame escapes through the said opening, heats the boiler and
the lamp having hecome superfluous may be extinguished.
By means of a regulator we can make the opening smaller and consequently also
the flame which heats the boiler. By adjusting with the regulator the degree of
heating of the boiler we regulate at the same time the size of the flame projected
into the drum, which is of great advantage for the roasting.
When it is desired to roast great quantities and to employ drums, in which the
distance between the two ends is very great so that the flame could not reach the
rear end it is needful to provide the drum in the interior with a tube having
openings (a burner) which then receives the vapours from the above-mentioned
tube and forms a regular flame.
In this case the latter tube performs the part of a conduit has no openings, and
the vapours must then be lighted which leave the burner provided in the interior of
the drum.
The boiler is so constructed that there is no danger in its employment.
Its cap and the place of the aperture for pouring in the spirits are arranged so
that the level of the spirits poured into the boiler does not pass beyond the said
aperture. Moreover this arrangement has the advantage of preventing that too
much spirits is poured into the boiler, and of being always free from the danger
that, owing to the boiling of the spirits, the latter cannot flow out through the tube
for passage to the vapours generated in the boiler. A safety valve is provided
which opens easily. Part of the tube for conducting the vapours extends into the
said cap and the other part is outside the frame.
This tube is closed at the lower end by a plug which enables it to be cleaned and
the vapours on their escape from this tube through an opening are projected into
the tube herein before referred to. The dimensions of the aforesaid pipe and
opening vary with the size of the apparatus.
The opening in the boiler through which the spirits are poured in must be closed
when the boiler is filled.
The device for cooling the coffee or the like comprises a box arranged below the
drum and which collects the pellicles, dust and the like during the roasting.
It will be understood that our invention offers great facilities for the roasting
especially where gas is not available, which result has not heretofore beeu
obtained; moreover the employment of alcoholic vapour improves the quality of
the coffee.
After the coffee or other material to be roasted has been poured into the drum
the lamp is lighted. In a few minutes the vapours developed by the heating of the
alcohol in the boiler is lighted and a thick pure flame of great heating power will
be projected into the drum.
After the lamp has been extinguished the drum is turned.
During the roasting the pellicles and dust will be burnt in the flame and the
residues escaping through the openings in the drum by reason of the centrifugal
force are gathered in the box which is placed below the drum.
By means of the regulator we can regulate at will the flame projected into the
drum. Owing to the intense heat of the flame, the coffee or the like will be very
quickly roasted and by the direct contact with this special flame (produced with
alcoholic vapours) the taste and aroma will become superior.
Dated this 18th day of November 1892.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Roasting of Coffee and other Vegetable
Materials, and to Apparatus therefor.
We, GERRIT CORNELIS OTTEN and KAREL FREDERIK HENNEMAN, both of
20 Hunsterstraat, The Hague, in the Kingdom of Holland, Manufacturers, 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:-
Our invention relates to the roasting of coffee and other vegetable materials and
to apparatus therefor.
According to our improved method the coffee or other vegetable materials to
be roasted is brought in direct contact with a flame which is obtained by burning
the vapours formed by the heating of spirits (alcoholic liquors) in a closed space,
the heating power of the said flame being adapted to be increased at will by access
of air.
The apparatus employed for the practical application of this method comprises
a drum which is to contain the coffee or the like to be roasted; a frame, a device
which supplies the fuel; and a device for cooling the coffee or the like, with a box
which collects the pellicles and dust during the roasting.
In the accompanying drawing we have shown how our said invention can be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section of the improved apparatus
complete.
Figure II is a front elevation, to an enlarged scale, of the device for supplying
the fuel and
Figure III is a plan of Figure II.
The drum A may be made of cylindrical or of any suitable form, such as
spherical, oval or the like, the size or dimensions of the said drum depending upon
the quantity of coffee to be roasted. The said drum is entirely or partly perforated,
and is closed at its two ends, as at P and Q.
One end P, of the drum is provided with an opening for the pipe of the device
which supplies the heat, and the other end Q is provided with a journal to which
is attached a crank or the like for turning the said drum.
Within the drum are arranged a number of strips which have for their object
to mix the coffee or the like and to throw the beans or grains across the flame.
We fix to the end P of the drum a metallic double cone H which is designed to
mix the coffee or the like and to prevent the beans or grains leaving the drum during
the rotation.
In a roasting apparatus with a very large drum or very long cylinder we use
two of these double metallic cones one being arranged at each end as shown at
P and Q, Figure 1. The frame C is adapted to support the drum as well as the
device D which supplies the heat.
This apparatus is constructed in such a manner that there is no danger in its
employment; that the flame produced is absolutely pure, has a great heating power
and is of sufficient thickness for regular roasting; that the said flame can be easily
reduced without diminishing the quantity of air admitted; and that the flame can
be immediately extinguished.
The device for supplying the beat, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 comprises a
casing E which contains a lamp M, a tube W, and a boiler V with its accessories.
The lamp M which is attached to the door F of the casing E serves to heat
the boiler V and to light the vapours which pass through the said tube W.
If necessary we can adjust the height of the wick in the lamp, and consequently
the height of the flame, by means of a key.

page_text: A cap or cover G serves to prevent the evaporation of the spirit when the
flame is extinguished.
Through the aforesaid tube W pass the vapours generated in the boiler V and
which, by reason of the impetus with which they enter the tube, displace the air
and form an absolutely pure flame of great heating power.
a
The flame projected into the drum will not be thin, which would interfere with
the regular roasting operation, but will be of sufficient thickness to ensure
perfect roasting. By making the tube W larger, the flame will of course become
thicker.
At the lower side of this tube W is a small opening K for enabling the flame
of the lamp to light the vapours.
With the object of enabling the flame of the lamp to be extinguished from the
moment when it has lighted the-vapours in the said tube W, so that the apparatus
can be operated without the least danger, and also with the object of enabling
the size of the flame projected into the drum to be regulated, the upper side of
the above-mentioned tube W is provided with an opening
When the flame
traverses this tube W a portion of the flame escapes through the said opening .x,
heats the boiler V and the lamp having become superfluous may be extinguished.
By means of a regulator y we can make the opening a smaller and consequently
also the flame which heats the boiler. By adjusting with the regulator y the
degree of heat applied to the boiler we regulate at the same time the size of the
flame projected into the drum, which is of great advantage for the roasting.
When it is desired to roast large quantities and to employ drums, in which the
distance between the two ends P and Q is very great so that the flame could not
reach the rear end Q thereof it is necessary to provide the drum in the interior
with a tube having openings (such as a burner) which then receives the vapours
from the above-mentioned tube W and forms a regular flame.
In this case the latter tube W performs the part of a conduit, has no openings,
and the vapours must then be lighted which leave the burner provided in the
interior of the drum.
The boiler V is so constructed that there is no danger in its employment.
Its cap T and the aperture S for pouring in the spirits are so arranged that
the level of the spirit poured into the boiler does not pass beyond the said
aperture S. Moreover this arrangement has the advantage of preventing too
much spirit being poured into the boiler, and of being always free from the
danger that, owing to the boiling of the spirit, the latter cannot flow out through
the tube for the passage to the vapours generated in the boiler. R is a safety
valve, which opens easily. Part of the tube N for conducting the vapours from
the boiler extends into the said cap T and the other end thereof is arranged
outside the casing E.
This tube N is closed at the lower end by a plug L which enables it to be
cleaned and the vapours on their escape from this tube through an opening O are
projected into the tube W hereinbefore referred to. The dimensions of the
aforesaid pipe N and opening will of course vary with the size of the
apparatus.
The opening S in the boiler through which the spirits are poured in must be
closed when the boiler is filled.
The device for cooling the coffee or the like comprises a box, Figure 1, arranged
below the drum and which collects the pellicles, dust and the like. during the
roasting.
It will be understood that our invention offers great fucilities for the roasting,
especially where gas is not available, which result has not heretofore been
obtained; moreover the employment of alcoholic vapour improves the quality of
the coffee.
After the coffee or other material to be roasted has been poured into the drum
the lamp is lighted. In a few minutes the vapours developed by the heating of
the alcohol in the boiler is lighted and a thick pure flame of great heating power

page_text: will be projected into the drum. After the lamp has been extinguished the drum
is turned.
During the roasting the pellicles and dust will be burnt in the flame and the
residues escaping through the openings in the drum by reason of the centrifugal
force are gathered in the box which is placed below the said drum.
By means of the regulator we can regulate at will the flame projected into the
drum. Owing to the intense heat of the flame, the coffee or the like will be very
quickly roasted and by the direct contact with this special flame produced with
alcoholic vapours, the taste and aroma will be greatly improved.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. In combination with a roasting apparatus the employment of alcoholic
vapour mixed or not with air, as hereinbefore described.
Second. In an apparatus for roasting coffee or other substances the employment
and combination of an apparatus for producing alcoholic vapours, mixed or not
with air, as herein described and shown in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 18th day of August 1893
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.