A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF TESTING MEAL AND FLOUR, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Jensen, of Chancery Lane, London, for the Inven-
tion of "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF TESTING MEAL AND FLOUR, AND
APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication from abroad by Emerich Pekár, of
Budapest, in the Kingdom of Hungary.
caled the 5th December 1876, and dated the 8th June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Jensen at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1876.
PETER JENSEN, of Chancery Lane, London. "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD
OF TESTING MEAL AND FLOUR, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication
from abroad by Emerich Pekár, of Budapest, in the Kingdom of Hungary.
According to this Invention the flour which is to be tested is by means of a flat
distributing spatula or plate, which by preference is a flat taper piece of glass with
two adjoining edges bevilled placed on a small dark board, which by preference is
made about 10% inches long by 5½ inches wide, and of lime wood painted over
three times with black or dark polish; the flour is evened on this board by means
of the spatula and cut into portions, say one or two inches wide, and three to three
and a half inches high. In this way several sorts of flour which have to be com-
pared may be placed side by side. The flour on the board is then subjected to very
hard pressure by means of a polishing glass. This polishing glass is partly pressed,
partly pushed over the surface of the flour, and with an oscillating movement so as
to produce a curved smooth surface, the light falling evenly on it through the
polishing glass. Already by this dry process or part of the process great differences
become apparent, and one is enabled to judge well of the general quality and purity
of the flour.
But if these differences are to be heightened or made more apparent, and in order
to judge of the quality of the flour, the board with the flour samples is pushed into
a glass dish, say four inches deep, and containing ordinary or distilled water. Or
for special requirements, viz., for the more exact proof of presence of epidermis
parts in the flour, about five per cent. of sulphuric or nitric acid may be added to
the water.
It is well to hold the board as vertically as possible in order to let the air bubbles
escape, without, however, letting the flour sainples glide off. After the lapse of
some fifteen or twenty seconds the samples are removed from the dish by an oscil-
Price Gd.l

page_text: lating or, so to say, rinsing movement and placed in a slanting position to enable
the water to drain off.
In order to prevent the samples from cracking in the drying because the adhesion
to the board prevents their even contraction, it is necessary to shave or cut down
their edges with a ruler. Even while thus wet the differences in apparently very
similar or like flour samples become exceedingly marked, and when dry they
become even more so.
By this process is ascertained the quality of the wheat, the meal, and the flour
manufacture according to the more or less perfect arrangement of the mill and the
greater or less skill and care of the miller, and according to the type, purity, dif-
ferences and qualities of the finished product.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Peter Jensen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th December
1876.
PETER JENSEN, of Chancery Lane, London. A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD
OF TESTING MEAL AND FLOUR, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication
from abroad by Emerich Pekár, of Budapest, in the Kingdom of Hungary.
According to this Invention the flour which is to be tested is by means of a flat
distributing spatula or plate, which by preference is a fint taper piece of glass with
two adjoining edges bevilled, as shewn in plan, side elevation, and end view at
Figure 1, placed on a small dark board shown in plan and side view at Figure 2,
which by preference is made about 10%, inch long by 5½ inch wide, and of lime
wood painted over three times with black or dark polish; the flour is evened on this
board by means of the spatula, Figure 1, and cut into portions, say one or two
inches wide, and three to three and a half inches high. In this way several sorts
of flour which have to be compared may be placed side by side. The flour on the
board is then subjected to very hard pressure by means of a polishing glass shewn
at Figure 3 in plan, side elevation, and end elevation. This polishing glass is
partly pressed, partly pushed over the surface of the flour, and with an oscillating
movement so as to produce a curved smooth surface, the light falling evenly on it
through the polishing glass. Already by this dry process or part of the process
grent differences become apparent, and one is enabled to judge well of the general
quality and purity of the flour.
But if these differences are to be heightened or made more apparent, and in
order to judge of the quality of the flour, the board with the flour samples is
pushed into a glass dish, say four inches deep, shewn in plan and end view at
Figure 4, and containing ordinary or distilled water. Or for special requirements,
viz., for the more exact proof of presence of epidermis parts in the flour, about five
per cent. of sulphuric or nitric acid may be added to the water.
It is well to hold the board as vertically as possible in order to let the air
bubbles escape, without, however, letting the flour samples glide off. After the
lapse of some fifteen or twenty seconds the samples are removed from the dish,
Figure 4, by an oscillating or, so to say, rinsing movement, and placed in a slanting
position to enable the water to drain off.
In order to prevent the samples from cracking in the drying because the adhesion
to the board prevents their even contraction, it is necessary to shave or cut down
their edges with a ruler, such as shewn at Fig. 5. Even while thus wet the dif-
ferences in apparently very similar or like flour samples become exceedingly
marked, and when dry they become even more so.
By this process is ascertained the quality of the wheat, the meal, and the flour
manufacture according to the more or less perfect arrangement of the mill and
the greater or less skill and care of the miller, and according to the type, purity,
differences, and qualities of the finished product.

page_text: 1. claim as and of the aforesaid Invention.—
First. The process, substantially as and for the purpose set forth, and specially
the even and equally thick juxtaposition of samples by means of the spatula, as
set forth; the production of the sinooth pressed curved surface of the material to
be tested, as set forth; the bath or entire immersion of the smoothed material, as
set forth; and the addition of sulphuric or nitric acid to the bath, as set forth.
Second. The apparatus, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Jensen, have hereunto set my hand and
scal, this Eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
PETER JENSEN. (L.S.)