A NEW MANUFACTURE OF CONCENTRATED AND PRESERVED POTATOES AND OTHER VEGETABLES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Heinrich Stapfer, of the City of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Dentist, for the Invention of "A NEW
MANUFACTURE OF CONCENTRATED AND PRESERVED POTATOES AND OTHER
VEGETABLES."
Sealed the 28th March 1871, and dated the 30th September 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Heinrich Stapfer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 30th September 1870.
I, HEINRICH STAPFER, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Dentist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "A NEW MANUFACTURE OF CONCENTRATED AND PRESERVED POTATOES AND
OTHER VEGETABLES," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to extract all the nutritive part of the
potatoe or other vegetable, and while reducing its bulk to prepare it so‘
that it will keep pure and fresh with moderate care even when unsealed:
up for any required period, and in such state that it may be easily'
prepared as food in various forms in a very short time.
:
ر

page_text: My Invention consists in first steaming or boiling the potatoes or
other vegetables, then separating the skins from the potatoes, then
dividing into fine vermicular particles by mechanical means, and while
in this state subjecting it to heat to drive off the greater portion of the
water, which leaves the material thus prepared in a state resembling
rice, which if desired may be reduced to flour.
The extract of potatoes prepared by this means can be used for making
soups and other dishes, and by adding boiling water a dish in every way
resembling mashed potatoes cooked directly from the potatoe in the
ordinary manner is obtained, but of superior flavor and quality.
The manner in which I prefer to divide the vegetable matter into
vermicular particles is by placing it in a cylinder having a bottom with
numerous small perforations through which the vegetable matter is
forced by a piston actuated by a screw or other suitable mechanism, and
the drying is effected while the vermicular particles are being discharged
from the bottom of the cylinder by heated currents of air or other means;
or the vermicular particles are received on an endless apron or
"flexible
formed of perforated laths or wirework which passes under the cylinder
and then through an oven, or is subjected to currents of air.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said Heinrich Stapfer in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th March 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HEINRICH
STAPFER, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Dentist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Heinrich Stapfer, Her special license
that I, the said Heinrich Stapfer, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Heinrich Stapfer, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
2

page_text: therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW MANUFACTURE
OP CONCENTRATED AND PRESERVED POTATOES AND OTHER VEGETABLES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Heinrich Stapfer, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
described and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Heinrich Stapfer, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (and accompanying Drawings) that is to say :-
The object of my Invention is to extract all the nutritive part of the
potatoe or other vegetable and while reducing its bulk to prepare it so
that it will keep pure and fresh with moderate care even when unsealed
up for any required period, and in such state that it may be easily
prepared as food in various forms in a very short time.
My Invention consist in first steaming or boiling the potatoes or other
vegetables (which are washed as clean as possible before this process)
then removing the skins from the potatoes, then dividing into fine
vermicular particles by mechanical means, and while in this state sub-
jecting it to heat to drive off the greater portion of the water which leaves
the material thus prepared in a state resembling rice, which material
may be reduced to flour by grinding if desired.
The extract of potatoes prepared by this means can be used for making
soups and other dishes, and by adding boiling water a dish in every way
resembling mashed potatoes cooked directly from the potatoes in the
ordinary manner is obtained, but of superior flavour and quality.
I prefer to wash and steam the potatoes in apparatus and mechanism
arranged to perform both operations in succession and to divide the
vegetable matter into vermicular particles by another machine formed by
a cylinder having a bottom with numerous perforations, through which
the vegetable matter is forced by a piston actuated by a rack and pinion,
screw, or other suitable mechanism. I prefer to receive the vermicular
particles in thin layers on trays which are placed one over another in a

page_text: carriage which is run into an oven to dry and when dry they are removed
and the process is completed.
In treating diseased or partly diseased or impure vegetables I use
permanganate of potassa (potassæ permanganas) or any other chemical
or material which will give off or produce ozone in the steaming process,
this removes or counteracts the impure part or quality of the vegetable,
and if this is not fully accomplished in the steaming process I use like
ozone producing chemicals or materials in the drying process where the
vegetable being finely divided is more fully exposed to its purifying and
preserving action.
The best potatoes contain a certain quantity of saccharine matter (or
matter which can be converted into sugar) in which those of inferior
qualities are defective, and to improve the qualities of such inferior
potatoes I add to them as much saccharine matter as will make them.
equal in this respect to the best potatoes. This saccharine matter is
added and mixed with the potatoes by means of a potatoe masher or
mixed after the potatoes have been steamed and skinned.
The accompanying two Sheets of Drawings show the machines which
I prefer to employ for the processes of washing and steaming, and for
reducing the skinned potatoes to vermicular particles, which latter
process brings the gluten of the potatoe to the exterior of the particles,
and this when dry tends to preserve the material and protect it against
atmospheric action. Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the
combined washer and steamer; Fig. 2 an end elevation; and Fig. 3 is a
partial plan of the same machine.
A, foundation of machine; A¹, base plate; A2, side frames in which
are bearings for the hollow trunnions a¹ and a² of the combined washing
and steaming vessel (a). There is a perforated false bottom (a³) secured
in this vessel which contains the lower bearing of a hollow shaft 6 in the
axis of the vessel, this shaft passing through a stuffing box (a) in the
cover (a) of the vessel and having an upper exterior bearing in a
bracket (a) which is secured to the cover. The shaft 6 has a number of
hollow arms (6¹) branching from it which have small perforations in
them so that jets of fluid may pass out in tangents to circles having the
axis of the shaft for a centre. The hollow of the upper end of the shaft (6)
is open to the hollow of the bearing which is solid or closed on its upper
side and is made fluid tight below by a stuffing box (a), and this hollow
bearing communicates by a pipe (a) with the hollow trunnion (a¹) there

page_text: being a tap or valve (a) in this pipe. The hollow trunnion (a¹) is also
in communication with a steam pipe (c) having a tap (c¹) and a water
pipe (d) having a tap (¹). The hollow trunnion is also in communi-
cation by a pipe (e) having a tap (e¹) with the vessel (a) below the false
bottom (a). There is a short pipe (f¹) for overflow and waste fluid
between the vessel (a) and the trunnion (a²), and a pipe (f) with a
tap (ƒ) in it connected for overflow and waste fluid.、
a is a tap at the bottom of the vessel for discharging waste fluid
which may pass away into the open end of the vertical pipe (a) imme-
diately below it; h is a glass water gauge to show the height of fluid in
the lower part of the vessel (a), and h¹ is a thermometer encased steam-
tight but with its bulb exposed to the heat of the fluid in the interior
of the vessel. k is a hole through which the vegetables are filled into
and discharged from the vessel (a). The lid or cover ¹ is circular and
is secured and held tight by being partly rotated like the cover of a
"digester" or may be otherwise secured by screws. is a safety valve
pressed against its facing by a spring (½³); 1 are fast and loose driving
pulleys upon one end of a short shaft in bearings in the frame, the
other end of this shaft having a worm upon it that geers with a worm
wheel (2) upon the lower end of a short vertical shaft F, having
bearings in the framing, the upper end of this shaft having a disc 1*
upon it, carrying an adjustable radius pin (1), which gives oscillating
movement through a rod " to a toothed sector centred on a stud in
the frame at 17. This sector gears with a wheel 18 in the shaft (6) and
gives to it oscillatory movements. The vessel a is turned on its trunnions
to empty the vegetables by rotating a shaft (110) by a handle (*), this
shaft having a worm upon its end that gears with a worm wheel (19)
secured to the trunnion a²). In using this apparatus the vessel is filled
through the hole in the cover up to about the level of the upper part
of the trunnions, the cover of the hole is then replaced and secured.
All the taps are closed except the taps d¹ and a which are opened to
admit water, and the driving belt is moved on the fast pulley (7) to make
the agitating shaft (b) oscillate. The overflow tap få may be opened
and the discharge tap a* may also be partly opened to allow the dirty
water to escape. When the washing operation is completed (which
will be shewn when the water discharged from the tap is clear), the
agitating shaft is stopped by traversing the belt on to the loose
pulley. All the taps are then shut and the steam is then turned on by

page_text: the taps c¹ and e', which will cause it to enter the water left in the
bottom of the vessel (a) and steam the vegetables. The overflow tap (ƒ*)
is left partly open to keep up a current of steam. When the steaming
operation is completed, which will be ascertained after a few trials by
time, the steam is shut off, and all the fluid remaining in the vessel
is discharged through the tap a*; the lid (¹) of the vessel is then
removed, and it is turned on its trunnions by rotating the handle 1*, so
as to discharge the potatoes on a table brought into a suitable position
to receive them, and the skins are then carefully removed by hand. If
the potatoes are at all diseased or unsound I inject or otherwise place
in the water below the false bottom, before the steaming begins per-
manganate of potassa of commerce in the proportion of about three
quarters of an ounce to each ton of (2240 lbs.) of potatoes under
treatment.
The washing and steaming operations may be performed by separate
apparatus if desired. After the potatoes have been skinned, if deficient
in saccharine matter I add as much as will be required to make up the
defect and mix it with the potatoe meal in an ordinary potatoc mashing
machine. The potatoes are next treated by the machine illustrated by
Fig. 4a front elevation; Fig. 5 a sectional elevation; and Fig. 6 a
plan view for dividing the potatoc meal into vermicular particles.
A are side frames of the machine; a is a cylinder bolted between the
side frames. The bottom of the cylinder is made with a series of small
perforations through it, and below it a frame 6 is fitted to move in
dovetail slides, this frame having a series of slots across it forming
knives or edges that work close against the bottom of the cylinder.
The frame (6) has to and fro or reciprocating movement given to it by
being connected by rods 6' with arms b² on a shaft 63, having bearings
in the side frames, and this shaft (63) receives oscillations through an
arm b', connected by a rod 65 with a vertical rod 6° herein-after described.
Within the cylinder a piston (c) fits, the rod (c¹) of which slides in a
guide in the cross frame, and this rod is toothed to form a rack which
gears with a pinion c* fixed upon a shaft (c³), having bearings in the
side frames and in hangers from the cross frame. The piston (c) is
moved a short length downwards intermittently, each movement
expresses the material through the perforations, and while this is taking
place the frame b is standing still, but after each movement of the

page_text: piston (c) is completed the frame (b) moves and cuts off the protruding
particles which fall on a tray below.
The mode of actuating the piston (c) is as follows:-d is a pulley upon
which the driving belt works, it is fast upon the end of the shaft d',
having bearings in the side framing. Fast on this shaft there is pinion ď²
which gears with a wheel d³ fast on the end of a shaft e, having bearings
on both side frames, and upon this shaft there is an excentric fixed
which acts upon a rod e¹, connected with a lever e² loose upon the
shaft, this lever carries a friction pawl that works in a friction ratchet
wheel (also loose upon the shaft c³), having a long boss passing
through the side frame, upon which one side of a clutch box e* is formed
or secured, the other side (e³) of the clutch sliding on a key upon the
shaft . This part (e³) of the clutch is moved by a clutch lever eº,
centred at e². On the shaft e there is a pinion e which gears with a
wheel loose upon the shaft d', and on the side of this wheel a double
action cam is formed, producing a movement and a dwell and a back
movement, and dwell each revolution one movement after each move-
ment of the piston. This cam acts upon a bowl carried on an arm f'
on a short shaft f2, which has an arm f³ secured upon it, that is jointed
to one end of a vertical rod 6, the other end of which is jointed with
a lever g, centred on a shaft g¹ having bearings in the said frames.
This lever (g) carries a friction pawl that acts on a friction ratchet
wheel secured on the shaft g'. The shaft g' has a roller (g³) upon it
and there is another similar shaft and roller g, and between the two
there is an endless apron or brattice 96, upon which the trays g³ are
placed which receive the particles of potatoe material, these trays being
moved after each descent of the piston by the same cam that gives
movement to the knife frame (b). When the cylinder is to be recharged
the clutch e is thrown out of gear, and a handle is placed upon the end
of the short shaft h, which has a pinion (¹) upon its inner end that
gears with a wheel 2 fast on the shaft c³. There is a ratchet wheel
fixed on the outer end of the short shaft h, and a ratchet pawl h³ is
jointed on the side frame to enter its teeth and hold up the piston (c)
while the material is put into the hopper k which comes over the
cylinder. When this is done the piston is lowered and the clutch e³ is
put into gear again. The endless apron 96 and the trays (97) are made
of any convenient length. As the trays are filled they are slided on ribs
upon side frames in a waggon, the trays being like drawers, one over
the other, and this waggon is run into a drying stove, and then the doors

page_text: are closed upon it until the material is dry, being subject to a temperature
of about from 70 to 220 degrees Fah.; when dry the operation is
completed. When the potatoes are diseased or impure, and it is found
that the action of the ozone is not sufficient in the steaming process,
I place permanganate of potassa or other like ozone producing materials
in the oven in any suitable vessel with a little water, in the proportion
of about three-quarters of an ounce of permanganate of potassa to one ton
of potatoe meal, and close all escape for vapour from the oven for about
30 minutes, then I open the valves to allow the moisture to evaporate
and complete the drying operation. In place of trays the endless
brattice may be made of wirework, and of sufficient length to pass
slowly through a long stove from which the material will
sufficiently dry.
emerge
I have now described the nature of my Invention, and the mode of
carrying it into effect, and claim as my Invention,―
Firstly. The improved concentrated and preserved potatoes, and other
vegetables manufactured substantially as herein-before described, and
particularly the combined process of steaming or boiling of the potatoes,
skinning, and dividing into vermicular particles, and drying as described.
Secondly. The use of permanganate of potassa, or other like material
producing ozone, in treating diseased or impure potatoes or vegetables,
substantially as herein-before described.
Thirdly. The combination and arrangement of machinery herein-before
described, for washing, steaming, and dividing potatoes and other
vegetables.
In witness whereof, I, the said Heinrich Stapfer, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
HEINRICH STAPFER. (L.s.)