Improvements in Preparing a Substitute for Coffee, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept,, 1895-Accepted, 19th Oct.,
1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Preparing a Substitute for Coffee, and Apparatus
therefor.
We, EWALD FISCHER, of 14 Gellhornstrasse, Breslau, Engineer, HEINRICH
ZEDLER, of Werderstrasse, Breslau, Merchant, and EL KLEIN, of 26 Holtei-
strasse, Breslau, Manufacturer, all in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
The subject of the present invention is a process for utilizing corozo nuts for
producing a substitute for coffee "Phytelephten."
The first step in the process is to cut the corozo nuts into small pieces which are
put into a closed kettle, and steamed until all the bacteria in them are destroyed,
and the rotten portions extracted. By this process the nuts ane softened and then
water, in which about 0-2% of permanganate of potash has been dissolved, should
be added to cool the mass and complete the cleansing of same. The water is
only left for a short time in the kettle and after it has been run off sulphurous
acid fumes are admitted to the kettle for 2 or 3 minutes, and the nuts are again
finally cleansed with clear water.
When the nuts thus prepared have been roasted, they smell and taste like
coffee.
The roasting is done in drums which are arranged as follows:-
In a large external drum completely cased, a smaller central perforated drum is
fixed, the capacity of which is about one-tenth of that of the larger drum. The axle
on which both drums are fixed has numerous perforations through which the gases
escape when the roasting is in process. This axle which is hollow, has safety valves
at the ends.
In order to increase still more the coffee-like odour and taste inherent to the
corozo nut, raw coffee berries are put into the small internal drum which is closed.
The external drum.is then filled with about ten times the quantity of cleansed but
still damp corozo nuts and closed, when the roasting is proceeded with. A
quantity of dense steam is immediately developed, which passes off through the
axle of the drums. As soon as this steam becomes less dense and a faint smell of
roasting becomes perceptible, and safety valves at the ends of the axle are opened
and the roasting quickly completed. During the roasting the gases arising from
the coffee berries are absorbed by the corozo nuts, and the smell and taste thus
produced are preserved even when the latter are ground very fine, so that this
product is perfectly adapted to the substitution of natural coffee. The coffee which
has been used to increase the coffee like taste and odour of the corozo nut loses
nothing of its good qualities, but merely transfers to the corozo nuts those parts
which would have been evaporated by the ordinary process of roasting.
Dated this 17th day of December 1894.

page_text: Improvements in Preparing a Substitute for Coffee, and Apparatus:
therefor.
We, EWALD FISCHER, of 14 Gellhorustrasse, Breslau, Engineer, HEINRICH
ZEDLER, of Werderstrasse, Breslau, Merchant, and EMIL KLEIN of 26 Holtei-
strasse, Breslau, Manufacturer, all in Empire of Germany, 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 :-
The object of the present invention is a process for the production of a substitute
for coffee "Phytelephtin" from the corozo nut (Steinnuss) which substitute shall
be rich in quality as well as resembling as nearly as possible genuine coffee in smell,
taste and appearance.
This process has the following characteristics namely the nuts when thoroughly
cleaned are subjected to a roasting process, an extract from one portion of the nuts
is prepared by means of steam and the remaining portion of the nuts is impregnated
with the extract so obtained; in order to still further increase the aroma and taste
of coffee in the substitute produced, the substitute may also be impregnated with
an extract of pure coffee beans.
The process is carried out in the following manner.
In order to destroy the peculiar mouldy flavour of the corozo nut as well as to
destroy the fungous growths which are always present therein, the nuts which have
been somewhat broken or reduced in size are exposed to the action of steam in
a closed boiler until all the mouldy constituents have been washed out and the
bacteria present have been destroyed. Owing to the hardness and solidity of the
nut it is however always possible that there may still remain in the interior of
the pieces of nut some bacteria. In view of this the nut may be further treated
with a solution of potassium or sodium permanganate. As the nut, owing to the
previous treatment with the steam has become softened the permanganate solution
easily penetrates into its interior. The nut owing to the deposition of manganates
receives a yellowish brown colour which differs from that of coffee and would
consequently affect the appearance of the substitute. To remove this the nut is
treated with sulphuric acid and is then washed.
The above described purification process appears necessary because by simply
roasting which to avoid buruing must be carried on at the lowest possible
temperature the mouldy constituents are not destroyed and the bacteria are not
fully destroyed. Further by this process the nut is softened and the roasting very
much facilitated.
The roasting process is preferably carried on in specially constructed roasting
apparatus.
Such an apparatus is shown on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
The
apparatus consists of an outer drum a with a complete casing or mantle as is
usual with coffee roasting appuratus; inside the apparatus there is an inner
perforated drum b. The common axle of these drums is hollow and perforated so
that the vapours developed during roasting can escape.
Through the centre of common axle samplers or test tubes are passed into
the interior, one c for the outer drum a and one d for the inner drum b. Water
or any other liquid can be introduced into the inner drum b from a tank e which
is connected by a pipe with tube d. The axle is provided with safety valves at
each end.
The following operations can be carried on in the described apparatus, the
roasting of one portion of the nuts, the preparation of an extract from another
portion of the nuts and the impregnation of the first portion of the nuts with the
extract so obtained.

page_text: The main portion of the nuts to be roasted are introduced into the exterior
drum a and a smaller portion into the interior drum b whereupon the roasting is
When the
commenced. Steam then arises which escapes through the hollow axle.
development of steam becomes less and there is a faint smell of roasting the
safety valves are closed at the end of the axle and a small quantity of water is
introduced into the interior drum b. Whilst the roasting process of the substitute
in the outer drum is being carried on the mass in the inner one is being subjected.
to the extraction process. The vapours developed which are rich in extract.
penetrate the mass in the outer drum a and are taken up or absorbed thereby.
The coffee-like aroma and taste of the substitute are thus considerably increased.
Instead of corozo nuts pure coffee beans alone or mixed with the nuts may be.
introduced into the inner drum b and the vapours arising therefrom be employed in.
the impregnation of the mass of nuts contained in the outer drum a.
In place of the described apparatus it will be understood that any other suitable.
apparatus can be employed.
By impregnating the roasted out with nut extract or coffee extract not only the.
coffee-like aroma and taste of the substitute are increased but an appearance is.
imparted to it which more nearly resembles that of pure coffee than when without.
such treatment. The specific weight of the ordinary corozo nut is considerably
higher than that of the genuine coffee berry. The substitute produced from the
corozo nut in the common way, i.e., without cleaning and impregnating the corozo
nut with nut-extract or coffee-extract differs very considerably from the genuine
coffee especially in specific weight and in appearance. By means of the previously
described treatment the bulk is considerably increased by the introduction of
moisture and consequently the specific weight lessened and the appearance of the
product is changed in such manner that the substitute when in a ground state is.
scarcely distinguishable from genuine coffee.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A process for the production of a coffee substitute (Phytelephtin) consisting
in roasting cleaned and purified corozo nuts and at the same time impregnating them.
with the extract obtained from similar nuts or natural coffee berries with the object
of increasing the coffee-like aroma and taste, and imparting a coffee-like appearance
to the substitute produced.
2. An apparatus applicable for carrying out this process (specified in Claim 1).
consisting of an outer drum a to receive the mass of the material to be roasted and
treated an inner perforated drum to hold the nuts or coffee berries from which
the extract is to be drawn both drums being supported by a common hollow perforated
axle provided with sampling tubes c and d one for each drum.
3. A process for preparing or cleaning corozo nuts before roasting for the
production of a coffee substitute (as stated in Claim 1) consisting in breaking up or
reducing the nuts to small dimensions and exposing them to the action of steam to
remove the mouldy constituents found in their interior to destroy the mouldy smell
peculiar to the nut and to facilitate roasting by softening and closing the pores,.
then treating with permanganate of potash or soda to destroy any bacteria remaining
alive and then with sulphuric acid to remove the discoloration.
Dated this 17th day of September 1895.