AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF WHEAT FLOUR
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Carr, of the City and County of Bristol,
Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF WHEAT
FLOUR."
Sealed the 21st October 1870, and dated the 2nd August 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Carr at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd August 1870.
I, THOMAS CARR, of the City and County of Bristol, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MANUFACTURE OF WHEAT FLOUR," to be as follows:-
I have discovered that wheat may be reduced to flour by percussion
while it is freely falling or projected through the air, and that the flour
so produced has peculiar and superior qualities different from that of
the flour of wheat produced by the ordinary process of grinding between
two rubbing surfaces, or that produced by crushing or pulverising
between two surfaces.

page_text: By my improved mode of manufacture the bran is separated more
effectually, and in larger scales, and not being pulverised or reduced
the flour is purer, and the particles of the flour are of a more perfect
granular character, and, being suspended in the air in the process of
reduction, there is no tendency to heat injuriously, and the "cerealine"
or other deleterious matter is more easily and fully extracted, and thus
a better and whiter flour is obtained.
And my improved wheat flour consists of wheat reduced to flour by
percussion while it is free in the air by any suitable beaters, though I
prefer to use my Patent disintegrator described in the Specification of
Letters Patent, No. 778, A.D. 1859, and No. 3235, A.D. 1868, suitably
modified, arranged, balanced, and driven at sufficient speed as the best
and most suitable machine for the purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Carr in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th December 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
CARR, of the City and County of Bristol, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of August, 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 Thomas Carr, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Carr, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Carr, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
ótbers, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
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 "AN IMPROVED
MANUFACTURE OF WHEAT FLOUR,” upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Carr, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,

page_text: 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 Thomas Carr, 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 (that is to say) :-
I have discovered that wheat may be reduced to flour by percussion
while it is unsupported and falling freely, or is being projected through
the air, the said percussion resulting from the blows of continuous
acting beaters striking at adequate speed the unsupported wheat while
it is thus so falling freely or being projected through the air, and that
the flour so produced has peculiar and superior qualities, differing very
materially from the flour of wheat as produced by the ordinary process of
reducing it between two acting surfaces, one or both of which support it
while undergoing the operation, such as in grinding it between a pair
of millstones or crushing it between parallel rolls or stamping it between
a pestle and mortar.
The advantages derived from this new system of manufacture are as
follows:- The flour obtained is of a more granular character, which
enables it to absorb more water, and produce a whiter, lighter, and more
wholesome bread; the bran also is scaled off more effectually, and in a
form admitting of being subsequently more perfectly separated from the
flour by the ordinary dressing sieves or bolting machines, and, moreover,
from the fact of its being dispersed through the air in the surrounding
chamber in the process of reduction (being thrown from the machine
in a radiating shower) greater facilities are thereby afforded for the
lighter cerealine and other deleterious matters being thoroughly ex-
tracted by an exhaust current of air than the ordinary process of
manufacture admits of, and thus a better and purer flour is obtained,
while at the same time the cost of manufacture is greatly reduced, and
consequently a flour is produced from which a cheaper and better
bread can be made than has hitherto been practicable.
My improved manufacture of flour consists, therefore, as will be
understood from the above explanation, of wheat reduced to flour by
subjecting the grain to the percussion of any suitable continuous acting
beaters travelling at a suitable speed, and striking the said wheat while

page_text: the same is unsupported and falling freely or is being projected through
the air.
The machine I prefer to use for the manufacture of my improved.
flour as the best and most suitable for the purpose is that known as
my Patent disintegrator (No. 778, A.D. 1859, and No. 3235, A.D. 1868)
suitably modified and arranged, that is, with from, say, ten to sixteen
cages perfectly balanced and driven at sufficient speed, the application
of which to the manufacture of flour is fully described in a Specification
(bearing even date herewith) of a Patent granted to me for improvements
in machinery and arrangements for cleaning and reducing wheat, maize,
beans, peas, and other seeds, into flour or semolina, No. 1895, and dated
the Fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy.
I have now particularly described the nature of my Invention, and
the mode of carrying it into effect, and claim as my Invention, the
improved manufacture of wheat flour herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Carr, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.