IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF CLEANSING PURIFYING AND BLEACHING VARIOUS KINDS OF GRAIN
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Potter, M.A., Clerk, Bulkington, in the
County of Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS
OF CLEANSING PURIFYING AND BLEACHING VARIOUS KINDS OF GRAIN"
Sealed the 21st May 1867, and dated the 23rd November 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Potter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
November 1866.
I, ROBERT POTTER, M.A., Clerk, Bulkington, iu the County of Warwick,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PROCESS OF CLEANSING, PURIFYING, AND BLEACHING VARIOUS KINDS OF GRAIN,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to a mode of cleansing, purifying, and bleaching grain
by means of the application of sulphuric acid, chloride of lime (commonly
called bleaching powder), and common salt, which I employ in the following
manner - dissolve these substances in water, in which I immerse the grain
for a period of one to four hours, the grain is then taken out, and being dried
is ready for the market. The quantities of the respective ingredients may be
varied to a great extent according to the condition of the grain and other
circumstances, however I have found the following proportions to be effective
in carrying out my Invention.
First, I take 2 lbs. of chloride of lime, 1 to 2 ozs. of sulphuric acid
(according to strength), and 120 gallons of water; this will be sufficient
[Price 8d

page_text: to steep 4 quarters of barley, the time required being generally from 2 to 3
hours. The grain may then be dried or not according to circumstances.
Second, for oats I prefer to take 5 to 6 ozs. of sulphuric acid, and a lb
of common salt to the same quantity of water; I sometimes use 6 to 8 ozs.
of sulphuric acid without the common salt, and sometimes add 2 to 4 ozs.
of chloride of lime according to the condition of the grain; I also apply the
processes to wheat. Again (having previously moistened and washed the
above kinds of grain) I sometimes apply chlorine gas to effect the above
purposes. Instead of using the ordinary bleaching powder I sometimes use
the chlorides of potash and soda which are employed precisely in the same
manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Potter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
POTTER, M.A., Clerk, Bulkington, in the County of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert Potter, Her special licence that I, the said Robert Potter,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Robert Potter, 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 therein expressed, should and lawfully night make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PROCESS OF CLEANSING, PURIFYING, AND BLEACHING VARIOUS KINDS OF GRAIN,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Potter, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what inanner 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. Robert Potter, do hereby declare

page_text: the nature of the 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 :-
My Invention relates to a mode of cleansing, purifying, and bleaching grain
by means of sulphuric acid, chloride of lime (commonly called bleaching
powder) and common salt, which I employ in the following manner-I
provide a tub or vat or other suitable vessel in which I put the proper
quantity of water and dissolve in it one, two, or the whole of the above
mentioned substances as may be required by the kind, quality, or condition
of the grain to be operated upon.
First, for barley, I take two pounds and a quarter of chloride of lime with or
without one and a half to two ounces of sulphuric acid (according to strength);
these ingredients I dissolve in one hundred and twenty gallons of water.
This solution will be sufficient for four and a half quarters of barley, which,
being steeped in it for two to three hours or thereabouts the
finished.
process
will be
Second, for oats, I take five to sixounces of sulphuric acid and half a pound
of common salt to the same quantity of water and grain; I sometimes vary
this process by omitting the common salt and increasing the quantity of
sulphuric acid from six to eight ounces, and sometimes vary it by adding two
to four ounces of chloride of lime, using one or the other of these ingredients
and compositious according to quality and condition of the grain. The grain
being steeped in the solution for two to three hours or thereabouts the
will be complete.
process
I also apply the above processes to the purpose of cleansing, purifying, and
bleaching wheat using one or other of the processes as the peculiar circum-
stances of the case may require.
If the grain after being cleansed, purified, and bleached is intended to be
converted into malt, the malting process may succeed the cleansing, &c.
immediately without there being any necessity for drying the grain, that is, my
Invention may be used as an adjunct to the usual malting process or as
forming part of the same; but if the grain after being cleansed, purified, &c.,
is intended for the market then it will have to undergo the process of drying,
which I effect in the usual manner.
Instead of using the chloride of lime as above described I sometimes use
the chlorides of potash and soda which are used precisely in the same manner.
I also sometimes vary the process in the following manner:-After having
moistened and washed the grain I apply the chlorine in the gaseous state,
which effects the process as above described.

page_text: It must be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise quantities
of the ingredients and details of the processes above described, as these may
be varied to a considerable extent without materially interfering with the
result intended to be produced.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I claim as new
and of my Invention is as follows:-
First, I claim the application and adaption of chloride of lime (bleaching
powder) with or without sulphuric acid to the purpose of cleansing, purifying,
and bleaching barley and other grain, as herein set forth and described.
Second, I claim the application and adaption of sulphuric acid and common
salt to the purpose of cleansing, purifying, and bleaching oats and other grain,
as herein set forth and described.
Third, I claim the application and adaption of sulphuric acid alone to the
purpose of cleansing, purifying, and bleaching various kinds of grain as herein
set forth and described.
Fourth, I claim the applications and adaptions of the chlorides of potash
and soda, and also of gaseous chlorine as substitutes for the chloride of lime,
for the purpose of cleansing, purifying, and bleaching various kinds of grain,
as herein set forth and described.
Fifth, I claim the application, adaptation, and combination of the above
ingredients and processes with the ordinary processes for making malt as
herein set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Potter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Signed by the within-named. Robert
Potter, in the presence of
JOHN POTTER, C.E.,
4, Old Millgate,
Manchester.
ROBERT POTTER. (L.B.)