A Process for Testing for Water in Butter and other Fatty Matters, and Appliances for that Purpose
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1893-Accepted, 17th June, 1893
A Process for Testing for Water in Butter and other Fatty Matters,
and Appliances for that Purpose,
I, GEORGE ROBERT GELDARD, of No. 128 Medlock Street, Hulme, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Grocer, 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 :—
My invention relates to a process for testing for water in butter and other fatty
matters, and to appliances for conveniently carrying out the process.
I arrange a Bunsen burner, spirit lamp or other suitable flame to heat a metal
plate on which I place an evaporating dish. Into this dish I place a sample of the
butter or other substance to be tested, employing preferably 100 parts, such as
grains, by weight, so that I may at once ascertain percentage, carefully weighing
this sample along with the dish and a suitable stirrer. When by heating the sample
for a short time, preferably stirring during the heating, the water is driven off, I
again weigh the dish with its stirrer and its contents, the loss of weight giving the
percentage of water driven off. In order to make sure that the test is correct, I
incline a heated plate, and on the plate I pour a molten sample, which if quite clear
of water glides along the plate without noise, but if water remains mixed with the
oily matter, there is a generation of steam with a certain noise that can be heard,
in which case I repeat the test.
In order to avoid the loss of any of the material from the vaporating dish by
sputtering, I place in the dish along with the material to be tested a composition
which has the effect of causing the evaporation of the water to proceed smoothly,
without any sputtering. This composition consists of carbonized grain, preferably
pearl barley, mixed with pure butter-oil in sufficient quantity to prevent access of
damp to the carbon. For convenience in using this composition, I prefer to put
suitable portions of it, each about say 50 grains, in small glass tubes in which, when
corked or plugged the composition may be kept ready for use.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side view. Figure 2 is a front view
and Figure 3 is a plan shewing half of the top, and half of the lower part of
apparatus according to my invention for testing for water in butter and other fats.
From a base A projects upwards a Bunsen burner, B supplied with gas by a pipe C,
and receiving air by a lateral hole D. On the top of a stem E is mounted an
arm F, having through it a circular opening covered with wire gauze G, and having
lugs H projecting upwards to carry a metal plate K on which is placed an
evaporating dish L, shewn in plan by Figure 4. Another metal plate M is hung in
an inclined attitude on the arm F. For testing by this apparatus, the arm is
turned round so as to bring it over the burner B, the contents of the dish L, being
thus heated to evaporate the water. During the evaporation, the contents should
be kept in agitation by turning an agitator, such as is shewn in elevation by
Figure 5, and plan by Figure 6.
In order to be sure that all the water is
evaporated, the arm F is turned to the position shewn in Figure 1, the inclined
plate M being thus brought over the burner to be heated. When it is hot, the
contents of the dish L are poured on to the upper part of the plate M, and if the
water has been eliminated, the molten butter or fat flows smoothly down the hot
plate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1
TI
T

page_text: matters, by evaporating the water from a weighed portion mixed with the
composition herein described, weighing after evaporation, and pouring the matter & c.
weighed on an inclined hot plate.
2. For rendering the evaporation of the water smooth, a composition consisting
of carbonised grain and butter oil, applied substantially as described.
3. Testing apparatus consisting of a stem having pivotted on it an arm carrying
an evaporating dish and an inclined plate, also a burner by which either the dish or
the plate is heated, substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of May 1893.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.