IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STARCH AND STARCH GUM
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Maltby, of De Crespigny Park, Cam-
berwell, County of Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STARCH AND STARCH GUM."
Sealed the 28th March 1862, and dated the 2nd October 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Maltby at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
October 1861.
I, WILLIAM MALTBY, of De Crespigny Park, Camberwell, County of Surrey,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STARCH AND STARCH GUM," to be as follows, that
is to say:
I take rice and place it in a vessel, preferably conical shaped, having a
finely perforated false bottom; I then pass into it an alkaline solution until
the whole of the rice is covered. I allow it to remain about three hours, and
then run off the liquor through a tap placed in the bottom of the vessel.
I repeat the alkaline solution until the liquor runs off colourless. I wash the
rice with clear water passed through the bottom of the vessel, and allow it to
run off through a tap placed in the vessel above the surface of the rice. I
now neutralize the remaining alkali with a bisulphate of soda or potash, or
any soluble salt of baryta, magnesia, alumina, lead, or zinc. I then wash, dry,
and grind the product obtained.

page_text: The next part of my Invention consists in the following mode of treatment
of rice or other farinaceous substance or starch, in order to render it more
gummy or liquid. For this purpose I mix it with fine malt flour. The husks
from the malt or the malt I treat with water until all the diastace is separated.
I mix the liquid then obtained with about equal proportion of very fine
powdered rice or other farinaceous substance or even starch, raise the heat to
about 180 F., stir well during half an hour, and dry it as rapidly as possible.
In order to use the resulting product I mix the powder with cold or warm
water, raise the beat to about 180 F., and stir until liquid.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Maltby in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MALTBY, of De Crespigny Park, Camberwell, County of Surrey, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fourth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Maltby, Her special licence that I, the said
William Maltby, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Maltby, 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
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STARCH AND STARCH GUM," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Maltby, 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 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 William Maltby, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement, that is to say:-
I take rice and put it into a vessel, preferably conical or bell-shaped, and
having a false perforated bottom.or strainer; this vessel is fitted with two
I also
outlets, one in or near the bottom, the other in the side near the top.
have in it an inlet pipe in or near the bottom. I introduce. with the rice a
dilute alkaline solution, of a strength similar to that usually employed by starch
makers, and in such a quantity as to cover the rice. When the solution has
remained about the usual time with the rice, it is allowed. to run off through
the bottom outlet; I then wash the rice with clear water by passing, the latter
through the inlet pipe among the rice until it passes off clear at the outlet
near the top; I then add more alkaline solution to the rice, and repeat the
operation above described until, by adding an acid to a small quantity of the
liquor, no precipitate is produced, or the rice does not colour the alkaline
solution. The liquor is now allowed to run off, after which I introduce at the
inlet pipe, and pass through the mass, a solution of alum, or of bisulphate of
soda, or potash, or any such earthy or metallic salts, as will produce a white
precipitate by the addition of an alkali, until the starch becomes white and the
alkali it contains is neutralized. I then wash the rice thus, treated with clear
water, dry it, and after grinding it is ready for use..
The next part of my Invention relates to the method and means I adopt
I adopt in treating starch, rice flour, or any other such like substance con-
taining starch, in order to render it more soluble and capable of producing a
better glaze or more gummy: I take from one to four pounds of malt flour
or ground malt, or say the husks of malt, with just sufficient water to obtain a
solution of the diastase, and combine this with about thirty-two pounds (or
more or less, according to the material used and the quality of it,) of starch,
rice flour, or other starchy substance. After standing some time at an
increased temperature, I dry the mass, and after being ground it is ready for
use. In order to improve the colour I decolorize the solution of diastase with
alumina.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and how the same is
effected, I wish it understood that the various proportions and strengths of the
materials used in the different processes herewithin described may be, and in
5 many cases must be, modified according to the materials used; but I claim as
new, and wish secured by the before in part recited Letters Patent :-
First, the form and arrangement of the vessel for treating the rice pre-
paratory to its conversion into starch, in so far as pertains to the position, use,

page_text: and application of the two outlets and the inlet pipe, substantially as herewithin
set forth and described.
Second, I claim the method and plan of neutralizing the alkali used to treat
the said rice by means of a solution of alum, sulphate of magnesia, bisulphate
of soda, potash, or such other earthy or metallic salts as will produce a white
precipitate with the alkali employed in the said manufacture, substantially as
herewithin set forth and described.
Third, I claim the plan and method herewithin described of rendering starch
more soluble, and of enabling it to give a better glaze, by treating the same
with malt, malt flour, or a solution of diastase, substantially as herewithin set
forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Maltby, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of April, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-two.
Witness to the signature of the said
William Maltby,
JAMES WRIGHT,
42, Bridge Street, Blackfriars,
London.
WM. MALTBY. (L.S.)