IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING RICE, MAIZE, AND OTHER AMYLACEOUS SUBSTANCES TO OBTAIN STARCH AND OTHER PRODUCTS THEREFROM, AND THE RECOVERY OF A MATERIAL EMPLOYED IN THE TREATMENT
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Garton, of the Town and County of Southampton,
Brewer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING RICE, MAIZE,
AND OTHER AMYLACEOUS SUBSTANCES TO OBTAIN STARCH AND OTHER
PRODUCTS THEREFROM, AND THE RECOVERY OF A MATERIAL EMPLOYED IN
THE TREATMENT.”
Sealed the 11th July 1879, and dated the 1st March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Garton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st March 1879.
WILLIAM GARTON, of the Town and County of Southampton, Brewer. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN TREATING RICE, MAIZE, AND OTHER AMYLACEOUS SUBSTANCES TO
OBTAIN STARCH AND OTHER PRODUCTS THEREFROM, AND THE RECOVERY OF A
MATERIAL EMPLOYED IN THE TREATMENT."
This Invention relates to the employment of ammonia in the treatment of rice,
maize, or other amylaceous substances, and its objects are to enable the starch to be
obtained from such substances in a more economical manner and in a purer state
than heretofore, to separate or remove the albumen or nitrogenous matters from the
starch in a utilizable form, and to recover the ammonia used in the treatment either
in the form of ammoniacal salts, or as ammonia which may be employed in the
treatment of a further quantity of amylaceous substances.
According to my Invention I take the substance to be treated, say, ground rice,
and subject it without wetting it to a temperature of from 170° to 180° Fahrenheit,
at which I maintain it for a few hours, whereby the fixed air therein is expelled;
then, while the rice is still hot, I add cold water in sufficient quantity to saturate
it, and owing to the previous expulsion of air from the rice the water is able to
permeate it thoroughly. I next add water containing ammonia in the pro-
portion of about two per cent. of an monia to the quantity of rice under treat-
ment. I then run the mixture into a closed vessel; and in order to facilitate
the action of the ammonia upon the nitrogenous matters in the rice, I raise the
temperature to as high a degree as can be done without gelatinizing the starch;
I find that a temperature not exceeding 120° Fahrenheit may be employed
with safety. I maintain this heat for from 1 to 3 days, stirring the mixture
at intervals or continuously. After the rice has been allowed to subside the

page_text: supernatant liquor is drawn off and the residue is submitted to the action of a
centrifugal machine or otherwise to extract the remaining portion of the liquor;
this liquor contains the ammonia together with the albumen or nitrogenous and
and fatty matters which have been dissolved thereby. I then neutralize the
ammonia by hydrochloric, sulphuric, phosphoric, or other acid, and next separate by
filtration the albumen which then constitutes a valuable by-product. I then con-
centrate the resulting salt of ammonia by ordinary processes to obtain a commercial
ammoniacal salt.
Or instead of concentrating the ammoniacal salt as just mentioned I recover the
ammonia by distillation, previously adding an alkali, preferably lime, where hydro-
chloric acid has been used, which for economy will generally be the case.
The lime
combining with the hydrochloric acid liberates the ammonia which after distillation
may be used again in the treatment of a further quantity of rice, while the chloride
of calcium formed by the lime and hydrochloric acid constitutes a by-product.
After the liquor containing the ammonia and the albumenous or nitrogenous
matters which the latter has dissolved from the rice has been drawn off or extracted
from the rice as herein before mentioned, the rice is washed with more water until
all remaining ammonia is removed, and the washings, if not too weak, may be
distilled to extract the ammonia therefrom, or they may be employed in the treat-
ment of a further quantity of rice.
In some cases it may be necessary to use a larger quantity of ammonia than that
herein before mentioned, or to submit the rice to a second and similar operation after
passing it if thought desirable in its wet state through rollers or other suitable
apparatus to further crush it.
For purposes in which it is desirable that the starch should be freed from fibrino
and cellulose I submit it to the ordinary process of forcing through sieves by means
of brushes, and this should be done before adding the ammonia.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Garton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st September
1879.
WILLIAM GARTON, of the Town and County of Southampton, Brewer. "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN TREATING RICE, MAIZE, AND OTHER AMYLACEOUS SUBSTANCES TO
OBTAIN STARCH AND OTHER PRODUCTS THEREFROM, AND THE RECOVERY OF A
MATERIAL EMPLOYED IN THE TREATMENT."
This Invention relates to the employment of ammonia in the treatment of rice,
maize, or other amylaceous substances, and its objects are to enable the starch to be
obtained from such substances in a more economical manner and in a purer state than
heretofore, to separate or remove albúmen or nitrogenous matters from the starch in
a utilizable form, and to recover the aminonia used in the treatment either in the
form of ammoniacal salts or as ammonia, which may be employed in the treatment
of a further quantity of amylaceous substances.
According to my Invention I take the substance to be treated, say, ground rice,
and subject it without wetting it to a temperature of from 170° to 180° Fahrenheit,
at which I maintain it for a few hours, whereby the fixed air therein is expelled,
then while the rice is still hot 1 add cold water in sufficient quantity to saturate it,
and owing to the previous expulsion of air from the rice the water is able to
permeate it thoroughly. (The heating of the rice and its saturation with cold water,
as just explained, are however not absolutely necessary.) I next add water con-
taining aminonia in the proportion of about 2 per cent. of ammonia to the quantity
of rice under treatment. I then run the mixture into a closed vessel; and in order
to facilitate the action of the ammonia upon the nitrogenous matters in the rice I
raise the temperature (and this part of the process is important) to as high a degree
as can be done without gelatinizing the starch; I find that a temperature not
exceeding 120° Fahrenheit may be employed with safety. I maintain this heat for
from 1 to 3 days, stirring the mixture at intervals or continuously. After the
rice has been allowed to subside the supernatant liquor is drawn off and the
residue is submitted to the action of a centrifugal machine or otherwise to extract
the remaining portion of the liquor, this liquor contains the ammonia together with
the albumen or nitrogenous and fatty matters which have been dissolved thereby.
I then neutralize the ammonia by hydrochloric, sulphuric, phosphoric, or other acid,
and next separate by filtration the albumen which then constitutes a valuable by-
product. I then concentrate the resulting salt of ammonia by ordinary processes to
obtain a commercial ammoniacal salt.
Or instead of concentrating the ammoniacal salt, as just mentioned, I recover the
ammonia by distillation, previously adding an alkali, preferably lime, where hydro-
chloric acid has been used, which for economy will generally be the case. The lime
combining with the hydrochloric acid liberates the ammonia which after distillation
may be used again in the treatment of a further quantity of rice while the chloride
of calcium formed by the lime and hydrochloric acid constitutes a by-product.
After the liquor containing the ammonia and the albumenous or nitrogenous
matters which the latter has dissolved from the rice has been drawn off or extracted
from the rice, as hereinbefore mentioned, the rice is washed with more water until
all remaining ammonia is removed, and the washings, if not too weak, may be
distilled to extract the ammonia therefrom; or they may be employed in the treat-
ment of a further quantity of rice.
In some cases it may be necessary to use a larger quantity of ammonia than that
herein before mentioned, or to submit the rice to a second and similar operation,
after passing it, if thought desirable, in its wet state through rollers or other suitable
apparatus to further crush it.
For purposes for which it is desirable that the starch should be freed from fibrine
and cellulose I submit it to the ordinary process of forcing through sieves by means
of brushes, and this should be done before adding the ammonia.

page_text: And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First. Treating rice, maize, and other amylaceous substances with ammonia in
such substantial quantities (as herein set forth) as will eliminate the albumen
and nitrogenous matters, and recovering the ammonia used in the process and
obtaining by-products, all substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
Second. I claim specially the treatment of rice, maize, and other amylaceous
substances with ammonia in a warm state, substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Garton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty third day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy nine.
WILLIAM GARTON. (L.S.)