US77727A - Joseph firmenich - Google Patents

Description

J FIRMENICH.

Manufacture of. Vinegar.

atented May 12, 1868.

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Letters Patent No. 77,727, dated May 12, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF VINBGAR.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH FIRMENICB, of Bufi'alo, in the county of Erie, and State'of New York, have invented Improvements in the Manufacture of Vinegar; and I do hereby declare that the following-is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification- Figure 1 being a front elevation of a factory or building containing the apparatus for conducting the entire process, with my improvements.

Figure'2, a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3, a rear elevation thereof;

Figures 4, 5, and 6, plans respectively of the upper, middle, and lower stories of the building, and parts 7 of the, apparatus thereon. 7

Figures 7, 8, 9,: 10, and'll, front views, indiil'erent positions, of my improved valve or regulator, for drawing 05 the sirupy glucose liquid to be fermented.

Figure 12, an edge view of the same. I v

Figure 13, a view in perspective of the interior of a portion of the acetic generator, the side of the case being broken away.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

My improvements relate both to the processnnd apparatus for making vinegar from grains of difi'erent kinds, potatoes, andother farinaceous substances, by whicheconomy of expense and time is promoted, and the product is rendered uniform and of -good quality. During the process, also, pure starch is produced, as well as glucose sir-up; and either of these products may be withdrawn from the process and appliedto other uses, if desired, or sent to market, according to variations in the demand for thosediiferentarticles,'or the relative profit to be derived from their production;

Iwill proceed to describe the process of making vinegar direct from grain of any kind, ,by the apparatus, as represented in the accompanying drawings.

The grain is first ground fine in a mill, F, of ordinary construction. H

The meal is conducted into a vessel or tank, G, and there soaked for about twenty-four hours in water heated, by steam-jets introduced therein, to about 150 or 160 Fahrenheit.

The liquiform mass is thence raised or conducted, by means of a pump, H, and pipe a, to a-;t ank or receiver, I, from which it may be fed or introduced gradually into a second mill, J, the passage thereto being regulated by a suitable valve or stop-cock. The stones of this mill are smooth, and it is therefore termed a squeezer,

since its action is that of compression and simple rubbing.

By the use of this squeezing-mill or squeezer,I am enabled, as a modification of'this part of the process, to dispense with the original grinding of the grain in a mill, F, and the subsequent soaking of the meal in the tank G. For this purpose the grain, in an undivided state, is first put in the tank I, and there is soaked in water heated by steam for about twelve hours previous to conveying it to the squeezer.

From the squeezer J the material is conducted to and passed,-by suitable agitation through a sieve, K,

which may be double, or composed of wiregauze at top and silk cloth at bottom.

Thence it is conducted by a spout, d, to a second sieve, L, which is quite fine, being preferably composed of silk cloth. a

From this sieve the material is conveyed by a spout, e, to the starch-floor or filter M,'composed of a succession of slightly-inclined troughs or gutters, g h z, communicating successively one with another, upon the bottoms of which the starch is deposited, while the glutinous and other matters, held in solution orsuspended in water, flow of? and are discharged.

The refuse of the sieves K L passes into a vertical spout or conductor,f, to be discharged into a tub or receiver, N. l

The starch deposited in the troughs is scooped up and introduced into a tub or vat, -0, where it is mixed 77,727 *.\2 \\v with cold watersuiiicient to make the mass of about thexconsistence of cream. To this is added a. quantity of sulphuric acid, equal to about two per cent. of thestarch-emulsion in the vat, where the whole is allowed to macerate about twelve hours. v

In the mean time a boiling fmixture of water, about equal in quantity to that of the starch-emulsion, in the vat O, and of sulphuricacid, equal to about two per cent. of thewater, is prepared in another vessel or vat, Q. Then the mass is gradually raised or conveyed by a. pump, P, from the vat O, and introduced into the vat Q, when it mixes with the acidulatcd water therein. V H

Steam is'continually let directly into this combined mass, so" as to kcep it at a boiling-tcmpcrature till the whole is converted into a glucose sirup. This point is readily ascertained by the liquid becoming clear, or by the iodine test. 1 v

The sirupy liquid having been allowed to cool, and rest about twelve hours, powdered chalk, to the amount of about six per cent. of the starch employed or produced in the process, or an equivalent salifiable substance, is stirred into it, to neutralize any excess of sulphuric acid which may remain thereina The liquid then stands three or four hours, to allow the excess of chalk and the other precipitated impurities to settle at the bottom.

The liquid is gradually drawn off from this vessel Q, as it becomes perfectly clear, into a receiver, B, through my improved gauge-valve or regulator, represented in figs. 7, 8, 9,10, 1 1, and I2. This regulator has a vertical oblong opening or port, 11., extending from near the bottom of the vessel Q to the whole or a considerable portion of the height thereof. This port is covered by a valve or plate, m, which is so constructed and arranged, in relation to the port, that it will first uncover the port at the top, and then gradually uncover it more and more downward to the bottom. It will be readily understood that this regulator will cause the liquid to be drawn ofi' first at the top, where it is first clarified, and then gradually downward without disturbing theliquid bclowtheheight at which it successively draws oii'.

From the"1"eceivcrR the liquid is again drawn through a similar gauge-valve, to clear it of the remaining sediment, if any, into thefcrmenting-vat or receiver 8.. Here about one-half of the quantity of yeast required is added at once to commence the fermentation, using at the' start distiller-s weak yeast. Then, after the temperature is raised to the highest point, the remainderor another portion of the yeast is added, using this time 'distillers strong yeast.

Small quantities of yeast may then he added daily, if necessary, till the sugar is all converted into alcohol, which is indicated by the saccharometer going down to zero.

When the vinous fermentation has been completed, the liquid is run into a receiver, T, and thence conveyed. by a pump, U, to a reservoir, V, whence it is gradually let intothe acetic generator W, the flow, being controlled by a stop-cock or other means. The partially-acetificd liquid is caught from the generator again in the receiver T, whence it is again pumped to the reservoir V, and run a second time through the generator, and this opera tion is repeated till the a'cctous fermentation is complete. 7

The generator W is constructed in an improved manner, as indicated in figs. 2 and 13. A-sct of racks, XX, provided with legs, or the equivalent thereof, so as to keep them separated a certain distance, one from another,

is placed in the outer ease or cylinder, and the intervals between the racks are filled w ith corn-cubs," the cobs and racks being inserted alternately, beginning at the bottom of the cylinder. This construction'afl'ords free circulation of air throughout the generator, and offers an unusual number of points and intcrstices to hasten the fermentation. I I l a Lwill add here that the steaming of the meal orgrain, in the vessels G and I, facilitates the separation of the gluten from the starch, resulting in a greater yield of the lattersubstance. Also' the injection of the steam into the mass itself, instead of passing through coils of pipes therein, not only economizcs the heat, but, by mechanical agitation and its solvent power, conduces' directlv to the separation of the starch from the glutinous substance of the grain. y V i i What I claim as my invention, and desire to sccureby Letters Patent, is

The process of making vinegar from grain and other starch-producing substances, as a whole, substantially as herein specified. a

I also claim, as part of the process of making vinegar, the injection of steam into the digesting mass of meal or grain, as in the vats G and I, substantially as herein set forth. i

I also-claim, as part of the process for making vinegar, the soaking and digesting of grain without grinding, as in the vat I, substantially as herein described.

I also claim, as part of thc process of making vinegar, the subjection of thc soaked meal or grain 'iOKlIG smooth squeezing-mill J, substantiallyas herein specified.

I also claim, as part of the process of making vinegar, the method of applying the sulphuric ucid,'first with cold water and then with boiling'water, and the injection ot' steam into the latter while adding the starch, and until it is converted into glucose, substantially as herein specified.

I also claim, as a. part of the process, the method of conducting the vinous fermentation by successive additions of yeast, first weak and then atrong, substantially as herein described.

I also claim thearrangemcnt of the sieves K and L, substantially as and for thcpurpose herein set forth.

I also claim the gauge valvefln n, for drawing of the clarified sirupy liquid, substantially as herein described.

I also claim the construction of the acetic generator, substantially as herein set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

i i J. FIRMENIOH.

Witnesses: I

Jar HYATT, James 0. BROWN.

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