Improvements in or relating to the Production of Puffed or Swelled Starch or Starch-containing Materials.

摘要

18,949. Anderson, A. P. Ang. 19. Roasting granular substances; processes of treating grain; damping or steaming grain.- Relates to a process such as described in Specification 13,353/02, [Class 49, Food &c.], for the manufacture of " puffed " or swelled products from starch and starch - containing materials, cereals, seeds, &c., hulled or unhulled. The material in an air-dry condition is placed in a closed receptacle such as the drum 2, Fig. 1, which is pivoted on a spindle 4 between the side members 3 of a carrier having wheels which run between guide-rails mounted on gear-rings 8 in an oven. The gear-rings and drum are rotated by means of a shaft 10a. The lid 18 of the drum presses against a roller 19 and has softmetal packing to form a tight joint, the drum being preferably made of bronze having a higher coefficient of expansion than the side members 3. When the desired temperature and pressure is attained, the valves 15e, 15d, and 15a may be opened to allow the pressure in the drum to fall to atmospheric; or the heating may take place with the valves open so that no rise of pressure takes place. Dry or superheated steam is then introduced from a pipe 20 passing through the oven and leading through a stuffing-box 12a and pipe 12b to a flat perforated pipe 13, Fig. 4, within the drum. The steam may be discharged and a fresh supply introduced once or several times. The last is retained for a short time and then suddenly released by stopping the rotation, running the carrier 3 out from the oven, and lowering the drum about the pivot 4 by means of mechanism attached to the lug 17a. The cover 18 flies open and the material is expanded by its internal pressure and shot out into a wire or like receiver. If unhulled grain is treated, the hulls are thrown off during the expansion. The process may be applied to wheat, rice, corn, Kaffir corn, barley, millet, and other grains, seeds, and kernels, or to macaroni, spaghetti, or the pellets produced as described in Specification 18,946/12, either in the same apparatus as is used for " puffing " or in that described in Specification 18,950/12.