Evaristo Conrado Engelberg
Encyclopedia
Evaristo Conrado Engelberg (26 October 1853-1932) was a Brazil
ian mechanical engineer
and inventor
. He is the inventor of the Engelberg huller, a machine used to strip the husks from rice and coffee during the milling process. He was born to German immigrants in Piracicaba
, São Paulo
, Brazil
.
, who preferred to use slave labor throughout the year for these and other processes, rather than investing the money in the machines invented by Engelberg, which would be useful only during harvest. Despite this initial resistance, the peelers was eventually adopted by major growers of the region. With the strong development of his business, in June 1885, Engelberg partnered with Earl Siciliano to found Engelberg & Siciliano which was headquartered in Piracicaba.
Three years later, on December 27, 1888, Engelberg applied for a United States patent
on the coffee-hulling machine. U.S. patent (number 424,602) for a rice-hulling machine, was granted on April 1, 1890. With this machine, hulling and polishing, which removes different layers below the husk, could be done in several stages "during the same passage," a process that automated a manual task.
In 1890, the Gazeta de Piracicaba reported that Engelberg was appointed a member of the Parisian Academy of Inventors, and awarded a gold medal for his invention. Engelberg patented several models of these machines in the United States
and Europe
. He enjoyed huge success, because the "stripper" did not squeeze the coffee beans, and removed all the straw while maintaining the beans' integrity, producing a higher yield for coffee growers. The maintenance of the machines was also quite simple and inexpensive, which was advantageous, because the main methods of cleaning the coffee still depended on slave labor in mills.
, known as the Engelberg Huller Company
, which was organized for the purpose of manufacturing and selling the "Engelberg huller". in North America
. The huller was quite successful, and additional patents were granted to the firm for various improvements over the years.
Production in Brazil was halted in 1890 and by 1922, the machines produced in Syracuse began to be shipped and sold in Brazil, as well as other parts of South America
, Asia
, Africa
and Central America
.
At some time during the twentieth century the Engelberg Huller Company
began to make grinders plus belt and disk sanders, all intended primarily for metalworking. Some time between 1957 and 1971, the company name was changed to Engelberg, Inc. and by 1971 the name hand changed again, to Sundstrand-Engelberg, Inc. of Liverpool, New York
. During 1974, the name changed to Sundstrand Syracuse, Inc. of Syracuse, New York, and Sundstrand Corp. of Rockford, Illinois.
continues to produce hullers. The associated parts and the hullers are still in use in many parts of the world.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian mechanical engineer
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
and inventor
Invention
An invention is a novel composition, device, or process. An invention may be derived from a pre-existing model or idea, or it could be independently conceived, in which case it may be a radical breakthrough. In addition, there is cultural invention, which is an innovative set of useful social...
. He is the inventor of the Engelberg huller, a machine used to strip the husks from rice and coffee during the milling process. He was born to German immigrants in Piracicaba
Piracicaba
Piracicaba is a city located in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The population in 2009 was 368,843 in an area of 1,369.511 km², at an elevation of 547 m above sea level.-Name:...
, São Paulo
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Invents rice and coffee peeler
In 1885, while constructing a water wheel, Engelberg observed a group of slaves stripping rice pestles by hand, the main method of cleaning rice at the time. Engelberg experimented with the method and found that by rubbing the rice between his fingers while applying pressure, the pestles were easily removed. He returned to his workshop and immediately began working on a machine that he finished the next day, thus creating the first horizontal cylinder rice "peeler." The invention was named the Engelberg Huller and soon was adapted to work with coffee. Once it made it to market, the device revolutionized the processing of coffee and rice throughout the world.Brazilian manufacturing
There was some initial resistance to the machine from ranchers and farmers in BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, who preferred to use slave labor throughout the year for these and other processes, rather than investing the money in the machines invented by Engelberg, which would be useful only during harvest. Despite this initial resistance, the peelers was eventually adopted by major growers of the region. With the strong development of his business, in June 1885, Engelberg partnered with Earl Siciliano to found Engelberg & Siciliano which was headquartered in Piracicaba.
Patents for coffee huller
During 1885, Engelberg received a British patent for a rice-hulling machine.Three years later, on December 27, 1888, Engelberg applied for a United States patent
United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is based in Alexandria, Virginia,...
on the coffee-hulling machine. U.S. patent (number 424,602) for a rice-hulling machine, was granted on April 1, 1890. With this machine, hulling and polishing, which removes different layers below the husk, could be done in several stages "during the same passage," a process that automated a manual task.
In 1890, the Gazeta de Piracicaba reported that Engelberg was appointed a member of the Parisian Academy of Inventors, and awarded a gold medal for his invention. Engelberg patented several models of these machines in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He enjoyed huge success, because the "stripper" did not squeeze the coffee beans, and removed all the straw while maintaining the beans' integrity, producing a higher yield for coffee growers. The maintenance of the machines was also quite simple and inexpensive, which was advantageous, because the main methods of cleaning the coffee still depended on slave labor in mills.
U.S. manufacturing
During 1888, as international demand for his machine increased, Engelberg partnered with José Tibiriçá to create a branch of his company in Syracuse, New YorkSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, known as the Engelberg Huller Company
Engelberg Huller Company
The Engelberg Huller Company was established in 1888 in Syracuse, New York, by John R. Montague, to manufacture and distribute the Engelberg Huller machine which was invented by Brazilian, mechanical engineer and inventor, Evaristo Conrado Engelberg, to remove the husks and shells from rice and...
, which was organized for the purpose of manufacturing and selling the "Engelberg huller". in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The huller was quite successful, and additional patents were granted to the firm for various improvements over the years.
Production in Brazil was halted in 1890 and by 1922, the machines produced in Syracuse began to be shipped and sold in Brazil, as well as other parts of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
.
At some time during the twentieth century the Engelberg Huller Company
Engelberg Huller Company
The Engelberg Huller Company was established in 1888 in Syracuse, New York, by John R. Montague, to manufacture and distribute the Engelberg Huller machine which was invented by Brazilian, mechanical engineer and inventor, Evaristo Conrado Engelberg, to remove the husks and shells from rice and...
began to make grinders plus belt and disk sanders, all intended primarily for metalworking. Some time between 1957 and 1971, the company name was changed to Engelberg, Inc. and by 1971 the name hand changed again, to Sundstrand-Engelberg, Inc. of Liverpool, New York
Liverpool, New York
Liverpool is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,505 at the 2000 census. The name was adopted from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom...
. During 1974, the name changed to Sundstrand Syracuse, Inc. of Syracuse, New York, and Sundstrand Corp. of Rockford, Illinois.
Invention still in use today
By 1990, Engelberg hullers were still widely used in small mills for milling rice for local markets. As of 2011, the Syracuse-based branch of the Engelberg Huller CompanyEngelberg Huller Company
The Engelberg Huller Company was established in 1888 in Syracuse, New York, by John R. Montague, to manufacture and distribute the Engelberg Huller machine which was invented by Brazilian, mechanical engineer and inventor, Evaristo Conrado Engelberg, to remove the husks and shells from rice and...
continues to produce hullers. The associated parts and the hullers are still in use in many parts of the world.
External links
- Hand book of Indian agriculture, Volume 1
- THE ENGELBERG HULLER
- Consulta Histórico de Logradouros
- PREPARING GREEN COFFEE FOR MARKET -A COFFEE CHRONOLOGY
- Máquina beneficiadora de café
- Read the ebook All about coffee by William H. (William Harrison) Ukers
- A Província - Paixão por Piracicaba
- OWWM - Engelberg, Inc. - Assigned Patents