Patent GB-395903-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to the moulding of granular material
IPC: C13B50/02
Filed: 1932-10-07
Abstract: 395,903. Moulding sugar. ROWLEY, H. E. G., 9, Warwick Court, Gray's Inn, London. - (Spreckels Investment Co., J. D. & A. B. ; 2, Pine Street, San Francisco, U.S.A.) Oct. 7, 1932, No. 27974. [Class 87 (ii).] In the moulding of solid bodies from granular material, particularly sugar, the granular material is introduced into a mould, a cementing liquid (syrup) poured thereon, and a gaseous fluid passed through the mass to distribute the cementing liquid throughout the material, to remove excess liquid and to dry the mass. The gas may be heated, dried air. The mould comprises end walls 31, 32 and side walls which may be sloped from top to bottom to permit easy removal of the mould partitions, but which, as shown, are slightly nearer each other adjacent the wall 31 than adjacent the wall 32, so that the partitions 38 seat against the side walls as they are moved towards the wall 31. The partitions are spaced by spacers and are first positioned in the mould by a screwadjusted abutment 42 against which they are clamped by a screw-adjusted abutment 43. The end partitions 64, 66 are higher than the others to prevent the overflow of the material. The mould is secured to a table 7 by screws 37, the upper face of the table under the moulds being finely ribbed, the grooves being arranged to collect excess cementing-liquid and lead it to outlets 96. The ribbed surface is covered by a mesh 102 which prevents the material from clogging the grooves. The table 7 is mounted on resilient (rubber) pads and is vibrated by a pneumatic vibrator, Fig. 3, comprising a cylinder 17 bolted to the underside of the table 7 and' containing a piston 19, resting on a spring 21 supported on a removable end plug 22, which covers and uncovers a port 26. Compressed air is supplied through the pipe 24 and a vent 27 prevents pressure from building up under the piston. The granular material is supplied through a valve-controlled pipe 61 from a hopper 62, and after jigging the mould, the cementing-liquid is supplied through a valve-controlled pipe 67 from a tank 68. The mould is then closed by a hood 71 which swings on a post 79 and is provided at its opposite side with a hooked lug 83 which embraces a post 84. The hood is screwed tightly on to the top of the mould and the heated, dried air is passed downwardly through the mass in the mould. The air is supplied by a compressor 121 through a pipe 122 to a heatexchanger 123 cooled by a refrigerant (water) supplied by pipes 124. The moisture in the air is thus condensed and passes to a trap 126. The dry air then passes through a pipe 127, having a safety-valve 128, into a tank 129, which damps-out the pressure surges, and from thence through a pipe 132 to a second heatexchanger 133, heated by steam entering through the pipe 134 and exhausting through the pipe 136. The air is preferably heated to about 150‹ F. which is well below the caramelizing point of sugar. An oil separator 138 prevents oil from the compressor from entering the mould. The air supply to the mould is controlled by a valve 87, and the air passes from a pocket in the mould structure to the space beneath the hood and from thence downwardly through the mould. The air and excess cementing-liquid are directed by a funnel 103 to a trap 106 from whence the air escapes, the liquid being returned to the tank 68 by a pipe 109 and pump 107.