IMPROVEMENTS IN CEN- TRIFUGAL MACHINES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Fryer, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Sugar Refiner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CEN-
TRIFUGAL MACHINES."
Sealed the 17th October 1860, and dated the 15th August 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Fryer, at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th August
1860.
I, ALFRED FRYER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Sugar Refiner,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to create a warm and damp atmosphere for
the drum of centrifugal machines to revolve in for the purpose of preventing
the meshes or material of which the periphery of the drum is composed from
becoming clogged when sugar or other clogging substance is the material
under operation, and also for the purpose of preventing sugar syrup or
other substance acted on from coming in contact with vapour exceeding in
temperature from about 180° to 140° Fahrenheit.
My Invention consists in the following arrangements:-Between the top of
the case surrounding the drum and the drum itself I place a cover to prevent
the inflow of air between the case and drum at the top, and I prevent the
egress of air at the outlet for the syrup or other liquid by means of a trap;
I also line the inside of the case with wood or other suitable non-conductor ;

page_text: I fit a pipe opening from near the top of the case, carry it to a point below
the bottom of the drum, and bend it inwards to near the axis thereof. Within
this pipe, about the part where it turns to the axis, I fix a small jet and connect
it to a steam pipe. When the drum is set in rotary motion a current of air
flows upwards in the case and down the air pipe where its motion is increased
and where it becomes warmed and moistened by the steam turned on into
the jet; I maintain the temperature of the atmosphere in which the drum
revolves at about 130° Fahrenheit, about which I prefer to keep it by letting in
more or less steam through the jet by means of a cock fixed in the steam pipe.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Fryer in the Geat Seal Patent Office on the 15th
February 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
FRYER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Sugar Refiner, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alfred Fryer, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred Fryer, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred
Fryer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Alfred Fryer, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Fryer, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
that is to say":
The object of my Invention is to create a warm and damp atmosphere for
the drum of centrifugal machines to revolve in for the purpose of preventing
the meshes or material of which the periphery of the drum is composed from
becoming clogged when sugar or other clogging substance is the material
under operation, and also for the purpose of preventing sugar syrup or other
material acted on from coming in contact with vapour exceeding in temperature
from about 180° to 140 Fahr.
My Invention consists in the following arrangements:-Between the top
of the case surrounding the drum, and the drum itself, I place a cover to
prevent the inflow of air between the case and drum at the top, and I prevent
the egress of air at the outlet for the syrup or other liquid by means of a trap;
I also line the inside of the case with wood or other suitable non-conductor.
I fit a pipe opening from near the top of the case, carry it to a point below
the bottom of the drum, and bend it inwards to near the axis thereof. Within
this pipe about the part where it turns to the axis I fix a small jet and connect
it to a steam pipe..
The manner in which I carry my said Invention into effect, is shewn in the
accompanying Drawing which is a sectional elevation of one form of a centri-
fugal machine with my improvements adapted thereto.
A, A is the outer case; B, B, legs or standards for supporting the machine;
C, weight suspended from the bottom of the socket; D, for keeping the
machine steady during the revolution of the drum; E is the shaft supported
at bottom in the socket D, and to which rotary motion is imparted by any
of the means followed for driving the shafts of centrifugal machines; F is the
drum connected to the shaft E, and formed of wire gauze, perforated metal,
or metal cloth; G is a lining of wood or other suitable non-conducting material
which I apply round the sides and at bottom of the case A; H is a cover
by preference of sheet copper extending all round 'the machine from the top of
the case A over the rim or flange. a, a, on the top of the drum F; J is a pipe
leading from the space enclosed by the cover H, to a point b, under the drum
and near the axis thereof; K is a pipe or nozzle carried into the pipe J,
connected to a steam supply pipe; L is a cock for regulating the admission
of steam; M is a trap into which the outlet pipe N, dips to prevent the
outflow of air or vapour from the lower part of the machine. The action
of the machine is as follows:-The drum after having been charged with
sugar or other material to be acted on is set in rotary motion, whereupon a
current of air flows upwards in the case between the sides thereof and the

page_text: periphery of the drum and down' the pipe J, where its motion is increased,
and where it becomes warmed and moistened by the steam admitted through
the pipe K. I maintain the temperature of the atmosphere in which the
drum revolves at about 130° Fahr. about which I prefer to keep it by letting in
more or less steam as required to maintain that temperature.
Although I have only explained my Invention with reference to one parti-
cular form of centrifugal machine, and in which the shaft is vertical, I do not
restrict the application thereof to any particular form, as it is equally applicable
to all similarly acting centrifugal machines, and that whether the shafts be
vertical, horizontal, or inclined:
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I am aware that steam
lías heretofore been injected into centrifugal machines so as by direct mechan-
ical impact against the exterior of the drum to clear the meshes thereof,
and that I therefore make no claim to such employment of steam, but I
claim,
First, cleansing, and freeing the meshes or open surfaces of which the
periphery of the drums of centrifugal machines is formed by causing the said
drums to revolve in an atmosphere moistened and warmed to a temperature of
from 130° to 140° Fahr. by means of steam.
Second, creating a moist and warm atmosphere for the drums of centrifugal
machines to revolve in and maintaining the temperature thereof at from 130°
to 140° Fahr. by means of air and steam combined and applied in manner
herein-before described.
And, third, constructing the cases of centrifugal machines with a lining of
wood or other suitable non-conducting material.
In witness, whereof, I, the said Alfred Fryer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-one.