IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SUGAR CANE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER PULP THEREFROM
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SUGAR CANE FOR THE MANUFACTURE
OF PAPER PULP THEREFROM."-A communication from abroad by
Auguste de Meritens, Engineer, and Victor Kresser, Merchant,
both of Paris, in the Republic of France.
Sealed the 9th April 1874, and dated the 1st December 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st December 1873.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SUGAR CANE FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF PAPER PULP THEREFROM," a communication to me from
abroad by Auguste de Meritens, Engineer, and Victor Kresser, Merchant,
both of Paris, in the Republic of France, to be as follows:-
Various substances have heretofore been considered as composed.

page_text: exclusively of ligneous matter, and like their congeners unfit for the
economical extraction of the fibrous cellulose they contain. Prominent
amongst those I may mention the sugar cane, the external contexture of
which, with its internal fibres, forms what is known as "begass,” or
"megass," or cane "trash," the ordinary residue of sugar cane factories,
and which has generally been employed as fuel only.
The present Inventors have discovered that the cane trash or megass
does not come within the ordinary range or composition of ligneous
matter, and that the fibre of the cellulose found therein is well con-
stituted and may be used by a process of extreme simplicity for the
manufacture of an excellent paper.
In carrying out this process, which the Inventors term their "cold
process," they proceed as described hereafter.. The cane trash or megass
after being passed through the crushing mill still contains a large pro-
portion of saccharine matter mixed with water, and gummy, albuminous,
or other extraneous matter, which it is necessary to remove in order to
bring the megass to the state of fibrous cellulose.. This treatment of
megass, while preparing it for the special objects of pulp making, affords
as a subsidiary result the production of a supplementary quantity of
cane juice, or in other words restores to the sugar factory a large portion
of saccharine matter hitherto left unextracted in the megass, and
consigned with the latter to the feeding of furnaces.
To attain the above object the megass is warmed in a closed box, tank,
or receiver by means of injected steam, which penetrates while con-
densing itself within the fibrous interstices, dilates the pores, and
thoroughly moistens the whole substance. It is then subjected to
pressure by passing it through the mill rollers or other suitable
machinery, and the juice so. obtained is sufficiently concentrated to be
converted into sugar or alcohol by the ordinary appliances of. the sugar
factory or distillery..
During the above operation the megass undergoes a species of first
washing, and is subsequently in a state of almost complete dessication.
At this stage commences properly speaking the working of the said
"cold process" for the preparation of paper pulp.
In carrying out this "cold process " the megass, or rather the fibrous
residue of the cane trash. is merely washed in a cold and slightly

page_text: alcaline solution, the said solution being subsequently acidulated; the
megass is thereby reduced to the state of fibrous cellulose, and is ready
for bleaching.
The latter operation is, effected by the ordinary means, namely, by the
hypochlorite of lime or anseous chlorina
The latter operation is, effected by the ordinary means, namely, by the
hypochlorite of lime or gaseous chlorine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st June 1874..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or 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 THE TREATMENT OF SUGAR CANE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER PULP THERE-
FROM," a communication to me from abroad by Auguste de Meritens,
Engineer, and Victor Kresser, Merchant, both of Paris, in the Republic of
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing,
under my hand and seal, 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

page_text: Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
of the said Letters Patent.
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NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
Various substances have heretofore been considered as composed
exclusively of ligneous matter, and like their congeners unfit for the
economical extraction of the fibrous cellulose they contain. Prominent
amongst those I may mention the sugar cane, the external contexture
of which, with its external fibres, forms what is known as "begasse," or
megass," or cane "trash," the ordinary residue of sugar cane factories,
and which have generally been employed as fuel only.
66
The present Inventors have discovered that the cane trash or megass
does not come within the ordinary range or composition of ligneous
matter, and that the fibre of the cellulose found therein is well con-
stituted, and may be used by a process of extreme simplicity for the
manufacture of an excellent paper.
In carrying out this process, which the Inventors term their "cold
process," they proceed as described hereafter. The cane trash or megass
after being passed through the crushing mill still contains a large pro-
portion of saccharine matter mixed with water and gummy albuminous
or other extraneous matter, which it is necessary to remove in order to
bring the megass to the state of fibrous cellulose. This treatment of
megass, while preparing it for the special objects of pulp making, affords
as a subsidiary result the production of a supplementary quantity of
cane juice, or in other words, restores to the sugar factory a large portion
of saccharine matter hitherto left unextracted in the megass, and con-
signed with the latter to the feeding of furnaces.
To attain the above object the megass is exposed to an elevated tem-
perature in a closed box, tank, or receiver by mean of injected steam, or
otherwise, which penetrates while condensing itself within the fibrous
interstices, dilates the pores, and thoroughly moistens the whole sub-

page_text: stance. It is then subjected to pressure by passing it through the mill
rollers or other suitable machinery, and the juice or saccharine matter
so obtained is sufficiently concentrated to be converted into sugar or
alcohol by the ordinary appliances of the sugar factory or distillery.
During the above operation the megass undergoes a species of first
washing, and is subsequently in a state of almost complete dessication.
At this stage commences properly speaking the working of the said
"cold process" for the preparation of paper pulp.
In carrying out this cold process the megass, or rather the fibrous
residue of the cane trash, is merely washed in a cold and slightly
alkaline solution, the said solution being subsequently acidulated; the
megass is thereby reduced to the state of fibrous cellulose, and is ready
for bleaching.
The latter operation is effected by the ordinary means, namely, by the
hypochlorite of lime or gaseous chlorine.
The paper pulp is submitted to compression, dried, and thus rendered
fit for delivery to the paper mill or ready for shipment.
In order to carry out this Invention machines are employed con-
structed as herein-after described.
Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a type of machine, for
extracting the saccharine matter remaining in the megass, and con-
verting the residue of such megass into a fibrous material suitable for
the manufacture of paper pulp; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of
the machine; and Figure 3 a corresponding plan; and Figure 4 is a
side elevation of a portion of the opposite side of the machine to that
shewn in Figure 1.
T, T', and T, T³, are endless bands or aprons for conveying the megass
along whilst it is being impregnated with hydrate of lime, which falls in
the form of a shower or spray from an upper reservoir F mounted on
pillars or columns, or on any suitable frame, and provided with a
heating pipe V. 1 is a pair of rollers, the object of which is to compress
the megass so as to cause the hydrate of lime to penetrate from the
surface to the centre and thus facilitate the absorption of the liquid
which is connected direct by the channel or conduit G, H, and also falls
in the form of a fine shower or spray from T2 to T³. Rollers 2 are

page_text: employed for the purpose of regulating the quantity of lime which is to
be left in the megass in order that the latter may yield under the
pressure of other rollers 3 juices sufficiently concentrated. L is a lower
tank or receptacle in which the hydrate of lime is prepared, and from
which it is conducted into the upper reservoir F by means of pipes D
and of a pump, not shewn in my Drawings. An agitator N provided
with vanes or blades is mounted in the tank or receptacle L for the
purpose of maintaining in suspension the lime deposited on the bottom.
P is a pipe for supplying water to replace that carried off or absorbed by
the megass. The rollers 3 which serve to extract the juice exercise the
same amount of pressure as the first pressure mill; 4, 5, 6, and 7, are
sets of rollers, the object of which is to separate the fibres; the rollers 5
and 7 have a smooth surface, whilst those 4 and 6 are grooved or fluted
circumferentially. The megass is conveyed from the rollers 3 to the
rollers 7 by a series of endless bands or aprons t, t¹, and is thus conducted
to the packing rollers. Beneath the series of rollers 3 to 7 there is
disposed a trough M which serves as a collecting vessel for the juice,
which is conducted by pipes Q to the juice pump.
The quantity of lime which is placed in the tank or receptacle L.is so
arranged as to admit of the juice which leaves the collecting vessel a
or trough M being used for the defecation of the whole of the juices of
the works.
It is obvious that the proportion of lime introduced into the tank or
receptacle L has no influence upon the operation of the machine, the
greater portion of the lime placed in suspension having to remain in the 2
pores or interstices of the megass.
This machine performs the double function of extracting the sugar
contained in the megass and preparing from such megass the fibre which
is to be converted into paper pulp.
3
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the preliminary
treatment of megass or bagasse known as the cane trash from sugar cane 3
by submitting the same to a steaming or to an aqueous saturating

page_text: process and then subjecting the same to the action of pressure either by
means of rollers or otherwise, so that the cellulose material remaining
may be better fitted for the production of paper pulp by any of the
ordinary processes, and so that the saccharine matter therein previously
contained may be extracted.
process and then subjecting the same to the action of pressure either by
means of rollers or otherwise, so that the cellulose material remaining
may be better fitted for the production of paper pulp by any of the
ordinary processes, and so that the saccharine matter therein previously
contained may be extracted.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the First day of June,
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ordinary processes, and so that the saccharine matter therein previously
contained may
ay be extracted.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the First day of June,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the First day of June,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.