IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFAC- TURE OF SUGAR, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Haughton Gill, of No. 6, Christian Street, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFAC-
TURE OF SUGAR, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE."
munication from abroad by Carl Boegel, of Brieg, Prussia.
A com-
ealed the 24th November 1876, and dated the 7th July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Haughton Gill at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th July 1876.
CHARLES HAUGHTON GILL, of No. 6, Christian Street, in the County of Mid-
dlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR, AND IN APPARATUS TO
BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE."
Up to the present time all sugars cleansed in centrifugal machines by steam
admitted to the inside of the drum have a grey appearance. By a close exami-
nation of such sugars I have found that this results from small particles of dust
lodging between and on the crystals of sugar. This dust is carried in by the air
which is drawn into and through the centrifugal machine.
By my Invention I remedy this defect. This result I obtain as follows:-The
casing by which the revolving drum of the centrifugal machine is surrounded is
covered at the top by a lid, which can be raised or lowered as required. The under
side of the lid carries a hollow casing, called the distributor, which enters into and
occupies the greater part of the central space of the revolving drum.
Means are provided, as herein-after described, for forcing into the interior of this
distributor either warm and moist clean air, or warm and dry clean air. The air
escapes through openings at the bottom of the distributor into the lower part of
the drum, and as the drum revolves is thrown against the wall of sugar which rests
against its periphery. Means are also provided for separating condensed water
from the air as it passes through the distributor and before it enters the revolving.
drum.
When a charge of sugar has been filled into the drum the lid is lowered on to
the top of the casing, the drum is revolved, and warm moist clean air is forced
through the distributor to the lower part of the drum. When the sugar has
arrived at a clean crystalline state the warm moist air is shut off and warm dry
[Price 8d.]

page_text: air is or may be supplied in its place, whereby the sugar is quickly and rapidly
dried. The movement of the drum is then arrested, the cover is lifted, and the
sugar is cut out.
The Drawings annexed show the apparatus by which the above results are
obtained.
Figure 1 shows a section of the centrifugal machine, together with an apparatus
for supplying to it warm moist clean air. Figure 2 shows a similar section of the
centrifugal machine, together with an apparatus for supplying to it warm and dry
clean air. Figure 3 shows a horizontal section taken through the line A, B.
In these Figures a is the revolving drum of the centrifugal machine; a¹, the
the shaft by which it is driven; b, the case which encloses it; c, the lid covering
over the top of the casing b. This lid can be raised, as shown, by a cord d into
the position shown by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2. e is a hollow casing fixed
to the under side of the lid c. Warm moist clean air can be supplied to the casing
through the pipe f, and warm dry clean air through the pipe g. The air supplied
to the distributor escapes from it through openings at the bottom into the lower
part of the drum a. In order to prevent any condensed water which may be
carried along with the air from entering into the drum the openings may be formed,
as shown, between two concentric cones i, which rise up from the bottom of the
casing for a distance, and are then carried up vertically, as shown. The air and
steam enter the distributor at the top through the pipe f, as shown at Figure 1; it
first descends and then rises and passes through the annular space between the
internal cylinders i to the openings h; these openings h are still further protected
from the passage of water through them by inclined casings j rising up from them,
as shown at Figures 1, 2, and 3. Provision is made for drawing off from time to
time the water collected. at the bottom of the distributor..
...
Other arrangements than those shown may be adopted for separating condensed
water from the moist air in the interior of the distributor.
I will now describe an apparatus for forcing in warm moist clean air through
the pipe f.
l
The pipe passes through an opening in the lid c; a swing lid c¹ is provided for
closing this opening when the pipe is taken away. The pipe fis connected by a
flexible pipe f to an injector k, a cross section of which is shown at Figure 4; other
constructions of injector may, however, be employed. The injector shown is com-
posed of one or more small steam jets & supplied with high-pressure steam through
a pipe . The jets are surrounded by a cylinder m in which are openings m¹
through which air is drawn in and carried forward with the steam. Air is supplied
around the exterior of the cylinder m through a pipe n passing from an air-cleansing
apparatus, consisting of a vessel partly filled with water, cotton, wool, or other
cleansing liquid or solid, and into which air can only enter by the pipe o.
water is used the lower end of the pipe dips into the water as shown, so that all
air entering the cylinder m has to rise up in a divided state through the water.
By this means dust and impurities are separated from the air. p is an apparatus
for impeding condensed water passing to the injector jets together with the high-
pressure steam.
When
When the warm moist clean air has been supplied to the drum for a sufficient length
of time the pipe fis removed from the opening in the lid c, and the opening is then
covered by its swing lid. The pipe g is then inserted into a similar opening in the
lid, or preferably into a pipe passing through the distributor, as shown at Figure 2,
and dry warm clean air is supplied through it, to the drum.
An apparatus for supplying warm dry clean air to the drum of. the centrifugal
apparatus is shown at Figure 2, but any other suitable arrangement may be used.
q is an air-washing apparatus from which clean air is drawn by a revolving fan
2, and is by it driven through a coiled pipe s; any water carried along with the air
here separates from it and is collected in the vessel t, whilst the dry but still cool air
passes away by a bent pipe u, within which is a steam pipe v; the air passing through
the pipe is by this means heated and enters a pipe or receiver w, from which it

page_text: x is a
can be allowed to pass to any centrifugal apparatus requiring to be dried.
valve for shutting off the dry hot air from the centrifugal apparatus; a flexible tube
connects x with a bent pipe g, which can be inserted, as shown, through a hole in
the lid c, at other times this hole is closed by a swing lid y. 3 is a relief valve upon
the air pipe or receiver w.
So soon as the sugar has been dried the supply of dry air is shut off, the pipe y is
removed from the opening in the lid c, the lid is lifted to the position shown by
the dotted lines, and the sugar is cut out from the drum.
I am aware that the use of steam or of moist warm air for the cleansing of sugar
in the centrifugal machine is well known, but the introduction of these cleansing
agents at the lowermost parts of the revolving drum, whereby I effect a great saving
in the quantity of steam required, and the employment of air which has been purified
and cleansed from dust by any suitable arrangements, such as those described for
cleansing or drying sugars in centrifugal machines, is new.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Haughton Gill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
January 1877.
"s
CHARLES HAUGHTON GILL, of No. 6, Christian Street, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR
THIS PURPOSE." A communication from abroad by Carl Boegel, of Brieg, Prussia.
Up to the present time all sugars cleansed in centrifugal machines by steam
admitted to the inside of the drum have a grey appearance. By a close examination
of such sugars I have found that this results from small particles of dust lodging
between and on the crystals of sugar. This dust is carried in by the air which is
drawn into and through the centrifugal machine.
By my Invention I remedy this defect. This result I obtain as follows:-The
casing by which the revolving drum of the centrifugal machine is surrounded is
covered at the top by a lid, which can be raised or lowered as required. The under
side of the lid carries a hollow casing called the distributor, which enters into and
occupies the greater part of the central space of the revolving drum.
The
Means are provided, as herein-after described, for forcing into the interior of
this distributor either warm and moist clean air, or warm and dry clean air.
air escapes through openings at the bottom of the distributor into the lower part
of the drum, and as the drum revolves is thrown against the wall of sugar which
rests against its periphery. Means are also provided for separating condensed
water from the air as it passes through the distributor and before it enters the
revolving drum.
When a charge of sugar has been filled into the drum the lid is lowered on to
the top of the casing, the drum is revolved, and warm moist clean air is forced
through the distributor to the lower part of the drum. When the sugar has arrived
at a clean crystalline state the warm moist air is shut off and warm dry air is or
may be supplied in its place, whereby the sugar is quickly and rapidly dried. The
movement of the drum is then arrested, the cover is lifted, and the sugar is cut out.
The Drawings annexed show the apparatus by which the above results are
obtained.
Figure 1 shows a section of the centrifugal machine, together with an apparatus
for supplying to it warm moist clean air, and Figure 2 shows an apparatus for
supplying to the same centrifugal machine warm and dry clean air. Figure 3 shows
a horizontal section taken through the line A, B.
In these Figures a is the revolving drum of the centrifugal machine; a¹, the shaft
by which it is driven; b, the case which encloses it; c, the lid covering over the
top of the casing b. This lid can be raised, as shown, by a cord d into the position

page_text: shown by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2. e is a hollow casing fixed to the under
side of the lid c. Warm moist clean air can be supplied to the casing through the
pipe f, and warm dry clean air through the pipe g. The air supplied to the dis-
tributor escapes from it through openings at the bottom into the lower part of
the drum a. In order to prevent any condensed water which may be carried
along with the air from entering into the drum the openings may be formed, as
shown, between two concentric cones i, which rise up from the bottom of the
casing for a distance, and are then carried up vertically, as shown. The air and
steam enter the distributor at the top through the pipe f, as shown at Figure 1;
it first descends and then rises and passes through the annular space between the
internal cylinders i to the openings ; these openings are still further protected
from the passage of water through them by inclined casings j rising up from them,
as shown at Figures 1, 2, and 3. Provision is made for drawing off from time to
time the water collected at the bottom of the distributor.
Other arrangements than those shown may be adopted for separating condensed
water from the moist air in the interior of the distributor.
I will now describe an apparatus for forcing in warm moist clean air through
the pipe f.
The pipe f passes through an opening in the lid c; a swing lid c¹ is provided for
closing this opening when the pipe is taken away. The pipefis connected by a
flexible pipe f¹ to an injector k, a cross section of which is shown at Figure 4;
other constructions of injector may, however, be employed. The injector shown is
composed of one or more small steam jets supplied with high-pressure steam
through a pipe . The jets are surrounded by a cylinder m, in which are openings
m through which air is drawn in and carried forward with the steam. Air is
supplied around the exterior of the cylinder m through a pipe n passing from an
air-cleansing apparatus, consisting of a vessel partly filled with water, cotton, wool,
or other cleansing liquid or solid, and into which air can only enter by the pipe o.
When water is used the lower end of the pipe dips into the water as shown, so
that all air entering the cylinder m has to rise up in a divided state through the
water. By this means dust and impurities are separated from the air. p is an
apparatus for impeding condensed water passing to the injector jets together with
the high-pressure steam.
When the warm moist clean air has been supplied to the drum for a sufficient
length of time the pipe fis removed from the opening in the lid c, and the open-
ing is then covered by its swing lid. The pipe g is then inserted into a similar
opening in the lid, or preferably into a pipe passing through the distributor, as
shown at Figure 2, and dry warın clean air is supplied through it to the drum.
An apparatus for supplying warm dry clean air to the drum of the centrifugal
apparatus is shown at Figure 2, but any other suitable arrangement may be used.
q is an air-washing apparatus from which clean air is drawn by a revolving fan
r, and is by it driven through a coiled pipe s; any water carried along with the
air here separates from it and is collected in the vessel t, whilst the dry but still cool
air passes away by a bent pipe u, within which is a steam pipe v; the air passing
through the pipe u is by this means heated and enters a pipe or receiver w, from
which it can be allowed to pass to any centrifugal apparatus requiring to be dried.
x is a valve for shutting off the dry hot air from the centrifugal apparatus; a flexi-
ble tube x¹ connects x with a bent pipe g, which can be inserted, as shown, through
a hole in the lid c, at other times this hole is closed by a swing lid y.
z is a relief
valve upon the air pipe or receiver w.
So soon as the sugar has been dried the supply of dry air is shut off, the pipe g
is removed from the opening in the lid c, the lid is lifted to the position shown by
the dotted lines, and the sugar is cut out from the drum.
I am aware that the use of steam or of moist warm air for the cleansing of
sugar in the centrifugal machine is well known, but the introduction of these cleans-
ing agents at the lowermost parts of the revolving drum, whereby I effect a great
saving in the quantity of steam required, and the employment of air which has

page_text: been is purified and cleansed from dust by any suitable arrangements, such as those
described for cleansing or drying sugars in centrifugal machines, is new.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Haughton Gill, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 26th day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy.
C. HAUGHTON GILL. (LS.)