IMPROVEMENTS IN DESICCATING SUGAR CANE REFUSE (KNOWN AS MEGASS, BAGASSA, OR TRASH) AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Buchanan Mirrlees and William Renny
Watson, both of the Firm of Mirrlees, Tait, and Watson, of
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineers, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DESICCATING SUGAR CANE REFUSE
(KNOWN AS MEGASS, BAGASSA, OR TRASH) AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR.
"
Sealed the 22nd November 1870, and dated the 4th June 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Buchanan
Mirrlees and William Renny Watson at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 4th June
1870.
I, JAMES BUCHANAN MIRRLEES and WILLIAM RENNY WATSON,
both of the Firm of Mirrlees, Tait, and Watson, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DESICCATING SUGAR CANE
REFUSE (KNOWN AS MEGASS, BAGASSA, OR TRASH,) AND IN THE APPARATUS OR
MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows, that is to say :—
This Invention relates to the drying or desiccating of the sugar cane
refuse known as megass, bagassa, or trash; megass, bagassa, or trash

page_text: being the fibrous substance of the sugar cane which remains after the
saccharine juice or liquid has been extracted or expressed. The refuse
referred to after leaving the mill has still a per-centage of moisture
remaining in it, and to remove this in an effective and rapid manner is
the object of the present Invention.
The apparatus employed consists of a long tube placed at an angle
or inclined, and carried upon rollers, which are rotated by suitable
gearing, these again causing the revolution of the said tube. The rollers
may be provided with spur teeth gearing into corresponding teeth on
the outside of the tube or they may be smooth, in which case the
frictional contact of certain parts of the tube with them causes it to
revolve. At intervals on the interior of the tube feathers, buckets, or
light frames are placed, and a blast of either hot or cold air is forced or
drawn through the tube by fans, pumps, or exhausters.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-As the refuse is placed
in the tube at the upper end portions of it are lifted from the bottom
of the tube (by the rotation of the latter) through a height corre-
sponding to a portion of the revolution, where each feather or frame
becomes inclined at such an angle that it can no longer prevent the
refuse from falling off it. As the refuse then falls it descends to the
lower side of the tube, and is again lifted successively until on account
of the angle or inclination of the tube it is finally discharged at the
lower end, having whilst passing through the said tube been acted upon
by the blast or current of heated or cold air.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said James Buchanan Mirrlees and William Renny
Watson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd December
1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
BUCHANAN MIRRLEES and WILLIAM RENNY WATSON, both of the Firm 3
of Mirrlees, Tait, & Watson, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the 33rd year 3

page_text: of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said James Buchanan Mirrlees and William Renny
Watson, Her special license that we, the said James Buchanan Mirrlees
and William Renny Watson, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said James Buchanan Mirrlees and William
Renny Watson, our 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DESICCATING SUGAR CANE REFUSE, (KNOWN AS
r "MEGASS," "BAGASSA," OR "TRASH,") AND IN THE APPARATUS OR MEANS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
James Buchanan Mirrlees and William Renny Watson, by an instru-
ment in writing under our 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Buchanan Mirrlees &
William Renny Watson, do hereby declare the nature of our said In-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
"
Our said Invention relates to the drying or desiccating of the sugar
cane refuse known as
"bagassa," or "trash;" "megass,'
"megass,"
bagassa," or "trash" being the fibrous substance of the sugar cane
which remains after the saccharine juice or liquid has been extracted or
expressed. The refuse referred to after leaving the mill has still a per-
centage of moisture remaining in it, and to remove this in an effective
and rapid manner is the object of the present Invention.
The apparatus employed consists of a long tube placed at an angle or
inclined and carried upon rollers which are rotated by suitable gearing,
these again causing the revolution of the said tube. The rollers may
be
provided with spur teeth gearing into corresponding teeth on the outside
of the tube, or they may be smooth, in which case the frictional contact
of certain parts of the tube with them causes it to revolve. At intervals

page_text: on the interior of the tube feathers, buckets, or light frames are placed,
and a blast of either hot or cold air is forced or drawn through the tube
by fans, pumps, or exhausters.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-As the refuse is placed in
the tube at the upper end portions of it are lifted from the bottom of the
tube (by the rotation of the latter) through a height corresponding to a
portion of the revolution where each feather or frame becomes inclined
at such an angle that it can no longer prevent the refuse from falling off
it. As the refuse then falls it descends to the lower side of the tube
and is again lifted successively until on account of the angle or inclina-
tion of the tube it is finally discharged at the lower end, having whilst
passing through the said tube been acted upon by the blast or current of
heated or cold air.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood, we
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner 1
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say,—
Figure 1 is in part a side elevation and in part a longitudinal section;
Figure 2, a transverse section upon the line A, B, Figure 1; Figure 3, 2
another transverse section upon the line C, D, Figure 1; and Figure 4
is a plan of our improved apparatus for drying "megass," "bagassa," or
"trash."
The apparatus consists, as shown upon the Drawings, of a hollow
cylindric tube A constructed preferably in sections or lengths as shown, 2
which are jointed together by means of bolts passed through the flanches
a, and at the interior of the cylinder A blades or vanes a¹ arc fixed
extending throughout the entire length thereof. Upon the hollow
cylindric tube A and at suitable distances apart friction bands B arc
situated, as shown, and each of which rests or bears upon the friction 3
pinions C, fixed upon a driving shaft D, placed directly beneath the
cylinder A. The said shaft D is carried in bearings b, formed upon the
soles E, which are bedded upon piers E¹ of brickwork or masonry; each
of the said piers E¹ is built to a height corresponding with the inclina-
tion of the tube A. Upon the lower end of the shaft Da thrust journal c 3
is preferably formed and provided with a corresponding bearing d placed
in the wall box F. The thrust journal c is provided for the purpose of
resisting the stress due to the inclination of the shaft D and the action

page_text: of the apparatus when in motion. Upon each of the soles E brackets G
are arranged as more particularly shown at Figures 1, 2, and 3, and in
the said brackets G bearings e are placed, wherein the short shafts f,
upon which are fixed bearing rollers H, rest; the said bearing rollers H
have their peripheries in contact with the friction bands B. At the
elevated end of the cylindric tube A, and in communication therewith, a
box K is situated terminating at its outer side in a spout or hopper L,
and having attached to its upper side a vent or chimney M, as more
particularly shown at Figures 1 and 3, whilst at the lower end of the
said cylindric tube A another box or chamber N is situated, terminating
at its lower side in a spout O and having a short branch pipe g formed
at its outer side, to which is jointed a pipe h with its opposite end con-
nected to a blower P. Near the lower end of the shaft D a worm wheel i
is fixed and geared into a worm k, fixed upon a shaft 7, carried by
bearings m, formed on brackets n, fixed to and projecting upwards from
the top of the wall box F, as more particularly shown at Figures 1 and 4.
Upon one end of the shaft a pulley o is fixed, round which and another
and corresponding pulley p a belt or strap q is passed, the said pulley p
being fixed upon the shaft r of the blower P, and upon the same shaft r
another and similar pulley & is also fixed for the purpose of driving or
transmitting a rotary motion to the whole of the working parts of the
apparatus. Immediately behind the spout or hopper La 'megass'
carrier or elevator R is situated, and being of the well-known endless
chain type it is unnecessary to give a detailed description thereof.
"
"
"
Having now particularly detailed the constructive features of our
improved "megass drying apparatus, the manner in which it accom-
plishes the objects herein-before mentioned will be more clearly under-
stood as follows:- -The "megass," "bagassa," or "trash" which is
carried from the cane crushing mill by means of the elevator or carrier R,
is dropped therefrom into the spout or hopper L, and thence conducted
downwards through the box or chamber K into the elevated end of the
cylindric tube A, which is caused to revolve by means of the frictional
contact of the bands B with the pinions C, the said pinions C having a
rotary motion imparted to them, together with the shaft D from the
shaft through the intervention of the worm k and the worm wheel i,
the said motion being communicated to the shaft from the shaft r of
the blower P, by means of the belt or strap q passing round the pulleys
o and p. The "megass" in entering the elevated end of the cylinder A,

page_text: "
as already described, is caught by one of the blades or vanes a¹, and
carried round through a part of a revolution until arriving at a certain
height or point in the said revolution, and at which point the angularity
of the lifting blades is such that they can no longer retain the "megass,"
'bagassa," or "trash," from slipping off them; it therefore falls off,
and after it has fallen off any one of the blades or vanes a¹ it is again
caught by another of the blades or vanes a³, and conducted round in a
similar manner.
This operation is repeated by the whole of the blades
or vanes a¹ in succession, and whilst being subjected to this operation
the "
97 66
megass," bagassa," or "trash," is also exposed to the action of
a blast or current of air generated by means of the blower P, and trans-
mitted therefrom through the pipe into the interior of the cylinder A.
The
"megass," " bagassa," or 'trash," having had any moisture
remaining in it extracted by exposure to the blast or current of air
already described, at last arrives at the lower end of the cylindric tube A,
and issuing therefrom enters the box or chamber N, thence it falls
through the spout o into trucks T or other receptacles, to be finally
disposed of in any way that may be desired.
66
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the
system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used
or practically carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion that
what we consider novel and original, and therefore claim as the Inven-
tion secured to us by the hercin-before in part recited Letters Patent
is, the employment of a revolving cylindric tube placed at an incline
and provided with lifting blades or vanes and through which a blast
of air is either drawn or forced for the purpose of drying
66 megass,"
bagassa," or "trash," substantially as herein-before described and shown
upon the appended Sheet of Drawings.
<
In witness whereof, we, the said James Buchanan Mirrlees and
William Renny Watson, have hereunto set our hands and seals,
this First day of December One thousand eight hundred and
correnter
JAMES BUCHANAN MIRRLEES. (L.S.)
WILLIAM RENNY WATSON.
(L.S.)
JAMES BUCHANAN MIRRLEES. (L.S.)
WILLIAM RENNY WATSON.
(L.S.)