IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF BEET ROOT FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE PREPARATION OF OTHER VEGETABLES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gwynne, of Essex Wharf, Essex Street,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, and James
Egleson Anderson Gwynne, of the same place, Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF BEET ROOT
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE TO THE PREPARATION OF OTHER VEGETABLES,"
Sealed the 13th February 1854, and dated the 13th August 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gwynne and
James Egleson Anderson Gwynne at the Office of the Commis-
sioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 13th August 1853.
We, JOHN GWYNNE,, of Essex Wharf, Essex Street, Strand, in the 1¹³
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, and JAMES EGLESON ANDERSON Sp
GWYNNE, of the same place, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF BEET
ROOT FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE TO THE PREPARATION OF OTHER VEGETABLES," to be as,
follows:-

page_text: other vegetables, and also of the preparation of the same for being
kept until required for use. The beet roots are first cut into small
pieces, and are then passed through a series of inclined cylinders,
formed of zinc or other suitable material, placed one above another;
these cylinders may be heated by any convenient arrangement, and are
formed with perforations in them, so as to allow the heat to act more
perfectly upon the roots. The roots are entered into the top cylinder
of the series, and fall from one to another until they emerge from the
bottom completely dried. The cylinders may also be fitted with ribs
at convenient intervals, which being caused to rotate will turn over
and agitate the roots as they pass through the cylinders. Another
mode of effecting this drying operation is by passing the cut roots over
an endless band contained in a case, heated by any convenient means,
such band being of any suitable material, and mounted on a series of
rollers one above another; such rollers being caused to revolve, and
the roots being fed in at the top will fall from one line of the band
to another, and so on through the series, thus perfecting the drying
operation in a manner and with an effect somewhat similar to that
first described. By similar arrangements to the above the roots may
be cooled by passing them through cylinders or over bands as above,
which, in place of being heated, are acted upon by cold air. When
the beet roots or other vegetables have been prepared by the processes
above described, they may be placed under strong compression so as
to solidify the mass, and save greatspace in their stowage until required
for use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Gwynne and James Egleson Anderson
Gwynne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th February
1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
JOHN GWYNNE and JAMES EGLESON ANDERSON GWYNNE, of Essex
Wharf, Essex Street, in the County of Middlesex, Gentlemen, send
greeting

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto us, the said John Gwynne and James Egleson
Anderson Gwynne, Her special licence that we, the said John Gwynne
and James Egleson Anderson Gwynne, our executors, admors, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said John Gwynne and James
Egleson Anderson Gwynne, our 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF BEET
ROOT FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO THE PREPARATION OF OTHER VEGETABLES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said John Gwynne and James
Egleson Anderson Gwynne, by an instrument 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 per-
formed, 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.
ALSO
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Gwynne and James
Egleson Anderson Gwynne, do hereby declare the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment, that is to say:
1. The nature, object, and intention of the said Invention consists
in a new mode of treatment of the vegetable root or substancedenomi-
nated the "beet root" in the known process of producing sugar
therefrom, by which such root or substance is more effectively pre-
served from fermentation, or other natural deterioration operating or
tending to impair its value in the manufacture of the saccharine

page_text: matter termed sugar, and thus furnishing the means of keeping the
root in store for lengthened periods of time in a healthy and fit state
for the subsequent stages of the processes of extraction of its juices for
such said purpose, and applying the same treatment to such other
vegetables or vegetable matter or substance as to which such mode of
treatment has not hitherto been applied.
2. The mode of operation by which we effect such preservation is by
the process of dessication of the root or substance, and the mecha-
nical arrangements by which we find it convenient in practice to
conduct such process of dessication in an effective manner we make in
manner following:.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS OF DESSICATION.
After the necessary external cleansing of the root by immersion
and washing in water, the excision of rough and irregular parts, or
the removal of the outer surface by scraping, brushing, or other suit-
able operation, we reduce the whole quantity of the material so pre-
pared into small and uniform pieces; and this we perform, first, by the
operation of an ordinary root slicing or cutting machine, producing
transverse slices of the root; and, next, we take the slices, and cross cut
them vertically through their thickness into small portions of square,
circular, or hexagonal form, and so producing either cubical portions
of the root, cylinders or hexagonal prisms of such diameter and height
as that each respectively shall be of solidity equal to the cubical por-
tions of from half an inch to two inches side, or any other suitable
size. We adopt these forms, and such general dimensions as afore-
said, for thegreater facility thereby afforded to the free motion amongst
themselves of the said portions, and the easier passage of the whole
mass when passing through the dessicating process, and the apparatus
or machines herein-after described. In practice we occasionally find it
necessary to vary the dimensions of the pieces into which the roots are
to be cut, by a small quantity, greater or less, according to the natural
succulency or moisture of the root; and in like manner we occasionally
vary the dimensions or the geometrical figure of the excised portion to
suit the same circumstances.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRYING MACHINE.
The mechanical arrangements we use for drying the roots consist of
two machines, shewn respectively in the Drawings No. 1, and 2, dif-
fering in some degree from each other in construction, but founded on
the same general principle of operation, viz., the exposure of the roots
when reduced into small portions to the evaporative action of heated
air, steam, or heated fluids, by passing the collected mass of the roois
so reduced through such increased temperature with a progressive
motion, having its rate of advance so regulated in its speed as to suit
the condition of moisture of the roots to be dried by making the period
of exposure of the mass sufficient to effect the required evaporisation at
the temperature provided by the heated air, &c. The Drawing No.
shews in the Figure 1, an external side elevation of the machine; and
in the Figure 2, a vertical transverse section of the same, exhibiting its
internal construction and arrangement. In the Figure 1, A, A, A,
shews the external casing of the machine; and B, and C, respectively
a steam cock, or a hot water or other fluid feed pipe, and its cock for
the admission of the steam by which the interior of the machine is
heated. D, D, D, D, D, D, D, are driving pullies, one of which is set
on the extremity of rollers; and connected pairs of them give progres-
sive motion to as many travelling and endless webs or aprons, which,
with the rollers to which they are affixed, are seen in the Figure 2,
at D, D, repeated; the pullies D, being driven by the band E, E,
(Figure 1,) off the driving wheel G. The application of the heating
steam, &c. to the interior of the machine is shewn more fully and in
detail in the transverse vertical section, Figure 2. In the Figure 2,
A, A, A, A, is the outer case or mounting of the machine, which
incloses or is lined with a metal steam-tight vessel, in which the
material to be dessicated is arranged, and is made to move in and
circulate through the heated air occupying such steam-tight case or
vessel. B, and C, are respectively the steam feed pipe and its cock.
S, S, S, S, S, shew the course of the admitted steam between the outer
steam case already described and an inner metal case placed within it,
leaving an intermediate open separating space; and such inner space
Sp

page_text: forms the chamber in which the material is circulated, and the process
of dessication takes place. D, (repeated from 1 to 14 inclusive) are
cylindrical rollers arranged in separate pairshorizontally, and each pair
carrying and giving motion to an endless or travelling apron or web,
on which the material to be operated on is spread, and is circulated
through the heated air. The steam space being thus formed between
the two metal cases or vessels, as above described, steam is admitted by
the steam pipe B, and the pairs of cylinders, each with its travelling
apron, put into action by the driving band E, E, shewn in the Figure 1.
The material prepared as herein-before described is supplied to the
machine by the hopper I, I. X, shews the material in mass; and 2,
(repeated from a¹, to ", inclusive) shews it as carried progressively
forward from the upper side of each apron or web to the next following
one in succession until it arrives at the lowest web of the series ",",
where it leaves the web and the heated steam case, and then falls
through an aperture of exit U, upon the commencement of a second
series of cylindrical rollers and circulating webs VV, VV, VV, VV,ar-
ranged in a second and subsidiarycase Z, Z, which is entirely separated
from the before-mentioned case A, A, A, A, and is not heated, but is
intended to act only asa refrigerative chamber for cooling the material
previously heated for the purpose of dessication, as herein-before de-
scribed; to aid such refrigerative process a continuous stream of cold
atmospheric air or other fluid passes into therefrigerative chamber, and
circulates through it. For such cooling the process commences at the
point Y, of the Figure 2, in the Drawing; and the dried material is
progressively advanced through thecooling chamber by the action of the
cylindrical rollers V,(repeated from 1, to8, inclusive) on the circulating
webs y¹, (also repeated from 1, to 8, inclusive), until on its arrival at
the extremity y³, of the lowest web of the series on the return of the
web over the last or eighth roller V, the material falls at y', and pass-
ing into a discharging spout Q, it leaves the machine at a lowered
temperature at y. At the upper end of theheating chamber A, A, A,A,
an exit pipe H, lets off the waste steam, and at the lower part in any
convenient point of the chamber any condensed water is discharged
that may be produced in the heating chamber. The motion of the

page_text: rollers and their webs in the refrigerative chamber is given off the sp
same driving wheel that actuates the band E, E, belonging to the
rollers D, and their webs of the heated air chamber. In the Figure 1,
the driving band for the refrigerative chamber is marked K, K. The
pullies of the rollers are in this Figure marked J, (repeated from 1, to4,
inclusive.) In other respects the corresponding parts of the Figures
1, and 2, are respectively marked with the same letters of reference as
far as such parts can be seen in both the Figures. The described end-
less aprons or webs we make of canvass or any suitable textile fabric,
or of wire cloth, or any combination of any such materials that present
the requisite properties of flexibility of texture combined with the
necessary tenacity of surface. This arrangement and mode of working
we find suitable and efficient in cases where the scale of operation is of
moderate extent. We have another arrangement and construction of
machinery which we adopt for the treatment of the beet root, &c. by
dessication in cases where the scale of operation is more extensive. The
quantities of the material to be treated are larger, or the required rate
of production of the material in a finished state is more rapid than is
required by the smaller scale of operation. Such arrangement and
construction is shewn in the Drawing No. 2, in the Figure respectively
marked No. 1, Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4, and Figure 5.
Figure 1, represents a longitudinal vertical section through a building
in which the machinery is fitted and operates. Figure 2, represents a
transverse vertical section of the same. Figure 3, represents a view
of the same as far as the different parts can be shewn in a view taken
in horizontal plan. Figure 4, represents a longitudinal section of
the drying cylinders of the machinery; and Figure 5, shews a cross
section of the constructive principle of arrangement. In the Figure 1,
A, A, A, A, A, mark the outer and supporting walls in longitudinal
vertical section of the building we dominate the drying house, in
which the dessicating machinery is arranged and fitted. B',B², C¹,C³,
D', D, and E, are hollow cylinders of sheet metal, open at their ends,
and perforated through the whole of their curved surfaces with open
apertures generally of from about half an inch to two inches in
diameter. Or otherwise we construct such cylinders of metal wire
The

page_text: · cloth, using wire of thickness suited to form square meshes of about
inch side, or we lay such wire in lengths parallel to the axis of the
cylinder, leaving spaces or intervals between them of about one quarter
of an inch, and crossed or supported at suitable distances by rings of
wire, thus forming a cylindrical wire cage, the supporting strength of
which is determined by the density, moisture, and general character of
the material under operation. These open cylinders are mounted con-
nectly in pairs, and act together in such combination, and each of
such pairs, beginning with the uppermost in the arrangement, operate
on and with each next following pair below them. This action will be
more distinctly explained by further reference to the Figures 4, and 5,
which are longitudinal and cross sectional views of a single pair of
such cylinders; these Figures reading into or having reference to the
Figure 1, which is a general view of the entire arrangement of the
cylinders. In the Figure 1, C, C, and C, C, mark the framing at each
extremity of the cylinders, and in which they are suspended and work.
a, a, a, a, mark an,outer or side building in which the feeding of the
machine with the raw material in its cut but undried state is delivered
to the working cylinders, and the motion is produced by which those
cylinders operate on the material so furnished, asshewn by the course of
the band b,b,b, and as transferred by 61,61,61,61, to bevil gear at c, c,
which being geared into the axis of the working cylinder C 2, drives
by g, and h, the cylinder D 1, placed next below it, and the latter
by the wheel G, set on the opposite extremity of its axis in like
manner by its action on K,drives thenext following lower cylinder D2,
and this by g, and %, drives the lowest cylinder L. It will be seen that
the axis of each pair of the working cylinders (the uper and the lower)
are respectively marked G, and K, at one of their extremities, and g,
and, at the other. From the higher extremity K, of the cylinder C2
it will be seen that the wheel K, is a driving wheel through G, to the
cylinder C1; and that the cylinder C1, by the wheel, on its axis, being
thusin action,drives the cylinder B2, by its wheel g; and again that the
cylinder B 2, by the wheel K, on its axis drives the upper cylinder B 1,
of that pair by its gearing with the wheel G, on its axis. In this
arrangement the office and action of such cylinders so placed and so

page_text: connected is as follows: From-the drum wheel 61 a band dl, dl,
drives a second drum f, and this carries the circulating belt m, m, m,
over an upper drum n; the belt m, m, m, carries buckets o, o, o, o, &c.
through its. entire length; and when the belt is set in motion the
buckets. 0, 0, 0, 0, &c. are filled in succession as they present them-
selves at the lower part of the belt at f, with the prepared material by
a delivering spout P; and when by the circulation of the belt they suc-
cessively.arrive.at its upper limit at n, they discharge their contents by
the delivering spout Q, into the upper cylinder B 1, whence, after
being carried through each cylinder in succession by their rotatory,
motion on their axes, and their inclined positions, each cylinder suc-
cessively discharges itself into the next following one by the delivering
spouts g 1,. (repeated to g 6.) The material thus forwarded through
the machine, when it is delivered to the lower cylinder E, it passes
through it, and is discharged into the channel M, M, to feed a second
series of buckets 7, (repeated through the series), which circulating
over the drums R, R, in the manner of the circulation of the
buckets o, o, (repeated,) before described, over the drums f, and n.
This second series of buckets conveys the material which is already
dessicated by the operation of the cylinder B 1, &c. (repeated to E), the
heated air requisite for that purpose being supplied by the fire place at
0, 01. The second series of buckets r, r, conveys the dessicated
material to a second series of cylinders S 1, (repeated to S 7,) where it
is progressively advanced from the upper cylinder to the lower by
delivery spouts t, one from each upper cylinder at its lower extremity
to the upper extremity of the lower cylinder of that pair, and so
forward until it arrives at the lower extremity of the lowest cylinder of
the series (S 7), where it finally leaves the machine by the delivery
spout W, and is removeable thence in any convenient manner, as indi-
cated in the Figure at W.1. The intention and operation of this second
series.of cylinders is to reduce the temperature and gradually cool the
material as it descends from the upper cylinders of the series to the
lower. The chamber or division of the building in which the cooling
is effected is that which we have already designated the refrigerative
chamber in the description of the arrangementand construction shewn
in the Drawing No. 1. In the Figure 1, of the Drawing No. 2, the re-

page_text: frigerativechamber is supplied with cold atmospheric air for the purpose
of its action by any apertures or openings that may be found most con-
venient for its rapid admission and due circulation, as at X, shewn in
the Drawing. The rotatory motion of these cylinders on their axes is
given by means of rollers which are set on the outer extremity T 1,
(repeated to T 7,) of each of such axes of those cylinders, and the
rollers are actuated by an endless strap v, v, which is arranged upon
them alternately in front of and behind each roller, or crossed as regards
each of them and its next following roller, in order to produce the
required alternate change of direction in their rotation. The final
delivery or discharge of the prepared material at the close of the
dessicating and refrigerative operation is made by a spout or
other convenient outlet W, and is removable thence by manual
labor as at W 1, in the Drawing, or in any manner best suited to the
scale of the operation. The Figure 2, of the Drawing No. 2, represents
a vertical transverse section of the building above described, as taken
through the line C, D, of the view in planorhorizontal section, Figure 3.
The several parts shewn in the Figure 2, are rospectively marked with
the same letters of reference that marked the same in the Figure 1, as
far as such parts can be shewn in both those Figures. This view
shews the end views of the cylinders, their arrangement in pairs, and
their action on each other, the bevil gearinge, by which such action is
produced, and the drum 61, 61, from which they are driven; 01, 0,
the fire place, and y, y, the width of the heated chamber. The Figure 4,
shews a longitudinal section of one pair of the cylinders, as shewn in the
Figure 1, and Figure 2, the several parts in this Figure being marked
respectively with the same letters of reference that mark the corre-
spondent parts in the Figures 1, and 2, as far as such parts can be
shewn in both those Figures. In the Figure 4, M answers or
corresponds with the spout q 1, of the upper cylinder B1; and N,
answers or corresponds with the spout q 2, of the lower cylinder B 2.
e, e, e, e, shewn in the cylinders B 1, and B2, are wings or beaters
projecting into the interior of each cylinder, by the action of which on
the rotatory motion of the cylinders thematerialsare stirred and turned
over repeatedly in order to prevent adhesion and clogging of its parts,
and by exposing fresh surfaces of the pieces into which it is divided to

page_text: facilitate its dessication. In the Figure 5, the references read with s
those of the Figure 4.
In compliance with the rules and instructions issued by Her Majesty's
Law Officers to be observed (Rule 13), we now introduce a copy of the
Provisional Specification, as allowed by the Law Officer, that is to say:
Copy of Provisional Specification of the Invention of Messrs. John
"
"
"
"
"
"
and James Egleson Anderson Gwynne for "Improvements in
the Manufacture of Sugar, which Improvements are also appli
cable to the Preparation of other Vegetables."
"This Invention relates to the process of drying the beet roots or other
vegetables, and also of the prepartion of the same for being kept
until required for use. The beet roots are first cut into small pieces,
and are then passed through a series of inclined cylinders formed of
zinc or other suitable material placed one above another. These
cylinders may be heated by any convenient arrangement, and are
formed with perforations in them so as to allow the heat to act more
'perfectly upon the roots. The roots are entered into the top cylinder
of the series, and fall from one to another until they emerge from the
'bottom completely dried. The cylinders may also be fitted with ribs
at convenient intervals, which, being caused to rotate, will turn over
and agitate the roots as they pass through the cylinders. Another
'mode of effecting this drying operation is by passing the cut roots
over an endless band contained in a case heated by any convenient
'means, such band being of any suitable material, and mounted on a
series of rollers one above another, such rollers being caused to
"revolve; and the roots being fed in at the top will fall from one line
of the band to another, and so on through the series; thus perfecting
the drying operation in a manner and with an effect somewhat
similar to that first described. By similar arrangements to the above
"the roots may be cooled by passing them through cylinders or over
bands as above, which, in place of being heated, are acted upon by
"cold air. When the beet roots or other vegetables have been pre-
pared by the processes above described they may be placed under
compression so as to solidify the mass, and save space in their stowage
until required for use."
CE
"
66

page_text: Having thus described the natureand intention of our said Invention,
and the manner in which, in general practice, we prefer to organize
and carry. the same into effect, we desire to have. it understood that
although we have herein set forth particular. examples of express
organizations in shewing and describing the same, and arrangements,
more or less in detail, of the machinery and apparatus used and applied
by us in carrying out our said Invention; yet we say that. we present
-the same in this our Specification, rather as a mode of elucidating the
principle of construction, and as giving some positive mode of organiza-
tion for such principle of construction, (in accordance with the requisi-
tion to that effect in the grant of our said Letters-Patent,). than as
.exclusively and strictly confining ourselves to or giving them as the
only definite and positive mode of construction in which our said
Invention can be carried out; but that we claim-them generally in the
manner as they are herein stated, in as far as at present they are not
in known & public use, but not confining ourselves to the minute
precision of such organisation, such combination, or such definite and
fixed applications, provided that, and so far as the peculiar character of
any or either part of our said-Invention, as well as the entirety thereof
in itsgeneral principle of construction, application, and use, be retained,
or, put in practice, under any minor change of form and configuration,
any transposition of parts or any modification thereof whatsoever.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Gwynne and James
Egleson Anderson Gwynne, have hereunto set our hands and
seals, this Thirteenth day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four.
JOHN GWYNNE.
(L.S.)
JAMES E. A. GWYNNE. (L.S.)
Witness, JOHN WALLER DUNCAN.