IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF SUGAR."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Duncan, of Mincing Lane, in the City of London,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT
OF SUGAR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Duncan at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th August 1881.
JAMES DUNCAN, of Mincing Lane, in the City of London.
THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF SUGAR."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
This Invention relates to improvements in bleaching raw or colored sugar, and it
consists in the-employment of chlorine for that purpose.
In carrying out this Invention I place the sugar to be treated in a vessel of any
convenient shape, and cause chlorine gas to be passed in through or over the sugar
to be treated.
In order to remove any unpleasant odor from the sugar so treated, which may
be generated by the chlorine, I in the first place pass air through the mass of sugar
which has thus been treated, and I then add and incorporate with the sugar
alcohol in any convenient form. I have found rum to be very suitable for that
purpose.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Duncan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th February
1882.
JAMES DUNCAN, of Mincing Lane, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF SUGAR."
This Invention relates to improvements in bleaching raw or coloured sugar, and
it consists in the employment of chlorine for that purpose.
In carrying out this Invention I place the sugar to be treated in a vessel of any
convenient shape, and cause chlorine gas to be passed in through or over the sugar
to be treated.
In order to remove any unpleasant odour from the sugar so treated, which may
be generated by the chlorine, I in the first place pass air through the mass of
sugar which has thus been treated, and I then add and incorporate with the sugar
alcohol in any convenient form. I have found rum to be very suitable for that
purpose.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents_in longitudinal section, and
Figure 2 in transverse section, the form of apparatus I prefer to use for carrying
my Invention into effect. It consists of a cylinder A fitted with a door or man-
hole a for the introduction and removal of the sugar to be treated, the said cylinder
being mounted on two hollow shafts or trunnions capable of being turned in
bearings B, and communicating with the interior of the cylinder A. One of these
trunnions is provided with a pipe c provided with a cock through which chlorine
or air can be introduced into the cylinder through the hollow shaft which is
perforated at d, and there surrounded by a hollow casing e for receiving the gas or
air from the pipe c.
A pipe (provided with a cock) communicates with the cylinder A by a similar
hollow casing surrounding the perforated part of the other trunnion, through which
trunnion, casing, and pipe f, the air escapes from the cylinder A.
The mode of working is as follows:-The sugar to be treated is placed in the
cylinder A through the opening at a, which is then closed, and the said cylinder is
then caused to revolve, and chlorine gas is forced in through the pipe c and the
hollow trunnion, the cock on the pipe being kept open to allow the air displaced
by the gas to escape. After sufficient chlorine gas is introduced the cocks on both
the pipes cand fare closed, and the cylinder A is revolved for a time, which may
be more or less according to the quality of the sugar undergoing treatment. When
it is judged that the maximum effect has been produced by the chlorine gas, the
said cocks on the pipes c, f, are opened, and air is blown through the sugar in the
cylinder A, thus removing a greater part of the gas. A small quantity of alcohol
or products containing alcohol (rum by preference), is then blown in along with
the air, and the rotation of the cylinder is stopped, and the sugar removed there-
from. The spirit forms with the last trace of chlorine a compound of agreeable
odour.
In order to lift the sugar and turn it over to submit it the more thoroughly to
the treatment described, the cylinder A may be provided with lifters extending
there along, as indicated at g in Figure 2.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into

page_text: 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,--
First. The treatment of raw or of partially refined crystallized or powdered
sugar in the solid state with chlorine gas, substantially in the manner herein before
described.
Second. Effecting the removal from the before mentioned saccharine products of
any unpleasant odour due to any residual chlorine by firstly submitting them to
the action of atmospheric air, and then impregnating them with alcohol or products
containing alcohol in the manner hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Duncan, have to this my Specification
set my hand and scal, this Second day of January, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two.
JAMES DUNCAN. (L.S.)