IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH THE PREPARATION AND TREATMENT OF SACCHARate of LIME, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1877

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
AND CONNECTED WITH THE PREPARATION AND TREATMENT OF SACCHARate of
LIME, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." A communication from
abroad by Henry Armand Joseph Manoury, of Paris, in the Republic of
France.
Sealed the 18th December 1877, and dated the 18th October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th October 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH THE PREPARATION AND
TREATMENT OF SACCHARATE OF LIME, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
A communication from abroad by Henry Armand Joseph Manoury, of Paris, in the
Republic of France.
This Invention relates partly to the preparation of a dry granular tri-basic sac-
charate of lime by the admixture and trituration in apparatus constructed in the
manner herein-after described of molasses and of lime in powder, which have
previously been subjected to the following preparatory processes:-The molasses to
be employed in the operation are evaporated in a pan to, say about 42° Beaumé, for
ordinary molasses, and to, say about 38° Beaumé, if the syrups of the first running
are employed, the degree of concentration varying according to the quantity of
sugar contained in the molasses. A quantity of soda crystals, or carbonate of soda,
or other alkaline carbonate, in the proportion of, say, from about 5 to 10 per cent.
of the molasses is then added in the same pan with the object of precipitating the
salts of lime contained in the molasses. The quantity of soda crystals, or their
equivalent, to be added will therefore vary according to the quantity of salts of lime
contained in the molasses. The molasses prepared in this manner are afterwards
cooled previously to their being employed in the operation of manufacturing granular
saccharate.
The anhydrous lime taken from the kiln is plunged into water so as to impregnate

page_text: the pieces, which are afterwards placed in a heap; under the action of water and
heat, the lime swells, and finally falls to powder, in which condition it is
employed.
The lime prepared as herein-before described, and brought into intimate contact
with the molasses, which have been subjected to the preparatory process herein-
before describes, forms a combination which hardens instantaneously, it is therefore
necessary in order to divide it to employ a very powerful apparatus.
The apparatus which it is preferred to use for effecting the admixture and tritu-
ration is composed of a hollow cast-iron drum, which is placed horizontally on a
base cast in one with it, and is provided at its upper part with a man-hole for the
facility of charging the apparatus. The two ends or heads of the drum are secured
to it by means of bolts, and at the lower part of one of the ends there is provided a
discharging door. Through the centre of the drum, in a longitudinal direction,
passes a shaft, which is supported at one end in one head of the drum, and at the
opposite end in a bracket cast in one with the other head, the latter being provided
with a stuffing box through which the shaft passes, this end of the shaft carries the
driving gear, which may consist of pulleys or toothed wheels. That part of the
shaft which is contained within the drum is by preference made of a square form,
and carries five or any other suitable number of bent arms, the extremities of which
are bevelled off. Four or other suitable number of counter arms, also of curved
form, are attached to the sides of the drum, such arms being so placed as to pass
between the arms keyed upon the shaft.
In order to make the saccharate of lime, a suitable quantity of molasses or of
powdered line is introduced through the man-hole into the drum.
The apparatus
is then started, the shaft of the mixer being caused to revolve at a velocity of, say
from 90 to 100 revolutions per minute. After the lapse of, say, half a minute, the
discharging door is opened, and a few more revolutions being then made the appa-
ratus discharges the whole of its contents into a receptacle placed underneath the
mixing apparatus, whence they may subsequently be removed to be taken to the
macerators.
The saccharate of lime obtained is in the form of granules or small grains, in which
condition it is well adapted to undergo the process of maceration or lixiviation,
since, as the granules are formed with lime, which is not completely slaked when
they are submitted to maceration, the lime-absorbing water causes the granules to
crack and allow the alcoholic liquid to penetrate to the centre, whereby the salts of
potash and of soda are dissolved without effecting the salts of lime, which are not
readily dissolved in dilute alcohol, the organic matter is also dissolved, it being very
susceptible of solution in this liquid.
In order to
The apparatus which it is preferred to employ for effecting the maceration or
lixiviation by dilute alcohol is composed of a large closed cylinder having a false
bottom formed in several pieces, which are supported on one side by angle irons
fixed to the cylinder and carried completely round it, and rest at the other side
upon a Tiron, which divides the cylinder in the centre, and the ends of which are
secured by means of angle irons to the angle iron before mentioned.
The pieces
forming the false bottom are made sufficiently narrow to admit of their being intro-
duced through a man-hole with which the cylinder is provided; they are formed of
sheet iron, perforated with holes, and covered with wire gauze.
strengthen these parts of the false bottom sufficiently they are fixed upon other
angle irons, and the joints are covered by slips of metal secured to those parts of the
false bottom which are opposite the angle irons. Two perforated steam pipes are
provided, one situate above and the other below the false bottom. An orifice is
formed in the bottom of the cylinder, to which is fitted a distributing box having
four flanged pipes, which serve to admit the steam, to admit alcohol, and for the
exit of the alcohol charged with impurities, and of the liquid saccharate.
A spy
hole is provided at the upper part of the cylinder for the facility of observing the
height of the liquid and the condition of the froth during the distillation of the
alcohol with which the saccharate is impregnated after each operation. The cylinder

page_text: is surmounted with a dome having a man-hole, and also a pipe which forms a
passage for the alcoholic vapors during the distillation.
Assuming that a number of macerators similar to the one herein-before described
are connected together the operation is proceeded with in the following manner :-
The lower man-hole being closed, and the upper one open, the valve in one of the
lower pipes is opened for admitting alcohol, which is allowed to enter in sufficient
quantity to completely cover the saccharate, which is introduced through the upper
man-hole. The mixture of alcohol and saccharate is allowed to digest during some
hours, the valve on another of the lower pipes is then opened, which affords a
passage for the alcohol charged with the impurities of the saccharate, the impure
alcohol which escapes is replaced by fresh alcohol, which is introduced into the
macerating cylinder through a cock placed at the upper part. When the quantity
admitted is considered sufficient this cock is closed, and the impurities are allowed
to continue to flow off until the apparatus is completely drained. That portion of
the alcohol which flows off last being only slightly charged with impurities may be
raised by pumps or other suitable apparatus, and re-utilized for the maceration in the
next apparatus in the series.
When the apparatus is completely drained a steam induction valve, with which
another of the lower pipes is fitted, is closed, the said valve being in communication
with perforated pipes, which supply steam above and below the false bottom. A
valve, with which the pipe of the dome is provided, is likewiso opened in order to
admit of the escape of the alcoholic vapours, which are subsequently conducted to
and condensed in a tubular apparatus provided for effecting the condensation of the
alcoholic vapours proceeding from the whole series of macerators.
When the liquid flowing off from the condenser marks O in the indicator of the
apparatus, the supply of steam is cut off, and a large cock placed above, and the lower
part of which is on a level with the false bottom is opened, a valve, with which the
fourth of the lower pipes is fitted, is also opened, and the saccharate which has been
liquified then flows into a monte-jus, which conducts it to the carbonizing apparatus.
The sweet juice which results is evaporated and boiled by the ordinary means, or
the purified saccharate may be utilized in sugar-making by adding it to beet-root
juice as a substitute for milk of lime, and it then undergoes the series of operations
to which beet-root juice is subjected.

page_text: 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 16th
April 1878.
"1
,,
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH THE PREPARATION AND
TREATMENT OF SACCHARATE OF LIME, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
(A communication from abroad by Henry Armand Joseph Manoury, of Paris, in the
Republic of France).
The processes heretofore employed for the preparation and treatment of saccha-
rates with a view to the extraction of the sugar contained in molasses, are very
complicated, and their use is attended with many inconveniences; for example, in
the case of those processes in which saccharate is obtained in a pasty condition great
difficulty is experienced in the dessication of the saccharates, whilst in the processes
in which anhydrous lime is employed in a pulverised condition in order to effect its
mixture with the molasses, the saccharate obtained is extremely hard, and requires
to be crushed in very powerful machines, the erection of which involves a con-
siderable outlay of capital.
Now the said Invention relates to an improved process, which is both simple and
inexpensive, and is capable of being carried out in a small space so as to admit of its
adoption in all sugar factories where it is desired to introduce the process of macera-
tion with dilute alcohol. The improved process consists partly in the preparation
of a dry granular tri-basic saccharate of lime by the admixture and trituration in
apparatus constructed in the manner herein-after described of molasses and of lime
in powder, which have have previously been subjected to the preparatory processes
also hercin-after described.
And in order that the 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 a longitudinal section of the
apparatus for effecting the admixture and trituration; Figure 2 is a transverse
section, and Figure 3 a plan of the same, both corresponding to Figure 1.
Figure 4 represents a sectional elevation of the apparatus for effecting the mace-
ration or lixiviation of the saccharate of lime.
The molasses to be employed in the operation are evaporated in a pan to 42°
Beaume for ordinary molasses, and 38° Beaume, if the syrups of the first running
are employed, the degree of concentration varying according to the quantity of sugar
contained in the molasses. When the molasses have been evaporated to the required
degree a quantity of soda crystals (carbonate of soda) or other alkaline carbonate,
in the proportion of, say, from 5 to 10 per cent. of the molasses, is then added in
the same pan, with the object of precipitating the salts of lime contained in the
molasses, the quantity of soda crystals, or their equivalent, to be added will therefore
vary according to the quantity of salts of lime contained in the molasses.
molasses prepared in this manner are afterwards cooled previously to their being
employed in the operation of manufacturing granular saccharate.
The
The lime employed with the molasses for the production of saccharate of lime is
prepared by taking anhydrous lime from the kiln and immersing the same in water
so as to impregnate the pieces, and afterwards placing them in a heap; when under
the action of water and heat the lime swells, and finally falls to powder, in which
condition it is employed.
The lime prepared as hercin-before described, and brought into intimate contact
with the molasses which have been subjected to the preparatory process herein-

page_text: before described, forms a combination which hardens instantaneously; it is therefore
necessary, in order to divide it, to employ a very powerful apparatus.
The apparatus which it is preferred to use for effecting the admixture and tritu-
ration is illustrated by Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying Drawings. It is
composed of a hollow cast-iron drum A, placed horizontally on a base B, cast in one
with it, the drum being provided at its upper part with a man-hole C for the
facility of charging the apparatus. The two ends or heads D, D¹, of the drum are
secured to it by means of bolts, and at the lower part of one of the ends D there is
provided a discharging door E. Through the centre of the drum passes a shaft F,
which is supported at one end in the head D of the drum, and at the opposite end
on a support or bracket G, cast in one with the head D', the latter being provided
with a stuffing box, in which the shaft works; this end of the shaft carries the
driving gear, which may consist of pulleys H, H', as shewn, or of toothed wheels.
That part of the shaft F which is contained within the drum is made by preference
of a square form, and carries five bent cast-iron arms I, the extremities of which are
bevelled off. Four counter arms J, also of curved form, are attached to the sides of
the drum, being so placed as to pass between the arms keyed upon the shaft F. It
will be obvious that the number of arms employed may be varied as required.
In order to make the saccharate of lime, molasses and lime are taken in the
proportion of, say, about three hundredweight of molasses, to from two hundred-
weight to two and a quarter hundredweight of powered lime, more or less, according
to its purity, which must be ascertained by experiment, and the molasses and lime
are each introduced in the proper proportions through the man-hole G into the
drum A. The apparatus is then set in motion, the shaft F being caused to revolve
at a velocity of say from 90 to 100 revolutions per minute, and after the lapse of,
say, about half a minute, the discharging door E is opened, and a few more revolu-
tions being then made, the apparatus discharges the whole of its contents into a
receptacle placed underneath the mixing apparatus, whence they may subsequently
be removed to be taken to the macerators.
The saccharate of lime is obtained in the form of granules or small grains, the
smallest being about one twenty-fifth of an inch in thickness, in which condition
the saccharate of lime is well adapted to undergo the process of maceration or
lixiviation, since as the granules are formed with lime which is not completely
slaked, it results that when they are submitted to maceration the lime-absorbing
water causes the granules to crack and allow the alcoholic liquid to penetrate to the
centre, whereby the salts of potash and of soda are dissolved without affecting the
salts of lime, which are not readily dissolved, in dilute alcohol, the organic matter is
also dissolved, it being very susceptible of solution in this liquid.
The apparatus which it is preferred to employ for effecting the maceration or
lixiviation by dilute alcohol is illustrated by Figure 4 of the Drawings. It is
composed of a large closed cylinder a, having a false bottom b, formed in. several
pieces b', which are partly supported by an angle iron c, fixed to the cylinder a,
and carried completely round it, and partly by a T iron d, carried across the
cylinder in the centre, and attached at each end by angle irons to the angle iron c.
The pieces b' forming the false bottom are sufficiently narrow to admit of their
being introduced through a man-hole e in the side of the cylinder; they are formed
of sheet iron, perforated with holes about inch in diameter, and upon them is
laid wire gauze, the meshes of which are, say about ½ inch in diameter. In order
to strengthen these parts of the false bottom sufficiently they are also supported
by angle irons e¹, and the joints are covered by slips of metal el secured to those
parts of the false bottom which are opposite the angle irons. Two perforated
steam pipes f, f', are provided, one situate above and the other below the false
bottom. An orifice is also formed in the bottom of the cylinders, to which is
fitted a distributing box g, provided with four flanged pipes h, i, j, k, which serve
to admit the steam and alcohol, and for the exit of the alcohol charged with
impurities, and of the liquid saccharate.

page_text: A Бру hole is provided at the upper part of the cylinder for the facility of
observing the height of the liquid and the condition of the froth during the
distillation of the alcohol with which the saccharate is impregnated after cach
operation.
The macerating cylinder is surmounted with a dome m, having a man-hole n,
and also a large pipe o, which forms a passage for the alcoholic vapours during the
distillation.
Assuming that a number of macerators similar to the one herein-before described,
are connected together, the operation is proceeded with in the following mannner :-
The lower man-hole e being closed and the upper one n open, the corresponding
valve in the tube j is opened for admitting alcohol, which is allowed to enter in
sufficient quantity to completely cover the saccharate which is introduced through
the man-hole n. The mixture of alcohol and saccharate is allowed to digest during
some hours; the valve on the pipe i is then opened, which affords a passage for the
alcohol charged with the impurities of the saccharate. The impure alcohol which
escapes is replaced by fresh alcohol, which is introduced into the macerating
cylinder through a cock placed at the upper part not shewn in the Drawing. When
the quantity admitted is considered sufficient this cock is closed, and the impurities
are allowed to continue to flow off until the apparatus is completely drained. That
portion of the alcohol which flows off last being only slightly charged with
impurities may be raised by pumps or other suitable apparatus and re-utilised
for the maceration in the next apparatus in the series so as to perform the washing
operation in a methodical manner.
When the apparatus is completely drained a steam induction valve in the pipe k,
which is in communication with the perforated pipes f, f¹, for the supply of steam
above and below the false bottom b is opened, and a valve in the large pipe o of the
dome m is also opened in order to admit of the escape of the alcoholic vapors, which
are subsequently conducted to and condensed in a tubular apparatus provided for
effecting the condensation of the alcoholic vapours proceeding from the whole series
of macerators.
When the liquid flowing from the condenser marks O in the indicator of the
apparatus, the supply of steam is cut off, and a large cock (not shewn in the
Drawing) situate above, and the lower part of which is on a level with the
false bottom b is opened, as well as a valve in the pipe h. The saccharate which
has been liquified then flows into a monte-jus which conducts it to the carbonizing
apparatus. The sweet juice which results is evaporated and boiled by the ordinary
means, or the purified saccharate may be utilized in sugar-making by adding it to
beet-root juice as a substitute for milk of lime, and it then undergoes the series of
operations to which beet-root juice is subjected.
The macerating apparatus, herein-before described, may be applied to the treat-
ment of saccharate of lime obtained by processes other than that which forms in
part the subject matter of the said Invention.
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,--
First. The method herein set forth of producing a dry and granular saccharate of
lime by the employment of slightly hydrated lime in powder and prepared molasses,
substantially as herein-before described.
Second. The precipitation of the salts of lime contained in the molasses by the
employment of carbonate of soda or other alkaline carbonate, substantially as herein-
before described.
Third. The apparatus for mixing, constructed and arranged so as to operate sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-before described.

page_text: Fourth. The system or mode of lixiviating or macerating saccharate of lime with
dilute alcohol in closed vessels, arranged substantially in the manner herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of April, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)