A New or Improved Process and Apparatus for the Treatment and Purification of Raw Sugar and its Conversion into Blocks or Ingots.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Process and Apparatus for the Treatment and
Purification of Raw Sugar and its Conversion into Blocks or
Ingots.
CHARLES MAURICE LAFONTAINE of Suffolk House in the City of London;
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a new or improved process and apparatus for the treatment
and purification of raw sugar and its conversion into blocks or ingots.
Heretofore, attempts have been made io avoid by various means the costly
clarifying and sawing operations resorted to in the manufacture of refined sugar,
by forming according to various methods blocks, ingots or plates of sugar as á
substitute for loaves.
These different methods which as regards commercial yield or production were
improvements on the old method were carried out by following as in the manu-
facture of sugar loaves all the stages of the refining process that is to say by
remelting the sugar, boiling the syrup, subjecting the mass to the action of the
centrifugal and consolidating the sugar by means of syrups.
These methods which are all based on the same principle are however advan-
tageous insofar that by their aid either plates of any suitable size may be formed,
or ingots which are subsequently sawn or broken may be produced.
For the same reasons as above set forth these methods are expensive, while the
loss caused by breaking the sugar into pieces still further increases the cost
thereof, moreover, these plates or ingots are nearly always friable and wanting in
toughness, as testified by their low specific gravity due to a too hurried clarifying
operation, so that the loss occuring when the sugar is sawn or broken into pieces
becomes still greater.
My invention has for its object to remedy all the above defects and to obtain a
maximum yield in broken sugar ready to be sold in commerce.
My invention comprises two distinct operations: the first being the preparation
of the sugar and the second the consolidation or solidification thereof by means of
my improved apparatus which is the chief feature of my invention and will be
hereinafter fully described.
In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I have annexed to
this description a sheet of illustrative drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a general elevation showing the various parts of my improved
apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a section on line A B showing the mould engaged within its guiding
grooves.
Fig. 3 is a section of the mould showing its division.
Fig. 4 shows one of the movable partitions of the mould together with its fixing
means.
Fig. 5 shows the bottom of the mould with the grooves wherein the movable
partitions are fixed.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the figures.
The first operation consists in preparing the raw sugar crystals in such a manner
as to impart thereto the required properties to allow them to become forthwith
consolidated under a given pressure.
I proceed in the following manner that is to say: I take the raw sugar crystals
such as obtained by known means in sugar mills and as white as possible, and I
place them in an ordinary closed centrifugal apparatus or turbine which is subse-
quently set in motion, by means of an expanding steam jet passing through a

page_text: The
suitable pipe arranged below the turbine, I introduce steam which is regulated by
a stopcock or valve fixed upon the steam pipe near the starting point.
introduction of steam in the turbine has for its object to free the crystals from any
excess of molass or green syrup which they may still retain and to thoroughly
purify them; furthermore to form by means of moisture and of heat a kind of
maleable pellicle produced by the crystals, so that they may be thoroughly enclosed
thereby, the crystals being subsequently amalgamated together under pressure so
as to form a solid and dense mass.
For this purpose, after the saccharine mass has been treated for 15 minutes in
the turbine under the action of steam, I remove the lid from the turbine which
continues to rotate and by means of a pulverizer having preferably the form of a
rose and placed in the centre of the upper part of the turbine I inject in the mass
about three per cent. of a solution consisting of 5 per cent. in weight of syrup and
one half per cent. of tragacanth gum dissolved in the syrup.
This solution may merely contain water and tragacanth gum alone in the
proportions given above and may be used either hot or cold. I let the turbine
rotate three or four minutes after the introduction of the solution to allow the
latter to thoroughly permeate the saccharine layer surrounding the turbine walls,
when I stop the latter. The crystals are now in the required conditions as to
temperature and moisture and are sufficiently malleable to be subjected to a
predetermined pressure which consolidates them to a specific gravity corresponding
o that obtained for the masses of all kind produced by the most perfect clarifying
operations. In that state the crystals are conveyed directly to my apparatus in
order to form therewith either plates or ingots which are subsequently divided in
the manner hereinafter set forth.
This operation enables me obviously to prepare crystals proceeding directly from
the boiled saccharine mass of sugar mills as well as those proceeding from the
boiled saccharine mass of refineries; the advantage as regards the first mentioned
mass being that I thus dispense with a second melting operation, with filtering,
with the boiling required for clarifying and refining the raw sugar.
I use directly the first boiled mass of sugar mills which I consolidate in the
manner hereinafter set forth. may also resort to the first stages of refining
according to the crystals and the sugar I wish to obtain.
As above explained the crystals being in the required conditions to be con-
solidated after having been treated in the turbine in the manner described are
conveyed directly to a hopper forming part of the apparatus.
My improved consolidating apparatus comprises two distinct parts 1. The
apparatus proper containing the feeding hopper, the feeding and driving mechanism
and the compressing piston; 2. The movable moulds designed to receive the charge
of crystals which have to be consolidated under a determined and mathematical
pressure. This pressure should not be too strong nor yet to weak as in the first
case the moisture contained in the mass of crystals would cause the same to become
glossy owing to the excess of specific gravity obtained, while in the second case,
the pressure being insufficient the plates or ingots formed with the mass would be
friable and soft. The required pressure which I prefer is about five hundred
kilos. per square centimetre, but it is obvious that this pressure may be varied
according to the thickness of the mass requiring to be consolidated. The crystals
coutain about from 2 to 3 per cent. of moisture and from 12 to 15 degrees
centigrade of heat namely that the crystals must contain always the above
temperature but according to the sugar under treatement I may increase or
decrease the moisture and the heat.
The apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings has only one piston, but
I may have two or three pistons arranged parallely in the same plane without
interfering with the position of its parts.
My improved apparatus consists of a cast iron framework a connected on one
side by suitable tie rods. Upon the upper part of the framework is fixed a grooved
guide (Figs. 1 and 2) wherein the moulds c can slide. To reduce friction,

page_text: anti-friction balls d d upon which the moulds slide, are placed at the upper and
lower part of the grooved guides.
The apparatus is driven by the pulley e keyed upon the shaft e¹ carrying like-
wise a toothed wheel gearing with a pinion fixed upon the shaft and
meshing with another pinion g mounted on the shaft g; the pinion g gearing with
the toothed wheel keyed on the shaft h. This differential gearing is fixed in
front between the two sides of the framework. Upon the shaft is keyed a
toothed wheel gearing with a pinion fixed upon the shaft j' which rests upon a
plummer block bolted upon the front, side of the framework a.
The pinion
gears with a second toothed wheel & fixed upon the shaft k. The spur wheels
and mesh also at their upper parts with a rack secured by its base to the side
of each mould c as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. m is a hopper furnished at its
lower end with three mixing rollers m' actuated by a chain with the aid of a
pinion n mounted on one of the extremities of the shaft f
One end of the shaft g carries, outside the framework, an excentric disc o
provided with a connecting rod o' upon which is jointed a pawl 02 bearing upon a
ratchet wheel p fixed upon one extremity of the shaft outside the framework a.
Upon the shaft is keyed an excentric moving in a frame q' formed integrally
with a connecting rod secured at its upper end to a shaft q carrying a sleeve
and supporting the compressor which slides within guides fixed to the
framework a.
A number of moulds c are placed on the apparatus in the manner shown in
Fig. 2 they consist of four distinct parts connected together viz.: 1. The bottom a
(Fig. 5) comprising two racks lone at each end, the grooves s s formed on the
four sides of the bottom and the circular grooves t t wherein the anti-friction
balls d d are placed (Fig. 2); 2. The movable partitions or plates u Fig. 4 provided
at their two extremities with two grooves u¹ u in which enter the two transverse
partitions acting conjointly and held at their lower ends by an iron rod which
enters a groove formed in the two side partitions. The partitions are fixed at
their upper end by a hook jointed to each transverse partition in order to be lowered
upon each lateral partition, so that the four partitions are fixed upon the bottom ..
3. The bottom a provided according to requirements with copper partitions al
corresponding to the number of the ingots required. 4. A zinc casing or lining
inserted in each mould to facilitate the working thereof and divided by grooves
between which each partition moves so that when a pressure has been exerted
upon the crystals contained in the mould, the casings supporting the ingots thus
formed can be readily removed. These casings enable me moreover to readily
convey the ingots to the drying oven or stove and as according to the arrangement
of the grooves the ingots are separated from one another, the moisture still contained
therein can easily evaporate so that the drying of the ingots may be effected in two
hours in a drying oven heated to a temperature of 50 C.
The moulds receive a charge of about 2 kilos. of crystallized sugar; their
dimensions however may vary according to requirements.
զ
The apparatus arranged in the manner above described enables the piston r to
receive with the aid of the differential gearing, of the disc g' of the excentric
and of the connecting rods and o', a speed of fifteen strokes per minute, that
is to say that during the space of one minute 15 loaded moulds are subjected to
the required pressure, the yield of the machine being accordingly as follows:
15 moulds containing 2 kilos. each produce every minute 37 kilos. that is to say
2250 kilos. of lump sugar per hour or 45,000 kilos. per day of 20 hours.
As above stated, may according to requirements double or treble the yield of
my apparatus without altering the differential gearing, by merely increasing the
width of the framework so that it may carry two or three series of moulds, the
shaft q carrying two or three compressing pistons actuated by the same connecting
rods and excentrics.
. My improved apparatus operates as follows: The pulley e drives the shaft e¹.

page_text: in the direction indicated by the arrows yy, this shaft imparting a rotary motion
to the toothed wheel e in the direction indicated by the arrow y and hence to the
pinion in the direction indicated by the arrow y², and to the pinion in the
direction indicated by the arrow y. The pinion g gears with the wheel in
the direction indicated by the arrow. The pinion g, the excentric disc o and the
connecting rod o' move together with the shaft g', so that at each half revolution
of the disc o, the rod o¹ is moved either forward or backward.
When this rod moves forward the pawl o gears with one of the teeth of the
wheel p and impels the same onward in the direction indicated by the arrow 2.
The toothed wheel being fixed on the shaft i and moving conjointly with the
ratchet wheel p, turns in the same direction and propels the row of moulds the
length of one mould; being connected thereto by means of the rack arranged
underneath the bottom of each mould, so that when one mould is being filled under
the hopper, another is being subjected to the pressure of the piston as above stated.
Half the stroke of the excentric disc is calculated to correspond to the length of
the teeth of the ratchet wheel p which corresponds to the length of the stroke of
each mould, the latter being always on the same points.
In order to assist the motion of the moulds, I provide a second toothed wheel k
actuated by a pinion which causes it to rotate in the same direction as the
wheel and for the same purpose.
When the connecting rod o is in the position shown in the drawings that is to
say has caused the ratchet wheel to turn the length of a tooth, a mould is brought
below the compressing piston, when the rod of is drawn back to act upon the
tooth of the ratchet wheel p and stop the propulsion of the moulds while the
excentric accomplishes its downward stroke carrying with it the connecting
rod and the compressing piston which exerts a pressure on the mould.
When the excentric 7 has accomplished its motion the piston is withdrawn from
the mould while at the same time the excentric disc o brings the pawl o2 upon the
tooth of the wheel which is moved again onward together with the row of
moulds, this motion being alternate and continuous as clearly shown in the
accompanying drawings.
The feeding of the moulds is effected by the hopper m and the mixing rollers m
actuated by the pinion n, these mixing rollers having for their object to keep the
crystals in motion lest they should be heaped upon the bottom of the hopper and
become consolidated by gravity.
As a mould comes in front of the hook m* fixed at the end of the slide m² the
latter is moved forward with the moulds, so that an opening formed in the slide
and corresponding to the mould m³ arrives at the same time as the latter below
the hopper to allow the load of sugar to drop into the said mould; but when the
hook reaches the level of the inclined plane me whereon it ascends, the said
hook m is detached from the mould, the slide being quickly withdrawn by the
spiral spring m³ fixed to its extremity, so as to close the hopper. In its backward
motion the slide abuts against a wooden stop m', each mould pulling the slide
during its forward motion in order to obtain the necessary load of sugar.
The above motions are continuous, the hopper need only be filled with sugar
while from 10 to 12 moulds should always be working on the apparatus.
The moulds on the apparatus are connected together by a spring catch formed
of two parts u² one entering within the other when coupled as shown in Figs. 1
to 4.
When the moulds reach after compression the end of the apparatus they are
taken up by an attendant who detaches them by undoing the catch aforesaid
and withdraws the movable partitions, removing therefrom the casing or lining
upon which rest the ingots which are now taken to the drying oven. The mould
is then brushed, closed and placed again on the apparatus. Below the compressing
piston rare arranged grooves corresponding to the partitions which divide the
mould and enter the said grooves a distance of about two millimetres. The con-
necting rod 2 may be made of two screw threaded parts connected by a nut so

page_text: that the stroke of the compressing piston may be increased or decreased thus
increasing or decreasing the pressure exerted according to the density which has to
be imparted to the plates or ingots.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In an apparatus for consolidating or solidifying sugar or other similar material,
the feeding mechanism characterized by the differential gearing e f g h operating
conjointly with an excentric disc o and a ratchet wheel p connected together by a
connecting rod o¹ and a pawl o², substantially as herein described and shown.
2. In the feeding mechanism above described, the arrangement of the wheels
and connected by the pinion in combination with the racks of the moulds
actuated by the said wheels substantially as herein described and shown.
3. The combination of the feeding mechanism above claimed with the com-
pressing mechanism characterized by the excentric q, the connecting rod and
the compressing piston, the whole being set in motion by differential pinions
substantially as herein described and shown.
4. The arrangement of moulds characterized by detachable partitions connected
by means of grooves ss and rods v and fastened by separable spring catches fixed
to two opposite partitions, substantially as herein described and shown.
5. The arrangement of moulds sliding on anti-friction balls to reduce friction
substantially as herein described and shown in Fig. 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
6. My improved apparatus for consolidating and solidifying sugar or other
substance arranged, constructed and operating substantially as herein described
and shown and for the purpose set forth.
7. The improved process for treating and purifying raw sugar and for con-
verting the same into plates or ingots substantially as herein described and
illustrated.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1892.
CHARLES MAURICE LAFONTAINE.