Year: 1855

page_text: LONDON:
PRINTED BY GEORGE E. EYRE AND WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE,
PRINTERS TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY:
PUBLISHED AT THE GREAT SEAL PATENT OFFICE,
25, SOUTHAMPTON BUILDINGS, HOLBORN.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Kerr, of No. 41, Coleman Street, in the City
of London, Architect and Surveyor, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING LOAF SUGAR FOR USE, AND CERTAIN APPARATUS
FOR THE SAME."
Sealed the 10th August 1855, and dated the 12th February 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Kerr at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th February 1855.
I, ROBERT KERR, of No. 41, Coleman Street, in the City of London,
Architect and Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING LOAF SUGAR FOR USE, AND CERTAIN AFPA-
RATUS FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
The present system of preparing solid or loaf sugar for use being to break
up the loaves by a chopping knife into morsels of suitable size, these being
necessarily irregular and unequal: My said Invention consists generally in
the preparation of such sugar in morsels which shall be necessarily regular
and equal, thus presenting the article in a form which is more elegant in
appearance and more economical in use; also in the application of saws in a
series for such purpose, and for facility and expedition generally.
The saws are adjusted at any intervals desired, and the loaves of sugar are

page_text: subjected to their operation in several directions successively; thus being cut
first into slabs, secondly into sticks, and thirdly into morsels. But as the
usual conical form of sugar loaves presents certain disadvantages, a further
improvement consists in casting them of a rectangular form, or nearly so,
whereby increased facility of operation is obtained, and also the absence of
irregular outside morsels. In this case I employ several series of circular or
other saws playing in a trough or frame, through which the loaves are forced
so as to be cut in the several required directions successively.
I also prepare the sugar in several standard sizes of morsels by adjusting
the saws accordingly, and in certain cases I cut the loaves only once into
cakes, or twice into sticks, or more than three times for certain ornamental forms.
But I do not confine myself to the precise details above mentioned, so long
as the general principles of my said Invention are adhered to.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Kerr in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th August 1855..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
KERR, of No. 41, Coleman Street, in the City of London, Architect and
Surveyor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Robert Kerr, Her special licence that I, the said Robert
Kerr, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Robert Kerr, my 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 Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CER-
TAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING LOAF SUGAR FOR USE, AND CERTAIN APPARATUS
FOR THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert
Kerr, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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

page_text: Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Kerr, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The present manner of preparing refined or loaf sugar for use being to break
up the loaves by a chopping knife into unsystematic, irregular, and unequal
morsels of suitable size for use: My improvements consist in dividing it into
systematic, regular, and equal morsels by means of saws and stamps, and
otherwise, as follows:-I provide a series of straight saws, operating in the
ordinary manner, parallel to each other side by side at inch, or any other re-
quired intervals; I subject a loaf of sugar to these, and it is cut, first, into slices
or slabs; secondly, crosswise into squared sticks; and, thirdly, crosswise into
cubical morsels, there being thus ensured (except in outside pieces) a systematic,
equal, and regular division to any size which may be desired. The sugar may
be subjected three times to one series of saws, or several series may be employed
working in the several directions, or a series may be fixed in a frame and used
by hand. Circular saws may be employed if accurately fixed, and a good deal
set, and provided the increased amount of sawdust be not regarded; otherwise
I provide a series of small circular saws, about 6 or 8 inches in diameter, on
one spindle, and fixed at the intervals above mentioned, projecting above a
table to cut one morsel deep, cut the loaf once with these, and a second
time (or this with a second similar series) crosswise, then subject it to a single
larger saw to cut off the slice of morsels thus produced, the saws being worked
by ordinary machinery; otherwise I cast or saw the sugar into slabs one
morsel thick, and subject these to pressure between reticulated edged metal
stamps or gratings, which cut and crack the slab on both sides to correspond.
I make one grating sharper edged than the other to carry the morsels back
with it, to be pushed off in receding by means of pins fixed behind it; or I
divide the slabs by such means first into sticks, and these again into morsels;
or I take cast or sawn sticks and divide by such means at once; or I take
cast or sawn slabs or sticks, and divide by the ordinary fixed chopping knife, with
a stop fixed beyond to regulate the size cut off. Moreover, I cast the loaves
of a rectangular form for the above purposes (although this is not essential);
or I cast the sugar in slabs, or in sticks; or in morsels at once. Furthermore
by sawing as above, I produce a novel description of sugar in the dust, which
is equivalent to pounded or ground sugar. Also, to remove dust from the
sawn or cut surface I employ a gentle application of steam for a moment.

page_text: But I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
details above described so long as the general principles are adhered to.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Kerr, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.