IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF TREATING, FOR EVAPORATING AND CONCENTRATING PURPOSES, CANE JUICE AND SACCHARINE AND OTHER SOLUTIONS AND LIQUIDS, AND ALSO IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF CANE JUICE AND SACCHARINE AND OTHER SOLUTIONS, AND FOR THE EVAPORATION OF LIQUIDS
Year: 1865

page_text: .
LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Fryer, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Sugar Refiner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MODE OF TREATING, FOR EVAPORATING AND CONCENTRATING PURPOSES, CANE
JUICE AND SACCHARINE AND OTHER SOLUTIONS AND LIQUIDS, AND ALSO IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF CANE JUICE AND
SACCHARINE AND OTHER SOLUTIONS, AND FOR THE EVAPORATION OF LIQUIDS."
Sealed the 11th August 1865, and dated the 14th February 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Fryer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th February 1865.
I, ALFRED FRYER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Sugar Refiner,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MODE OF TREATING, FOR EVAPORATING AND CONCENTRATING PURPOSES, CANE JUICE
AND SACCHARINE AND OTHER SOLUTIONS AND LIQUIDS, AND ALSO IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF CANE JUICE AND SACCHABINE AND OTHER
SOLUTIONS, AND FOR THE EVAPORATION OF LIQUIDE," to be as follows:-
For the sake of clearness I will describe, first, my improvements in appa-
ratus for the concentration of cane juice and saccharine and other solutions,
and for the evaporation of liquids; and, second, my improved mode of treating
cane juice and saccharine and other solutions and liquids; also, for the sake
of clearness
will only refer to cane juice as the material treated, it being

page_text: understood that my apparatus and mode of treatment are applicable to the
concentration or evaporation of other more or less liquid bodies.
Over a furnace I set, at a slight incline, a shallow vessel, made for con-
venience in parts and joined together to form one vessel by channels projecting
outwards from the bottom end of one part or division and returning into the
top end of the next; also with transverse grooves or corrugations, and with
stop or baffle plates, forming channels, so as to cause the juice to traverse from
side to side in its progress from the top to the bottom end of the vessel. A
good proportion for this apparatus is to make its length about three and a half
times its width. I use also a revolving cylinder placed immediately over the
corrugated vessel and enclosed with a cover, so as to keep the vapour in
contact with the cylinder. The cover has a slit at the top to allow the uncon-
densed vapour to escape. This cylinder is provided with a central hollow
shaft on which a series of reticulated metal drums is fixed having discs of
varying sizes so placed as to prevent the air which is to be forced through the
cylinder from taking a direct line, and thus causing it in its progress through
the cylinder to impinge upon the reticulated metal drums and upon the inside
surface of the cylinder. At each end of the cylinder there is a flange pro-
jecting inwards which enables the cylinder to contain a certain quantity of
juice. At the exit end of the cylinder 1 fix to the hollow shaft a scoop or
scoops formed so as to take up, when required, the liquid from the end and
deliver into the hollow shaft, whence it is returned into the cylinder at the
entrance end. The cylinder is placed at a slight incline from the entrance to
the exit end; the amount of this incline can be varied at will by means of a
screw. Under the cylinder, and for its whole length, a tray is fixed for the
purpose of preventing the water condensed on the outside surface of the
cylinder from falling back into the shallow vessel. 1 drive heated air through
the inside of this cylinder, and for the purpose of economizing fuel use for
heating this air the waste heat of the furnace in manner well known; that is
to say, I pass the products of combustion on their way from the furnace to
the chimney through a number of pipes between which the air is forced
before entering the cylinder. The cylinder may be fixed in some other position
than that before mentioned and the vapour from the shallow corrugated vessel
conducted to it, but generally placing the cylinder directly over the shallow
vessel will be found the most economical plan.
In further carrying out my Invention I use another apparatus, which
consists of a trough into which concentrated juice is caused to flow. In this
trough a drum or cylinder is made to revolve slowly; this drum is heated on
the inside with steam or other heating medium, and has a knife or scraper

page_text: winch comes in contact with it; the whore is enclosed with a jacket or cover,
leaving a space through which hot air is forced.
My improved mode of treating cane juice is to cause the juice to flow first
in a shallow continuous stream into the shallow corrugated vessel herein-before
described; entering at the furnace end and traversing the vessel from side to
side, it descends continuously to the other end, where it flows off. By this
means the juice is exposed to the greatest heat when it is in the least con-
centrated state, and as it by degrees flows on in the channels and passes
further from the furnace end it becomes more concentrated, while at the same
time it is gradually exposed to a less degree of heat, and from the stream
being shallow and the flow and process being continuous, each portion of fluid
does not mix with that which precedes and follows it, and is subjected to the
heated surface for a very small portion of time. Thus when this apparatus is
used for concentrating cane juice, and other solutions liable to be injured by
great and continued heat, concentration is effected without mischief to the
substance operated upon. On flowing off from the shallow vessel the juice
passes through a sieve, where it is filtered, and is then pumped up into a tank
or reservoir, whence it flows in a small continuous stream into the cylinder,
in which it is kept a longer or shorter time, as required, eventually flowing
over at the further end, which is slightly depressed for that purpose. This
cylinder is heated partly by vapour from the shallow corrugated vessel and
partly by the heated air driven through it in a dispersed and constantly
changing current. The drums revolving with the hollow shaft take up thin
films of the solution; these films, together with the film upon the inside of
the revolving cylinder, are thus fully exposed to the action of the heated air,
the heat of which is so immediately reduced in temperature by the evaporation
it causes as to produce no prejudicial effect. When greater concentration is
desired than can be conveniently obtained whilst fresh liquor is constantly
supplied, the cylinder is charged and the supply stopped. In this case the
scoops fixed to the hollow shaft at the exit end of the cylinder are put in
action, lifting the juice and delivering it into the hollow shaft, through which
it runs and is transferred to the entrance end, and thus caused to circulate
from one end of the cylinder to the other; by this means the operation on
the whole mass is equalized. When I desire to transform the highly-concen-
trated juice into "concrete," that is, to dry or to nearly dry the concen-
trated juice, I cause it to flow into the trough in which the heated drum
revolves; as it slowly revolves it takes up a thin film of the concentrated juice,
which by the time it reaches the knife or scraper has, by contact with the
drum and by the action of the heated air driven through the apparatus

page_text: become dry. The knife is so arranged and fixed that the revolving of the
drum causes it to remove the concreted or dried sugar from the drum in a
thin sheet or film..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Fryer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
August 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I ALFRED
FRYER, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Sugar Refiner, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors. give and grant unto me,
the said Alfred Fryer, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred Fryer,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Alfred Fryer, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MODE OF TREATING, POR EVAPORATING AND CONCENTRATING PURPOSES,
CANE JUICE AND SACCHARINE AND OTHER SOLUTIONS AND LIQUIDS, AND ALSO IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF CANE JUICE AND SACCHARINE
AND OTHER SOLUTIONS, AND FOR THE EVAPORATION OF LIQUIDS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Fryer, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under, my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed; 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Fryer, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
For the sake of clearness I will describe, first, my improvements in appa-

page_text: ratus for the concentration of cane juice and saccharine and other solutions,
for the evaporation of liquids; and, second, my improved mode of treating
cane juice and saccharine and other solutions and liquids; and also for the
state of clearness I will only refer to cane or beet-root juice as the material
treated. it being understood that my apparatus and mode of treatment are
applicable to the concentration or evaporation of other more or less liquid
bodies.
.!
Over a furnace I set, at a slight incline, a shallow vessel made in parts and
joined together to form one vessel by channels projecting outwards from the
bottom of one part or division and returning into the top end of the next;
also with transverse grooves or corrugations. and with stop or baffle plates;
forming channels, so as to cause the juice to traverse from side to side in its
progress from the top to the bottom end of the vessel. A good proportion for
the apparatus is to make its length from about 3 to 6 times its width. I use
also a revolving cylinder placed immediately over the corrugated vessel and
enclosed with a cover, so as to keep the vapor evaporated from the juice in
the shallow vessel in contact with the cylinder. This cylinder is provided
with a central hollow shaft on which a series of reticulated metal drums is
fixed having discs of various sizes so placed as to prevent the air which is to
be forced or drawn through the cylinder from taking a direct line, and, thus
causing it in its progress through the cylinder to impinge upon the reticu-
lated metal drums and upon the inside surface of the cylinder; or I substitute
spiral blades for the metal drums. At each end of the cylinder there is a
concentric ring or flange projecting inwards which enables the cylinder to
contain a certain quantity of juice. The cylinder is placed at a slight incline
from the entrance to the exit end. Under the cylinder, and for its whole
length, guards are fixed for the purpose of preventing the water condensed on
the outside surface of the cylinder from falling back into the shallow vessel.
For the
I drive or draw heated air through the inside of this cylinder.
purpose of economizing fue! I use for heating this air the waste heat of the
furnace in manner well known; that is to say, I pass the products of.com-
bustion, on their way from the furnace to the chimney, through a number of
pipes between which the air is forced or drawn before entering the cylinder.
The cylinder may be fixed in some other. position to that before-mentioned,
and the vapor from the shallow corrugated vessel or trays conducted to it;
but generally placing the cylinder directly over the shallow vessel will be
found the most economical plan:
In further carrying out my Invention I sometimes use another apparatus,
which consists of a trough into which concentrated juice is caused to flow. In

page_text: this trough a drum or cylinder is made to revolve slowly; this drum is heated
on the inside with steam or other heating medium, and has a knife or scraper
which comes in contact with its external surface; the whole is enclosed with
à jacket or cover, leaving a space through which the hot air is forced or
drawn.
1
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal view, chiefly in
section, shewing my apparatus; Figure 2 is a cross section on the line A, A;
Figure 3 is a cross section on the line B. B; Figure 4 is a cross section on
the line C, C, all of Figure 1: Figure 5 is a plan shewing the connecting
channels between the trays; Figure 6 is a plan of one of the plates before
being formed into a spiral blade; Figure 7 is a plan of one of the trays on an
enlarged scale; Figure 8 is a section of one of the trays on the line E, E, of
Figure 7 and Figure 9 is a plan of plates placed on the brickwork and
supporting the trays.
A. A, are plates resting on brickwork: B. B, are the trays: C, C. cast-iron
brackets which carry the beams and cylinder herein-after described; D, D, is
the furnace constructed to burn coal. Where megass or other fuel is intended
to be used it must be modified to suit such fuel. d', d', is the flue.
The plates A, A, lie on the brickwork, are fastened to the brackets C, C,
and support the trays B. B, allowing them to expand and contract without
injuring the brickwork; they also bind and protect the brickwork, and by
their construction form channels a, a, for taking away the water arising from
the condensed steam in working. The plates are recessed on their inner
edge a, a, Figure 9, to receive projections cast on the bottom corners of the
trays. Each of the trays B has a series of curved corrugated channels b', b'.
Ribs b, b. extend from one side to near the opposite side, as shewn in the
Drawings, and make the channels continuous from one end to end of each tray.
An incline is made from one series of channels to the next, as shewn in the
sectional view, Figure 8. At the turns of the channels the corners are filled
up by a sloping corner piece b; saddle pieces b' are dropped over the ends of
the adjoining trays. The ends of these saddle pieces are sloped upwards to
support plates b fixed on the sides of the trays. The trays are connected to
form one continuous vessel by open elbow channels be, Figure 5. b' is a gauge
vessel through which the juice is introduced into the top end of the trays;
this vessel is made similar to one hereafter described in reference to 1³,
Figure 1. E, E, are beams fastened to the brackets C, C, and carrying the
cylinder F, made of copper or iron, which has for a central support a belt of
double-angle iron f fixed upon it; is a concentric ring, made as shown
and fastened on the inlet end of the cylinder; it serves to strengthen, support,

page_text: and drive the cylinder. The external periphery of the ring is a toothed
wheel; the central part of each tooth is cut away so as to leave two rows of
teeth f, f, and a plane intermediate portion, which portion rests upon two
antifriction rollers. e', while a toothed pinion works into the double row of
teeth and drives the cylinder; is a concentric ring fastened on the outlet
end of the cylinder; this ring rests upon two similar rollers e. The outlet
end of the cylinder has a flat delivery pipe fi, made wide and sloping out-
wards, so that each time it passes the bottom centre it will discharge a portion
of the contents of the cylinder. The cylinder is slightly inclined down-
wards the outlet end to assist the flow of the material thereto. 1, f, are
sets of spiral blades placed in the cylinder F, or instead of these blades
reticulated metal drums concentric with the cylinder, the lower edges of which
are immersed in the juice, may be used. Each of the sets of spiral blades is
composed of thin metal plates pierced with holes, as shewn in plan at Figure 6;
these vary in number from three upwards, are fixed at their inner ends to a
central tube, while by their spring-like action the outer ends press against
the cylinder; the tubes carrying the blades are fastened upon a shaft carried
by bearings, which are not shewn in the Drawings. In some cases when the
reticulated metal drums are used I fix to the hollow shaft carrying them, and
at the outlet end of the cylinder, a scoop or scoops formed so as to take up,
when required, the juice from that end and deliver it into the hollow shaft,
whence it is returned through an aperture in the hollow shaft into the cylinder
at the inlet end; in such case 1 place the cylinder on a level instead of
inclining it; or I make the diameter of the hollow shaft such that the inclina-
tion shall not prevent the juice running out of the end thereof at the inlet end
of the cylinder. The set with the smallest number of blades is fixed nearest
the inlet end, and the number of blades in each set is gradually increased
towards the outlet end. Stays are used for part of the extent of the blades to
keep them in their determined spiral form. e', el, es, es, and e³, e³, are rollers
for supporting the cylinder F; these rollers are fixed on spindles which run
in bearings carried on flanges cast on the beam E. g is a shaft driven by a
steam engine G or other prime mover and which through gearing com-
municates rotary motion to the cylinder F and drives the pump rod ; c', c',
are upper tie beams which support the covering c² of the cylinder, and beyond
the cylinder the covering c³ of so much of the trays as extend beyond the
cylinder; c are doors for allowing access to the trays; e is a flanged bracket
formed, as shewn in the Drawings, with flanges projecting from the beams E
for supporting guards or catch boards e. These boards are set under the
cylinder to catch the water condensed on the surface of the cylinder which

page_text: drops on to the channel e, along which it flows into the hollow beam E and
away through an outlet. H is a cistern for receiving the juice from the trays
B, B. The juice in falling into the cistern first passes through a vessel h¹
containing a saccharometer, so that its density is under constant inspection.
A pump stands in the cistern I worked by the pump rod g, and sends the
juice up to the cistern 1. The juice flows through the pipe into a gauge
vessel standing in a saucer . The gauge vessel has holes pierced in its
side commencing at any convenient point from the lower edge. The second
hole is pierced, say, half its diameter above the first in a diagonal direction.
The third and succeeding holes are pierced in the same manner, but for con-
venience they are pierced in groups of 5 or any convenient number. The
flow of the juice can be regulated by the tap to run through the desired
number of holes into the saucer it, then through the pipe into the cylinder
F. K is an air-heating apparatus formed of a casing containing a series of
tubes situated to give passage to the products of combustion from the
furnace after passing through the flue under the trays and before entering the
chimney ³. Air is admitted to circulate between and among the pipes, and
thus becomes heated before entering the cylinder F through the fixed pipe k².
I do not confine myself to the means just described for heating the air previous
to its admission into the cylinder, as other means may be adopted. k¹ is a
man-hole in the pipe ; L is an elbow pipe at the exit end of the cylinder F,
into which I introduce a steam jet for the purpose of creating a draft to
draw the heated air and vapours through the cylinder. When a steam jet is
objectionable use a fan, and either exhaust heated air from or force heated
air through the cylinder; b is a gutter for preventing any condensed water
running down the chimney from mixing with the concentrated juice.
My improved mode of treating cane or beet-root juice is to cause the juice
to flow first in a continuous stream into the shallow corrugated trays herein-
before described, entering at the furnace end, and along the channels of which
it travels until it reaches the outlet therefrom. By this means the juice is
exposed to the greatest heat when it is in the least concentrated state, and as
it by degrees flows on in the channels and passes further from the furnace
end it becomes more concentrated, while at the same time it is gradually
exposed to a less degree of heat, thus the juice is subjected to the heated
surface for a very small portion of time. Thus by this apparatus for concen-
trating cane or beet-root juice, or other solutions liable to be injured by great
and continued heat, concentration is effected without mischief to the substance
operated upon. On flowing off from the shallow trays the juice passes through
a seive and is then pumped up into a tank or reservoir, whence it flows through

page_text: he gauge vessel in a continuous stream into the cylinder F, from which it
ssues in a more or less concentrated state. When cool, the mass, if sufficiently
oncentrated, solidifies and assumes a non-crystalline homogeneous form, to
which I give the name of "Fryer's concrete." The cylinder and its contents
are heated partly by vapor from the shallow corrugated trays and partly by
he heated air driven or drawn through it in a dispersed and constantly-
changing current. The drums or spiral blades in revolving take up portions
of the juice: these portions. together with those upon the inside of the
revolving cylinder, are thus fully exposed to the action of the heated air, the
temperature of which is so immediately reduced by the evaporation it causes
When greater concentration is desired
as to produce no prejudicial effects.
than can be conveniently obtained whilst fresh juice is constantly supplied, or
when it is desired to obtain sugar in a crystalline form, I employ the reti-
culated drums instead of the spiral blades, when the cylinder is charged and
The scoops. on being
the supply stopped and regulated as may be desired.
put into action, lift the juice. and deliver it into the hollow shaft. through
which it runs and is transferred to the entrance end of the cylinder, and thus
caused to circulate from one end of the cylinder to the other; by this means
the operation on the whole mass is equalized. When I desire the saccharine
mass to be more highly concentrated than when it issues from the cylinder F,
I cause it, while in a sufficiently fluid state, to flow into a trough in which a
heated drum is made to revolve slowly.
Figure 10 is a transverse section of the drum and trough. A is the
revolving drum heated inside by steam; B is the trough in which the concen-
trated juice is placed; G is the casing round the drum into which heated air
is admitted through the pipe H; I is the outlet for the heated air and vapours;
K is a knife or scraper for removing the hardened concrete from the surface
of the drum.
In revolving the drum takes up a thin film of the concentrated juice, which,
by the time it reaches the knife or scraper has, by contact with the heated
drum and by the action of the heated air, become dry. On meeting the knife
it removes the concreted or dried sugar from the drum.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, treating cane juice and saccharine solutions and liquids in order to
obtain what I term "Fryer's concrete," or sugar in a non-crystalline homo-
geneous state, by exposing it or them to heat in shallow trays and then to
heat in a revolving cylinder, with or without the subsequent treatment upon

page_text: the outer surface of a revolving drum, all substantially in manner herein-
before described.
Second, treating solutions and liquids for evaporating and concentrating
purposes by exposing them to heat in shallow trays and then to heat in a
revolving cylinder, as herein-before described.
Third, treating cane juice and saccharine and other solutions and liquids
for evaporating and concentrating purposes by passing it or them through or
into a revolving cylinder heated from the inside, and through the inside of
which heated air is forced or driven.
Fourth, the machinery or apparatus for the concentration of cane juice and
saccharine and other solutions, and for the evaporation of liquids, consisting of
shallow trays in combination with revolving cylinders, all constructed and
acting substantially in manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Fryer, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of August, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-five.
ALFRED FRYER. (L.S.)