IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF SACCHARINE MATTER FROM VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES.
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carl Daniel Ekman of Bergvik Sweden but now of
57 Old Broad Street City of London William Bancroft Espeut of Jamaica
but now of 14 Southwick Street Oxford Street and George Fry of 57 Old
Dad C
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Daniel Ekman,
William Bancroft Espeut, and George Fry at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents on the 23rd December 1882.
CARL DANIEL EKMAN of Bergvik Sweden but now of 57 Old Broad Street
City of London WILLIAM BANCROFT ESPEUT of Jamaica but now of 14 Southwick
Street Oxford Street and GEORGE FRY of 57 Old Broad Street aforesaid―
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF SACCHARINE MATTER FROM VEGETABLE
SUBSTANCES.
The object of this invention is the extraction of sugar cane and from other
vegetable substances containing saccharine matter a larger percentage of sugar,
than is obtained by the methods commonly practised, accompanied by less than
the usual amount of impurity
A method of carrying into effect this invention when applied to fresh sugar
canes is as follows:
The canes (prepared in the usual way for manufacture) are cut into such pieces
that they may be properly penetrated by the liquid in the boiling operation
hereafter to be described or they may be crushed, broken, or otherwise mechanically
treated to effect the same object.
In this state they are placed in a boiler or vessel constructed of or lined with
lead or other metal or substance capable of resisting the action of the boiling
solution and of the chemicals employed.
This vessel or boiler must be so constructed as to be capable of being heated in a
gradual and suitable manner (such as for example by means of a steam jacket); of
sufficient strength to resist the pressure required for the operation; and of a form
convenient for filling and discharging.

page_text: The canes (prepared as described) are placed in this vessel or boiler (with as
little delay and exposure to the atmosphere as possible) and it is filled with them
to such an extent that they may be covered by the boiling liquid and yet that the
steam space may be left. The boiling liquid (of a composition hereafter described)
is then run in so as to cover the canes. The boiler or vessel is then made tight in
the usual way and the temperature is gradually raised until the pressure exceeds
that of the atmosphere. The pressure during and the duration of the boiling
operation must depend much upon the character and nature of the canes or other
vegetable substances treated and other considerations hereafter referred to.
The solution employed in the boiling operation consists of water containing
sulphurous acid and magnesia or other suitable base.
When our object has been to extract crystallizable sugar we have obtained good
results by using one equivalent of sulphurous acid and one equivalent of magnesia
and boiling at a pressure of about 15 lbs to the square inch
But when the quality of the sugar is not so material, solutions containing a
relatively larger proportion of sulphurous acid and pressure exceeding that above
named may be used. Acid sulphites and high temperatures, however, have a
tendency to invert and to destroy the sugar.
A solution containing more base than the quantity sufficient to form one
equivalent to the sulphurous acid may in some cases be used with success, but, as a
rule, we prefer the proportions which form the normal sulphito
The strength of solution which we have used with success is one containing
about one half to one per cent of the weight of the canes of normal sulphite of
magnesia; but it will be understood that we do not confine ourselves to this
proportion.
In treating a raw material regard must be had to its character and condition. If
a substance is hard and compact it will require higher pressure to effect the same
amount of disintegration and consequent perfect extraction of its saccharine
constituents in a given time; and given the same chemicals and pressure the
duration of the boiling will have an effect in obtaining more complete extraction.
But on the other hand it must be borne in mind that high temperature acid
solutions and long boiling have both separately and jointly a tendency to invert
and (carried to extremes) to destroy sugar. In operating therefore some judgment
must be exercised in order to obtain the best results
After the completion of the boiling process the liquid may be separated from the
solid or pulpy matter by mechanical or other means. The liquid will be found to
contain (if the operation has been properly performed) nearly the whole of the
saccharine matter contained in the raw material and it may be treated in any
suitable manner to obtain the sugar in a crystallized form, or, if the operation has
been so performed that the sugar is more or less inverted, it may be utilized by
fermentation and distillation or by other suitable means.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Carl Daniel Ekman, William Bancroft Espeut, and George Fry
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st June 1883.
CARL DANIEL EKMAN of Bergvik Sweden but now of 57 Old Broad Street in the
City of London WILLIAM BANCROFT ESPEUT of Jamaica but now of 14 Southwick
Street Oxford Street and GEORGE FRY of 57 Old Broad Street aforesaid
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EXTRACTION OF SACCHARINE MATTER FROM VEGETABLE
SUBSTANCES
The object of this Invention is to extract from sugar cane and other vegetable
substances a larger proportion of the saccharine matter which they contain than is
obtained by the methods commonly practised and also to avoid (as much as
possible) the inversion or degradation of crystallizable sugar during the process of
extraction and subsequent manufacture
The Invention consists in boiling the raw material under steam pressure in a
solution containing sulphurous acid and a base or alkali
A method of carrying into effect this invention when applied to fresh sugar
canes is as follows. The canes previously freed from the parts of the plants which
it may be advisable to reject (on account of the small percentage of sugar which
they contain) are cut into slices from about one quarter to one half of an inch in
thickness in order that they may be thoroughly permeated by the liquid during
the boiling operation hereafter to be described or they may be crushed broken or
otherwise treated to effect the same object.
In this state they are placed in a boiler or vessel constructed of or lined with
lend or other metal alloy or substance capable of resisting the action of the boiling
solution and of the chemicals employed
This vessel or boiler must be so constructed as to be capable of being heated in
a gradual and suitable manner (such as for example by means of a steam jacket)
and must be of sufficient strength to resist the pressure necessary for the operation
as well as of a form convenient for filling and discharging
The pieces of cane (prepared as described) are placed in this vessel or boiler
(with as little delay and exposure to the atmosphere as possible) and it is filled
with them to such an extent that when they are covered with the boiling solution
a steam space still remains. The chemical Agent employed consists of sulphurous
acid and magnesia in the proportions which form a salt containing one equivalent
of acid and one equivalent of base commonly called the normal or mono-sulphite.
This salt may either be dissolved or suspended in water and this liquid used for
filling the boiler or the salt may be thrown on or mixed with the pieces of cane
and then water used for filling the boiler. In some cases it may be advisable to
treat the pieces of cane with the sulphite in the form of a solution or other con-
venient form immediately that the canes are cut as such treatment will aid their
better preservation previous to their introduction into the boiler.
The quantity of sulphite of magnesia which we have found most advantageous
in treating say ordinary sugar cane is about one per cent of the weight of cane
treated but in certain cases where the condition or quality of the cane may render
it advisable the proportion may be increased or diminished.
Sufficient liquid having been introduced into the boiler to insure the pieces of
cane being covered therewith during the subsequent boiling the boiler is closed in
the usual way and the temperature is gradually raised until a pressure of about
fifteen pounds to the square inch is produced.
This pressure is maintained for about two hours. The contents of the boiler

page_text: may then be discharged and the fluid separated from the solid matter by any
suitable means such as pressure or percolation.
If the operation has been properly performed the fluid will be found to contain
a very large proportion of the saccharine matter contained in the cane.
The bulk of the sulphite of magnesia will be removed when the saccharine
solution is treated with lime according to the usual practice and the solution may
then be utilized in the ordinary or other suitable manner to obtain the sugar in a
crystallized form or alcohol may be obtained from it by fermentation and
distillation
When our object has been to extract crystallizable sugar we have obtained the
best results by the use of the normal sulphite of magnesia under the conditions
described but when the inversion of the sugar is unimportant solutions containing
a relatively larger proportion of sulphurous acid and pressure exceeding that above
named may be used
Solutions containing more base than the quantity equivalent to the sulphurous
acid present may also in some cases be used with success (for instance when the
juice of the cane or plant treated is acid).
The base which we have found most advantageous is magnesia but other suitable
bases such as soda and potash may also be used.
In treating a raw material regard must be had to its character and condition.
If a substance be hard and compact it will require higher pressure to effect the
same amount of disintegration and consequent amount of extraction of its saccharine
constituents in a given time and with the samne chemicals and pressure the duration
of the boiling will have an effect in promoting more complete extraction under
similar conditions acid sulphites have also a tendency to disintegrate plants more
rapidly than normal sulphites. But on the other hand it must be borne in mind
that high temperatures acid solutions and long boiling have both separately and
jointly a tendency to invert and (carried to extremes) to destroy sugar. In
operating therefore some judgment must be exercised in order to obtain the best
results. Although we have described the particular base the quantity and
proportions of chemicals and the amount and duration of pressure. with which we
have obtained the best results it will be understood that these conditions may as
we have indicated be varied as in practice may be found requisite but what we
claim as our Invention is
The Manufacture of sugar from vegetable substances by boiling under pressure
with a solution containing sulphurous acid and a base or alkali substantially as
described.
In witness whereof I the said George Fry have hereunto set my hand and
seal the twentyfirst day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand
sight hundred and eighty three
Witness
E. W. THOMAS.
57 Old Broad Street, London.
Clerk.
GEO. FRY. (LS.)