IMPROVEMENTS IN SUGAR-CANE MILLS
Year: 1884

page_text: We, ALEXANDER JAMES STRUTHERS and JOHN FRAME, both of the firm of
Struthers & Company, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, Colonial Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SUGAR-CANE MILLS," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement.
In sugar cane mills of ordinary form, the bed or base of the machine and the
side frames or cheeks on which the rolls are carried, are cast in a piece or in heavy
and bulky pieces which do not readily permit of transport in sugar-growing
districts, where suitable means of conveyance are not usually available. The object
of our Invention is to improve the construction of sugar-cane mills by forming the
parts which bear the heavier strains, of strong but light movable straps or blocks
of steel or wrought-iron to replace the cast-iron cheeks and to permit of being
readily handled and disconnected for transport.
The accompanying Drawings represent several modifications of sugar-cane mills
constructed in accordance with our Invention. Figure 1 is a side elevation of a
mill having three crushing rolls. Figure 2 represents in side elevation a three-roll
mill differing mainly from that shown in Figure 1 as regards the form of the bed
or supporting frame. Figure 3 is a side elevation of a four-roll mill, and Figures 4
and 5 are respectively a side elevation and an end elevation of a five-roll mill of
our improved construction. In the various Figures the same reference letters are
employed to represent like parts, with the object of avoiding repetition in
description.
Referring to Figure 1, the bed A consists of a strong casting, along the upper
sides of which are formed strong webs a, to which are bolted on each side a pair of
light cheek plates B, to support the weight of the rolls C¹C. To these cheek
plates are secured the straps or blocks which carry the rolls, the journals c c¹ of the
upper roll and of one of the lower rolls being carried in bushes da fitted in
straps E of wrought-iron or steel, secured to the cheek plates B by pins or bolts e
passing through a strong eye in each cheek plate, while the journals c³ of the other
roll Care carried in bushes d² fitted in blocks E¹ similarly secured by pins or
bolts el to the cheek-plates. The straps or blocks E E' are movable on the pins or

page_text: .
T'he
bolts e el to admit of adjustment of the rolls in relation to each other.
rolls C C¹ are secured in contact with each other by means of caps F fitting over
the top bushes d of the roll journal c, the caps F being fitted over screws f, formed
on the upper ends of the straps E, and being secured by strong nuts f¹.fl. The
other roll C is secured in a position nearly in contact with the upper roll C, by
means of strong links or bolts G, jointed at the upper end by pins 9. passing through
snugs g¹ formed on the straps E, and passing also through the side cheeks B, the
lower end of the links G being passed through eyes in the blocks E' and secured
by nuts f beyond. By the arrangements described the grip between each pair of
rolls may be adjusted by screwing and unscrewing the nuts fl or f2. The inclined
carrier H, over which the sugar-cane is fed in to the rolls CC, is supported on the
bearing block E', and the begass or trash carrier I, to which the crushed cane is
delivered from the rolls C C₁, is secured to the side cheeks B or the link E in any
convenient way.
The usual "dumb returner" J is fitted below the roll C to lead
the partly crushed cane from the pair of rolls C O to the pair CC, which give the
final pressure to the cane. The juice from the crushed cane falls into a tray formed
in the bed A and is led off in the ordinary way.
The construction of the mill illustrated in Figure 2 is generally similar to that
shown in Figure 1, excepting that the bed A is formed to support the rolls without
the use of cheek plates, the straps E, which carries the rolls CC being fitted to
rest in a recess in the bed, and the bush of the roll C³ being fitted in the bed
instead of in a movable block.
In the four-roll mill shown in Figure 3, the rolls are carried in pairs CC¹
and C2 C3 by straps E and E¹ similar to the straps E shown in Figures 1 and 2.
The required grip between the rolls C¹ C is obtained by means of links or bolts G
jointed to the straps E and passing through the straps E¹, nuts f' being screwed on
the ends of the links to tighten up the rolls to the required degree. The
construction of the bed and cheek plates in this case is similar to that shown in
Figure 1.
In Figures 4 and 5 a five-roll mill is shown, in which the journals of the central
roll C are carried in bushes on blocks K cast on the bed A, and the pairs of
rolls C C and C³ C' are held together by straps E E¹ similar in construction to
those already described. The straps E E¹ carrying the side pairs of rolls are
retained in place by links or tie-bolts G G secured by joint pins g g to the cheek
plates B at g¹ the degree of pressure exerted on the cane passing between the
central roll and the upper rolls C¹ C³, being adjusted by the screw nuts f³. The
A toothed
gearing by means of which the rolls are driven, is shown in Figure 5.
wheel L on the central roll shaft c, gears into toothed wheels L₁ on the shafts c¹ c³
of the two upper rolls, and the two lower side rolls C C+ are driven from the
upper roll shafts by toothed wheels L L³ fitted at the opposite ends of the shafts.
To impart greater lateral stability to the cheek plates B a solid web cast on the
bed may be carried up between them clear of the roll journals, or the cheek plates
may be made in the form of a hollow casting and bolted down to the bed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is,-
First. The combination of parts forming the improved sugar-cane mills herein
described and illustrated.
Second. In sugar-cane mills, the combination with the bed of the cheek-plates
and the straps or blocks of wrought-iron or steel adapted to carry the rolls
substantially as described and illustrated.
Third. In sugar-cane mills, the means herein described of carrying and securing
the rolls by straps of wrought-iron or steel embracing the journals of the rolls and
by tie-bolts adapted to adjust the pressure on the rolls substantially as described
and illustrated.

page_text: Fourth. In sugar-cane mills of the kind herein described, the construction of the
wrought-iron or steel straps carrying and securing the rolls substantially as
described and illustrated.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.