IMPROVEMENTS IN. CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES FOR EXTRACTING THE SYRUPS FROM SUGAR
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Corby, of Dunoon, in the County of Argyle,
North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN.
CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES FOR EXTRACTING THE SYRUPS FROM SUGAR,"
Sealed the 23rd May 1864, and dated the 11th December 1863.
the
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Corby at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
11th December 1863.
I, JOHN CORBY, of Dunoon, in the County of Argyle, North Britain,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES FOR EXTRACTING THE SYRUPS FROM SUGAR," to.
be as follows, that is to say:--
This Invention relates to various improvements in the construction and
arrangement of centrifugal machines used for the extraction of the syrups or
molasses from sugar, whereby the machine performs three various operations
in a most perfect and efficient manner.
In carrying out the first part of this Invention the usual amount of
multiplying gear, such as driving wheels, drums, wall brackets, supports, axles,
springs, and leather belts are entirely dispensed with, and the whole replaced.
by a single horizontal shaft imparting motion to the vertical spindle of the
drying cylinder through a pair of bevel friction wheels working in the lower,
portion of the framework.

page_text: Secondly, in enclosing the verticle axle of the receiver with its friction
pinion capable of being moved up and down in a perpendicular direction,
which movement is obtained by constructing the vertical spindle to slide in
suitable plummer blocks, and actuated by a lever carrying a footstep, into
which the lower end of the spindle is fitted, this arrangement being for the
purpose of rendering the starting and stopping of the whole machine more
simple and effective than usual.
Thirdly, the whole machine including its driving gear being erected and
attached to one sole plate or bed is thereby rendered of a steady, compact, and
portable character being completely self-contained in construction, having all
its parts accessible to for the purposes of lubrication and tightening up whilst
the machine is in motion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Corby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
June 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CORBY, of Dunoon, in the County of Argyle, North Britain, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her. most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said John Corby, Her special license that I, the said John
Corby, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Corby, my executors, administrators, or 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES FOR EXTRACTING THE SYRUPS FROM
SUGAR," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Corby,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, should par-
ticularly 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Corby, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to various improvements in the construction and
arrangement of centrifugal machines used for the extraction of the syrups or
molasses from sugar, whereby the machine performs three various operations
in a most perfect and efficient manner.
In carrying out the first part of this Invention the usual amount of multi-
plying gear, such as driving wheels, drums, wall brackets, supports, axles,
springs, and leather belts are entirely dispensed with, and the whole replaced
by a single horizontal shaft imparting motion to the vertical spindle of the
drying cylinder through a pair of bevel friction wheels working in the lower
portion of the framework.
Secondly, in rendering the vertical axle of the receiver, with its friction
pinion, capable of being moved up and down in a perpendicular direction,
which movement is obtained by constructing the vertical spindle to slide in
suitable plummer blocks and actuated by a lever carrying footstep, into
which the lower end of the spindle is fitted, this arrangement being for the
purpose of rendering the starting and stopping of the whole machine more
simple and effective than usual.
a
Thirdly, the whole machine, including its driving gear, being erected and
attached to one sole plate or bed, is thereby rendered of a steady, compact,
and portable character, being completely self-contained in construction, having
all its parts accessible to for the purposes of lubrication and tightening up
whilst the machine is in motion.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the machinery or apparatus by which the same is or:
may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the
explanatory Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended for the
purpose of illustrating the same, and in the several Figures of which similar.
parts are indicated by corresponding letters of reference, that is to say,-
Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of my improved centrifugal;
machine, Figure 2 being a sectional plan on the line 1, 1, Figure 1; Figure 3
being a partial elevation corresponding to Figure 2; Figure 4 being an eleva-
tion of the link and screw for raising and lowering the lever.
In Figure 1 the outer cylindrical vessel A is made of cast iron and firmly.
supported upon a bed plate B, to which it is firmly secured by bolts C: The

page_text: lower portion or bottom of the cylindrical vessel A is made concave, and there
is formed on it a rib D, to which is secured the plummer block E, carrying
the brass bearing F of the vertical shaft G. Around the upper portion of the
vessel A there is made a strong annular ring' of metal A¹, and on this ring
there is bolted the arched frame H, carrying at its central portion the top
bearing I of the shaft G. On that portion of the vertical shaft G which is in
the vessel A there is fixed the cylindrical "extracting basket" J; this
"basket or vessel is strengthened at its central part by the hollow trun-
culated cone J, which is fixed to its bottom and extends upwards to its top. at
the centre, where it is united with the central tubular piece which fits on the
shaft G, and is then kept in its place by the nut K; this, when screwed down,
keeps it tight or against the collar G¹. To the lower end of the shaft G.is
secured the friction pinion L, made of several layers of leather, which are kept
firmly together by the pinching, nut L' and the collar L³. The portion of the
shaft G which extends, below the nut L is made hemispherical at its extremity
and works in the footstep bearing M let into the lever N, one end of which is
fixed by a moveable joint to the stud O, more particularly seen at Figure 3,
the other end being attached by a joint to the lower part of the shackle P,
Figures 3 and 4, in the upper portion of which the adjusting screw Q works,
being actuated by a hand wheel R; by means of this arrangement it is evident
that by turning the hand wheel R, and with it the screw Q, the lever N may
be raised or lowered as desired, and with it the spindle G, thus bringing the
friction pinion L in or out of contact with the driving or actuating wheel S
fixed on the horizontal shaft S', which revolves in bearings in the pendent
brackets T fixed to the under part of the sole, plate. Motion is primarily
imparted to the shaft S¹ in any convenient manner, by either spur or friction
gear, from any approximate prime mover. The upper and lower bearings of
the vertical shaft G, as well as the bearings of the horizontal shaft S¹, are
made adjustable for the purpose of taking up their wear.
The mode of operating with the apparatus herein-before specified consists in
placing a sufficient quantity of the crystallized syrup taken from the coolers
and placed in the "extracting basket" J; the lever N is then lowered and
the pinion L brought into contact with the main driving wheel S, which thus
causes the "basket" J to revolve at a high velocity; the centrifugal force of
which causes the remaining syrup and moisture to be expelled from the
crystallized body, whence it passes through the perforated sides into the outer
vessel in the form of molasses, and is thence discharged from the spout U into
convenient receptacles.
•
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in

page_text: which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that I do not confine myself to the precise details which
I have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the true principles and main features of my
said Invention, but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery, apparatus, or
means for extracting syrups from sugar and saccharine matters, as herein-
before described, or any mere modification thereof.
Second, the application of a vertical "differential movement" to the spindle
on which the "extracting basket" is fixed, by which its level is capable of
adjustment for the purposes of stopping or causing it to revolve, as herein-
before described.
Third, the system or mode of adjusting the position of the spindle of the
"extracting basket" by means of a footstep bearing in a lever, as herein-before
described, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Corby, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-four.
JOHN CORBY.
(LS.)