IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR
Year: 1883

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake
and Co, Patent Agents Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR communicated to him
from abroad by James Henry Ross of Buffalo, New York, United States of
America, Gentleman
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th April 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SUGAR "
[A communication to him from abroad by James Henry Ross of Buffalo,
New York, United States of America, Gentleman]
•
The object of the first part of this invention, is to produce in a simple and
economical manner crystallized grape-sugar, which has a pure flavor, and from
which the unconverted starch, dextrine and other impurities have been thoroughly
removed.
The object of the second part of the said invention is to produce a dry and
homogeneous compound containing crystallized grape-sugar and cane or beet
sugar.
In practising tho said invention, the hydrate of grape-sugar is preferably
produced in the following manner, that is to say:-
A concentrated watery solution of grape-sugar is produced in any suitable or
well known manner, care being taken that the starch and dextrine are as com-
pletely or highly converted as practicable. The watery solution of grape-sugar is
drawn from the vacuum-pan or other vessel in which it is contained, into an
agitating or mixing vessel provided with a jacket or coil, by means of which a
cooling or heating agent can be supplied to the said vessel at will.
The ordinary cooling apparatus, which is employed in grape-sugar factories for
cooling the sugar after it leaves the vacuum pan or to prepare it for the barrels,
and which is provided with an exterior coil and surrounding jacket through which
... ...

page_text: water can be circulated, is well adapted to be used in this step of the process.
The hot watery solution of grape-sugar is drawn from the vacuum-pan or other
vessel in which it may be contained, preferably at a gravity of from 41 to
42 degrees Baumé, into this mixing or agitating vessel and is cooled therein, under
constant agitation, to a temperature of about 75 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the
mass assumes the thick consistency with which it is ordinarily delivered into the
barrels, or until it is almost ready to solidify. During this cooling of the watery
solution of grape-sugar, a small quantity of crystallized grape-sugar, preferably
from one to one and a half per cent, is added. to the charge in the mixing vessel
and thoroughly incorporated with the solution in the same by an agitating or
stirring device with which the mixing vessel is provided.
When the mass has reached the above described consistency and temperature, it
is, under continued agitation, hented to a temperature of about 150 degrees
Fahrenheit, whereby the almost solidified grape-sugar is melted and a large amount
of the water contained in the same is driven off and the dextrine prepared to be
separated from the grape-sugar.
The hot sugar is now drawn from the agitating vessel into pans in which it is
permitted to cool and crystallize. The pans are provided with perforated bottoms
in which the perforations can be opened and closed at will either by wooden plugs
inserted in the perforations, or by a slotted plate arranged on the underside of the
perforated bottom and made adjustable so that portions of the slotted plate can be
made to correspond with the perforations in the bottom and thereby close the
saine, or can be removed from the perforations to open the same, as desired. When
the hot sugar is drawn into the pans, the perforations in the same are closed.
These pans are placed in a room in which the temperature is maintained at about
from 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
After three or four days a large portion of 'the mass in each pan will be
crystallized. The perforations in the bottoms of the pans are now opened and the
liquid contained in the pans is permitted to drain off. This liquid consists of a
watery solution of dextrine, uncrystallizable grape-sugar and other soluble or liquid
matters or substances.
The crystallized mass formed in the pans consists of hydrate of grape-sugar of
considerable purity with a slight admixture of the liquid, which adheres to the
cystals.
The crystals collect in spherical aggregations of greater or less size, which can be
regulated by tilting or shaking the pans, either by hand or. machinery, the crystals
being larger when the pans are not agitated and smaller when the crystallization
proceeds under agitation. After ten days, the crystallization of the entire mass in
the pans is completed and the uncrystallizable liquid has drained off as far as
possible.
'
The liquid which escapes from the pans is returned to the converter and again
subjected, either separately or with new material, to the usual processes of
conversion, bleaching and concentration, and the material resulting therefrom is
treated in the above described manner for the production of crystallized grape-
sugar, whereby the amount of uncrystallizable matter is reduced to a minimum.
Each block of crystallized grape-sugar formed in the pans as above described
contains in its outer layers or coating a certain amount of liquid or uncrystallizable
matter which should be removed therefrom. This is best accomplished by placing
cach block of sugar upon a slab of plaster of Paris or other absorbent material,
whereby the liquid or uncrystallizable matter is extracted from the adjacent
portion of the block. By turning the latter on the slab from time to time, all of
its outer portions are successively subjected to the action of the absorbent material
and freed from their uncrystallizable matter.
The liquid which has been absorbed by the slabs can be recovered by steaming
or soaking the slabs.
When all liquid or uncrystallizable matter has been extracted from the blocks of
sugar, the latter are crushed, cut or otherwise comminuted by means of a suitable

page_text: machine. The reduced material is then washed with cold water of a temperature
as near to the freezing point as possible, whereby the crystals are freed from the
adhering impurities without becoming dissolved. The washed crystals are then
dried in a vacuum-drier, centrifugal machine or other suitable apparatus, and are
separated according to different degrees of fineness by a revolving reel covered with
wire gauze, or by any other suitable separator.
The comminuted hydrate of grape-sugar is now intimately mixed with similarly
comminuted cane or beet sugar by any suitable mixing machine preferably in the
proportion of from one to two parts of grape-sugar in four parts of the compound.
The hydrate of grape-sugar has a pure sweet taste and is produced in well
defined crystals which approach closely the granular character of the cane or beet
sugar and the compound composed of these ingredients is homogeneous and dry,
and does not change its character under ordinary conditions of heat and moisture.
The compound is, therefore, a good merchantable article which can be shipped over
long distances and be stored for a long time without deteriorating.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th October 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and C Patent Agents,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF 5
Southampton Buildings, London,
SUGAR," A communication to me from abroad by James Henry Ross, of Buffalo,
New York, United States of America, Gentleman,
This invention relates to the manufacture of sugar, and has for its object to
produce in, a simple and economical manner, crystallized grape-sugar which has à
pure flavor and from which the unconverted starch, dextrine and other impurities
have been completely removed.
In carrying the said invention into practice a concentrated watery solution of
grape-sugar is produced in any suitable or well known manner, care being taken
that the starch and dextrine are as completely or highly converted as practicable
The watery solution of grape-sugar is drawn from the vacuum-pan or other vessel
in which it may be contained into an agitating or mixing vessel, which is provided
with a jacket or coil by means of which a cooling or heating agent can be supplied
to the said vessel as desired.
The ordinary cooling apparatus which is employed in grape-sugar factories for
cooling the sugar or glucose after it leaves the vacuum-pan to prepare it for the
barrels, and which is provided with au interior coil of pipes or a surrounding
jacket through which water can be circulated, or both, is well adapted to be used
in this step of the process. A machine of this kind is described in the specification
of former Letters Patent dated January 28th A.D 1881 N° 386. and August 26
AD 1882 N° 4094.
The hot watery solution of grape-sugar is drawn from the vacuum-pan, or other
vessel in which it is contained, preferably at a gravity of 41°-42° Baumé, into
this mixing or agitating vessel and cooled therein under constant agitation to a
temperature of about 75° Fahrenheit, or until the mass assumes the thick con-
sistency with which it is ordinarily delivered into the barrels, or until it is almost
ready to solidify.
The cooling of the mass is effected by causing cold water to flow through the
coil or jacket of the cooling vessel. During this cooling of the watery solution of
grape-sugar, a small quantity of crystallized grape-sugar, preferably from one to
one and one-half per cent, is added to the charge in the mixing vessel, and
thoroughly incorporated with the solution in the same by an agitating or stirring
device with which the mixing vessel is provided. If preferred, a heavy emulsion
or solution of old grape-sugar may be substituted for the dry or crystallized grape-
sugar at this stage of the process.
When the mass has been cooled to the above described consistency and
temperature it is, under continued agitation, heated to a temperature of about
150° Fahrenheit, whereby the almost solidified grape-sugar is melted, and a large
amount of water contained in the same is driven off and the dextrine prepared to
be separated from the grape-sugar The heating of the mass is effected by causing
steam or hot water to flow through the coil or jacket of the agitating vessel.
When the solution of grape-sugar has been produced by a high conversion so that
it contains but a small per centage of unconverted starch or dextrine, the grape-
sugar need not be heated higher than about 135° Fahrenheit, but when the
conversion has been imperfect so that the grape-sugar contains a considerable
per-centage of unconverted starch or dextrine, the grape-sugar should be heated to
about 150° Fahrenheit.

page_text: The hot sugar
now drawn from the agitating vessel into pans in which it is
permitted to cool and crystallize. The pans are preferably provided with perforated
bottoms in which the perforations can be opened. and closed at will. For this
purpose the pans may be provided with wooden plugs inserted in the perforations
of the bottom, or with a slotted plate, arranged on the under side of the perforated
bottom and made adjustable so that the tight portions of the slotted plate can be
made to register with the perforations in the bottom and thereby close the same,
or be removed from the perforations and open the same, as desired. When the hot
sugar is drawn into the pans the perforations in the same are closed. These pans
are placed in a room in which the temperature is maintained at about 75° to
80° Fahrenheit.
After three or four days a large portion of the sugar in each pan will be
crystallized. The perforations in the bottoms of the pans are now opened, whereby
the liquid contained in the pans is permitted to drain off. This liquid consists of
a watery solution of dextrine, uncrystallizable grape-sugar, and other soluble or
liquid matters or substances.
The crystallized sugar is deposited upon the bottom and sides of the pans while
the liquid remains above the crystallized sugar.
In order to drain the sugar thoroughly the pans are inverted after the formation
of crystals has ceased, and they are permitted to remain in this position until the
liquid has been completely removed.
The crystals collect in spherical groups or clusters of greater or less size, which
can be regulated by tilting or shaking the pans either by hand or machinery; the
crystals being larger when the pans are not agitated, and smaller when the
crystallization proceeds under agitation. Instead of crystallizing the sugar in pans
it inay be drawn directly from the mixing vessel into barrels or boxes provided
with suitable openings which remain closed until the crystals have formed and
through which the uncrystallized liquid is permitted to drain off after the
crystallization is completed.
The liquid which escapes from the pans or other vessels in which the sugar is
crystallized is collected in tanks or vats and reconverted, filtered, concentrated and
worked up into merchantable grape-sugar or glucose, preferably as a separate
product. This liquid contains all the bitter and objectionable ingredients or
substances which were contained in the solution of grape-sugar, and its separation
from the crystallized grape-sugar greatly improves the taste and color of the
latter and renders the same very desirable for preserving fruits, manufacturing
candies, and other purposes, for which a sugar having a clear white color, and a
pure flavor, is required. This sugar is quite dry and does not become adhesive
upon exposure to the atmosphere or by contact with cane or beet sugar and it is
therefore particularly adapted to be mixed with cane or beet sugar for table use.
The sugar may be sold in the form of the lumps or cakes in which it is produced,
or it may be ground, if desired
The sugar manufactured from the drained liquid is of inferior quality and
suitable for use in brewing, and in the manufacture of leather and tobacco, and
for other industrial purposes The solution of grape-sugar is produced from tho
starchy matter of Indian-corn or other grain, potatoes, roots or the like as described
in the said former specifications, or by any other suitable method and apparatus.
The yield of pure crystallized grape-sugar produced by the above described
process from the solution of grape-sugar, is very large, and the sugar is obtained
at comparatively slight expense. As the uncrystallized saccharine matter also
produces a merchantable product, the cost of the pure crystallized sugar is not
much higher than that of ordinary impure amorphous grape-sugar.
Heretofore it has been common to add a small quantity of old grape-sugar to
the solution of grape-sugar in cooling the latter, for the purpose of hastening its
solidification, as described in the said former specification, N° 886 but the grape-
sugar so produced is ordinary solid or amorphous grape-sugar and essentially
different from the crystallized sugar produced by the process herein described.

page_text: Having thus fully described tho said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I Claim :-
First. The herein described method or process of manufacturing crystallized
grape-sugar, which method or process consists in preparing a solution of grape-
sugar at a low temperature, then increasing the temperature of the solution until
the grape-sugar is melted, and then permitting the heated solution to cool and
crystallize, substantially as set forth.
Second. The herein described method or process of manufacturing crystallized
grape-sugar, which method or process consists in forming a concentrated solution
of grape-sugar, then cooling the said solution almost to solidification, then melting
the said solution by heating, and then permitting the beateḍ solution to cool and
crystallize, substantially as set forth.
Third. The herein described method or process of manufacturing crystallized
grape-sugar, which method or process consists in reheating a concentrated solution
of grape-sugar until the sugar is melted, and then permitting the heated solution
to cool and crystallize, substantially as set forth. .
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this seventeenth day of October in the year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
117M DADT TAZE