IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in
.the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR."-A communication from abroad by Louis Joseph
Frédéric Margueritte, Chemist, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris.
Sealed the 22nd October 1867, and dated the 30th April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his: Petition, on the
.30th
30th April 1867.
I; ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County. of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR," to be as follows:-
"Notwithstanding the many important improvements in the manufacture of
sugar from beetroot and the sugar cane, it has never hitherto been found
possible to separate the deliquescent salts and various extractive matters which
accumulate by the evaporation of the residues, impede the crystallization of
the sugar, and form what is known as molasses. This product contains a
considerable quantity of sugar which is not extracted by the condensation of
the syrups, and baryta has been the only agent capable of separating the
crystallizable sugar from the molasses.
The improvements of this Invention relate, 1st, to the purification of raw
sugar; and; 2ndly; to the extraction of sugar from molasses.
In order to purify sugars I proceed as follows:-I first dry the raw sugar in
the ordinary way so as to deprive it' of the water it contains, and then place

page_text: it immediately in a steaming apparatus of similar form to animal charcoal
filters, where it is brought in contact with alcohol containing 1 to 3 per
cent. of sulphuric acid (or hydrochloric or sulphurous or other equally
energetic acid may be employed) either by stirring up the sugar in the alcohol
or washing it slowly therewith; the liquid becomes colored by dissolving the
impurities, and leaves the sugar of a nearly white color, and after washing
with alcohol in order to remove any acid that. may remain the alcohol with
which the sugar is impregnated is evaporated. For this purpose steam is
introduced into the double casing of the apparatus, when_the_sugar_becomes
gradually heated the alcohol evaporates and collects, and when the sugar is
completely purified and washed with acidulated alcohol the drained-off mass
while still moist with the alcohol is introduced into a distilling apparatus
containing a small quantity of saccharate of lime for neutralizing the liquor;
the contents are then raised to boiling point, and the alcohol is collected, after
which the sugar is baked in the usual apparatus in a vacuum, and crystallized
sugar may be thus produced of a very fine quality..
It is also possible to obtain perfectly white sugar by proceeding in the
following manner:-It is well known that all crystallizable, substances retain
more or less of the mother water, and this is the case with crystal sugars, and
they are more or less tinged and impure through the color and impurity of the
mother water they contain; thus it is not only necessary to wash the surface
of the crystals in order to perfectly purify them, but they should further be
finely pulverized; in this manner.the acidulated alcohol will remove all the
impurities it contains, and a very white and pure sugar may be obtained, and
on being remelted the whole is converted into a refined sugar without lumps, or
verjuice, or appreciable residue. By this process the great difficulties and
expense of the present mode of refining are obviated.
In order to extract sugar from molasses I proceed in the following manner:-
I take a certain proportion of molasses as concentrated as possible, and add an
equal quantity of alcohol at as high a degree as can be obtained;, this
alcohol, as in the before-described processes, has previously added to it con-
centrated sulphuric acid in proportions varying from 5 to 10 per cent. of the
amount of molasses. The molasses and acidulated alcohol are intimately
combined-in-a-mixer-or-other-apparatus, and by reason of the little rise in
teinperature to which the alcohol is subject by the addition of the sulphuric
acid the molasses are readily acted on, and the mixture after being stirred for
some time becomes homogeneous and complete; it is now in a thick liquid
state, and of a yellowish color, which on examination with a magnifier will be
found to consist of a very fine precipitate disseminated in the mass of syrup,

page_text: The above mixture if allowed to rest in an open place for a night will produce
very abundant sugar crystals. On again examining the liquid the presence, of
a great quantity of minute grains or crystals will be observed which may be
readily distinguished by their size from the saline precipitate in which they are
contained. The alcoholic mother water is separated from the mixed precipitate
either in a turbine or filter, which mother water contains all the acids and all
the impurities eliminated from the molasses by the sulphuric acid, it contains
however but very little sugar, which is so much the less according as the molasses
and alcohol employed are freer from water and more concentrated; this
mother water when treated with lime produces acetate and other salts' of lime
and is regenerated by distillation. Almost the whole of the sugar, will be found
in the precipitate, and there are two ways of separating it from the salts
combined therewith; 1st, the precipitate after passing through the turbine or
being highly expressed. may be again placed in suspension in alcohol, when the
crystals of sugar, which at once fall to the bottom, are immediately separated
by levigation, while the saline precipitate, having much greater tenuity, remains
longer in suspension. and may be, thus decanted with the supernatant liquid.
I may also pass the liquid through a copper wire sieve, the meshes: of which
will allow of the saline precipitate passing, but retain the sugar. crystals. The
same alcohol may serve a similar purpose for a great number of times; the
sugar thus obtained is well crystallized, granulated, but slightly colored, and
may be kept in this condition although but slightly acidulated; or if redissolved
it produces sugar of very fine quality. 2ndly, the precipitate from the turbine,
or after being expressed, may be dissolved in water, and the small quantity of
acid with which it is impregnated be saturated with chalk or saccharate of lime;
the solution is then evaporated until nearly baked, when alcohol is added for
precipitating all the salts, after which the mixture is filtered in any suitable
distilling apparatus, and the baking proceeded with; in this manner a very
fine sugar may be obtained. Lastly, I may obviate the employment of alcohol
for precipitating the salts by proceeding in the following manner :-After
sufficiently concentrating the liquor it is allowed to cool and crystallize, the
sulphates of potash and others less soluble than sugar are then separated, and
after a fresh concentration the latter is obtained by crystallization freed from
the presence of the sulphates remaining in the liquid. The essential difference
between the two processes herein described is this, that in the first operation
the degree of concentration of the molasses being much lower, the sugar con-
tains enough water to dissolve and remain in the alcoholic liquor, whence it is.
precipitated by various agents, such as acetone, ether, sulphuret of carbon;.
benzine, coal oils, and others. In the second operation ou: the contrary-the

page_text: molasses are so concentrated that the sugar remains in the form of syrup
visible very distinctly on inspection, and which crystallizes spontaneously on
being allowed to stand for a sufficient time. Both methods give good results";
the second has however the advantage of requiring but a single liquid, viz.,
alcohol, and of producing directly by a simple levigation crystallized sugar
in a highly pure state.
In conclusion, I would observe that the chief features of improvement in these
two processes are, 1st, the displacement by the aid of sulphuric acid and the
-elimination-in-alcohol of the acids-and-inpurities-and-the precipitation in the form.
of sulphates of the bases contained in the molasses. The use of such salts as
sulphates of iron or others will not answer the same purpose, as, although they
contain the same bases, they would only serve as substitutes for those which
are eliminated. 2ndly, the dissolution of the sugar in the molasses in alcohol
relatively diluted resulting from the employment of non-concentrated molasses,
and precipitating it by any suitable agent. 3rdly, the simultaneous elimination
of the sugar and alkaline salts by the use of molasses and concentrated alcohol,
their separation being effected in the manner described.
The Invention thus consists, 1st; in the purification of raw sugars by washing
in acidulated alcohol.
Ondle situation annan suam
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her Letters
.Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give, and grant- unto, me, the
said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special licence, that I, the said Alexander
Melville Clark, my executors,, administrators, and assigns, or such others:
as I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, administrators, and
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

page_text: -Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR," a communication to me from
abroad by Louis Joseph Frédéric Margueritte, Chemist, of 29; Boulevart
St. Martin, Paris, upon the condition. (amongst others) that I, the said
Alexander Melville Clark, 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 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say) :-
Notwithstanding the many important improvements in the manufacture of
sugar from beetroot and the sugar cane it has never hitherto been found
possible to separate the deliquescent salts and various extractive matters which
accumulate by the evaporation of the residues, impede the crystallization of
the sugar and form what is known as molasses. This product contains a con
siderable quantity of sugar, which is not extracted by the condensation of.
the syrups, and baryta has been the only agent capable of separating the
crystallizable sugar from the molasses.
The improvements of this Invention relate, 1st, to the extraction of sugar
from molasses; and 2ndly, to the purification of raw sugars.
In order to extract sugar from molasses I proceed as follows: To a
proportion of suitably concentrated molasses I add one or two proportions of
alcohol, to which 5, 7, or 10 per cent. of sulphuric acid has been previously
added according to the nature of the molasses, and then stir it until the
mixture with the alcohol is complete, by which means an abundant precipitate
is formed in the liquor which remains colored, the precipitate being separated
by the aid of a press or turbine, or by simply decanting it. The precipitate
obtained is formed principally of sulphate of lime, potash, or soda, the brown
liquid containing the acids eliminated by the sulphuric acid from the salts
existing in the molasses, such as melassates, acetates, or chlorides; it also
contains the sugar which is obtained in the following manner :-I add to the
liquor either acetone or ether, which immediately precipitates the sugar in the
form of a thick deuse white syrup, and after settling forms a crystalline mass.
A quicker mode of operation consists in drawing off the liquid and washing
the remaining syrup with alcohol, adding a small quantity of carbonate of lime

page_text: for saturating any acid with which it may be impregnated, this being after-
wards removed with water, and after filtration the baking may be proceeded
with; in this manner an abundant crystallization of the sugar is obtained.
The liquids employed are regenerated in the following manner-Milk of
lime is added for saturating and distilling the free acids, the first product is
acetone, and the second alcohol. The two agents in the operation are thus
separated and regenerated so as to serve a number of times, allowing for
waste, which with careful management would be very insignificant. The bases of
this process may be enumerated as follows:-1st, treatment with one or more
proportions of alcohol (or its sub-products or wood spirit) mixed with sulphuric
or bydrochloric acid); 2ndly, after agitating and mixing the filtration and
pressing of the precipitate is effected; 3rdly, adding to the liquor obtained
acetone or ether until precipitation ceases; 4thly,. the syrup is left to
crystallize, or preferably is diluted in water saturated with the chalk, filtered,
and then baked and crystallized. I have confined myself to indicating alcohol
and its sub-products or wood spirit'as media for this improved treatment, and
acetone and ether as precipitating agents, being those most readily attainable.
I also reserve the application of the above described process for the treatment
of beetroot, and for the purification of colored sugars, precipitating them by
the aid of acetone, ether, sulphuret of carbon, or chloroform in- alcohol
acidulated with sulphuric acid. In this manner manufacturers are enabled
to refine the sugars themselves with the greatest facility, while the employ-
iment of alcohol, acetone, or ether, which at first sight would seem very
costly and impracticable, becomes readily practicable.
In order to extract sugar from molasses I may also proceed in the following
manner I take a certain proportion of molasses as concentrated as possible,
and add an equal quantity of alcohol at as bigh a degree as can be obtained;
this alcohol as in the before-described processes has previously added to it
'concentrated sulphuric acid in proportions varying from 3, 5, 6, or 7 per cent.
of the amount of molasses. The molasses and acidulated alcohol are intimately
combined in a mixer or other apparatus, and by reason of the little rise in
temperature to which the alcohol is subject by the addition of the sulphuric
acid the molasses are readily acted on, and the mixture after being stirred for
some time becomes homogeneous and complete; it is now in a thick liquid
state and of a yellowish color, which on examination with a magnifier will be
found to consist of a very fine precipitate disseminated in the mass of syrup.
The above mixture if allowed to rest in a cool place for a night will produce
very abundant sugar crystals.
On again examining the liquid the presence of a great quantity of minute grains

page_text: or crystals will be observed, which may be readily distinguished by their size from
the saline precipitate in which they are contained. The alcoholic mother water is
separated from the mixed precipitate either in a turbine or filter, which mother
water contains all. the acids and all the impurities eliminated from the molasses
by the sulphuric acid, it contains, however, but very little sugar, which is so much
the less according as the molasses and alcohol employed are freer from water
and more concentrated; this mother water when treated with lime produces
acetate and other salts of lime, and is regenerated by distillation. Almost the
whole of the sugar will be found in the precipitate, and there are two ways of
separating it from the salts combined there with, 1st, the precipitate after
passing through the turbine, or being highly compressed, may be again placed
in suspension in alcohol, when the crystals of sugar which at once fall into the
bottom are immediately separated by levigation, while the saline precipitate
having much greater tenuity remains, longer in suspension, and may be thus
decanted with the supernatent liquid. I may also pass the liquid through a
copper wire sieve, the meshes of which will allow of the saline precipitate
passing but retain the sugar crystals. The same alcobol may serve a similar
purpose for a great number of times, the sugar thus obtained is well crystallized,
granulated, but slightly colored, and may be kept in this condition although
but slightly acidulated, or if re-dissolved it produces sugar of a very fine quality,”
or after being compressed; 2ndly, the precipitate from the turbine may be
dissolved in water, and the small quantity of acid with which it is impregnated
saturated with chalk or saccharate of lime; the solution is then evaporated
until nearly baked when alcohol is added for precipitating all the salts, after
which the mixture is filtered in a suitable distilling apparatus, the alcohol is
extracted and the baking proceeded with; in this manner a very fine sugar may
be obtained. Lastly, I may dispense with the use of alcohol for precipitating
the salts by proceeding in the following manner :-After sufficiently con-
centrating the liquor it is allowed to cool and crystallize, the sulphates of
potash and others less soluble than sugar are then separated, and after a fresh
concentration the latter is obtained by crystallization freed from the presence
of the sulphates remaining in the liquid. The essential difference between
the two processes herein described is, that in the first operation the degree of
concentration of the molasses being much lower, the sugar contains enough
water to dissolve and remain in the alcoholic liquor, whence it is precipitated
by the various agents, such as acetone, ether, sulphuret of carbon, benzine, coal
oil, or others. In the second operation on the contrary the molasses are so con-
centrated that the sugar remains in the form of syrup visible very distinctly on
inspection, and which crystallizes spontaneously on being allowed to stand for

page_text: a sufficient time.. Both methods give good results; the second has, however, the
advantage of requiring but a single liquid, viz., alcohol, and of providing direct
by a simple livigation crystallized sugar in a bright pure state.
I may also purify raw or colored sugars by a similar process to that
described for extracting sugar from molasses. I proceed as follows:-I
first dry the raw sugar in the ordinary way so as to to deprive it of the water
it contains, and then place it immediately in a-steaming apparatus of similar
form to alcohol filters, where it is brought in contact with alcohol containing
-1-to-3-per-cent-of-sulphurous acid (or bydrochloric or sulphurous or any
equally energetic acid may be employed) either by stirring up the sugar in
the alcohol or washing it slowly therewith. The liquid-becomes-colored-by-
dissolving the impurities, and leaves the sugar of nearly white colour, and
after washing with alcohol in order to remove any acid that may remain the
alcohol with which the sugar is impregnated is evaporated. For this purpose
steam is introduced into the double casing of the apparatus when the sugar
becomes gradually heated, the alcohol evaporates and collects, and when the
sugar is completely dried it is ready for use. Or I may proceed in the
following manner :-After the sugar has been completely: purified and washed
with the acidulated alcohol the drained off mass while still moist with the
alcohol is introduced into a distilling apparatus containing a small quantity
of saccharate of lime for neutralizing the liquor, the contents are then raised
to boiling point and the alcohol is collected, after which the sugar is baked.
in the usual apparatus: in a vacuum, and crystallized sugar may, thus be
produced of a very fine quality.
. It is also possible to obtain perfectly white sugar by proceeding in the
following manner-It is well known that all crystallizable.. substances.
retain more or less of the mother water, and this is the case with crystal sugars,
and they are more or less tinged or impure through the color or impurity of
the mother water they contain. Thus it is not only necessary to wash the
surface of the crystals in order to perfectly purify them, but they should
further be finely pulverized, in this manner the acidulated alcohol will
remove all the impurities it contains, and a very white and pure sugar may.
be obtained; on being remelted the whole is converted-into-a-finer sugar
without lumps,, or verjuice, nor appreciable residue. By this process the
greatest difficulties and expense of the present modes of refining are obviated.
One of the advantages attending the use of this improved process is that
of being able to treat the products resulting from the direct evaporation of,
the juices of the beetroot and sugar cane. The following is the mode of
operation obtain the juices from, the beetroot, (after having scraped

page_text: and reduced it into slices, either by means of a press, or by maceration, or
diffusion, which juices are defecated in the ordinary manner by means of
lime or carbonate of soda, and then quickly evaporated either in an open fire
without other precaution than that of taking care not to injure or burn the
sugar, or by means of a steain worm in ordinary apparatus. The evaporation
and baking is continued as long as possible, after which the crystallization is
produced at a suitable temperature. The crystalline magma in a nearly
solid condition may be then conveyed to. the manufactory where it is
subjected to the following treatment.
First operation. I place, for example, about two thousand pounds of the raw
magma in any suitable mixing apparatus, and add about one thousand quarts, or
a cubic yard of alcohol, at ninety-five degrees, this quantity may, however; be
reduced one-half according to circumstances, or it may be one-fourth for puri-
fying raw sugars, together with 1, 2, 3, or 4 per cent. of the weight of sugar.in
concentrated sulphuric acid at. 66 degrees. A previous trial will indicate the
exact amount of acid- necessary for the operation, that is to say, for perfectly
separating the sugar in a sandy condition. The amount of acid further varies
according to the degree of concentration and the nature of the magma under
treatment. After the mixing has been continued for half an hour, or more, and
the sugar has become well granulated, a sluice is opened at the lower part of
the mixing, cylinder uncovering a filtering surface of wire gauze; the rotary
motion of the pallets is then continued, so as to keep the mass in suspension;
the colored alcoholic liquid runs through the wire gauze, carrying with ..it the
sulphate of lime and potash, and a certain quantity of sugar of a very fine grain
is precipitated from the molasses; that which has been previously crystallized
and of much larger grain reniains in the apparatus, being then placed in a
filter (similar to those used for animal black) having a grating at its lower
part covered with felt and provided with a cock. The colored mother water
is allowed to drain, after which pure alcohol is carefully added, and by means
of the cock the flow of the alcohol is regulated so as to obtain as complete a
washing by displacement as possible, and when the alcohol passes off colorless
the sugar will be purified; I then open a sluice at the lower part of the filter
to allow the sugar to pass into a boiler or distiller containing a certain quantity
of water with a little saccharate of lime for saturating any traces of the acid
which the sugar might still contain. The whole is then raised to boiling heat,
after which I introduce into the apparatus for rectifying the alcohol the first
products of the distillation, and when all the alcohol with which the sugar was
impregnated is, expelled, it is filtered through animal black in grains or
through cloths (the black no longer requiring, to act as a decoloring substance

page_text: on the juice which has become almost colorless), and after this the product is
baked and crystallized, the sugars thus obtained being very fine and pure.
The: liquid run off from the mixer through the wire ganze contains, as before
mentioned, sulphates of lime and potash and sugar, which it is necessary to
eliminate; for this purpose I employ several modes. 1st, the sugar having a
greater density than the other substances may be separated by levigation
suitably effected; 2ndly; the temperature of the colored liquid containing the
precipitate in suspension is gradually and carefully raised until the is
sugar
-dissolved, after-which-the latter is slowly cooled and forms colorless crystals..
In order to separate the sulphates and obtain the sugar pure the liquid need
only be levigated or passed through.a-wire-gauze,-after-which-it-is-allowed-to
rest, the sulphates being deposited and decanted, while the alcohol is regene-
rated by distillation to serve in the succeeding operation; 3rdly,. I introduce
the liquid from the mixing apparatus into a filter, wash the precipitate by
displacement, bring it by means of, alcohol to. 70 degrees, and after filtration
and baking an absolutely pure sugar is obtained; 4thly, or lastly, I may allow
the liquid to deposit or filter it, reobtain the precipitate by means of water,
saturate it with; saccharate of lime, filter or allow the sulphate of lime to settle
and evaporate to baking heat; the syrup in this case is impure by reason of
the sulphate of potash contained, although this salt will not prevent the sugar.
from crystallizing, and is deposited for the most part before the crystallization
of the sugar, and that which remains will be no obstacle to the formation of
regular crystals of. pure sugar. By means; of a turbine the sugar may be
readily separated from the sulphate of potash, the, very fine grains of which
pass through the wire gauze of the turbine..
Second operation.-The second mode of treating the crystalline magma
consists in placing in the filter the whole of, the precipitate and the liquid
from the mixing apparatus. I filter and wash by displacement with pure
alcohol, and redissolve the precipitate in water in the manner before indicated.
The sulphate of lime is filtered; and allowed to deposit, and may be afterwards
transformed, into carbonate of lime by means of carbonate of soda. I then
evaporate, bake, and allow the sugar to crystallize, which latter mixed with
crystals. of sulphate of potash is separated-from-the-latter-in-a-turbine. This
mode of operation possesses the advantage of requiring.but a single operation,
and is consequently more simple, quicker, and more economical. The sugar is
really impure through the sulphate.of potash contained, but this may be readily
separated. either in a-turbine or by simply.decanting the syrup, or, lastly, by
collecting the accumulated residues by the aid of. alcohol, when the sulphate
of potash will be completely eliminated. I would here observe. that the

page_text: alcohol employed for the extraction and purification of the sugar dissolves and
contains a certain quantity of sugar which should not be wasted. After the
distillation and regeneration of the alcohol the saccbariferous acid waters
which form the residue of this distillation are directly subjected to alcoholic
fermentation or used in the ordinary treatment by alcohol for effecting and
continuing the fermentation of beetroot, and also of molasses. In this manner
they serve as vinous acids, and in both cases hasten the fermentation to a
remarkable degree.
Third operation.-Another mode of purifying sugars and treating molasses:
consists as follows:-In treating molasses by means of concentrated alcohol
marking 95 degrees of the alcohometer, either hot or cold, there is neither a
mixture nor solution, consequently concentrated alcohol cannot be used' for
washing raw sugars or those containing molasses, and diluted alcohol is used,
which has the great disadvantage of dissolving considerable quantities of sugar,
for which reason I dispense with this treatment. If to the concentrated.
alcohol at 95 degrees is added a certain quantity of acetic acid, and if with:
this acidulated alcohol I treat the molasses in a cold state, or preferably while
bot, there will be a mixture and solution. From this it results that. raw
sugars may be deprived of their molasses, washed; and purified with alcohol.
acidulated with acetic or other acids. The same result may be obtained by
the aid of a single liquid, either hot or cold, without any acid; this liquid is:
wood spirit or methyl which possesses the remarkable property of rendering
molasses soluble without dissolving the sugar, consequently raw sugars. or
those containing molasses may be purified by simply stirring or washing with
wood spirit. The black liquid resulting from the first washing. is distilled, the
spirit is regenerated, and the molasses which it had dissolved remain intact to:
be again concentrated until crystallization, and mixed with wood spirit, or to
be again submitted to fermentation. It will be seen that this latter treatment.
is more simple, economical, and efficacious than those previously described,
I use but one liquid which may be easily regenerated, the employment of acids
is dispensed with, and the molasses remains intact and preserves its com-
mercial value after having furnished under the influence of the spirit a large
proportion of sugar.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, the decomposition by means of an acid of the salts contained in
molasses, in an agent eliminating the salts transformed and retaining the acids
and sugar.

page_text: Secondly, I claim the employment of an agent for precipitating the sugar,
such as acetone, or ether, sulphuret of carbon, or chloroform.
Thirdly, I claim the displacement by means of sulphuric acid and the
elimination in alcohol of acids and impurities, and the precipitation in the
form of sulphates of the bases contained in the molasses. The employment of
such salts, as sulphates of iron or others, will not answer the same purpose,
they having the same-bases as those to be eliminated.
Fourthly, I claim the solution of the sugar in the molasses in alcohol in a
relatively diluted condition resulting from the employment of non-concentrated
molasses and precipitating-it-by-any-suitable-agent....
1
Fifthly, I claim the simultaneous elimination of the sugar and alkaline salts
by the use of molasses and concentrated alcohol, and their separation by the
means before indicated.
.
Sixthly, I claim the washing of raw sugars, dried, pulverized or not, how-
ever derived and of any quality, with alcohol, wood spirit, or acidulated
acetone, either hot or cold.
1
Seventhly, I claim directly treating the product of the evaporation of the
juices of the beetroot or cane in an open fire, otherwise the treatment of raw
sugars containing more or less molasses, in the manner described.
.
Eighthly, I claim the two modes herein described of obtaining and refining
sugar by means of acidulated alcohol.
Ninthly, I claim the employment of sacchariferous residues for the direct
production of alcohol, and for continuing and assisting the fermentation of the
juices of the beetroot and molasses.
Tenthly, I claim the employment of wood spirit, either pure or mixed with
an acid, for washing raw sugars containing molasses, and also for the crystal-
lization of the sugar in the molasses produced by the aid of this agent; all' as'
herein-before described.
In. witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto.
set my band and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of.
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.