AN IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING AND LIQUEFYING SACCHARINE MATTERS FOR THE USE OF BREWERS, SUGAR REFINERS, AND PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Richardson, of the City of London
Brewery, Upper Thames Street, in the City of London, for the In-
vention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING AND LIQUEFYING
SACCHARINE MATTERS FOR THE USE OF BREWERS, SUGAR REFINERS, AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Richardson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th May 1875.
I, CHARLES RICHARDSON, of the City of London Brewery, Upper
Thames Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING AND LIQUEFYING
SACCHARINE MATTERS FOR THE USE OF BREWERS, SUGAR REFINERS, AND OTHERS,
AND APPARATUS FOR CARRYING THE SAME INTO EFFECT," to be as follows:-
-
This Invention consists of an improved method and mechanical
arrangement for treating cane sugar and certain other saccharine matters

page_text: when required for use by brewers and others, and of apparatus for carrying
the same into effect.
It is known that to crush, disintegrate, and reduce saccharine matters
into a state suitable for complete dissolution as required by brewers,
sugar refiners, and others, is by present known methods a laborious and
costly process, requiring considerable time, and usually steam as a
solvent.
By my Invention, which I will now describe, the reduction and lique-
faction are easily and rapidly effected, with or without the application of
heat to the mass being operated upon.
I will first describe the method I adopt and then the apparatus or
mechanical arrangements I employ to carry out the reduction and
liquefying of the cane sugar or other saccharine substances.
My improved method consists in the employment of a fluid (generally
water), which is sparged or sprayed in a convenient manner on or
against or amongst the cane sugar or other saccharine substances to be
reduced simultaneously with the operation of tearing and crushing the
'samo by means of claws and rollers peculiarly placed and arranged,
the mixture of the fluid and saccharine matters formed or effected
thereby becoming of a syrupy consistence, fit at once for use, and which
when desired I more intimately blend or mix by a winged agitator so
placed as to rotate within the syrup receiver.
My apparatus for my said method I construct in the following way :-
I place two or more rollers which revolve by wheels and suitable gearing
over a syrup receiver, in which is placed a winged agitator or mixer.
Immediately above the rollers I place a hopper or feeder of peculiar
shape, and fitted with pipes connected with a supply of fluid (usually
water); these pipes are perforated in such a manner that the fluid or
water flowing through them will impinge upon or mingle with the sugar
or saccharine matter and lubricate the revolving claws and rollers while
they are in operation. I also make an arrangement whereby these rolls
can be easily separated in case of need. Immediately above these rolls
and in the lowest part of the hopper I place a shaft with wheels, whereby
the same is made to rotate. To this shaft I attach in a suitable manner
a series of teeth or claws so contrived as to draw in and tear down upon
the rolls the superincumbent mass of sugar or saccharine to be dissolved,

page_text: which simultaneously mingling with the spray of fluid is instantly.
reduced into a syrupy condition and falls directly into the receiver.
My receiver is of peculiar construction, having side ribs or stops to
facilitate a further mixing of the syrup if necessary, and furnished with
a pocket or receptacle for detaining stones, sand, and such-like detritus
should there be any in the saccharine substances operated upon.
My Invention also includes a trough or channel of peculiar con-
struction, being furnished with stops or obstructions which effectually.
keep back or separate sand, gravel, and such-like impurities from the
syrupy mixture. This trough or means of conveyance I sometimes
fix to the receiver, and sometimes use separately for the purposes of
decantation,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Richardson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 12th November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
RICHARDSON, of the City of London Brewery, Upper Thames Street, in
the City of London, send greeting.
"
1
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Charles Richardson, Her special
license that I, the said Charles Richardson, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Richardson,
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 Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING AND LIQUEFYING SACCHARINE MATTERS FOR
THE USE OF BREWERS, SUGAR REFINERS, AND OTHERS, AND APPARATUS FOR
CARRYING THE SAME INTO EFFECT," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles Richardson, my executors or administrators, by

page_text: My apparatus for carrying my said method into operation I construct
in the following way, as represented in the accompanying Drawings, in
which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, and Figure 2 a plan:-I place
two or more rollers C, C, with a small space between them over a syrup
receiver E, in which is placed a winged agitator or mixer F. Imme-
diately above the rollers C, C, I place a hopper or feeder A of peculiar
shape, as shown in the Drawings, in which it will be seen that the sides
of the hopper do not slope or incline inwards from the top to the bottom
thereof as heretofore, but the sides thereof are either parallel from tho
top of the hopper to about the level of the top of the shaft B', as shown
in the Drawings, or are slightly inclined outwards, which form of hopper
prevents the agglomeration or solidifying of the cane sugar or other
saccharine substances under treatment into a solid mass above the
claws B, and thereby choking the apparatus, as is often found to be the
case with hoppers of the usual construction. This hopper is fitted with
pipes a, a, connected with a supply of fluid (usually water, but which
may be "wort"). These pipes a, a, are perforated in such a manner
that the fluid or water flowing through them will be caused to impinge
.upon or mingle with the sugar or saccharine matter and lubricate the
revolving claws B and rollers C, C, while they are in operation. I also
prefer to mount the rollers C, C, in sliding bearings (not shown in the
Drawings, but which will be readily understood), whereby these rollers
can be easily separated in case of need. Immediately above these
rollers C, C, and in the lowest part of the hopper A I place a shaft B¹.
To this shaft I attach in a suitable manner, as is well understood, a
series of teeth or claws B so contrived as to draw in and tear down upon
the rollers C, C, the superincumbent mass of sugar or saccharine sub-
stance to be dissolved, which simultaneously mingling with the spray of
fluid from the pipes a, a, is instantly reduced into a syrupy condition
and falls directly into the receiver E.
'
The object of having a space between the rollers C, C, as hercin
shown and described is to prevent their crushing the liquid out of the
saccharine substances and forming them into a hard cake as they pass
through the rollers.
My receiver E is of peculiar construction, having side ribs or stops E¹
to facilitate a further mixing of the syrup if necessary, and furnished
with a pocket or receptacle G for receiving and detaining stones, sand,
and such-like detritus should there be any in the saccharing substances
•

page_text: operated upon. This pocket or receptacle G is provided with a loose
cover, forming when in position a portion of the bottom of the receiver E.
When however this cover is removed the scrapers F' fixed to the winged
agitator F will in their rotation cause any stones, sand, or such-like
detritus to fall into the pocket or receptacle G, where they will be
detained until removed therefrom at suitable times through a suitable
door or opening at the outer end thereof. The bottom of the pocket
or receptacle G is inclined from the centre to the periphery of the
receiver E to permit of the ready removal therefrom of its contents.
Rotary motion is communicated to the apparatus in the following
manner :-On one end of the axis C* of one of the rollers C, O, is fixed
a toothed wheel C³, which is taken into by and receives rotary motion
from a toothed pinion H' fixed on one end of the driving shaft H, on the
other end of which is fixed a drum or pulley H³, by which it receives
rotary motion by a strap or band from a steam engine or other power.
On the other end of the axis C* is fixed a toothed pinion C³ which takes
into and gives rotary motion to a toothed wheel C³ fixed on the axis of
the other roller C. The axis C* has also fixed thereon a toothed
pinion C which takes into and gives rotary motion to a toothed wheel B³
fixed on the shaft B¹ of the claws B.
The winged agitator F has fixed on the axis thereof a bevelled toothed
wheel F, which is taken into by and receives rotary motion from a
bevilled toothed pinion I' fixed on one end of a shaft or axis I, on the
other end of which is fixed a driving drum or pulley I³, but the means
for giving rotary motion to the apparatus may be varied.
The receiver E is provided with a mouth or outlet J, through which
the
syrup
is caused to flow away from the receiver E, and my Invention
also includes a trough or channel (not shown, but which will be readily
understood) of peculiar construction, being furnished with stops or
obstructions at intervals in the length of such trough or channel, and
standing up from the bottom thereof, which effectually keep back or
separate sand, gravel, and such-like impurities from the syrupy mixture.
This trough or means of conveyance I sometimes fix to the receiver E,
and sometimes use separately for the purposes of decantation.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the mode
in which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,—

page_text: First. The peculiar mode herein described of treating and liquefying
cane sugar and other saccharine substances.
And, Secondly. I claim the peculiar arrangement and combination
of means or apparatus for treating and liquefying saccharine matters,
substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Richardson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.