IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR FROM SUGAR CANE AND OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Fry of 57 Old Broad Street in the City of
London, Merchant for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF SUGAR FROM SUGAR CANE AND OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES" com-
municated to him from abroad by William Bancroft Espeut, a person resident
at Jamaica West Indies
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Fry at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd August 1883.
GEORGE FRY of 57 Old Broad Street, in the City of London Merchant
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR FROM SUGAR CANE AND OTHER
VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES (a communication to me from abroad by William
Bancroft Espeut a person resident at Jamaica West. Indies)
"
Whereas under date 23rd December 1882 Letters Patent were granted to Carl
Daniel Ekman, William Bancroft Espeut and George Fry, for "Improvements in
the extraction of Saccharine matter from vegetable substances which improve-
ments consisted in boiling the raw material under pressure in a solution containing
sulphurous acid and a base or alkali. And whereas in the course of experiments
made in Jamaica on fresh sugar canes, it has since been found that the employment
of pressure during the process of extraction may not in all cases be attended with
so great advantage as it appeared to be during experiments previously made in
England.
Now, the present invention consists in subjecting sugar canes or other sugar-
yielding vegetable substances, previously reduced by some suitable mechanical
means (such as slicing) to such a condition as to be easily permeable, to the action
of a solution containing sulphurous acid and a base or alkali at a temperature not
exceeding 100 degrees Centigrade or 212 degrees Fahrenheit, that is to say, at a
temperature not exceeding that of boiling water at the ordinary pressure of the
atmosphere.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by tho said George Fry in the Patent Office on the 21st February 1884.
George FRY of 57% Old Broad Street in the City of London Merchant
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR FROM SUGAR-CANE AND OTHER
VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES" a communication from William Bancroft Espout a person
resident at Jamaica West Indies
Whereas under date the twenty third December One thousand eight hundred
and eighty two Letters Patent were granted to Carl Daniel Ekman William
Bancroft Espeut and George Fry for "Improvements in the oxtraction of Saccharine
matter from Vegetable substances" which Improvements consisted in boiling the
raw material under pressure in a solution containing Sulphurous acid and a base
or alkali.
And whereas in the course of experiments made in Jamaica on fresh Sugar
Canes it has since been found that the employment of pressure during the process
of extraction may not in all cases be attended with so great advantage as it
appeared to be during the experiments previously made in England.
Now the present Invention consists in subjecting Sugar Canes or other Sugar-
yielding Vegetable substances previously reduced by some suitable mechanical
means (such as slicing) to such a Condition as to be easily permeable to the action
of a solution containing sulphurous acid and a base or alkali in an open vessel at a
teinperature not exceeding that of the boiling point of the solution at the ordinary
pressure of the atmosphere
In carrying out this Invention similar précautions to those described in the
Specification of the Patent of twenty third December One thousand eight hundred
and eighty two above referred to will have to be observed. vis. The Canes
or other Sugar-yielding substances previously freed from foreign matter or parts
which it may be thought advisable to reject must be cut into slices or otherwise
mechanically treated to reduce them to such a condition that the liquid employed
may easily permeate them
In this state they are placed in an open boiler or vessel constructed of or lined
with lead or other metal alloy or substance capable of resisting the action of the
boiling solution and of the chemicals employed. This Vessel or boiler must be so
constructed as to be capable of being heated in a gradual or suitable manner (such
as by means of a Coil or steam jacket)
The description proportions and quantities of chemicals which it is found
preferable to employ are those mentioned in the Spocification of Patent referred
to above.
The Canes or other Sugar-yielding substances having been placed in the Vessel
or Boiler sufficient liquid is run in to cover them (in the event of loss by
evaporation during the boiling process it may be made good by the addition of
water or fresh solution).
The temperature is thon gradually raised to the boiling point which in an open
vessel will be about one hundred degrees centigrade or two hundred and twelve
degrees Fahrenheit but will of course rise slightly according to the amount of
saccharine and other matters dissolved.
The length of time that it has been found desirable to boil pieces of Sugar cane has
been about two hours. After the boiling process the saccharine solution may be
drained from the canes and these may be squeezed by passing through the cane
Mill or by hydraulic pressure or by other suitable means for removing the juice
or solution which they may contain,

page_text: Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed I hereby declare that what I claim, as of the said
Invention (communicated to me from abroad as aforesaid) is :—
The manufacture of Sugar from Vegetable substances by boiling in an open
vessel with a solution containing sulphurous acid and a base or alkali substantially
as described
In witness whereof I the said George Fry have hereunto set my hand and
seal this twenty-first day of February in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
Witness to the signature of George Fry
EW THOMAS
22 Queen's Road,
Brownswood Park,
Green Lanes,
London. N.
GEO. FRY. (L.S.)