IMPROVEMENTS IN SUGAR CANE MILLS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Buchanan, of 29, Bucklersbury, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUGAR CANE MILLS."
Sealed the 14th December 1858, and dated the 13th July 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Buchanan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
July 1858.
I, GEORGE BUCHANAN, of 29, Bucklersbury, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUGAR CANE MILLS," to
.be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to the standards or side frames for carrying
the rollers, the mode of drawing out the lower rollers, the iron tie bars at the
sides of the standards, and the flanges at the ends of the rollers. The
.standards or side frames are constructed in a novel manner with a combination
of cast iron and sheet iron plates whereby greater strength, lightness, and
portability is obtained. The lower rollers in these improvements are drawn
out in a horizontal direction without lifting the top roller or other driving
arrangments, thus giving greater facilities in the putting together, cleaning,
and repairing. The end tie bars are arranged in a novel and suitable manner
with screws for adjusting the lower rollers passing through them; the cast
iron flanches at ends of lower rollers are dispensed with, and in lieu of them a

page_text: wrought-iron plate or ring is attached to each end of the top roller, by which
means increased strength and compactness is obtained, and the defects of the
ordinary arrangement avoided.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Buchanan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th January 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
BUCHANAN, of 25, Bucklersbury, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said George Buchanan, Her special licence that I, the said George
Buchanan, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said George Buchanan, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SUGAR CANE MILLS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Buchanan, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Buchanan, do hereby declaro
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon:-
My said Invention relates to sugar cane mills, and has reference to the
peculiar mode of constructing the standards or side frames for carrying the
rollers, the mode of drawing out the lower rollers, the iron tie bars at the sides
of the standards, and the flanges at the ends of rollers, and the other
peculiarities in the details of construction herein mentioned.

page_text: My peculiar mode of construction of the standards or side frames is as
follows:-
Plate 1. Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 shew various views of the mill and the
mode of construction of the standards or side frames. One or more sheet iron
plates, as shewn in Figure 2, are cut out to the intended shape of the side
frame, and attached to each side of the light skeleton cast-iron frame or standard
shewn in Figure 4; they are secured to this frame and to each other by screws
or by rivets passing through from side to side.
This improvement combines the following advantages over the ordinary
system, 1stly, in greatly increasing the strength of the frames, dependence
being placed upon the cobesive strength of wrought iron instead of. cast iron;
the latter material is on this plan only used as a convenient medium for.
keeping the whole together and securing it to the sole plate; 2ndly, in re-
ducing the weight of the said side frames by nearly one half, thus rendering
them so much the more easy of transport with less liability of breakage, both
on account of their lightness, and having sheet-iron plates at sides; 3rdly, in
rendering it feasible to greatly reduce the height of the frame without taking
away from the required strength, thus affording to the mill great steadiness
and freedom from vibration, and rendering the feeding it or supplying it with
canes an easier task than in the ordinary system from the height of the feed
board being in consequence much reduced.
The mode of Drawing out the lower rollers is also shewn in the Figures
1, 2, 3, & 4, before referred. I effect this by my plan without raising or
lifting the said rollers or moving the top roller, as in the ordinary mill, by
sliding back the lower rollers in a horizontal direction, an opening being left
in the standard behind the rollers on each side in which a wrought-iron tie
bar (shewn to an enlarged scale in Plate 2, Figures 1 & 2,) is placed, which
can with facility be removed when it is wished to draw the rollers out.
The advantage of this arrangement over the ordinary system is, the facility
with which the rollers may at any time be taken out of the mill in a few
minutes, by simply removing the wrought-iron tie bars at sides, and then
sliding back the rollers horizontally until they reach the end of the frame,
when they are upon the ground and may be rolled away. The wrought-iron
tie bars for sides of standards are shewn on an enlarged scale in Plate 2,
Figures 1 & 2. No nut is required for the adjusting screws, as they pass
through the wrought-iron tie bars, which are tapped to receive them.
Plate 2. Figure 3 shews my plan for dispensing with flanges to end of
lower rollers by placing a sheet-iron plate opposite to ends of top rollers;
which plan more effectually than flanges prevents the canes from getting out

page_text: at the sides, and also gives increased strength and compactness by bringing the
lower roller bearings nearer to each other, and also would facilitate the arrange-
ment of a spare lower roller being used for an upper one or vice versa, as
occasion might require.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used. or carried
into effect, I would observe that I do not confine or restrict myself to the
precise details or arrangements which I have here described and referred to,
as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the
principles of my Invention; but what I consider to be novel & original, &
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement & construction of sugar cane mills, as
herein-before described.
Second, the sheet-iron plates at sides of standards & cut out to the shape
of them, & the peculiar combination of cast & sheet iron in the said standards
.or side frames.
Third, the mode of drawing out the lower rollers horizontally and the
peculiarities of construction to effect the same herein described.
Fourth, the wrought-iron tie bars at sides, & their peculiar construction,
and the dispensing thereby with the use of nuts for adjusting screws of lower
rollers.
Fifth, dispensing with the use of cast-iron flanges to lower rollers by sub-
stituting in lieu thereof the arrangement herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Buchanan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of January, Eighteen hundred and
fifty-nine.
GEORGE BUCHANAN. (L.S.)