Improvements in and relating to Machinery for Melting Sugar and like Substances.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 26th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Machinery for Melting Sugar and
like Substances.
I, MATTHEW BLAKE, of the Firm of Blake, Barclay and Company, Engineers,
Victoria Works, Greenock, Renfrewshire, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved machine
susceptible of modification in details and which is intended to be used in the
process of sugar refining or other industry, where the melting or dissolving of
granular substances is to be carried out.
Hitherto in melting the raw sugar, which is the initial stage in refining, an
apparatus called a blowup, or melting pan is generally used. A blow up consists
essentially of a circular tank having one or more steam worms for heating its
contents which are placed beneath perforated plates or a false bottom.
Stirring gear is provided to keep the mass in constant agitation.
The action of a blowup is intermittent being charged with sugar and water to
its utmost capacity the steam turned on and the agitation continued until the whole
charge is melted, after which it is run off.
Our invention comprises a machine or melter which will be continuous in its
action, and essentially consists of a long cylindrical vessel running on rollers and
which may be either slightly inclined or horizontal. The rollers on which it rests
are connected to suitable gearing and imparts to it a slow rotary motion. While
thrust rollers would be provided at the end of machine.
The heat may be applied either in the form of hot water, or with an open jet of
steam or hot air, or a steam drum parallel to the axis of the cylinder or a steam
jacket, or even steam coils may be employed at discretion.
The inside of the cylinder is provided with vanes or blades which may be varied
in size and disposition. The charging end of the machine is fitted with a stuffing
box and gland which rotates with the machine and works into a spigot piece bolted
on to the bend and bracket which forms part of the charging shoot or hopper.
At the opposite or discharge end of the machine a similar stuffing box and
gland with stationary syphon pipe fixed to a stool is provided, so that in continuous
working with the machine revolving, there is no obstruction to the charging or
discharging of the apparatus.
The process or operations may be described as follows: Raw sugar is emptied
down a grating into a shoot which may have a jet or spray of water playing
continuously across its whole area so that the sugar, when it falls to the bottom of
the bend is in the form of magma. Otherwise, where sugar of a tough or lumpy
nature is being treated, it may, as a preliminary process, be passed through a pug
mill and treated with water therein thence falling into shoot. The quantity of
water to be employed in this preliminary mixing is determined to a large extent
by the succeeding method of imparting the heat to the melting mass. If hot
water is to be the melting medium, then all the quantity required to bring the
sugar when melted, down to the proper density, may be passed into the melter at
this first operation. Otherwise, only enough water may be used as will carry the
raw sugar in a stiff magma into the machine, after which it will be subjected to a
further addition by a jet or nozzle carried into the machine or where open steam
is to be employed the condensation of this steam in the mass adds the necessary

page_text: water. The melted magma falls from the bend at the charging end into the
machine, and the vanes fixed on the inside of the cylinder raise the heavier mass
from the bottom and carry it up and shower it down again through the liquor of
lighter density, which accumulates nearer the surface. This continuous tumbling
and lifting goes on until all the grains are dissolved, the melted sugar or liquor
passing out through the syphon at the opposite end. The height of this syphon.
determines the level at which the mass in the melter will be maintained, and
presupposing that the cylinder is inclined, being higher at the discharging end, it
follows that the unmelted or semi-melted mass of sugar tends to fall back to the
lower end, of its own gravity leaving the discharge end with nothing but the
entirely melted contents.
In order to induce the retention of half melted sugar, or partially melted grains,
and to avoid the exit end of the machine, we cut away the vanes short off for
about one fourth of the entire length of the machine from that particular end, so
that the agitation of the contents, will be reduced at that point and the precipitation
of any stray grains encouraged.
The details of this machine may be varied indefinitely, in the method of charging,
method of introducing the heating medium, the means of agitating and accomplishing
the melting of the grains, and the supporting and driving it while still retaining
the application of the main principle of the invention, which is that of a rotary
machine.
For convenience we will describe six arrangements of our improvements, three
of these being of what we call the closed vessel and three of the open vessel
construction.
With the closed vessels the first modification would consist of an inclined
cylindrical vessel with supply shoot standing on stool and with stuffing gland on
end of machine joining thereto, steam or hot water being introduced by a pipe
from the bottom of this bend. The cylinder has vanes inside, about three fourths
of its length and the discharge is arranged with a syphon pipe fixed to a cast iron
stool the end projecting through the cylinder and jointed with gland and stuffing
box.
With the second modification in this design the heating medium is an internal
steam drum which is kept in its position (parallel to the axis of the cylinder) with
by-arms, the steam being introduced by a pipe projecting through a stuffing box at
the back of the bend on the charging end and the condensed water being trapped
off at the discharge end through a similar pipe.
With the third modification the cylinder is provided with a steam jacket and
vanes extending only half the length of the cylinder. The steam is introduced
and the condensed water trapped off at the charging end of the machine by the
same pipe which projects through the stuffing gland on the back of the bend. The
discharge from this machine in this case is on the centre line a spiral worm being
fitted on the end of the machine and which discharges a certain quantity every
revolution.
With the open vessels the first modification consists of a cylindrical vessel with
its axis inclined towards the discharge end. The charging shoot is supported by a
stool from the floor and projects through the coned end of the cylinder down which
also projects the copper pipe with the steam or hot water jet. The first section of
this machine has the lifting vanes. The internal part of this machine is divided
into three compartments separated by diaphragms. The first section or charging
end of the machine has the lifting vanes stopping short at a solid diaphragm which
has a hole in its centre, and covering that hole and attached to the diaphragm.
there is a perforated drum. The next section is provided with angled vanes so
disposed that their tendency is to throw back any unmelted parts of the charge and
allow that which is melted only to pass through its perforated diaphragm on which
the angled vanes abutt. At the outlet end of the machine there is another sieve
or perforated drum. This type of machine is only charged up to the level of the
run-off. The action of this machine is that the sugar being charged through the.

page_text: shoot and mixing with the water or steam is lifted on the vanes and dropped
through the intervening space into the mass again a certain proportion of which
has itself reduced in size and melted passes through the drum and overflows
through the hole of the first solid diaphragm in the second compartment where it
is further agitated with the angled vanes and passing through the last compartment
completely melted discharging out of a central spout into a gutter.
With the second modification in this design the heating medium is a steam drum
held in position parallel to the axis of the machine with steam and condensed water
arrangements. In the section of the machine terminating at the end of the drum
are deep vanes extending from the shell of the cylinder to the drum. The sugar
supplied to the shoot mixed with a degree of water is lifted bodily with these
deep vanes and discharged over the steam drum as the machine rotates finding its
way back to the bottom by the ends of the drum over which it is discharged. The
middle section of this machine has parallel lifting vanes similar to the first design
with a perforated drum and solid diaphragm from this part to the discharge the
design being the same with the exception of the angled vanes.
The third modification of open vessel consists of a machine with a steam jacket
with provision for the supply of steam and the obstruction of the condensed water
with a solid and perforated diaphragm and drum. Lifting vanes would preferably
be applied to the first section.
Dated the 25th day of June 1895.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
Improvements in and relating to Machinery for Melting Sugar and
like Substances.
I, MATTHEW BLAKE of the Firm of Blake, Barclay and Company, Engineers,
Victoria Works, Greenock, Renfrewshire, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement in writing that is
to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved machine
susceptible of modification in details and which is intended to be used in the.
process of sugar refining or other industry where the melting or dissolving of
granular substances is to be carried out.
Hitherto in melting the raw sugar, which is the initial stage in refining, an
apparatus called a blow up, or melting pan is generally used. A blow-up consists
essentially of a circular tank having one or more steam worms for heating its
contents which are placed beneath perforated plates or a false bottom.
Stirring gear is provided to keep the mass in constant agitation. The action of
the blowup is intermittent being charged with sugar and water to its utmost
capacity the steam turned on and the agitation continued until the whole charge is
melted after which it is run off.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
same into practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended three
sheets of explanatory drawings in which the same reference letters are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown. Figures 1, 3 and 5
on Sheet 1, and 7 and 9 on Sheet 2 are longitudinal sectional elevations of modified
arrangements of the closed type of rotary melting machines as constructed in
accordance with our improvements, and Figures 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 are transverse
sections of same as taken on the lines 2-2, 4-4, 6-6, 8-8 and 9-9 respectively,
while Figure 11 is a detached view showing how a spiral feed may be fitted at the

page_text: front or hopper end of these machines. Figures 12, 13 and 14 on Sheet 3 are
longitudinal sectional elevations of the open type of rotary machines as constructed
in accordance with our improvements.
Referring to these drawings:
My invention comprises a machine or melter which will be continuous in its
action and essentially consists of a long cylindrical vessel A running on rollers a
shown in Figures 1 and 2 and which may be either slightly inclined or horizontal.
The rollers a on which it rests are connected to bevel or other suitable gearing a¹ a
and imparts to it a slow rotary motion. While thrust rollers a³ would be provided
at the end of machine.
The heat may be applied either in the form of hot water, or with an open jet of
steam or hot air or a steam drum parallel to the axis of the cylinder or a steam
jacket, or even steam coils may be employed at discretion.
The inside of the cylinder A may be provided with vaues, teeth or blades A*
which may be varied in size and disposition. The charging end of the machine is
fitted with a stuffing box and gland A' which rotates with the machine and works
into a spigot piece B bolted on to the bend and bracket B¹ which forms part of the
charging shoot or hopper B³.
At the opposite or discharge end of the machine a similar stuffing box and
gland A' with stationary syphon pipe A' fixed to a stool A' is provided, so that in
continuous working with the machine revolving, there is no obstruction to the
charging or discharging of the apparatus.
The process or operations may be described as follows:-
Raw sugar is emptied down a grating B³ into a shoot B2 which may have a jet
or spray of water from a pipe B playing continuously across its whole area so that
the sugar, when it falls to the bottom of the bend is in the form of magma.
Otherwise where sugar of a tough or lumpy nature is being treated, it may as a
preliminary process, be passed through a pug mill or be masticated by knives or
rolls and treated with water therein thence falling into shoot. The quantity of
water to be employed in the preliminary mixing is determined to a large extent by
the succeeding method of imparting the heat to the melting mass. If hot water is
to be the melting medium, then all the quantity required to bring the sugar when
melted down to the proper density, may be passed into the melter at this first
operation. Otherwise only enough water may be used as will carry the raw sugar
in a stiff magma into the machine after which it will be subjected to a further
addition by a jet or nozzle carried into the machine or where open steam is to be
employed the condensation of this steam in the mass supplies the necessary water.
The melted magma falls from the bend B' at the charging end into the machine A,
and the vanes A* fixed on the inside of the cylinder A raise the heavier mass from
the bottom and carry it up and shower it down again through the liquor of lighter
density, which accumulates nearer the surface. This continuous tumbling and
lifting goes on until all the grains are dissolved, the melted sugar or liquor passing
out through the syphon A at the opposite end. The height of this syphon
determines the level at which the mass in the melter will he maintained, and
presupposing that the cylinder is inclined being higher at the discharging it
follows that the unmelted or semi-melted mass of sugar tends to fall back to the
lower end, of its own gravity leaving the discharge end with nothing but the
entirely melted contents.
In order to induce the retention of half melted sugar, or partially melted grains,
and to avoid the exit end of the machine, we cut the vanes A short off about one
fourth of the entire length of the machine from that particular end, so that the
agitation of the contents will be reduced at that point and the precipitation of any
stray grains encouraged.
The details of this machine may be varied indefinitely, both in the method of
charging, method of introducing the heating medium and the means of agitating
and accomplishing the melting of the grains, while still retaining the application of
the main principle of the invention, which is that of a rotary machine.

page_text: For convenience I will describe several arrangements of my improvements some
of these being of what we call the closed vessel and some of the open vessel
construction.
With the closed vessels the first modification as shown in Figures 1 and 2 would
consist of an inclined cylindrical vessel A with supply shoot B and bend B
standing on stool B' and with stuffing gland A' on end of machine A joining
thereto, steam or hot water being introduced by a pipe from the bottom of this
bend B. The cylinder A has vanes A* inside about three fourths of its length
and the discharge is arranged with a syphon pipe A³ fixed to a cast iron stool A
the end projecting through the cylinder A and jointed with gland and stuffing
box A'.
With the second modification in this design, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the
heating medium is an internal steam drum C which is kept in its position parallel
to the axis of the cylinder A with by-arms, the steam being introduced by a
pipe C projecting through a stuffing box C³ at the back of the bend B¹ on the
charging end, and the condensed water being trapped off at the discharge end
through a similar pipe C².
With the third modification as shown in Figures 5 and 6 the cylinder A is
provided with a steam jacket D and vanes A* secured within same, and extending
only half the length of the cylinder A. The steam is introduced and the condensed
water trapped off at the charging end of the machine by the same pipe C₁ which
projects through the stuffing gland C on the back of the bend B₁ and has radial
branches c. The discharge from this machine in this case is on the centre line a
spiral worm D' being fitted on the end of the machine and which discharges a certain
quantity through the spout D³ at every revolution.
The vessels A shown in Figures 3 to 6 would be rotated by rollers a and bevel
gearing a¹ a² same as in Figures 1 and 2 although not shown in these figures. In
the arrangement shown in Figures 7 and 8, the closed vessel A is formed of a.
truncated or conical shape for part of its length, and is heated by a steam coil C,
the steam entering by the branch C¹ at the one, and the condensed water flowing
out through the discharge end C in an analogous manner to the steam drum in
Figure 3. An emptying cock A may be fitted at end of vessel A.
In this arrangement also the discharge end of vessel A is mounted to rotate
within a trunnion block A' at the top of the support stool A* and thrust rollers a³
are dispensed with and the vessel is driven by one set of supporting rollers a through
a frictional driving shaft actuated by the spur gearing a¹ a' from an engine
situated on the same foundation as the machine.
a¹.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 9 and 10, which is somewhat analogous to
Figures 5 and 6, a conoidal part A' of fine meshed cloth is shown as extending.
from the end of the vanes Ax within the vessel A; and a series of masticating
knives e are shown as working within the front part of the vessel A. These
knives e are shown as mounted on transverse spindle e¹ connected by links e³ to.
spindles which are in turn connected by links e to a spindle working at its.
ends in bearings e, while the mechanism is counterweighted and the knives kept
in working position by the weighted levers as the vessel A. rotates. But when
the sugar is masticated before passing through the grating B³ these appliances e to e
are not required within the vessel.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 11, there is shown within the chambers B B¹.
a rotating spindle d with spiral blades or vanes d' same passing through a stuffing.
box at end of machine, and carried by a bearing bracket d' at its inner end, and.
actuated through pulleys d². And this feeding arrangement for the sugar or
material may be applied to any of the modifications of rotary melters.
With the open vessels the first modification as shown in Figure 12 consists of a.
cylindrical vessel A with its axis inclined towards the discharge end. The charging
shoot B is separated by a stool B from the floor and its angled part B projects.
through the coned end of the cylinder A down which also projects the copper
pipe b with the steam or hot water jet. The first section of this machine bas the

page_text: lifting vanes A*. The internal part of this machine is divided into three com-
partments F F¹ F' separated by diaphragms ff. The first section or charging
end F of the machine has the lifting vanes A* stopping short at a solid diaphragm f
which has a hole f' in its centre, and covering that hole and attached to the
diaphragm there is a perforated sifting drum f³. The next section F1 is provided
with angled vanes f" so disposed that their tendency is to throw back any unmelted
parts of the charge and allow that which is melted only to pass through the
perforated part f* of its diaphragm fl on which the angled vanes fabut. At the
outlet end of the machine there is another sieve or perforated drum f.
This type of machine is only charged up to the level of the run-off or outlet. The
action of this machine is that the sugar being charged through the shoot B2² B' and
mixing with the water or steam is lifted on the vanes Ax and dropped through
the intervening space into the mass again a certain proportion of which has itself
reduced in size and melted passes through the drum f and overflows through the
hole of the first solid diaphragm finto the second compartment F¹ where it is
further agitated with the angled vanes and passing through the last compartment F³
completely melted discharges out of a central spout D³ into a gutter.
With the second modification in this design as shown in Figure 13 the heating
medium is a steam drum C held in position parallel to the axis of the machine with
steam inlet pipe C₁ and condensed water outlet pipe C from the drawing away
worm C. In the section Fx of the machine terminating at the end of the drum C
are deep vanes A* extending from the shell of the cylinder A to the drum C. The
sugar supplied to the shoot B B' mixed with a degree of water is lifted bodily with
these deep vanes A* and discharged over the steam drum as the machine rotates
finding its way back to the bottom by the ends of the drum over which it is
discharged. The middle section F of this machine has parallel lifting vanes A*
similar to the first design with a perforated drum f³ and solid diaphragm f, from
this part to the discharge end the design is the same as in Figure 12 with the
exception that angled vanes are unnecessary.
The third modification of open vessel as shown in Figure 14 consists of a machine
with a steam jacket D with provision for the supply of steam through the pipe C¹
and branch c and the drawing away of the condensed water through the pipe C³ and
having solid and perforated diaphragms ff' and drums f³ fe. Lifting vanes A*
would preferably be applied to the first section of vessel."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The constructing of rotary acting machines for melting sugar and the like, sub-
stantially as and in the manner herein described, in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated 25th day of March 1896.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.