IMPROVEMENTS IN REFINING SUGAR AND OTHER SACCHARINE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Reynolds, of Denmark Hill, in the County
of Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFINING
SUGAR AND OTHER SACCHARINE SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 4th November 1859, and dated the 5th May 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Reynolds at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th May 1859.
I, HENRY REYNOLDS, of Denmark Hill, in the County of Surrey, Gentle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REFINING SUGAR AND OTHER SACCHARINE SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
The objects of these improvements are, first, to dissolve sugars and other
saccharine substances by means of an ascending stream of fluid.
Second, to partially bleach or decolourize sugar and other saccharine
substances.
And, third, to increase the decolourizing powers of animal charcoal.
The first and second objects are applicable to that part of the process of
sugar refining which consists in melting or dissolving the sugar in what is
technically termed the "blow-up pan." The first is to obtain the solution of
sugar both more rapidly and at a lower temperature than by the usual method
of melting by free steam. The second is to discharge a considerable portion of
the colouring matter usually found associated with sugar and other saccharine

page_text: substances during its solution in the melting pan, or at any part of the process
previous to the injection of the saccharine fluid upon the bed or filter of animal
charcoal. And the third object is attained by subjecting the animal charcoal
itself to an operation or process previous to the injection of the saccharine fluid
upon its surface.
My Invention, as regards the first or melting part, consists in causing a
current or currents of the fluid in which the sugar is to be dissolved
to rise beneath the sugar or dense saccharine fluid, and in producing, main-
taining, intermitting, and reversing this current. I term this part of the
process "melting or dissolving by ascension." To effect the "melting by
ascension," I cause a current of the dissolving fluid to be injected beneath the
substances to be dissolved; in the case of sugar, I employ a vessel constructed
as an ordinary "blow-up pan," or other suitable vessel fitted with a perforated
platform or false bottom, such as is frequently used in sugar refining, adjusted
at a convenient distance from the true bottom. Beneath and up through the
central portion of the perforated false bottom I drive a current of the
dissolving fluid by means of a pump, or screw, or fan, or any other convenient
method, which driving apparatus may be fixed in the melting pan itself, or
the same apparatus may be made to serve several pans.
. In melting sugar by free steam I take care that it does not come directly in
contact with the injected steam; and I accomplish this by causing an external
circumferential descending current of fluid to pass over the steam pipes in its
passage to the inferior central portion of the perforated false bottom upon
which the unmelted sugar rests; and as this fluid is forced or driven through
the central portion of the perforated false bottom, by the means above referred
to, it produces an ascending central current, causing the sugar to be
suspended in, and thus to be always surrounded by the dissolving fluid.
The second part of my Invention consists in mixing small portions of meta-
stannic acid, stannic acid, or tungstic acid with the dissolved sugar previous to
its injection on the animal charcoal; and I use the above acids either by by
themselves, or combined with a base, for example, lime, alumina, potash, &c. ;
or I use a salt of tin, by preference the sulphate, with tungstate of lime, or
potash, or soda, in definite quantities, which, by their combination, produce
insoluble substances, easily removed from the solution of sugar, either in the
scum, the bag filters, or, lastly and entirely, in the charcoal filters.
In applying this the second part of my Invention, I mix any of the several
agents above referred to, in about the proportion of 1 part of the element to
1,000 parts of sugar, according to the intensity of its colour. I boil the whole,
and if the reaction is acid, as indicated by litmus, I neutralize this acidity by

page_text: Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Reynolds, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
. The objects of these improvements are, first, to dissolve sugars and other
saccharine substances by means of an ascending stream of fluid.
And, second, to partially bleach or decolourize sugar and other saccharine
substances.
These objects are applicable to that part of the process of sugar refining
which consists in melting or dissolving the sugar in what is technically termed
the "blow-up pan." The first is to obtain the solution of sugar both more
rapidly and at a lower temperature than by the usual method of melting by
free steam. The second is to discharge a considerable portion of the colouring
matter usually found associated with sugar and other saccharine substances
during its solution in the melting pan, or at any part of the process previous
to the injection of the saccharine fluid upon the bed or filter of animal
charcoal.
My Invention, as regards the first or melting part, consists in causing a
current or currents of the fluid in which the sugar is to be dissolved to rise
beneath the sugar or dense saccharine fluid, and in producing, maintaining,
intermitting, and reversing this current. I term this part of the process
"melting or dissolving by ascension." To effect the "melting by ascension" I
cause a current of the dissolving fluid to be injected beneath the substance to
be dissolved; in the case of sugar, I employ a vessel constructed as an ordinary
blow-up pan," or other suitable vessel fitted with a perforated platform or
false bottom, such as is frequently used in sugar refining, adjusted at a con-
venient distance from the true bottom. Beneath and up through the central
portion of the perforated false bottom I drive a current of the dissolving fluid,
by means of a pump, or screw, or fan, or any other convenient method, which
driving apparatus may be fixed in the melting pan itself, or the same appa-
ratus may be made to serve several pans.
In melting sugar by free steam I take care that it does not come directly in
contact with the injected steam, and I accomplish this by causing an external
circumferential descending current of fluid to pass over the steam pipes in its
passage to the inferior central portion of the perforated false bottom upon
which the unmelted sugar rests; and as this fluid is forced or driven through
the central portion of the perforated false bottom, by the means above referred

page_text: lime, either free or in combination, and as the scum rises it brings with it the
agents I have employed, and also more or less of the colouring matter of the
sugar, which colouring matter the agents have rendered insoluble. This scum
is removed or treated in the ordinary manner. The partially decolourized
liquor is run through the bag filters in the usual way, and also through a bed
of animal charcoal if the colour is not satisfactory. I consider it desirable to
subject the saccharine liquor to the action of animal charcoal, in order to
remove the last trace of the decolourizing agent employed.
The third part of my Invention consists in exhausting the atmosphere to a
greater or less extent from the animal charcoal vessels, after they are packed
with charcoal, and previous to the admission of the raw liquor, and filtering
in the ordinary manner, or by a process similar to the pneumatic process for
cleansing sugar.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Reynolds in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th November 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
REYNOLDS, of Denmark Hill, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Henry Reynolds, Her special licence that I, the said Henry
Reynolds, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Henry Reynolds, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REFINING SUGAR AND OTHER SACCHARINE SUBSTANCES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Reynolds, my exe-
cutors 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

page_text: to, it produces an ascending central current, causing the sugar to be suspended
in, and thus to be always surrounded by the dissolving fluid.
The second part of my Invention consists in mixing small portions of oxide
of tungsten with the dissolved sugar, previous to its injection on the animal
charcoal; and I use this substance either by itself or combined with a base,
for example, lime, potash, or soda, or a metallic oxide, for example, an oxide
of tin, in definite quantities, which, by their combination, produce insoluble
substances easily removed from the solution of sugar, either in the scum, the
bag filters, or, lastly and entirely, in the charcoal filters.
In applying this, the second part of my Invention, I mix the agent above
referred to in the proportion of about one part to one thousand parts of sugar,
according to the intensity of its colour. I boil the whole, and if the reaction
is acid, as indicated by litmus, I neutralize the acidity by lime, either free or
in combination; and as the scum rises, it brings with it the agent I have
employed, and also more or less of the colouring matter of the sugar, which
colouring matter the agent has rendered insoluble. This scum is removed or
treated in the ordinary manner. The partially decolourized liquor is run
through the bag filters in the usual way, and also through a bed of animal
charcoal if the colour is not satisfactory. I consider it desirable to subject
the saccharine liquor to the action of animal charcoal, in order to remove the
last trace of the decolourizing agent employed.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the dissolution of sugar and other saccharine substances by means of
an ascending or descending current of fluid propelled by mechanical means.
And, second, the employment of the salts of tungsten, either as the oxide,
or in combination with a base, for example, lime or soda, in the refining of
sugar and other saccharine substances.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Reynolds, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
HENRY REYNOLDS. (L.S.)