Improvements in Sugar-cane Shredding Machinery.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sugar-cane Shredding Machinery.
A communication from HECTOR KIDD, 14, Toxteth Road, Lee Point, Sydney,
New South Wales, Civil and Mechanical Engineer.
I, WILLIAM SMITH, of the Firm of A. & W. Smith & Co., of Eglinton
Engine Works, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say :-
This invention relates to machinery for shredding sugar canes in order to
facilitate the extraction of their saccharine matter, and the object of the invention
is to improve the constructive details and to render them more effective in
operation.
The improved machinery is represented on three accompanying sheets of
explanatory drawings,
Figure, 1, on Sheet, 1, being a general elevation, Figure, 2, on Sheet, 2, an
enlarged sectional side elevation of the framing fitted with the bearings of the
shredding or cutter rolls.
Figure, 3, an enlarged sectional elevation showing parts of the cutter rolls.
Figure, 4, on Sheet, 3, a longitudinal section, and Figures, 5 to 9, elevations of
separate parts.
In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
The canes are delivered from the upper end of an inclined conveyer or elevator 10,
down a shoot, 11, to the shredding rolls, 12, 13, and after passing through these
rolls are delivered down a shoot, 14, to the crushing mill, 15. The rolls, 12, 13,
are on parallel shafts, 16, 17, which are held in specially constructed bearings in
side frames, 18. The bearing of the bottom shaft, 17, is formed partly in the
frame casting and partly in a cast iron cover, 19, bolted on, both cover and bottom
part of the bearing being lined with brass or other suitable alloy. The bottom
shaft, 17, is driven by means of a pulley, 20, fast on it outside of one of the side
frames, 18, and an outer bearing, 21, is provided to give steadiness, whilst the
bearing nearest the pulley, 20, in the frame, 18, is made of extra length, and a
space, 22, is formed in the casting round the lower part for the passage through of
water to keep the bearing cool.
The upper shaft, 16, is held in bearing blocks, 23, 24, which are adjustable in
guide openings in the side frames, 18, and which are lined with brass or other
suitable alloy. Each lower bearing block, 23, is adjustable by means of a screw
spindle, 25, working in an internally screwed block, 26, secured to the side frame, 18,
but removable therefrom when required. Each upper bearing, 24, is pressed
downwards by springs, 27, which are adjustable by means of a screw spindle, 28,
screwed through a cover plate, 29. The upper shaft, 16, is driven at a less speed
than the lower shaft, 17; and to diminish the tendency to its being dragged round
by the latter at a greater than its proper speed, it is driven by two belts acting on
two pulleys, 30, fixed one on each end of it.
The shredding or cutting rolls, 12, 13, are built up each with a series of steel
ings, each of a double-bevil or angular form with the bevilled or conical surfaces
errated or made with sharp-edged ratchet-like teeth. As the projecting angles of
one roll extend in between those of the other roll, two half rings are put at the ends
of one roll, the upper one, 12, to make the total lengths of the two rolls equal.
The serrations of the steel cutting rings, 12, 13, are of an improved form the
TD 031

page_text: bottoms of the indentations being rounded instead of being angular and conse-
quently deeper. With deeper and angular-bottomed indentations small canes or
parts of canes are apt to get through without being sufficiently shredded a
result which is prevented by the rounded form shown. Another special feature is
the making of the serrations of the upper roll double the number and half the pitch
of those of the lower roll; by which construction the upper roll which turns the
more slowly obtains a better grip of the canes as they gradually pass through and
resists the drag of the shredding or cutting action of the lower roll.
The steel cutting rings, 12, 13, (excepting the end ones) are fixed on drums, 31,
(Figures, 4, and, 7,) fixed on the shafts, 16, 17, by pinching screws, the rings being
made to fit truly and tightly on the drums, 31, by means of strips, 32, (Figure, 3)
of brass or other suitable alloy. The steel cutting rings at the ends of the rolls
are fixed on the bosses of end disks, 33, 34, and 35, 36, (shown in face view in
Figures 5, 8, 6, 9,) and these end disks are fixed on the shafts, 16, 17, the
two, 33, 35, at one end by keys and the others, 34, 36, by means of slightly tapered
bushes, 37, those at one end being tightened by means of screws on the completion
of the adjustment and fixing of the parts. In putting the parts together the steel
cutter rings, 12, 13, and end disks are strung on the shafts, 16, 17, and then the
end disks are connected by the rods or long bolts, 38, on which nuts, 39, are
screwed so as to draw the parts together as tightly as possible.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In sugar-cane shredding machinery and in combination with the general
arrangement and main parts thereof, the improved constructive details substantially
as herein before described.
2. The improved bearings for the shafts of the shredding rolls substantially as
hereinbefore described.
3. The improved form of the indentations of the steel cutting or shredding rings
substantially as herein before described.
4. The making of the teeth of the more slowly moving shredding roll more
numerous and smaller in pitch than those of the other roll substantially. as herein-
before described.
5. The improved construction and mode of building up the shredding rolls
substantially as herein before described.
Dated this Ninth day of August 1893.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.