MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING THE JUICE FROM THE SUGAR CANE
Year: 1879

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Casimiro de la Muela, of Almeria, in the Kingdom of
Spain, now residing at 30, Craven Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex
Mining Engineer, for the Invention of MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
EXTRACTING THE JUICE FROM THE SUGAR CANE." A communication from
abroad by Arturo de la Muela, of Havannah, in the Island of Cuba.
Sealed the 7th November 1879, and dated the 17th May 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Casimiro de la Muela at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th May 1879.
CASIMIRO DE LA MUELA, of Almeria, in the Kingdom of Spain, now residing at
30, Craven Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Mining Engineer.
"MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING THE JUICE FROM THE SUGAR
CANE." A communication from abroad by Arturo de la Muela, of Havannali,
in the Island of Cuba.
The apparatus constituting this Invention consists of two parts, which I will
designate by the names of "saws" and "presses." And in order that the said
apparatus may be understood reference is had to the illustrative Drawings here-
unto annexed.
Saws will
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the whole of the apparatus constructed according
to this Invention, and Figure 2 is a plan of same.
I will first describe that part
referring to the saws a, the object of which is to reduce the cane to such a state
of separation so that by ordinary pressure all the juice contained in the cane may
be extracted; the pressure requisite is obtained by means of the presses hereafter
described under the second heading. The general arrangement of the "
be seen on reference to the Drawings. A hollow cylinder b, made by preference of
cast iron, is mounted on an axis, placed horizontally; on the said axis is placed a
series of circular saws, having a space between each of about 5 millimetres, the
teeth of the saws rising about 4 millimetres above the surface of the cylinder; on
the surface of this latter are fixed iron bands c, placed between two consecutive
saws" to which they are united. Motion is imparted to the cylinder by means of
two endless belts passing over two pullies fixed at the extremities of a shaft d
placed below the aforesaid axis; motion is imparted to this shaft by means of a
1.

page_text: belt which may pass from a fixed to a loose pulley in order to stop the machine at
will. By means of the above described driving arrangement a regular and proper
working of the cylinder and "saws" is obtained, and a speed of 600 to 900 revolutions
per minute may be obtained without enlarging the diameter of the pulley, the
driving pulley only making 35 revolutions per minute. In order to prevent the
saw dust produced by the saws from coming out in too great quantities at once
(which would prevent the press from giving a good result, as if the cells of the
ligneous texture are not sufficiently disintegrated it would not be possible to extract
the juice), a toothed iron plate or comb is fitted to the apparatus, consequently the
saw during its rotation cannot carry off a fragment of cane of a greater size than
the space between the saws and the plate or comb; this comb is made adjustable
so as to alter the space if required. The whole of the above described arrangement
is fitted in a casing of sheet iron (for example) of suitable form, having a space left
all the length of the cylinder for the introduction of the cane, which is thrown into
a receiver of sufficient capacity as that the proper weight of the cane produces the
feeding of the saws.
When the saw dust falls to the lower part of the saw it is collected by a series of
conductors which convey it to the press.
I will now proceed to describe the presses g, four of which are shewn in the
Drawing, thus forming a machine capable of pressing sufficient saw dust for pro-
ducing ten to twelve millions of pounds weight of sugar per 100 working days.
The general arrangement of the presses is as follows:-Upon a circular platform h
turning on a vertical pivot passing through its centre are mounted three vertical
cylinders ', made preferably of cast iron, and placed at an angle of 120 degrees.
By means of a convenient driving movement the platform turns upon its axis,
passing an angle of 120 degrees in 5 seconds; this are being described, the move-
ment ceases for about 25 seconds, at the expiration of which time the same
operation is repeated, and so on, thus each of the three cylinders passes twice in
60 seconds through the same point of the circumference passed by the platform.
The circular movement of the platform is guided by two concentric bands i placed
at its lower portion, as shewn in the Drawing, affording sufficient solidity to resist
the pressure to which they may be subjected. Upon a fixed support k, placed at
a convenient distance from the platform, is mounted a shaft l, which receives its
motion from the main driving shaft by means of gearing in such a manner that its
speed shall be two revolutions per minute. Upon the shaft is fixed an excentric m
to which is connected a piston n; this piston is so arranged as to be forced into
each of the three cylinders ¹ as they present themselves successively by the move-
ment of the circular platform, so as to exert sufficient pressure therein for driving
out the saw dust of the cane. The operation of the presses is as follows:-
:-That
cylinder just before the piston receives its compliment of saw dust of the cane by
means of the aforesaid conductor during the 25 seconds the apparatus remains at
rest, after which the platform turns at an angle of 120 degrees, and the cylinder
filled with the saw dust, as aforesaid, is presented below the piston. This move-
ment, as already stated, takes 5 seconds. The piston rising above the top of the
cylinder so as to present no obstacle during this movement. By this movement
the cylinder which was under the piston has left it and the third one is placed
ready to receive the saw dust, and during the 25 seconds that succeeds this cylinder
is filling as before stated, while the other cylinder is sustaining pressure, the juice
escaping by a series of apertures made in the cylinder for that purpose. Through
the third position of the cylinders the saw dust which has undergone pressure is
removed by the following arrangement. The bottoms of the cylinders are made
inoveable so that they may be raised vertically to the top of the said cylinders, and
for this purpose there is a rod connected with the bottom which follows in a fixed
groove in a space corresponding with the third position of the cylinders during
the turning of the platform the groove causes the bottoms of the cylinders to rise
until they are at a level with the top, leaving the body of pressed sawdust free to
be pushed off during the movement of the platform by means of a piece, having

page_text: metallic points and a pallet to detach and take out the ligneous substance, after
which the bottom of the cylinder falls back to its normal position by its own
weight.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature and object of this Invention
as communicated to me from abroad, I would remark in conclusion that what I
claim is constructing machinery or apparatus for extracting the juice from the sugar
cane, substantially as described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Casimiro de La Muela, have hereunto set
my hand seal, this Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
CASIMIRO DE LA MUELA. (L.S.)