IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BURNING OR REVIVIFYING AND FOR OTHERWISE TREATING BONE BLACK OR OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR MOULDING OR COMPRESSING SUGAR
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lanc,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BURNING OR REVIVIFYING AND FOR
OTHERWISE TREATING BONE BLACK OR OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN APPARATUS
FOR MOULDING OR COMPRESSING SUGAR."-A communication from abroad
by Joseph Gandolfo, Sugar Refiner, and John William Jarboe,
Manufacturer, both of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, and
State of New York, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 28th August 1875, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.

page_text: WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR BURNING OR REVIVIFYING AND FOR OTHERWISE TREATING BONE
BLACK OR OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR MOULDING OR COMPRESSING
SUGAR," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the
same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been communicated
to me from abroad by Joseph Gandolfo, Sugar Refiner, and John
William Jarboe, Manufacturer, both of Brooklyn, in the County of
Kings, and State of New York, United States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
:-
This Invention has reference to improvements in bone black revivi-
fying, cooling, and heating mechanism, and in other machinery used in
sugar refineries, including also improvements in sugar moulding com-
pressing mechanism.
The Invention consists in the arrangement of a new revivifier, wherein
the products of combustion are conducted from the furnace into the
lower end of a tube that extends lengthwise through the vertical retort,
and communicates at its upper end with the chimney, the fire of the
furnace playing at the same time around the retort, so that the bone
black or other substance passing through the retort will be exposed to
a double heating surface. With this arrangement is combined a peculiar
socket that receives the lower end of the retort and of the central
smoke flue and conducts the products of combustion into said central
smoke flue.
The Invention also consists in devising a bone black cooler, which,
however, may also be used as a heater, and in which an inclined rotary
drum, having inwardly projecting blades, is applied around a stationary
cooling vessel, which is traversed by water or steam pipes or shelves.
The Invention also consists with reference to the mechanism for
pressing centrifugal machine sugar into blocks or cubes in the com-
bination of a series of stationary moulds, that are open at both cuds,
with a series of dies or plungers that fit said moulds, and with a sliding

page_text: lower end of the retort. The flange embraces the lower part of the
retort, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The lower end of the socket c rests
on a suitable plate, which is built into the furnace, being perforated to
allow the bone black or other substance which is dropped through the
retort and through the socket c to enter a suitable receptacle.
The socket is traversed centrally by a hollow bridge or partition d,
which is open on top and closed at the bottom, and which constitutes the
support and lower extremity of the fluc B, as shown. A hole e is made
through the side of the socket into the end of the hollow bridge or
partition d to allow the products of combustion from the furnace to cuter
the bridge or partition d and the flue B. It is preferable to so place the
socket that the hole e will be as far away as possible from the grate of
the furnace.
The socket may be made with more holes e than one if desired.
Opposite to the hole e the hollow bridge d has a hand hole closed by a
plate to permit the cleaning of the said bridge or partition. A hand
holo is also by preference formed in the elbow a of the fluc B, as
indicated at in the Drawing, to permit the ready cleaning of the
flue.
In operation the flames of the furnace pass over fire-walls to the retorts
and play around the retorts, so as to heat their contents. The flames or
products of combustion then enter the sockets c, c, through the holes e of
the partitions & therein and ascend through the flues B, B, whence they
escape into the chimney. Thus it is that the products of combustion affect
both the outer and the inner walls of the retorts, whereby a more com- 1
plete, equal, and rapid burning or revivifying of the bone black or other
substance can be accomplished than by the apparatus now in use.
The bone black or other substance is fed into the open upper end of
the annular retort, and in passing down into and through the socket c is
burnt or revivified in the desired manner.
Suitable shelves, ribs, or other detaining devices may, if desired, be
arranged within each retort.
The Invention is also applicable to the burning or heating of soda in
its manufacture.
When cylindrical retorts are used they may be made to revolve by being
flanged on top, the flanges resting on circles of balls, that are sunk into

page_text: grooves of the supporting frame.
In this manner the retorts can be
turned so that they will not burn out on one side and then become
useless. A central pipe may be inserted within each pipe B and con-
nected with the annular revivifying space by inclined branch pipes, to
carry up into the chimney the gases and fumes escaping from the bone
black.
In Figures 4 and 5 the letter D represents a cylindrical rotary drum
supported in a slightly inclined position by friction rollers h, k, or by
other equivalent means; E is a stationary cooling, heating, or drying
vessel firmly supported at its ends on a stationary floor by uprights ? or
otherwise. This vessel is made with flaring sides, and is open at the top
and bottom. It is also slightly inclined, as shown, and extends length-
wise through the drum, that can be revolved around it. G, G, are hollow
water conduits, shelves, or pipes passing zig-zag or other direction
through the vessel E. The inner face of the drum D is lined with a
number of inwardly projecting preferably radial blades or ribs j, j, as
shown. That end of the drum D which is the most elevated is closed
by a fixed plate k, which is attached to and supported by one of the
uprights i. The fixed plate is provided with a hopper 1, as shown.
Rotary motion may be imparted to the drum D by pinions, belts, or
otherwise.
The operation of the cooling apparatus is as follows:-The bone black,
charcoal, or other substance to be dryed, heated, or cooled is introduced
through the hopper within the drum D, to which rotary motion is
imparted. The bone black or other substance falls from the hopper to
the bottom of the drum D between the ribs j, j, and will during the
rotation of the drum be gradually carried by the ribs to the top of the
drum D, from where it will fall into the vessel E. Through the pipes &
hot or cold water, steam, or other fluid is caused to pass according to the
effect to be obtained on the charcoal or other matter introduced within
the drum D, that is to say, if the matter is to be cooled cold water or
other cooling medium is used, and if it is to be heated hot water, steam,
or the like is used. The charcoal or other substance will on entering the
vessel E come in contact with the tubes G, and be dried, cooled, or
otherwise affected by them in the desired manner. By the inclination of
the vessel E and drum D the matter is gradually fed towards and finally
discharged at the lower end of the drum.

page_text: Instead of making the vessel E with flaring sides, as shown, the same
may be made rectangular in cross section, and the additional space
thereby obtained may also be filled with steam or other fluid used for
heating, drying, or cooling the charcoal or other substance. The drum D
may revolve in water or steam, or be otherwise surrounded by such
fluid.
In Figures 6 to 9 the letter H represents the stationary framework of
the pressing machine. In the same is supported a cellular mould I com-
posed of a series of contiguous, prismatic, parallel, open-ended chambers
m, m, that constitute the moulds proper of the machine. These
chambers m, m, are formed by vertical partitions of the cellular mould
in manner clearly indicated in Figures 6 and 7, and are made flaring at
their upper ends to facilitate the entrance of the moist sugar into the
chambers and prevent it from settling on the upper ends of the inter-
vening partitions. By means of projecting flanges n, n, or otherwise the
mould I is suspended in a stationary box-like part o of the frame H that
surrounds said mould. But in order to confine the sugar to be moulded
to the mould, and prevent it from running over the edges thereof,
ledges p, p, are affixed to the surrounding box-like part o of the frame H,
said ledges projecting above and extending around the top of the mould,
as indicated in Figure 6. J, J, are a series of dies or plungers sus-
pended one directly above each chamber m, and all attached at their
upper ends to a sliding head r, to which vertical motion can be imparted
by means herein-after described. The form of each plunger J is pris-
matic, like that of its chamber or mould m, and the size such that said
plunger when let down will just fill its chamber. The head ris sus-
pended by a central screw shafts from a rotary nut & that carries a bevel
gear wheel or is otherwise so connected with suitable mechanism as to
be capable of receiving vertical reciprocating motion. Eyes v, v, that
are attached to the head embrace posts to, wo, of the frame and serve to
steady the plungers in their motion.
Lis a horizontal slide arranged on a plane about with the lower ends
of the moulds m, m, so that it can be moved beneath said moulds, as in
Figure 6, to constitute a bottom for them, or move away from the said
moulds to open their lower ends.
Beneath the plane of the sliding bottom L is an endless belt M or
other carrier, to remove the cubes or blocks of sugar from beneath the

page_text: moulds; N are steam pipes or other heating devices placed stationary
near the sides of the endless belt or other carrier M to dry the cubes of
pressed sugar that are placed on and moved by said carrier.
•
The operation is as follows:-The sugar as it comes from a centrifugal
machine, or other loose or moist granular sugar, is (while the bottom L
closes the lower ends of the moulds, and the plungers are raised as in
Figure 6) poured through a suitable spout upon the moulds, so as to fill
all the several chambers m, m, the ledges p confining the sugar to its
place, thereupon the plungers are brought down into the chambers m,
compressing the sugar between them and the bottom L into the required
size, as indicated in Figure 7. The downward motion of the plungers is
now momentarily arrested, the bottom L withdrawn, and the downward
plunger motion théreupon resumed to discharge the blocks from the
chambers m, m, upon the carrier M, as indicated in Figure 8. The
plungers are next clevated in the position shown in Figure 6, the sliding
bottom reapplied beneath the moulds, and the operation resumed as
before.
Instead of using a sliding bottom L a folding bottom may-
-be used,
and instead of using a single such bottom there may be several, even as
many as one for each chamber.
For cleaning the chambers m of the mould the lower end of each
plunger J carries a piece x of leather or rubber made to project slightly
beyond the sides of the plunger, as in Figure 6.
I
These flexible wipers
will not be in the way during the descent of the plungers, but during
their ascent they will wipe the chambers clean. For thorough cleaning,
however, the whole mould I may from time to time be removed and
replaced.
The application of the heating mechanism N to the carrier M is of
advantage in overcoming (where there is proper room for a long carrier
or for a long travel thereof) the necessity of using a drying room.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of
performing the same,
I declare that what I claim as new and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is,-
1st. The socket c open on top and bottom to constitute a support for
and a continuation of the retort A, and provided with the hollow
bridge d, which is open on top and supports the flue B, and is closed at

page_text: the bottom, and with the aperture or smoke passage e that leads into the
hollow bridge, substantially as herein shown and described.
2nd. The combination of the retort A and pipe B with the socket c,
which has the hollow bridge or partition d, substantially as herein shown
and described.
E
3rd. The combination of the rotary inclined drum D, which is provided
with the inwardly projecting blades with the stationary inclined chamber
E, containing the pipes or hollow shelves G, all arranged substantially as
herein shown and described and for the purpose specified.
4th. In a machine for pressing sugar into blocks, the combination of 1
the stationary cellular mould I with the intermittent compressing and
discharging plungers J, J, and movable bottom L, all arranged to operate
substantially as herein shown and described.
5th. The combination of the carrier M with the movable bottom L,
stationary cellular mould I, and intermittently acting plunger J, J, sub- 1
stantially as herein shown and described.
6th. The process herein described of producing block sugar in a
cellular mould by first compressing the sugar in said mould by plungers,
next arresting the motion of the pressure plungers and opening the ends
of the mould, and then resuming the motion of the plungers, to 2
dischargo the blocks upon a carrier, substantially as herein shown and
described.
7th. The combination of the heating apparatus N with the sugar
carrier M to dry the sugar while it is on said carrier, substantially as
herein shown and described.
8th. The wipers x applied to the plungers J, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
2
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy- 3
C