IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING RAW OR PARTLY REFINED SUGAR
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Frazer Smith, of Greenock, in the County
of Renfrew, North Britain, Manager of the Ingleston Sugar
Refinery, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING RAW OR
PARTLY REFINED SUGAR."
Scaled the 13th July 1875, and dated the 29th March 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Frazer Smith
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 29th March 1875.
I, RORERT FRAZER SMITH, of Greenock, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, Manager of the Ingleston Sugar Refinery, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING
RAW OR PARTLY REFINED SUGAR," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the partial or complete purification of raw or
partly refined sugars. Such sugars are usually more or less dark in
colour and impure, owing to the crystals being covered or coated with
uncrystallizable sugar, caramel, salts, and other foreign matters, and it is
desirable to remove these substances therefrom, this being effected by this

page_text: Invention as follows:--After mixing the sugar in a machine in order to
break down the lumps and amalgamating the broken matter with any of
the ordinary blucing materials, the said sugar is subjected to the action of
steam in an apparatus consisting of a box, in which is a ledge at a short
distance from the bottom. A tray with sides is provided to rest on this
ledge, and the bottom is covered with strong wire cloth, on the top of
which is placed a sheet of fine gauze cloth or perforated metal. The
box is provided with a moveable top swung by a chain over pulleys, and
both the box and the top have flanges and arrangements for securing a
tight junction between them. Two or more pipes for conveying steam
enter preferably through the lid. The bottom of the box communicatos
with a vessel or pipe in which a partial vacuum is maintained by means
of a vacuum pump, steam jet, or other equivalent means.
The sugar is spread evenly and uniformly on the tray to a depth which
will vary with the quality of the sugar. The vacuum pump is set in
motion, the lid of the box being previously lowered and clamped on, after
which steam at a pressure of three or four pounds per square inch or
thereabouts is turned on. In a few minutes the operation is complete,
the vacuum is ceased, and the steam turned off, the lid detached, the tray
lifted out and replaced by a similar one in waiting and previously charged
with sugar. The syrup or liquor which has accumulated in the box is
let off by a valve provided for that purpose, and a repetition of the
process is then proceeded with.
The combined action of the steam and vacuum instantly washes the
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Frazer Smith in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 24th September 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT 3
FRAZER SMITH, of Greenock, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain,
Manager of the Ingleston Sugar Refinery, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters

page_text: Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the 38th year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Robert Frazer Smith, Her special license
that I, the said Robert Frazer Smith, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Frazer Smith, my executors,
administrators, or 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
PURIFYING RAW OR PARTLY REFINED SUGAR," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Robert Frazer Smith, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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
Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Frazer Smith, do hereby
declare the nature of my said 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 :-
My said Invention relates to the partial or complete purification of
raw or partly refined sugars. Such sugars are usually more or less dark
in colour and impure owing to the crystals being covered or coated with
uncrystallizable sugar, caramel, salts, and other foreign matters, and it
is desirable to remove these substances therefrom, this being effected by
this Invention as follows:-After mixing the sugar in a machine in order
to break down the lumps and amalgamating the broken matter with any
of the ordinary blueing materials, the said sugar is subjected to the
action of steam in an apparatus consisting of a box in which is a ledge
at a short distance from the bottom. A tray with sides is provided to
rest on this ledge, and the bottom is covered with strong wire cloth, on
the top of which is placed a sheet of fine gauze cloth or perforated
metal. The box is provided with a moveable top swung by a chain over
pulleys, and both the box and the top have flanches and fastenings for
securing a tight junction between them. Two or more pipes for con-
veying steam enter preferably through the lid. The bottom of the box
communicates with a vessel or pipe, in which a partial vacuum is main.

page_text: tained by means of a vacuum pump, steam jet, or other equivalent
means.
The sugar is spread evenly and uniformly on the tray to a depth which
will vary with the quality of the sugar. The vacuum pump is set in
motion, the lid of the box being previously lowered and clamped, or other t
wise fastened on, after which steam at a pressure of three or four pounds
per square inch or thereabouts is turned on. In a few minutes tho
operation is complete, the vacuum is destroyed, and the steam turned off,
the lid detached, the tray lifted out, and replaced by a similar one in
waiting and previously charged with sugar. The syrup or liquor which 1
has accumulated in the box is let off by a valve provided for that
purpose, and a repetition of the process is then proceeded with.
The combined action of the steam and vacuum instantly washes the
crystals of sugar, removing surface impurities and leaving the cane sugar
comparatively untouched.
It is to be understood that the form of apparatus by which the process
or treatment herein-before described is carried out may be considerably
varied.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the 2
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe
in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the use of steam combined with a vacuum for the
purification or partial purification of raw or partly refined sugar in the 2
manner described, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Frazer Smith, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of September,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
DODE Å TID SATT
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