AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF MOULDING RAW SUGAR
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philippe Ernest Charpentier, of Rue des Ecouffes,
No. 23, at Paris; Chemist, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
PROCESS OF MOULDING RAW SUGAR."
Sealed the 1st June 1875, and dated the 23rd December 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philippe Ernest
Charpentier at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 23rd December 1874.
I, Philippe Ernest Charpentier, of Rue des Ecouffes, No. 23, at
Paris, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF MOULDING RAW SUGAR," to be as follows :—
The object of this Invention is to manufacture cakes or tablets of
moulded raw sugar to take the place of lumps of refined or loaf sugar as
now sold. This moulding into cakes of raw sugar in grains constitutes
an entirely new manufacture. It dispenses with sugar refining and
crushing, and effects a considerable economy. On the other hand it
preserves all the sweetening properties of the sugar, which are partly
lost in the refining operation, and in the sale of the lumps.

page_text: The process consists in putting the raw sugar in the form of grains or
crystals into a vessel, and in then heating it by a current of steam, so
as to bring it to an agglutinative state, or in mixing with it a small
quantity of water, syrup, alcohol or other suitable agglutinative material.
After this preparation of the raw sugar it is poured into moulds, in
which it receives, cold or hot, and with or without pressure, the form of
cakes or tablets resembling lumps of refined sugar as now sold, or of any
other desired configuration. The moulds and cakes are placed in a stove
to dry and harden, and the cakes are afterwards turned out of the
moulds, and are then ready for the market. In this new state the sugar
may be sold either by weight, like lump sugar, or in boxes or packets,
like chocolate or biscuits.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Philippe Ernest Charpentier in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 2nd June 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PHILIPPE
ERNEST CHARPENTIER, of Rue des Ecouffes, No. 23, at Paris, Chemist.
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Philippe Ernest Charpentier,
Her special licence, that I, the said Philippe Ernest Charpentier, my exc-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I. the said Philippe
Ernest Charpentier, 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 AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF MOULDING RAW SUGAR," pon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Philippe Ernest
"

page_text: Charpentier, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writ-
ing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Philippe Ernest Charpentier, 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 thereof, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say:—
The object of this Invention is to manufacture cakes or tablets of
moulded raw sugar to take the place of lumps of refined or loaf sugar
as now sold. This moulding into cakes of raw sugar in grains con-
stitutes an entirely new manufacture. It dispenses with sugar refining
and crushing, and effects a considerable economy; and on the other
hand it preserves all the sweetening properties of the sugar, which are
partly lost in the refining operation, and in the sale in lumps.
The process consists in putting the raw sugar in the form of grains or
crystals into a vessel, and in then heating it by a current of steam, so
as to bring it to an agglutinative state, or in mixing with it a small
quantity of water, syrup, alcohol, or other suitable agglutinative material.
After this preparation of the raw sugar it is poured into moulds, in
which it receives, cold or hot, and with or without pressure, the form of
cakes or tablets resembling lumps of refined sugar as now sold, or of any
other desired configuration. The moulds and cakes are placed in a stove
to dry and harden, and the cakes are afterwards turned out of the.
moulds, and are then ready for the market. In this new state the sugar
may be sold either by weight like lump sugar, or in boxes or packets
like chocolate or biscuits.
In some cases, at the time of mixing the sugar in grains or crystals
with a small quantity of water, syrup, or other binding material, I
aromatize the water, syrup, or other material with vanilla, benzoin, or
other essence to impart a perfume to the cakes.
If required I give whiteness to the cakes by coloring the water, syrup,
or binding material with a slight quantity of ultramarine or other color-
ing matter.

page_text: More whiteness may also be produced by employing pulverized or
ground raw sugar, or by compression.
To produce a rapid drying of the moulded cakes I can employ
ordinary hot-air stoves or a continuous drier composed of an endless
metallic cloth, upon which the moulds containing the cakes are placed.
Below this cloth fans are placed, which project cold air, or hot air, or
steam under the cloth as it travels with the moulds. In this travel the
cakes dry rapidly.
To produce the configuration or shape of the cakes I can use a mould
frame divided into a large number of compartments for receiving the
pulverized sugar, or a dividing frame likewise divided into a large
number of compartments, the partitions or divisions of which form
so many blades. In the first case, the raw sugar in powder more or less
compressed in the compartments adopts their form. The frame is lifted
and all the cakes remain on a metal plate, which is then conveyed to
the drier. In the second case the sugar in powder is spread with a roller
or otherwise on a metal plate, then the dividing frame is applied upon
the layer of sugar, which it separates into as many cakes as the frame
has compartments. On lifting the dividing frame the cakes remain on
the plate, which is then removed to the drier. Thus whatever be the
mode of moulding or of cutting by a moulding frame or a cutting frame
the cakes of raw sugar remain on a metal plate, which is removed to the
drier or stove.
The annexed Drawing represents as an example. Figure 1 in vertical
section, and Figure 2 in plan, a frame adapted for forming my cakes.
On a table A a metal plate rests. Upon this plate a frame C
divided into compartments is placed. This frame is provided with two
- handles d. and is guided vertically by lugs e, which slide on pins / in
the table A. The raw sugar in powder is poured into the compartments
of the frame; it is compressed in the compartments by passing a roller
over the frame; the frame is then lifted, and the moulded cakes remain
on the plate 6.
Instead of moulding the cakes as described they can be cut, and for
this purpose it is suflicient to make all the divisions or partitions of the
compartments of the frame C with cutting edges. The raw sugar in
powder is spread on the plate b; a uniform layer of it is made by a
roller; the frame C is then brought down, and this divides the layer

page_text: into as many cakes as there are compartments. The frame is removed,
and the plate b with the cakes thus formed is taken to the drier or
stove.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that I claim, the
forming of cakes or tablets from raw sugar in the state of grains or
crystals by moulding it, either by means of a mould frame, or by means
of a dividing frame, or by other means, substantially as herein-before
described.
I also claim the process of moulding raw sugar in the state of grains
or crystals into cakes or tablets by agglutinating it with a current of
steam, or with water, syrup, alcohol, or other suitable binding material;
and then drying it substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Philippe Ernest Charpentier, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
CH. ARMENGAUD,
Civil Engineer,
P. E. CHARPENTIER. (L.s.)
23, Boulevard de Strasbourg,
à Paris.