IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR THE TREATMENT OF SUGAR CANE
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, HENRY JUDSON CHAPIN, of the City and State of New York, United States
of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR THE TREATMENT OF SUGAR CANE," and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide improved devices for the more
economical treatment of sugar cane.
The invention consists of a cane shredder of improved construction and mode of
operating, of improved devices for conveying the shredded cane and juice from the
shredder to the juice extractor, and in the more convenient arrangement-relatively
to each other-of the mechanical elements or members of the combination herein
shown and described.
Reference is to be. had to the accompanying drawings forming part of the
specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the figures.
Figure 1, is a side elevation, partly in section and with parts broken away to
exhibit other parts, showing my improved devices in position.
Figure 2, is a side elevation with parts broken away to exhibit other parts,
showing my improved devices in position, with certain parts dispensed with.
Figure 3, is an enlarged edge view in section, of a toothed ring or disk of my
improved cane shredder.
Figure 4, is an enlarged side view of the same with parts broken away to exhibit
other parts.
Figure 5, is an enlarged side view indicating the directions in which, the two
shedder rolls revolve, and showing the relative positions of the teeth in the
opposing rolls.
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3
Figure 6, is an enlarged sectional plan view of opposing roll teeth.
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Carriers for conveying cane to shredders and rolls and other devices for
expressing or extracting the juice from the shredded cane are well known, and are
not-per se objects of my invention, but combined with my improved devices,
they form a mechanical series or system which is possessed of great advantages
over any now in use for the purposes referred to.
Referring to the drawings my shredder A consists essentially of two toothed
rolls a fixed opposite each other, so as to revolve, in a suitable frame b. Each roll

page_text: consists of a drum or shaft on which are secured, in face contact with each other,
a number of rings or annular disks B, whose peripheries are beveled off on both
sides at angles of about forty.five degrees and are there provided with teeth c.
These rolls are set parallel with each other and so that their rings or disks
interlock, as shown, and when in operation, they revolve at different speeds and in
opposite directions, so that the teeth make a peculiar sheaving cut which prevents
them from becoming clogged and causes them.not only to cut but to tear apart
into finest fibres or shreds the cane or other fibrous material operated upon so as to
expose the juice-containing cells more completely to the subsequent action of the
juice extractor.
Instead of making the toothed rings or annular discs solid, as is commonly done,
I construct them hollow, as shown. This I find to be an improvement of great
value, for when the toothed rings or disks are cast solid the cooling and consequent
contraction of the various parts are so unequal that unusual skill and care are
required to turn out perfect castings and when the castings are perfect in shape-
neither warped nor cracked-it is often found that, because of the uneven
distribution of the metal in the ring or disk,-which is triangular in cross
section the surface of the thickest part of the casting-the teeth thereon-is
softer, than where the metal is thinner, and hence in work the said rings or disks
or rather the teeth, wear unequally and require renewal oftener than is desirable.
My toothed rings or disks B, are made hollow as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6
and triangular in cross section to ensure a more even distribution of metal and
consequent economies in construction and durability.
The inner face of the ring forms the base of the triangle while the sides of the
triangle are formed by the angular periphery of the ring upon which are cast, as
integral parts thereof, the radial shredding or grinding teeth c which come to a
point to form a projecting ridge along the apex of the triangle.
Webs d radiating from the inner face f, to the base of the triangle serve to
strengthen the structure, and openings g, through the face ƒ serve for the removal
of the core from the castings.
Bearing studs h of a soft metal or alloy are fixed in the inner face of the ring to
facilitate the accurate adjustment thereof on drum or shaft.
C represents a cane-carrier of ordinary construction for conveying the cane to
the shredder A, which latter may be provided with a hopper and cover l, as
shown in Figure 1, or be without them as shown in Figure 2.
D represents the juice extractor, which, in this instance is an ordinary set
of rolls.
E represents my improved chute with raised sides and sloping bottom, for
conducting the juice and shredded cane from the shredder to the juice extractor.
It is constructed with a water-tight bottom, and may be made of any suitable
material, such as hard rubber, metal or wood lined with metal.
Preferably when conditions are favorable the shredder is placed near the
extractor but at a higher elevation and the conductor-chute E then is fixed at a
suitable angle between the two as shown in Figure 2, so that both the juice and
shredded cane from the shredder shall move by their own gravity from the one to
the other.
But when the conditions are not such as will permit of this arrangement the
shredder and extractor may be set on about the same level, and at any distance
from each other, and the conductor may be extended nearly horizontally between
them as shown in Figure 1, and in such case a cane carrier O, of the ordinary type
is fixed within the conductor, as shown, and operated to deliver the shredded cane
to the extractor while the juice falling from the shredder flows along the inclined
bottom of the conductor to the extractor,
This conductor is always so constructed or arranged that its bottom inclines
from the shredder to the extractor so that the juice from the former may readily
flow to the latter.

page_text: This combination and arrangement of cane-carrier, shredder, conveyor-chute and
extractor is novel, and makes the manipulation of the cane more economical than
obtained by any other system, while the shredder rolls, because of their peculiar
construction, shred the cane in such a manner that it is found to yield in the
extractor a much larger percentage of juice than does the product of any other
shredder known.
I do not desire to confine the operation of the shredding mill to the shredding of
cane, as it is obvious that it may be applied with advantage to the shredding of
sugar-producing beets and to other purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. The combination of devices for treating sugar cane and other substances,
substantially as herein shown and described, consisting of a cane-carrier for
delivering the material to the shredder, a shredder, a water-tight chute with
inclined bottom for conveying the shredded cane and juice to the extractor, and a
juice extractor, all combined, arranged and operated as set forth.
Second. In an apparatus for treating sugar cane and like substances the
combination with a cane shredder and juice extractor of a water-tight, inclined
chute adapted and arranged to conduct the juice from the shredder to the extractor
substantially as set forth.
Third. In an apparatus for treating sugar cane and like substances, the com-
bination with the cane shredder, juice extractor and chute for conveying the juice
from the former to the latter, of a shredded-cane carrier arranged to operate within
said chute, substantially as herein shown and described.
Fourth. In an apparatus for treating sugar cane and like substances a mill
constructed with hollow, toothed rings fixed on drums or shafts, substantially as
herein shown and described.
Fifth. A mill designed for cane shredding and other purposes constructed with
the drums or shafts carrying hollow toothed rings fixed, in face contact with each
other, said rings being strengthened by radial webs and having their teeth formed
on their angular faces, as set forth.