IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SUGAR, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT OF SUGAR, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.'
A communication from abroad by Doctor Augustus Seyferth, of Brunswick,
in the Empire of Germany.
Sealed the 19th July 1878, and dated the 4th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th February 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SUGAR, AND IN THE APPA-
RATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." A communication from abroad by Doctor Augustus
Seyferth, of Brunswick, in the Empire of Germany.
This Invention relates to an improved process for the treatment of sugar, and
consists in cleansing sugar as it is taken from the vacuum pan or raw sugar and
converting the same into marketable sugar by washing it with concentrated alcohol
charged with sugar, and subsequently removing the said concentrated alcohol by
means of pure alcohol or ether, or by washing the said sugar with pure alcohol or
ether, and, in either case, then recovering the alcohol or ether from the mass by the
application of heat to the exterior surfaces of the sugar through the intervention of
division plates of a step or zig-zag shape, the said division plates having served for
the moulding of the sugar into prismatic sticks or forms of a section suitable for
subdivision into tablets.
In carrying out this Invention, a rectangular vessel is employed, the bottom of
which is slightly conical, and is provided with a steam jacket or space in com-
munication with a narrow chamber which extends across the centre of the rectangular.
chamber, and is enclosed at the top and the sides by a bar of iron being rivetted in
between the plates forming the sides. This narrow chamber again communicates
with cross chambers which terminate at their lower part level with a perforated

page_text: false bottom provided above the conical bottom, so that any fluid can run under
them to the centre of the conical bottom and escape through a suitable opening.
A casing or hood is provided which is capable of being lifted and lowered vertically
by means of any convenient apparatus, being guided by rollers bearing against
suitable guide bars with which the vessel is fitted. Upon the perforated false bottom
are placed the step or zig-zag-shaped division plates in a vertical position, so that
the whole space is divided into a large number of prismatical cavities corresponding
with the size and form of the sticks of sugar intended to be made.
When the whole space has been filled up, the hood, which is formed in two
halves bolted together at the corners, is let down upon the top flange of the vessel,
which carries an india-rubber ring and is securely bolted down. The division.
plates in this case only reach half way up the hood, and upon the top of these
another false bottom, having similar perforations to the lower one, is placed, and
the space of the hood above this false bottom is packed full of division plates. A
tap provided at the bottom of the apparatus is then opened and a plug, which is
conical at the top, is inserted through the pipe and opening of the tap, and is held
in position by a cover. This plug is intended to preserve this part of the apparatus
free from the sugar when it is charged.
"
In order to facilitate the removal of the plug for the subsequent operation of
washing with alcohol and drying, a screw thread is cut upon the end of the plug
which projects below the pipe, and upon which a nut may be placed.
the same.
The hood having been secured upon the vessel, as before mentioned, the operation
of charging the apparatus is proceeded with. The sugar as it is taken from the pan
is conveyed by means of suspended chargers over the apparatus and discharged into
The apparatus is then allowed to stand for, say, 5 or 6 hours to cool,
and after the charge is sufficiently cooled and when the sugar becomes set, the plug
is removed, upon which the green syrup which has collected under the false bottom
is allowed to flow away to a tank through a suitable valve. A cover with which
the hood is provided is then lowered down upon the same and bolted down securely
upon an india-rubber ring which is placed upon the top flange of the hood, thus
rendering the whole apparatus perfectly tight. By means of a valve and elastic
tubing the apparatus is now brought into communication at pleasure with the
cooling coils or with tanks which contain alcohol of, say, from 95 or 100°, or ether.
This having been effected, the upper part of the apparatus is filled with alcohol (for
example) of about 95° supplied from a tank situate above the upper edge of the
apparatus.
°
As soon as it is observed that alcohol is discharged with the syrup from the valve
first mentioned, the said valve is closed and the mixture of syrup and alcohol is
allowed to flow from another valve to distilling vessels, and this is continued until
the fluid running from the latter valve is perfectly colourless. The supply of 95°
alcohol is then stopped for, say, hours, so that the level of the alcohol sinks below
the top level of the sugar, and the absolute alcohol (99-100°) is then supplied
through the valve secondly mentioned, and by this means the 95% alcohol is
washed off the sugar crystals, and the sugar is also freed from all trace of water.
When all the 95% alcohol has been separated, the supply of absolute alcohol is
stopped and is then allowed to drain off (according to the density of the mass) for
about 6 hours, and the remainder of the alcohol and moisture is removed by heat.
For this purpose the steam space is supplied with steam through a suitable opening.
The alcohol is now evaporated and conducted partly direct by one valve to the
cooling coils and partly by another to the distilling vessels.
When the controlling apparatus of the condensing apparatus indicates that the
distillation is complete, the cover is first unfastened and lifted off, after which the
hood is also removed. The dry sugar is then taken out of the apparatus together
with the division plates, the apparatus is washed out and is ready for a fresh
charge.
The sugar contained under the false. bottom may either remain for the next
operation or it may be dissolved out. The porous upper part of the sugar at the

page_text: °
top of the forms is taken off and put in the 95° alcohol tanks for saturating the
alcohol.
:
The mixture of green syrup and alcohol run from the valve leading to the
distilling apparatus, is distilled by the temperature being elevated by means of
steam, and the alcoholic vapours are condensed (according to requirements) into
95%, or absolute alcohol. The last remainder of alcohol contained in the syrup is
distilled off by steam and then condensed.
The alcohol of different degrees of concentration is collected in vessels provided
with a false bottom and which are filled with the porous tops of sugar forms
over which the alcohol from the cooling apparatus flows, and becomes charged with
sugar.
Vessels are provided which are filled with "chloride of calcium" and serve the
purpose of rectifying the alcohol.
The chloride of calcium solution obtained in this operation is raised to a tank,
and, by means of an evaporating apparatus, evaporated down to dryness, and then
filled into a chloride of calcium column for re-utilization.
When the Invention is applied to the treatment of raw sugar for washing out its
impurities and separating the molasses which it contains, the strength of the alcoholic
saccharinė solution may be varied, as it is found that the syrups contained in raw
sugar are not readily soluble either in 95% or absolute alcoliol.
Ꭴ
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
July 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SUGAR, AND IN THE APPA-
RATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." A communication from abroad by Doctor Augustus.
Seyferth, of Brunswick, in the Empire of Germany.
The said Invention relates to the conversion of raw sugar into refined sugar, and
has reference more particularly to that stage of the process at which the separation
of the syrup from the newly formed crystals is effected after the impurities have
been removed from the raw sugar, and the partially refined sugar has been re-
crystalized but the Invention is also applicable to the removal of the impurities
from the raw sugar, either for converting it direct into marketable sugar or
preparatorily to its subsequent treatment in the manner herein-before referred to.
"
in
The removal of the syrup from the sugar previously to its being brought into
the market in the shape of loaves has heretofore been effected either by washing
the sugar when contained in the condition of what is known as "masse cuite
centrifugal machines with saccharine solutions, or by blowing steam into such
masse cuite" when contained in the said machines. In the latter case the result
is practically the same as in the former, a portion of the sugar contained in the
machine being dissolved by the steam, and forming a white saccharine solution.

page_text: Weak saccharine solutions are however unsuitable for washing the sugar crystals.
in order to free them from impurities, as not being thoroughly charged with sugar
they have a tendency to dissolve the sugar crystals. Concentrated saccharine
solutions are therefore necessarily employed, and as their specific gravity approximates
to that of the green syrup to be washed out, a mixture of the white liquor and
green syrup takes place.
In order to obviate these objections it has been proposed to use alcoliol, which
dissolves but little if any of the sugar; but it has heretofore been found imprac-
ticable to recover the alcohol from the interior of the loaf, either by evaporation by
application of external heat, on account of the large volume of sugar through which
the heat has to penetrate, or by forcing air through the body of the loaf, the
alcoholic vapours in the latter case becoming mixed with such air, and thereby
rendered incapable of being condensed in the ordinary worm. Now the said In-
vention consists partly in treating the sugar in moulds constructed of plates of a
corrugated, stepped, or zig-zag shape, whereby the "masse cuite" under treatment
is divided into multiple prismatic sticks or segments of a section suitable for sub-
division into lumps, and the maximum area of each of which is such as with the
aid of the said division plates, which act as conductors to admit of the heat in
the subsequent process of evaporation, as herein-after described, penetrating the
sugar in order to drive off the clarifying or washing agent, and thus recover
the same for re-utilization.
The Invention further consists in washing the sugar with concentrated alcohol
charged with sugar, and subsequently separating the said concentrated alcohol by
means of absolute alcohol or ether, or by washing the sugar with absolute alcohol or
ether, and in either case then recovering the alcohol or ether from the mass of the
application of heat to the exterior surfaces of the sugar through the intervention of
the said division plates which have served for the mouldering of the sugar.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a sectional elevation (taken
along the line 1-2, Figure 2,) of an apparatus for clarifying and moulding of sugar,
constructed according to the said Invention; and Figure 2 is a sectional plan of
the same.
Figures 3 and 4 are elevations, and Figures 5 and 6 corresponding horizontal
sections, illustrating respectively two modifications of moulds.
In carrying out the said Invention a rectangular vessel A is employed supported
on suitable columns a, and having a double conical bottom forming a steam space b,
which latter is in communication with a narrow vertical chamber B extending
across the vessel A, and in its turn communicating with similar chambers B¹ con-
structed at right angles to it. Over the vessel A with its vertical chambers B, B¹,
is placed a hood C, which is fitted with rollers c adapted to guide bars d, so as to
admit of its being readily moved vertically; and is also furnished with a removal
cover e having a man-hole e¹, chains f, f, and pullies g, g¹, being provided for the
facility of raising and lowering the hood C bodily or its cover e as required. A
cock I is fitted to the lower part of the vessel A, and below it are provided two
other cocks 2-3 for the purposes herein-after explained.
At a convenient distance above the double bottom b there is arranged a perforated
false bottom h (the plates forming the sides of the vertical chamber B extending
downwards through the same), upon which (the hood C being elevated) is placed
in a vertical position a series of plates i of a corrugated step or zig-zag shape, such,
for example, as are shewn in detail in Figures 3 and 5, and Figures 4 and 6 respec-
tively, so constructed and arranged that the whole space is divided into a large
number of prismatic cells or cavities D corresponding (for example) to the size of
the sticks or segments of sugar intended to be made. The hood Ĉ is then let down
.upon the vessel A and securely bolted to it at k, at which part it is provided with

page_text: an india-rubber ring for the facility of forming a tight junction. The cock 1 is
then opened, and a plug 4 having a conical end is inserted through the cock and its
connections and held in position by a clamp 5, the object of the plug 4 being to
preserve the cock and its connections free from sugar when the apparatus is charged.
The charging is then proceeded with in the following manner :-'
-The cover e of
the hood C being elevated, and its man-hole e¹ open, the sugar as it is taken
from the vacuum pan is conveyed by means of suspended charges E traversing an
over-head track El over the apparatus, and discharged into the same, the sugar
being supplied to a level considerably above the top of the moulds D in order to
compensate for the. diminution of volume which takes place in cooling, and the
apparatus is then allowed to stand for a sufficient time for subsidence to take
place.
When the sugar contained in the moulds D has partially set there is placed upon
the top of the said moulds another perforated false bottom h¹ (similar to the per-
forated false bottom h) and upon it another series of division plates so as to form a
second series of prismatic cavities D¹ similar to the lower series D. The charging is
then resumed, and the sugar allowed to subside. Or when the perforations of the
false bottom ¹ are of a sufficiently large mesh both series of moulds may be charged
simultaneously, the sugar passing from the upper moulds through the plate h¹ to
the lower moulds. After the sugar has completely set the plug 4 is partially with-
drawn from the cock 1 so as to admit of the escape of the green syrup which has
collected beneath the perforated false bottom h through the cork 2, whence it is
conducted to a suitable collecting tank. The cover c is then lowered on to the top
flange of the hood C (faced with india-rubber) and is securely bolted to the same,
and the cover of the man-hole e' is also closed, thereby rendering the whole apparatus
perfectly tight. The upper part of the apparatus is then filled with alcohol of a
strength of say 95°, the same being introduced through a valve K², and flexible
connections from a tank situate above. As soon as it is ascertained that the dis-
charge through the cock 2 contains alcohol that cock is closed, and the cock 3, which
is in communication with distilling vessels is opened, the mixture of syrup and
alcohol being allowed to flow into the said vessels until it is ascertained that the
fluid passing the valve 3 is perfectly colorless. The supply of 95% alcohol is then
stopped for, say two hours, until the level of the alcohol descends below that of the
top of the sugar, and absolute alcohol is then supplied through the valve k, and by
this means the 95% alcohol is washed off from the sugar crystals, and the sugar
is also freed from all traces of water.
When the whole of the 95% alcohol has been separated the supply of absolute
alcohol is stopped, and the apparatus is then allowed to drain for, say about 6 hours,
(the period varying according to the density of the mass) after which the remainder
of the alcohol and moisture is removed by heat. For this purpose steam is intro-
duced through a valve into the space b, an air cock provided at m, and a valve m¹
for the escape of water of condensation being left open in order to obviate any
liability of the over-heating of the sugar, or of any excess of pressure taking place.
The alcohol is now evaporated and conducted partly direct by the valve k² to cooling
coils, and partly by the cock 3 to the distilling vessels. When the controlling
apparatus of the condensing apparatus indicates that the distillation is complete the
cover c of the washing and moulding apparatus is first unfastened and lifted off,
after which the hood. C is also removed, the latter being made in two diagonal
halves to facilitate the dismounting. The dry sugar is then taken out of the appa-
ratus, together with the division plates, the apparatus is washed out, and is ready
for a fresh charge. (The sugar contained under the false bottom h may either
remain for the next operation, or it may be dissolved out. The porous sugar at the
upper part above the forms is taken off and placed in tanks, into which the alcohol
from the cooling apparatus is conducted so as to become charged with sugar, the
alcohol thus saturated escaping through a perforated false bottom into a chamber,
below whence it is drawn to be supplied through the valve k² for operating upon a
fresh charge of sugar.

page_text: The mixture of green syrup and alcohol run from the cock 3 leading to the distil-
ling apparatus is distilled by the temperature being elevated by means of steam, and
the alcoholic vapours are condensed (according to requirements) into 95%, or abso-
lute alcohol. The last remainder of alcohol contained in the syrup is distilled off by
steam and then condensed.
Vessels are provided which are filled with "chloride of calcium," and serve the
purpose of rectifying the alcohol.
The chloride of calcium solution obtained in this operation is raised to a tank, and
by means of an evaporating apparatus evaporated down to dryness, and then filled
into a chloride of calcium column for re-utilization.
If desired absolute alcohol or ether may be used for the first washing in substi-
tution for concentrated alcohol, or a non-alcoholic white saccharine solution may be
employed, in which case the residue of the solution after draining may be ex-
hausted by placing the cock 1 in communication with a vacuum apparatus.
When the Invention is applied to the treatment of raw sugar for washing out
its impurities and separating the molasses which it contains, the alcoholic saccharine
solution employed may be of a specific gravity of say about 1·05, it having been
ascertained that the syrups contained in raw sugar are not readily soluble, either in
95%, or absolute alcohol, or a non-alcoholic white saccharine solution may be
employed, as before mentioned.
The Invention is also applicable to the production of what is known as moist
sugar, as well as sugar to be used in the condition of lumps.
If desired the moulding apparatus may be formed with a number of conical
depressions and apertures in its bottom in lieu of the entire bottom consisting of.
one extended depression, and the apparatus may be mounted on wheels in lieu of
being made stationary.
•
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said In-
vention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or 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,―
1st. The mode or process of clarifying sugar and converting the same into a
marketable product by washing it with concentrated alcohol charged with sugar,
and subsequently removing the said concentrated alcohol by means of absolute
alcohol or ether, or by washing the said sugar with absolute alcohol or other, and in
either case then recovering the alcohol or ether from the mass by the application of
heat to the exterior surfaces of the sugar through the intervention of division plates,
which have served for the moulding of the sugar into prismatic sticks or forms of a
section suitable for sub-division into lumps, or otherwise, substantially as herein-
before described.
2ndly. A containing vessel or chamber for clarifying and moulding sugar divided
by plates into multiple cells or cavities forming prismatic sticks or segments of
sugar of a section suitable for sub-division into lumps, or otherwise, the said plates
being also capable of serving as conductors for heat when the same is employed in
the subsequent process of expelling the clarifying agent or agents in order to recover
such agent or agents for re-utilization, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Speci-
fication set my hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.s.)