IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR CUTTING LOAF SUCLD
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Knibb Illingworth, Grocer, and William
Walkington, Engineer, both of Leeds, in the County of York, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR CUTTING LOAF
SUCLD"
Sealed the 6th October 1877, and dated the 18th April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Knibb Illingworth
and William Walkington at the Office of the Comissioners of Patents on the
18th April 1877.
WILLIAM KNIBB ILLINGWORTH, Grocer, and WILLIAM WALKINGTON, Engineer,
both of Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
IN APPARATUS FOR CUTTING LOAF SUGAR,"
This machine is constructed with two uprights to receive a wrought-iron frame,
to which are secured, by means of cotters, a series of saws for the purpose of Bawing
the sugar into slices, the motion of the frame being actuated by means of a revolving
shaft and crank, plate, pulleys, and belt. The sugar is passed through the saws by
means of plates, in which are cut recesses for containing the sugar, the plates being
fixed to a shaft worked by means of an eccentric. The slices cut out are then
deposited on a wire belt so constructed as to carry them along horizontally through
a process consisting of the application of jets of steam to the surfaces of the slices
in order to destroy the dulness created by sawing. The slices are further conducted
by the belt and passed between rollors, the surfaces of which are furnished with
knives, placed at angles with one another, for the purpose of cutting the slices into
pieces ready for use, the shafts of the rollers being received by two uprights, and on
the ends of the shafts are wheels and pulleys with belt, causing the shafts to rotate.
Suitable receptacles are placed under the rollers for dust and cut sugar.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Knibb Illingworth and William Walkington in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 16th October 1877.
WILLIAM KNIBB ILLINGWORTH, Grocer, and WILLIAM WALKINGTON, Engineer,
both of Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
IN APPARATUS FOR CUTTING LOAF SUGAR."
The object of this Invention is the cutting up of loaves, blocks, or slabs of sugar
or of stoved sugar, produced in whatever shape, in an expeditious and economical
manner, and in such a way that the sugar, when cut, shall have a more brilliant
appearance than is common to cut sugar.
The Invention consists of three parts,-
First. A machine for sawing the loaf or block into slices.
Second. A contrivance for destroying the dulness produced on the surfaces of the
slices by the action of the saws.
And, Third. A machine for cutting or breaking the slices into pieces suitable for
domestic use.
The third part of the Invention is specially useful for the cutting up of stoved
sugar produced in the form of slabs.
The saw machine is constructed with two uprights to receive a wrought-iron
frame, to which frame are secured, by means of cotters, a series of saws, say twenty-
four, for the purpose of sawing the loaf or block into slices or discs, the number of
the saws being increased or decreased as the slices are required to be thinner or
thicker.
The motion of the frame is actuated vertically or at any suitable angle by means
of a revolving shaft and crank, plate, or disc, pulleys, and belt. The sugar is passed
through the saws by means of plates, in which are cut recesses for containing the
loaf or block of sugar, the plates being fixed to or cast in one piece with the jaws,
which are made to open and close by means of a screw or any other convenient
action, the whole forming a vice.
The loaves or blocks of sugar are placed naked upon a counter or table of con-
venient height, from which they are removed one by one by the attendant at the
saw machine, who first places the loaf or block between the two jaws of metal
plates, closing them by means of the screw or other action until the sugar is securely
held therein. The vice then moves horizontally along a slide, the under surface of
which is furnished with racks, in which rack wheels work, thereby causing the sugar
to pass through or between the saws. A self-acting feed motion is transmitted to
the vice by means of a clutch, shaft, racks, wheels, and worm or eccentric. When
the sugar has passed quite through the saws the feed motion just described is dis-
connected from the vice by means of a self-acting arrangement for withdrawing the
clutch. The attendant then opens the vice by means of the screw or other equivalent,
thus causing the slices to fall into a trough or box.
In order to economise time a second vice is arranged under the one just described,
so that whilst the sugar contained in the one is being sawn the attendant places
another block of sugar into the lower vice preparatory to its being passed through
the saws in a similar manner to the sugar in the upper vice. By this means the
saws may be kept constantly employed. Underneath the lower vice is a suitable
receptacle for the dust caused by sawing.
The cakes or slices are removed from the trough or box and placed upon a belt
made of wire, perforated zinc, or other suitable material, and are passed by the belt
between two perforated outlets of a steam pipe, thus causing the application of jets
of steam to the upper and under surfaces of the cakes or discs, in order that a
brilliancy may be substituted for the dull or chalky appearance created by sawing.
The belt then passes the cakes between two revolving fans for drying the steamed
surfaces.
The slices are further conveyed by the belt and precipitated between a pair of

page_text: compound rollers formed of a series of wheels, each wheel being about three-quarters
of an inch thick, and furnished with a sharpened ridge at right angles to the axis of
the rollers, forming a circular knife, projecting about one-eighth part of an inch
from the periphery of the wheels. At right angles to the above circular knife or
cutter, and therefore parallel with the axis, and about three-quarters of an inch
apart, are other sharpened ridges projecting from the wheel the same distance as
the circular knife, so that the circular and longitudinal cutting ridges are level with
each other. These wheels, to the number of, say, twelve, or any other convenient
number, are bored and fitted on to a shaft and driven by a feather or fast key
sunken into the shaft, and are loose endwise of the axis, thus allowing for the
expansion of the slices whilst being cut or operated upon.
The shafts of the rollers are received by two uprights, and on the end of the
shafts are wheels and pulleys with belt causing the rollers to revolve (inwards), thus
cutting or breaking the slices into pieces suitable for domestic use. Under the
rollers is a shoot made of wire, forming a sieve occupying an inclined position, so
that the pieces of sugar falling upon it from the rollers above are conducted by it
into a cask, box, or other suitable receptacle, the dust and small particles falling
through the sieve on to another shoot, which conducts them into a cask, box, or other
utensil.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood, we will now
proceed to describe the annexed Drawings of the same.
Fig. 1 is front elevation of the saw machine; Fig. 2 is end elevation of the
same; Fig. 3 is plan of the same.
The reference letters in one Figure correspond with those in the others.
a, uprights in which the saw frame works; b, saw frame; c, saws; r, cotters for
securing the saws; q, saw buckles; d, vice; d', loaf of sugar; c, screw for opening
and closing the vice; f, gearing for feeding the saws; g, connecting rod; h, crank
plate or disc; i, revolving shaft for actuating the motion of the saw frame; j, fly
wheel; k, driving pulleys; 7, belt carried round a pulley k¹, fixed to a bracket k², for
conveying the cakes from the saw machine through the steaming apparatus m;
n, revolving fans; o, foundation plate; p, connecting pin; 8, clutch wheel; t, lever
for connecting and disconnecting the feed motion; v, fixed lever with end bent at a
suitable angle, in contact with which works the pin u for disconnecting the clutch
wheels; w, handle for withdrawing the vice after it has passed the sugar through
the saws; x, stay rods for holding the two uprights of the saw machine together;
y, slide along which the vice moves; z, rack wheel; z¹, trough or box into which the
cakes fall on being liberated from the vice; z³, box for receiving dust from the saws.
Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the machine for cutting the cakes or discs into
pieces; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same.
The letters of reference in one Figure correspond with those in the other.
7, belt for conveying the cakes from the steaming and drying apparatus; k¹, pulley;
, bracket; a, compound rollers; b, shafts; c, uprights; d, driving wheels; e, wire
shoot; f, shoot for conducting dust and small particles; g, cask (or other receptacle)
for cut sugar; h, fast and loose pulleys; i, set screws for regulating the distance of
the rollers from each other; j, stay rods for holding the two upright sides of the
machine together; k, wooden cover.
Fig. 6, view of compound roller formed of a series of wheels, as described; Fig. 7,
end view of the same.
Having thus described the nature and object of our said Invention, we would
observe in conclusion that we do not confine or restrict ourselves to the precise details
herein given, as they may be modified to suit certain circumstances without departing
from the nature of our said Invention, but that we claim as new and novel, and
desire to be secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The self-acting motion, as herein-before described, for feeding the saws.
Second. The self-acting motion, as herein-before described, for disconnecting the
feed gearing.
Third. The application to the saw machine of a plurality of vice, which, by

page_text: keeping the saws constantly employed, greatly increases the quantity of sugar sawn,
substantially as herein-before described and shewn.
Four. The application of the belt for conveying the slices, when sawn, to the other
parts of the machinery, as before described and shewn.
Five. The apparatus for steaming the sawn surfaces of the slices, as before
described and shewn
Six. The drying of the steamed surfaces by means of currents of air, as herein-
before described.
Seven. The cutting or breaking of sugar by means of compound rollers, as herein-
before described and shewn.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Knibb Illingworth and William
Walkington, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
WILLIAM KNIBB ILLINGWORTH. (L.S.)
WILLIAM WALKINGTON.
(L.S.)