IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SUGAR
Year: 1866

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." -A communication from abroad by
François Joseph Chauvin and Frederic Mathurin Légal, the younger,
of Paris, in the Empire of France.
Sealed the 3rd October 1866, and dated the 4th April 1866..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th April 1866.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF SUGAR," a communication to me.
from abroad by François Joseph Chauvin and Frederick Mathurin Légal,
the younger, of Paris, in the Empire of France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the treatment of sugar during the course of
its manufacture into loaves, and has for its object the refining, decoloring,
and desiccation of the sugar by one continued operation whilst it is in the
moulds.

page_text: The principal advantages obtained by the herein-after described mode
of treatment are, 1, the dispensing with the vast and costly racks or tables on
which the moulds are usually placed for the purpose of draining off the syrup
therefrom; 2, greater expedition in the preparation of loaf sugar for the
market, as by this process a saving of nearly fourteen days is effected;
3, dispensing with the drying stoves, whereby premises of given dimensions
will admit of an increase of sixty per cent. in the amount of manufacture
therein, as the space hitherto occupied by such stoves may be turned to more
useful account; 4, improved quality of sugar is obtained, both as regards
appearance and as regards its capability of withstanding the action of a
moist atmosphere; 5, greater freshness in the drained syrup.
The essential feature of novelty in this Invention consists in accomplishing
the several operations of refining, decoloring, and complete desiccation of
loaf sugar by the action of air pumps alone in the following manner:-The
moulds containing the sugar are each connected at their lower ends with a
suction pipe similar to those already in use in sugar refineries, formed with
a cup or mouthpiece which is packed with a washer of india-rubber fitting
tightly upon the mould. These pipes are in communication by means of
several cocks with different air pumps for the separation of the various qualities
of syrup. Large closed vessels or reservoirs serve as intermediate connections
between the suction pipes and the air pumps in order to receive the syrup
'which is drawn from the sugar loaves by the action of the pumps. The refining
and decoloring or washing of the crystals are thus effected by the sole action
of the air pumps, and may both be accomplished in one day. Although
suction pipes and air pumps have been used to some extent for drawing off a
portion of the syrup remaining in the heads of sugar loaves the operation
has never been carried on to completion, and it has consequently been always
necessary to subject the loaves to the subsequent operation of desiccation in
stoves for from 7 to 8 days. Now according to this Invention the
stoves are dispensed with, and the complete desiccation is effected at one
operation by simply continuing, but with increased vacuum, the action of the air
pumps, and to cause thereby dry and hot air to pass through the crystals in
sufficient quantity to effect their complete desiccation. The completion of
the operations of refining, decoloring, and desiccation are effected by this
system in the space of from 4 to 5 days with a cheap and simple plant,
in lieu of requiring as heretofore from 15 to 18 days and the use of costly plant
and extensive premises.
'

page_text: 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
4th October 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN HENRY
JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,'
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters'
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Heary"
Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 THE
TREATMENT OF SUGAR," a communication to me from abroad by François Joseph
Chauvin and Frederic Mathurin Legal, the younger, of Paris, in the Empire of
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors or administrators, 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 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 John Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to the treatment of sugar during the course
of its manufacture into loaves, and has for its object the refining, decoloring,
and desiccation of the sugar by one continued operation whilst it is in the
moulds.
:
The principal advantages obtained by the herein-after described mode
of treatment are; 1, the dispensing with the vast and costly racks or
tables on which the moulds are usually placed for the purpose of draining
off the syrup therefrom; 2, greater expedition in the preparation of loat

page_text: sugar for the market, as by this process a. saving in time of nearly fourteen
days is effected; 3, dispensing with the drying stoves, whereby premises
of given dimensions will admit of an increase of 60 per cent. in the
amount of manufacture therein, as the space hitherto occupied by such stoves
may be turned to more useful account; 4, improved quality of sugar is
obtained, both as regards appearance and as regards its capability of with-
standing the action of a moist atmosphere; 5, greater freshness in the drained
syrup.
loaf
The essential feature of novelty in this Invention consists in accomplishing
the several operations of refining, decoloring, and complete desiccation of
sugar by the action of air pumps alone in the following manner:-The
moulds containing the sugar are each connected at their lower ends with a
suction pipe, similar to those already in use in sugar refineries, formed with a
cap or mouthpiece which is packed with a washer of india-rubber fitting.
tightly upon the mould. These pipes are in communication by means of
several cocks with different air pumps for the separation of the various
qualities of syrup. Large closed vessels or reservoirs serve as intermediate.
connections between the suction pipes and the air pumps, in order to receive
the syrup which is drawn from the sugar loaves by the action of the pumps.
The refining and decoloring or washing of the crystals are thus effected by the
sole action of the air pumps, and may both be accomplished in one day.
Although suction pipes and air pumps have been used to some extent for
drawing off a portion of the syrup remaining in the heads of sugar loaves the
operation has never been carried on to completion, and it has consequently
been always necessary to subject the loaves to the subsequent operation of
desiccation in stoves for from 7 to 8 days. Now according to this Invention the
stoves are dispensed with, and the complete desiccation is effected at one
operation by simply continuing, but with increased vacuum, the action of the
air pumps, and thereby causing dry and hot air to pass through the crystals
in sufficient quantity to effect their complete desiccation. The completion
of the operations of refining, decoloring, and desiccation are effected by this
system in the space of from 4 to 5 days with a cheap and simple plant in lieu
of requiring as heretofore from 15 to 18 days and the use of costly plant and
extensive premises.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, 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

page_text: herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the system or mode of
refining, decoloring, and desiccating loaf sugar substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-six.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)