IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CURING SUGAR AND EXTRACTING MOISTURE THEREFROM, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO SEPARATING LIQUIDS AND MOISTURE FROM SUB- STANCES CONTAINING THE SAME "
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Aspinall, of Limehouse, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR CURING SUGAR AND EXTRACTING MOISTURE THEREFROM, PARTS
OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO SEPARATING LIQUIDS AND MOISTURE FROM SUB-
STANCES CONTAINING THE SAME
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Aspinall at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
December 1855.
I, JOHN ASPINALL, of Limehouse, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CURING SUGAR AND EXTRACTING MOISTURE THEREFROM,
PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO SEPARATING LIQUIDS AND MOISTURE FROM
SUBSTANCES CONTAINING THE SAME," to be as follows:
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My Invention consists in constructing machinery in which two hollow
truncated cones (one placed within the other) are mounted on a central
vertical shaft, caused to revolve by some suitable motive agent. The two
cones may be of the same or of different lengths, thus the inner cone may be
made shorter (in the direction of its axis) than the outer one, and placed near
the upper part of the latter; the cones are so situated with respect to each
other as to leave a space between the inner surface of the outer cone and the
outer surface of the inner cone, which may be regulated by altering the position
of one or other of the cones. The outer cone is furnished with ribs on the
lower part of its inner surface below the inner cone when the latter is shorter
than the former. A hopper is placed above the cones for the introduction of
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page_text: the sugar or other substance to be treated. The cones are mounted in a
casing which also supports the bearing in which the shaft is stepped. The
sides of the cones are of perforated metal, covered or not with wire gauze, or of
wire gauze, or of other pervious material. When the apparatus is used for
curing sugar, a centrifugal pump is keyed on the shaft, and communicates
with a cistern fitted round the shaft and supported on the casing of the appa-
ratus. This pump, which is worked by the rotary movement of the shaft, is
for the purpose of supplying liquid to whiten or liquor the sugar.
The operation of the machine when used for curing sugar, is as follows:---
Rotary motion having been communicated to the central shaft, and thence to
the cones, the sugar is introduced through the hopper, and passes between the
inner surface of the larger.cone and the outer surface of the smaller cone,
where it is by centrifugal action deprived of a portion of its moisture; or the
"green syrup," which is projected into the casing, and may be removed there-
from through a spout; the sugar then having received a supply of liquor from
the centrifugal pump is next brought on to the ribs on the lower portion of the
large cone, where it is deprived of its remaining moisture or syrup, which is
also driven by the centrifugal action of the apparatus into the casing, whence
it may be drawn off through a spout, while the particles of sugar from which
the moisture has been expelled fall into the bottom of the casing, their descent
being assisted by the construction of the. casing. An inner ledge, ring, or
channel is inserted in or formed on the inner surface of the casing, just below
or at the part which receives the "green syrup" expelled from the sugar as it
passes between the cones, to prevent the green syrup from mixing, with the
liquid subsequently expelled from the sugar. Another ledge or channel is also
added on the inside of the casing (lower down), to prevent the other syrup
or liquid from becoming mixed with the particles of sugar from which it has
been expelled.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Aspinall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30
14th June 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ASPINALL, of Limehouse, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send
greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 35
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of December, in the year of our

page_text: Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said John Aspinall, Her special licence that I, the said
John Aspinall, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Aspinall, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
sliould at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CURING SUGAR AND EXTRACTING
MOISTURE THEREPPOM, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO SEPARATING LIQUIDS
AND MOISTURE FROM SUBSTANCES CONTAINING THE SAME," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Aspinall, my executors or adminis
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, 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 Aspinall, 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 Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say-
My Invention consists in improved machinery in which two hollow truncated
cones (one placed within the other) are mounted on a central vertical shaft,
caused to revolve by some suitable motive agent. The cones may be of the
same or of different lengths, thus the inner cone may be made shorter (in the
direction of its axis) than the outer one, and placed near the upper part of
the latter. The cones are so situated with respect to each other. that a space is
left between the inner surface of the outer cone and the outer surface of the
inner cone; this space may be regulated by altering the position of one or
other of the cones. The outer cone is furnished with ribs on the lower part of
its inner surface below the inner cone, when the latter is shorter than the
former. A hopper is placed above the cones for the introduction of the sugar
5 or other substance to be treated. The cones are mounted in a casing, which
also supports the bearing in which the shaft is stepped. The sides of the cones
are of perforated metal, covered or not with wire gauze, or of wire gauze, or
other pervious material.
When the apparatus is used for curing sugar, a centrifugal pump is keyed on

page_text: the shaft, and communicates with a cistern fitted round the shaft and supported
on the casing of the apparatus. This pump, which is worked by the rotary
movement of the shaft, is for the purpose of supplying liquid to "whiten" or
"liquor" the sugar.
+
The operation of the machine when used for curing sugar is as follows:-
Rotary motion having been communicated to the central shaft, and thence to
the cones, the sugar is introduced through the hopper, and passes between the
inner surface of the larger cone and the outer surface of the smaller cone,
where it is deprived by centrifugal action of a portion of its moisture or green
syrup, which is projected into the casing, and may be removed therefrom
through a spout; the sugar, then having received a supply of liquor from the
centrifugal pump, is next brought on to the ribs on the lower portion of the
large cone, where it is deprived of its remaining moisture or syrup, which is
also driven by the centrifugal action of the apparatus into the casing, whence
it may be drawn off through a spout, while the particles of sugar from which
the moisture has been expelled fall into the bottom of the casing, their descent
being assisted by the construction of the casing. In some cases an inner ledge,
ring,
or channel is inserted in or formed on the inner surface of the casing just
below or at that part which receives the "green syrup" expelled from the
sugar as it passes between the cones, to prevent the green syrup from
mixing with the liquid subsequently expelled from the sugar. Another ledge
or channel is also added on the inside of the casing (lower down), to prevent
the other syrup or liquid from becoming mixed with the particles of sugar
from which it has been expelled.
Figure 1 of the Drawings annexed is a sectional elevation of an apparatus
for treating and curing sugar, constructed according to my Invention. In this
Figuré, one of the two cones is represented as being shorter in the direction of
its axis than the other.
2
A is a vertical shaft or spindle stepped in a socket at a, and caused to
revolve by a driving band from a steam engine by means of bevil wheels b, c.
On this shaft A are mounted two bollow truncated cones B and C, placed one
within the other, the outer cone B being here shewn as longer than the inner
C in the direction of its axis. The inner cone C is placed near the upper part
of the cone B, and they are so situated with respect to each other as to leave à
space
d between the inner surface of B and the outer surface of C. The angle
of inclination of the two cones is different, and so contrived that the space d is
wider at top than at bottom, but this may be regulated by varying the angles
of inclination of the cones. e, e, e, e, are ribs formed on the inner surface of
the cone B at its lower part. D is an annular hopper placed above the cones
*

page_text: for the introduction of the sugar; E, E, is a frame or casing in which the
cones are mounted, and which supports the bearing a in which the shaft is
stepped; F is a bracket fixed to the framing or casing, and having a bearing
G for the shaft A to work in; H is a centrifugal pump keyed on the shaft A,
and communicating with a cistern I fitted round the shaft and supported in
the casing E. This pump is worked by the rotary movement of the shaft A,
and is for the purpose of supplying liquid to "whiten" or "liquor" the sugar;
J, J, are ledges or channels formed on the inside of the casing for receiving the
syrup projected from the sugar, and which may be drawn off through a spout
K. Another ledge or channel may be formed higher up on the casing, as
shewn by dotted lines. The particles of sugar from which the syrup has been
expelled fall into the lower part E of the casing, the inner sides E', E², being
inclined, as shewn, to assist the descent of the sugar.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation. of a modification of my apparatus, in which
the sides of the cones are partially curved, as shewn, instead of being entirely
rectilinear. The sides of the cone are straight near the top, and then assume
a parabolic curve. Similar letters indicate the same parts as in the previous
Figure.
Figure 3 shews a modification in which ledges m, n, o, are provided for
completely expelling the syrup from the sugar, and prevent it being drawn
back by the sucking action of the air.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what -
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the employment, in machines for curing sugar and for extracting
moisture therefrom, of two hollow truncated cones and of a liquoring pump, all
constructed and acting in the manner herein-before described.
And, second, the employment, in machines for extracting moisture and
liquids from substances, of two hollow truncated cones constructed and acting
in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Aspinall, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six.
JOHN ASPINALL. (L.S.)