IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CANE SUGAR, AND IN MACHINERY MASTERTIPUTAT MY WYTET
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Fryer, of the Firm of Fryer, Benson, and
Forster, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CANE SUGAR, AND IN MACHINERY
MASTERTIPUTAT MY WYTET
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Fryer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th May 1872.
I, ALFRED FRYER, of the Firm of Fryer, Benson, & Forster, of
› Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CANE SUGAR,
AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH,'
to be as follows:-
"
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the treatment of
cane sugar by which a better quality and a larger yield is obtained than
by the ordinary methods, also to improvements in machinery or apparatus
to be employed in connection with such treatment.

page_text: The first part consists in heating syrupy liquor by the employment of
a tank. The tank may be of any shape or size suitable to the purpose,
and is constructed to contain a number of boxes or leaves, into which
steam can be admitted for imparting the necessary heat to the liquor
contained in or flowing through the tank; the connections of the steam
pipe and also of the pipe from which the condensed water is removed
being so arranged that either box or leaf can be removed for repairs or
other causes without seriously interfering with the progress of the
operation. The boxes or leaves are fitted in the tank on their ends or
edges to permit of the liquor flowing up between each pair of them and
becoming heated thereby, they may have parallel or other formation of
sides so that the liquor will not adhere or stop or check the upward
flow of the liquor which enters the tank at the bottom and gradually
flows upwards between the leaves and out at the upper part, thereby
becoming warm and then hot as it rises by the heat of the steam, which
is free to circulate in the leaves or boxes under pressure, a safety valve
being employed on the main steam pipe to regulate the pressure.
The next part of my Invention relates to improved methods of closing
the spaces between the pans or trays of the "concretor" apparatus
'to prevent the liquor or the foam thereof from being drawn into the
spaces by the action of the flame which passes under them. This
consists, firstly, in supporting a bar of metal upon the heads of screws
the stems of which are passed through the end or side walls of the trays
to receive the ends of saddle straps which embrace the two walls of cach
adjoining pair of trays. Upon the metal bar I arrange a layer of coarse
gravel or pebbles, and cover these with a layer of sand to completely
lute the joint against the passage of flame. Above the sand and resting
upon the top edges of the trays I fit another plate, which is held in
position by pressure screws passed through the saddle heads, and thus
I produce a liquid tight joint at the top without interfering with the
sliding action of the trays due to the expansion and contration of the
metal of which the trays are made.
According to another method I cast or otherwise form fillets or ribs
on the side walls of the trays, upon which the coarse gravel or pebbles
can rest, and I cast lugs or cars near the top through which the pressure
screws can be passed for retaining the plate above the sand and upon
the top edges in position. There are many ways of forming a fight joint
at the meeting portions of the trays, but the main points in this part of

page_text: my Invention are the employment of the luting bodies named and the
top plate held down upon the edges by pressure screws.
My next improvement relates to means of regulating or checking the
action of the flame against the under surface of the concretor pans or
5 trays. I fit one or more damper blades in the flue and operate them as
desired by exterior appliances, such as balance weights or hand wheels.
The shafts or spindles on which the blades are mounted are set in the
brickwork of the flue, and are protected from the direct action of the
flame by fire-brick or cement in any suitable manner. By this means
the heat can be concentrated more or less against or upon any one or
more of the trays as desired.
The next improvement relates to means of clearing the volutes and
the cylinder axis of sugar which accumulates from various causes in the
concretor cylinder, and I effect this by employing a jet of steam at the
air outlet end of the cylinder when it is revolving. A little water, cane
juice, or syrup may be introduced into the cylinder at the same time as
the steam, but this is not essential.
The next improvement relates to a method of furnishing the cylinder
with heavy or dense syrup and the pump with the lighter syrup, also
to a method of preventing heavy impurities entering the cylinders.
This effected in the following manner:-A cylindrical vessel open at
both ends is placed in the tank over the outlet pipe leading to the
cylinder. At a short distance, say about 1 inches, from the bottom
of this cylinder, its circumference is pierced by a series of holes, say,
about a quarter of an inch in diameter and half an inch apart. These
are continued upwards to a height of about 24 inches from the top of
the cylinder. A second vessel similar to the first in all save the position
of the perforations is placed above the outlet pipe leading to the pump.
The circumference of this second cylinder is pierced with holes from the
top to within about 6 inches of the bottom. The holes are as before
about a quarter of an inch in diameter, and ½ inch apart. Heavy
impurities subside to the bottom of the tank where they remain, there
being no current along the bottom to disturb them; the densest syrup
finds its way to the cylinder through the perforations in the 1st vessel
which are near the bottom of the tank; the lightest syrup rises to the
surface and is drawn away to the pump through the perforations in the
second cylindrical vessel.

page_text: The next improvement consists in the addition of a subsiding tank
or vessel so placed in connection with the trays that the juice being
concentrated having flowed down several of the trays may be led into
the subsiding vessel, and traversing it with a greatly diminished current
the heavier particles of any impurity may be permitted to subside, and a
the purer syrup to leave the subsiding tank, and pursue its course down
the trays. I usually construct the subsiding vessel of such size as to
contain the amount of syrup which will flow into it from the concretor
trays in the space of half an hour, when the concretor is being worked;
but I increase or diminish its size according as the syrup is required 1
to be more or less purified. By means of this a more pure sugar or
concrete is produced, and by its continuous action the subsidence of
dregs from light juice is obtained, as such requires but little time for
the precipitation of its dregs.
My last improvement consists in a connection of the rising main ]
from the pump to a shoot or pipe with suitable plugs or taps permitting
the pumped syrup to be discharged at will on to one or other of several
of the trays at the lower end of the series instead of connecting the
rising main with the pipe which supplies the juice to the several trays.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Fryer in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
FRYER, of the Firm of Fryer, Benton, and Forster, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alfred Fryer, Her special licence that
I, the said Alfred Fryer, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Alfred Fryer, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein

page_text: 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 TREAT-
MENT OF CANE SUGAR,. AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN
CONNECTION THEREWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Alfred Fryer, my executors or administrators, 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 Alfred Fryer, 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 :-
f
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the treatment of
cane sugar by which a better quality and a larger yield is obtained
than by the ordinary methods; also to improvements in machinery or
apparatus to be employed in connection with such treatment.
i
The first part consists in heating cane juice or other saccharine solu-
tions by the employment of a tank. The tank may be of any shape
or size suitable to the purpose, and is constructed to contain a number
of boxes or leaves, into which steam can be admitted for imparting the
3 necessary heat to the liquor contained in or flowing through the tank
the connections of the steam pipe and also of the pipe from which the
condensed water is removed being so arranged that any box or leaf can
be removed for repairs or other causes without seriously interfering with
the progress of the operation. The boxes or leaves are fitted in the
tank on their ends or edges to permit of the liquor flowing up between'
each pair of them and becoming heated thereby. They may have
parallel or other formation of sides so that the liquor will not adhere
and stop or check the upward flow of the liquor which enters the tank
at the bottom and gradually flows upwards between the leaves and out.
at the upper part, thereby becoming warm and then hot as it rises by
the heat of the steam which is free to circulate in the leaves or boxes:
under pressure, a safety valve being employed in the main steam pipe
to regulate the pressure.
:

page_text: The first part of the Invention will be well understood by Figures 1
and 2 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings; Figure 1 is an elevation
partly in section, and Figure 2 is a plan of the apparatus.
a is the skin or shell of the tank of oblong form containing a series
of leaves or boxes b, b, into each or any of which steam can flow from
the main pipe c and the branches d, d, whence it passes after traversing
the interior of the said boxes or leaves to the outlet branches e, e, leading
to the exhaust pipe f. The exterior or side walls of each box or leaf are
inclined from the top to the bottom to prevent the cane juice or other
saccharine solution which enters the tank by the pipe 9 adhering to the
sides. The bottom edges and the end edges of the boxes or leaves are
clear of the inner bottom and sides of the tank to enable the liquor to
flow along and between each leaf as it passes from one end of the tank
to the other where it finds an outlet by the overflow pipe h. Each of
the boxes or leaves is attached to the pipe c separately by means of the
branches d, d, and any one or more of them can be removed for cleaning,
repairs, or other causes, each branch being stopped off by a screw or
other cap placed over the ends of the branches. I have shown the
boxes or leaves as having inclined side faces, but the faces or exteriors
may be parallel, or one side vertical only, and the other side inclined, I
can also by making the tank of greater depth than width arrange the
leaves or boxes on end, or the leaves or boxes may be set at an angle in
the tank, the main feature in this part of my Invention and to which I
lay claim being, the construction and employment of a heating vessel
composed of leaves of boxes and a tank through which steam and liquor
will flow from one end to the other substantially as described and shown
for the purposes set forth.
The second part of my Invention consists of six separate improve-
ments upon or in a piece of apparatus well known as the "concretor,"
and used chiefly for the concentration of the juice of the sugar cane.
The first of these improvements consists in a method of making the
joints between the cast-iron trays. The "sides" of the shallow evapo-
rating vessels called trays are parallel with the axis of the flame bed,
and their "ends" cross the flame bed. It is needful to permit to the
trays space for expansion, which takes place when heat is applied to
them.
Hitherto the joints between them have been made in the following
manner :-An iron saddle piece has either been laid flat upon the edges

page_text: of the ends of adjacent trays or a saddle piece with overhanging sides
has covered and overlapped the adjacent edges. These methods will be
readily understood from reference to Figures 3 and 4 which show the
longitudinal section of the adjacent ends of two trays. A, B, are the
adjacent ends of the trays; O is the saddle piece and D is the flame bed.
When from continued use and the expansion and contraction to which
they are subjected the joints between the end of the trays and the saddle
piece become broken, and the boiling cane juice or other liquid foams
against such open joint the draught from the chimney draws such foam
into the flame bed and destroys it. The open joints also injure the
draught.
My improved method of making the joints consists in placing between
the adjacent trays sand joints, that whilst permitting the trays to expand
and contract will prevent any boiling syrup or liquid which may pass
the joint between saddle piece and tray from being drawn into the
flame bed, and also I hold the saddle pieces down to the edges of the
ends of adjacent trays by means of straps passing over the saddle pieces
and having their ends attached to the respective trays.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the joint between adjacent trays,
and Figure 6 is a transverse elevation of same. Set screws B, B, B, are
passed from the outer to the inner faces of the ends of trays, and these
set screws project inwards about 3ths of an inch. Upon the heads of the
set screws a bar of iron C rests. This bar extends from side to side of
the trays, but does not quite fill up the space between the adjacent trays
in order to permit room for the expansion by heat. Upon this bar of
iron a layer of very coarse sand or small pebbles is laid, and upon it a
layer of fine sand E. Upon the edges of the trays the saddle piece F
is laid, and this is held down to its place by the straps G, G. Theso
straps are passed over the saddle picce and the ends of adjacent trays,
and are sprung over the projecting ends of the set screws.
scrows II, H, screwed through the highest part of the strap hold the
saddle piece in its place. I usually place two or threo saddle straps
to each saddle piece. Or instead of the method described and shown
above I hold down the saddle pieces to the edges of the ends of the
adjacent trays by means of bolts passing through the saddle pieces and
through lips cast on to the edge of one of the trays as shown in the
sketch, Figure 7, where A, A, are ends of adjacent trays; B is the saddle
piece; C the bolt, and D the lip. I usually place two or three holding
The set

page_text: down bolts to each saddle piece. The ends of the trays are provided
near their lower part with projecting fillets so placed that when the
trays are in position they are opposed to each other and nearly in
contact. These are shown by E, E, in the Drawing. They furnish a
support for a layer of gravel or coarse sand F upon which a layer of
finer sand Gt is laid.
I claim in this part of my Invention the filling between the adjacent
ends of the trays with gravel, sand, or other loose matter which whilst
preventing the air or syrup being drawn into the flame bed will permit
the expansion and contraction of the trays, but I do not limit myself
to the exact methods of supporting the gravel or sand here described as
example.
I claim also in this part of my Invention the method of keeping the
joints between the top of ends of trays and the saddle pieces tight by
holding the saddle pieces down to the ends of the trays in such manner
that whilst the saddle pieces cannot be raised the edges of trays may
slide under them when the trays expand and contract without opening
the joint, and I claim the construction of straps for this purpose in such
a manner that they will not prevent the expansion and contraction of
the trays.
My second improvement consists in the application of movcable
checks in the flame bed, the object of which is to concentrato as much
heat as needful upon the upper trays and to permit the sectional area
of the flame bed where the movable checks are placed to be raised at
will as may be needed in consequence of variations in the quality of
the fuel or in the force or direction of the wind or in the density of the
cane juice (sugar solution) or other varying circumstances. I usually
place one movable check about 10 or 12 feet from the uppermost end
of highest tray, and this check when closed narrows the channel for the
passage of the gases to a depth of about 1 inches. A second movable
check is usually placed under the second or third tray from the air
heater. This check when shut almost entirely closes the flue or flame
bed. I prefer to make these movable checks in the form of a swivel
damper and to form them of an iron frame filled in with and protected
from the heat by fire-brick.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of the check; A, A, are the side
walls of the low flame bed; B is the tray sitting on the top of flame
bed; c, c, c, c, represent the iron framework of the check filled in with

page_text: the fire-brick blocks E, E, which I make so as to lap over the iron
frame and protect it from the fire; F, F, are the two ends of the frame
which rest in the journals G, G, and thus support the check which is
moved by means of the handle H keyed fast to one of the ends F; I
is a balance weight; J is the bottom of the flame bed. The check is
represented raised.
I claim in this part of my Invention the application of movable.
checks underneath my concretor trays.
My third improvement consists in the application of one or more
▸ steam jets within the concretor cylinder, as shown in Figure 9, to permit
the application of a blast of steam directed among the volutes in a
direction parallel or nearly so with the axis of the cylinder. This
application is effected when the cylinder is in revolution, and a little
water, cane juice, or syrup may be introduced within the cylinder at the
3 same time. I usually prefer the steam pipe to be one inch in diameter,
and terminated by a nozzle ths of an inch in diameter, and to direct the
steam from the fan end of the cylinder.
The use of the steam for a few minutes each day removes all accumu-
lation of sugar which may have concreted in the volutes or round
the axis.
I claim in this part of my Invention the application of a steam jet or
steam jets to clear the cylinder from accumulations of sugar.
My fourth improvement consists in a method of separating the lighter
from the denser syrup in the tank into which the syrup from the trays
5 is discharged in such a way as to permit the densest syrup freed by
subsidence from its impuritics to be discharged into the revolving
cylinder, and the lightest to be returned over the trays when required.
This is effected in the following manner:- A cylindrical vessel a,
Figure 10 (usually made of copper), open at both ends, and about
9 inches in diameter, is placed in the tank over the outlet pipe leading
to the cylinder. At a distance of about 1½ inches from the bottom of
this cylinder its circumference is pierced by a series of holes each about
a quarter of an inch in diameter and half an inch apart; similar per-
forations extend upwards to a height of about 2½ inches from the top
5 of the cylinder; a second vessel b, similar to the first in all save the
position of the perforations, is placed above the outlet pipe leading to
the pump..

page_text: The circumference of this second cylinder is pierced with holes from
the top to within about 6 inches of the bottom; the holes are, as before,
about a quarter of an inch in diameter and ½, an inch apart.
Heavy impurities subside to the bottom of the tank, where they
remain, there heing no current along the bottom to disturb them. The
densest syrup finds its way to the cylinder through the perforations in
the first vessel which are near the bottom of the tank. The lightest
syrup rises to the surface, and is drawn away to the pump through the
perforations in the second cylindrical vessel.
I claim in this part of my Invention the method of supplying the
cylinder with the denser syrup and the pump with the lighter syrup,
and the mode of keeping back the heavy impurities from entering the
cylinder (all) substantially as described.
My fifth improvement consists in the addition of a subsiding tank
or vessel so placed in connection with the trays that the juice being
concentrated, having flowed down several of the trays, may be led into
the subsiding vessel, and in traversing it with a greatly diminished
current the heavier particles of any impurity may be permitted to subside
and the purer syrup to leave the subsiding tank and pursue its course
down the trays.
I usually construct the subsiding vessel of such size as to contain
the amount of syrup which will flow into it from the concretor trays in
the space of half an hour when the concretor is being worked, but I
increase or diminish its size according as the syrup is required to be
more or less purified.
Figure 11 is a plan of subsiding vessel; Figure 12 is a longitudinal
section of same through A, B; and Figure 13 is a transverse section
through E, F, looking towards B.
When in use the juice or syrup leaving the tray C by means of the
side channel D flows into the end inlet channel G, and enters the sub- ;
siding vessel by various ✓ shaped openings in the division plate H. The
syrup in its passage along the subsiding vessel in the direction B, A,
has to pass under the diaphragm I which retains any scum. As the
syrup slowly advances to the outlet end A it permits the particles of
feculent or other heavy matter to subside to the bottom of the tank, and ;
the clear syrup flows into the end outlet channel J, whence it flows
through the connecting piece K into the tray L. M is a movable sluice

page_text: door, which is in position when the subsiding vessel is being used; N,N,
are grooves for similar sluice doors, which are put into position and the
door at M is removed when it is desired not to make use of the subsiding
vessel, but to permit an uninterrupted flow of syrup down the trays.
0, 0, 0, are taps by means of which the subsiding vessel may be emptied
and the dregs removed.
By means of this vessel a more pure sugar or concrete is produced,
and by its continuous action the subsidence of dregs from light juice is
obtained, as such requires but little time for the precipitation of its
dregs.
I claim in this part of my Invention the application of a vessel to the
trays of the concretor so arranged that the juice which flows into it
may throw up its scum, which is detained by the diaphragm described,
deposit its dregs on account of the diminished current, and thus purified
flow away again on to the remaining trays.
My sixth improvement consists in a connection of the rising main
from the pump to a shoot or pipe with suitable plugs or taps, as shewn
in Figures 14 and 15 (Figure 14 being a vertical section, and Figure 15
a plan), for permitting the pumped syrup to be discharged at will on to
one or other of several of the trays at the lower end of the series, instead
of connecting the rising main with the pipe which supplies the juice to
the several trays.
I claim in this part of my Invention a means of supplying the trays
from the pump separate from that employed for supplying them with
light inine
the several trays.
I claim in this part of my Invention a means of supplying the trays
from the pump separate from that employed for supplying them with
light juice.
I also claim the separation of the supply to lower trays of pumped
syrup from the supply to them of light juice.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Fryer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of November One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-two.