US72267A - Improved sorghum-evaporator - Google Patents

Description

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NO AH CLOUSE, v OF BUFFALO VILLAGE, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters .Patent No. 72,267, dated December 17, 1867.

IMPROVED SRGHUM-EVAPORATOB..

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TO ALL WHOM IT M/AY CONOERN:

Be it known that I, NOAH CLOUSE, of'Buti'alo Village, in the county of' Washington, and State of Penn Sylvania, have invented a newlandimprored Sorghum-Evaporator; and` I do hereby ,declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to m'ake and usev the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. v

Figure l represents a plan or top view of my improved sorghum-evaporator.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same, the plane of section being indicated by theV line :c x, fig. 3. y

Figure 3 is a. longitudinal vertical section of the same, the plane of sectionb'eing indicated by the line y y. iis- 1- Figure 4 is a side view ofthe wheels, which are iitted to the boiler-frames.

Figure 5 is a plan or top view, partly in section, of a corner of the boiler-frame and wheel-attachment.

Similar lettersci` reference indicate corresponding parts. v

This invention relates to a new sorghum-evaporator, lwhich is so arranged that tho vsorghum goes .through the whale process ,in .separate vessels, sothat each vessel can be cleaned after it has been emptied, and can be made ready for further operation without stopping or retarding the process in the other vessels.

lThe invention consists in arranging two furnaces, one for boiling the liquid to the required consistency, and the other for keeping a slow re, to keep the liquid at the required temperature while it is being skimmed the second time. The vessels in which the liquid is contained are rectangular boxes, hung in carriages, which run on caster-wheels, a suitable track being arranged above the furnaces and on their sides,'to allow-the vessels to be moved from place to place. When a vessel is over either of the furnaces theliquid is skimmed by a skimmer, fitted to a carriage, whichcan be moved on the edges of the vessel, to deposit the scum from ghe vessel containing the molasses, to a proper scum-receptacle. I

A A represent vessels for holding the molasses. The same are made of sheet metal or any suitable material,

of any suitable size and shape. I prefer to makevthe same of rectangular foi-u1, as shown in the drawings.

Each vessel is hung in a rectangular frame, E. by means of L-shaped plates O, as shown. The vertical arms of these plates slide in grooves provided in the inner sides of the frames B. rllhe boxes are pivoted to pins, a a, formed in the inner sides of these vertical arms. I The weight ofthe boxes is sustained on the frames by screws, b b, fitted through the horizontal arms ofthe plates C, their lower ends resting upon the surface ofthe frames. Each vessel A is pivotcd to two plates C, which are arranged opposite to each other, upon the frames B. The plates C are arranged nearer to one end of each frame than to the other, and the boxes are thus not pivoted in their centres, nor are they thus balanced. To prevent the longer end of the vessel Afl-om tipping o'ver, ascrew or pin, c, is fitted into that end of the box resting upon the frame B,'as is clearly shown in fig. 3. These pins c thusl uphold the weight ofthe longer ends ci the vessels A. It will be easily understood,/that by turning the screws b b, on each frame B, the vessel A, pivoted to such frame, can be raised or lowered at will. To keep the vessel level, while it is in this manner adjusted hy the screws b, the pins c will have to be set in a different hole, provided for that purpose, in the end of theressel A. The-frames B B are provided with casters D D, fitted in or near their corners, so thatthe frames will thereby be transformed into carriages, which can he moved` in either direction. If it is desired to lock the casters in any one position, a pin, d, may be fitted through a hole in a plate, e, which is formed on4 the upright caster-shaft; said pin d passing into the frame B, and thus locking the casters, and preventing them from turning around theinupright shafts. This arrangement of the casters is clearly illustratedvin iigs. 4 and 5. For full-size machines, the iipright shaftf of the casters may he extended above the plate e, and squared, so that the wheel can be turned by means of a`suitable wrench. E is a stationary" frame, supported upon suitable standards, and consisting of horizontal rails, upon which the carriages B can travel. Actually this frame E consists of two frames, of rectangular shape, arranged parallel to each other, with a passage between them. Each of such two frames is divided, by cross-rails g g, into three compart-i ments, of which those at the vends are of similar sizeand shape as the vessels A. The cross-rails and end rails of' such two frames E can, if desired, be connected byidetacliable rai-'ls 7L h, as shown in iig. 1. By this arrangement of the frame E, four sections are formed in the same, each of about equal area as the vessel A. These rms? 2 four sections are marked respectively, 1, 2, 3, and 4. Under the sections 2 and 3 are built two furnaces, F and G, respectively. The furnace G, under the section 3, is covered by a plate, z'.

The operation is as follows: Three or four vessels are used. When a vessel stands over the section 1 it is filled with sorghum, is then 4moved over the furnace F, and its contents boiled tothe required consistency; thence it is moved on the rails of the frame E, o ver the furnace G, in which a slow fire is made.. The sorghum is skimmed while overl the furnace F, and again when over the 'furnace G. When the sorghum is sutiiciently boiled and cleaned, thevessel is moved over the section 4, andnis then dumped or emptied (see iig. 3,) its con- `tents owing into a cooling-pan, H. The vessel is then moved to section 1 again, and is .there cleaned and scrubbed, so as to be prepared for another `change of the liquid. When thelvessel stands above the furnace F, two boxes, I I, are attached to its ends, to receive the scum, thc upper edges ot these boxes being on the lsame level with the surface of the vessels A. The manner of attaching these scum-boxes to the vessel can be varied at pleasure. The skimlneris :t semi-cylindrical perforated vessel J,'pivoted to the ends oi' the rods jj, which projects from a bar, having its bearings in .the side walls of a carriage, K. The end pieces of the carriage are connected by a semicircular wire or bar, l, around which is fitted and whereon slides a leve?, m, projecting from the bar c; the bar 7c being the centre from which the nrc of lis struck. The wheels o, of the `carriage K, rest upon the edge of the vessel A, and thus the said carriagel can be easily moved en the vessel A, from end to end of the same. The skimmer J has a handle, n', by means of which it can be turned in its bearings. The skimmer is set, as shown in fig. 3, and moved freni one end to the ethernet' the vessel A. It is then emptied into the box I, at the end of the vessel, and then the position of the lever mis reversed on the arc Z, and the carriage is moved to the opposite end of the vessel again. Over thefurnace Githe sorghum is skimmed again. i t

The main advantage of `my invention are', that the sorghum can be rapidly skimmed while undergoing the evaporating-proccss, so as to be purified; that cach portion of the sorghumris kept separate from the others, so that crude juice will not be mixed with partly or wholly finished sirup; that an opportunity is given, during each circuit, to wash and clean each boiler, thereby producing very pure molasses.

'lhe height of the vessels A above the iire can be regulated by the screws b, and therebyl also the amount of heat to which the liquid is subjected.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- '1. 'lhe manner herein shown and described of hanging the vessels A in thc carriages B, by means of plates C, having pins a and screws b, and by means of steadying-pins c, as described.

2. rlhc carriages E E, when provided .with adjustable casters, having plates c on their upright axles, and secured, by pins d, in any desired position, as described.

3. The arrangement of the frame E, divided into sections-to allow the easy transportation of the vessels A from one section to the other, as described.

4. A sorghum-evaporator, consisting of a series oi' separate vessels, A A, hung in carriages D B, and moved in succession from the filling-place, over the furnaces F and Gr, to the cooling-pan or discharge, substantially as described.

NOAH CLOUSE.

Witnesses:

S. R. WITunow, JOHN GnArsoN, Jr.

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