USRE1464E - Improvement in apparatus for evaporating saccharine juices - Google Patents

Description

L. P. HARRIS.

Evaporating-Pan.

Reissued Apr. 28, 1863 win awe:

A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LYMAN runners, on MANSFIELD, onto.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR EVAPORATING SACCHARINE JUICES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 22,648, dated January 18, 1859 Reissue No. 1,164, dated April 28, 1863.

and I do hereby declare that the followingis a;

full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying d rawings. forming part of this specification, in

which- Figure 1 is a plan or top View of an evaporating and defecating apparatus embodying my' invention. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal section. of the same. Fig. 3 is also alongitn dinal section of 'an evaporator and defecator having two high ledges and two points at which the under or bottom surface-current is employed in connection with a flowing body of juice.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate corresponding parts.

The nature of my invention consists in arrestingthe green matter or chlorophyl thrown off by the action of heat from sugarcane juice and the juices of other similar plants during the process of defecation by means of a partition of a shallow evaporating-pan, such partition having a space between a greater or a less portion of its lower edge and the surf'acebottom of the pan through which the under purified or defecat ed stratum of j uice has a chance to flow freely directly upon and over the surface-bottom of a, shallow evaporatingpan, the flowing juice not being separated into two distinct bodies, but that in the defecator being connected with that in the evaporator by a thin sheet or stream, which stream has parted with its chlorophyl, the chlorophyl having risen from it to the top surface of the juice in the defecatorand been arrested by the upper ,part of the partition, or skimmed off by the manager of the apparatus.

My invention further consists in the application of an adjustable gate to an evaporating and defecating pan, which arrests the chlorophyl of the defecating-apartment and allows an underflow from the defecator di- 'rectly upon the surface of the pan or evapcrating-apartment, so that the flow of the purified or defecated juice may be regulated or cut off.

My invention consists,further, in the appli cation of a strainer to any evaporator which has partitions and operates with a flowing stream of juice, so that any floating feculencies or green matter that follow the under stream or current may be arrested while the flow of juice continues.

My invention consists, further, in two or more high ledges, each of which is provided with an under-surface-flow space immediately between its lower edge and the surface-bottom of the pan or evaporator, in connection with shallow evaporating-pans of all known constructions, so that the operation of arresting feculencies and all foreign matter may be repeated as the defecation and evaporation progresses.

My invention consists, further, in the application of the before-mentioned gate and strainer, separately or together, to every addi- .tional ledge, which has the under-flow passage between its lower edge and the surfacebottom of the pan, for a like purpose to that stated heretofore.

My invention consists, further, in the combination of a high ledge and a gate or a strainer with that portion of the pan which is known as the evaporator in contradistinction to the defecator-apartment.

The necessity for my invention grows out of the fact that in our northern climates the seasons are such that the Chinese sugar-cane or sorghum seldom reaches a high degree of maturity before it becomes necessaryv to harvest itoften in an immatured state-and in con sequence thereof, and the immediate necessity, in order to save it, of grinding before frosts, the pressure to which the stalk is submitted while in this tender condition in removing the juice causes the removal of alarge quantity of the chlorophyl and other vegetable matter from the stalk along with the juice. Now, this foreign matter must be thoroughly removed from the juice during the process of heating and evaporating, otherwise the sirup and sugar will be of a very inferior quality. The application of,he'at to a shallow .body of juice readily coagulates these foreign substances, and a rising to the surface of the juice of the same immediately follows, and skimming off of the scum thus thrown up should be promptly performed preparatory to rapid evaporation. Therefore an apartment conveniently arranged for properly heating and defecating the juice prior to its flowing upon the evaporating-surface, and also affording convenience for immediate flow by an under current upon the pan-bottom of a thin stream of juice, is an essential feature in an evaporating apparatus. 4

My experiments in the use of shallow defecators and evaporators have been very satisfactory, showing their great superiority over deep vessels used for the same purpose.- By

this method of defecating and evaporating I have produced bright sirup of superior-quality and fine flavor, which readily granulates, producing sugar of good-quality. Such results are obtained with great difficulty when'the juice is defecated and evaporated in deep bodies. I

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A, Figs. 1 and 2, is the defecating-apartment of the apparatus; B, the evaporatingapartment.

a My apparatus is-an elongated rectangular 'vessel adapted to set upon any style of firefurnace. The bottom of the vessel is flat,and its ends and sides extend uptherefrom only a short distance-say about four or five inches.

Metal which is indestructible under the influ- .;ence of acids to a great degree may housed in.

constructing the bottom and ends of-the pan. Wood is preferable for the sides. This description may be varied from according to cireumstances and the capacity required for the apparatus, and it is only given as a good way of constructing a pan, it forming no part of my invention, except by way of connection with the following:

0 is a transverse ledge or partition,extending up from the bottom of the pan tothe upper edge of the sides thereof. This partition attaches to the sides of the pan. It islocated so'as to cut off about one-third of the length of the pan at the forward end, and thus form the two compartments A B, the evaporatingcompartment B occupying about two-thirds of the whole length of the pan. 7 The whole-bottom surface of the two compartments forms one horizontal or nearly horizontal plane. The proportions and thedetails of construction may be varied; but I always prefer to have a far greater length of evaporating-surface than there is defecating-surface.

In 'orderto obtain a communication, E, below the surface of the body of juice between surface-bottom, I cut a portion of metal from the under edge of the partition 0, the depth of cut extending high enough to allowastream l of the desired depth to flow into the evaporator, but not so deep as to allow the juice of the full depth of body in the defecator to flow at one time-into the evaporator-apartment. The communication, however, may extend from bottom to top of ledge C; but in that case, as also in the plan just previously described, I would provide my adjustable gate D, and fit the same in guides a d on opposite sides ofthe passage E, as represented, so that the depth may be varied to suit the different heats of the furnace or the fancy of the manager of the process. 7 1

The adjustable gate operates the same as though one part of the ledge had been cut out, again replaced, and made to lift up from contact with the bottom of the pan. It .is the flowing stream or current below the scumsurface that I have long been. seekingto render practicable, and that'Ihave attained only successfully by. having no obstruction be tween the bottom'of the pans and that part hind or opposite the space E, as represented.

Such strainer allows the .juice to flow, but retains the foreign substances in the defecatorapartment.

The evaporator-apartment may be divided up into separate transverse channels, so as to have the juice flow in a zigzag line, as represented 'inFig. 1; or my inventionm'ay be applied to the whole series of partitions, or to one, two, or more, at intervals, as desired.

The manner of arranging the partitions, and

the number of partitions, is not the invention I am patenting. This may in various ways have been contrived by others previous and subsequent to my patent; but the use of a gatevalve in one or more of the partitions, and

also the pse of a strainer on one or more of the partitions, however the partitions are arranged, and the flowing of the juice under one or more partitions, constitute the gist of my invention.

I. haveshown inFig. 3 two high ledges and a series of lower. ledges, the high ledges each having a gate and strainerlocated at the center of the pan. Thelow ledges are arranged the same as shown in Fig. 1. This arrangement does the same work as plan Fig. 1, with the additional work of separating or arresting any new feculencies that maybe developed in the juice while undergoing the evaporating process. the two compartments and directly upon the to prevent an overflow from one channel or The leading object of high ledges in a pan is apartment to another.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An evaporating-pan which allows of a 1,464 I I V 3 bottom-surface flow of the juice and stops a top-surface flow, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A high ledge between the defecator and evaporator, for the'purpose set forth.

3. The application of an adjustable gate to anevaporating and defecating apparatus, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The application of a strainer to an evaporator, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of two or more high ledges, each of which is constructed with an nnder-surface-fiow space, in connection with shallow evaporating-pans, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The application of a gate or a strainer to each additional ledge which has the underfiow passage, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. The combination of a high ledge and a gate or a strainer with that portion of the pan known as the evaporator, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 7

LYMAN P. HARRIS. Witnesses:

ROBT. W. FENwIoK, GHAs. MASON.

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