USRE967E - Improvement in sugar-mold carriages - Google Patents

Description

c E. BERTRAND.

Sugar-Mold Carriage.

Reissued May 29, 1860.

AM PHOTO-LITHOJQNX, (OSBORNE'S PROCES5.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

O. E. BERTRIAND, OF VVILLIAMSBURGH, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SUGAR-MOLD CARRIAGES.

\ Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.19,743, dated March 30, 1858; Reissue No. 967, dated May 29, 1860.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. .BERTRAND, of Williamsbur'gh, in the county of Kings and State ofNew York,have invented certain apparatus for holding, carrying, plugging,

and unplugging sugar-molds,whereby the different operations connected with the filling of the molds with the liquid and boiled sugar is greatly facilitated and a convenient and easy means is afforded for conveying and handling of the filled molds, and, lastly, an accelerated anduniform drainingof the mother-liquor is effected.

The method heretofore employed for filling the molds consists in filling copper vessels by drawing off from the heater or boiling apparatus by means of scoops or a cock with which the heater or boiler may be provided. These are speedily (to prevent cooling) carried to and emptied in the molds,which are arranged in rows in thecrystallizing-rooms in treaclejars or wooden supports under which pots are placed. This operation is very laborious and a great loss of sugar is occasioned thereby.

The molds thus filled on the lowest floor are raised to the upper floors, either singly one by one or several simultaneously, by means of quadrangular wooden cases mounted upon a four wheeled train, and perforated with three or four round holes, into which the molds are set. These cases are difficult to move in all directions required and cannot be turned so as to travel around corners or within curves of small radius, without spilling over and wasting a great deal of sugar. The molds are then allowed to cool gradually and the sugar to crystallize. .By stirring up occasionally the sirup in the molds a compact net-work of small crystals is formed, the meshes being fitted up with the mother-liquor or saturated solution. This solution or mother-liquor collects in the lower part of the mold and is ready to drip through the hole when the plug is removed. The usual mode, however, is to pierce or bore a hole in the point of the loaf, which is donein the following manner: A workman lifts and holds the mold to be pierced as high as he conveniently can,

while another punches a hole by means of a 3 steel point of about six inches in length by half an inch in diameter, by striking on the head of such point with a heavy hammer. This mode of operation is very disadvantageous, the hole thus struck is rarely in the direction of the axis of the mold, and it very frequently happens that the point is split and broken, and some particles of the sugar-loaf are detached and brought to face the point, whereby theouter is obstructed. Some refiners are in the habit of using elongated iron points instead of the paper plug to close the opening at the point; but this mode is given up,being impracticable. never hold tight and generally burst the mold when detached. -My improved apparatus is calculated to obviate all these various defects,

as it will be seen from the description of its construction and operation.

A is the skeleton platform, having four,siX, or more depressions or cavities, O, in the center of each of which an upright steel pin, p, is permanently secured. Around this pin and against the bottom of the cavity is a washer, XV, made of india-rubber, leather,or any other suitable yielding and impermeable material.

- This platform is supported by three wheels of a very small diameter, two of which are mounted on the axle X, the third, L, is a sort of caster or swivel wheel, its axle being free to revolve around a vertical pivot. To insure perfect ease. and sensibility of this casterwheel, it is mounted upon a standard having a pivot-bearing, P, in the brace-plate B. Another advantage derived from this arrangement consists in preserving the bearing from being clogged up by the viscid liquor that drains from the 11101 The molds when placed upon the platform,

as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, will have theirorifices hermetically closed by their weight acting against the rubber washers. The steel points penetrate the interior of the mold and Such nails or points the periphery of the mold, spring "from a central and longitudinal brace, and terminate at the greatest diameters, or therebout, of the circle they form-v; 6., in a vertical plane passing through the lateral row of pins. This arrangement is for the purpose of allowing the molds to be withdrawn from the carriage without lifting them more than is necessary to clear the points. The molds are prevented from falling out by guard chainsor bars 0, which are hooked into eyes E of the braces. Thebraceplate is supported at a convenient height from the platform by means of hollow columns or struts and bolts.

The operation is as follows: The empty forms or molds being placed on the platform so that the pins of theplatform shall pass throughthe orifice at the apex of the cones, and the guard chain or rod hooked in the eyes of the braces to hold the forms in their proper positionsi. 0., fitting into the circular braces the carriage is then brought under the heater, where the boiled sugar mass is drawn from. This is done by presenting six or eight molds in succession to the outlet without removing them from the car. The great mobility of the apparatus renders thisoperation very practicable and preferable to any other mode of filling heretofore known or used.

In an establishment refining about fifteen millions of pounds of raw sugar annually,a set of eleven workmen were daily and specially employed for this operation. Now the same is done with ease by two men, effecting also a great economy of sugar usually spilled on and absorbed by the floor. Another advantage consists in the cleanliness,which is a great desideratom in every refinery, and also that thesugar reaches the molds without losing any considerable amount of its temperature. The orifices of the molds, being pressed against the india-rubber rings, are hermetically closed, without the employment of papier-mach, cement, or loam. The sugar in the molds is then left to cool and to crystallize. WVhen the sugar has acquired sufficient solidity, the guard-chain is unhooked and the molds are lifted afew inches (just enough to clear the pims) an d. set aside to allow the mother-liquor to drip through the hole which is castv in the loaf, instead of being punched or drilled, as this was heretofore done. The conveyance of six or eight filled molds placed in an apparatus i tion set my signature of this description is very convenient,one man Y without exerting any extraordinary effort may push the car weighing some twelve hundred" pounds along through the passages of the different rooms, turn around corners without spilling over any quantity of sugar.

The car loaded with molds is generally pushed uponaplatform of ahoisting apparatus and elevated to an upper room, where the crystallization takes place. The molds are then removed and replaced by empty ones.

Having now described 'my improvements, I would observe that this my improved apparatus may be used either as an entirety or it may be employed in part to perform all or either of the above-descri bed operations. Thus,

it may be used in connection with molds which for vertically supporting themolds,with a series of semicircular braces or their equivalents and guard chains or bars, for laterally holding said molds, substantially as set forth.

2. In sugar-mold carriages constructed as described, with a brace-plate arranged at a higher level relatively to the platform, the two wheels running 011 or with one or two axles fixed to the platform, in combination with a swivel-wheel, the shank or standard of which is made to bear against the said braceplate, whereby the carriage may be moved about with greater facility than this has ever been done heretofore.

3. The combination. and arrangement of stationary pins and india-rubber washers or their equivalents in the platform, so that the molds, when in position upon and supported by the platform, shall have their drip-holes closed by their own weight, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein specified.

4. The general construction, combination, and arrangement of sugar-mold carriages, as herein shown and described, so as to operate substantially in the manner pose set forth.

In witness whereof I have to this specifioain presence of two witnesses.

O. E. BERTRAND.

WVitnesses:

A. POLLAK, AARON FRANK.

and for the pur-

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