US268310A - stevens - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. B. STEVENS.

EVAPORATOR.

No. 268,310. Patented Nov. Z8, 1882.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. STEVENS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE L. SQUIER, OF SAME PLAGE.

EVAPO RATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,310, dated November 28, 1882.

\ Application filed september 29, 188e. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY B. STEVENS, f the city ot' Buffa-lo, in the county of Erie and State ot' New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Evaporators,`of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in evaporators for saceharine juices and other liquids, and has for its object to produce ro an evaporator whichis durable and not liable to leak, which is easily and quickly skimmed, which defecates thoroughly, and evaporates rapidly without scorching the sirup. My invention consists, to that end, of the constructions which are hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an evaporator provided with myimprovements.

. zo 2 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 a

`top plan view, thereof. Fig. 4 is a cross-sec y extending from end to end of the pan, a contion, on anenlarged scale, in line .fc fr, Fig. 3, looking toward the right. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of the central portion ofthe pan. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of one ofthe round corners of the pan. Fig. 7is a cross-section of the evaporating'pan in line y y, Fig. 3, looking toward the left. Likeletters of reference refer to like parts 3o in the several figures.

The evaporating-pan is composed of two separate portions secured together side by side, each consisting' of metallic end plates, A A', made preferablyof cast-iron, and an outer wall,

A2, inner wall, A3, and a bottom, A4, all com'- posed in each portion of the pan ot' a single plate of sheet metal, preferably iron or copper, bent to the proper form, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The two portions of the pan are se- 4o cured together by means of rivets or bolts passing through their contiguous inner walls, A3. rlhe outer walls, A2, are made flaring to prevent boiling over and facilitate skimming, and their outer edges are preferably stiffened by angle-irons secured t0 the same. The inner walls, A3, constitute a longitudinal partition extending from end to end of the evaporator, which stilens the bottom of the pan and prevents it from warping, and which divides 5o the pan into two longitudinal compartments. The end plates, A A', are constructed with a-nges, to which the plate constituting the body of each portion of the pan is riveted, and the plates A A themselves are secured together near the top by bolts a passing th rough 5 5 lugs a', formed on said plates.

b represents a tubular passage cast with each end plate A, and opening at one end on the inner side of the plate and at the other end on the outside of the plate, the outer opening be- 6o ing on the inner edge of the plate and in line` with the other, so that both openings will register or coincide when the two portions of the pan are secured together, and thus establish a conduit or passage on the outer sides of the plates A from one longitudinal compartment of the pan to the other. b is a bolt which extends through both parts b of the passage. and secures the plates A together near the bottom.

c is a transverse partition formed in the sec- 7o ond compartment ot' the pan, which latter is composed of the defecating-compartment D,

centrating-apartment, E, extending from the end wall A to the partition c, and a inishing- 75 compartment, F, extending from the partition c to the end wall A.

g is a movable gate, which is arranged at the mouth of the passage b in the compartment D, and whereby said passage can be opened and 8o closed at desire.

' l1l represents a similar gate, arranged to open and close an opening, h', formed in the partition c. The openings to which these gates are applied are provided with a raised rim or ange, fi, which surrounds the opening, and is planed ofi', and the gatesare provided with plane blocks 7c, which ft snugly against the plane rims t', so as to form a water-tightjoint. The blocks 7c are attached to thelower ends of 9o pivoted levers, whereby they can be moved, so as to open or close the respective openings to which they are applied. These gates are very simple in construction and do not leak, and are easily manipulated. 9 5

The evaporating-pan is in this manner constructed wholly ot' metal, with no joints between the bottom and sides, and water-tight `joints at the ends and between the compartments, in which latter the` three operations ot' roo defecating, evaporating, and finishing can be carried on separately, andwhich can be easily whence it can be easily removed. In order to obtain this result, the partition separating the evaporating-compartment E from the defecating-compartment D is cut down, as shown at l, to a depth which will permit the scum and other light impurities which rise to the surface in the evaporating-compartment E to flow over into the defecating-compartment, in

t which they are carried by the surface current to the opposite or coolest end of the defecating-compartment. The low portion, l, of the central partition is preferably located near the end, and is preferably about twelve to lifteen inches long and three to four inches below the top of the partition. In order to bring the juice speedily to the boiling-point, the front portion of the evaporating-compartment E is covered by a plate, M, which may, if desired, cover the entire compartment, and the front portion of tbe defecating-compartment is similarly covered by a plate, N, which extends backward about the same distance as the plate M. These plates confine the steam and reiiect the heat, and accelerate the ebullition, whereby the impurities are thrown to the surface and carried off before they area gain boiled into the juice, and whereby the inversion of the cane-sugar into grape-sugar, which increases with the length of time the sugar is eX- posed to the heat, is to a large extent avoided.

The covers M and N are preferably hinged to the longitudinal partition A3, so that they can be readily raised, when required,for regulating the circulation or cleaning of the pan. To prevent the scum from gathering in the corners, they may be provided with curved metallic plates it, as represented in Figs. 3 and 7,

or with wooden blocks having concave faces.

O represents the furnace under the evaporator, and P is a longitudinal partition arranged centrally under the rear portion of the pan, and separating the fiuep under the defecating-compartment D from the fine 19 under the iinishing-compartment.

q is the chimney with which both dues commnnicate, and each flue is provided with a damper, q q2, whereby the heat can be directed more or less under one or the other compartment, as may be necessary.

The juice to be evaporated is introduced at the rear end of the compartment D, either in a continuous stream or intermittently. -The heat is so graduated under the compartment D that. this is the coolest part of the pan; but when the heat should be toolow in starting the evaporator a removable partition may be placed transversely in the compartment D, over the damper under the compartment, to confine the raw juice until properly defecated; but when the pan is working properly no such partition is necessary. In this compartment the juice is slowly brought to the boiling-point, and the scum thrown np and carried by the surface current back to the rear end of the compartment, whence it is removed by a skimmer or by a scum-trough extending into the cornpartment. As the juice becomes clarified and heated it passes forward under the cover N and over the grates, where the heat is strongest, and here it boils. The boilingjuice then passes through the tube b into the compartment E, where it boils violently. The steam generated here is confined by the cover M and compelled to pass out through the opening formed by the low portion, l, of the partition. This produces a strong surface current from the compartment E into the compartment D, whereby all the scum is carried from the compartment E into the compartment D. By closing the gate g entirely or partially the circulation can be stopped or regulated, and the whole process is completely under the control of the operator. The defecated juice passes on the bottom of the compartment D to the passage b, and

Vthrough the latter into the compartment E,

when the high heat throws to the surface the vimpurities which have not been removed before, and the hot current passes near thel surface backward to the inlet end of the compartment D. When thejuice is sufficiently evaporated for finishing the gate h is opened, when thejuice passes into the compartment F. At this stage of the process arises the danger of scorching; but the heat is easily controlled and scorching prevented by the dampers in the flues. When the juice has been finished it is drawn off through the spout r.

l am aware that heretofore covers have been used on evaporators, and that round cornerpieces have been used, also that the longitudinal partition has been reduced in height to permit the overflow of the scum from one compartment into the other, and I do not claim either of these constructions by itself; but

I claim as my invention- 1. In an evaporator, the combination of a defecating-compartment, D, an evaporating- `compartment, E, a scum-passage, Z, formed in the partition between the two compartments, and a cover, M, applied to the evaporatingcompartment E, substantially as set forth.

2. Inan evaporator, the combination of a defecating compartment, D, an evaporatingcompartment, E, a scum-passage, l, formed in the partition between the two compartments, a cover, M, applied to the evaporating-compartmen t, and a cover,N, applied to the defecatin gcompartment, substantially as set forth.

3. The end plates, AA,constructed with the divided passage b, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with thedefecating-compartment D, of tbe evaporating-compartment E, a passage, b, connecting both compartments near their bottoms, a scum-passage, Z, formed in the top of the partition between the two com- IOO IIO

IZO

.i A I partments, and a cover, M, applied to the evaporating-compartmentD, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in an evaporator, of an opening leading from one compartment into another, a raised ange, t', surrounding said openingand havingaplane face, and a movable gate provided with a plane' block, k, fitting against the face of the flange i, substantially as set forth.

6. In an evaporator, the combination, with the longitudinal partition A3, of the coversM and N, hinged to said partition, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the compartments D, E, and F, the passage b, connecting the compartments D and E, the passage h', connecting the compartments E and F, and the gates g and h, applied respectively to the passages b and h', substantially as set forth.`

8. The combination of the defecating-compartment D, provided with a partial cover, N, the evaporating-compartmentE, provided with cover M, and the finishing-compartment F, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of' the defecating-compartmeut D, provided with a partial cover, N, theevaporati ng-compartmentE,provided With cover M, a bottom passa-ge, b, and a scum-passage, l, connecting said compartments, a tinishing-compartment, F, connected with the Witnesses z evaporating-compartment by a passage, h', and suitable gates whereby the passages b and It' can be opened and closed, substantially as set forth. l

l0. An evaporator having alongitudinal central partition provided with a scumpassage, l, and haviugthe sides and bottom ofeach compartment constructed of a continuous plate of metal, substantially as set forth.

l1. An evaporator composed of two .longitudinal portions, each having its sides and bottom constructed of a continuous plate of metal and secured to Elan ged metallic end plates, both portions being secured together side by side, and havin ga depressed scum-passage, l, formed in theircontiguous side plates, substantially as set forth.

l2. In an evaporator, the combination of a defecating-compai-tinent, D, an evaporatingcompartment, E, a nishing-compartment, F, a scum-passage, l, and tlues p p', provided with dampers q g2, substantially as set forth.

v13,. The combination, with the det'ecating compartment D and evaporating-compartment E, of the scunrpassage l, covers M and N, and

rounded eorner-pieces n, substantially as set H. B. STEVENS.

JNO. J. BoNNER, CHAs. F. GEYER.

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