248 



CHAPTER XI 



by a long carrier, and the return of dilute juice and the separate defecation 

 of the last mill juice. Other patents of this period are those of Cail (2212 of 

 1870) which is little more than a duplicate of Robinson's, of Chapman 

 (4411 of 1875) and of Rousselot (5050 of 1876). These last-named inven- 

 tors preferred two-roller mills as the imbibition unit, and this scheme was 

 largely developed not many years later in the Hawaiian Islands by Alexander 

 Young. To this period also belongs Mallon's U.S. Patent (182377, I ^76) for 

 the use of steam applied through a hollow trash bar, a device also to be found 

 in connection with Le Blanc's four-roller mill (patent 5494 of 1883). 



Compound imbibition is perhaps first distinctly described in 1884 in 

 connection with the eight-roller mill of Brissoneau and La Haye. It also 

 forms the subject of a patent (U.S. 787101, 1904) granted to Lorenz, but 

 by this time the process was no longer novel. 



FIG. 147 



In employing imbibition schemes, difference of opinion exists as to 

 whether hot or cold water should be used. The natural answer would be 

 that hot water is the more effective agent, but very detailed experiments 

 made by Von Czernicky in Java show that no difference is to be found on 

 tests, and this has been the experience of the writer. 



At the present time the standard method of operation comprises the use 

 of a perforated pipe of a saw- cut trough, whence the diluent is delivered to 

 the blanket of bagasse. This process is the same as that patented by 

 Robinson eighty years ago. Some other more detailed schemes which do not 

 seem to have come into extended use are mentioned below. 



Injectors. As a means of obtaining a better distribution of the diluent, 

 injectors arranged in a row parallel to the rollers may be used. Such a 

 scheme is indicated in Fig. 147, which also indicates two methods of mechani- 



