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By W. R. CRAWFORD

Introduction Automatic control of continuous processes is not unknown in Queensland sugar mills. Where these controls have been installed they have been chiefly concerned with control of continuous chemical processes such as the maintenance of a near-constant pH value in the limed mixed juice and simple physical problems such as the maintenance of boiling levels in evaporators and constant density of syrup.
The word "automation" has a different meaning. Although apparently of comparatively recent vintage, it is now used extensively in technical literature to describe the conversion to completely automatic operation of any process, manufacturing or otherwise. As might be expected, the greatest emphasis to-day is on automatic manufacturing in repetition work, since it is in this field that the greatest advantages are to be gained. Nevertheless, automation will yield similar benefits when applied to any unit operation which is continually repeated and it is in this connection that it may be usefully applied in the sugar factory.

A quite well-known example of automation in sugar m i l l s is the use of automatic juice scales. Although opinion seems to be divided as to whether this is even a desirable operation, it is certainly not an essential one. There are, however, certain essential unit operations in a sugar mill which are continually repeated, and keeping to the theme of the milling train, outstanding examples are the movement of cane trucks to, and away from, the cane carrier, and the unloading of these trucks. With the high crushing rates in vogue to-day, and the type of labour available for the carrier operation, there can be little doubt that at least partial automation of truck handling operations is a most desirable and profitable project. In the past, little attention has been paid to the possibilities of automation and automatic control in the milling process and it is with these matters that the writer deals in this paper. Perhaps the reason for the lack of control systems in this field is that modern automatic control equipment tends to become more and more complicated and technical, and if used extensik~ely,requires the empIoyment of a highIy skilled technician for maintenance. Sugar mills are rugged places and much of the automatic control equipment available is not sufficiently robust for this application.
The mill engineer should remember, however, that in the past he has probably used simple mechanical controls which are sufficiently effective for general purposes, and that those may be applied and adapted

to other needs, For example, automatic control of the exhaust main

pressure by a reducing valve is quite common, and the control valve is easily maintained. Let us consider, therefore, how simple mechanical

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and mechanical-electrical devices may be utilised to control the milling process, from the weighbridge and into the milling train and, by so doing, lead to more economic and efficient milling.

Mechanisation of Truck Handling Under this heading three operations must be dealt with:(a) Feeding the cane trucks to the carrier, (b) Unloading these trucks, (c) Moving the empty trucks away from the carrier. These operations must be integrated so that the trucks flow continuously and feed the carrier at the required rate. Too often it is found in Yueensland mills to-day that the crushing rate is determined by the rate a t which the cane can be placed on the carrier. The efficient mill should have a feeding system which is capable of keeping pace with the crushing plant under any circumstances. The problems posed by (a), (b) and (c) above, have been met successfully in other industries, particularly the colliery industry, where large numbers of comparatively small trucks are continually handled. Let us consider each of the above items separately and then see how they can be integrated to give the desired final lesult. (a) Feeding the Cane Trucks to the Carrier.-This operatibn normally starts at the weighbridge where the rake of trucks is passed over the platform by a rope and friction winch, the latter usually situated near the carrier and operated by the carrier hands. After weighing, the rake is then pulled forward to the carrier by the same winch. At intervals the rope must be detached and carried back to the weighbridge to pull forward another rake. These operations are wasteful of manpower and the intermittent nature of the collection of rakes from the weighbridge militates against the continuity of cruslung. I t is only in recent years that many mills have pensioned off the horse which dragged the rope back to the weighbridge from the carrier ! A much more economic and effective system may be borrowed from colliery practice. Referring to Fig. 1, it can be seen that the winch and rope are replaced by two truck creepers, one on either side of the weighbridge. These creepers are endless chains, which run in a trench between the rails, and to which are attached, at suitable intervals, horns which engage the axles of the trucks. These horns are so constructed that a following rake of trucks can overrun them. Each creeper is independently motor driven, the unit feeding the weighbridge being operated by the weighbridge attendant. I t is desirable to fit a solenoid brake on the motor driving this creeper, so that the attendant may position the trucks on the weighbridge with ease. The carrier feed creeper is best controlled from a position near the carrier. I t will be seen that with this arrangement, a rake of trucks delivered t o engage with the creeper A may be weighed and fed towards the cane carrier until the creeper B is filled, without interfering with carrier feeding. (b) Udoadircg the Cane.-The truck creeper B delivers trucks on to a slope just in front of the tipping or raking position (Fig. 2). At this

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point the trucks may be uncoupled and chains released, and beyond this point, in normal mill practice, much manhandling occurs, requiring several carrier hands and slowing down the rate of feed. On the gravity feed slope (Fig. 2) are three sets of retractable chocks and a pneumatic or hydraulic pusher (P) which can engage with the rear axle of the truck which is currently against the chocks A. The chocks may also be operated either pneumatically or hydraulically.

In the position shown, a truck has just been emptied, chocks A and B are in their holding position and chocks C are withdrawn. The following sequence of operations may then be brought about by a single lever actuating suitable valves.
(i) Move lever forward to withdraw chocks A and simultaneously cause pusher P to push full truck on to tip, thereby pushing empty one on to gratrity removal slope when it engages with the removal creeper. (ii) Move lever to neutral position, withdrawing pusher and inserting chocks A. (iii) Move lever backwards to insert chocks C and remove chocks B, permitting a full truck to gravitate on to chocks A. (iv) Move lever to neutral position re-inserting chocks B and removing C, allowing a truck to gravitate to B, or to be moved there by the feed creeper.
This completes a cycle of operations which may, literally, occupy only a few seconds. These are the elements of one simple method of mechanising truck moving and unloading. This will be most effective, as regards speed, where a tip is wed and one man could easily control all operations. If it is desired to make the feeding system completely automatic, then a fairly simple sequence controller may be installed with which a single push button would initiate and carry out the sequence of operations outlined above. Where a tip is used, the return of the tip to its normal position could be used to energise the sequence controller. I t may be considered, however, that these refinements are unnecessary in the truck handling operation and, in any event, it would appear desirable to retain manual control of the actual tipping operation. Pneumatic operation, because of smaller time delays, is preferable to hydraulic operation and standard pneumatic equipment is readily available from a number of sources.
(c) Remozhg Empty Tmcks.-As indicated in Fig. 2, this is done by another truck creeper, also fitted with axle horns which may be overrun by oncoming trucks. This creeper may be controlled by the attendant who couples and greases, or oils, the trucks, or it may be controlled from the carrier station.

The system which has been described above requires for its effective installation straight lengths of rail in front of the weighbridge and between weighbridge and carrier, and a reasonable length of straight h e beyond the carrier. Even if these are not available, the method of automatic handling on to and through the tip is still applicable.

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Another labour saving device now largely used in coal mining is the swivel coupling which enables trucks to be tipped without uncoupling them from the train. I t would be a costly business to fit these couplings t o all the rolling stock of a mill, but, even so, the saving in labour costs might well make it a sound proposition. I f swivel couplings could be fitted, another avenue for automatic operation is opened up for those mills installing feeder carriers at right angles to the main carrier. This is an adaptation of the "rolling tipper" which is a German invention permitting tipping of coal trucks on to a belt while the train of trucks is in motion.

Fig. 3----Illustrating the principle of the "rolling tipper" for unloading cane.

Referring to Fig. 3, a section of the rails between AA and CC is twisted so that the truck as it moves forward passes gradually from its normal horizontal position at AA to the fully tipped position at RB, and thence gradually back to its normal position at CC. Special means would have to be devised to retain the trucks on the line, as, for example, a channel or angle section over the off-side wheels as suggested in Fig. 3. This method of tipping would establish completely automatic feed, the rate of tipping being controlled by speed control on a truck creeper moving the train towards the carrier. A rolling line of this type presents an intricate problem to the blacksmith in suitably shaping the rails; but, it is not insuperable, because the required centreline of each rail may be drawn on the surface of a cylinder and the necessary operation is therefore a combined bending and twisting of each rail.

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Automatic Carrier Control There can be little doubt that in the interests of good cane milling it is desirable to have automatic control of the feed to the first unit of a milling train. Benefits which may be derived from such an application include :-(a) a more uniform feed, (6) a reduction in labour costs, (c) the elimination of personal judgment, (d) the control of incipient knife chokes. Most automatic carrier control systems installed up to the present time have been chiefly concerned with prevention of knife chokes. One or two mill engineers in Queensland have had the initiative to couple this carrier control system with automatic feed control and have met with considerable success. Carrier control systems, so far installed, are mostly electrically operated and the writer knows of only one instance where a mill engineer has a form of carrier speed control on a steamdriven carrier, based on overloading of the knives. The writer believes that in devising existing carrier control s3rstems emphasis has been placed on the wrong factor and that the prime function of automatic carrier control should be the supply of a constant and uniform feed to the milling train. Prevention of knife chokes should be supplementary. Completely new electrical control installations are costly and can hardly be justified for the single purpose of preventing chokes, when this can be done by placing the cane on the carrier uniformly and in the proper state for kniving. Feed control by carrier speed coxtrol will be only partially effective with existing mill layouts unless a feed chute of very large capacity is available to provide storage between carrier and mill, because most existing antichoking controls involve intermittent delivery of prepared cane from carrier to hopper. Those who have attempted automatic feed control have used feed blanket thickness, as measured by a Killer type finger plate, as the control criterion. This is not always entirely satisfactory because of variations in the degree of preparation, the type of cane and the fact that the control point is usually so close to the feed opening of the mill. The writer believes that a system based on constant weight of cane delivered to the mill would lead to greater uniformity in milling, with consequent improved results in extraction. At the same time it is pointed out that, if both sets of preparatory knives were well down the carrier, a wide Killer type plate resting on the feed above the knives would be of assistance in initiating carrier control to give a more uniform feed to the mills. I t is believed that in one instance this has been done. Without wishing to detract in any way from the excellent pioneer work on electrical methods of carrier speed and antichoking control on which existing installations have been based, the writer wishes to discuss methods which will enable mills to retain their existing steam drives. The steam engine is a most flexible machine and, with some justification, many engineers are reluctant to dispense with it in favour of an electric drive. Let us consider the matter in sections and assume steam-driven knives and carrier.

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(a) Alatichoking Control.-Carrier speed control to prevent knife chokes is based on overloadmg of the knives. In electrical installations the measure of overloading is motor current, and from this criterion stem the relays, resistances and switch gear which slow down the carrier in steps as the knife load progressively increases. I t may be thought that it is difficult to find a similar criterion for steam drives, but this is not the case in practice. Consider the average throttle-governed high speed reciprocating engine used for driving cane knives. The speed is usually controlled by a modified Hartnell type centrifugal governor; but, if the load builds
ONT40L AIR SUPPLY

SRVO VALVE
W U A L VALVE
SERVO OPERATED CARRIER WINCH T W R O n = uWLE

Fig. 4-An

automatic control for cane carriers driven by steam engines.

up steadily, or suddenly, a point will be reached where, despite full throttle, the engine speed starts to fall, and if the load is not relieved, the engine will stop. This is the condition arising from knife chokes and it is clear that if the knife load were controlled by maintaining a lower limit to the knife speed, then choking would never occur.

It follows that any device which, by regulating carrier speed, will prevent the knife speed falling below a predetermined value, provides an antichoking control.

To provide an automatic control of this type for steam-driven carriers is comparatively simple and one suggested method is illustrated in Fig. 4. I t makes use of a servo operated throttIe valve on the carrier winch. The servo valve is supplied with compressed air and the position of its piston is controlled by a small sensitive centrifugal governor driven by the knife shaft. A sleeve around the servo piston is attached by a flexible steel cable through a suitable linkage to the spindle of the carrier throttle valve. If the knife speed drops below a predetermined value the governor sleeve falls causing the piston of the servo valve to move down. This action feeds compressed air to the top of the piston of the throttle valve causing it to commence to shut, thereby reducing carrier speed. At the

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same time the flexible cable operating through the linkage pulls down the sleeve over the servo piston and, as it overruns the piston, the supply of air to the throttle valve is cut off, thereby bringing the valve to rest at a new opening. As long as the knife speed continues to fall, the throttle valve will continue to close. When the knives free themselves from the cane and the speed begins to rise, the reverse action takes place, the air escaping from the throttle valve piston to permit it to be opened by the compression spring. There is a neutral position for the servo valve which is determined by the governor setting. I t will be noted that in the suggested arrangement carrier speed is controlled only in the downward direction. This air-operated servo system has many advantages. I t is easy to maintain and will give positive continuous reduction in carrier speed down to a stop. The only disadvantage of the system is in the flexible cable link between the servo valve and the throttle valve; but, with reasonable precautions, this should not prove troublesome. In a system of this type, failure of the air supply causes the throttle valve to take up the fully open position and the control of the winch may then be taken over by a manually operated throttle valve in series with the servo-operated valve as suggested in Fig. 4. Although this servo system has been described, it will be clear that any governing device which will reduce the carrier speed in an attempt to keep knife speed constant will do the same or a similar job. Many other simple devices can be suggested, such as a bank of paralleled solenoid valves in the steam supply line to the winch, which are energised by a tacho-generator driven by the knife shaft and which cut out in sequence as the knife speed falls. At the moment it has been assumed that, apart from this antichoking control, the speed of the winch is manually controlled by s valve in front of the antichoking control valve, and a system for linking this antichoking control with automatic feed control will be considered later. (b) Automatic Feed Colztro1.-As already pointed out, the systems already in use are only partially effective when combined with antichoking control unless a very large feed hopper is available. In many mills it is virtually impossible to fit longer chutes and the method to be described has been devised to overcome this difficulty. The general scheme is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5. The main cane carrier is shortened without altering its height (this is possible in most mills) and between the feed chute and the nose of the carrier a short horizontal apron feeder is inserted. This short carrier is completely supported on a framework pivoted on the supporting structure at its end nearest to the mill. The other end is supported on adjustable springs and dashpots are fitted as indicated. This carrier may be driven from the mill or by a motor, whichever is expedient; but, it must not be driven from the main carrier. The end supported by the springs is connected by a simple linkage to an air servo valve of the type already described and this actuates the throttle valve on the winch. The throttle valve should have a spindle of adjustable length so that, with its operating piston in mid-position, the speed of the cane carrier may be adjusted to give the required crushing rate. When this speed has been established, the springs and servo valve connections are

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adjusted to place the servo valve piston and sleeve in the neutral position. The servo valve will now respond to varying loads on the feeder carrier in an endeavour to maintain the load on that carrier at a constant value. The stiffness of the spring chosen must ensure that the full travel of the servo valve is obtained within the permitted limits of load on the feeder carrier. Knowing the crushing rate and permitted variations, and the feeder carrier speed and dimensions, an approximation to the spring stiffness required can be calculated, and the spring arrangement may then be designed t o give variable stiffness within a selected range of this. This arrangement allows easy adjustment to suit changes in the crushing rate which may be desirable from time to time.
3LA-D CdWUfR PIWTU) AT ONE E N 0 AND SUPPOFtTED ON S P R I A ~ T ~ E R D~LACEMUI(T DUE TO VARY( NQ

E ,

SPRINt3.Y

Fig. 5-A

system of automatic feed control to No. 1 mill.

The length of balanced feeder carrier is a matter on which no definite recommendation can be given; but, it may be said that the objects are to provide a reasonable storage of cane to allow for slowing up of the main carrier to avoid knife chokes, while at the same time attempting to provide a constant feed to the mill. I t is likely that a length of ten . to twelve feet would give very satisfactory results in the majority of cases. This arrangement will work most satisfactorily when the second set of preparatory knives is situated some distance down the cane carrier, thereby avoiding the projection of prepared cane which occurs when the knives are situated right on the nose of the carrier. For those mills which have feed chutes of reasonable length, or where it is thought that the installation of the weighing feeder is not justified, the same servo operated system may be used, actuated from a Killer plate in the feed hopper. The dashpot is an essential feature in all applications of this type, otherwise the winch engine will hunt violently. two systems ( c ) Combined Feed and Antichoking Control.-The described above may be combined readily to provide an automatic feed control system with an overriding antichoking control. In its most efficient and inexpensive form the dual arrangement uses only one throttle valve on the carrier winch and an interlocking device is used to ensure that, when the knives start to slow down, control is taken away from

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the feed control system. Otherwise, peculiar results might be produced, because, as the carrier slowed down to overcome knife overloading, the feeder control would try to speed it up again. Probably one of the simplest methods of interlocking is that illustrated by Fig. 6. As indicated, both servo valves are connected to the throttle valve and in this case two tiny solenoid valves are inserted, one each in the respective air lines from the servo valves to the throttle valve. The valve on the feed control system is normally open while that on the

SECnON M SHOWING YJITCHfS ONE N O I I W L L Y OPEN

SERVO VALVE

FT

ONL NORMALLY CU)SW

SOLENOlO VALM NORMALLY O P E N

n

S L E N O I O VAWE NORMALLY CLOSE0

AIR SUPPLY

AIR SUPPLY

LMLRGUJCV MANUAL VALVE

YKCWNICAL

LINK$$

Fig. 6-A

system for combined feed and anti-choking control.

antichoking control is normally closed. I t follows that, when the knives are running at normal speed or higher the throttle valve is isolated from the antichoking control and the carrier speed is completely controlled by the feed control system. Above the governor lever on the antichoking control are two microswitches, A and B, Fig. 6. The switch A has normally open contacts and is connected to the circuit of solenoid SA. I 3 has normally closed contacts and is in the circuit of SB. The switches are adjusted for position so that with the governor lever in the position of normal knife speed, the contacts of A are closed and those of B open, i a . , valve SA is open and valve SB is closed. When the knife shaft commences to slow down, the governor lever drops and the valve SA closes while SB

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opens, thereby transferring carrier control to the antichoking system. The flexible strip connections between the switches and the governor lever permit adjustment in the allowable drop in knife speed before change of control, and also allow for some increase in knife speed without damage to the switches. ?Vhen the incipient choke has been overcome and knife speed returns t o normal, control is returned to the feed system by the closure of SB and the opening of SA. Although this arrangement with the solenoid isolating valves has been suggested, other methods may be used to interlock the two controls; but, the above method is so simple and positive that improvement appears to he difficult.

Conclusion The subject of mechanisation of truck handling and cane unloading is a most important one at the high crushing rates of the present day. Mechanisation, complete or partial, will enable a mill to feed the carrier a t any required rate with a much smaller labour force at the carrier. One system, widely used in the colliery industry, has been described and other suggestions have been made. Cane carrier controls to mitigate knife chokes and to maintain more uniform mill feeding have been discussed and a mechanical system has been advanced for discussion. I t would be much less costly than some existing electrical systems and would require no special maintenance. The writer believes that knife choke control should be supplementary t o mill feed control and, if the two are combined, effective feed control can only be obtained by dividing the carrier into two parts or by having a very large feed chute. Despite the discussion of antichoking controls the writer is still of the opinion that these controls are merely' expedients necessitated by incorrect placing of the cane on the carrier and that, if the cane is placed on the carrier in the proper tangled condition as from rakes or a feeder carrier, the necessity for antichoking controls will not arise.

Sugar Research Imtitute, Mackay.