Method of liming raw sugar juice

Claim 1

IN THE PROCESS OF TREATING RAW SUGAR JUICE SO AS TO CONDITION IT FOR EXTRACTION OF SUGAR CONTENT, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES STANDARDIZING SUCH A RAW JUICE BY INTRODUCING AN ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO RAISE THE JUICE TO AN ALKALINE PH OF ABOUT 8, PASSING THE RESULTING JUICE DIRECTLY TO A LIMING STAGE, THEN INTRODUCING A LIMING COMPOSITION TO THE STANDARDIZED JUICE IN AMOUNTS PROPORTIONED TO THE WEIGHT OF THE JUICE INTO WHICH IT IS INTRODUCED UNTIL THE PH OF THE JUICE IS RAISED TO A POINT WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 9-11.5 AT WHICH MAXIMUM PURITY RISE IS OBTAINED WITH A MINIMUM OF RESIDUAL LIME SALTS, AND PASSING THE JUICE SO TREATED TO A CLARIFYING FILTRATION STAGE FOR REMOVAL OF SUBSTANTIALLY ALL PRECIPITATED INSOLUBLE CONTENT PRIOR TO DELIVERING THE ELARIFIED JUICE TO THE SUGAR EXTRACTION STAGE.