the Liquefaction of Steam, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1885

page_text: the Liquefaction of Steam, and Apparatus therefor.
We LOUIS MALEN and EDMOND DEGLISE, of 95 Boulevard Beaumarchais Paris,
in the Republic of France, Mechanical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PREPARING TEA, COFFEE AND FOOD
BY THE LIQUEFACTION OF STEAM, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR to be as follows:-
"
Our invention relates to an improved method or process of making tea and
coffee, of preparing infusions and decoctions of plants, of cooking food and of
heating water by means of the liquefaction of steam; and to apparatus therefor.
The present process possesses the advantage over that of heating by a naked fire
or by steam that a great saving in fuel and time is effected. According to our
experiments the saving of fuel can be estimated at about sixty-six per cent and the
saving of time at sixty per cent, as realized by our process.
This result can be easily explained. In the case of a naked fire the losses of
heat by radiation and by transmission through the sides of the fire-place are
considerable; now these losses do not take place with our new process, as will be
seen from the following description.
In the case of heating by steam, the calorics absorbed by the water in order to
evaporate it are lost; now it is just the work of evaporation which requires the
greatest quantity of heat; and the steam which has served for the heating of
substances under treatment, being discharged into the atmosphere, carries with it
all the latent heat of vaporization which it contains; and which is thus lost.
In order to remedy these inconveniences, we have provided apparatus arranged
in such a manner that the heating coils, whatever their form, have a sufficient
length to enable the steam during its passage through them, to condense prior to
escaping from the apparatus, thereby yielding up its latent heat and raising the
temperature of the materials under treatment.
The apparatus hereinafter described and which we have named a "percolator" is
more especially employed for the preparation of coffee.
This percolator is composed essentially of a receptacle divided into two distinct
compartments by a diaphragm.
A small tube or channel, and a neck arranged in the centre of the said diaphragm
connect the two compartments. The said tube remains constantly open but the

page_text: neck can be closed by means of a stopper traversed by a tube, which serves at the
same time to enable the stopper to be operated and a continuous current of water to
be ejected upon the coffee as hereinafter described.
A coil of any suitable construction is arranged in the lower compartment and is
connected with a steam generator.
The said receptacle is suspended in a protecting casing by its upper part. A space
containing air which is a bad conductor of heat is thus formed between the sides of
the casing and the receptacle and reduces to a minimum the loss of heat by con-'
ductibility or by radiation.
A cock is placed at the lower end of the receptacle and serves for drawing off
the coffee as well as to permit the waterfused for washing the apparatus to be
removed.
A filter is provided consisting of a vessel the bottom of which is perforated to
form a strainer. This vessel is so arranged that it can be placed upon the
receptacle. In the centre of the strainer is arranged a guide for the tube attached
to the stopper. On the top of this guide is placed a circular flange. A cover closes
the apparatus and a lever serves for actuating the stopper through the medium of
the said tube.
The operation of this apparatus is very simple. For making coffee, the stopper
baving been lifted, the desired quantity of water is poured into the receptacle, the
coffee is then placed in the filter, the neck upon the diaphragm is closed by the
stopper and the lid is placed upon the filter. Steam is then caused to enter.from
the generator into the coil. This steam, as we have stated, only leaves the coil
after being completely condensed in order to furnish the heat corresponding to the
lowering of its temperature. After a relatively short time, the water contained in
the lower compartment reaches the temperature of ebullition and the steam which
is generated creates a pressure upon the surface of the water and causes it to ascend
through, the tube of the stopper. It, thus waters, in a continuous manner, the
coffee in the filter. .
As the water leaves the lower compartment the water in the upper compartment
descends through the tube or channel into the lower compartment and thus a
continuous circulation is produced through the tube upon the stopper, the filter the
upper compartment, the tube or channel connecting the two compartments, and the
lower compartment.

page_text: *
AD I prov
ן,
method of reparing 10, and food
the Liquefaction of Steam, and Apparatus therefor.
We LOUIS MALEN and EDMOND DÉGLISE, both of 95 Boulevard Beaumarchais,
Paris, France, Mechanical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to an improved method or process of making tea and
coffee, of preparing infusions and decoctions of plants, of cooking food, and of
heating water, by means of the liquefaction of steam; and to apparatus therefor.
The present process possesses the advantage over that of heating by open fire or
by steam, that a great saving in fuel and time is effected. According to our experi-
ments the saving of fuel can be estimated at about sixty-six per cent and the
saving of time at sixty per cent.
This result can be easily explained. In the case of an open fire the loss of heat
by radiation and by transmission through the sides of the fire-place is consider-
able; this loss do not take place with our invention as will be understood from
the following description.
In the case of heating by steam, the calorics absorbed by the water in order to.
evaporate it are lost as it is the evaporation which requires the greatest quantity
of heat, and the steam which has served for the heating of substances under treat-
ment is discharged into the atmosphere, and carries with it all the latent heat of
vaporization which it contains, and which is thus lost.
In order to remedy these inconveniences, we have provided apparatus arranged
in such a manner that the heating coils, whatever their form have a sufficient
length to enable the steam during its passage through them, to condense prior to
escaping from the apparatus, thereby, yielding up its latent heat and raising the
temperature of the material under treatment.
The principle of our invention having been set forth, we will proceed to describe
the apparatus which we employ for carrying the same into practice.
The apparatus bereinafter described, and which we have named a "percolator "
is more especially designed for the preparation of coffee.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the said apparatus, and,
Figure 2 is an elevation.
The said percolator is composed essentially of a receptacle A divided into two
distinct compartments B and C by a diaphragm D.
A small tube or channel E and a neck F arranged in the centre of the said
diaphragm D connect the two compartments B and C. The said tube E is con-
stantly open, but the neck F is adapted to be closed by a stopper G traversed by a
tube H, which serves both to enable the stopper to be raised and lowered and to
allow a continuous current of water to be ejected upon the coffee as hereinafter
described.

page_text: A coil K of any suitable construction is arranged in the lower compartment B
and is connected with a steam generator.
The receptacle A is suspended in a casing I by its upper part. A space con-
taining air, which is a bad conductor of heat, is thus formed between the sides of
the casing I and the receptacle A and reduces to a minimum the losses of calorics
by conduction or by radiation.
A cock J is placed at the lower end of the receptacle A and serves to draw off
the coffee as well as to permit the water used for washing the apparatus to be
removed.
A filter is provided consisting of a vessel L the bottom M of which is perforated
to form a strainer. This vessel is so arranged that it can be placed upon the
receptacle A. In the centre of the strainer is arranged a guide N for the tube H
attached to the stopper. On the top of this guide is placed a circular flange O.
A cover P closes the apparatus, and a lever Q serves for actuating the stopper G
through the medium of the said tube H.
The operation of this apparatus is very simple. For making coffee, the stopper G
is lifted, and the desired quantity of water is poured into the receptacle A; the
coffee is then placed in the filter L, the neck F is closed by the stopper G and the
cover P is placed upon the filter. Steam is then caused to enter from the generator
into the coil. This steam, as we have stated, must only leave the coil after being
completely condensed, in order to furnish the calorics corresponding to the lowering
of its temperature and to its latent heat of evaporation. After a relatively short
time the water contained in the lower compartment B reaches the temperature of
ebullition, and the steam which is generated causes a pressure upon the surface of.
the water and causes it to ascend through the tube H. The water is then spread
in a continuous manner by the flange O over the coffee in the filter.
As the water leaves the lower compartment the water in the upper compartment C
descends through the tube or channel E into the lower compartment B and thus a
continuous circulation is produced through the tube H, the filter L, the compart-
ment C the tube E, and the compartment B.
It is to be understood that we can apply the principle of heating by the lique-
faction of steam to any circulating apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said.
invention and in what manner the same is to-be performed we declare that what
we claim is-
First. The improved method herein before described for preparing infusions or
decoctions of coffee, tea and other substances, for cooking food, and for similar
purposes, wherein we utilize the latent heat of steam, for the purpose, specified.
Second. The apparatus or percolator above described and consisting essentially of
two concentric receptacles I and A, the inner receptacle A being divided into two
compartments by a diaphragm D provided with a communication tube E and á
central neck; the said neck being closed by a stopper G traversed by a tube H
which passes into the filter L placed upon the receptacle A; and a coil K being
arranged in the lower compartment for heating by means of the liquefaction of
steam, substantially as described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 97th dow of March 1986.