IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DISTILLATION OF COAL, SHALE, AND OTHER BITU- MINOUS SUBSTANCES TO OBTAIN OILY MATTERS THEREFROM, ALSO IN THE RE-DIB- TILLATION OF PRODUCTS THEREBY OBTAINED." PROVISIONAL SP
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Young, Manager of the Oil Works,
Straiton, in the County of Mid Lothian, and Peter Brash, of Leith, in
the same County, Soap, Candle, and Oil Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DISTILLATION OF COAL, SHALE, AND OTHER BITU-
MINOUS SUBSTANCES TO OBTAIN OILY MATTERS THEREFROM, ALSO IN THE RE-DIB-
TILLATION OF PRODUCTS THEREBY OBTAINED."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Young and Peter
Brash at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 4th May 1866.
We, WILLIAM YOUNG, Manager of the Oil Works, Straiton, in the County
of Mid Lothian, and PETER BRASH, of Leith, in the same County, Soap,
Candle, and Oil Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DISTILLATION OF COAL, SHALE, AND OTHER
BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES TO OBTAIN OILY MATTERS THEREFRON, ALSO IN THE
RE-DISTILLATION OF PRODUCTS THEREBY OBTAINED," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the distillation of coal,
shale, and other bituminous substances to obtain oily matters therefrom, also
in the re-distillation of products thereby obtained.
In distilling coal, shale, and other bituminous substances to obtain oily
matters therefrom there are produced together with the oil hydrocarbon
vapours which are with difficulty condensed, and which even-when-condensed

page_text: are of small commercial value. Now according to our Invention we send
these vapours, after those which are more easily condensed have been scpa-
rated, back into the retorts containing the coal, shale, or other bituminous
matter which is being distilled, and we find then that these vapours dis-
appear in part, whilst at the same time the yield of easily condensible oil
is increased. The vapours should be heated before they are returned to the
retorts to avoid any chilling action. There is also the further advantage in
our process that the vapours in being passed a second time through the
retorts carry forward with them the vapours rising from the material which
is being distilled, and so the process is hastened and an improved quality of
oil results. It is preferred to make the retorts with false bottoms, and to
pass the vapours which are difficult of condensation back under these false
bottoms. A jet of steam or a forcing or exhausting apparatus may be used
to pass the vapours through the retorts.
In rectifying the oil resulting from the distillation of coal, schist, or other
bituminous matter a product results which is known as "still bottoms," and
which contains the more solid and easily condensed hydrocarbons. In
re-distilling these still bottoms also vapours difficult of condensation arc
obtained, and these vapours we pass back into the still; or the vapours coming
from the still may in a separato vessel be mixed with the vapours which are
difficult of condensation and heated with them. Oil easy of condensation
results from the action of the two different vapours the one on the other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Young and Peter Brash in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
YOUNG, Manager of the Oil Works, Straiton, in the County of Mid Lothian,
and PETER BRASH, of Leith, in the same County, Soap, Candle, and Oil
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
William Young and Peter Brash, Her special licence that we, the said
William Young and Peter Brash, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said William Young and Peter Brash, our exe-

page_text: cutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE DISTILLATION OF
COAL, SHALE, AND OTHER BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES TO OBTAIN OILY MATTERS
THEREFROM, ALSO IN THE RE-DISTILLATION OF PRODUCTS THEREBY OBTAINED," upon the
_condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Young and Peter Brash,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Young and Peter Brash, do
hereby declaro the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in the distillation of coal,
shale, and other bituminous substances to obtain oily matters therefrom, also
in the re-distillation of products thereby obtained.
In distilling coal, shale, and other bituminous substances to obtain oily
matters therefrom there are produced together with the oil hydrocarbon
vapours which are with difficulty condensed, and which even when condensed
are of small commercial value. Now, according to our Invention, we send
these vapours, after those which are more easily condensed have been sepa-
rated, back into the retorts containing the coal, shale, or other bituminous
matter which is being distilled, and we find then that these vapours disappear
in part, whilst at the same time the yield of easily condensible oil is increased.
The vapours should be heated before they are returned to the retorts to avoid
any chilling action. There is also the further advantage in our process that
the vapours in being passed a second time through the retorts carry forward
with them the vapours rising from the material which is being distilled, and
so the process is hastened and an improved quality of oil results. It is pre-
ferred to make the retorts with false bottoms, and to pass the vapours which
are difficult of condensation back under these false bottoms. A jet of steam
or a forcing or exhausting apparatus may be used to pass the vapours through
the retorts.
In rectifying the oil resulting from the distillation of coal, schist, or other

page_text: bituminous matter a product results which is known as "still bottoms," and
which contains the more solid and easily condensed hydrocarbons. In re-dis-
tilling these still bottoms also vapours difficult of condensation are obtained,
and these vapours we pass back into the still; or the vapours coming from
the still may in a separate vessel be mixed with the vapours which are
difficult of condensation and heated with them. Oil easy of condensation
results from the action of the two different vapours the one on the other.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Young and Peter Brash, have
hereunto-set our hands and seals, this First day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
W. YOUNG.
(L.8.)
PETER BRASH. (L.S.)