Improvements applicable to the Manufacture of Pure Grape Spirit, and Apparatus used for the same or other Spirits, and also the Ageing of the same.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 28th Feb., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements applicable to the Manufacture of Pure Grape Spirit,
and Apparatus used for the same or other Spirits, and also the
Ageing of the same.
I, PIERRE LOUIS FREDERIC EVARISTE VIGNIER, of 38, Trinity Square,
Tower Hill, London, in the County of Middlesex, Brandy Merchant and Distiller,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in or applicable to the manufacture of
wash for distillation with any juice of grapes concentrated in any wine countries
and imported into England, Wales, Ireland or Scotland or with any other suitable
material.
The mashing of the grape juice is done with water, tartaric acid, tanin, and other
ingredients in the proportion regulated by analysis to form likely to give the best
wash to produce a fine spirit.
This wash having been prepared is raised to a proper degree of heat and density
to ensure after fermentation a strength of about 10 to 20 degrees of proof spirit.
In order to have the wash with the bouquet of the Charentes district, a yeast of
the wine of the said district or ferments from the grape of the said country will be
provided for each brewing and when added to the wash will create a fermented
wash for distillation which will produce as good spirit as the Vins de Chaudiere
of the Charentes.
To obtain proper fermentation the liquid whilst in the vats will be aerated with
ordinary air-pumps or other suitable appliances through perforated coils and a
constant heat and even temperature will be kept up by the same means in warming
or coiling the air used through a filter.
The wort being fermented to 0 is then distilled in the improved apparatus as
shown on my 7 sheets of drawings.
My distilling apparatus is formed by a cylinder a (Sheet 3: Fig. 1.) in the
centre of which is placed a perpendicular evaporator 6 and which is a chamber
formed of horizontal corrugations constructed to stand high pressure steam,
inasmuch as steam is injected into the evaporator for heating purposes.
The
wash flowing outside this evaporator, when heated causes the spirit to evaporate,
and which vapour is collected and condensed in the tubular refrigerator d
(Sheet 3: Fig. 1.).
The wash which passes through the tubular refrigerator is used to cool the
vapours and at the same time these condensing vapours heat the wash to
about 178° F. before it enters the evaporator 6 (Sheet 3, Fig. 1.). After it has
travelled downward the wash being exhausted of all spirit is allowed to run
away.
in
On Sheet 1 are shown five of these evaporators the introduction of the wash
in each case is regulated by means of cocks i (Sheet 1) with a water gauge
order to let the introduction be only adequate to the entire exhaustion of the
spirit. When the first vapour of the wash has been condensed in the tubular
refrigerator and the residue (weak low wine) is conducted to a cooling box
beneath the apparatus and from thence into decanting cylinders C (Sheet 1)
provided with syphons in order to take the lower part of the one to the top of the
other until it comes to the last cylinder from whence it passes into a reservoir,
to be redistilled by the processes shown on (Sheets 2 & 3. Fig. 2) in order to
obtain strong low wine.
The second process of distillation shown on (Sheets 2 & 3) is carried out with

page_text: similar appliances to the first process with exception that the cylinder H
(Sheet 3. Fig. 2.) is fitted with plates one over the other to form a cascade
for the weak low wine to fall upon and thence into the evaporator I (Sheet 3.
Fig. 2). The weak low wine passes direct into the cylinder and does not pass
from the refrigerator K (Sheet 3 Fig. 2). The object of the decanting
cylinders C C C (Sheet 1) C¹ C' C' & H H H (Sheet 2) is to extract any of the
floating oils which may have been received and thus to purify the low wine.
My third process is to distil this strong low wine by means of a still with
a rectifying column, filters and condensers as shown on (Sheets 4, 5 & 6). The
still A (Sheet 4) is heated by steam in closed coils of pipes b. The head is
provided with three necks C C C" (Sheet 4) one for the feints, another for the
strong low wine and the third for the strong spirit. The vapours of the feints
pass through a filter d¹ (Sheet 4) composed of fixed oil charcoal, spongeous shell
such as almond shell, corks or other material. The other filter dif may be used
with the same material or with distilled water with or without infusion of plants
'calculated to give a flavour as desired & through which the alcoholic vapours are
caused to pass. The vapours having been filtered & condensed in a refrigerator
are with regard to the feints received in a special receiver and those of the
strong low wine are after filtration, washing and condensing returned into the
cylinder formed in the head. The strong low wine thus formed is heated in
the inside retort B (Sheet 4) by the alcoholic vapour of the still which causes
the vapours to be analysed in the rectifying column or received in the neck C"
and condensed as finished spirit, if desired.
"The rectifying column C (Sheets 4, 5 & 6) is formed of 4 parts, more or less,
and each part of diaphragms which allow the.. vapours to pass from one to another
without the least pressure. The weak vapours having been condensed are
returned in opposite directions or zig-zag way. The rectifying column C is cased
in a cylinder or outside column (Sheets 4, 5 & 6) containing water and which
acts as a condensing power on the alcoholic vapours ascending in the rectifying
column C. The cylinder E (Sheet 6) is placed above & connected with the
refrigerators or condensers D D (Sheet 6) and the column C at I (Sheet 5), and is
used to reduce the spirit to any strength.
The vapours being thoroughly purified arrive at the top of the reducing cylinder E
by means of a neck h (Sheet 6), and meet a certain quantity of distilled water,
hot or cold, which is introduced into the reducer in a state of pulverisation by
means of the tube f¹ under air or steam pressure regulated: ad hoc from the pipe g
(Sheet 6). This new feature in distillation, will. enable, the distiller to reduce the
strength of his spirit to any degree required without the loss caused by other
operations. The condensers or refrigerators D D. (Sheets.5 & 6) are. tubular and
are so constructed that when the cold water is passing through the tubes the
condensed vapour is allowed to remain in each cylinder until it arrives at the top
and overflows by means of. syphons 6" 6attached to the: condensers from one
cylinder to another in order to obtain the thorough utilization of the refrigerating
power of the condensers.
The ageing or maturing of the spirit is accomplished in the following manner & on
Sheet 7. A quantity of spirit is charged in a vat B or vessel (made of oak. in
preference to any other material; although not absolutely, so) and a air-pump is set
working. The air is first passed through warm water gradually heated up to
160° Fah, and allowed to pass through the liquid by the pipes and coils d h in the
air filter A into the vat Biuntil its action has been thought sufficient. ! After. this
heating operation we propose to send cold air into the vat B & which air is first
cooled-by passing through the filter C containing ice which: brings the liquid, in
contact with it to a very cold temperature. The outlet on the. vat will carry out
all the air in passing through the condensing coils to gather any spirit which might
have volatilized or carried out with the air by. the sway. We intend also to place
the liquid of the vat in communication with a jet of oxygene ozone.to.finish. the
operation of the ageing process.

page_text: DRAWINGS.
Sheet 1. shows the first process for making weak low wine.
W. The wash enters by means of the pipe W.
ddddd. Resevoirs for receiving the wash with ball cock and valve.
A A A A A. Stills (details shown on Sheet 3 Fig. 1.).
eeeee. Outlet of the low wine to coolers.
oooo. Outlet of waste.
B B B B. Worms in cooling box.
ooooo Outlet of cooled low wine into decanters.
CCCC. Automatic decanters for removing the heavy oils.
i&i. Inlet tube with regulating tap of the wash.
Sheet 2 shows the process of making strong low wine by distillation of the weak
low wine formed in the first process.
W1 W. Inlet of weak low wine.
d' d'. Reservoirs for receiving the weak
d' d' d¹ low wine with ball cock and valve.
Regulating taps.
FF F. Stills (details shown on Sheet 3. Fig. 2.).
fff. Outlets of weak low wine to be redistilled.
B. Cooler for weak low wine.
C¹ C¹ C¹. Decanters for weak low wine.
S S. Syphons.
L L. Reservoirs.
P. Pump.
G. G. G. Outlets for strong low wines.
H. H. H. Decanters for strong low wines.
JJ J. Inlets for cold water.
Sheet 3. Fig. 1. Detail of still for making weak low wine.
a. Cylinder to contain vapours.
b. Evaporator for which is used a condenser of the capillary principle.
M. Inlet of steam to evaporator.
g. Inlet of warm wash to fall outside the evaporator.
M. Outlet of steam and waste.
C. Outlet of the spirituous vapours thrown off by the evaporator and connected
with
d. Tubular refrigerator acting also as a wash warmer.
9. Inlet of wash to refrigerator which is warmed by the vapours from. the
cylinder a before going through the outlet g'.
e. Outlet of the condensed spirituous vapours viz.: weak low wine.
e. Outlet of waste.
f. Air tube to carry off any vapours formed in the tubular refrigerator.
Sheet 3. Fig. 2. Detail of still for increasing the alcoholic strength of the first
distillation.
G. Cylinder with a number of plates formed so that the wine shall fall in a
cascade from one plate to another until it reaches the heated evaporators I I.
H. Cylinder.
II. Tubular evaporators on the capillary principle.
h. Outlet of the spent low wine.
J. Outlet or neck of the sprituous vapours arising from H & G to be condensed
n the
K. Tubular refrigerator.
i&i. Inlet tube with regulating cock of the weak low wine into cylinder.G.
J'. Outlet of the condensed low wines namely strong low wines.
K. Inlet of cold water to refrigerator.
L. Outlet from
do.
M. Inlet of steam to evaporator.
_

page_text: N. Outlet of steam and waste from the evaporator.
Sheet 4. Detail of still and rectifying column for obtaining spirit of high alcoholic
strength from strong low wine.
A Bod of atill

page_text: A. Air ilter with hot or cold water.
C. Air filter with ice.
E. Refrigerator.
d. Inlet of air forced by air-pump not shown.
e. Outlet from filter A going into the vat B.
ffg. Steam coil to heat the water if desired in air filter A.
h. Coil to spread the air in the filter.
n. o. Inlet of the air and coil to spread the air in the filter.
m m. Outlet going into the vat B.
J K. Coils for hot and cold air.
1. Outlet of the air from the vat B into the condenser E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare what I
claim is :-
--
1st. The application and use of any grape juice concentrated or otherwise in any
wine country and imported into the British Islands in order to produce pure grape
spirit, I only claim the distillation of grape juice & not the manufacture of wine or
(fermented or unfermented) still & sparkling wines.
2nd. The method of imparting the Charente district flavour of brandies by the
proper application and use in the manner stated of the ferments from the grapes of
the Cognac wine countries or yeast from wine or spent wine wash (concentrated or
not) distilled in the Charent districts.
3rd. The application of capillary refrigerators adapted as evaporators in closed
cylinders or chambers provided with an outlet for the vapours to be condensed in a
tubular refrigerator.
4th. The rectifying column as shown in detail on Sheets 4, 5 & 6.
5th. The reduction of alcoholic vapours by means of a pulverisator as
described.
6th. The ageing of spirit at the distillery or otherwise with the machinery
described on Sheet 7.
Dated this Twelfth day of December 1890.