IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING, RECTIFYING, AND DYING
Year: 1803

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
EDWARDS, of Vine Street, Lambeth, in the County of Surry, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the
Third day of August, in the forty-third year of His reign, give and grant unto
me, the said John Edwards, His especial licence, full power, sole priviledge
and authority, that I, the said John Edwards, during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England,
the Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention
of divers valuable "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING, RECTIFYING, AND DYING;"
in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the
said John Edwards, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, and cause the same to be enrolled
in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, as in and by the said
Letters Patent, reference being thereunto had, may more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Edwards, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: the manner in which the same is to be performed, are herein-after particularly
described and ascertained, that is to say:-
First, instead of distilling any fluid or other substance under the pressure of
the surrounding atmosphere, in the usual way, I do produce a vacuum by the
means herein-after described in the still or boiler, or other vessel or vessels,
wherein any fluid or other substance is exposed to heat for the purpose of
being distilled, rectified, or in any manner driven over by evaporation, or
wherein the same may be condensed by subsequent cooling; and I do find
that thus making way for the easy expansion of the volatile parts of the said
fluid or other substance, the process is greatly facilitated, with a saving of fuel
and of time; and that in all products which require delicate management of
heat, such as spirit to be rectified, the article is obtained in a purer and
cleaner state, and consequently must be more valuable. And for the purpose
of producing and maintaining the said vacuum in such stills, boilers, or other
vessels, I proceed as follows; that is to say :-I do not leave the lower end
of the worm or condensing.pipe of the usual still open to the outward air or
atmosphere, but I do cause the same to enter and form an air-tight junction
with the receiver or vessel below into which the condenced spirits or other
matter falls, which receiver or vessel must also be air-tight in every part, and
capable of resisting the incumbent pressure of the atmosphere. And I do
cause, keep up, and maintain the vacuum within the said stills, or-boilers, or
other vessels, and the worm pipes and receivers or vessels communicating
therewith, by connecting the same with another vessel in which I first
produce a vacuum, by the usual and well-known process of blowing out
the air by steam, and then condensing by an injection, and drawing off
the condensed steam and injection water by a pump or an eduction pipe.
And this I do perform as often as may be requisite, taking care that the com-
munication between the said working vessels and their parts, and the said last-
mentioned vessel, shall be regulated and managed by a cock or valve, or other
similar contrivance, so that it shall be free and take place only during the
time wherein the said last-mentioned vessel shall contain no condensed steam
or water. And I do convey off the spirit, whether in the condensed or
vaporous state (which shall or may enter the said vessel) to the proper
receptacles by means of a pump, which also serves to keep up the vacuum, or
otherwise, in such cases wherein the same may be preferred. I do produce my
vacuum by means of a pump alone, without making any use of the apparatus
and process for blowing out by steam.
Secondly, I do apply the power of heat to stills, boilers, and other vessels, by
enclosing the same within an hollow space properly adapted for the reception

page_text: and retention of steam conveyed from a boiler. And I do also convey part of
the said steam, after it has performed it's office of heating the said stills,
boilers, or other vessels, into other parts or places, in order that the same may
be employed in working a steam engine, or in producing a vacuum, by the
method herein-before described, or in any other usefull purpose.
Thirdly, in the art of dying. Whenever it may be requisite to use particular
caution, I do apply my said method of communicating heat by steam; and
whenever the goods are required to undergo the process of ebullition or boiling
at a less heat than the common boiling heat, I do apply an air-tight cover,
and do produce a vacuum by one or both of the aforesaid methods, in
consequence of which that rapid escape of vapour which constitutes ebullition
is made to ensue.
In witness whereof, I have hereto set my hand and seal, this First day
of February, One thousand eight hundred and four.
Inrolled the same Second day of February, in the year above written.