IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING FATTY AND OILY MATTERS, AND APPARATUS THEREFORr
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Field, of the Firm of Field, Field, and Cotton, of
22, Buckingham Street, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING FATTY AND
OILY MATTERS, AND APPARATUS THEREFORr."
Sealed the 13th August 1878, and dated the 15th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Field at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th February 1878.
EDWARD FIELD, of the Firm of Field, Field, and Cotton, of 22, Buckingham
Street, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN TREATING FATTY AND OILY MATTERS, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR."
This Invention relates to the treatment by water and heat of fats and oils com-
posed of or containing oleine, stearine, and glycerine, the object of such treatment
being the separation of these constituents.
The manufacturing of fatty acids and glycerine from fatty bodies by the action of
water and heat thereon has been already proposed, and my Invention is designed to
enable such process to be carried out efficiently, safely, and economically. For this
purpose I treat the fatty or oily body (or fatty and oily bodies) in admixture with
water under pressure in a horizontal or approximately horizontal closed cylindrical
vessel arranged within an oven or heating chamber, and containing on a longitudinal
shaft or axis suitable agitators, whereby the fatty matter (or fatty and oily
matters) and water are thoroughly intermixed while they are subjected to heat.
The contents of the vessel are, after being thus treated for some time, discharged
slowly in subdivided streams or films into an open vessel which may advantageously
have the form of an inverted cone. By this mode of discharge a considerable portion
of the steam is dissipated, thus greatly reducing the quantity of water to be after-
wards separated by evaporation.
In the open vessel the mixture of glycerine and water separates by gravitation
from the oily products, and is drawn off from the bottom of the vessel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Field in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th August
1878.
EDWARD FIELD, of the Firm of Field, Field, and Cotton, of 22, Buckingham
Street, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TREATING FATTY AND OILY MATTERS, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.'
This Invention relates to the treatment by water and heat of fats and oils com-
posed of or containing oleine, stearine, and glycerine, the object of such treatment
being the separation of these constituents.
The manufacturing of fatty acids and glycerine from fatty bodies by the action
of water and heat thereon has been already proposed, and my Invention is designed
to enable such process to be carried out efficiently, safely, and economically. For
this purpose I treat the fatty or oily body (or fatty and oily bodies) in admixture
with water under pressure in a horizontal or approximately horizontal closed cylin-
drical vessel arranged within an oven or heating chamber, and containing on a
longitudinal shaft or axis suitable agitators, whereby the fatty matter (or fatty
and oily matters) and water are thoroughly intermixed, while they are subjected to
heat.
The contents of the vessel are, after being thus treated for some time, discharged
slowly in subdivided streams or films into an open vessel which may advantageously
have the form of an inverted cone. By this mode of discharge a considerable portion
of the steam is dissipated, thus greatly reducing the quantity of water to be after-
wards separated by evaporation.
In the open vessel the mixture of glycerine and water separates by gravitation
from the oily products, and is drawn off from the bottom of the vessel."
Figure 1 shews my improved apparatus in central vertical section; Figure 2 is a
front view thereof.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the open vessel into which the contents of the
horizontal vessel are discharged.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the stirrer shaft and blades.
Figure 5 is an end view of the back bearing of the stirrer shaft.
The several views are to a scale of about one iuch and a half to the foot.
1 is a strong lap welded wrought-iron cylinder (which may conveniently be
about "thick) flanged at each end, as shown, truly faced and drilled to receive
bolts and nuts for attaching covers; the front flange is truly recessed to receive a
copper ring of rectangular cross section hereafter described; 2 is a comparatively
thin copper cylinder (say, about 1 inch thick) having the back end soundly closed
by a copper disc of the same thickness as the body of the copper cylinder; to the
front end of this copper cylinder, on the outside, is braized a copper ring, about "
square in section. The external diameter of the copper cylinder 2 is nearly the
same as the internal diameter of the wrought-iron cylinder 1, and the length of
cylinder 2, from the under surface of the copper ring to the external surface of the
disc bottom, coincides with the length of the cylinder 1 from the bottom of the
recess to the face of the back flange, so that when the cylinder 2 is placed within
the cylinder 1, the copper bottom will be flush with the face of the said flange, and
the copper ring will lie in the recess prepared for it, but so as to project about half
the ring's thickness beyond the face of the front flange of cylinder 1.
The copper
cylinder forms a thoroughly sound lining for the wrought-iron cylinder 1; 3 is a
strong wrought-iron cover faced on its inner side, and drilled with holes to corre-
spond with the front flange to receive the necessary bolts for fixing. This cover is
also pierced with five circular apertures, to allow five nozzles to pass through
easily; 4 is a similar flange for closing the back of cylinder 1, it is faced on the
inside, and drilled for bolts, but not otherwise pierced; 5 is a gun metal lining for
the front cover 3, it is provided with a fillet on the face, which fits easily into the
mouth of the copper lining 2, and insures the lining 5 being placed centrally; the

page_text: back and the annular face of this gun metal lining outside the fillet are turned
truly, the latter portion when in position coming against the face of the copper ring
on cylinder 2, this gun metal lining has formed on it the central stuffing box nozzle a,
and four other nozzles b, c, d, e, situated near the circumference, as shown in Figs. 1
and 2. All these nozzles pass freely through the cover 3, and are screwed externally
to take pipe or gland fittings, as required; 6 is the agitator shaft of square
wrought iron, copper plated, having the front end turned to pass through the
gland nozzle a, and the back end turned to fit into the back bearing f (Fig 5).
On to the four sides of this shaft are firmly attached four perforated copper (or
copper plated iron) blades h, i, k, l, two of which (h and k) extend to nearly
the whole length of the cylinder 2, and to within about half an inch of its inner
circumference. The blades i and are of the same length, but not so wide, they
being required only as stays to prevent the shaft sagging.
The front end of the shaft which passes through the stuffing box a is supported'
at its extremity by a centre bearing (not shown), so as to take the thrust caused by
the pressure within the cylinder. This end of the shaft has also a drum fitted to it,
so that the shaft and agitators or stirrers may be caused to rotate slowly by any.
convenient motive power; 7 are pipe fittings attached to the nozzle b and carrying
other fittings herein-after mentioned; 8 is a gun metal box lever safety valve so
arranged that the spindle m can be turned when under pressure for the purpose of
removing any foreign substance that may get on the seat of the valve; 9 is the
pressure gauge marked to 500 lbs. on the square inch, and fitted with the usual
syphon pipe; 10 is the thermometer pocket for registering the temperature of con-
tents of the apparatus when working; 11 is the supply cock in connection with the
charge vat (not shown); 12 is the steam and discharge valve in connection with a
steam generator and by a separate connection with the receiver (Figure 3). This
valve is screwed on to the nozzle c of the gun metal cover lining 5. An independent
steam generator may be dispensed with, and a simple discharge valve used; 13 and
14 are two small gauge cocks screwed on to the nozzles d and e which answer the
purpose of gauging the quantity of materials introduced; 15 is a ring of soft copper
introduced between the cover lining 5 and the copper ring on the cylinder lining 2,
for the purpose of making a sound joint.
The end bearing (Figure 5) for the agitator shaft is so constructed that it requires
no fixing, it is sprung into the cylinder; 17 is the brick setting; 18, the furnace;
19, the oven space; 20, the flue; 21 are the heat apertures; 22, the dampers ;
23, cold air doors; 24 is the ash-pit.
n (Figure 3) is a wrought-iron pipe ring perforated on its under side with a single
row of half inch holes about two inches apart, and supported in the position shown.
This ring is connected by means of the pipe o with the discharge valve p; q is a
cock for discharging the contents of the open receiver after they have been allowed
to separate by gravity.
The modus operandi is as follows:-The cylindrical vessel is charged with water
up to the lower gauge cock. The dampers being open, the fire is lighted, the lower
gauge cock shut, the upper gauge cock opened; the charge of material is run in
through the cock, which is then closed, the agitating apparatus is then started
the pressure raised (by the application of heat externally of the vessel) to from
250 lbs. to 260 lbs. on the square inch, and the operation continued for about 2 hours
or two hours and a half; the dampers are then closed, the air doors opened, the
agitating apparatus stopped, and the discharge valve in connection with the
perforated ring (Figure 3) slowly opened to such an extent as to allow of an easy
and continuous discharge.
The liquids discharged into the receiver (Figure 3) are allowed to settle therein
by gravitation, and are drawn off at leisure. The glycorine and water come off
first, and are kept separate; the fatty acids are run into a cleaning-down vat,
and manipulated in the usual way. The apparatus being now empty is re-charged
as before with water and fats, and the operation repeated as before.
It will be noticed that during the operation of discharging a very large proportion

page_text: of the water of the glycerine solution is dissipated without any appreciable loss,
either in glycerine or fatty acids.
It will also be observed that by my Invention fats and oils may be treated with-
out the employment of a high-pressure steam generator.
It may in some cases be convenient to admit low-pressure steam by the valve to
raise the water to the boiling point, after charging the horizontal vessel.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and explained the manner of
carrying it into practical effect, I desire it to be understood that what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as secured to me under the Letters Patent
herein-before in part recited is,―
1. Treating fats and oils by water and heat in a closed cylindrical horizontal
vessel containing agitating apparatus, as described and shewn.
2. Discharging the contents of the operating vessel slowly in subdivided streams
or films into an open vessel, as and for the purpose described.
3. The combination of parts constituting the improved apparatus, constructed,
arranged, and operating as shewn in and described with reference to the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Field, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.