Improvements in Distilling and Rectifying Processes and in Apparatuses therefor.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1897-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Distilling and Rectifying Processes and in
Apparatuses therefor.
I, EMILE GUILLAUME, of 17, Rue Lemercier, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer, 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:
--
My invention has for its object various improvements which I have introduced
both in the processes for effecting continuous distillation and rectification, and in
the apparatuses enabling said distillation and rectification to be carried out. These
improvements have for their object to enable products as perfect as possible to be
obtained with a minimum of expense.
In order to allow of the present specification being better understood I will refer
to the accompanying drawings in which an apparatus for continuous and simul-
taneous distillation and rectification conformably with my invention is shown as
an example. In these:-
-
Figure 1 is an elevation of the whole apparatus also showing parts in section.
Figure 2 a view of a modification of the top of a distilling column enabling
alcohols and brandy to be aged.
Figure 3 a view in sectional elevation of one of the shelves of the rectifying
column.
Figure 31 is a plan view of the same representing a development of the
scrubbing.
Figures 4 and 4' sectional elevations of various shelves of the column for extract-
ing the tail products, (the former being a view of one of the ordinary shelves and
the latter a view of two shelves arranged in a special manner.)
Figure 4 a plan view of the ordinary shelves shown in Figure 4.
Figure 5 a sectional elevation of one of the shelves of the extracting column
for the ethers or head products;
Figure 51 a plan view of the same;
Figure 6 a modification of Figure 1;
Figure 7 a view on a larger scale of a closed testing apparatus of my invention;
Figure 8 a view of a low wine boiler producing the steam necessary for the
working of the distilling and rectifying columns in molasses distilleries.
Figure 9 a sectional elevation of unperforated shelves with skimming caps
(calottes).
Figure 91 a plan view of same.
Figure 10 a plan view of an independent distilling column for treating thick
mash.
Figure 11 a section on the line A B of Figure 10.
Figure 12 a section on the line C D of the same figure.
Figure 13 an elevation of an existing installation for non-continuous (inter-
mittent) rectification, modified by the application of my improvements.
Similar reference Letters represent, the same parts in the various figures.
077

page_text: Figure 1 is as already stated an elevation of an entire apparatus arranged on
my system for obtaining at the first operation and continuously in the distillery
itself without any intermediate re-distillation, perfect, commercially pure, very
concentrated, alcohol with a minimum of ethers or head products and tail products,
a minimum consumption of steam, and a great facility of inspection.
The work of the apparatus as is necessary in order to obtain a commercially
pure alcohol, is divided into three distinct phases: first, the distillation properly
so called, secondly, extraction of the ethers or head products, thirdly, extraction
of the tail products.
In this figure, the column 1 is essentially and solely a distillatory column. The
wine emerging from a forewarmer 2 by a pipe 3 enters on to the upper shelf of
the column 1. This forewarmer consists simply of a reservoir receiving the feed
of wine by a pipe 3ª which feed is warmed by the low wines and exhausted water
arriving by siphons 19 and 20 from the bottom of the columns I and 21. Steam
flows in at the bottom of the said column 1 by means of an annular cap (calotte) 4
in order to produce a first scrubbing in the base of said column.
The vapour pressure prevailing in the column 1 is regulated by a regulator 5
and 51 having a means of variable regulation which I have designed, and the
special arrangement and working of which is shown clearly in the drawing and
described in the following paragraph. I place this regulator on the lower floor 7
(which facilitates access to the apparatus). The said regulator consists of an upper
reservoir 5 having a downwardly depending ascension tube which dips into a lower
reservoir 5 filled with water. The principal reservoir 5 of the regulator rests
on nuts 9 mounted on screw-threaded rods 10. These nuts are externally toothed
and are all in gear with a common endless chain 11 so that if one nut be turned,
all the other nuts must have a similar and equal movement. It is sufficient there-
fore to revolve a handwheel 12 fixed on one of these supporting nuts in order to
cause the reservoir 5 to rise or descend, and consequently to vary the governing
pressure as may be desired. I arrange a sheath or sleeve 13 below the lower bell 51.
This sheath or sleeve serves to receive the part 14 of the ascension tube. In other
respects this regulator works in the following way to automatically regulate the
supply of steam to the cap 4 to control the pressure:
The upper reservoir 5 contains a float suspended therein by a vertical rod from
a pivoted lever a which is connected at its other end by an adjustable link a¹
with a valve a² on the steam supply pipe. The reservoir 5¹ is connected with the
top of the column 1 by a pipe 6, so that the vapour pressure prevailing in the
column will act through the pipe on the water in the reservoir 51 and. force it up
the ascension tube into the reservoir 5. When the pressure is sufficient to cause
the column of water to reach the float in the upper reservoir 5 the float in the
latter will be lifted and thus by means of the lever a and link a¹ close the valve a²
thus shutting off any further supply of steam to the column 1 through the cap 4
until the pressure in the column 1 again falls. A constant pressure may thus be
maintained in the column 1, the degree of which may be adjusted by raising or
lowering the upper reservoir 5 by the hand wheel 12 as before described, in order
to allow a greater or lesser pressure to exist in the column 1 by varying the
length of the water column in the ascension tube necessary to reach the float. 8
is an overflow pipe to draw off and return to the column 1 any excess of liquid
accumulating in the reservoir 51 from condensation of vapour therein.
15 is a tap for drawing a sample for testing to ascertain the degree of exhaus-
tion of alcohol from the wines, which test may also be made by drawing a sample
from a tap 16. The test is made by allowing a sample of vapour to pass from
either tap into a scum breaker 17 (the construction of which is similar to the
larger scum breaker 24 which will be hereinafter described) and thence by a pipe 151
to a small refrigerator 69 wherein it is condensed and passed to a testing device 71.
I cause the scum or wash separated from the vapour in the small scum breaker 17
by means of a return pipe 18 to automatically and continually re-enter into the
column, or into the siphon 19 for discharging the low wine.

page_text: The forewarmer (recuperator) 2 receives as before stated simultaneously by the
discharge siphon 19 the low wine from the column 1, and, by the discharge
siphon 20, the exhausted water from the base of the column 21 for extracting
the tail products.
Any vapours carried off into the siphons 19 and 20 re-enter the columns 1 and 21
by the small communications 22 and 23 respectively in order that the said
vapours may not form an obstacle to the discharge of the low wine and the water
carried away in said siphons.
The vapour escaping at the upper part of the column 1 passes through the scum
breaker 24 in which all the vapour emerges from a central tube 26 (indicated
in dotted lines) through a lateral opening on the opposite side to the communica-
tion 25, and is forced accordingly to pass externally round the wall of the pipe 26
before reaching this communication 25. The scums are thereby separated and
return by a pipe 31 to the upper shelf.
These vapours pass through the communication 25 without being condensed
directly to the column 27 for the extraction of the ethers or head products. They
penetrate therein at such a height as to leave below a sufficient number of shelves
for effecting the purification of the retrogradation. It is in other words a feed of
the column at the ordinary height, but with alcoholic vapours instead of with
the ordinary liquid phlegms or condensed vapours.
In order to furnish the little steam necessary for purification on the lower
shelves, I take it either at the base of the column 21 or of the column 1, but
preferably of the column 1, or even if necessary -I may directly take waste (or
escape steam) which I introduce at the bottom of column 27. In Figure 1 for the
above purpose the steam in the form of vapour from which the alcohol has been
removed is taken from the bottom of the column 21 to the bottom of column 27
by a pipe 28 and tap 29, this latter serving to regulate the quantity supplied. It
is evident that this supplementary heating may be effected either by the direct
admixture of steam or by a worm or pipes as shown in Figures 2 and 6.
This mode of arrangement whilst allowing of the alcohol being extracted from.
ascending alcoholic vapour in the part of the column 27 above the feed 25 by
the liquid retrograding down the column from a condenser 30 as will be herein-
after explained, whereby only ethers and head products remain on the upper
shelves, allows of the retrograding alcoholic liquid being completely purified of
any ethers or head products on shelves arranged below the vapour feed 25. In fact,
the descending alcoholic liquid is traversed methodically by steam or vapour
coming from the bottom of column 21 as before stated and is therefore thoroughly
purified or freed from any ether or head product which is thus carried up into the
condenser.
I thus obtain the same effects but with much less expense and much greater
completeness than if the feed of this column were performed with liquid phlegms
as in the ordinary purifiers at present employed.
The alcohol produced in the column 27 has only the degree of temperature
necessary to cause the head or ether products by reason of their lower boiling tem-
perature to collect on the upper shelves. The alcoholic vapour after having
traversed the last top shelf and which now consists largely of ethers or head pro-
ducts enters the condenser 30 wherein the remaining alcohol is condensed and
retrograded whilst the ethers or head products remain.
The said alcoholic vapours enter the lower part of this condenser 30 by a wide
communication pipe 33 and the alcohol condensed is returned to the column 27
preferably by the communication 33 itself (which is of sufficient section for the
purpose) so that it is thoroughly encountered by the vapour ascending through
said communication 33 which is of great importance as regards the yield of the
columns.
The cooling water runs into the tubes of the condenser at the top through a
valve 342 and is discharged at the bottom by a pipe 35. In order to prevent the
production of an ascending counter current of water in the tubes of the condenser

page_text: and thus to maintain the action of an efficacious regularity, I arrange this con-
denser in the following manner:-
I reduce to the necessary minimum the section of circulation in the pipes by
placing in each of them a solid body, rod or the like 36, which will reduce this
section sufficiently to prevent any possibility of a counter current.
The descent of the water in the pipes is produced by the pressure alone, result-
ing from the difference of its level in the top of the condenser 30 and that of the
overflow pipe 37 of variable level, into which the discharge pipe 35 of the con-
denser opens. The height of this overflow pipe 37 which slides in a depending
pipe 38 which forms a settling chamber for sediment, is regulated at starting on
the spot, so as to ensure the due working of the system. This sediment collector 38
is terminated by a cloth pocket which may be easily changed by hand when full
of sediment. The condensing water which has now become heated escapes from
the bottom of the pipe 37 to a suitable cold water tank not shown in the draw-
ings, from which tank the condenser is fed by the pipe 34 the feed being controlled
by a regulator 39 which will be hereinafter explained. The pipe 34 does not take
the cold water directly from the said tank but from the top of a refrigerator 45
which receives the water by a pipe not shown through a valve 92 on a pipe 92ª
leading from said tank so that the cold water is first utilised in said refrigerator.
The drawbacks of incrustation in the metallic pipes which might occur through
using the same water over again in the condenser are thus avoided, as the sedi-
ment settles in the cloth pocket aforesaid.
It is evident that if the speed of descent of water in the condenser pipes is, in
consequence of the narrowing of the discharge section, superior to the ascending
force caused by the progresssive heating of this water, a counter current will be
impossible, and regularity will be maintained.
I regulate the water supply automatically in this condenser by means of the
following regulator 39. This regulator 39 is of the same kind as the regula-
tor 5 5¹, hereinbefore described, but without the gear for raising and lowering the
upper reservoir. That is to say, it consists of two reservoirs placed one on the
other, the lower reservoir containing water or other liquid which is subjected to
the vapour pressure prevailing in the condenser 30 by means of a pipe connec-
tion 39 in such a way that the water of the regulator is forced up a central pipe
into the upper reservoir more or less according as the pressure varies in the con-
denser. This varying level of the water in the regulator acts on a float in the
upper reservoir, which float is connected to a lever 34b which is linked at its other
end to a valve 342 on the condenser supply-pipe 34. Any increase of the vapour
pressure in the condenser will therefore act on the valve 342 through the regula-
tor 39 to open the cold water supply to the condenser, whilst any fall in the
pressure will act to reduce or close the cold water supply, thus ensuring an
efficient working of the condenser at all times. An overflow pipe 40 discharges
any surplus liquid due to condensation which may be produced in the lower
reservoir of the regulator, either into the wines in the forewarmer 2, or directly
into the column 1 or preferably into the feed pipe 3 of the column 1 by a pipe 41
as shown in the drawing by the dotted line. The vertical pipe 41 is surmounted
by a cap 41 having a water joint which enables any uncondensed vapours which
may be carried off accidentally from the regulator 39 to be discharged into the
outer air instead of being carried into the pipe 3. The said water joint is simply
an annular trough surrounding the open end of the pipe 41 and containing a
little water into which dips a bell or cap which is placed over the end of said pipe.
Any vapours accumulating in the upper part of the pipe 41 will enter the bell
and on further vapour arriving the water level in the bell will be depressed, thus
allowing the vapour to escape from time to time into the outer air.
As regards the condenser 30 it will be noted that in consequence of the action
on the internal surface of the tubes of the aforesaid increased speed of the water
and the increase of friction resulting therefrom, the cooling is more efficacious

page_text: for a given surface of contact, and that deposit of tartar on the tubes will be
rendered much less easy.
By a pipe 42 placed at the top of the condenser 30 I extract, in the state of
vapour, the ethers or head products accumulated as before explained in the upper
shelves of the column 27 and in the condenser. The flow of these vapours through
the pipe 42 is regulated by a tap 43 placed within reach of the distiller. The said
vapours or head products then pass through a pipe 44 to the upper part of the
refrigerator 45. I prevent obstructions, which would be ultimately produced
in the lower part of the siphon of this pipe on the accumulation of condensation
products in the tubes, by placing at the bottom of each vertical pipe or passage
and below the horizontal branch where the regulating tap 43 is placed, a vessel 46
for receiving this condensation as produced, which is finally extracted by small
hand cleaners or automatically by means of a siphon 47 of very small diameter.
The condensed ethers emerging from the bottom of the refrigerator 45, pass
through a vessel which is provided with a funnel to allow of the escape of air to
the testing apparatus 48 of the kind shown in detail in Figure 7. During this
time the condensed alcohol of low degree perfectly purified of the ethers or head
products and odours, accumulates in the base of the column 27. By means of a
pipe 49 the said alcohol passes on to the feed shelf of column 21 at the point 50.
The column 21 has for its action to completely extract the tail products. The
upper shelves of this column become enriched with and charged methodically
with more and more pure alcohol seeing that they are progressively freed from the
tail products. The alcoholic vapours pass through the last shelf 51 at the top of
the column perfectly purified from these latter products, and they pass to the con-
denser 32 which is arranged identically the same as the condenser 30 of the
column 27 just described.
The alcoholic vapours perfectly pure are extracted by the pipe 52 placed at the
top of the condenser, the discharge of which pipe is regulated by a tap 53 placed
within reach of the distiller as previously explained for extraction of the ethers
from the condenser 30. These vapours then pass to the upper part of the
refrigerator 54 and cold alcohol of a very high percentage is delivered to the
receiver 55 in the ordinary manner.
If desired, although not preferable, the liquid alcohol produced by conden-
sation in the condenser 32 and which retrogrades into the column 21 may be drawn
off by means of a draw-off device placed at the bottom of the condenser 32 itself,
provided that this is placed above the point at which the retrogradation returns
to the column 21 which would otherwise approximate it to tail products. It has
in fact been established by competent experts that no analysis is in reality pro-
duced in the condenser for alcoholic vapours of very high percentage the said
vapours being thoroughly analysed and deprived of tail products in the analyser
before reaching the condenser, so that the part condensed has practically the
same composition as the part non-condensed.
In order as just mentioned to draw off the liquid alcohol from the condenser 32
itself it is only necessary to have at the bottom of the condenser a little discharge
pipe passing to a suitable little refrigerator wherein the alcohol is cooled the
refrigerator being provided with a funnel to allow any air which may be in the
connections to escape.
The upper shelf 51 of the column 21 has its overflow much higher, so as to
cause this upper shelf to serve as a regulating reservoir intended to maintain the
standard of the washing liquid retrograding on to the under shelves either in the
case of a stoppage of the column, or with some slight fluctuations in the working.
It is evident that this regulating reservoir shelf instead of being the first may be
the second or third without great inconvenience. It is sufficient that its regula-
ting action be exerted from the top of the column starting from one of these
shelves.
Thus in proportion as the alcohol rises on the shelves of the column 21, it is
purified of its tail products, which retrograde becoming more and more concen-

page_text: trated and collect in the lower shelves in such a way that the succession of shelves
from bottom to top represent a descending scale as regards the impurities, the
limit of which is O for the upper shelf. It is this limit at least which it is
desirable to attain and to preserve with certainty.
The oils or tail products separated from the alcoholic liquid on the one hand
at the bottom of the column by the extreme evaporation of all the alcohol there-
from before the remaining low wines are discharged, and on the other hand at
the upper part of the column by the retrogradation of said tail products to a very-
high degree as has just been described, collect in the lower middle part and reach
their maximum concentration on those shelves where the alcoholic degree is such
that the deprivation of alcohol from the oils is almost absolutely complete. This
has been established in an indisputable manner in principle by expert engineers
on the subject, and it agrees perfectly with what is shown in practice.
This point is generally found about 38-40° (Gay Lussac's alcoholometer) but
it is preferable as far as possible to fix such a point in the column as yields a
practically invariable alcoholic degree in order to retain there the oils in a con-
stant manner and effect their extraction, and it is this which it has been hitherto
impossible to obtain.
The extraction of these oils must be made in such a way as to only collect in
the testing apparatus the very concentrated oils carrying with them the lowest
possible minimum of ethylic alcohol, whilst maintaining the shelves charged as
little as possible with these impurities, the limit point of which may rise up to
the upper shelf if the lower shelves be too fully charged. For this purpose I
operate in the following manner:-
If 56 (Figures 1 and 4) be the shelf of the column 21, corresponding to the
point of maximum concentration of which I have just spoken, the working of the
whole apparatus is regulated in such a way as to maintain the most suitable
alcoholic degree, for instance about 38 40° (Gay Lussac's alcoholometer) in a
practically invariable manner. This shelf 56 has a double bottom and only
allows the rising vapours to pass, without allowing the liquid to retrograde directly
on to the shelf beneath. 56 is an air hole serving to allow of the double bottom
being filled. This liquid which cannot retrograde, passes by a pipe 57 into a
reservoir 58 forming a regulating reservoir of large relative capacity into which
it comes by means of a pipe 59; it circulates therein very slowly and without
foaming, in order to emerge at the bottom by an annular cap (calotte) 60 com-
municating with a pipe 61 and re-enter the column on the shelf 62 as shown in
the drawing. The reservoir 58, which is surrounded by insulating material in
order to avoid cooling, thus fulfils a double function, namely:
(1) As soon as the oils are sufficiently concentrated to be able to form globules
in the mass when allowed to stand, these globules separate themselves from the
mass during the passage through the reservoir 58 in which a condition of as
absolute a repose as possible is produced and reunite in order to float on the upper
part. The extraction by means of a little tap 63 is regulated in such a way as to
maintain at the top of the reservoir 58 a floating layer sufficient to avoid carry-
ing off free alcohol to the testing apparatus. It is therefore a decanter of the oils.
These oils then pass by a pipe 64 to a small refrigerator 65 and then to a little
testing device 65¹ consisting of a vessel into which they are passed in order to be
tested before being drawn off. A preferable form of testing device applicable for
any part of the plant will be described hereinafter with reference to Figure 7.
As shown in the drawing, windows allow of inspection of what goes on in the
upper part of the reservoir 58.
(2) The reservoir 58 is at the same time an accumulator or sort of regulator
capable of immediately absorbing excesses of alcohol which may be produced in
the column and afterwards returning them without affecting the working of the
column, so as to render the course of this working very stable. This faculty is
very valuable. In fact the following is probably the most delicate point in the
operation of continuous columns working at very high degree, namely, that if

page_text: the quantity of alcohol extracted at the testing apparatus does not mathematically
correspond to the quantity introduced at the same instant, by the feed into the
column, there is a constant and dangerous perturbation in the working of the
latter. If the quantity flowing at the testing apparatus be less than the quantity
introduced by the feed, the column becomes constantly overcharged, and as the
upper shelves (already at a very high degree) cannot be charged further, it is
absolutely unavoidable that this surcharge be absorbed by the lower shelves in
such a way that if it be not remedied immediately exhaustion therefrom will be
felt very rapidly and the surplus of alcohol will run away immediately and
regularly with the low wine.
This action will endure so long as the flow of the alcohol at the testing place
has not been varied (and almost always by falling into a contrary excess) or if the
feed be not diminished in the necessary proportion. If then the quantity of alcohol
withdrawn at the testing apparatus be greater than that introduced by the feed
of wine, the column will necessarily be progressively discharged of alcohol exactly
to the extent of the excess of the drawing off. The shelves are in such case succes-
sively exhausted, upwards, starting from the base of the column, in such a way that
if the shelf where the alcohol degree was 40° for instance be found at the moment
to be the 12th shelf counting from the bottom, it will become first the 13th then
the 14th, the 15th, the 16th and so forth, and it will continue thus to rise more
and more so long as the discharge from the testing apparatus is not diminished
exactly as much as necessary, or the feed increased.
In order to put things right, it is necessary to forcibly diminish the drawing
off or increase the feed, which will rapidly cause the apparatus to fall into the
contrary excess and so forth, because it is never possible to obtain by hand the
exact equipoise between the feed and the discharge. A series of constant fluctua-
tions on the shelves is thus obtained, which is both dangerous as regards the
exhaustion and the quality of the alcohol, from the fact that the point of maximum
concentration of the tail products alternately approaches and retires from the
top of the column. Skill in the conduct of these apparatuses can only consist in
diminishing the extent of these fluctuations, and in following and foreseeing them
in order to correct them and diminish the effects by an intelligent attention at
all instants. This is all that can be done, and it is a means on which one cannot
count in an absolute manner. Whence it results that the alcoholic degree is
frequently found to vary on the same shelf from: 20-80°.
The use however of the accumulating reservoir 58 counteracts entirely these
important drawbacks. In fact at the place in question the alcoholic liquid may if
necessary descend or rise 5° as
regards the minimum degree without
there being any sensible action produced on the upper shelf or on the lower shelves
as regards exhaustion, and without even there being produced any appreciable
displacement in the classification on the other shelves. It is the point where the
modification of degree exercises the least influence within given limits, and it
is the degree which corresponds to the maximum of elasticity.
Owing to this arrangement, the passage of wash from the bottom of the vats
and other little accidents or momentary fluctuations no longer exert any influence
on the good working of the columns.
An alcoholometer of any kind is placed in the front part of the pipe 59 at the
head of this reservoir, to give an indication of the alcoholic degree of the liquid
passing into the reservoir so that any carrying over of alcohol from the column
may be at once noticed.
In order to withdraw the intermediate tail products other than oils which are
capable of floating, I arrange other extraction pipes 66 which I place on the
shelves in proximity to the feed. This secondary extraction may be continuous
or intermittent, so as to maintain the column in a good working condition
according to the nature of the wines or phlegms. The extracted product passes
by the pipe 661 to the little refrigerator 65 and thence to a little testing device 67
consisting of a vessel in which it is tested before being drawn off. The test proofs

page_text: of exhaustion of alcohol from the wines escaping from the column are taken at 68¹
on the second or third shelf starting from the bottom, and in order to leave no
possible chance of waste, these exhaustion vapours pass to a little refrigerator 69
by a pipe 68 and thence to a little testing device 70. The condensed vapours of
the exhaust testing devices 70 and 71 of the columns 1 and 21 may be collected
each in a special closed reservoir, similar to the reservoir 71', Figure 6, the
discharge tap of which is fastened with a pad-lock in order to allow of its only
being opened by the head distiller or manager so as to be able to verify regularly
at each post whether the exhaustion has been perfect.
In order to regulate automatically the feed of the columns, I have designed a
little arrangement which is shown in Figure 1. It consists of a little tap 72
which allows a little stream of alcoholic vapour coming from one of the shelves
where the degree most readily varies, for instance the shelf 62 (to an extent
judged suitable by an experimental test made at the first starting of the working
of the apparatus) to pass into a condenser 73 communicating directly itself by
a tube 74 of large section with the lower reservoir 75 of the float regulator 76
preferably of the kind having a variable action as herein before described with
reference to regulator 5, 5¹. The little condenser 73 may be encased or surrounded
by liquid of a practically constant temperature in order to diminish or attenuate
the variations of the external temperature.
If the alcoholic degree of the vapours rises, the condensation of the quite small
stream passing into the small condenser 73 will diminish and consequently the
pressure will increase therein and will act on the regulator which will close to an
equal extent the valve 77 placed on the feed pipe 3 of the column 1 or rather of
the forewarmer 2 through which said column is fed. If the alcoholic degree of
these vapours diminishes the condensation will increase and the contrary effect be
produced. This regulation is produced slowly and without shock, precisely as
is required. The regulator may in the arrangement shown in Figure 1 act if pre-
ferred on a valve placed on the pipe 49 bringing purified phlegm from the base
of the column 27 to the column 21. In this case as it would cause the level to
vary in the base of the column 27, this variation of level must actuate a float
which in turn acts on a valve feeding directly the column 1 so that the working
of the whole remains quite in harmony. The tap 72 for drawing off alcoholic
vapours may of course be placed at any other suitable point according to circum-
stances and to the use to which it is to be put. The little condenser 73 may
obviously be arranged in any other suitable manner without changing anything
in this system of automatic feed regulation. The products of condensation in
said condenser may be caused to immediately re-enter the column or may be
returned to the wines or the phlegms by means of a siphon. A little draw off
pipe 78 for alcoholic vapours is placed on the communication pipe 25 between
the columns 1 and 27 and allows of a sample or test being drawn when desired
in order to verify the degree of the alcoholic vapours discharged by the column 1,
the vapours being conducted by this pipe 78 to the refrigerator 65 and thence to
the little testing device 79. This draw off pipe may be useful, particularly at the
starting of a plant, as a test of the working if used in conjunction with an
alcoholometer placed either on the dome of column 1 or on one of the lower shelves
of column 27 as shown in Figure 1.
The apparatus shown in Figure 1 comprises finally for the column 21 a
system of steam regulator having a variable action and very great efficaciousness.
It consists of a float 80 which rises and falls with the level of the water in its
casing 81 and carries a rod or valve plug 82. This rod or valve plug has very
large longitudinal recesses 83 above and below the centre which is formed with
a cylindrical surface 84 which is not recessed for a distance of about 3 centi-
metres (variable according to the diameters of the steam pipes) so that the inflow
of steam from the supply pipe 85 may be completely closed by the said cylindrical
centre lying transversely through the inner end of the steam pipe in a suitable
casing formed in the end of said pipe, whilst steam may be admitted when said
'

page_text: rod or valve plug is raised by the float to bring its recessed part into the casing.
Its course is limited to an exactly suitable quantity, in order that the supply may
be turned on full when the float is raised 3 centimetres and closed when the float
rests on the bottom of the box. This regulator 81 communicates at its upper
part with the base of the column 21 by means of a large steam supply pipe 86
which can open either above or below the level of the liquid in the base of the
column. In addition, it communicates at the bottom by means of a suitable'
flexible pipe 87 with an upper annular cup 88 provided with a waste pipe 89 to
which may be attached a discharge pipe to carry off the excess of water. This
annular cup 88 which is shown in section in the drawing is formed as a nut guided
on a threaded rod 90 fixed in a separate frame in such a way that by simply
manipulating a handwheel 91 said cup may be caused to rise or descend at will.
In order to cause this regulator to work, water is poured into the cup 88
until there is sufficient therein to cause the float 80 to float and fill the vessel 88
up to the level of the waste pipe. If the pressure rises in the column 21, the
level lowers in the reservoir 81 and the float following the level of the water,
directly shuts off the arrival of steam, if on the contrary the pressure falls in the
column, the level rises in the reservoir 81 and the float causes the valve plug to
open to a large extent the steam admission opening.
This type of regulator is very efficacious, conditional of course to it not being
necessary to have an automatically tight closing or shutting off, in which case
recourse must be had to a tap.
The taps 92 and 93 placed at the right of Figure 1 have graduated quadrants
and index indicating the extent to which they are opened for the water passing
to the refrigerators 45 and 54 and then to the condensers 30 and 32 as before
described. When at work they are all wide open, and it is the before described regu-
lators 39 and 391 placed to left and right of the condensers 30 and 32 which
regulate the introduction by acting on the valves 34 and 343. In fact the quantity
of water necessary for the condensers will be always sufficient for the refrigerators.
Finally a tap 94 having a similar graduated quadrant is placed on the feed
pipe 3* to control the feed of wine into the column 1 through the fore-warmer 2.
If it be desired to regulate the feed automatically, it will be set fully open, and the
regulator 76 will close the feed by the valve 77 if necessary. There is thus obtained
a complete apparatus, the harmony of working of which is regulated and main-
tained automatically in such a way as to render it unnecessary to interfere except
in case of accident or stoppage.
Figures 3 and 31 of the accompanying drawings represent a type of shelf having
a very great extent of scrubbing which I preferably employ in column 1. This
extent of scrubbing is 12.25 m. for a column diameter of 1.40 m. The alcoholic
liquid falls alternately by the overflows S¹ and passes to the overflows S after
having passed under the caps (calottes) C and C¹ and vice versa.
These caps
(calottes) are perforated with a small hole in the upper part to prevent them caus-
ing suction at the stops.
Figures 44 and 4 represent a similar type of shelves of very reduced height
which I employ for the rectifying sections of the column 21 which contains 100
of them in spite of its reduced height. The extent of the lines of scrubbing
is 765 m. for a column of 110 m. in diameter. It is of importance to take the same
precaution as in the case of the caps (calottes) of the same type of Figures 3 and 31
in order to avoid a partial discharge of the shelves at the stops.
The shelves 56 and 62 of these Figures 4, 41 and 41 are the shelves of the
departure to and of the return from the regulating decanting reservoir 58 for
the oils, of which mention has been previously made.
Figures 5 and 5¹ represent an improved system of shelf with multiple and
methodical analyses arranged in such a way that each compartment is equivalent
to a separate shelf. The arrows in Figure 51 indicate the course of the liquid.
The vapour passes of course in an opposite direction through the calottes in
undulated or rectilinear lines of scrubbing. Each shelf acts as a full column
B

page_text: provided with scrubbing caps (calottes). A pipe r of very small diameter estab-
lishes the equality of pressure between the departure of the liquid at the top of
the shelf and the overflow which feeds the discharge. After having passed
through the 10 lines of scrubbing for each shelf, the rising vapour traverses a
perforated supplemental cap (calotte) y and then the shower of alcoholic liquid
falling from the shelf immediately above it. There are thus 11 successive and
methodical scrubbings per shelf which strictly speaking causes each of these
shelves to correspond to 10 or 11 ordinary shelves. They remain full at the stops
without anything being able to fall on to the shelf below, that is to say of course
if they are tight. The difference of level between one line of scrubbing and the
next is represented on the drawing as being 25 millimetres but of course it may be
varied.
In the drawing, the line of scrubbing for each compartment has an extent of
about 4 metres for a column of 125 m. in width, this may of course be increased
or diminished according to requirements for a similar width of column by merely
modifying the width of the compartment in order to allow of an increase of zig-
zags (folds).
It is this type of shelves which I have adopted for column 27 owing to which
this column which has only a total height including the dome of 3.50 m. corres-
ponds to a column having 80 shelves arranged 10 shelves per section. It is very
easy to see what a service such a system of shelves may render.
Figure 2 shows an arrangement which may be combined with that shown in
Figure 1 for ageing the commercially pure brandies or other alcohols.
The whole system is shown placed above the column 1 of Figure 1. The dis-
tillation vapour has access below the dome to the exterior of the field tubes T,
and the condensation resulting therefrom reaches the coiled pipe n, and it may
be retrograded either to the distillation column 1, particularly when it works
alone, or to the column 27 on the shelf for the arrival of vapours from the dis-
tilling column, if it is a question of a complete installation.
The alcohol to be aged arrives in the ageing section B by a pipe m, and it
descends from shelf to shelf until it reaches the field tubes where heated by the
vapours from the distillation column, it yields vapours which rise from shelf to shelf
traversing the alcohol in an extreme condition of sub-division.
0
As the shelf above the space D is closed (that is unperforated) the vapours pass
from this space to a little condenser c by a pipe o. The retrogradation returns
into the section by the pipe itself, or by a pipe r. The vapours which have
resisted condensation return by the pipe e into the part C above the unperforated
shelf of which mention has just been made. These vapours rise from shelf to
shelf in the part C in order to be completely freed from the traces of alcohol
carried off, which they may methodically yield up to the pure water supplied on
the top shelf by a pipe a³, and finally, entirely freed from alcohol, they escape
by a pipe which also allows of the escape of any air which may have been
introduced into the parts. The stream of water which is thus charged with the
alcoholic vapour carried off escapes at g and through a pipe 6 in order to pass
into a storage tank or into the wine tank, or even directly into the column 1
or 27. The aged alcohol passes by a discharge pipe h to the testing or drawing
off apparatus.
In case it is desired to produce the ageing by means of air employed alone or
in combination with slow ebullition, I arrange at an air supply which (air) is
blown in in any suitable manner and rises from shelf to shelf and follows absolutely
the same course as that hereinbefore indicated for the vapour. It will be seen
that this arrangement renders any loss of alcohol absolutely impossible and
does not require any supplemental expenditure of vapour.
Figure 6 shows a modification particularly applicable for the purification of
brandies and rum-arrack (tafia) in which the extractor 27 of the ethers or head
products is placed directly above the distilling column 1, but the principle and
the process is always the same as those previously detailed. The vapours from

page_text: the distillation column after having traversed the scum breaker 24 which was
described with reference to Figure 1 enter at a certain height by a pipe 25 into
the column 37 for extracting the ethers or head products, the bottom 95 being
of course unperforated. 31 is the pipe for returning the scum from the scum
breaker 24 to the column 1.
Alcohol freed from its ethers or head products escapes gradually by a tap 96
and a pipe 97. The heating of the column base is preferably effected by means
of a worm 98 particularly when it is a question of brandy or rum so as not to at
all lower the percentage. In order to heat this worm 98 I borrow steam from
the base of the column 1 by means of a pipe 99. The resulting condensation
returns towards the bottom of this last column by a pipe 100.
The
Although this arrangement may be perfectly well adapted for ordinary alcohol
particularly in small agricultural distilleries, I have arranged it for serving
preferably for the purification of brandies and rums (tafias), but as in this case
it is of importance to obtain by distillation the commercial degree of percentage
for these products, I have provided a retrogradation 101, taken from one of the
shelves of column 27 in proximity to the place of arrival of the vapours of dis-
tillation and returning to the upper shelf of the distilling column 1.
extent of this retrogradation is regulated by a tap in such a way as to obtain
a suitable degree at the drawing off (or testing) apparatus. It may even if
necessary be regulated by a feed regulator of the kind hereinbefore described.
I also employ in this modification, in order to regulate automatically the feed
of the wine, a feed regulator 73 on the same system as before described based
on the extent to which the alcohol has been exhausted from alcoholic liquids
which are drawn from one of the lower shelves of the distilling column.
In order to complete the apparatus, if it be desired to effect the purification
by blowing in air simultaneously, I have arranged a pipe 102 for introducing this
air at the lower part of the device for extracting the ethers or head products.
All the rest of this Figure acts similarly to Figure 1 and can be easily understood
by means of the drawing and the preceding explanations similar reference letters
being used in both Figures. The following parts however remain to be described.
If it be a question of rum-arrack (tafia) or brandy, that is to say, if it be
sufficient to extract the ethers or head products, the purified alcohol passes by
the aforesaid pipe 97 to a refrigerator 103 and then to a testing or drawing off
device 55, but the concentrated ethers or head products accumulating in the
condenser 30 are passed by a pipe 42 to a little refrigerator 45¹ and are con-
densed and cooled as herein before described with reference to the refrigerator 45
in Figure 1 and pass to the little testing device 48. The said small refrigerator 45'
is made double so that one part receives and condenses the ethers as above
described, thus taking the place of the refrigerator 45 described with reference
to Figure 1, whilst the other part serves to condense the sample of vapours drawn
by the pipe 15¹ from the bottom of column 1 to test the exhaustion of alcohol
from the wines, thus taking the place of the refrigerator 69 in Figure 1, the
condensed vapour after being tested being discharged into the reservoir 71' as
hereinbefore described. If air be blown in, the complete deprivation of this
air of alcohol is effected by means of a methodical scrubbing with water on the
shelves before allowing it to escape by the air funnel.
It will be noticed that I have indicated a single pipe for supplying steam for
heating the columns and this is the one on which the regulator acts. I prefer
in fact to have only a single pipe which draws the steam from a reservoir where
the waste steam from all the machines of the factory is accumulated. When
this waste steam is insufficient to maintain a suitable pressure in the part, a
suitable regulator may be employed to introduce the necessary quantity of live
steam. By this means it is certain that live steam will only be taken directly
when the supply of waste steam is insufficient.
Figures 9 and 91 represent a system of solid (or unperforated) shelves having
perforated caps (calottes) which has all the advantages of perforated shelves

page_text: without having the drawbacks of discharging at the stops of the column. Further
these perforated caps (calottes) have a falling edge toothed equally along the
whole periphery at A A¹ and A" in such a way as to produce, in case of there
being insufficient holes for the passage of the vapour, a simultaneous scrub-
bing by the said holes and by these toothed edges. The central part C p of
these caps (calottes) is unperforated, and it is bored with a little air hole t to pre-
vent it causing suction at the stops. All the remainder of the cap (calotte) is
perforated as has been herein before mentioned. The drawing shows clearly
the working of these shelves for that matter.
Figure 7 represents my system of closed testing apparatus for alcohol or ethers
which may be employed at any part of the plant where a test has to be made
instead of the ordinary testing devices and the construction of which allows of
its being placed at any height or on any floor and yet admit of the discharged
alcohol or the like being carried by a pipe to the desired height where it is to
be stored or returned into the columns in such a way that there is no loss of
alcohol in testing as has been the case hitherto, such loss being due
to the necessity of having a vacant or air space above the layer of alcohol
for allowing the alcohol meter to work which it would not do if wholly sub-
merged.
105 represents the alcohol supply pipe, 106 the testing apparatus having a
support 107 for an alcoholometer, 108 a closed air bell of glass, 109 the alcohol
discharge exit, 110 an indiarubber washer, and 112 an indiarubber washer or
ring placed on the periphery of the metallic testing device and on which the
glass bell is screwed until its lower edge bears on the joint (washer) 110 and forms
a perfectly tight joint. 111 is a little threaded nozzle intended to receive the
valve of a little air pump similar to that employed by cyclists for inflating the
pneumatic tyres of their machines. At the discharge exit 109 of the testing
device there is attached a pipe not shown which is formed as a reversed siphon
before rising to the required height according to the position of the storage
vessels or other parts of the plant to which the alcohol is required to be taken.
In order to cause this testing device to work, it is sufficient to introduce air
therein by the nozzle 111 in such a way as to maintain there a pressure little
inferior to the total pressure prevailing in the pipe 105 which brings the alcohol
or ethers to the device and superior to the pressure at the discharge 109. As
soon as this pressure is obtained a suitable level will of itself be established in
the branch descending to the discharge of the testing device.
Air is introduced each time that it is necessary to keep the level of alcohol
in the bell 108 below the mouth of the testing device 106 and to thus ensure a
sufficient space free from alcohol which is very easy, but which need only be pro- -
duced at rare intervals. This improved system of testing device is particularly
very useful when it is desired to ascertain the degree of retrogradation, or when
it is desired to cause the extraction of the ethers or head or tail products to re-
enter the columns as a means for flavouring and to be repassed directly from one
column to another, thus rendering the whole perfectly uniform and connected.
Finally it allows of reservoirs for finished alcohol being employed much
higher than the level of the testing apparatuses. Of course like all the others
it may have a little sampling tap if desired.
Figures 10, 11 and 12 represent a little independent distilling column prin-
cipally arranged for working with thick washes. It is directly derived from my
arrangement of multiple and methodical analysing shelves and acts both like
an unperforated column and like a column with calotte shelves. The alcoholic
vapours emerge by an orifice 113 in order to pass either to the condenser or to
another apparatus if they are rectified or purified; the wine reaches an upper
compartment 114 by this same orifice 113 of large section, or by an independent
orifice, and descends from one compartment to another in the direction indicated
by the arrow over the partitions shown in plan view in Figure 10 as in a con-
tinuous tube of circular section in which it is subjected to a constant scrubbing.

page_text: It thus reaches the last compartment 127 thoroughly exhausted, and then emerges
by a pipe 128 to which a siphon discharge is attached in the usual manner.
The
height of the pipe 128 corresponds to that of the highest compartment 114, so
that this latter always remains suitably charged with wine. A pipe of very
small relative diameter, has for its object to establish equality of pressure between
one part and another, in order to ensure the continuous flow of the wine in the
apparatus by simple difference of level. The vapour arrives by a pipe 129. It
passes under the first toothed partition 130 with a scrubbing action, then over
the partition 131, separating the first compartment from the second, that is to
say, compartment 127 from compartment 126, effects the scrubbing in the com-
partment 126, and thus in succession up to the last compartment 114, becoming
methodically enriched as it would have done in a column of 14 ordinary shelves.
The scrubbing diaphragms may be bent to a zig-zag form in such a way so as to
present a larger extent of scrubbing as indicated for the multiple analysing
shelves.
The apparatus shown in Figure 8, which is as I have said, a low wine boil-
ing apparatus for producing the steam necessary for working the distillation
and rectification columns in molasses distilling, is of very useful application in
all distilleries which require to concentrate the low wines and dregs discharged
from the distilling columns in order to burn or dry them. For this object the
low wines discharged from the distilling column are forced directly into this
apparatus which then performs the office of concentrating the low wines, and
generating the steam for the requirements of the distillery.
In this Figure, 132 is an ordinary tubular casing, 133 a chamber for the
vapours produced and having a manometer 134. 135 is a pipe for the discharge
of the steam to be distributed according to the requirements of the distillery.
136 the entrance into the tubular chamber for the high pressure steam arising
from ordinary generators. 137 the exit for the condensation of the live steam
which is preferably caused to directly re-enter the generators. 138 is a level-
regulator consisting of a valve and a float to operate said valve
serving for the continuous extraction of the concentrated low wines
in such a way as to maintain a constant level M N in the apparatus, 139 is
the discharge pipe for the concentrated low wines passing through said regulator
to the potash furnace or to the dregs dryer. 140 is a little pressure exit serving
to establish equilibrium both in the discharge regulator 138 and in a suitable
pressure regulator for controlling the feed of live steam to the tubes of the
boiler 132. This regulator consists of upper and lower reservoirs 143 and 141
connected by a pipe and containing water which is driven up the pipe to a vary-
ing level in the upper reservoir 143, according to the variations of pressure in
the chamber 133 owing to the connection 140. 142 is an automatic device such
as a ball tap for the discharge of the excess of water arising from condensation
in the reservoir 141 placed on the ground. The upper reservoir 143 is placed at
a suitable height (8-0 metres for instance) and contains a float in its interior
which itself acts by means of a lever 1431 and rod 143" on a suitable regulating valve
which controls the flow of direct steam by the pipe 136 into the tubular chamber
of the apparatus, the said float being actuated by the aforesaid varying level of
water in the reservoir. The level regulator 138 acts in an inverse manner to
the box of the regulator 81 with its float 80 which I have previously
described in connection with column 21, Figure 1; it is a similar arrange-
ment but reversed, the valve being lified by the float to allow of a discharge
when the level rises and being dropped or etosed to stop the discharge when the
level falls too low.
It will be noticed that the level M N is very low in proportion to the height of
the tubular chamber. I adopt this arrangement in order to produce evaporation
in the tubes simultaneously by causing the liquid to trickle down for a part and
to be forced in thin streams as regards the other part. For this purpose half or
two-thirds of the tubes are provided with funnels in their upper part into which

page_text: the liquid trickles, whilst the others are provided with a rod or solid tube in the
interior in order to only have a very thin annular surface of circulation. The
vapour produced in these latter tubes will make, of each of them, a sort of
agitator, that is to say there will be very energetic alternations of liquid and
steam. In this manner a considerable circulation is naturally established, the
liquid falling by trickling in one part of the tubes, and rising rapidly in the other
part in order to again descend. I thus correct the two systems one
by the other
and I place the advantages in relief. It will be seen that the working of this
apparatus is entirely automatic and that it requires no watching.
It is important to notice in conclusion that the various improvements herein-
before specified may be applied to already existing rectifying installations work-
ing intermittently, whereby these rectifying apparatuses may be transformed
into continuous rectifying apparatuses, thus profiting by the advantages result-
ing from new installations whilst utilising old material.
Figure 13 of the accompanying drawing represents an application of this kind.
In order to carry out this modification I place above an existing boiler 58
of an ordinary intermittent or non-continuous distilling apparatus, a special
section 144, the upper part of which is composed of ordinary shelves. The lower
part has a special arrangement to be hereinafter explained the effect of which is
to fulfil the object of the shelves 56. The alcoholic vapours arising from an
exhaustion column 145 which is added to the existing apparatus and which is of
similar construction to the lower part of the column 21, are introduced by a
pipe 146. 147 is the overflow of the uppermost shelf that descends almost to
the unperforated plate in the first joint of the column above the boiler. 148 is
an air escapement tube from the boiler. 59 is an overflow descending into the
boiler to a certain depth.
The boiler, all the usual accessories of which are removed, serves as an accumu-
lator and a decanter of the oils which float on the top. To a lesser extent it
fulfils the office of the reservoir 58 of Figure 1. The floating oils are extracted
by means of a little tap 63 and the other tail products are extracted, when required,
by one of the taps 66 placed on the shelves situated above the feed 146 of the
alcohol vapours arising from the exhaustion chamber which I shall now describe.
I place at the side of the boiler a small ordinary distilling column 145 for a
continuous exhaustion of the liquid retrograding from the boiler by the immersed
pipe 61. The exhausted water passes constantly from the base by the pipe 20.
The heating of the whole is effected by steam introduced at 86 to the above
mentioned bottom compartment. I place an alcoholometer 154 at the head of
the column 145 for allowing the variations of the alcoholic richness at this point
and consequently in the boiler to be noted.
The extractor 27 of the ethers or head products, which is a column added to
the apparatus, is fed by means of a pipe 25 either with alcoholic vapours arising
directly from the distilling column or with phlegms brought to a suitable degree,
according to whether it is a question of distillation or of a simple rectification
of phlegms.
I modify the extractor of the ethers or head products by arranging an accumu-
lating reservoir 149 which receives the alcohol retrograding from several shelves
starting from the top of the column, and accumulates it before allowing it to
pass to the immediately lower shelf. This reservoir which may form part of
the column as shown in the drawing, or be placed at one side, and the details
of which may in consequence vary, has for its action to accumulate the ethers
or head products in case of momentary insufficiency in the drawing-off of these
products, and to prevent them descending for a long time into the lower shelves,
in such a way as to thus give a great security and a great stability to the work-
ing of the whole, and to considerably diminish the necessity of watching. 150 is
the overflow of the reservoir. 151 is a pipe for the passage of the alcoholic
vapours from the bottom shelf to the shelf above it, and 152 is the overflow from

page_text: the said shelf to the reservoir 149. The longer and more extensive this reservoir
is made the greater will be its efficaciousness.
Finally I place an extracting tap 153 on the upper shelves to be able in case
of need to extract special ethers or head products which would scarcely be capable
of rising up to the condenser in consequence of their great solubility in high
percentage alcohol. In this case it is sufficient to make a small abstraction by
the tap 153 in order to remove them, said tap being connected with the shelf
where such products have their maximum of solubility in alcohol, this being so
much the casier to do as the specific quantity is always exceedingly small. The
liquid feed from the column 27 for extracting the ethers or head products takes
place into the rectifying column by a pipe 49 above the inlet 146 of the alcoholic
vapours.
We have thus a complete continuous rectifying arrangement giving perfect
security and stability of working with a minimum requirement of watching, and
it need no longer be feared that the products will vary or that part of the alcohol
will be lost in consequence of the imperfect exhaustion of the water discharged
to the outside as low wines, on the least absence of attention, as has hitherto
been the objection in continuous rectification. The boiler converted into an
accumulating reservoir is of so large a capacity that it can store up a very large
excess of alcohol or restore it for a very small variation of degree which is of
small importance at this point as has been herein before explained.
It is sufficient to cast a glance at the alcoholometer two or three times per day
in order to see whether it be necessary to modify the discharge at the testing
apparatus of the finished alcohol, and the distiller is constantly in the position
of being able to draw off with confidence as is the case in intermittent or non-
continuous rectification.
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 that what I
claim is:-
1. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application of an arrangement of annular caps (calottes)
such as 4 and 86 by which the steam or vapour is liberated with a scrubbing
action as soon as it comes into the base of the column; substantially as herein-
before described and shown in the accompanying drawings as an example in
Figures 1 to 6.
2. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application of an arrangement of pressure regulator
characterised by the combination of an upper reservoir, movable as regards a
lower reservoir and capable of being shifted by means of any suitable mechanical
parts, particularly by means of an endless chain acting on a series of toothed
nuts and itself operated by means of a hand wheel forming one with one of
these nuts, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown as an example in
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
3. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application of a special arrangement of sampling taps
15 and 68 with a retrogradation 18 of the condensation products of the sampling
vapours arising from the exhaustion of the columns for preventing the obstruc-
tion of the pipes by condensation without expelling anything to the outside, and
of an arrangement of extracting siphons at the base of the columns substan-
tially as herein before described and shown as an example on Figure 1 of the
accompanying drawings.
4. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application of a scum breaking arrangement 24 and of
a system of head products extractor, at a normal height for vapours arising
directly from the distilling column, that is to say by leaving purifying sections
below this inlet, and supplying additional steam or vapour as a supplement at

page_text: the base of this extracting column for the head products, for completing the
purification, substantially as herein before described and shown as an example
in Figures 1 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
5. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the combined application of a special arrangement of con-
denser 30, 32 otherwise called the analyser of the alcoholic vapours, characterised
by the commation with each of the tubes forming the condenser, of a solid body
placed in the interior of said tubes in order to reduce the sectional area and main-
tain the effects of an efficacious method by preventing the production of a counter
current and of an arrangement of waste pipe or overflow 37 of variable height,
and a collector 38 formed as a cloth pocket, in order to allow of the descent of
the hot water and avoid the drawbacks of incrustations, substantially as herein-
before described and shown as an example in Figure 1 of the accompanying draw-
ing.
6. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application of a special regulator such as 39, 391 for
automatically regulating the supply of water into the condensers 30 and 32,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown as an example in Figure 1 of
the accompanying drawings.
7. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application with a view to regulating the extraction
of the ethers, or head products, and also of the alcohol in a state of vapour,
between the condensers 30 and 32 and the refrigerators 45 and 54, of an arrange-
ment of taps 43 and 53 placed within reach of the distiller and establishing
communication between the pipe coming from the condenser and that going to
the refrigerator, each of said pipes being provided in its lower part with a vessel
to receive the condensations as they are produced and a tap to discharge them,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown as an example in Figures I
and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
8. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application of a single forewarmer (recuperator) 2
capable of receiving both the low wine from column 1 and the exhausted water
from the base of column 21, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown
as an example in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
9. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the combined application with a view to enabling liquid
alcohol to be drawn at the bottom of the condenser 32 itself, of a little device
for discharging vapours placed at the top of the said condenser and serving to
allow air to escape, and of a little special refrigerator serving to condense the
vapours escaping by this discharge vent, substantially as herein before described.
10. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application, to the columns, of an upper shelf having
a raised overflow performing the function of a regulating reservoir intended to
maintain the standard of the washing liquid retrograding on to the lower shelves,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown as an example in Figure 1 of
the accompanying drawings.
11. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatuses, the combined application with the shelves 56 and 62
(corresponding to the maximum point of concentration of the alcohol) of the
column for extracting the tail products, of a regulating reservoir 58 acting both
as an oil decanter and an extractor of the tail products and as accumulator for
absorbing the momentary excesses of alcohol, which may be produced in the
column and for then returning them without thereby affecting the working of
the column, substantially as herein before described and shown as an example in
Figures 1, 4 and 41, 411 of the accompanying drawings.
12. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application with a view to automatically regulating

page_text: the feed of the columns, of an arrangement of regulator, characterised by the
combination, with a small tap for drawing off alcoholic vapour fitted to one of
the shelves where the degree varies the easiest and regulated in a suitable manner
at the commencement of the working, of a condenser connected with the lower
reservoir of a float regulator having a variable action, substantially as herein-
before described and shown as an example in Figure 1 of the accompanying
drawings.
13. As a
new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application to the column for extracting the tail pro-
ducts, of a pressure regulator having a variable action, characterised by the com-
bination with a float capable of descending or rising as the pressure of the steam
in the columns acting on the float increases or diminishes, of a shank connected
with the float and acting as desired to close or open the vapour inlet, the
variability being obtained by causing the level of the water in the reservoir in
which the float is contained to be varied as desired by means of a communicat-
ing cup which may be raised and lowered at will, substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown as an example in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
14. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application of a shelf having alternate falls for liquid
and a great development of the scrubbing, substantially as herein before described
and shown as an example in Figures 3 and 31 of the accompanying drawings.
15. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application to the rectifying columns of a shelf having
alternate falls of liquid and of very reduced height, substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown as an example in Figures 4, 41, and 4" of the accompanying
drawings.
16. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application to all the columns of a multiple and
methodical analysis shelf, characterised by the combination of a series of com-
partments arranged as a cascade and each being equal to a separate shelf, sub-
stantially as herein before described and shown as an example in Figures 5 and 5¹
of the accompanying drawings.
17. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application of an apparatus for ageing the extra
neutral alcohol or the brandies or other alcohols, characterised by the combina-
tion with an arrangement of shelves over which the alcohol which is to be aged
is caused to fall, of a series of field tubes heated by the vapour from the dis-
tilling column which tubes effect the evaporation of the alcohol which rises
upwards in the shelves in order to pass from thence to a condenser where the part
of the vapour condensed returns to the apparatus, whilst that uncondensed is
collected by a current of pure air arriving on the shelves which it has passed
through, substantially as herein before described and shown as an example in
Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.
18. The application to my continuous working distilling and rectifying
apparatus, of a modification, consisting in placing the extractor for the head
products directly above the distilling column, in applying thereto my process of
feeding with the alcoholic vapours at an intermediate height between the top
and bottom of this column for extracting the head products, and with details
such as herein before specified, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown
as an example in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.
19. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application of a series of closed or unperforated shelves
having perforated caps (calottes) provided all over their periphery with a falling
toothed edge serving to produce, in case of insufficiency of holes for the passage
of the steam, a simultaneous scrubbing by these said holes and these toothed
edges, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown as an example in
Figures 9 and 91 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 20. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application of a closed testing or drawing off device,
characterised by the combination, with an ordinary testing or drawing off device
without a bottom, of a tight bell which covers it, in such a way as to dispense
with any, loss of charge by the fact of passing through the testing device, the
products which fly therefrom retrograding in the ordinary manner, substantially
as herein before described and shown as an example in Figure 7 of the accom-
panying drawings.
21. As a new constituent element of my continuous working distilling and
rectifying apparatus, the application of a column for distilling thick wash
arranged on the principles specified for the formation of shelf for multiple and
methodical analyses, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown as an
example in Figures 10, 11. & 12 of the. accompanying drawings.
22. As a supplemental part of my continuous distilling and rectifying
apparatus, the application of an apparatus enabling the low wine and dregs
discharged from the distilling columns to be evaporated, characterised by the
combination of the parts hereinbefore specified and shown as an example in
Figure 8 of the accompanying drawing.
23. The application of the various parts hereinbefore specified and claimed to
rectifying apparatuses already existing which work intermittently or non-con-
tinuously in order to transform them into continuous working rectifying
apparatuses, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown as an example in
Figure 13 of the accompanying drawings.
r
501
1007
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.