Year: 1899

page_text: j
A communication from GERARD SANDKER, of Ghent, Belgium.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of London,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this, invention to be
as follows:-
The present invention relates to an improved method of producing alcohol,
and to a new apparatus by means of which the process can be carried out, whereby
a rectified alcohol of superior qualities (Schiedam etc.) is obtained, and of much
superior taste compared with that obtained by the ordinary processes, and at the
same time considerably reducing the net price of the alcoliol.
These results are obtained by first distilling in an ordinary still préviously fré-
mented liquor with the still residue of a previous operation, and then rectifying
the phlegm (crude alcohol) thus obtained by successive distillations in a second
still resembling the first.
By way of example one manner of construction and arrangement of apparatus
employed will be described..
The apparatus is comprised essentially of two stills of ordinary shape, suitable
vessels in which to ferment the liquor and to receive the alcohol produced and
the resulting residue, as well as all the necessary tubes, pumps, taps and the, like
for connecting the different parts of the apparatus, and the different receivers.
The ground grain is contained in a holder which communicates by means of
a tube with the vessels in which the fermentation of the liquor is required to take
place. The fermented liquor then passes by means of a tube to a still heated
by flames or naked fire in a furnace and provided also in its lower part with
a serpentine or coiled tube through which steam is circulated.
The still communicates through its head with a coiled tube arranged. in a
refrigerating vessel. The end of the serpentine tube issues at the bottom of the
vessel and is placed over a tank which is to receive the crude alcohol, in which
it may be examined, and which tank is provided with a tap by means of which
the alcohol can be discharged into a second tank or vessel arranged on a lower
level. This tank communicates by a tube with the second still, the latter being
connected in the same manner as in the previous case, by means of the head
with the serpentine tube of a refrigerator, which tube ends above a vessel provided
with a tap, by means of which the alcohol may be discharged into a second vessel
and finally an ascension tube delivers the distilled residues of the process, which
have to pass through a second operation, into an upper container.
The two stills are each provided with a tap for the purpose of emptying and
cleaning them.
01
out in the following manner.

page_text: For the first operation the ground grain is transferred from the upper vessel
to the fermentation vessel by turning a tap; in this vessel it is mixed with hot
water to the desired degree, and also with a certain quantity of yeast, and left to
ferment for say 48 hours. The fermented liquor thus obtained is then trans-
ferred to the first still, where it is heated, producing by this distillation a mixture
of steam and vapours of alcohol which, after passing through the head, are con-
densed in the refrigerator serpentine tube. The liquor thus obtained passes into
the tank where the examination of the alcohol takes place, and is then drawn off
after this first operation into the second tank or vessel.
From this second vessel the mixture of alcohol and water is drawn off by
aspiration, through a tube into the second still where it is submitted to the first
rectification, the object of which is to separate from the alcohol the greater portion
of the water which it contains. The alcohol vapours produced in such distillation
are condensed by the second refrigerating serpentine tube which discharges the
liquor into its first tank from which it is drawn off into a second vessel. When
the latter contains a sufficient quantity of alcohol to charge the second still, the
datter is emptied of the water which it contains, and which results from the
rectification which had just taken place, and the still is filled with the alcohol
from the tank. In this way it is necessary to carry out three such operations
in the second still, when the alcohol thus obtained will be perfectly rectified.
The residues consisting of a mixture of liquor and solid matter, remaining after
the distillation in the first still are drawn off from the latter by means of the tap
and discharged into a vessel from whence they are lifted by means of a steam
jet through a tube into an upper tank. In the latter the mixture is allowed to
settle and is then decanted. The liquor thus obtained is then charged into the
first feeding vessel for the purpose of undergoing another operation, while the
solid matter is withdrawn and utilised for feeding cattle, for fattening purposes
and the like.
The liquor in the feeding vessel is then mixed with ground grain and introduced
by means of the tube to the second fermentation vessel Hot water is added,
and, if there is need for it, a sufficient quantity of yeast. After the fermentation,
lasting for about 12 hours, the barm which had been formed is extracted, and
the mixture allowed to ferment for another 12 hours, before it is ready for dis-
tillation. The operation then continues as has been explained above.
The alcohols thus obtained are all much less strong than those produced by
means of columns, but their taste is very superior compared with that of the
latter.
The tube in the still heated by steam, renders it possible to heat the liquor
gradually, without any risk of burning, above all, when the mixture is prepared
from a bad or medium quality of grain; in that case the fire of the furnace is
not lit before the liquor has been raised to the required temperature, by means
of the serpentine tube.
Doted th: 20th 1:
P T
1000
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
The present invention relates to an improved method of producing alcohol, .
and to a new apparatus by means of which the process can be carried out, whereby
a rectified alcohol (Schiedam etc.) of superior qualities is obtained and of much
superior taste compared with that obtained by the ordinary processes, and at the
same time considerably reducing the net price of the alcohol.
These results are obtained by first distilling in an ordinary still previously fer-
mented liquor with the still residue of a previous operation, and then rectifying
the phlegm (crude alcohol) thus obtained by successive distillations in a second
still rectifying the first.
By way of example one manner of construction or arrangement of apparatus
employed is represented in the accompanying drawing.
The apparatus comprises essentially two stills of ordinary shape, suitable
vessels in which to ferment the liquor and to receive the alcohol produced and
the resulting residue, as well as all the necessary tubes, pumps, taps and the like.
for connecting the different parts of the apparatus and the different receivers."
The ground grain is contained in a holder q which communicates by means of
a tube u with the vessels h and m in which the fermentation of the liquor is
required to take place. The fermented liquor then passes by means of a tube
to a still a heated by flame or naked fire in a furnace i and provided also in its
lower part with a serpentine or coiled tube z through which steam is circulated.
The still a communicates through its head c with a coiled tube e arranged in
a refrigerating vessel g. The end of the serpentine tube e issues at the bottom
of the vessel and is placed over a tank v which is to receive the crude alcohol,
in which it may be examined and which tank is provided with a tap by means of
which the alcohol can be discharged into a second tank or vessel J arranged on
a lower level. This tank J communicates by a tube w with the second still b,
the latter being connected in the same manner as in the previous case, by means
of the head with the serpentine tube f of a refrigerator gl. which tube ends
above a vessel provided with a tap by means f which the alcohol may be dis-
charged into a second vessel t and finally an ascension tube p delivers the distilled
residues of the process, which have to pass through a second operation, into an
upper container o.
The two stills a and b are each provided with a taps for the purpose of emptying
and cleaning them.
The process is carried out in the following manner;
For the first operation the ground grain is transferred from the upper vessel
to the fermentation vessel m by turning a tap in the tube u, in this vessel it is
mixed with hot water to the desired degree and also with a certain quantity of
yeast, and left to ferment for say 48 hours. The fermented liquor thus obtained
is then transferred to the first still a where it is heated, producing by this dis-
tillation a mixture of steam and vapours of alcohol which, after passing through
the head c are condensed, in the refrigerator serpentine tube e. The liquor thus
obtained passes into the tank where the examination of the alcohol takes place,
and is then drawn off after this first operation into the second tank or vessel J.
From this second vessel J the mixture of alcohol and water is drawn off by
aspiration, through tube wo into the second still b where it is submitted to the
first rectification the object of which is to separate from the alcohol, the greater
portion of the water which it contains. The alcoholic vapours produced in such
distillation are condensed by the second refrigerator serpentine tube f which
discharges the liquor into its first tank c from which it is drawn off into a
second vessel t. When the latter contains a sufficient quantity of alcohol to
charge the second still b, the latter is emptied of the water which it contains,
and which results from the rectification which had just taken place, and the
still is filled with the alcohol from the tank t. In this way' it is necessary to

page_text: carry out three such operations in the second still, when the alcohol thus obtainéd
will be perfectly rectified.
The residues consisting of a mixture of liquor and solid matter, remaining after
I the distillation in the first still a are drawn off from the latter through the tap s
and discharged into a vessel from whence they are lifted by means of a steam
jet through a tube into an upper tank o. In the latter the mixture is allowed
to settle and is then decanted. The liquor thus obtained is then charged into
the first feeding vessel q for the purpose of undergoing another operation, while
the solid matter is withdrawn and utilised for feeding cattle for fattening purposes
and the like.
The liquor in the feeding vessel q is then mixed with ground grain and intro-
duced by means of the tube u to the second fermentation vessel h. Hot water is
added, and if there is need for it a sufficient quantity of yeast. After the
fermentation,, lasting for about 12 hours, the barm which had been formed is
extracted, and the mixture allowed to ferment for another 12 hours, before
it is ready for distillation. The opération then continues as has been explained
.above.
"The alcohols thus obtained are all much less strong than those produced by
means of columns, but their taste is very superior compared with that of the
latter.
The tube in the still, heated by steam, renders it possible to heat the liquor
gradually without any risk of burning, and is particularly advantageous when
the mixture is prepared from a bad or medium quality of grain; in that case the.
fire of the furnace is not lit before the liquor has been raised to the required
temperature, by means of the serpentine tubez.
The invention further relates to an arrangement in the head of the still or in
any other appropriate place, of several layers of charcoal (obtained through
imperfect combustion of wood in air) for the purpose of absorbing the fatty matter
contained in the alcoholic vapours issuing from the still.
The still contains one or more sheets of wire gauze or of perforated sheet metal
arranged in the neck y of the cucurbit or the head of the still, on which is
placed wood charcoal. The object of such charcoal is to absorb the fatty matter
contained in the alcoholic vapours issuing from the rectifying still, which on their
way to the cooling serpentine must pass through the layer of charcoal.
By this means the greater portion of fatty matter is effectively extracted from
the alcohol which otherwise would give the latter not only a bad taste, but would
also render it detrimental to health.
f
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:—-
1. A process for the production of alcohol in which the alcohol is obtained
by
a
of distillation in
means
still of liquor mixed with the wort
of a preceding operation and then fermented, the coarse alcohol thus
obtained being then rectified by passing it a sufficient number of times, through
a second still, substantially as described.
JR.
2. In the manufacture of alcohol in the manner described extracting the fatty
matter contained in the alcohol after distillation and during rectification by passing
the alcoholic vapours through one or several layers of wood charcoal, substantially
as described.
10
3. Apparatus for the production of alcohol consisting of two stills for the purpose
of distilling and rectifying the alcohol in combination with vessels, tubes and taps
for receiving and conducting the substances treated or to be treated, substantially
as described.
4. In an arrangement of apparatus of the kind described for use in the manu-
facture of alcohol one or more sheets of wire gauze or perforated: sheet metal

page_text: placed in the head of the rectifying still on which is placed wood charcoal for
the absorption of the fatty matter contained in the alcoholic vapours issuing from
the rectification cucurbit, substantially as described.
5. In apparatus of the kind described for the production of alcohol a steam
heated serpentine tube arranged in the body of the distilling still so as to prevent
the liquor from burning in the still, substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of March 1900
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.