IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLATION
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLATION."-A communication
from abroad by Orazio Lugo, of the City of New York, in the
United States of America.
Sealed the 12th June 1866, and dated the 4th January 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th January 1866.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLATION,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in forcing into the distilling vessel during the
process of distillation a current of air or other suitable gaseous substances,
which will be made to mingle with and propel the vapours through tlie
condenser. The product then becomes deodorized and purified in a
most remarkable manner. When this process is applied to the distillation
of petroleum the same is rendered non-explosive, as the air carries off the
light and dangerous hydro-carbon gases, leaving the distilled petroleum in
a pure and deodorized condition. There are two other very important
advantages; consisting, firstly, in great saving in time, because the vapours

page_text: being carried off so soon as generated are more quickly evolved; and,
secondly, the pressure in the distilling apparatus being considerably
lessened, the heat required is thereby reduced, and a saving of at least 40
per cent. of fuel produced. This process can be carried on in any of the
existing stills, or any device used for that purpose, by attaching to it a
suitable blowing apparatus. It will be sufficient to say that the pipe by
which the air or other gaseous body is admitted to the still should be so
arranged that it will not deliver the air below the surface of the liquid, but
among the vapours near the surface. Among the other gaseous bodies
that can be used in place of air in the process I will mention carbonic acid
and chlorine gas.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th July 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I,
the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as 1, the said, William Edward Newton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLATION," being
a communication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.!

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists in forcing into the distilling vessel during the
process of distillation a current of air or other suitable gaseous substances,
which will be made to mingle with and propel the vapors through the
condenser. The product then becomes deodorized and purified in a
most remarkable manner. When this process is applied to the distillation
of petroleum the same is rendered non-explosive, as the air carries off the
light and dangerous hydro-carbon gases, leaving the distilled petroleum in
a pure and deodorized condition. There are two other very important
advantages derived from this treatment; consisting, firstly, in great saving
in time, because the vapors being carried off so soon as they are generated
are more quickly evolved; and, secondly, the pressure in the distilling appa-
ratus being considerably lessened, the heat required is thereby reduced, and
a saving of at least forty per cent. of fuel is effected. This process can be
carried on in any of the existing stills, or any apparatus used for that
purpose, by attaching to it any suitable blowing apparatus. It will be
sufficient to say that the pipe by which the air or other gaseous body is
admitted to the still should be so arranged that it will not deliver the air
below the surface of the liquid, but among the vapors near the surface.
Among the other gaseous bodies that can be used in place of air in the
process I will mention carbonic acid and chlorine gas.
Having now described the Invention that has been communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, and having explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent as aforesaid the introduction of a blast or current of air or other
gaseous body into the still or other distilling apparatus, and causing the same
to commingle and pass over with the distilled vapours, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)