AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR USE IN DISTILLERIES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Anthon Steenberg, Patent Agent, of Copenhagen,
Denmark, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR USE
IN DISTILLERIES." A communication by Carl Falkman, a person resident
at Stockholm, Sweden.
Sealed the 17th July 1877, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
PAKA
Sealed the 17th July 1877, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
dated the 20th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Anthon Steenberg at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 20th December 1876.
ANTHON STEENBERG, Patent Agent, of Copenhagen, Denmark.
APPARATUS FOR USE IN DISTILLERIES."
Stockholm, Sweden.
" AN IMPROVED
A communication by Carl Falkman, of
By this improved apparatus spirits are obtained, containing more than 95 per
cent. of alcohol. If perfectly pure, and yet much concentrated spirits are wanted,
containing more than 97 per cent. of alcohol, the apparatus is filled with recently
incandescent and well burned coal, the necessary cooling at the same time inside
and outside being retained during the distillation.
The apparatus is of two kinds, that is to say, it may be used as well without coal
as with coal, and may be advantageously used at the same time in combination, so
that the spirits are concentrated and partly refined in passing the apparatus in
which there is no coal, and then immediately are led through the apparatus that
is filled with coal. Here the spirits are still further concentrated and refined.
In the apparatus destined for the coal some other vegetable matter may as well
be placed that the refined vapors of the spirits may get whatever smell or taste is
wanted. The said apparatuses, however, are destined as well for the preparation of
strong and perfectly refined spirits from the mash as for refining and concentrating
the crude " brandevin " or spirits, or the "brandevin" that has already been
refined by the cold process.
The said apparatus, as used without coal, has a tube through which the vapors of
the spirits enter, and a room for cooling inside filled with cold water, also a room
for cooling outside filled with cold water. It also has a tube through which the
cooling water enters, with a cock for the cooling outside and a cock for the inside
cooling. It also has a tube and funnels for the inside cooling tube, through which

page_text: the hot cooling water passes out of the cooling room, and a similar tube for the
cooling room inside, and a discharge tube for the cooling water. A tube is provided
for leading off the weaker condensed spirits to the last drops, the said tube having
a cover and cock. An air valve is fitted in a metallic net or a metallic plate, with
small round holes between each division of the apparatus. There is a cock to pour
out the last drops when the apparatus is to be cleaned, and holes are formed round
the first-named tube that the condensed vapours may be able to pour out if the
tube should happen to be closed. The said apparatus has a place for the recently
burned charcoal or other vegetable matter, and openings through which the coals
are placed in the apparatus; similar openings are provided through which the coals
are taken out; these openings may be closed hermetically. There is also a metallic
net or plate with holes, on which the coals are laid, and through which the vapours
of the spirits pass, and the condensed vapours drop down. All parts of the appa-
ratus that are exposed to the spirits or their vapours are made of metal and tinned
when necessary.
The distilling boiler may be of any suitable construction. In some instances in
the distillation of "brandevin" a spiral pipe is used instead of the direct steam;
it is placed some inches from the bottom of the lower boiler; and through it a con-
stant jet of steain is led so that the spirits are driven out without being weakened
by the condensed steam. A valve is provided for the discharge of the mash or the
"brandevin' from one boiler to the other boiler; a cock is provided for the outlet of
the barın or the last drops from the boiler. There is a safety-valve on the boiler.
I provide a test pipe for the gradation of the mash or "brandevin from the
.lower boiler, a rectification bottom for the last drop room, an inlet for cold water
to cool the upper bottom of the said room, and an outlet tube for the hot water
from the bottom of the said room. The mash heater has an inlet for the mash or
brandevin, an outlet for the mash or crude "brandevin," to the upper
boiler; also an air valve, water gauge, and pipe for the heating of the mash or
brandevin."
«
"
"
"
The cooling vessel where the vapors of the spirits are condensed has a mash
spirit tester, consisting of a small cooler, a receiver, a reservoir with a water gauge
and air valve, and an outlet tube and cock to pour the tested liquid into the
aforesaid lower boiler. There is also a large steam tube, provided with an a
valve, which combines the apparatus of dephlegmation with the mash heater.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Anthon Steenberg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th July
1877.
ANTHON STEENBERG, Patent Agent, of Copenhagen, Denmark. "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR USE IN DISTILLERIES." A communication by Carl Falkman, a
person resident at Stockholm, Sweden.
By this improved apparatus spirits are obtained, containing more than 95 per
cent. of alcohol. If perfectly pure, and yet much concentrated spirits are wanted,
containing more than 97 per cent. of alcohol, the apparatus is filled with recently
incandescent and well burned coal, the necessary cooling at the same time inside
and outside being retained during the distillation.
The apparatus of both kinds, as well without coal as with coal, may nevertheless
be advantageously used at the same time in combination, so that the spirits are
concentrated and partly refined in passing the apparatus in which there is no coal,
and then immediately are led through the apparatus that are filled with coal. Here
the spirits are still further concentrated and refined.
In the apparatus destined for the coal some other vegetable matter may as well
be placed that the refined vapors of the spirits may get whatever smell or taste is

page_text: wanted. The said apparatus, however, is designed as well for the preparation of
strong and perfectly refined spirits from the mash as for refining and concentrating
the crude "brandevin" or spirits, or the "brandevin" that has already been refined
by the cold process.
The said apparatus is shewn in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 is
an apparatus for the rectification and deplegmation without coal; Figure 2 is a similar
apparatus filled with coal; and Figure 3 shows how this apparatus may be com-
bined for the preparation of the strongest and most refined spirits, be it from the
mash or from impure "brandevin," crude spirits, or crude "brandevin," or the like.
The shape, the proportions, and the number of the parts of the said apparatus arc
adapted to circumstances and to the extent of the production. By this Invention
the waste in coals is but one-fifth part of that caused in the refining of "brandevin'
by the cold process.
"
In Figure 1 the parts marked 1 serve for the entrance and distribution of the
vapors of the spirits throughout the apparatus; the parts marked 2 contain con-
densed weaker spirits, or the Inst drops. The parts marked 3 show the outside
cooling with water; the parts marked 4, the inside cooling with water. a is a tube
through which the vapours of the spirits enter; b is a room for inside cooling, filled
with cold water; c is a room for outside cooling, filled with cold water; d is a tube
through which the cooling water enters, the said tube being provided with a cock e
for the outside cooling, and a cock f* for the inside cooling; f is a tube for funnels
for the inside cooling; y is a tube through which the waste cooling water pours out
of the outside cooling room; & is a similar tube for the inside cooling room; i is a
common discharge tube for the waste cooling water; is a tube for conducting off
the weaker condensed spirits (the last drops), the said tube having a cover and
cock; is an air valve in metallic net, or a metallic plate with small round holes
between the divisions of the apparatus; n is a cock for discharging the last drops
when the apparatus is to be cleaned; o, o, are holes round the tube a which will
permit the discharge of the condensed vapours if the tube should happen to be
closed.
In Figure 2 the part marked 5 is the place for the recently burned charcoal or
other vegetable matter, and 2, 1, are openings through which the coals are placed
in the apparatus; 7, 7, are similar openings through which the coals are taken out.
The openings and p may be closed hermetically; s is a metal nut or plate with
holes on which the coals are laid, and through which the vapours of the spirits pass
and the condensed vapours drop down. All parts of the apparatus exposed to the
spirits or their vapours are made of metal and tinned when necessary.
1
Figure 3 shows the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 placed in combina-
tion with a suitable apparatus for distillation, so that the construction of the appa-
ratus may be clearly understood. The distilling boiler, Figure 3, may be of any
suitable construction, but in this case is the lower boiler, the upper one, c¹ the
room for the last drops, d' the inlet for the steam in the lower boiler for the boiling
of the mash and for the passage of the vapours of the spirits to the upper boiler b¹
through the tubes e¹. In the distillation of spirits or "brandevin a spiral pipe is
used instead of the direct steam; it is placed at a suitable distance from the bottom
of the lower boiler, and through it a constant jet of steam is led, so that the spirits
are driven out without being weakened by condensed steam; f' is a valve for the
discharge of the mash or the "brandevin" from the boiler b¹ to the lower boiler u';
g is a cock for the outlet of the barm, or the last drops, from the boiler a¹; ' is a
cover for the man-hole of the boiler u; ³ is a cover for the man-hole of the boiler b¹;
is the safety valve of the boiler ; is the outlet tube for the last drops from
the room c¹ in the boiler b¹; is a valve for the passage of the last drops from the
room to the boiler ; m¹ is a test pipe for the gradation of the mash or
brandevin" from the lower boiler a¹; n¹ is a rectification bottom for the last drop
room co¹ is an inlet for cold water to cool the upper bottom of the room c¹;
is a tube for the hot water from the bottom of the room c¹; is the
aforesaid bottom of the room c; 8¹ is the common safety valve of the upper
fr

page_text: boiler b¹ and the room c¹. Figure 1ª shews the mash heater. a is an inlet for the
nash or "brandevin"; b is a passage for the mash or crude "brandevin" to the upper
boiler 2. Figure 4 is an air valve; d is a water gauge; e² is a pipe for the heating
of the mash or brandevin.
Figure 5 shews the cooling vessel wherein the vapours of the spirits are condensed;
Figure 6 shews an apparatus called the mash spirits' tester; it has a small cooler a³,
a receiver b³, a reservoir c³, with a water gauge d³, and an air valve, an outlet tube e³,
and cock f³ to discharge the tested liquor into the aforesaid lower boiler a³, Figure 3.
The large steam tube is provided with an air valve which combines the apparatus of
dephlegmation, Figure 2, with the mash heater, Figure 4.
In the working of the said apparatus the mash or "brandevin," or other spirit to
be distilled having been admitted into the mash heater, Figure 4, through the
tubes a, and from the mash heater through the tube 6*, will pass into the upper
boiler b¹ and then by the valve f¹ into the lower boiler a, Figure 3, these two boilers
having received a sufficient quantity of the liquid, as indicated by the water gauge
of the mash heater, steam from the steam boiler is poured into the lower boiler a³,
Figure 3, through the tube d', as direct working steam by the distillation of mash,
and as indirect working steam by the aid of a spiral tube when spirits or "brandevin"
are distilled. This steam causes the liquid in the lower boiler a¹ to boil, and by the
aid of the tubes e¹ the vapours of spirit that issue from the latter boil the liquid in
the upper boiler bl. Then the vapour of the spirits pass into the room c¹ for the
last drops, and are submitted to the first cooling between the rectification bottom n¹
and the upper bottom of the room c', whence the partially rectified vapours of the
spirits through the tube a, Figure 1a, enter the first apparatus of rectification,
Figure 1 at the same time, both inside and outside, being submitted to a carefully
regulated cooling, then through the tube a of the dephlegmation apparatus, Figure 2ª,
that is filled with recently burned charcoal passing between the walls of the inside
cooling room b and the outside room c.
When the coals by reason of the cooling of the cooling rooms b and c, inside and
outside, have been saturated with the vapours of spirits that by this time have been
still further rectified and dephlegmated, especially for the reason that the said
apparatus, Figure 2a, forms a freely standing and freely acting apparatus for the
rectification and dephlegmation, the said vapours of spirits when the cooling is
going on at the same time inside and outside will pass to the apparatus for dephleg-
mation, Figure 2ª, placed at the top till they have reached the greatest strength
possible and the utmost refinement. Then they pass through the tube c* with the
nir valve and pour down through the spiral tube e² of the mash heater, Figure 4,
and having heated the replenish mass, or "brandevin," the absolutely refined vapours
of alcohol pass into the cooling vessel, Figure 5, where they are condensed. The
weaker spirits, or the last drops that have been condensed by the refinement, con-
stantly pour down through the tubes k, Figures 1 and 24, from one apparatus to
the other, and finally through the tubes / from the room c¹, Figure 3, dropping
into the upper boiler b₁, Figure 3. The cocks of the tubes h, Figures 1ª and 2ª,
prevent the premature entrance of the vapours of the spirits into the apparatus for
dephlegmation, Figure 24.
To ascertain whether any alcohol still remains in the lower mash boiler the
cock m² that communicates with the small cooler of the mash spirits tester, Figure 6,
is opened. Some alcohol being left, the aerometer employed as a tester for the last
drops passes above 0°, and the cock of the tube m' is then closed and the distillation
pursued till the gauge shows 0°; then all of the alcohol has been driven out and the
barm, or the last drops when crude spirits are refined, must be drawn out through
the tube g¹, Figure 3. The lower boiler a² then is filled from the upper one b¹ by
the aid of the valve f¹, and the upper boiler is filled with mash from the mash
reservoir (either with spirits or with "brandevin ") and thus the operation is con-
tinually pursued as long as desired. By each renewal of the mash, or "brandovin," in
the boilers a¹ and 61, Figure 3, and in the mash heater, Figure 4, the cock of the
.

page_text: water tube d² is closed; as soon as the operation recommences and the vapours of the
spirits through the room c¹, Figure 3, pour into the apparatus for rectification they
are opened again.
By the application or employment of the said rectification and dephlegmation
apparatus for continuous distillation, the closing of the cock of the water tube dis
avoided in most cases. Figure 3 corresponds with the boilers at present used for
distillation; Figure 4 the (mash heater) and Figure 5 (the cooling vessel) also are
of the same construction as those now used.
The apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2 is of quite a novel construction, and the
capability therein permitted of a carefully regulated cooling at the same time
inside and outside is a very important feature thereof. Strong spirits may be
obtained in this manner, and the coal used in the apparatus shewn in Figuro 2 re-
maining cold for a long time may retain the fuzzle and other impure distillates
that may have accompanied the spirits through the apparatus shewn in Figure 1, in
which there is no coal.
Having thus fully described the said Invention and the manner of performing
I wish it understood that I claim the apparatus herein described for the
the same,
purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Anthon Steenberg, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
ATAU AMBIANDA