Apparatus for Extracting Substances by Volatile Solvents.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 27th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Extracting Substances by Volatile Solvents.
I, JAMES MEIKLE, Junior, of 342 Gairbraid Street, Glasgow, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus by which volatile solvents are applied to
extract substances from materials containing them, and the solvents themselves are
recovered after effecting the extraction.
For this purpose, I provide a closed vessel divided into two compartments by a
horizontal perforated partition on which is placed suitable filtering material.
The cover of the vessel is hollow and contains a chamber which can be supplied
with steam for heating or with cold water for cooling.
The underside of this chamber is formed with a number of conical projections, 80
that liquid deposited on them by condensation, drops down, not in one place, but
from all the apices of the cones. In the upper compartment there is a heater
which may be a steam pipe coil or a cylindrical steam jacket. The lower com-
partment is provided with a similar heater. and it may have also a steam jacket at
its bottom or on its sides. Both compartments are provided with agitators
consisting of arms projecting from a central vertical shaft which passes through the
perforated partition. There is a communication from the upper part of the lower
compartment to the upper part of the upper compartment, and for this purpose, the
agitator shaft may be made tubular with lateral openings into both compartments.
A condensing worm is arranged in a tank in communication with the closed
vessel, and also by a pipe with a closed receptacle containing solvent.
The material to be treated is charged into the upper compartment through a feed
hole, which is closed, and then solvent is forced by air pressure through the worm
and through a distributing pipe arranged in the upper compartment, on to the
material, through which it percolates taking extracted matter along with it,
through the filtering material and the perforated partition, into the lower
compartment.
By means of suitable cocks the distributing pipe is then put in communication
with the lower part of the condensing coil, and steam is admitted to the jacket
and coil of the lower compartment vaporising the solvent therein. The vapour of
the solvent rises into the upper compartment and is condensed on meeting the
cover which at that time is kept cold by water circulating through its chamber.
or
The condensed solvent dropping from the cones, by which it is distributed over
the material, again percolates through it; and thus solvent is caused to pass
repeatedly through the material, which is agitated either continuously
occasionally, and the soluble substances extracted are collected in solution in the
lower compartment. When the extracting process has been carried on in this
manner for a sufficient time, the distributing pipe is connected to the upper part
of the condensing coil, the cold water is cut off from the chamber in the cover
and steam is admitted to it and also to the heater in the upper compartment.
The solvent is thus vaporised, is condensed by the coil and is collected in
the receptacle.
The substance extracted can then be run off, if it is liquid, or removed through
a suitable opening if it is solid, from the lower compartment.
Dated this 31st day of May 1893.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Apparatus for Extracting Substances by Volatile Solvents.
I, JAMES MEIKLE Junior of 342 Gairbraid Street, Glasgow, 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 relates to apparatus by which volatile solvents are applied to
extract substances from materials containing them and the solvents themselves are
recovered after effecting the extraction. For this purpose I provide apparatus of
which the accompanying drawing is a vertical section. A closed vessel is divided
into two compartments an upper A. and a lower B. by a horizontal perforated
partition C. on which is placed suitable filtering material.
The cover H. of the vessel is hollow and contains a chamber which can be
supplied with steam for heating or with cold water for cooling.
Both
The underside of this chamber is formed with a number of conical projections, so
that liquid deposited on them by condensation, drops down, not in one place, but
from all the apices of the cones. In the upper compartment A. which has a steam
jacket O. there is a heater which may be a steam pipe coil or a cylindrical steam
jacket G. as shewn. The lower compartment B. is provided with a similar heater M.
and has a steam jacket L. at its bottom, also a steam pipe l'. opening into it.
compartments A. and B are provided with agitators consisting of arms projecting
from a central vertical shaft D. which passes through the perforated partition C.
There is a communication from the upper part of the lower compartiment to the
upper part of the upper compartment, and for this purpose, the agitator shaft D. may
be made tubular as shown with lateral openings E and F into both compartments.
A condensing worm I. is arranged in a tank in communication with A. and also
by a pipe K. with a closed receptacle or tank J. containing solvent preferably
placed in the ground.
The material to be treated is charged into the upper compartment A. through a
feed hole at the side which is closed and then solvent is forced by air pressure
from J. up the pipe K through the worm I. and through a distributing pipe N.
arranged in the upper compartment A. on to the material, through which it
percolates taking extracted matter along with it, through the filtering material and
the perforated partition, into the lower compartment B.
By means of suitable cocks or valves with which all the pipes are furnished the
distributing pipe N. is then put in communication with the lower part of the
condensing coil 1. and steam is admitted to the jacket L. and heater M. of the lower
compartment vaporising the solvent therein. The vapour of the solvent rises by
the tubular shaft D. into the upper compartiment and is condensed on meeting the
cover H. which at that time is kept cold by water circulating through its
chamber.
The condensed solvent dropping from the cones of the cover by which it is distributed
over the material, again percolates through it; and thus solvent is caused to pass
repeatedly through the material, which is agitated either continuously or occasionally,
and the soluble substances extracted are collected in solution in the lower com-
partment B. When the extracting process has been carried on in this manner for
a sufficient time, the distributing pipe N. is connected to the upper part of the
condensing coil, the cold water is cut off from the chamber in the cover H. and
steam is admitted to it and also to the heater G. in the upper compartment,
The solvent is thus vaporised, is condensed by the coil and is collected in the
receptacle J.,
The substance extracted can then be run off if it is liquid, or removed through a
suitable opening if it is solid from the lower compartment B.
1
1

page_text: The apparatus above described may be used for extraction of various substances,
such as sulphur from ores or residues containing it, paraffin from substances such
as bone charcoal oils and fats from seeds, fish and other solids, cotton waste and the
like, or generally for separation of bodies soluble in appropriate solvents from
bodies which are not soluble in the same solvents.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
An apparatus for extracting substances by volatile solvents and recovering the
solvents, constructed and operating substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 27th day of February 1894.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.