IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING APPARATUS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis. Rudolph, Bodmer, of 2, Thavies Inn, Holborn,,
in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING
APPARATUS." A communication from abroad by Edme Alfred Egrot, of
Sealed the 20th December 1861, and dated the 4th September 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Rudolph Bodmer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
on the 4th September 1861.
I, LOUIS RUDOLPH BODMER of 2, Thavies Iun, Holborn, in the City of
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DISTILLING APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
My improved apparatus for continuous distillation relates in the first place
to a new distilling column differing essentially from those hitherto used, firstly,
by requiring much less height; secondly, in the smaller number of platforms.
required; thirdly,in exposing a smaller surface to the external air as compared
with the columns at present in use, which owing to their great height and
large diameter, expose a very large surface, whereby the surrounding air gets
heated, and a portion of the fuel wasted; and, fourthly, the new column dis-
tinguishes itself by the rapidity of its operation, by which a considerable saving
in fuel is effected. The column is formed of a series of platforms each on a
different level, and divided into annular compartments or galleries by parti-
Price

page_text: tions opening into each other at certain places so as to form a communication
from one gallery to another. The bottom of each platform is fitted with
a large number of hollow steam heaters in the shape of small cylinders, which
pass through and are secured to the bottom of the platform by nuts, or in
place of these heaters the bottom of the platform may be perforated with
small holes. The entire column is composed of the boiler, which may ba
heated either directly or indirectly by steam, or by an ordinary fire, and of.
3, 4, or 5 platforms placed one above the other; and covered in by a hood,
which latter supports the rectifying column; or in place of the boiler a box
or chest heatcil by steain may be employed. A pipe fitted with a feed cock
supplies the uppermost platform with the liquid through a funnel or inlet, and
overflow pipes fitted to each platform-carry the liquid from platform to plat-
form, and to the boiler. A column as above described is applicable for dis-
tilling either large or small quantities:
The second part of the improvements consists, in giving the platform an
oval or oblong shape or form, which without occupying more space in width,
offers a much larger surface of distillation, and therefore permits of the number
of platforms being reduced, the arrangement of the platforms remaining in
otlier respects the same as in the circular platform. A modification of the
annular compartments consists, in giving the partitions the form of a spiral,
beginning at the circumference of the uppermost platform, and ending in the
centre of the lowest platform, the bottom of which may be made concave,
convex, or undulated in shape.
The third part of this Invention has for its object to render the distilling.
apparatus portable. The small space required by the improved column
permits of the apparatus being made perfectly portable by placing it on
wheels.
The above described improved distilling apparatus is applicable for the
distillation of wine, of the juice of the beetroot, and of any other matter
suitable for distillation.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her.Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred aud sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Louis Rudolph Bodmer,. Her special licence that I, the
said Louis Rudolph Bodmer, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Louis Rudolph Bodmer, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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 DISTILLING APPARATUS," (a com-
munication to me from abroad by Edme Alfred Egrot, of Paris, in the Empire
of France, Manufacturer of Distilling Apparatus,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Louis Rudolph Bodmer, 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,.
aud 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis Rudolph Bodmer, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention consists in improvements in the apparatus for the continuous
distillation of all descriptions of liquids and other substances yielding alcohol.
The advantages derived from the said improvements are the production of
apparatus comparatively much lighter than those hitherto used, and of dimi-
nished height, and consequently rendered more portable. Placed on wheels,
these apparatus.can, according to their dimensions, be drawn or moved about
either by hand or by horses, thus offering every facility for the distillation of
all substances and liquids suitable for this purpose, found on farms, and in
other places.
These improvements consist firstly, in the peculiar construction of the dis-
tilling column, differing essentially from the system of construction hitherto
known, by the small number of platforms required, by the greatly reduced
height, by exposing but a sinall surface to the external air as compared with
the columns at present in use, in which the surrounding air is heated at the

page_text: expense of the fuel employed; and, finally, by the rapidity of its operation,
and the saving in fuel resulting therefrom.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Fig. 1 represents an elevation
partly in section of a complete distilling apparatus; and Fig. 2 is a ground
plan of one of the platforms drawn on an enlarged scale. Each platform a is
bolted through its rim to the column A, and is divided into annular compart-
ments or galleries b, by means of division plates c, c, c, opening into each
other atd, d, d, see Fig. 2, so as to form a communication from one gallery
to another; and the bottom of each platform being formed of a series of stories,
so as to raise oue gallery above the other, the liquid in passing from one
gallery to another has a certain fall, which accelerates theworking of the appa-
ratus. A large number of small steam heaters e, c, are fitted to the bottoin
of each platform, and assist in keeping the liquid under operation in motion;
Fig. 3 represents one of these heaters drawn full size; the small tubef passes
through the bottom of the platform, and is secured in it by the nuty. The
steam penetrates into the tube in the direction of the arrows, and passes into
the upper part of the heater g, which, latter is supported by the standards li, h.
The column,see Fig. 1, is composed of the boiler B, heated either directly or
indirectly by steam or by an ordinary fire, und of 2, 3, or 4, or more or less,
platforms a, a; and, lastly, of a hood C, which latter supports the rectifying
column D. Instead of the boiler B, a double-bottomed steam chest may be
used. After filling the reservoir placed sideways above the apparatus, the
regulating tap i is turned on, and the various parts of the apparatus are
charged with the exception of the boiler, which before commencing operations
is filled with water; the tap is then closed, and the fire under the boiler
lighted. The steam as it is generated passes through the steam heaters e, c,
into the lowest platform a. The alcohol.contained in the liquid evaporates,
and after again ascending through the platforms a, a, a, enters the rectifying
column 1); where the alcoholic vapour is freed of its watery vapours, and.its
oil, and finally passes, into the worm of the still J. The vapours that are
not condensed in the worm J, descend into the refrigerator H. The tap is
now again turned on, and the liquid runs into the funnel 1, and into the
tube, which carries it to the foot of the worm. The pipo m carries the
liquid to the column A, where it circulate from one platform to another,
and arrives at last totally deprived of its alcoholic nature in the boiler, from
whence it escapes through the syphon pipe a. Thus, the liquid comes to each
platform a through a funnel o, clears the barrier m!, and following the course
indicated by the arrows, passes from gallery to gallery over the entire surfaco
of the platform, and finally escapes through the pipe K. The large number

page_text: of steam heaters likewise increases the heating surface; and thereby assists the
evaporation.
The second part of these improvements consists in giving the platforms an
oval or oblong shape, which, without requiring additional width, gives a larger
surface of distillation, and thereby permits of a reduction in the number of
platforms. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a column for continuous distil-
lation with this description of platform; and Fig. 5 is a ground plan of one of
these platforms. Between the platforms, see Figs. 4 & 5, there is on one side
of the column a man-hole'o' fitted in, and on the opposite side a light-hole »,
secured or closed with a screw plug.g. This man-hole and light-hole for facili-
tating the cleaning out of the column, may also be applied to the circular
columns shown in Figs. 1 & 2. The annular or oblong galleries above
described, may be replaced by a spiral, beginning at the circumference, and
ending in the centre of the platform, the bottom of which.in place of being
composed of distinct levels for each gallery, may be made flat, concave,
spheroidical, or undulated.
The advantages resulting from the use of the above-described construction
of platforms are, firstly, the diffusion of the steam by means of a large number
of steam heaters, which facilitate the distillation; and, secondly, the causing
the liquid or substance under operation, to pass over a large surface, and
exhausting the same, on nearly the same level, for the purpose of concentrating
the heat, and economising the fuel. The small steam heaters e, e, see Figs.
1 & 2, may, if preferred, be dispensed with, and a platform, see Fig. 6, having
aperforated bottom used in their place; this platform would however preserve
its peculiar character of divisions into galleries of different levels communi-
cating with each other. In all these various systems of columns, the steam in
order to reach the rectifying column, having to pass but through two or three
depths of liquid, a minimum pressure of steam answers the purpose.
In the distilling apparatus composed of numerous platforms placed one
above the other, the temperature in the lower platforms, and in the boiler rises
to too high a degree,and causes the oily parts of the substance under operation
to decompose and become volatilized, and thereby to combine with and dete-
riorate the products of distillation. With this improved apparatus, the rapidity
of the process prevents the decomposition of the oils.
The third part of these improvements consists, as already mentioned in
rendering the entire apparatus portable. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of such
an apparatus made portable and placed on wheels, and Fig. 8 is a ground
plan of the same. A, represents the column containing the improved plat-
forms; B, the boiler; C, is the cylinder supporting the rectifying column D;

page_text: and E, is the refrigerator. The configuration and dimensions of the various
parts of this improved distilling apparatus may be varied.
Having now described the nature of the said improvements, I wish it to
be understood that I do not claim any part of the apparatus already known
or in use; such for instance; as the worm of the still or the refrigerator; but
what I do claim as the Invention communicated to me, and to be socured to
ine, by the lierein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
Firstly, the peculiar arrangement and construction of the column for con-
tinuous distillation, with a limited number of platforms.
Secondly, the subdividing of these platforms, whether round, oblong, or
otherwise shaped, into galleries at different levels.
Thirdly, the use of an increased number of steam heaters of small diameter,
distributed over the platforms.
And, fourthly, the rendering portable the entire apparatus for continuous
distillation.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Rudolph Bodmer, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
L. R. BODMER. (...)