IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Wilhelm August Abegg, of the Westminster Palace
Hotel, Victoria Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING SPIRITUOUS
LIQUORS." A communication from abroad by Carl Falkman, residing
-
Tuning of Dussie
Hotel, Victoria Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING SPIRITUOUS
LIQUORS." A communication from abroad by Carl Falkman, residing
-
Turning of Dussia
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Wilhelm August Abegg
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st June 1864.
I, WILHELM AUGUST ABEGG, of the Westminster Palace Hotel, Victoria
Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING
SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object to obtain, by the continuous process, and
direct from the wash, spirituous liquors of much greater purity and strength
For this
than has been attainable by apparatus heretofore employed.
purpose employ apparatus of the following arrangement: The wash is
first introduced into a closed metallic vessel, which I call "the heater,"
where it is made to take up the heat from the hot alcoholic vapours that
are conducted, after completion of the operation, from the apparatus to a
[Price Bd.]

page_text: condenser through a coil of pipes placed inside the heater; from the heater
the wash then passes into the top of an apparatus for separating the alcohol
therefrom, and which I term the "dephlegmating column." This consists of
a number of receptacles or chambers placed the one on the top of the other, of
which every other one is provided with a perforated bottom, and is filled with
animal, wood, or other charcoal; the intermediate chambers, or chambers
containing the wash. communicate, each one respectively, with the chamber
filled with charcoal below it by means of one or more trapped openings, so
arranged that any alcoholic vapours can rise through them from the latter
into the former, but cannot pass down in the reverse direction. The wash
chambers furthermore communicate with each other by means of pipes
situated at alternate ends of the chambers, and which pass from near the
bottom of one chamber through the charcoal chamber above, and project
about half way into the next wash chamber above. At the bottom of the
column is a larger chamber for collecting the spent wash, into which steam
is introduced, and from which the spent wash may be removed through a cock
when required. The heated wash passes from the heater into the second
wash chamber from the top of this column, and when it has filled the same to
the height of the before-mentioned pipe, through which the wash chamber
communicates with the next one below, it flows down through such pipe into
the next chamber, and so on, till it arrives in the spent wash chamber at
bottom. At the same time steam passes into the spent wash chamber, and
entering the next wash chamber above through trapped openings volatilizes
the remaining alcohol of the wash contained in the same, and the combined
steam and vapours of alcohol, passing through the perforated bottom of the
charcoal chamber above. traverse the bed of charcoal and pass through the
trapped openings into the next wash chamber. Here the steam again vola-
tilizes the alcohol from the wash, and passes with the alcoholic vapours
through the next charcoal chamber; and thus it will be seen that as the
wash gradually flows down from one wash chamber to another, the steam
passes up in the reverse direction, gradually disengaging and accumulating
the alcohol from the wash in each chamber, and carrying the alcoholic
vapours through the intervening layers of charcoal. Arrived in the top
chamber of the column, the combined steam and vapours of alcohol pass into
the third part of the apparatus, which I term "the rectifier," and which
consists of a number of thin metal receptacles or chambers contained one
within another, so as to leave a narrow space intervening between the outer
surface of the one chamber and the inner surface of the one enclosing the
same. The chambers communicate with each other by means of openings

page_text: formed alternately in the sides of the innermost chamber in the top of the
next following, in the sides of the next, and so on, whilst the outermost
chamber communicates with the next part of the apparatus, and is surrounded
by a casing containing cold water. The steam and vapours of alcohol pass
from the before described dephlegmating column into the innermost chamber
of the rectifier, and thence through the side openings into the narrow space
between it and the second chamber; from this space it passes through the
opening in the top of the second chamber into the space between the second
and third chambers, and thence through the side openings in the third
chamber into the space between the third and fourth chambers, and so on,
until it arrives in the outermost chamber; and by thus causing the vapours
of alcohol to pass over the surfaces of all the chambers in succession the
watery particles contained in the same are almost entirely condensed and are
conducted from the rectifier through pipes into the top chamber of the
dephlegmating column, whilst the vapours of alcohol pass from the outermost
chamber of the rectifier through a trapped opening or valve into the bottom
chamber of one or more "rectifying columns." These are constructed similar
to and act on the same principle as the dephlegmating column; they
consist, namely, of a series of chambers with perforated bottoms containing
charcoal, alternating with a series of chambers containing condensed liquor,
communicating with each other in precisely the same manner as that described
with reference to the dephlegmating column, so that steam being made to
pass into the bottom chamber, together with the vapours of alcohol from the
rectifier, the combined vapours pass up through the successive layers of
charcoal, whilst the condensed watery and fusel liquors resulting therefrom
accumulate in the intermediate chambers and pass down from one chamber
into another until they arrive at the bottom chamber, whence they are con-
ducted into the top chamber of the dephlegmating column. In order the
more effectually to condense the watery and fusel liquors from the vapours of
alcohol as they pass through the charcoal layers, these latter are provided
with an outer casing through which cold water is made to flow. On arriving
in the top chamber of the rectifying column (which is also surrounded by a
casing through which cold water is made to flow), the vapours of alcohol,
now entirely freed from watery particles and fusel oils, are conducted thence
through the before-mentioned coil of pipes in the heater, where they impart a
great portion of their heat to the wash, as before described, and whence
they are finally conducted into a refrigerator or condenser, consisting of a
double spiral chamber immersed in cold water, to the cooling action of which
it presents a very considerable surface, whereby the vapours of alcohol become

page_text: perfectly condensed, and whence the resulting spirits are drawn off in any
suitable manner.
If it be required to produce very pure spirits containing a certain per-centage
of water, then after conducting the vapours of alcohol through the coil of
pipes in the heater they are made to pass into another small refining column
consisting of chambers containing charcoal, and below these chambers con-
taining condensed liquor, intercommunicating by means of trapped openings,
in which latter chambers the vapours are again mixed with steam and are
made to pass up through the layers of charcoal, whence they are conducted
to the condenser before described. The liquor accumulating in this refining
column is led down into the top chamber of the rectifying column.
All chambers containing the wash or condensed liquor are provided with
gauge cocks for the purpose of drawing off and testing the strength of the
wash or liquor contained therein.
At first starting the wash and liquor chambers of the dephlegmating and
rectifying columns are filled with water, or spirits free from fusel oil, through
funnel pipes provided with cocks, in order to make the necessary hydraulic
joints to the trapped pipes or valves.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Wilhelm August Abegg in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st December 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILHELM
AUGUST ABEGG, of the Westminster Palace Hotel, Victoria Street, West-
minster, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Wilhelm August Abegg, Her special licence that I, the said
Wilhelm August Abegg, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Wilhelm August Abegg, 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

page_text: Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS,"
a communication to me from abroad by Carl Falkman, residing at Saint
Petersburg, in the Empire of Russia. upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Wilhelm August Abegg, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Wilhelm August Abegg, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object to obtain, by the continuous process and
direct from the wash or from crude spirits, spirituous liquors of much greater
purity and strength than has been attainable by apparatus heretofore employed.
The Invention consists mainly in causing the alcoholic vapours, which are
separated from the wash or crude spirits by the admixture of steam therewith
in a closed vessel, to ascend successively through a number of receptacles
situated one above the other, which contain alternately a stratum of liquor,
resulting from the condensation of the watery and fusel particles from the
alcoholic vapours, and layers of animal or other charcoal, or other suitable puri-
fying medium, which are by preference surrounded by cold water, so that the
hot alcoholic vapours is passing through the stratum of liquor evaporate any
alcoholic particles contained therein, whilst in passing thence through the
stratum of charcoal or other purifying medium the water and fusel particles
become condensed and separated therefrom, and fall back into the receptacle
containing the condensed liquor below. These last-mentioned receptacles
intercommunicate through pipes passing through the purifying stratum, so
that as the condensed liquor accumulates it passes down from one receptacle
into another until it again reaches the wash chamber from the lowest recep-
tacle. The openings through which the alcoholic vapours pass from the
charcoal chambers to the condensed liquor trays above are trapped so that the
alcoholic vapours are obliged to pass through such liquor.
Figures 1 to 9, on Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, shew a sectional
elevation of one arrangement of the improved apparatus. The wash or crude
spirits requiring to be distilled are first conducted into the "heater," Figure 1,
which is a closed vessel, in which is situated a worm A, through which the

page_text: In
hot alcoholic vapours pass on their way to the condenser, Figure 6.
coming in contact with this worm the wash becomes heated to a considerable
degree, and is then conducted through the pipe B into the tray C³ of the
apparatus, Figure 2, which I term the "dephlegmating column." This column
consists, firstly, of a wash chamber E at bottom, upon which are arranged
alternately the condensed liquor trays C' to C, and the charcoal chambers
F to F. The trays C intercommunicate with each other and with the wash
chamber E by means of pipes D¹ to D, whilst the charcoal chambers F
communicate with the tray below them by means of the perforated bottom G,
and with the tray above by openings H, which are trapped by means of caps
made to dip into the liquor in the tray, as shewn. The lower ends of the
pipes D are also made to dip into the liquor upon the trays, in order to prevent
the escape of alcoholic vapour up through them. The liquor always stands at
the height indicated on the trays C, on account of the pipes D being made to
project to that extent into the trays. From this arrangement it will be seen
that the heated wash or crude spirits passing into the tray C through the pipe
B will pass down from tray to tray through the pipes D till it reaches the
wash chamber. Here it is heated to boiling point by the introduction of
steam through the pipe I; and the alcoholic vapours that are thereby disengaged
rise up through the openings H', H', into the tray C¹; the openings H¹ being
trapped as described, the vapours have to force their way through the liquor on
the tray, which liquor is at a less temperature than the alcoholic vapours, and
therefore absorbs heat from the same, whereby a portion of the aqueous
particles contained in the latter are condensed, whilst alcoholic particles con-
tained in the liquor are evaporated and mix with the other vapours. These
vapours now rise through the perforated bottom G¹ into the charcoal chamber
F', and in passing through the bed of charcoal the watery and fusel particles
become partially condensed and separated therefrom, and the vapours pass,
partially purified, through the openings H2 into the tray C³, whilst the
watery and fusel liquor, separated therefrom by the charcoal, drains back into
the tray C; in like manner the alcoholic vapours pass successively through
all the trays C and charcoal chambers F, becoming more and more purified
from watery and fusel liquor, whilst the wash and condensed liquor, as it
descends becomes more and more freed from alcoholic particles, which are finally
entirely separated therefrom by the action of the steam in the wash chamber E.
When this has been effected the spent wash is removed from the chamber E
through the cock J, and fresh wash is let down from the heater, Figure 1.
Each tray C is provided with a cock K, for testing the strength of the liquor
contained therein; L is a glass gauge for indicating the height of the wash in

page_text: the chamber E. From the tray C the alcoholic vapours rise through the
pipe M into the "rectifier," Figure 3, consisting of a number of chambers.
N1, N2, N3, &c., of which N2 surrounds N¹. N3 surrounds N. and so on,
whilst the outermost chamber N8 is surrounded by a double casing O, through
which cold water is made to flow. The chambers intercommunicate through
openings P formed alternately in the sides and the tops of the chambers, so
that the vapours in passing from the innermost chamber N¹ to the second, and
so on, are brought into intimate contact with the entire cooled surfaces thereof,
whereby a further portion of fusel and watery liquor is condensed from the
vapour and flows back into the tray C of the dephlegmating column through
the pipes Q. Q. From the rectifier the alcoholic vapours may in some cases,
if already of the required purity and strength. be at once conducted into the
condenser. Figure 6. If. however, it is required still further to purify them, they
are connected through the pipe R into the bottom chamber S of the "recti-
fying column." Figure 4, the pipe being trapped. as shewn, so as to cause the
alcoholic vapours to pass through the condensed liquor contained therein. In
this chamber the alcoholic vapours are again mixed with steam passing in
through the pipe T. and the resulting hot alcoholic and watery vapours ascend
through the alternate charcoal chambers U and liquor trays V. through the
perforated bottoms W and trapped openings X, in precisely the same manner
as was described with reference to the dephlegmating column, Figure 2. The
charcoal chambers are, however, in this column (all but the lowest one U¹)
surrounded with double casings Y. through which cold water is made to
flow, whereby the condensation and separation of the watery and fusel liquor
from the alcoholic vapours is greatly accelerated. The water is for this
purpose conducted from the cistern Z through the pipes a and cocks b, into
funnel mouthed pipes c passing to the bottom of the double casings Y, whilst
the water that has become warm by contact with the sides of the chambers U
passes off at the top through the pipes d, e. As the alcoholic vapours pass up
through this column the watery and fusel liquor that is separated therefrom
drains down from the charcoal chambers U into the trays V. and passes
down from each such tray into the one below through the pipes f. f. passing
through the charcoal chambers: the pipes f. f. are made to dip into the liquor
in the trays V. for the same reason as stated with reference to the pipes D of
the dephlegmating column. From the tray S this liquor passes into the top
tray C of the dephlegmating column, Figure 2, through the pipe g; h, h, are
cocks for testing the strength of the liquor upon each of the trays V. The
rectifier." Figure 3, is shewn on the Drawing to communicate with two
such rectifying columns," Figures 4 and 5; it may, however communicate

page_text: with only one, or with more than two such columns. On arriving in the top
tray of the rectifying column, the alcoholic vapours are caused by the plate
ito come in intimate contact with the surfaces of the water casing Y¹ before
passing through the pipe into the worm A of the before-mentioned "heater,"
Figure 1, whereby the condensation and separation of watery particles from
the alcoholic vapours is still further effected, which vapours, now perfectly free
from fusel oils and at 71.66° overproof, lastly pass through the pipe into the
condenser, Figure 6. This condenser consists of a narrow spiral chamber 1, 1,
of which a sectional plan is shown at Figure 7. enclosed in a casing m, through
which cold water is made to flow, passing in through the pipe n. The
alcoholic vapours, in passing from the pipe through all the coils of the
spiral chamber 1, are thereby brought into intimate contact with the cold
surfaces thereof, and becoming thus condensed into a liquid form, issue
through the spout o in the form of perfectly purified spirits. The recipient
shewn attached to the spout is of well-known construction, and need not be
further described.
When the before described apparatus is first put into operation the recep-
tacles C. S. and V of the dephlegmating and rectifying columns are filled up
to the height indicated with water or pure spirits, introduced through the
pipe p, so as to trap all the openings H, X, and pipes D, f, and g. as before
described. q, q. q. on Figure 5. are apertures communicating with the
various receptacles S. U. V. for cleansing purposes and for removing and
replenishing the charcoal when necessary, which apertures are closed her-
metically when the apparatus is at work. Similar apertures are also provided
to the receptacles of the dephlegmating column. Figure 2.
When it is required to mix steam with pure alcoholic vapours for producing
the purest brandies of any required strength. I cause the alcoholic vapours to
pass from the top of the rectifying columns, Figures 4 and 5, into the
refining apparatus at Figure 8, into the lowest compartment. 1 of which
"
it is conducted through the pipe 2. From this compartment or tray it rises
through the trapped opening 3 into the upper tray 4, where it is mixed with
steam passing in through the pipe 5. The mixed steam and alcoholic vapours
then pass through the trapped opening 6 into the tray 7, whence they rise
through the perforated plate 8 into the chamber 9, filled with well burnt
charcoal, and then through a second perforated plate 10 into a second similar
chamber 11, from which they pass in a perfectly purified state, and mixed with
the required per-centage of watery vapour, through the pipe into the con-
denser, Figure 9. The impure liquor separated from the alcohol by the charcoal
falls back through the perforated plates into the tray 7, whence it passes

page_text: through the pipe 12 into the tray 4, and thence through the piper down into
the top tray of the dephlegmating column.
Figure 10, Sheet II.. shews a sectional elevation of a somewhat modified
arrangement of the before described apparatus. The action of this apparatus
and the arrangement of the principal parts are the same as in the first
described arrangement, and those parts fulfilling the same functions are
therefore indicated by the same letters of reference, and need not be further
described. The principal difference consists. firstly, in the mode of heating
the wash before passing into the wash chamber E: secondly. in omitting the
"rectifier." Figure 3. Sheet I., and fixing the "rectifying column" directly on
top of the "dephlegmating column," which latter, in place of having a charcoal
chamber placed over each tray C, has instead only one deep charcoal chamber
F at the top. Also, in place of the worm in the apparatus. Figure 1. Sheet I.,
called the "heater." through which the alcoholic vapours are caused to pass
as described, there are in this arrangement two spiral condensing chambers
13, 14. similar in construction to the chamber 1 of the condenser, Figure 6,
Sheet I.. placed above each other at the top of the rectifying column, enclosed
in casings 15, 16, through which cold water is made to flow. The alcoholic
vapours pass from the chamber U through the opening X into the centre
coil of the chamber 13, and after traversing all the coils of the same, whereby
the vapours are brought into intimate contact with its cold surfaces and are
consequently still more freed from watery particles, they pass through the
pipe 17 into the dish 18 and thence into the second chamber 14, whence
they pass through the pipe 19 and dish 20 into the pipe i leading to the
condenser 1. The condensed watery particles drain back from the chambers
15, 16, through the pipe into the tray V.
In place of passing through the heating apparatus described with reference to
Figure 1, the wash is in this arrangement conducted into a receptacle A through
the pipe 21, into which receptacle steam is introduced through the pipe 22. The
wash becomes thereby heated, which operation is accelerated by the agitation
of the same by means of the rotating stirrer 23, and when it is raised to the
requisite temperature it is allowed to pass down through the pipe B into the
wash chamber E, whilst the alcoholic vapours that are disengaged by the
heating of the wash in the receptacle A are conducted thence through the
pipe 24 into the top tray C of the dephlegmating column. The wash
chamber E is provided with a rotary stirrer 25 similar to that of the receptacle
A, and both are provided with glass gauges 26, 27, for indicating the height
of the wash contained therein.
The condensed liquor that passes down from tray to tray of the dephleg-

page_text: mating column, instead of passing from the lowest tray C¹ direct into the wash
chamber E, is caused to pass through the pipe 28 into the vessel 29, where it
is again heated by steam passing in through the pipes 30, 31, and the
remaining particles of alcohol that are contained therein being thereby
evaporated, pass through the pipe 32 back into the tray C, whilst the liquor,
when perfectly freed from alcohol, is let down into the wash chamber through
the pipe 33. The charcoal chamber F of the dephlegmating column is in this
arrangement surrounded by a water casing 34. similar to those of the rectifying
column.
Figure 11 shows an elevation of the before described apparatus, only
differing from it in the omission of the top spiral condensing chamber and of
the water casing 34 to the charcoal chamber F.
In applying the before described apparatus to an already existing apparatus
for distilling crude spirits from wash only so much of the apparatus need be
employed as stands above the line 35, 35.
Having now described the nature of this Invention and the manner in which
it is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the precise details of the various parts of the apparatus, nor to the precise
combination thereof herein-before described with reference to the accompanying
Drawings. as these may be variously modified without departing from the
nature of this Invention: thus, according to the nature of the wash or crude
spirits to be distilled, the dephlegmating and rectifying columns may have a
greater or less number of charcoal chambers and liquor trays than indicated
on the accompanying Drawings, and the apparatus may be employed with or
without certain parts thereof. such as the "rectifier" and the "refining
apparatus;" also the apparatus may be employed in combination with any
other known arrangement for separating crude spirits from the wash instead of
effecting this operation in the apparatus itself: nor. on the other hand, do I
claim the various details of the several parts of the apparatus otherwise than
in combination and for the purposes substantially as described, as I am well
aware that, when taken separate and apart from such combinations, such
details are not new, but what I claim is:-
First, constructing apparatus for distilling spirituous liquors in which the
vapours of alcohol or spirits, on separation from the wash or crude spirits, are
caused to pass successively through a series of chambers or receptacles, placed
one above the other, containing animal or other charcoal or other suitable
purifying medium, beneath each of which receptacles is situated one or more
trays or receptacles for collecting the condensed liquor that is separated from
the alcoholic vapours by the purifying medium in the chamber above, such

page_text: liquor being conveyed down from the tray above each such chamber con-
taining purifying medium to the tray below the same through a pipe or pipes,
without having to percolate through the purifying medium in the chamber
below.
Second, surrounding the chambers or receptacles containing purifying
medium, when arranged as described in the first claim, with a double casing
or jacket, through which cold water or other fluid is made to flow, for the
purposes herein-before mentioned.
Third, the particular arrangement of the apparatus termed the "de-
phlegmating column" herein-before described with reference to Figure 2 on
accompanying Drawings.
Fourth, the particular arrangement of the apparatus termed the "rectified"
herein-before described with reference to Figure 3 on the accompanying
Drawings.
Fifth, the particular arrangement of the apparatus termed the "rectifying.
"column" herein-before described with reference to Figures 4 and 5 on the
accompanying Drawings.
Sixth, the peculiar narrow spiral form of the chamber o in the apparatus
termed the condenser " herein-before described with reference to Figures 6
and 7 on the accompanying Drawings.
Seventh, the particular arrangement of the apparatus termed the "refining
apparatus" hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 8 on the
accompanying Drawings.
Eighth, the general arrangement of apparatus for distilling spirituous
liquors herein-before described with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Wilhelm August Abegg, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of December, in the
vear of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
C. D. ABEL,
20, Southampton Buildings.
W. A. ABEGG.
(L.S.)