IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Joseph Martin, of High Street, Bow, James
Goss, of Prospect House, Bow Road, and John Bush, of Bow Common,
Bromley, all in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by tho said Alfred Joseph Martin,
James Goss, and John Bush at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 11th August 1862.
We, ALFRED JOSEPH MARTIN, of High Street, Bow, JAMES Goss, of
Prospect House, Bow Road, and JoHN BUSH, of Bow Common, Bromley,
all in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declaro the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of improvements in apparatus for the purpose of
distillation of mineral oils, spirits, and other liquids. The apparatus consists
of a vertical cylindrical chamber of copper closed at the bottom, and having
a moveable cap or cover, which is secured by nuts and screws, so as to
be rendered air-tight; through this cap or cover, or through the upper part of
the cylindrical chamber a pipe enters, communicating with a reservoir con-
taining the liquid to be distilled. In the interior of the chamber a series of

page_text: copper pans are fixed one above the other from bottom to top of the chamber,
and the liquid to be distilled flows from the reservoir through the pipe into the
uppermost pan, whence it runs over into the second pan, and so on to the
lowest, by reason of each pan baving an edge or lip turned down, so as to
allow the liquid to overflow at such edge. Each of these pans has a falso
bottom communicating with two vertical pipes, one on each side of the pans.
These pipes are furnished with a supply of steam from a boiler, which steam
enters the top of one pipe and circulates throughout the series of false bottoms
of the pans, and is carried off by an exit pipe at the bottom of the other
vertical steam pipe, the excess of liquid to be distilled overflowing the lower-
most pan is carried away by a pipe to a tank, and may thence be passed into
a second apparatus, its temperature having been increased by the action of the
first; or the liquid may remain in the tank and be removed when required.
The steam pipe from the boiler is provided with a cock, in order to regulate
the supply of steam to the pans, and communicate heat to the liquid to be
distilled; the vapour of distillation will then occupy the remaining space in the
cylindrical chamber, and is carried off by an outlet at the top thereof, and
thence is condensed by means of a worm and refrigerator in the ordinary
manner. By these improvements it is evident that the steam is confined and
kept separate from the liquid to be distilled, serving only to heat the pans by
its circulation as described. The shape of the chamber may be varied if
desired, it may be of a square or oval section, or of other desirable form, the
principle of the Invention being the same, and the chamber may likewise, if
desired, be constructed of other metal than copper, or of earthenware, or
wood, or glass. The chamber should in all cases be provided with a ther-
mometer, in order that the heat of the interior may be known at any time, it
-being of course necessary to vary the temperature according to the nature of
the liquid to be distilled, superheated steam being also occasionally requisite.
The chamber or still may be set in brickwork or not as desired, and in some
cases an outer or second chamber should be constructed, so as to enclose the
first, leaving a small space between the two, the object being to confine the
heat and prevent the radiation thereof. Or the chamber or still may be
provided with a series of pans or dishes, each of which shall contain a coil or
layer of pipes communicating with the pipe from the boiler, and the steam
circulating throughout the system of pipes will convey heat to the liquid in the
pans; or the coil of pipes may be placed underneath the pans and in contact
therewith, so as to communicate heat to the pans. Or, as a modification of
this method, a closed coil of pipe may be placed in the interior of the still, and

page_text: the steam caused to circulate throughout the coil. Another large pipe open at
the top may surround the coiled steam pipe, and into this open pipe or tube
the liquid to be distilled is to be conveyed from the reservoir, by which means
the heat of the coiled steam pipe will cause the evaporation of the spirit or
other vapour of distillation, which will then fill up the chamber and pass away
as before to the worm and refrigerator. In some cases the pans may be formed
without lips, and communication be effected between the series by means of a
pipe passing through the bottoms of each pan, the top of each pipe reaching about
half an inch above the level of the bottom of the pan, and descending to the lower
pan, by which means the liquid will flow over the edges of the pipes and fill all
the pans in succession, the depth of liquid in each pan being equal to the
elevation of the pipe. The chamber of the still may also be provided with a
false bottom in connection with the steam pipes, so that the overflow of the liquid
thereon may be subjected to heat, and caused to evaporate in common with the
liquid in the pans. The bottom of the still should be furnished exteriorly with a
glass liquor guage communicating with the liquid which has overflown from the
lowest pan, by which means the level of the liquid may be indicated, and the
supply regulated accordingly. In all these examples of the principle of the
Invention it will be seen that the steam circulates throughout the chamber or
still, never coming into contact with the liquids to be distilled, but com-
municating heat to the same by means of the closed series or system of steam
pipes, as described. These stills may be worked separately or together, if
connected together they should be placed one above the other, so that the
pipe leading from the bottom pan of the top still may be connected to the
suppy pipe of the one underneath, and by regulating the supply of steam two
separate distillations may be going on at one and the same time.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Joseph Martin, James Goss, and John Bush in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th February 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALFRED
JOSEPH MARTIN, of High Street, Bow, JAMES Goss, of Prospect House, Bow'
Road, and JOHN BUSH, of Bow Common, Bromley, all in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Alfred Joseph Martin, James Goss, and John Bush, Her special licence
that we, the said Alfred Joseph Martin, James Goss, and Jolin Bush, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Alfred
Joseph Martin, James Goss, and John Bush, our 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 APPARATUS FOR DISTILLATION," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said Alfred Joseph Martin, James Goss,
and John Bush, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or 'their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly describo
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 we, the said Alfred Joseph Martin and James
Goss, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement::-
Our Invention consists of improvements in apparatus for 'the purpose of
distillation of mineral oils, spirits, and other liquids. The apparatus consists
of a vertical cylindrical chamber of copper closed at the bottom, and having
a moveable cap or cover or head of the required shape which is secured by
nuts and screws or in any other manner so as to be rendered air-tight; through
the cap or cover or through the upper part of the cylindrical chamber or any
part of the case most convenient, a pipe enters, communicating with a
reservoir.containing the liquid to be distilled. In the interior of the chamber
a series of copper pans are fixed, one above the other, from bottom to top of
the chamber, and the liquid to be distilled flows from the reservoir through the
pipe into the uppermost pan, whence it runs over into the second pan, and so
on to the lowest, by reason of each pan having an edge or lip turned down so
as to allow the liquid to overflow at such edge. Each of these pans has a
falso bottom, communicating with two vertical pipes, one on each side of
the pans.
A pipe running the whole length of the pans and coming out of
the lower part of the still and supplied with a tap with branch pipes from

page_text: the bottom or side of each pan may when needed be added so as to draw off
any residuum remaining in the pans when they have done working. These
pipes are furnished with a supply of steam from a boiler, which steam enters
one pipe, and circulates throughout the series of false bottoms of the pans,
and is carried off by an exit pipe connected to the other vertical steam pipe;
the excess of liquid to be distilled overflowing the lowermost pan is carried
away by a pipe to a tank or reservoir and may thence be passed into a second
apparatus, its temperature having been increased by the action of the first,
or the liquid may remain in the tank or reservoir, and be removed when
required. We may also when desired pass the pipe that supplies the liquor
for distillation through the exhaust steam pipe, the object being to heat the
liquor intended for distillation before it goes into the pans, or when the chamber
is small there can be a pipe outside the chamber passing through the exhaust
steam pipe in the same manner. The steam pipe from the boiler is provided
with a cock or valve in order to regulate the supply of steam to the pans,
and communicate heat to the liquid to be distilled, the vapour of distillation
will then occupy the remaining space in the cylindrical chamber, and is
carried off by an outlet at the top thereof, and thence is condensed by
means of a worm or refrigerator in the ordinary manner. By these
improvements it is evident that the steam is confined and kept separate
from the liquid to be distilled, serving only to heat the pans by its circulation
as described. The shape of the chamber may be varied, if desired; it may
be of a square or oval section, or of any other desirable form, the principle
of the Invention being the same; and the chamber may likewise, if desired, bo
constructed of iron or any other metal than copper or of earthenware, or wood,
or glass. The chamber can be provided with a thermometer when required, in
order that the heat of the interior may be known at any time, it being of
course necessary to vary the temperature according to the nature of the
liquid to be distilled; superheated steam being also occasionally requisite.
The chamber or still may be set in brickwork or not, as desired, and in
some cases an outer or second chamber should be constructed so as to encloso
the first, leaving a small space between the two, into which a jet of steam
may pass if desired, to keep the inner case from the cold, the object being to
confine the heat and prevent the radiation thereof. Or the chamber or still-
may be provided with a series of pans or dishes, each of which shall contain
a coil or layer of pipes communicating with the pipe from the boiler, and tho
steam circulating throughout the system of pipes will convey heat to the liquid
in the pans; or the coil of pipes may be placed underneath the pans, and in

page_text: contact therewith so as to communicate heat to the pans. Or as a modifica-
tion of this method, a closed coil of pipe may be placed in the interior of
the still, and the steam caused to circulate throughout the coil; another large
pipe open at the top may surround the coiled steam pipe, and into this open
pipe or tube, the liquid to be distilled is to be conveyed from the reservoir, by
which means the heat of the coiled steam pipe will cause the evaporation of the
spirit or other vapour of distillation which will then fill up the chamber and
pass away as before to the worm or refrigerator. In many. cases the pans
may be formed without lips, and communication be effected between the series
by means of a pipe or pipes passing through the bottoms of each pan, or at
the sides of the pans, the top of each pipe reaching about half an inch more
or less above the level of the bottom of the pan and descending to the lower
pan, by which means the liquid will flow over the edges of the pipes and fill
all the pans in succession, the depth of liquid in each pan being equal to the
elevation of the pipe. The chamber of the still may also be provided with a
false bottom, which bottom can be provided with an outlet for the condensed
steam to escape, in connection with the steam pipes, so that the overflow of
the liquid thereon' may be subjected to heat and caused to evaporate in common
with the liquid in the pans. The bottom of the still can be, when desired,
furnished exteriorly with a glass liquor guage communicating with the liquid
which has overflown from the lowest pan, by which means the level of the
liquid may be indicated and the supply regulated accordingly. This gauge can
be furnished with a tap so as to draw off any liquid remaining in the
bottom of the still. In all theso examples of the principles of the Invention
it will be seen that the steam circulates throughout the chamber or still
never coming into contact with the liquids to be distilled, but communicating
heat to the same by means of the closed series or system of steam pipes or
pans as described. These stills may be worked separately or together, if
connected together they should be placed one above the other, so that the
pipe leading from the bottom pan of the top still may be connected to the
supply pipe of the one underneath, and by regulating the supply of steam
two separate distillations may be going on at one and the same time. Or
this apparatus may be used as an evaporator, in which case it could be used
without a head and when desired, draft holes could be made at the bottom
for establishing a current, or the apparatus may be used for evaporating
moisture from powders or crystals.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we would remark in conclusion that we do

page_text: not confine ourselves to the exact details we have described as the same may
obviously be varied or modified without in any way departing from the prin-
ciples on which the Invention is based, but what we claim and desire to be
secured to us by the herein in part recited Letters Patent are the "Improvements
in Apparatus for Distillation," substantially as herein specified.
In witness whereof, we, the said Alfred Joseph Martin and James Goss,
have hereunto set our bands and seals, this Third day of February,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
ALFRED JOSEPH MARTIN. (L.S.)
JAMES GOSS.
(L.S.)
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.