Improved Apparatus for the Production of Dry Extract of Coffee or Tea.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 11th July, 1892-Accepted, 20th Aug.. 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for the Production of Dry Extract of Coffee
or Tea.
I, PAUL MEYER, Chemist, of 3 Place Daumesnil, Paris, France, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention has for its object the production of dry extract of coffee,
after the process set forth in the Specification of the British Patent dated
December 10, 1889 No. 19882; it consists in various improvements introduced in
the construction of the apparatus used for that purpose, and it also consists in
applying the principle above referred to, as well as the apparatus to be herein
described, to the production of dry extract of tea.
The annexed drawing illustrates in diagram the general installation of my
improved apparatus.
a is an internal cylinder made of copper or other suitable metal and intended to
contain the coffee to be treated; it is connected at one end to a shaft resting in
a bearing and carrying a driving pulley d. The connection between the
cylinder a and the shaft 6 can be effected in any desired way; in the drawing, it is
shown as being effected by means of a metal-piece e having a flange which is
brazed or otherwise secured to the cylinder a and having a screw-threaded
hole into which the end of the cylinder is screwed. The opposite end of the
cylinder terminates in a neck, held in a bearing g. The inner cylinder a is
surrounded by a jacket made of copper or other suitable metal, two stuffing
boxes i, being used for securing a joint and forming a steam-tight chamber
around the inner cylinder u. The jacket his provided with an inlet cock j and a
perforated pipe for supplying steam and cold water alternately into the inner
cylinder a and with an outlet cock 1. Over the end of the neck f is secured a
flanged disk m connected to a bulged disk n, the joint being secured by an inter-
posed annular washer made of india-rubber or like material. Into the opening of
the bulged disk n is fitted an india-rubber plug o through which passes the nozzle
of a glass bulb p, the opposite end of the latter being secured by a flange or other-
wise to a valve q which in turn is secured to a nozzle r. The nozzler fits into a
stuffing box s, supported by a bearing in a frame g'; the said box s is connected by
an india-rubber or other pipe to a coil u, immersed in the water contained in a
vessel v; the water being supplied by an inlet-pipe w and overflowing through a
pipe. The lower end of the coil is introduced into a vessel y for collecting the
condensed products of the coffee. is a pipe leading from the vessel y to a vacuum
pump.
The operation is as follows: The coffee to be treated is previously roasted and
ground to a more or less fine powder and is then introduced into the inner
cylinder a, the valve 9 is opened and the vacuum pump connected to the pipe z
is started. When vacuum is produced in the cylinder a, the valve 7 is closed
and the pump is stopped. Steam is admitted into the jacket by the cock j
and pipe k and after a certain time, say ten or fifteen minutes, fumes can be scen
to form in the glass bulb p, which thus acts as a controlling device for the
proper operation of the process. The valve q is thereupon opened and the vacuum
pump started afresh; the action of the pump is then allowed to be continued
during the remainder of the operation, during which the driving pulley d is rotated
and 'sets in motion the succession of parts marked a, m, n, o, p, q, r. The essential
oils and volatile products of the coffee are condensed while passing through the
refrigerating coil and are collected in the vessel y which should be kept at

page_text: a constant temperature of about 20 degrees below zero centigrade so as to cause the
condensed products to congeal.
After the operation has been carried on for a certain length of time, a brown
deposit will form inside the glass bulb p and will be an indication that the process
is completed. The steam is cut off from the jacket and the water resulting from
condensation is drawn off through the cock l, and at the same time the vacuum
pump is stopped, the driving pulley d is likewise stopped and the valve 9 is closed.
Water is then admitted into the jacket through the aforementioned cock j and
perforated distributing pipe k, for the purpose of cooling the contents of the
cylinder a.
The contents of the cylinder a are removed therefrom and are subjected to the
process described in the aforementioned British Patent of Dec. 10, 1889, that is to
say, the coffee deprived of its aromatic properties is infused in hot distilled water and
the liquor thus obtained is evaporated in vacuum in the usual manner. A dry
extract is thus obtained, to which is or can be added the product of the first
distillation, collected in the vessel c. For this purpose, the said product, which, as
will be remembered, is in a congealed state, should be heated to the required
temperature until it becomes fluid.
The hereinbefore described process and apparatus for making dry extract of
coffee is likewise applicable to the production of dry extract of tea. The modus.
operandi remains the same. The tea to be treated may be the entire leaves of the
plant, or they may be cut up. Powdered or refuse tea can also be used with
advantage, as it is cheaper than leaves and yet yields the whole of its aromatic
properties.
Dated this 12th day of October 1891.
PAUL MEYER,
By L. W., per F. B.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for the Production of Dry Extract of Coffee
or Tea.
I, PAUL MEYER, Chemist of 3 Place Daunesnil, Paris, France, 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:—
The present invention has for its object the production of dry extract of coffee,
after the process set forth in the Specification of the British Patent dated
December 10, 1889, No. 19,882; it consists in various improvements introduced
in the construction of the apparatus used for that purpose, and it also consists in
applying the principle above referred to, as well as the apparatus to be herein
described, to the production of dry extract of tea.
Fig. 1 illustrates in diagram the general installation of my improved apparatus.
Figs. 2 & 3 are details.
1 is an internal cylinder made of copper or other suitable metal and intended to
contain the coffee to be treated; it is connected at one end to a shaft 2 resting in a
bearing 3 and carrying a driving pulley 4. The connection between the cylinder 1
and the shaft 2 can be effected in any desired way; in the drawing, it is shown as
being effected by means of a metal piece 5 having a flange which is brazed or
otherwise secured to the cylinder 1 and having a screw-threaded hole into which
the end of the shaft 2 is screwed. The opposite end of the cylinder terminates in
neck 6. The inner cylinder 1 is surrounded by a jacket 7 made of copper or other
suitable metal, two stuffing boxes 8, 8, being used for securing a joint and forming
a steam tight chamber around the inner cylinder 1. The jacket 7 is provided with
an inlet cock 9 and a perforated pipe 10 for supplying steam and cold water
alternately into the outer cylinder 7, and with an outlet cock 11.

page_text: Over the end of the neck 6 is secured a flange 12 which is connected to a
flanged disk 13 by bolts or otherwise. To the disk 13 is connected the flange 14
of a pipe 15 having a cock 16. The end of the pipe 15 engages a stuffing box 17,.
which is connected to a glass bulb 18 by an india rubber piping 19 or otherwise;
the bulb 18 is in its turn connected by another rubber or other piping 20 to a coil 21
immersed in the water contained in a vessel 22, the water being supplied by an
inlet pipe 23 and overflowing through a pipe 24. The lower end of the coil 21 is
introduced into a vessel 25 for collecting the condensed products of the coffee. 26 is.
a pipe leading from the vessel 25 to a vacuum pump.
The parts projecting from the left of the disk 12 can be supported in any
suitable way; however prefer to mount them, as shown in the drawing, so as to
enable a certain play or amount of elasticity to the parts, which, considering the
presence of the glass bulb 18, should not be held too rigidly. For this purpose,.
1 slip a collar 27 over the pipe 15 in such a manner that the pipe 15 can turn
freely therein. The collar 27 which may be round or polygonal, is provided with
several pins 28 engaging holes in a ring 29, a great amount of play being left for
the pins in the holes. The ring 29 forms part of or is connected to a supporting
bracket 30 of any suitable kind. The collar 27 is rigidly connected to the stuffing
box 17 in any suitable manner, not shown. The main portion of the apparatus.
may be supported by a standard similar to the standard 3, which may be applied to
the neck 6. I however prefer to pivot the jacket 7 on trunnions, not shown,
secured by a standard 3ª, so as to enable the jacket to be tilted by a handle 31, as
in the aforementioned Patent, when the said jacket is to be emptied.
The operation is as follows:-The coffee to be treated is previously roasted and
ground to a more or less fine powder and is then introduced into the inner
cylinder 1. The introduction of the coffee is effected through the neck 6 after
having removed the disk 13. The valve 16 is opened, and the vacuum pump
connected to the pipe 26 is started. When vacuum is produced in the cylinder 1,
the valve 16 is closed and the pump is stopped. Steam is admitted into the
jacket 7 by the cock 9 and pipe 10 and after a certain time, say ten or fifteen
minutes, the valve 16 is again opened; fumes will then escape from the neck 6 and
be seen passing through the glass bulb 18, which thus acts as a controlling device
for the proper operation of the process. The vacuum pump is thereupon started
afresh and its operation is allowed to continue during the remainder of the
operation, during which the driving pulley 4 is rotated and sets in motion the
succession of parts marked 1, 6, 12, 13, 15, 16. The essential oils and volatile
products of the coffee are condensed while passing through the refrigerating coil 21
and are collected in the vessel 25, which should be kept at a constant temperature
of about 20 degrees below zero centigrade, so as to cause the condensed products
to congeal.
After the operation has been carried on for a certain length of time, a brown
deposit will form inside the glass bulb 18 and will be an indication that the process
is completed. The steam is cut off from the jacket 7 and the water resulting from
condensation is drawn off through the cock 11 and at the same time, the vacuum
pump is stopped, the driving pulley 4 is likewise stopped and the valve 16 is
closed. Water is then admitted into the jacket 7 through the aforementioned
cock 9 and perforated distributing pipe 10 for the purpose of cooling the contents
of the cylinder 1.
The contents of the cylinder 1 are removed therefrom and are subjected to
the process described in the aforementioned British Patent of Dec. 10, 1889,
that is to say, the coffee deprived of its aromatic properties is infused in hot
distilled water and the liquor thus obtained is evaporated in vacuum, in the usual
manner. Sugar can be added or not to the resulting mass, after which the latter
is again subjected to evaporation under heat and vacuum. A dry extract is thus
obtained, to which is or can be added the product of the first distillation,
collected in the vessel 25. For this purpose, the said product which, as will be

page_text: remembered, is in a congealed state, should be heated to the required temperature
until it becomes fluid.
The hereinbefore described process and apparatus for making dry extract of
coffee is likewise applicable to the production of dry extract of tea. The modus
operandi remains the same. The tea to be treated may be the entire leaves of
the plant, or they may be cut up. Powdered or refuse tea can also be used with
advantage, as it is cheaper than leaves and yet yields the whole of its aromatic
properties.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. In an apparatus for the production of dry extract of coffee or tea, the
employment of a glass or other like bulb 18, for the purpose set forth.
2. In an apparatus for the production of dry extract of coffee or tea, the
herein before described method of loosely suspending the pipe 15, as described
and for the purpose set forth.
3. The general arrangement and construction of apparatus, as herein before
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 11th day of July 1899
PAUL MEYER,
By L. W., per F. B.