Improved Process and Apparatus for Removing Impurities from Alcoholic and other Liquids.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1893--Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process and Apparatus for Removing Impurities from
Alcoholic and other Liquids.
I, JOHN THOMAS BENNETT, of Wynberg, Cape Town, South Africa, Hotel
Proprietor, 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:-
This invention relates to an improved process and apparatus for removing
saccharine or other impurities from all kinds of liquids. My chief object is to
remove the saccharine, fusel oil, sediment and other similar impurities from wines
and spirits but my invention can also be applied in the purifying treatment of
other liquids.
In a previous Patent No. 22403 of 1896 I have described a process and apparatus
for purifying wines and spirits, and my present invention is a development or
extension of the process, and an improved form of the apparatus, therein
described.
By means of my present invention I am enabled to treat liquids in a more
expeditious and more efficacious manner, the results being even superior to those
previously attained.
The improvements in the process consist in forcing the lower thickened portion
of the liquid under treatment, which portion contains the sediment and impuri-
ties which are being precipitated from the liquid, into the absorbent water-bath
supporting the liquid treated, by means of a piston or plunger of a special con-
struction. The improved apparatus consists of a funnel-shaped hopper or vessel
fitted with a number of concentric removable cones delivering or directing the
sediment which is settling towards the bottom of the container, into a central
path or descent and forcing this settling portion of the liquid into the pipe lead-
ing to the water-bath below, by means of a plunger specially constructed and
fitted for this purpose.
Upon the accompanying sheet of drawings I have shewn my improved apparatus
for purifying all kinds of alcoholic and other liquids. Fig. 1 is a sectional
elevation of the new form of apparatus. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the air
tight gland and Fig. 3 is a similar view of an alternative plunger employed.
On these drawings A is a funnel-shaned vessel or hopper fitted within any
suitable stand over a water-bath B. It is provided with an airtight lid C and a
cock or union D through which a pine E can deliver into the hopper the alco-
holic or other liquid to be treated. It is also furnished with an air cock c, and a
number of removable, abruptly cone-shaped shoots a a¹ a² arranged con-
centrically one above another and secured in position by the converging walls
of the hopper A. The water-bath B is preferably furnished with a cover or lid
for the purpose of preventing the water from being contaminated by the intro-
duction of foreign matter or otherwise affected by impurities suspended in the
outer atmosphere.
These removable shoots a a¹ a² leave a central path or space within the hopper,

page_text: within which a plunger F suitably journalled in the lid of the hopper can be
raised or depressed. The plunger F is shewn secured to a rod f passing through
an air-tight gland G (shewn on Fig. 2) and can be screwed up or down by means
of a hand wheel 9 and supporting bracket gl as shewn on Fig. 1, or by any other
similar device.
The base of the hopper A communicates with and delivers into the water-
bath B by means of a neck or pipe H which latter may, if desired, he fitted with
a stop valve, but this is no longer necessary to my process. Near the base of the
funnel A and immediately above the neck or pipe H is a draw off valve h.
The water-bath B into which the sediment and other impurities are precipi-
tated and forced from the vessel A. is exposed to atmospheric pressure and is
furnished with a ball-cock b, admitting water thereto, a transparent panel and
an outlet pipe or a delivery cock k. The water in the bath B is kept to a constant
level above the outlet of the neck or pipe H by means of the ball-cock b, as in
ordinary cisterns, and a continual flow of water through the bath B can be
ensured, by means of the cocks 6 and k carrying off heavy matters and facilitating
absorption.
The plunger F which is made of wood or other suitable material may be of a
fixed pattern as shewn on Fig. 1 having a tapered upper portion and a cone-shaped
lower portion (these cones being placed base to base) which lower portion is
hollowed out underneath so as to give a concave shape. It is rigidly secured to
the rod by any suitable means
The plunger F can be screwed down so as to fit the bore of the neck or pipe H
and thus cut off or separate the vessel A from the pipe H and water-bath B.
Alternatively it may be constructed as shown on Fig. 3. The plunger F can
then slide for a short distance up or down rod f. and is furnished with a number
of perforations or passages F1 Fi. The rod f has a fixed washer f¹ so that when
depressed on to the plunger F it can close these perforations or holes F¹; Fig. 3
illustrates the arrangement in this position.
When the plunger is afterwards raised the rod f first passes through the
plunger according to the play or limit provided and when the fastening nut or
shoulder reaches the base of the plunger the latter is drawn upwards together
with the rod f.
A draw-off tap may also be provided in the upper portion of the water-tank B,
in such position that the impurities which rise to the surface of the water can bo
drawn off through this tap.
I wish here to remark that the length of the neck or pipe H in proportion to
the capacity of the hopper A, has been exaggerated on the drawing, so as to
facilitate the comprehension of the working of the apparatus.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
The plunger F is first screwed down so as to close the neck or pipe H. Water
is then admitted through the ball cock into the water-bath B to the normal level,
and the alcoholic or other liquid to be treated is admitted into the hopper A
through the cock D. For the sake of example I will assume this liquid to be
whiskey which it is wished to purify of its fusel oil, etc., and that the air-cock c
has been opened.
When the vessel A is quite full, the cocks D and c are closed, and the plunger F
is screwed back to its raised position. A certain amount of whiskey will then
fall into the neck or pipe H and the column of air in the latter will pass therefrom
up through the whiskey in H and A to the upper portion of the hopper A. By
its ascent this air will to a certain extent agitate or at least disturb the whiskey
in A and the process thus commences; when the air reaches the top it is put
into a state of tension and by reason of its rarefaction, will support the whiskey.
in the hopper A and so long as not more than a certain quantity of air is present
at the top of the hopper A the whiskey will be unable to pass out through the
neck or pipe H.
Precipitation of the sediment and other impurities in the whiskey then com-

page_text: mences and these impurities settle towards the bottom of the hopper and the
pipe H. Those near the sides of the hopper will fall upon the inclined
shoots a a¹ a²
and will be directed towards the centre or axis of the hopper A
and a certain portion of them will be delivered into and partly absorbed by the
water in the bath B. After a time the plunger I is gently screwed down the
central descent and forces the remaining and slowly settling impurities towards
and into the neck or pipe H. This forcing or depressing action of the plunger
may be termed a scrubbing action," which it resembles.
The plunger F is allowed to remain at the top of the neck or pipe H for some
time and is then slowly and cautiously screwed upwards, care being taken that
the upward suction produced by the plunger does not withdraw any impurities
from the pipe H. By proceeding slowly this is obviated, owing to the tapered
shape of the upper portion of the plunger, and to further guard against this
undesirable result the valves FF are designed to facilitate the upward move-
ment of the plunger as much as possible without disturbing the contents of the
hopper A. It will be seen that when raising the plunger illustrated on Fig. 3,
the washer or shoulder f is first raised and when the lower nut afterwards carries
the plunger upwards the valves or perforations F are open and the whiskey
freely passes through; the dotted lines shew the washer raised above the valves Fi.
The impurities originally contained in the whiskey will thus pass into the
bath B and will remain at the top thereof e.g. fusel oil, or will be absorbed by
the water e.g. saccharine, or will remain suspended in the water e.g. sediment,
or some of these impurities will sink to the bottom of the bath and will pass out
through outlet K if a constant flow of water be provided.
The lowering of the plunger F into the pipe H may be repeated several times
and when it is estimated that the purifying process is complete (a sample of the
whiskey can at any time be taken from the draw off cock ) the plunger is finally
screwed down so as to close the neck or pipe H and the purified whiskey can be
drawn off by opening the air-cock c.
The impurities in the water-bath B can be specially drawn off and afterwards
treated or may be thrown away.
The hopper A can be cleaned out by means of steam or hot or cold water when
desired, and the cone-shaped shoots a a¹ a². . . . being removable present no
inconvenience.
Whiskies or other alcoholic liquids treated by my process are afterwards found
to be equal in Havour to those fully matured, and the harmful properties
possessed by most new wines e.g. champagne or other liquids are, after such
treatement, removed therefrom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is―
1. In a process of purifying liquids by precipitation and absorption, the liquid
under treatment being supported over a water-bath by means of air-tension and
atmospheric pressure, conducting the settling impurities into a central path and
accelerating their precipitation and passage into the absorbing water-bath by
means of a rising and falling plunger, substantially as described.
2. An apparatus for purifying liquids, characterised by the employment of a
plunger rising and falling within the liquid under treatment, for the purpose
of accelerating the descent of the impurities into the connecting pipe and absor-
bent water bath, substantially as described.
3. An apparatus for purifying liquids characterised by the use of a rising and
falling plunger in conjunction with a number of inverted cones directing the
settling impurities towards the centre of the container, for the purpose of accel-
erating the descent or deposit of the impurities into the connecting pipe and water-
bath beneath, substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for purifying liquids by precipitation and absorption, the

page_text: liquid treated being supported over a water-bath by air tension and atmospheric
pressure, the use of a cone-shaped plunger arranged to rise and fall in a path
formed within inverted cones, said plunger being constructed with a concaved
under-surface and a tapering upper portion, and, if desired, being furnished with
longitudinal perforations for the passage of liquor and sediment and being
arranged to slide within limits upon the operating rod, means being provided to
automatically close the said perforations or passages during the descent of the
plunger substantially as described and illustrated upon the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1898.
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
Chartered Patent Agents, 60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
Chartered Patent Agents, 60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.