Oil or Grease from Cotton-waste and similar Materials.
Year: 1886

page_text: Oil or Grease from Cotton-waste and similar Materials.
I JOHN WHITTLE of 14 Elton Road, Bury, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
In performing my invention I employ by preference, as illustrated on the
accompanying drawing by Fig. 1. (which represents a front view of my improved
apparatus partially in section) a pair of enclosed metallic tanks or vessels herein-
after called the cotton waste pans A into which the cotton waste or other material
to be treated is introduced through the man-hole doors A¹ at the top and which
contents can be conveniently withdrawn therefrom through a door-way B formed in
the front of such pans and extending from top to botton thereof (as illustrated in
the left-hand pan, and by sectional plan view in Fig. 2.) I secure an air-tight
joint around the edges of this door B by a strip of asbestos or other suitable
packing inserted between the door and the framework, and by clamping the door
in position by a series of clamping bars B1 secured in position by clamping
Screws B² operated by hand wheels as illustrated.
At or near the top, each pan A is provided with a perforated series of radiating
pipes C branching from a large perforated encircling pipe C¹ (see Fig. 3. which is
inverted plan view of Fig. 1. on line c-d) and which latter is in communication
through the pipe C with the upper part of another enclosed metallic vessel herein-
after called the hydro-carbon tank D. situated at a lower level than the cotton-
waste pans A.
This same pipe C also communicates with the upper part of the adjoining
cotton-waste pan being controlled in each case by stop-cocks marked C³ and C³
respectively.
These same cotton-waste pans A and the hydro-carbon tank D are at the top in
urther communication with each other through the pipe E controlled by the stop
ocks E and E and a branch is carried upwards as illustrated from this same
ipe E into one extremity of a double coil F situated in a cistern of water F¹.
One of the other or smaller extremities of this coil is open to the atmosphere
bove the water level and thus constitutes a safety vent or outlet, and the other is
arried over the side of the cistern, and then downwards again and communicates
ith the top of the cotton-waste pan A.

page_text: It now only remains to describe that the pans and tank herein before described
are heated by a coil of steam pipes, that marked G³ resting, in the case of the
cotton-waste pans, upon a false bottom G (seen inverted in sectional plan view
Fig. 4. upon line a-b in Fig. 1.) which is perforated to allow of the draining off of
the oil or grease extracted from the waste and which can be allowed to escape from
the lower compartment into the hydro-carbon tank D through the stop-cock D¹.
It will thus be observed that the cotton waste pans are duplicates of each other
and are provided with an exactly similar series of pipes coils and connections.
The steam coil H rests direct upon the bottom of the hydro-carbon tank D. and
can be placed in communication at will with a supply of cold water for condensing
purposes through the stop-cock D2 and with a steam supply through the stop
cock D. I will now proceed to describe my improved process of oil or grease
extraction and the action of my improved apparatus.
Into the hydro-carbon tank D. I introduce benzine or other suitable hydro-carbon
spirit having an affinity for oil or grease and into the cotton-waste pans A I
introduce through the man-hole A¹ the cotton-waste or other material impregnated
with oil or grease. I then turn on steam into the coil H and so volatalise the
benzine spirit, and by opening the cock C³ permit the vapour so produced to rise
and find its way up the pipe C and through the perforated radiating pipes C² into
the midst of the cotton-waste or other contents of the pan A.
This introduction of hydro-carbon vapour into the pans, has the effect of
separating the oil or grease from the waste and which oil impregnated with the
condensed vapour passes through the false bottom G and accumulates in the
compartment below.
To assist the operation I then turn on steam into the coil G¹ which has the effect
of again volatalising the benzine and of still further separating the oil or grease.
Any over-plus of pressure is prevented by the application of the coil F enveloped
in water which has the effect of condensing the vapour and permitting the same
to fall as liquid either into the pans or into the tank according to the opening or
closing of the respective cocks leading to the same. The disposition of the
connected pipes is so arranged that either pan may be used independently and the
vapour may be led from one to the other or vice versa through the pipes.
In case I require to condense the vapour and turn it into liquid benzine, I turn
off the steam and permit the coil H to become filled with water through the stop
cock D and if I desire to withdraw the vapour from the pans A. I close the cocks E¹
and then open a communication between the said pans and the tank D through the
stop cocks C³ and C.
The oil or grease extracted from the waste or other material and which has
accumulated in the pans A is eventually drawn off through the stop cock D¹ first
into the tank D, and thence through the stop cock I, the height of the liquid being
always visible and indicated in the pans and in the tank by the application thereto
of the glass guages marked J and K respectively.
Although I have only illustrated and described a pair of pans in connection with
one hydro-carbon tank, it will be obvious that more than a pair may be employed,
and that the heating of the pans and tank, could be effected by means of a
surrounding steam jacket instead of the steam coils hereinbefore described.
I wish it to be understood that I am well aware that it has hitherto been
proposed to remove oil or grease from cotton waste and other similar material by
the use of hydro-carbon in a liquid form and therefore I make no claim to such use
of hydro-carbon except in the form of vapour as hereinbefore described, and in
conjunction with my improved apparatus as illustrated on the accompanying
drawing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1st The improved method of and combination and arrangement of apparatus for
extracting oil or grease from cotton waste and other similar material substantially

page_text: as and for the purposes herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying
drawing.
2nd The improved construction of pans or chambers provided with perforated
pipes and heating coil or its equivalent and with improved clamping doors sub-
stantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated on the
accompanying drawing.
3rd The use and application of a hydro-carbon tank in conjunction with two or
more pans each provided with safety condensation outlets and connected together
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and illustrated on the
accompanying drawing.