Improvements in or connected with Vacuum Distillatory Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 24th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Vacuum Distillatory Apparatus.
I, EDWARD LUCK of 68 Summer Street, Southwark in the County of Surrey
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In distilling in vacuum or in partial vacuum much time has hitherto been wasted
owing to its being necessary to cease working periodically in order to discharge the
spent or exhausted residue remaining in the still after the more volatile portion has
been drawn off.
My invention has for its object to provide means whereby this cessation of
operations is avoided and the working of the still under vacuum is made practically
continuous. Although I do not limit myself to the application of my invention to
any particular form of still I prefer the old pot shaped still but modified by intro-
ducing into the head thereof a series of plates similar to or the same as is usually
employed in the still known as the "column still." At or near the bottom of the
still there is generally an outlet and cock for the purpose of discharging the
residue remaining in the still after the more volatile portions have been distilled off:
According to my invention I combine with the outlet a pump which I work to
draw off the liquid remaining in the still after exhaustion. Or instead of the pump
I provide the outlet with a pipe of a length sufficient to contain a column of liquid
equal to or exceeding the external atmospheric pressure.
By this arrangement a continuous working is obtained, whatever may be the
character of the liquid operated on. In distilling alcohols, essences, essential oils
and other easily vapourized matters the desired product is obtained during the
passage over the plates before it reaches the body of the still, while in the distilla-
tion or concentration of heavier matters such as a mixture of fixed and volatile oils
the lighter is obtained through the vacuum or air pump and the heavier or fixed are
collected by means of the arrangements aforesaid according to my invention.
When I employ the aforesaid pipe at the outlet I immerse the lower end thereof
in liquid and provide the pipe with a cock which enables me to regulate the quantity
of liquid in the still.
Dated the 5th day of March 1891
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Vacuum Distillatory Apparatus.
I EDWARD LUCK of 68 Sumner Street Southwark in the County of Surrey
Chemist do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :--
In distilling in vacuum or in partial vacuum much time has hitherto been wasted
owing to its being necessary to cease work periodically in order to discharge the
spent or exhausted residue remaining in the still after the more volatile portion
has been drawn off.
My invention has for its object to provide means whereby this cessation of
operations is avoided and the working of the still, under vacuum, is made practically
continuous.
Although I do not limit myself to the application of my invention to any
particular form of still I prefer the old pot shaped still, modified however by

page_text: introducing into the head thereof a series of plates similar to, or such as the plates
usually employed in "column stills." At or near, the bottom of the still there is
generally an outlet and cock for the purpose of discharging the residue remaining
in the still after the more volatile products have been distilled off. According to
my invention I combine with the outlet a pump-which I work to draw off the liquid
remaining in the still after exhaustion, or, instead of the pump, I provide the
outlet with a pipe of a length sufficient to contain a column of liquid equal to, or
exceeding, the external atmospheric pressure.
"
An arrangement according to my invention is illustrated by the accompanying
drawing, A, is a "column still" and a. is the inlet thereto for the "wash to be
distilled which is drawn from the charger by the vacuum created by the condenser,
or vacuum pump, connected to the pipe b. C. is the discharge, or outlet pipe,
which is as aforesaid, connected to a pump which pump may be conveniently
attached to the side of the main vacuum pump. The dotted line at C2, shew a pipe
which may, as aforesaid, be, used instead of the pipe C, and pump. The said pipe C
is of such a length as to contain a column of liquid equal to, or exceeding the
external atmospheric pressure, so that when the cock c² is opened the residue will
discharge.
"
By the arrangements according to my invention a continuous working is obtained
whatever may be the character of the liquid operated upon. In distilling alcohols,
essences, essential oils, or other easily vapourised matters, the desired product is
obtained during the passage over the plates before it reaches the body of the still,
while in the distillation, or concentration, of heavier matters, such as a mixture of
fixed and volatile oils, the lighter products are obtained through the vacuum, or air
pump and the heavier or fixed products are collected by means of the arrangements
aforesaid according to my invention. When I employ the aforesaid pipe C at the
outlet I immerse the lower end thereof in liquid and by providing the pipe with the
cock I am cuabled to regulate the quantity of liquid in the still.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
In vacuum distillatory stills, the combination with the outlet of means for
drawing off the undistilled contents of the still (without destroying the vacuum, or
interrupting the distillatory process) either by means of a pump, or by a head of
liquid, substantially as hereinbefore explained.
Dated this 24th day of November 1891
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.