Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Purifying and Refining Alcoholic Liquors and other Fluids.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Purifying and
Refining Alcoholic Liquors and other Fluids.
I, SAM MASON, Junior, of 2, Saint Ann's Place, Saint Ann's Square, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly describe
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in the method of and apparatus for
purifying and refining alcoholic liquors, such as whiskey, brandy, gin, wine, or other
fluids, such as olive oil, and the like, and has for its object to perform the same in
a continuous and much simpler and more effective manner than heretofore has been
the case.
"
To this end my invention consists in purifying and refining liquors or fluids by
gravitating or projecting the same against a blast of air in spray or film form in a
continuous manner, in an open vessel, whereby the fusil oil or other impurities are
expelled from the liquor or fluid until the same has attained the desired flavour of
ripeness, mellowness or purity, while the foul air or gas is permitted to escape to
the atmosphere continuously.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have caused to be
appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference indicating
like parts in the various figures.
Figs. 1 & 3 are vertical sections and Figs. 2 & 4 sectional plans on line A-B
and C-D, respectively, of my improved purifying or refining apparatus.
My invention may be carried out in various manners.
According to one form thereof, see Figs. 1 & 2, I use a treating vessel a, of suit-
able material, in connection with a supply tank arranged below the same, the
upper end of the former being open to the atmosphere by outlet a'. Near the
bottom, inside of the said treating vessel a I employ an air distributer c brought in
communication with an air pump or blower e by means of the pipe el and a suitable
distance above the air distributer c a finely perforated partition, or receptacle f
having a finely perforated bottom, which breaks up the liquor or fluid projected
onto the same in a fine spray. The latter is formed externally with lugs 2, which
serve to support it and leave passages between the same and the interior of the
treating vessel u, through which the foul air or gas rises and is permitted to escape
to the atmosphere through outlet a' continuously, which is a very important feature
in my invention and effects a thorough purifying or refining of the liquor or fluid.
Over the said perforated receptacle or bottom f¹ I employ an inlet pipe h com-
nunicating by means of a branch pipe i, with a rotary or direct acting pump k,
furnished with a suction pipe which dips into the supply tank aforesaid. The
bottom of the treating vessel a is furnished with a return pipe m dipping also into
the supply tank which runs the liquor or fluid, after having been subjected to the
air spray, back into the supply tank b. The inlet pipe I provide with two
valves n, n', whereby on opening the valve n and closing the valve n', the circulation
of the liquor or fluid through the air spray can be maintained and on operating the
valves n, n' vice versa, the liquor or fluid after having been sufficiently treated,
removed from the supply vessel to any desired place.
Another form of my invention, see Figs. 3 & 4, consists in forming the treating
vessel a and supply tank in one, and the liquor or fluid and air pipes h & e with a
broad mouth & e² respectively, so as to project the liquor or fluid and air in the
form of a thin broad film against inclined perforated plates o & P", hereinafter
referred to as liquor or fluid and air distributers, respectively arranged in the upper
part a of the said vessel a, b, which break the liquor or fluid and air into a fine

page_text: spray. The liquor or fluid from the perforated inclined plate o falls through the
air film projected below the same, through the inclined perforated plate p in
connection therewith and into the lower part 6 of the vessel a, b, while the foul air
or gases are permitted to escape in a continuous manner through passage q formed
by the partition q', and through the outlet a' at the top of the vessel a, b.
To facilitate the examining of the interior of the apparatus, or cleaning of the
perforated bottom for distributers o & p, I form the top or outlet a¹ thereof
removable and with a door a², therein or below the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1st. The method of purifying or refining alcoholic liquors or other fluids by
gravitating or projecting the same against a continuous blast of air in spray or film
form in an open vessel and permitting the foul air or gases to escape continuously,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
C
2nd. The open treating vessel a provided internally near its lower end with an
air distributer c and near its upper end with a liquor or fluid distributor f, f¹ and
with air passages g, the former communicating with an air pump or blower e and the
latter with a liquor or fluid pump k, substantially as and for the purpose set forth
and with reference to Figs. 1 & 2.
a
3rd. The open vessel 6 furnished internally with inclined liquor or fluid
distributers o & P and an air passage 4, the distributer o receiving the liquor or fluid
from the pipe, and p a blast of air in film form, from pipe e', respectively com-
municating with a liquor or fluid pump k and vessel and air pump or blower e,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth and with reference to Figs. 3 & 4.
Dated this 24th day of April 1891.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicant.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicant.