IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER SPIRITS."
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Fletcher Collins, of the City, County, and
State of New York, United States of America, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER SPIRITS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John. Fletcher Collins
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd May 1867.
I, JOHN FLETCHER COLLINS, of the City, County, and State of New York,
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER SPIRITS," to be
as follows:-
My Invention relates to the manufacture of alcohol and other spirits and
volatile substances which are obtained by distillation, and consists in the
following treatment, first, in heating the wash or other substances from
which alcohol or other spirits are distilled; I add to the same a suitable
quantity of phosphate of lime or other suitable substance for the purpose of
counteracting the generation or formation of acids, and for the purpose of
neutralizing any acids that may have been formed in the wash.
Another part of my Invention consists in conducting the distillation of
spirituous solutions at a temperature not exceeding one hundred and seventy-

page_text: six degrees Fahrenheit for the purpose of preventing the formation of acetous
and acetic acid in the mass.
Another part of my Invention consists in the use and application of a
current of air or some suitable and not deleterious gas to propel the alcoholic
or spirituous vapours and drive them from the still instead of using heat.
The air or gas is introduced into the still through a pipe, and expels the
alcoholic or other vapors by pressure and mechanical action in the following
manner: The pipe is carried perpendicularly from the top of the still to any
desired height greater than a column of water at the natural pressure of the
atmosphere; it is then bent downward and extended in that direction to the
condenser, and by means of a similar pipe between the condenser and the still
the circuit is made complete; the purpose of extending the perpendicular pipe
to the height indicated being also to return any aqueous vapors that may arise
directly to the still.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Fletcher Collins in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 31st October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FLETCHER COLLINS, of the City, County, and State of New York, United States
of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Fletcher Collins, Her special licence that I, the said John Fletcher
Collins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Fletcher Collins, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER SPIRITS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Fletcher Collins, my exe-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-

page_text: formed, and cause the same to; be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within.
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW. YE, that I, the said John Fletcher Collins, 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 :-
My Invention relates to the manufacture of alcohol and other spirits and
volatile substances which are obtained by distillation, and it consists in several
particulars as herein-after set forth. In heating the wash or other substances
from which alcohol or other spirits are distilled I add to the wash,.mash, or
other substances a suitable quantity of phosphate of lime or its equivalent for
the purpose of counteracting the generation or formation of acids and for the
purpose of neutralizing any acids that may have been formed in the wash;
soda or carbonate of ammonia can be substituted for the phosphate of lime if
preferred.
Another part of my Invention consists in conducting the distillation of
spirituous solutions at a temperature not exceeding 176 degrees Fahrenheit
for the purpose of preventing the formation of acetous and acetic acids in the
mass. In obtaining the different distillates I also keep the temperature of
the solutions used below or at the number of degrees above stated.
Another part of my Invention consists in the use and application of a
current of air or some suitable and not deleterious gas to propel the alcoholic
or spirituous vapours and drive them from the still instead of using heat. The
air or gas is introduced into the still through a pipe, and expels the alcoholic
or other vapours by pressure and mechanical action in the following manner: -
The pipe is carried perpendicularly from the top of the still to any desired
Leight greater than a column of water at the natural pressure of the atmo-
sphere; it is then bent downward and extended in that direction to the
condenser, and by means of a similar pipe between the condenser and the still
the circuit is made complete, the purpose of extending the perpendicular pipe
to the height indicated being also to return any aqueous vapours that may
arise directly to the still. It is not necessary to illustrate the same by
Drawings, because the form and use of such pipes between the still and con-
denser and the maintaining of a circulating current thereby are within the
compass of the skill of any person conversant with the art.
Having thus fully described my Iuvention what I claim as new and desire
to secure by Letters Patent is,-
First, the treatment of wash, or mash, or other substance from which

page_text: alcohol or other spirits are to be distilled with phosphate of lime, or soda, or
carbonate of ammonia.
Second, the distillation of spirituous solutions at a temperature not
exceeding 176. degrees Fahrenheit for the purpose of preventing the formation
of acetous and acetic acids, and also the different ethers.
Third, having in connection with the still or other apparatus a pipe longer
or higher than the column of water at the natural pressure of the atmosphere
for the purpose of returning any aqueous vapours to the still.
Fourth, the use of a current of air or some suitable gas to propel the
alcoholic vapours instead of using heat.
Fifth, the use of a circulating current of air or some suitable gas between
the condenser and the still for the purpose of preventing oxidation during the
process, substantially as and for the purposes described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Fletcher Collins, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of September, A.D. 1867.
Witnesses,
FRANK J. TAFT.
ARTHUR NEILL.
JOHN F. COLLINS. (L.S.)