IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF OIL, FAT, OR RESIN FROM VEGETABLE OR OTHER SOLID MATTER BY CHEMICAL AGENCY, AND THE RECOVERY OF THE CHEMICAL EMPLOYED
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm
of Harris and Mills, of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF OIL, FAT, OR RESIN FROM VEGETABLE
OR OTHER SOLID MATTER BY CHEMICAL AGENCY, AND THE RECOVERY OF
THE CHEMICAL EMPLOYED."-A communication from abroad by Elias
Smith Hutchinson, Mechanical Engineer, of the City of Baltimore,
in the State of Maryland, United States of America.
Sealed the 4th June 1872, and dated the 17th April 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph
Barnard Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 17th April 1872.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and
; Mills, of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF OIL, FAT, OR RESIN
FROM VEGETABLE OR OTHER SOLID MATTER BY CHEMICAL AGENCY, AND THE

page_text: RECOVERY OF THE CHEMICAL EMPLOYED," a communication to me from abroad
by Elias Smith Hutchinson, Mechanical Engineer, of the City of
Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, United States of America, to be
as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to furnish an apparatus by the use
of which oil, fat, or resin may be extracted and removed from large
quantities of solid matter in a more economical and expeditious manner
than has heretofore been done.
The plan of operation is to conduct a quantity of solid matter con-
taining oil, fat, or resin, through a receptacle in which is introduced 1
bi-sulphide of carbon or other liquid chemical solvent or absorbent of
oil, fat, or resin.
The apparatus may be constructed with two screw conveyors for
conveying ground, decorticated, or pulverised solid matter (as decorticated
oleaginous seeds and the meal of oil bearing cereals), the conveyors 1
being enclosed in cylindrical tubes. The longer cylinder containing the
longer screw is placed at a slight angle with the horizontal plane, and
the shorter one at an angle of about forty-five degrees. The lower end
of the shorter cylinder connects with the upper end of the longer one.
Each screw conveyor is driven by suitable machinery.
The solid matter to be treated is admitted through a spout near the
lower end of the slightly inclined longer cylinder, and by the screw
therein is conveyed toward the shorter screw cylinder, up which it is
conveyed to a discharge spout which is placed a short distance above
the end of the screw, so as to cause the solid matter to fill the cylinder 2
and form a close packing as the screw revolves. The two cylinders
being full of solid matter the liquid solvent is admitted through an
inlet pipe near the junction of the cylinders, and flowing along comes
in contact with and interpenetrates the solid matter uniting with the
oil, fat, or resin it contains, and the combined liquid flows away through :
an outlet pipe near the lower end of the first cylinder. The first or
longer cylinder which is but slightly inclined from a horizontal position
thus constitutes the treating vessel, in which the oil, fat, or resin is
removed from the solid matter, and the second cylinder which is more
inclined is used for draining off the liquid before discharging the solid a
matter. The solid matter in the first cylinder becomes saturated with
the liquid chemical. In this condition it is received by the screw in

page_text: the second cylinder, by the action of which the solid matter is raised
and separated from the solvent as completely as it readily can be by
draining. The liquid is rapidly drained out of the solid matter as the
latter is elevated by the action of the screw, and the solid matter is then
discharged into a suitable apparatus for the purpose of evaporating, and
afterwards recovering by condensation any portion of the chemical yet
remaining in union with it, and discharging the dried solid matter from
the apparatus without permitting the escape of the solvent in a state of
vapor. Various devices have been used for this purpose.
The preferred form of dryer consists of cylindrical tubes and screw
conveyors enclosed in a tank which is filled with water heated by steam,
which may be either condensed directly into the water or enclosed in
pipes. The chemical vapor is then conveyed to a condenser, and the
resultant liquid run into a receiver for reuse. The dried solid matter
may be discharged through pipes arranged to trap the vapor. Several
treating and draining cylinders may be connected with a single drying
apparatus.
The whole operation of removing the oil and separating the solvent
from the solid matter may thus be continuous, or it may be inter-
mittent, or the mechanical contrivances used for treating and conveying
may be so arranged as to be assisted by the gravity of the solid
matter.
If preferred the liquid may be first introduced into the treating
cylinder, and the solid matter afterwards.
The combined oil, fat, or resin and chemical solvent on leaving the
treating cylinder are conducted to a separator, and the vaporized ⚫
chemical recondensed, so that the oil. or other matter and the chemical
are each saved in a pure state for future use.
A modified form of apparatus having belts or chains or other suitable
carrying appliances instead of screw conveyors may be used for re-
moving oil, fat, or resin from wool, cotton waste, or other solid mat
not in a state of pulverization.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 16th October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 35,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, Her special
license that I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Benjamin
Joseph Barnard Mills, 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 for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE EXTRACTION OF OIL,
FAT, OR RESIN FROM VEGETABLE OR OTHER SOLID MATTER BY CHEMICAL AGENCY,
AND THE RECOVERY OF THE CHEMICAL EMPLOYED," a communication to me
from abroad by Elias Smith Hutchinson, Mechanical Engineer, of the
City of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Joseph
Barnard Mills, my executors 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 performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Oflice within six calendar
months next and immediately alter the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
The object of the Invention is to furnish an apparatus by the use
of which oil, fat, or resin may be extracted and removed from large

page_text: quantities of solid matter in a more economical and expeditious manner
than has heretofore been done.
The plan of operation is to conduct a quantity of solid matter con-
taining oil, fat, or resin through a receptacle in which is introduced
bi-sulphide of carbon or other liquid chemical solvent or absorbent. The
solid matter and the combined liquids may then be conveyed to suitable
separators for the removal and recovery of the chemical without inter-
rupting the continuity of the treatment.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of
an apparatus illustrating the Invention; Figure 2 is a vertical section of
the same on the line x, x, Figure 1.
This apparatus is constructed with two screw conveyors for conveying
ground, decorticated, or pulverized solid matter (as decorticated oleagi.
nous seeds and the meal of oil bearing cereals), the conveyors being
enclosed in cylindrical tubes. The longer cylinder containing the longer
screw is placed at a slight angle with the horizontal plane, and the
shorter one at an angle of about 45 degrees. Each screw conveyor is
driven by suitable machinery.
The solid matter to be treated is admitted at the spout A, and is
conveyed along by the screw H until it meets the screw I, and is by that
conveyed to the discharge spout B which is placed at a short distance
above the end of the screw so as to cause the solid matter to fill the
cylinder and form a close packing as the screw revolves. The two
cylinders being full of the solid matter the liquid solvent is admitted
through the inlet pipe C, and flowing along comes in contact with and
interpenetrates the solid matter uniting with the oil, fat, or resin it
contains, and flows away at the outlet pipe D, combined with the oil, fat,
or resin. The solid matter in the cylinder H becomes however saturated
with the liquid, in which condition it is received by the screw I, by the
action of which the solid matter is raised and separated from the solvent
and discharged at the spout B, nearly free of liquid, which is rapidly
drained out from the solid matter as the latter is elevated by the action
of the screw. From the spout B the solid matter may be discharged
into any suitable apparatus for the purpose of evaporating and after-
wards recovering by condensation any portion of the chemical yet
remaining in union with it, and discharging the dried solid matter from
the apparatus without escape of the solvent in a state of vapour or
otherwise. Various plans for doing this have been used.

page_text: The form of dryer preferred consists of cylindrical tubes and screw
conveyors P, P, P, and R, enclosed in a tank N, which may be filled
with water up to the outlet O, which water is heated with the steam
pipe Q. The solid matter being discharged from the draining cylinder
I at the spout B as explained is conveyed through the heated cylinders
P, P, P, into the cylinder R, which standing at an angle, as shown,
elevates the meal, and discharges it at the spout M. The cylinders P,
P, P, are provided with outlets V, V, V, connecting with the condenser
Y in the tank Z, which is supplied with cold water. The liquid solvent
saturating the solid matter when the latter is discharged at the spout B,
as herein-before explained, becoming vaporized in its passage through
the heated cylinders P, P, P, escapes through the outlets V, V, V, into
the condenser Y, where it is condensed and is collected in the receiver
S for reuse. There may be several treating and draining cylinders
connected with a single drying apparatus.
The whole operation of removing the oil and separating the solvent
from the solid matter may thus be continuous, or it may be inter-
mittent; or the mechanical contrivances used for treating and conveying
may be so arranged as to be assisted by the gravity of the solid matter.
The treating or extraction of the oil may also be accomplished by first:
introducing the liquid instead of the solid matter into the cylinder H.
The mixture of oil, fat, or resin and chemical solvent discharged at D
as shown, is conducted into a suitable separator or still with condensers
attached by which the solvent is evaporated, and the oil, fat, or resin,
and also tho solvent are recovered, each in a pure state by any suitable :
method.
It is preferred to use in this connection the form of separator of oil
from chemical solvent shown in Figure 1, which consists of the cylin-
drical tubes K, K, placed in the tank N', filled with water up to the
overflow O', which is heated by the steam pipe Q. The chemical
solvent combined with oil, fat, or resin which has been discharged at D,
as herein-before explained, flows into and through the heated cylinders
K, K. The solvent becomes vaporized and escapes at outlets V¹, V¹,
into the condenser Y¹ in the tank Z³ (which is supplied with cold
water), where it is condensed and collected in the receiver S¹ for reuse.
The oil, fat, or resin thus freed from the chemical flows out at D". A
jet of free steam may be introduced through the branch steam pipe q

page_text: near the outlet D", for the purpose of expelling from the oil, fat, or
resin any remaining traces of the solvent.
A modification of the apparatus above described having belts or chains
or other suitable carrying appliances instead of screw conveyors, may be
used for removing oil, fat, or resin, from wool, cotton, waste, or other
solid matter not in a state of pulverization.
The Invention is not limited to any particular form of mechanical
construction, but the plan herein presented is preferred after experi-
menting with various forms and arrangements of apparatus.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the mode
in which the same is carried into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,―
"
Firstly. In the process of extracting oil, fat, or resin, from vegetable
or other solid matter by treatment with bi-sulphide of carbon or other
suitable liquid, chemical solvent, or absorbent of oil, fat, or resin, an
apparatus adapted substantially as set forth to allow the solid matter after
being deprived of its oil, fat, or resin, to be removed from the treating
vessel without discharging the main body of the liquid contents of the
vessel.
Secondly. An apparatus for extracting oil, fat, or resin from vegetable
or other solid matter adapted to subject the solid matter while in motion
to the action of a liquid chemical solvent flowing in the opposite
direction, or in the same, or a transverse direction, essentially as herein-
before set forth.
Thirdly. An apparatus constructed with an inlet spout and a dis-
charge orifice for the solid matter, an inlet for the liquid solvent, and an
outlet for the combined solvent and oil, fat, or resin in combination with
mechanical contrivances for moving the solid matter during treatment
and draining, substantially as described.
Fourthly. An apparatus whereby the process of removing oil, fat, or,
resin from solid matter may be continuous or non-intermittent in its
operation essentially as herein-before described.
Fifthly. An apparatus for removing oil, fat, or resin from vegetable
or other solid matter by flowing bi-sulphide of carbon laterally through
it substantially as described.
Sixthly. An apparatus substantially as described for the accelerated
draining of liquid chemical solvent, or mixture of such solvent with oil,

page_text: fat, or resin from vegetable or other solid matter after such solid matter
has been treated by means of an elevating screw, or otherwise without
breaking the connection of such screw or other contrivance for draining
with the apparatus used for treating and that used for drying the solid
matter, and without interrupting the continuity of those processes.
Seventhly. An apparatus for treating and draining, substantially as
herein-before described, operated continuously in combination with a
dryer or separator of the chemical from the solid matter, operated
continuously as herein-before mentioned, and with an apparatus for
separating the chemical from the oil, fat, or resin also operated con-
tinuously, and with condensers for the continuous recovery of the
chemical solvent employed, so as to make the entire process of
extracting oil, fat, or resin from solid matter by chemical agency and
recovering the solid matter, the oil, fat, or resin, and the chemical agent
each separate, a continuous or non-intermittent process.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-two.
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