IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING EXTRACTS FROM TEA, COFFEE, AND OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Loysel, of Park Place, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
OBTAINING EXTRACTS FROM TEA, COFFEE, AND OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES,"
Sealed the 16th December 1864, and dated the 1st October 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Loysel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
October 1864.
I, EDWARD LOYSEL, of Park Place, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING EXTRACTS FROM TEA, COFFEE, AND OTHER VEGETABLE
SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
My Invention of "improved apparatus for obtaining extracts from tea,
coffee, and other vegetable substances, relates to a novel constructionof appa-
ratus in which the infusion or extract of the vegetable substance is forced by
the pressure of air through a filtering medium into a vessel or receptaclecon-
veniently placed to receive the clear liquid extract. To this end the apparatus
is divided into two principal parts consisting of two distinct vessels, which
by preference should be made separate, but so that they may be temporarily
connected together with an air-tight joint. The upper vessel receives the
vegetablo substance to be operated upon, and which must be ground up or

page_text: reduced to a power as usual with coffee, and in the lower vessel is placed a
small quantity of boiling water. The upper vessel is provided at its lower end
with a perforated bottom on which the ground coffee, tea, or other vegetable
substance is placed, and the vessel is then filled with boiling water. If the
two vessels are made separate, the upper one must be provided witha packing
joint whereby it may be fitted air-tight into the neck or other convenient
part of the lower one, so as to convert the latter into a close chamber. Beneath
this lower vessel a spirit lamp or other flame for heating the same is placed,
and in using the improved apparatus a small quantity of water must be
introduced into the lower vessel as before mentioned in order to be converted
into steam by the heat from the lamp or flame below. While this is going
on the infusion of the tea or coffee in the boiling water contained in the upper
vessel is proceeding, and an extract is being produced therein. By the gene-
ration of steam in the lower vessel by the heat of the lamp the air will be
expelled therefrom and made to bubble up through the liquid contained
in the upper vessel. Upon removing the flame from below the generation
of steam in the lower vessel will be stopped and condensation will
commence, thereby creating a partial vacuum in the lower vessel. The
pressure of the external air on the surface of the infusion or extract in the
upper vessel will force the liquid through the filtering medium and the per-
forated bottom, and from thence into the lower vessel. When all the liquid
extract has passed into the lower vessel the upper vessel may be removed,
and the lower vessel being provided with a suitable lid and
liquid extract may be poured therefrom as may be required.
As a modification of the above the upper vessel may be provided with a
perforated false bottom, and beneath this false bottom I propose to place a
chamber provided with a double action stop-cock, and from this chamber will
rise a vertical pipe, the lower end of which communicates with one of the
passages of the stop-cock, while the other end is open so that a clear passage
is made from the lower vessel through the upper one to the external air.
The other opening of the stop-cock forms a communication between thesmall
chamber beneath the false bottom of the upper vessel and the capacity of the
lower vessel which is the recipient for the vegetable extract when it passes
through the filtering medium. When steam is generated in the lower vessel
by the heat of the lamp it will expel the air therefrom and drive it up through
the stop cock and upper vessel into the air, then upon removing the lamp
and turning the stop-cock so as to cut off communication with the external
air, condensation of steam, and consequently a partial vacuum will takeplace
in the lower chamber, and the atmospheric pressure will force the liquid
spout, the clear

page_text: extract through the perforated false bottom and the close chamber and sto
cock into the lower vessel as in the other instance.
For some purposes it may be found convenient to connect the upper and
lower vessels permanently together, I therefore reserve to myself the right
to do so in all cases where it may be desired.
The principle of my Invention may be applied to obtaining extracts from
various other vegetable substances besides tea and coffee, and may be not
only carried out on a small scale for domestic purposes, but also on a large
scale for obtaining infusions, decoctions, or extracts from drugs, malt, hops,
and other vegetable substances.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
.
by the said Edward Loysel, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st April 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
LOYSEL, of Park Place, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto 1
me, the
said Edward Loysel, Her special license that I, the said Edward Loysel, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward
Loysel, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at anytime 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 "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING
EXTRACTS FROM TEA, COFFEE, AND OTHER VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Loysel, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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 Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Loysel, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,

page_text: to he particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters
and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention of "improved apparatus for obtaining extracts from tea,
coffee, and other vegetable substances, and which apparatus I intend to
denominate "the "atmopellic defecator," relates to a novel construction of
apparatus in which the infusion or extract of the vegetable substance is
forced by the pressure of the air through a filtering medium into a vessel
or receptacle conveniently placed to receive the clear liquid extract.
In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn various forms of apparatus
constructed according to my Invention, and whereby the intended object of
obtaining infusions or extracts from vegetable substances may be effected.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, Sheet I., are vertical sections of different forms
of apparatus, which however it will be seen are all divided into two principal
parts, consisting of two distinct vessels A and B, which by preference should
be made separate, but so that they may be temporarily connected together
with an air-tight joint. The upper vessel B receives the vegetable substance
to be operated upon, and which must be ground up or reduced to a powder,
as usual, with coffee, and in the lower vessel A is placed a small quantity of
boiling water. This upper vessel B is provided at its lower end with a per-
forated false bottom or filter F, shewn detached, and drawn on an enlarged
scale at Fig. 14. This moveable filter may be screwed into the bottom inside
the infusion vessel, it is composed of a reversed cone closed at its upper part
by a convex plate, the cone is perforated on its under side; when this
filter is fixed at the bottom of the infusion vessel the space left between the
outer surface of the perforated cone and the bottom of the infusion vessel is
small, and requires but a sinall quantity of ground vegetable substance to fill
it, thus forming at once a filtering bed through which the infusion must pass
and be strained before reaching the holes of the perforated cone so as to pass
into the receptacle A. The part I is soldered to the neck of the vessel A, and
gives it the appearance of the mouth of a decanter. J is ground in 1 and is
soldered to the bottom of the infusing vessel B. The plug J is perforated
through, and in its upper part the small pipe which is soldered to the bottom
of the filter F is screwed or otherwise secured; on this filter the ground
coffee, tea, or other vegetable substance is placed, and the vessel is then filled
with boiling water. If the two vessels A and B are made separate, as shewn
in the Figures, the upper oue should be provided with a ground packing
joint J, or some other suitable device whereby it may be fitted air-tight into
the neck I or other convenient part of the lower vessel A, so as to convert

page_text: the latter into a close chamber. Beneath this lower vessel is placed a spirit
lamp, gas burner, or other flame, as at D, for heating the water in the
vessel A.
In using the improved apparatus, as shewn in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7,
Sheet I., a small quantity of water must be introduced into the lower vessel A,
as before-mentioned, in order to be converted into steam by the heat from the
lamp or flame below; while this is going on the infusion of the tea or coffee
in the upper vessel B is proceeding, boiling water having been previously
poured thereon for the purpose; an extract of the tea or coffee will thus
be produced in the upper vessel B.
By the generation of steam in the lower vessel A from the heat of the
lamp D, the air will be expelled therefrom, and made to bubble up through
the liquid contained in the upper vessel B, but upon removing the lamp D
from below the vessel A, the generation of steam in this vessel will be stopped,
and condensation will commence, thereby creating a partial vacuum in the
lower vessel. The pressure of the external air on the surface of the infusion
or extract in the upper vessel B will then force the liquid through the
filtering medium and the perforated bottom or filter F, and from thence into
the lower vessel A. When all the liquid extract has passed into the lower
vessel, the upper vessel B may be removed, and the lower vessel being provided
with a suitable lid and spout the clear liquid extract may be poured there-
from as may be required.
The apparatus shewn at Fig. 1 is provided with a double-action cock K.
A vertical pipe Lin this Figure is soldered over a small hole in the cock K,
and if steam be generated in the vessel A while the parts are in the position
shewn, it will escape through the pipe I. with ut mixing with the infusion
contained in the vessel B. This apparatus is used as follows:-A little
boiling water is poured through the neck I into the lower vessel A (the
vessel B having been removed for the purpose); then the lamp D is lighted,
and the vessel B is placed over A, and as it fits air-tight into the neck I, it
effectually closes it. The ground coffee powder (if coffee is required) is
thrown into the vessel B, and the boiling water is poured on to it and the lid
is replaced. Then the heat of tlie lamp D will cause some of the water in A
to vaporize, and the air will thereby be expelled from the vessel A, and will
escape through the pipe.L After a few minutes all the air will have been
expelled from the vessel A, which will be filled instead with steam, which will
be seen escaping through the pipe L. When the coffee has been infused
long enough, the lamp D may be removed and by turning the cock K the
piple L will be closed, and will thus confine the steam in the vessel A. At

page_text: the same time that the communication with the pipe L through the cock K
is closed a communication between the upper and lower vessel through
another passage in the cock K is opened, and the steam in the lower vessel A
by condensing will produce a partial vacuum therein. The atmospheric
pressure on the liquid in the vessel B will then force the infusion through the
ground coffee which has settled on the filter F, and will pass into the lower
vessel A. from which it may be drawn off through a tap O after removing
the upper vessel B.
Fig. 2 represents a modification of Fig. 1; in this Figure all the diff reut
parts are shewn detached. D) is an improved spirit lamp of peculiar con-
struction, and is shewn detached on an enlarged scale at Fig. 11; its size is
calculated from practical experiments for each apparatus, so that when no
more heat is necessary the spirit will be burnt out and the lamp will become
extinguished without further attention.
. Figs. 12 and 13 represent a modification of this lamp, and is intended for
apparatus of various sizes. When the coffee is made and passed through the
filter F the upper vessel may be removed, and the pot A. taken hold of by
the handle Q, and the coffee poured out through the neck 1. The bottom M
of the pot A is raised up a little so as to leave a rim which fits the stand R.
The flame of the burning spirit passes up through the inverted cone which
forms the chimney and strikes the bottoin of the apparatus, and the burnt air
comes out on the holes perforated for the purpose.
Fig. 3 represents an urn constructed like the apparatus shewn at Fig. 2,
except that the body A is fixed to the stand R, and therefore instead of using
it as a pot, the infusion when made is to be extracted by means of a tap O.
The urn may be so made as to be fixed to the stand by means of two screws
instead of being soldered to it.
The modus operandi is as follows:-1st, fill the lamp with spirit from the
bottle, Fig. 15; then remove the upper vessel B, and fix at the bottom thereof
the filter F, and throw in the ground coffee. A little boiling water must be
poured into the vessel A through the neck I, as before mentioned. A small
tin measure to hold the proper quantity of water may accompany each
apparatus sold.
When the lamp is lighted replace the upper vessel B on the
lower one A, and pour into B over the ground substance the proper quantity
of boiling water, and replace the lid C over it; then proceed as in the former
instance, and when the infusion is complete, and the clear liquid has been
transferred from the upper to the lower vessel, it may be drawn off by the
tap O, which is of somewhat peculiar construction.
It will be seen that the tap O, Fig. 3, has two channels, and when the key

page_text: or handle is turned, a way is opened through the pipe P for the air to get
from outside into the upper part of the vessel A over the infusion, and the
way out being opened at the same time for the infusion, the air will get in
and counterbalance the external pressure of the atmosphere, and the infusion
will run out freely at the tap.
Fig. 4 is another form of apparatus, but constructed on precisely the same
principle, and therefore needs no further explanation.
Fig. 5 represents an apparatus constructed in a cheap mauner; it is made
of tin plate, and the stand T, as shewn in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, is dispensed
with.
The pot A stands on three legs or feet N, N, N, and the bottom M is high
inside to afford space for the heat produced by the lamp D, which is merely
placed under the bottom M. This lamp is shewn on a large scale at Fig. 12,
and is so constructed that the hoat will not attack the part on which it is
placed, and the air will penetrate through perforations into the inner air tube
of the lamp. In other respects this apparatus is exactly similar in con-
struction and action to the apparatus previously described.
Fig. 6 represents an arrangement which will be found convenient in hot
countries, or in the summer, or whenever there is no fire, for getting boiling
water; it affords means of boiling the water in the apparatus itself. The
upper vessel B is provided with a cock K at bottom; with this exception, the
construction is similar to that of the apparatus previously described. The
modus operandi will be as follows:-Taking care that the cock K be closed,
the body B is removed and placed on one side while the pot A is filled with
cold water. A common but powerful spirit lamp D is placed underneath the
vessel A, and when the water therein is quite boiling, it is poured over
the coffee in the vessel B, a little of the boiling water being retained in the
vessel A. The vessel B is then placed over the pot A, and either the same
lamp D is lighted underneath or another lamp that extinguishes at the
proper moment; then the tap K must be opened, and the phenomena, as
previously described, will take place, viz., the air will be expelled through
the body of the infusion in B, and afterwards filters itself into the pot A.
Fig. 7 represents an ordinary coffee pot fitted to be used by my new system,
The upper part of the pot is closed by a diaphragm, in the centre of which is
soldered the socket I, in which is ground the plug J of the upper vessel B.
The end of the spout O is fitted with a ground plug, which is placed in its
socket when the apparatus is put in action. The pot is then put on a stand,
and a lamp placed beneath. A small quantity of water is to be poured into A,
and the plug S must be removed to allow the air to escape; afterwards the

page_text: plug is replaced. When the coffee is made and filtered in the pot A, the
vessel B is removed, the plug S is then aken out and the coffee is poured into
the cups as from an ordinary coffee pot.
Fig. S represents the system applied to a singlevesselintheshapeofacommon
coffee pot. It shews the two vessels B and A, joined in one body; this body
is divided into two compartments in an inner diaphragm,at the centre of which
is formed an opening, to which is soldered a piece of tube closed at its lower
part by a very finely perforated plate. In this tube the filter F is fixed by
screwing or otherwise. The diameter of the tube at its lower end is greater
than in the other apparatus, because the perforated plate underneath diminishes
the way for the infusion to filter. When the infusion is made and has passed
into the part A of the pot, it will be seen that by removing the ground plug S
the coffee may be run out of the spout O, because there is a pipe P, P, P,
which will admit the air from the outside of the end of the spout to the inside
of the pot in the upper part of the capacity A.
Fig. 9 represents a cheap urn constructed somewhat like the pot Fig. 8
already described. In this instauce the infusion is extracted by means of a
double-action tap (shown in Figs. 3 and 10), which admits the air through
the pipe P, P, P, to the upper part of the vessel A.
Fig. 10 represents an urn capable of operating upon several gallons of
liquid at one time. Of course when the size of the apparatus increases, the
length of the operation must be increased in proportion as the masses of air to
be expelled from the body A being larger it requires more time to expel it,
and when the moment arrives for the infusion to leave the upper vessel B,and
filter itself into the lower vessel A, the mass of liquid requires more time to
filter through a large mass of ground substance, and to pass into the lower
compartment. In a two gallon apparatus with a proper lamp, it will require
between six and seven minutes for the expulsion of all the air from the lower
vessel, and three or four minutes more to complete the infusion. When the
heat is removed the condensation of the steam will commence, and from the
large external surface of the vessel this condensation will be rapid; and if at
that moment the infusion cannot pass through with sufficient rapidity the
external pressure of the atmosphere ou the surface of the vessel A will be very
great, and would cause a collapse of the body A, if it were not constructed of
sufficient strength to resist the pressure.
Figs. 11, 12, and 13, are sectional views of the spirit lamps used in my
apparatus. The circular channel a, a, which contains the spirit is formed of
twoc oncentric cylinders; b is an open space in the centre of the lamp for the
admission of air. When the lamp, Fig. 11, is placed on any of the stands T,

page_text: as in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, perforations are made in the centre plate of
the stand, and around the spot where the lamp is placed, in order to admit
the air to the centre of the lamp.
Fig. 12 represents a lamp that may be used without a stand. A second
bottom d, d, d, is fixed to the lamp, so as to leave an empty space between
this bottom and the lamp itself, and holes c, c, c, c, are perforated in order
to admit fresh air to the centre space b. A third or annular reservoir e, e,
is arranged round the bottom of the lamp to receive any spirit that may
be spilt whilst filling the lamp.
Figure 13 represents a lamp of increased power, and intended for the largest
kinds of apparatus. There is a first circular channel a, a, as in the former
lamp, and a second circular channel a', a', and between them is an annular
space for air as well as the central space 5, the two annular channels
a and a¹ are joined at bottom by a small pipe f, so that by filling the onter
channel a, a, the inner one will fill at the same time. third or fourth
circular channel might be added to increase the power if desired. The
filter F shewn in section at Figure 14 has been already described.
Fig. 15 represents a convenient tin bottle for filling the small lamps with
spirit.
Fig, 16 represents an apparatus constructed for making infusions of
modicinal substances at divers temperatures and with any menstruum. The
upper vessel B may be made of tinned or silvered metal, or of glass, or
porcelain, or earthenware, and the filter F may also be made of any proper
substance. At the bottom of the vessel B is a tap K. The substance is
placed in B for maceration, the tap K being closed. When the maceration
has been long enough, then a little boiling water is introduced into the under
back U, through the opening X. The tap V is kept open, the lamp D is
lighted underneath, the air and steam tap Z is kept opened, then the steau
produced by the boiling of the small quantity of water in U will force out the
air from A; the tap Z is then closed and the lamp D removed or extinguished,
and the apparatus is allowed to remain in this state till the vessel A is cool.
The steam continued in A will-gradually condense, and the water will fall
back to the under back reservoir U, and an almost perfect vacuum will be pro-
duced in A. On closing the tap V and opening the tap K the infusion will
instantly percolate downwards into A, and will cause the ground substances
contained in B to be completely drained. This arrangement will allow of
obtaining rapidly an almost complete vacuum in A. The water is placed in
an under back U separated from the vessel A, so that the condensation water
will run back into it, as it would not be advisable to have water in A when

page_text: the menstruum employed is spirit, ether, or any other than water. Steam is
admitted into A from the generator U through a tube closed at the top, and
perforated at its sides all around, so that the steam will be diffused in the
vessel A. The extract may afterwards be drawn off from the tap O. Instead
of employing steam or the vapor of water to produce the vacuum in the
vessel A, when spirit or ether is used, as the menstruum of the substance to
be operated Apon, I sometimes place a small quantity of the spirit or ether in
the vessel A, and by vaporizing it by means of heat, the air will be driven
out, and a vacuum may then be produced by condensing the vaporized
spirit or ether.
Fig. 17, Sheet II., is a sectional view representing the application of my
Invention to mashing operations on a large scale, such for instance as in
brewing or distilling. A is the mash tun; Z, Z, is a funnel containing the
malt which falls out over the cone U, which may be regulated by being raised
or lowered by means of a rack or other equivalent contrivance. Water at the
proper temperature is admitted by the tap S into a small circular reservoir V,
which encloses circularly the falling malt, and forms a sheet of water which
mixes with the malt as it descends. The water and malt fall together on to
a convex distributor X, which spreads out the wetted malt, and causes it to
fall over the bottom of the mash tun A. E is a false bottom, which is per
forated with twelve holes n, as shewn in Fig. 18, and on which are fixed the
filters F made as previously described and shewn in Fig. 14. According to
the size of the mash tun more or less filters are arranged over the false bottom
so as to divide its whole extent pretty uniformly. B is a vessel for receiving
the wort when ready, and is mounted in masonry M. In Fig. 17, H is a tap
on a tube which communicates from the centre of the bottom of the mash
tun A to the top of the vessel B. O is a tap on a pipe N, N, which admits
steam from a generator to the bottom of the vessel B; P is a tap on a tube
which communicates with a pump for pumping the liquid from B; Q is a tap
which allows the liquid from B to run out if required; G is a tap which will
allow the wort to run out into an under vessel if required; I is a tap to admit
air to the vessel B if required; J, J, is a spindle or shaft in communication
with the steam engine, by means of which the hops inside the vessel B may
be stirred; K is a safety steam valve; L is the man hole.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-All the taps being closed,
the malt and water are allowed to run into and fall in the mash tun. As
soon as the filters are covered with wetted malt, the steam tap is opened to
allow steam to enter the vessel B, and then the tap H is opened also. The
steam will cause the air to escape and pass through the tap H and press under

page_text: the false bottom of the mash tun, and try to escape through the holes n in
the filters F, and ascend in the vessel A in twelve uniform columns, thereby
agitating the whole mass of malt. This agitation will continue as long as
there is air in B to be expelled by the steam. If when all the air has been
expelled it is still necessary to continue the agitation of the mash, it will be
necessary to close the taps N and H for a short time and open the tap I,
through which air will enter the vessel B, and fill up the space left free by
the condensation of the steam; then on shutting the tap I again, and opening
the steam tap O and the tap H, the agitation of the mash will be renewed.
When the mash has been sufficiently infused, and the air has been totally
expelled from B, either through the taps H or I, the taps O and I are to be
closed. The condensation of steam in B will cause a partial and increasing
vacuum, and the atmospheric pressure will cause the wort to leave the
mash tun, and run rapidly into the boiler B. When all the wort has passed
into B the hops may be put in through the man hole, and on opening the
tap O steam will be admitted, and the wort will be boiled with the hops.
When the boiling is complete, the wort may be pumped into the cooler
through the taps l', and the remaining parts of the brewing operation
carried on in the ordinary manner.
It will be evident Ithat an apparatas of similar construction may be
employed for obtaining extracts from medicinal drugs and coloring matters
for dye woods.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Loysel, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
EDWARD LOYSEL. (L.S.)