Improvements in and connected with the Separation of Cholesterin. and Fatty Acids from Wool Fats.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1893-Accepted. 16th Dec., 1893
Improvements in and connected with the Separation of Cholesterin.
and Fatty Acids from Wool Fats.
We, LOUIS KRAUSE, Manufacturer, and JACOB MAYER, D.Ph. Chemist, both
of Wittenberg, in the Province of Brandenburg and Kingdom of Prussia; do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention relates to the method of and means for the separation of the
cholesterin and the fatty acids and volatile constituents of crude wool grease and
its object is to effect the separation in a simple direct and inexpensive manner. It
is known that in the process of distillation of the crude grease the fatty acids and
volatile constituents come over at a lower temperature than the cholesterin, and
we take advantage of this fact in carrying out our invention, which consists in the
fractional distillation of the crude grease in the manner and by the means herein-
after described.
We may employ as the source of heat, superheated steam, but this is expensive
and rather difficult to manage in practice, and we prefer the dry method by the
direct application of heat as is well understood, care being taken to provide for
the free escape of the gaseous and vaporous products. This precaution may be.
taken by arranging to lead the products of the distillation into a passage open
at the top through the open part of which the gases and vapours may escape.
The crude wool grease is placed in a roomy still to which heat is applied. At
first the cover of the still is left off in order to permit the water vapours to escape.
As soon as the bulk of the water has thus been driven off the still is closed and
the fractional distillation commences.
The outlet of the still communicates through a wide pipe into a wider vertical
pipe. In the first pipe the products of distillation are condensed to a great extent
and the uncondensed products pass into the vertical pipe the upper end of which is
open and extends above the roof of the room in which the operation is carried on.
The open top of the pipe is to provide for the free escape of the non-condensible
products of the distillation. The condensible products which have not already
been condensed in the first pipe, become condensed in the vertical pipe and run to
its closed bottom from which they may be drawn off into any suitable receiver.
The products which first come into the receiver is a light yellow coloured oil
which solidifies on cooling into a granular mass and consists chiefly of free fatty
acids. When the distillate flowing into the receiver commences to assume a dark
brown tint, which will be when the distillation is about half completed, the receiver
is changed, and the product then collected in it consists maiuly of cholesterin.
According to this process the recovered products of the fractional distillation
are:-
1. A light coloured substance melting at a low temperature the greater part of
which is saponifiable in the cold. It consists of free fatty acids which may.be
employed in the manufacture of soap.
2. A black brown product which has a comparatively high melting point and
which consists mainly of cholesterin. This may be used for various purposes in
various industries and especially as a substitute for ceresin, in the preparation of
grease for treating leather, and may be called crude or raw cholesterin.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
The hereinbefore described direct process for the fractional distillation of wool
grease whereby two principal products are obtained consisting respectively of free
fatty acids and of crude cholesterin, substantially as and by the means herein-
before described..
Dated this Plot dan of Ontobov & D 1802
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicants.