IMPROVED STILL HEAD FOR THE DISTILLING OF ALL SORTS OF LIQUORS
Year: 1798

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, WILLIAM
PONTIFEX, ofShoe Lane, inthe: City of London, Coppersmith, sendeth
greeting:
.
WHEREAS His present, Majesty King George the Third, by. His Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain; bearing date at Westminster,
the Nineteenth day of, November last, in the thirty-ninth year of His said
Majesty's reign, after taking notice that the said William Pontifex, by his, Peti-
tion therein mentioned, had represented to His said Majesty that he, after much
study; labour, and expence, had, with the assistance of his, brother, invented
an "IMPROVED STILL HEAD FOR THE DISTILLING OF ALL SORTS OF LIQUORS," which
would be, of great public utility, that he was the first and sole Inventor thereof,
assisted as aforesaid, and, that the same had not been made by any other person
or persons whomsoever, to the best of his knowledge or belief, did give and
grant unto the said William Pontifex, 'his .exors, adñiors, and assigns,. His
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that he; the said
William Pontifex, his exors; admors, and assigns, and every of them, by himself
and themselves, or by his or, their deputy or députies, servants or agents, or such
others as: be; the said William Pontifex, his exors,' admors, or assigns, should
at, any time agree with,.and.no.others, from, time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term, of years therein, expressed; should and, lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend his. said 'Invention within that part of
His Majesty's Kingdom of Great Britain, called England, the Dominion of
Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all His Majesty's

page_text: Colonies and Plantations abroad, in such manner as to him, the said William
Pontifex, his exors, admors, and assigns, or any of them, should in his or
their discretion seem meet, and that the said William Pontifex, his exors,
adñors, and assigns, should and lawfully might have and enjoy the whole
profit, benefit, commodity, and advantage from time to time coming, growing,
arising, and accruing by reason of his said Invention, for and during the term
of years therein mentioned, to have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the said licence,
powers, privileges, and advantages therein granted or mentioned to be granted
unto the said William Pontifex, his exors, adñññors, and assigns, for and during
and unto the full end and term of fourteen years from the date of the said
Letters Patent next and immediately ensuing, and fully to be compleat and
ended, according to the Statute in that case made and provided. And it is by
the said Letters Patent, among other things, provided, that if the said William
Pontifex should not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of his said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instru-
ment in writing under his hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in
the High Court of Chancery within one calendar month next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent, then the said Letters Patent, and
all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease,
determine, and become void, as by the said Letters Patent may appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that the said William Pontifex, in pursuance of and
in conformity to the directions contained in the said in part recited Letters
Patent, by this present Deed or Instrument under his hand and seal, and
intended to be inrolled in the High Court of Chancery, doth describe and
ascertain his said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be per-
formed, in manner following, that is to say:-
Figure 1st shews the improved patent still head when compleat. A, A, A, A,
shews the back, made with copper or other materials, sufficiently large for the
whole head and neck to be covered with water, for the purpose of condensing
the steam between the two heads. B shews the crown of the external head,
with loops to rise the same. C shews the stuffing box through which the
spindle must come to work the chains if made for a wash still. D shews the
pipe to take away the waste or hot water from the back between the two
heads, and discharge at the pipe. E, F, shews the pipe to take away the
G shews the
spirit into the worm that is condensed between the two heads.
pipe or neck that carries the uncondensed steam into the worm. H, the
large end of the neck soldered to the external head.
Figure the 2nd shews the back by itself, made with copper or other materials,
to hold water for condensing the steam immediately as it comes between the

page_text: external and internal heads. A shews the collar where Figure 3rd is to be
placed.
Figure the 3d shews the external head, with neck, loops, stuffing box et
coetera, compleat, to be placed in the centre of the back, shewn by A in
Figure the 2nd, by nails, solder, or other means.
Figure the 4th shews the internal head compleat, to be placed by solder or
other means to the inside of the collar of the external head. A shows the
sides, with holes, as described by the black marks. B, the part of the
crown made fast, projecting over the sides four inches. C, the center part
of the crown, supported by four bearers, six inches above the other part; the
dark mark under this part shews the passage for the steam; this part also
projects over the open part four inches; the dark spot in the centre, for the
spindle to go through to work the chains.
Figure the 5th shews a course of copper, with a tube, to be placed with
solder or other means between the two heads; the bottom edge soldered to
the external head near the collar, the top edge soldered to the internal head
to form a passage for water between the two heads. A shews the tube or pipe
to. convey the waste or hot liquor through the external head into the passage
between the two heads, and discharge itself in a convenient part.
The principal advantages arising from the patent improyed still head consist
in the peculiar formation of an internal head, made round or otherwise, as shewn
in the Drawing by Figure the 4th, and made on a scale of half an inch to each
foot of the real size of the still head, with proper passages to admit the steam
between the two heads, and when condensed, so formed as to prevent the
smallest quantity of spirit falling again into the still. By these means the
condensation is so rapid that the business may be done within half the usual
time, and save one third of the-fuel in general consumed. Another advantage.
arises from the formation of a passage for the waste or hot liquor to pass round
the outside of the collar of the internal head, on the solder which fastens the
two heads together, to prevent the spirit gaining heat by the rising steam
through the collar into the head. This is done by a course of copper or other
materials, as shewn by Figure the 5th, soldered or otherwise to the extremity
of the outside head, at the bottom part near the collar, and brought tapering
to the internal head, and soldered or otherwise. This course in the head, as
represented in the Drawing, must be about one foot six inches deep; at the
bottom of this course is a pipe brought through the external head to take
the spirit into a convenient part of the worm. Another advantage in this
improvement is, the having a supply of hot liquor near boiling. A further
advantage consists in the forming a back with copper or other materials suffi-

page_text: ent to cover the head and neck with water, whereby most part of the spirit
condensed between the two heads; and if any is not condensed, it runs
wn the neck into the worm.
In witness whereof, the said William Pontifex hath hereunto set. his
hand and seal, this Tenth-day of December, in the thirty-ninth year of.
the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the grace of
God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the
Faith, and so forth, and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven
hundred and ninety-eight.