An Improved Method or Process of and Apparatus for the Lixiviation of Various Materials.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 25th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by LA SOCIÉTÉ ANONYME DES PARFUMS NATURELS DE
CANNES, of 95, Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the Republic of France.]
An Improved Method or Process of and Apparatus for the
Lixiviation of Various Materials.
I, HENKY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The various apparatus heretofore employed for lixiviating purposes can be ranged
into two principal classes, namely, those characterized by rapid circulation and those
characterized by slow circulation.
Both classes of apparatus present inconveniences which although of a different
nature injuriously affect the prime cost.
In the former the withdrawal is often incomplete, whilst in the latter too great
expences are incurred for plant, space and supply. This invention is designed to
combine the rapidity of action of the one class with the safety of execution of the
other class.
For carrying the said invention into practice a battery or series of apparatus is
employed for containing the material to be treated (such as diffusers, extractors or
other receptacles) which can be varied in number according to the rapidity with which
the material under treatment is to be exhausted and the nature of the solvent
employed. In the case of a solvent having a certain value, such as sulphuret of
carbon or hydrocarbons, it is necessary to augment more or less the number of the
apparatus according to the time necessary for recovering the solvent retained by the
spent material, whilst in the case of a solvent having no value, such as water,
the number of apparatus depends only upon the exhaustion.
Each of the aforesaid apparatus communicates at its lower part with an admission
pipe for the frest solvent, a circulating pipe for the solvent in use; a pipe for the
solvent charged, and a discharge pipe for the solvent in case the latter is
recovered.
In the aforesaid circulating pipe for the solvent, a valve is inserted between each
two extractors, and all the valves of the whole battery or series of apparatus are
arranged to open in the direction in which the liquid circulates.
The upper part of the above mentioned battery or series of apparatus communicates
with a pipe extending to an operating device designed to cause, from one point, the
alternate introduction into every apparatus, and discharge from the same, of the
gas through the medium of which the automatic decantation of the liquids is
effected.
This operating device is composed of a series of suitable valves or cocks the number
of which is equal to that of the apparatus. By these valves or cocks the upper part
of the apparatus can, at will, be set in communication either with the introduction
pipe for the compressed gas or with the discharge pipe for the gas.
All the operating levers of the above mentioned valves or cocks can be connected
with a rod by which they are all set in motion at the same time, but the positions of
the valves or cocks of the first, third, fifth apparatus and so forth are inverse to those
of the second, fourth, sixth, apparatus and so on, that is to say, by a movement of the
said rod from the left to the right hand side, for example, the passages for the com-
pressed gas are opened in connection with the said first, third, fifth apparatus and so
forth, and the passages for the compressed gas are closed in connection with the
second, fourth, sixth apparatus and so on by the same movement at the passages of
the latter apparatus in communication, the discharge pipe for the gas being opened

page_text: at the same time, and vice versa in such a manner that when the solvent mounts in
the first, third, fifth apparatus and so forth it will descend in the second, fourth, sixth
apparatus and so on and reciprocally progressing everywhere in each movement
through an equal distance.
By reason of this arrangement the first, third, fifth apparatus and so on will always
be empty when the second, fourth, sixth apparatus and so
inversely.
011 are full, and
For example, suppose a battery or series of eight apparatus in operation in a
case where the solvent must be recovered. Into the first, third and fifth apparatus
compressed gas is adinitted whilst the second, fourth and sixth apparatus allow the gas
which they contain to escape to the discharge pipe.
During this operation the liquid contained in the first, third and fifth apparatus is
forced back, lifts such of the valves as will enable it to enter the second, fourth and
sixth apparatus whilst the other valves of the same row are kept closed by the pressure
of the liquid. The seventh and eighth of the aforesaid apparatus are outside the
exhaust circuit, for charging, recovering or discharging purposes, and the operating
levers of their valves or cocks are disengaged from the said rod and are in a position
in which no inlet and outlet of gas can take place.
For producing the movements, either compressed air or compressed gas, or steam
under pressure (steam obtained from water or other liquid) can be used, and in case
it is desirable that it shall not be allowed to escape into the atmosphere it is collected
in a gas-holder or other suitable vessel so that it can be utilized again.
It may be necessary during the operation to cause the liquid to undergo certain
modifications of temperature or subject it to the action of certain chemical agents.
This result is easily obtained by filling only some of the apparatus with the material
to be treated, for example the first, third, fifth and so forth, the second, fourth, sixth
apparatus and so on being in that case only employed for causing the liquid to
undergo the desired treatment in its passage.
As will be seen, the above described process and apparatus are independent of the
nature of the solvent and can be used in any case where the treatment of raw material
is effected by lixiviation.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION. .
An Improved Method or Process of and Apparatus for the
Lixiviation of Various Materials.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
The various apparatus heretofore employed for lixiviation purposes can be ranged
into two principal classes namely those characterized by rapid circulation and those
characterized by slow circulation.
Both classes of apparatus present inconveniences which although of a different
nature injuriously affect the prime cost. In the former the withdrawal is often
incomplete whilst in the latter too great expenses are incurred for plant space and
supply.
This invention is designed to combine the rapidity of action of the one class with
the safety of execution of the other class.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing the Figures of which are
hereinafter referred to.
For carrying the said invention into practice a battery or series of apparatus E'
to E is employed for containing the material to be treated (such as diffusers

page_text: extractors or other receptacles) which can be varied in number according to the
rapidity with which the material under treatment is to be exhausted and the nature
of the solvent employed. In the case of a solvent having a certain value such as
sulphuret of carbon or hydrocarbon it is necessary to augment more or less the
number of the apparatus according to the time necessary for recovering the solvent
retained by the spent material, whilst in the case of a solvent having no value, such as
water, the number of apparatus depends only upon the exhaustion.
Each of the aforesaid apparatus communicates at its lower part with an admission
pipe DN for the fresh solvent.
A circulating pipe D T for the solvent in use.
A pipe DC for the solvent charged and a discharge pipe P for the solvent in case
the latter is recovered.
In the aforesaid circulating pipe D T for the solvent a valve is inserted between
each two extractors at at S, S, &c. and all the valves of the whole battery or series of
apparatus are arranged to open in the direction in which the liquid circulates.
The upper part of each of the above mentioned batteries or series of apparatus
communicates with a pipe M, M, M, &c. extending to an operating device designed
to cause from one point the alternate introduction into every apparatus and discharge
from the same of the gas through the medium of which the automatic decantation of
the liquids is effected.
This operating device is composed of a series of suitable valves R₁ R, R, &c. the
number of which is equal to that of the apparatus. By these valves the upper part
of the apparatus can be set in communication at will either with the introduction
pipe GC for the compressed gas or with the discharge pipe G E for the gas.
All the operating levers of the above mentioned valves or cocks can be connected
with a rod by which they are all set in motion at the same time, but the positions of
the valves or cocks of the apparatus bearing uneven numbers are inverse to those of
the apparatus bearing even numbers that is to say, if by a movement of the said rod
from the left to the right hand side, for example, the passages for the compressed
gas are opened in connection with the apparatus bearing uneven numbers, they are
closed in connection with the apparatus having even numbers by the same movement
the communication between the apparatus having even numbers being opened at the
same time through the discharge pipe for the gas and vice versa, in such a manner
that when the solvent mounts in the apparatus having uneven numbers it will descend
in the apparatus having even number and reciprocally progressing everywhere in
each movement through an equal distance. By reason of this arrangement the
apparatus having uneven numbers will always be empty when the apparatus having
even numbers are full, and inversely.
In the example illustrated in the drawing and which represents a battery in course
of operation and where the solvent must be recovered, the said battery being supposed
to consist of eight apparatus, the apparatus bearing uneven numbers E, F, E, receive
the compressed gas obtained from the pipe G C through the pipes M, M, M., whilst
the apparatus having even numbers E, E, E, allow the gas which they contain to
escape through the pipes M, M. Me to the discharge pipe G E.
During this operation the liquid contained in E₁ E, E, is forced back, lifts the
valves S, S, S, and enters E, E, E, whilst the other valves S₁ S3 S, are kept closed
by the pressure of the liquid. The apparatus E, E, are outside the exhaust circuit for
the purpose of charging recovering or discharging purposes and the operating levers
of their valves or cocks R, R, are disengaged from the rod T and are in a position in
which no inlet and outlet of gas can take place.
For producing the movements, either compressed air or compressed gas, or steam
under pressure (vapour obtained from water or other liquid) can be used and in case
it is desirable that it shall not be allowed to escape into the atmosphere it is connected
in a gas-holder or other suitable vessel so that it can be utilized again.
It may be necessary during the operation to cause the liquid to undergo certain
modifications of temperature or subject it to the action of certain chemical agents.
This result is easily obtained by filling only some of the apparatus with the material

page_text: to be treated, for example those bearing uneven numbers. The apparatus bearing
even numbers being in that case only employed for causing the liquid to undergo the
desired treatment in its passage.
As will be seen the above described process and apparatus are independent of the
nature of the solvent and can be used in any case where the treatment of raw material
is effected by lixiviation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign Correspondents, 1 declare that what I claim is;—
First. The improved method or process of lixiviation by conjugated apparatus,
based upon the employment of two series of conjugated vessels which are all together
alternately filled with and emptied of the liquid used in treatinent.
Second. The employment of a circulating pipe provided with flaps or valves,
dispensing with the operation of cocks in this pipe.
Third. The employment of an operating device enabling the regulation of the
movements of the liquid in the battery to be effected from a distance at a single
point by means of compressed vapours or gas.
Dated this 30th day of November 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.