IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING AND RECTIFYING GRAIN OR MALT WHISKIES, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Evariste Vignier, of Great Tower Street, in the City
of London, Merchant (and of Cognac, in France), for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING AND RECTIFYING GRAIN OR MALT WHISKIES,
AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.'
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Evariste Vignier at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th June 1877.
EVARISTE VIGNIER, of Great Tower Street, in the City of London, Merchant,
(and of Cognac, in France). "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING AND RECTIFYING
GRAIN OR MALT WHISKIES, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
This Invention relates,--
First. To certain improvements in what is commonly known as the "Coffey
still.".
And, Secondly. To improvements in the ordinary "Pot still" worked by charge
and by continuous distillation, and to means employed for purifying and cleansing
low wines and feints before being distilled or rectified, and has for its object,
1
First. The obtaining by means of the improved "Coffey still," herein-after
described, a plain grain spirit as perfectly rectified by a single operation and as
free from ethers and fusil oils as it would be by a double distillation.
Second. The obtaining by the use of the improved "Pot still" herein-after
described, the best malt whiskies free from fusil oils and ethers.
Third. The obtaining of plain malt whiskies by a continuous process of distillation
of wash or wine in my improved continuous "Pot still," such whiskies being
remarkably free from fusil oils and ethers.
Fourth. The use of fixed oils, almond oils, or neat's-foot oil, or any well purified
and silent fixed oils for treating low wines or feints before their re-distillation.
In using my improved "Coffey still," the wash before it enters the distilling
column is brought nearly to the boiling point of spirit by the condensation therein
of the low wines. The ordinary form of the Coffey analyser is according to my
D 1011

page_text: Invention divided into three separate compartments by metallic sheets. The top
compartment is composed of a number of frames, provided each with bonnets above
the liquid, not dipping in the wash, and with overflow pipe. Each frame is only
covered with a thin depth of wash in order to expedite the heating thereof, which
is accomplished either with free steam, or with steam heat from closed steain pipes.
The wash after having been separated or freed from the most volatile oils, descends
by the overflow pipes to the second division of the distilling column on to frames
arranged in the same way as those of the upper part, but passing through a greater
number of frames. The vapours collected from these frames may be considered as
the best low wines. The wash from the last frame of this second division continues
to descend to the third and last division of the distilling column to be thoroughly
analysed. These vapours are naturally those containing the heavy oils of the wash,
and the wash having been quite exhausted of any alcoholic vapours it may be
allowed to run off from the last frame of the column. The vapours of the three
divisions of the column are collected separately into two horizontal condensers
placed in the wash reservoir established above the top of the distilling column, and
form two qualities of low wines. These vapours before being condensed may be
caused to pass-through a copper cylinder charged with water on diaphragms, or
otherwise. The low wines when condensed are passed through a filter consisting
of a copper cylinder charged with diaphragms of light flannel or of cotton wool
impregnated with well purified fixed oils of sweet almonds, or other suitable fixed
oils. The low wines having passed through this filter,, which has the property of
retaining and absorbing the essential oils, enter the top of the cylinder from which
they are taken in order to pass through three refrigerators charged with ice and
salt, or with refrigerating salts.
These refrigerators are made of earthenware or of block tin, the oils being
condensed at the bottoin of.cách, whilst the spirit, which floats at the top, is carried
out by an overflow pipe from one to another, and from the last one enters the
improved rectifying column, which I shall now proceed to describe.
It is somewhat similar to that of the ordinary "Coffey still," but it is divided into
two compartments, so as to form two separate columns by a vertical partition, and
thus forms two separate rectifyers for the two kinds of low wines obtained from
the analyser. These low wines having been first condensed and then highly purified
and refrigerated, as before stated, are admitted separately into the two rectifying
columns. at about the centre frames. Free steam passing through a valve, or steam
in a closed pipe, is used for the purpose of heating the low wines when they descend
these columns. The rectifying columns are each composed of frames arranged in the
same form as in the distilling column, all the separating diaphragins being provided
with overflow pipes connecting one compartment with another. Lenticular shaped
discs.may be used for the top part of the bonnets; and be employed as condensers
of the vapours either by sending through them water or condensed low wines, or a
tubular surface condenser may be placed. a little above the middle of tho..two
rectifying columns in order to command the strength to be obtained; the condensed
vapours being turned back into the lower fraines of the rectifyer.
. If desired the rectifying column may be made in two separate parts, situate one
on cach side of the distilling column; their capacity being regulated according to
the amount of low wines entering therein.
:
From what has been stated above with reference to the wash distilling column
or analyser, it will be readily understood that the low wines. obtained from this
column are of a much higher quality than those obtained by the ordinary Coffey
analyser, they being entirely free from the light fusil oils; which are more volatile.
than spirit, and from the heavy fusil oils found in the low wines taken from the
centre division, whilst the low wines from the top frames of the first division, and
those of the frames of the third division, will be impregnated with them, but
purified, as explained.
"
The system of refrigerating by ice, which constitutes an important part of my
Invention, as well as the filtering medium, effects on both the low wines the

page_text: complete separation of the oils from the spirit, and hence by my improved rectifying.
column I obtain the purest and finest spirit hitherto produced.
The division of the vapours in distilling the wash, the refrigerating process, and.
the filtration process which I employ, are most essential and important features in,
a continuous process of distillation.
Another advantage resulting from my improved distilling column is the facility.
afforded for stopping the working of the distillation at any moment or during any
period of the operation that may be required, without any loss of spirit; the
working not being under pressure, the risks of firo and other accidents are obviated,
moreover its operation is independent of the rectifyer, whilst the Coffey arrange-
ment works under the pressure of the analyser.
The rectifying columns of my apparatus work separately, and are quite
independent of the analyser. The low wines arriving condensed, filtered, and
refrigerated in the middle of the rectifying column, through the discs, or otherwise,
are heated in their way downward by steam heat, as before described, and rise up
without pressure through the bonnets of each chamber, until they reach the discs of
the bonnets, or a centre refrigerator, the temperature of which is calculated, so as
to command and regulate the strength of the spirit. In case of need a second
tubular surface condenser may be placed near the top of the column, to be used as
required.
My improvements. on the ordinary "Pot still" consist of the following arrange-
ments: combine with the ordinary still a copper cylinder with or without
diaphragins of a sufficient capacity to contain at least one-tenth part of that of the
still... This cylinder is first charged with clean, pure water, equal to about one-half
the quantity that it will hold for its complete charge. The vapours from the still
are caused to pass through this water, the head of the still being connected to the
bottom part of this cylinder. When the water, having been heated by the alcoholio
vapours of the still, permits the redistillation of these vapours by keeping back
the oils, they ascend thence by the head of the cylinder and are condensed in the
worm in the ordinary way.
If desired, two or more of these cylinders may be placed on the same level, so as
to repeat the same operation two, three, or more times, in order to obtain a still
more purified spirit, or a greater number of diaphragms are placed in a cylinder.
The vapours from the cylinder which are condensed are replaced in the same pro-
portion with hot or cold water, from the top of the condenser, or otherwise, when
the overflow of the charge of this cylinder is taken by means of a syphon, with a
small hole made in the highest part of the bend in order to allow this syphon to
operate and establish the level of the charge in the cylinder; or, by means of the
ordinary overflow pipes, when the cylinder is provided with diaphragms; this
overflow runs to the bottom of the still.
I further propose to adapt to the ordinary Pot still two heads operating separately,
so as to receive in a small condenser, the first and last vapours arising from the
wash or the low wines, and thus prevent the impregnation of the good low wines
or spirits by these vapours, which are full of ethers and fusil oils. These vapours
may also be caused to pass through a separate cylinder charged with water, in the
manner and for the purpose already described. By this further improvement in the
Pot still I ensure a more perfect separation of the ethers and fusil oils from the best
product of distillation.
Another of my improvements in distillation by the use of the Pot still, which
may or may not be employed, consists in the refrigeration of the low wines or
spirits after they have been condensed through the worm, in the same way as
explained for my improved Coffey still, with this difference, that the filtration
of the low wines through fixed oils may or may not be used, as found necessary.
Hitherto distillers of plain malt whiskies have never produced fine spirits of this
quality by a continuous process. It has indeed always been considered that the
Fot still alone is capable of making fine whiskies, losing sight of the fact that the
redistillation of the low wines of whiskies in a Pot still having a high head pro-
.

page_text: duces spirit at 40 to 50 over proof, which is a spirit strongly rectified, and more so;
that will be produced in the still which I shall now describe as my improved
continuous Pot still, and which produces a spirit of a lower strength but free from
ether and fusil oils direct from the wash at one operation.
In my improved continuous pot still I employ a wine or wash receiver, which
serves as a refrigerator for ethers and essential oils lighter than spirit. A pot still
receiving the wash from the wash receiver commences the distillation of free ethers
and light essential oils, the heating, power from the still head through a coil being
so regulated as to raise the temperature of the liquid to about the boiling point of
spirit, say, about 173° Fahrenheit, during ten or fifteen minutes.
From the above-described still the wash descends by means of a pipe with tap
into the second still, where the distillation of the wash is effected during a sufficient
time to allow about 70 per cent. of the spirit contained in the wash to be eva-
porated. When this is accomplished the wash is allowed to run by means of a pipe
with tap into a third Pot still, which exhausts the liquid of any spirit remaining
therein, and is at the same time used as a heat generator for the second still. The
vapours there formed are condensed separately, and received, with the vapours of
the first still, in a feints receiver. The vapours of the second and third pot still
are cleansed by passing through water cylinders, as herein-before described.
The vapours of the second still having passed through the water cylinder aro
directed into a still. head of a height of about 6 feet, which contains a number of
copper diaphragms, each provided with a number of reversed caps or bonnets, not
dipping into the condensed liquid, and with overflow tubes. The vapours from the
top of this still head pass through a coil which serves to warm the wash of the
first still, and are afterwards condensed in an ordinary refrigerator, whence they
pass, if thought necessary, through the icing process, in order to perfect the com-
bination of the spirit thus obtained. It will thus be seen that my improvements
in the above process of continuous distillation are based on the working of the
wash through three Pot stills; that is to say, No. 1, to analyse the wash of ether
and essential oils volatile under the boiling point of spirit; No. 2, to distill the
wash and receive about 70 per cent. of the spirit which it contains; No. 3, to
analyse the wash from No. 2 still of all the spirit contained in this wash.
This arrangement combined with the water cylinders and the head of the still
forms my improved continuous Pot still, and constitutes (although the stills work
by charge) a continuous process of distillation due to the rectifying process of the
still head and its construction.
I also propose, before redistilling very impure low wines or feints of low wines
and spirit, to submit these liquids to the following process:-Fixed oils in suitable
proportions are to be well mixed with the low wines and feints, and after two or
three stirrings at intervals, so as to cause the oils to absorb, most of the heavy
'essences or fusil oils contained in the low wines or feints, a solution of sea salt, or
which is better, a concentrated solution of line, is introduced into the liquid,
and the whole is again well stirred, the result being that a species of soap is formed
by the combination of the lime with any part of the fixed oil impregnated with
fusil and essential oils. The proportions are left to the operator, who must be guided
by experimental trials, as some low wines or feints will not require more than one
per cent. of fixed oils and one-half per cent. of concentrated solution of lime,
whilst others may require a much larger per-centage of both. The liquid thus
treated, on being allowed to settle for ten or twelve hours, will give pure and bright
low wines. These low wines or feints are carefully decanted to prevent the sedi-
ment, or the floating soapy oils, from running off with the clean low wines or feints,
which latter are to be distilled. The sediment and oils which flow last from the vat
may be filtered and distilled separately..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Evariste Vignier in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th December
1877.
EVARISTE VIGNIER, of Great Tower Street, in the City of London Merchant,
(and of Cognac, in France). "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING AND RECTIFYING
GRAIN OR MALT WHISKIES, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
My said Invention relates,―
First. To certain improvements in what is commonly known as the." Coffey
still."
Secondly. To improvements in connection with the ordinary "Pot still,” whether
worked by charge or by a process of continuous distillation.
Thirdly. To certain improved. means for purifying and cleansing low wines and
feints before they are distilled or rectified.
The main objects of my Invention are as follows :-
First. The obtaining by means of the improved "Coffey still," herein-after described,
a plain grain spirit as perfectly rectified by a single operation and as free from
ethers and fusil oils as it would be by a double distillation.
Second. The obtaining by the use of the improvements in connection with the
"Pot still" herein-after described, the best "malt whiskies" free from fusil oils and
Tethers.
Third. The obtaining of plain malt whiskies by a continuous process of distillation
of wash or wine in my improved continuous "Pot still" (herein-after described),
such whiskies being remarkably free from fusil oils and ethers.
Fourth. The purifying and cleansing of the low wines or feints before their re-
distillation by treating the same with any well purified and odourless fixed oils such
as almond oil, neat's-foot oil, and the like.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer
to the several Figures on the explanatory Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) of my Drawings represents a general sectional elevation of my
improved "Coffey still " and apparatus in connection therewith. A is the analysing
column which is divided into three separate compartments 1, 2, and 3. R is the
rectifyer which may, if desired, consist of two columns R¹, R³ W¹, W, are two
water washers for cleansing the vapours of the low wines.. C is the cistern or wash
receiver; P1, P2, are purifyers or filters containing fixed oils free from odours, through
which the low wines are caused to pass; F1, F2, represent two sets of freezers, through
which the low wines pass, in order to facilitate the separation of the essential or
fixed oils by congealing the same.
In using my improved "Coffey still " the wash in the cistern C before it enters
the analysing or distilling column A is brought nearly to the boiling point of spirit
by the condensation therein of the vapours of the low wines which pass through the
immersed discoidal chambers and worms a', a², being led there by the pipes 61, b³,
respectively. If desired, the said wash may also be caused to pass through coils in
the rectifyer as in the well known ordinary "Coffey still" and be thence caused to
pass to the top of the analyser.
According to my Invention I divide the ordinary "Coffey analyser" into three
separate compartments, 1, 2, and 3, by horizontal metallic partitions. The top compart
ment 1 is composed of a number of frames c provided each with one or more inverted
cups or bonnets & above the liquid but not dipping into the wash, each frame being
further provided with an overflow pipe e. The several frames care covered only
with a very shallow depth of wash in order to expedite the heating thereof, which
is accomplished either with free steam, as shown by the perforated steam pipe f, or
with steam heat from closed steam pipes. The wash which enters the compartment 1
by the supply pipe g, from the cistern C or from the rectifyer, descends after it has been
separated or freed from the most volatile oils by the overflow pipes to the second

page_text: division 2 of the distilling column and is received on to frames o, arranged in the
same way as those of the upper compartment 1, but passing over and through a
greater number of such frames. The vapours collected from the frames in
compartment 2 may be considered as the best low wines. The wash from the last
or bottom frame of the second division continues, to descend by the overflow pipes h
to the third and last compartment 3 of the distilling column to be thoroughly
analysed. The vapours obtained from this division are naturally those containing
the heavy oils of the wash, and the wash having been quite exhausted of any alcoholic
vapours, it may be allowed to run off from the last frame of the column by the spent
wash pipe. The vapours of the three divisions or compartiments 1, 2, 3, of the
column are collected separately by the pipes 61, 62, into the two horizontal discoidal
condensers and worms a'; à²; placed in the wash cistern or reservoir C situate above
the level of the top of the distilling column, the said vapours forming two qualities
of low wines. These vapours before being condensed, may, if desired; be caused to
pass by the pipes k, k, k³, through the washers W₁, W, charged with water con-
tained on diaphragms with bonnets of otherwise, with a view to cleansing the said
vapours, the water being continuously changed by the aid of syphon supply and
overflow pipes, as shown and herein-after described in reference to Figures 2 and 3,
on Sheet 2 of my Drawings.
The low wines when condensed are passed through one or more purifyers or
filters P¹ P²; consisting each of a vessel containing horizontal diaphragms 1, 1, of wire
cloth covered each with a layer of light flannel or of cotton wool impregnated with
well purified fixed oils of sweet almonds or other suitable fixed and odourless oils Two
or more of these filters may be provided for each worm a¹, a², the one being in action
whilst the other is being cleansed, which may be effected by the introduction of
steam therein which extracts the spirit from the oils, the spirit when condensed
passing into the feints receiver. The low wines having passed through this filter,
which has the property of retaining and absorbing the essential oils, pass through
two or more freezers F and F¹, charged with ice and salt, or with any other suitable
freezing mixtures: Or any other well-known mode of or means for producing cold
may be employed.-
These freezers may be made of earthenware or of block tin, the oils being con-
densed at the bottom of each whilst the spirit or the low wine, which floats at
the top, is carried off by overflow pipes m²; m², from one to the other, and from
the last one enters, by the pipe n¹ or n², the improved rectifying column, which I
shall now proceed to describe.
This rectifying column is somewhat similar to that of the ordinary" "Coffey still,"
but inasmuch as I prefer to rectify two qualities of low wines at the same time, I
divide the rectifyèr into two colums R1, R2, by a vertical partition o; and consequently
it forms two separate rectifyers for the two kinds of low wines obtained from the
analyser. These low wines having been first condensed and then highly purified
and subjected to a freezing process, as herein-before described, are admitted separately
into the two rectifying columns at about the centre frames p, p, where the distilla-
tion of the low wines commences: Free.steam passing through a valve or through
a perforated steam pipo q, asshown, or steam in a closed pipe, is used for the purpose
of heating the low wines as they descend these columns:
The rectifying columns are each composed of frames r, r, arranged in the same
form as in the distilling column, all the separating diaphragms being provided with
overflow pipes 8, 8, connecting 'one compartment with another. Lenticular or
discoidal shaped hollow chambers t, t, connected by pipes u, u, may be used to form
a part of the bonnets and be employed as condensers of the vapours, either by
sending through them water or the condensed low wines, or the ordinary arrange-
ments of coils used in: the Coffey rectifyer may be employed.
If desired, the rectifying column may be made in two separate parts situate one
on each side of the distilling column A, their capacity being regulated according to
the amount of low wines entering therein; v,, are pipes leading the vapours from
the upper part of each rectifying column back to the frames p, p, of the rectifyer in

page_text: order to increase the alcoholic strength if desired; w¹, w, are pipes through which
the vapours pass to the ordinary condensers; x1, x2, 23, are the emptying pipes with
cocks for the several frames of the rectifyer and analyser; y is a pipe for taking
off any'e ethers or vapours that may form in the wash warmer.
From what has been stated above with reference to the wash distilling column or
analyser A, it will be readily understood that the low wines obtained from the
centre division or compartment 2 of this column are of a much higher quality than
those obtained by the ordinary Coffey analyser, since they are entirely free from
the light fusil oils, which are more volatile than spirit, and also from the heavy fusil
oils. The low wines taken from the bottom compartment 3 and from the top com-
partment 1 will be found to be impregnated with the light and heavy fusil oils; but
they may be purified, as already explained.
The system of refrigerating by ice or freezing mixtures, or by any suitable
cold-producing apparatus, which constitutes an important part of my Invention, as
well as the filtering through a medium impregnated with fixed oils, effects on both
the low wines the separation of the oils froin the spirit, and hence by my improved
process I obtain the purest and finest spirit hitherto produced.
The division of the vapours in distilling the wash, the filtration, and the refrige-
rating or freezing of such vapours, are most essential and important features in a
continuous process of distillation.
One important advantage resulting from the use of my improved process and
apparatus is the facility afforded for stopping the working of the distillation at any
moment, or during any period of the operation that may be required, without any
loss of spirit, from the fact of the rectifyer (contrary to the arrangement ordinarily
employed in the Coffey still) not being worked under the pressure of the analyser.
Moreover, since neither the analyser nor the rectifier are worked under any appre-
ciable pressure, the risks of fire and other accidents are reduced.
The rectifyer with its arrangement of bonnets works separately, and is quite
independent of the analyser. The low wines arriving condensed, filtered, and refri-
gerated in the middle of the rectifying column through the hollow discordial-shaped
chambers or otherwise, are heated in their way downwards by steam heat, as before
described, and the vapours ascend without appreciable pressure through the bonnets
of each chamber until they reach the hollow discoidal chambers t of the bonnets
in the upper part of the column or the ordinary coils used in the "Coffey"
arrangement.
I shall now proceed to describe my improvements in connection with the ordinary
"Pot still," and for that purpose shall refer to the sectional elevation shown at
Figure 2 (Sheet 2) of my Drawings. According to this part of my Invention I
combine with the ordinary "pot still" A a water washer W (with or without dia-
phragms) of a sufficient capacity to contain at least one-tenth part of that of the
still. This washer is first charged with clean pure water, equal to about one-half
the quantity that it will hold for its complete charge. The vapours from the still A
are caused to pass by the still head C through the water in the washer, a pipe from
the head of the still leading down to the bottom of the washer W, in lieu of being
connected direct to the ordinary worm. When the water, having been heated by
the alcoholic vapours of the still, permits the redistillation of these vapours by
keeping back the oils, the vapours ascend through the top of the washer by the
pipe a, and are condensed by the worm b in the ordinary way.
If desired, two or more of these washers W may be placed on the same level, so
as to repeat the same operation of washing two, three, or more times in order to
obtain a still more purified spirit; or a greater number of diaphragms with bonnets
(if used) may be placed in the washing vessel. The vapours from the washer, which
are condensed are replaced in the same proportion with hot or cold water from the
top of the condenser by the pipe c and graduated cocks or otherwise, the overflow
of the charge of this washer taking place through à syphon d, with a small hole
made in the highest part of the bend in order to allow it to operate, and establish
the level of the charge.in the said washer; of the ordinary overflow pipes may be

page_text: used when the washer is provided with diaphragms, which overflow runs to the.
bottom of the still.
This Figure also illustrates the use, in combination with the "Pot still," of a
freezer or refrigerator F of any suitable or well-known form for freezing the low
wines of spirits after they have been condensed by passing through the worm 6 in
the same way as explained for my improved "Coffey still," with this difference, that
the filtration of the low wines through fixed oils may or may not be used, as found
necessary.
b
Figure 3 of my Drawings illustrates a further improvement, in connection with
the "Pot still," which consists in providing such a still A. with a double head a, b.
The head b contains water, and acts as a washer, and is situate inside the outer head
a, so as to be entirely surrounded or enclosed by the vapours arising from the body of
the "Pot still." With this I combine the wash warmer D,.the water washer W, and
the duplex worms F¹, F The still' A and the wash warmer D being charged with
wash, the vapours from the still pass up through the central tube c and through the
worm d inside the wash warmer, so as to warm the wash therein. The said vapours
thence return more or less condensed by the return pipe e into the inner still head b.
At the commencement and termination of the operation the vapours from 6 pass by
the pipe f.direct to the worm F of the condenser. So soon as the wash has been
purified from the light oils, then the vapours are caused first to pass through the
water washer W. by the branch pipe f¹, whence they proceed by the pipe g to the
worm. F. Any vapours formed in the wash warmer D may pass off by the pipe m
to the condensing worm F. The condensed vapours from the worm F, which con
sist of light oils, heavy oils, or feints, are run into the wash receiver to be redistilled
along with the said wash. The condensed vapours from the worm F³, consisting of
the best low wines or purified spirit, are submitted to the freezing process herein-
before described. h,, are pipes with taps of graduated sizes leading from the
condenser to the water washer W and to the inner head b of the still. i is the wash
supply pipe for the still, and k, k¹ are the syphon overflow pipes leading from the
washers also to the still. The arrangement of "Pot still" above described is more
especially adapted for the production of the best Irish whiskies.
Hitherto distillers of plain malt whiskies have never produced fine spirits of this
quality by a continuous process of distillation. It has indeed always been considered
that the Pot still" alone is capable of making fine whiskies, losing sight of the
fact that the redistillation of the low wines of whiskies in a "Pot still" having a high
head produces spirit at 40 to 50 over proof, which is a spirit strongly rectified, and
more so than will be produced in the still which I shall now proceed to describe as my
improved continuous "Pot still," and which produces a spirit of a lower strength,
but free from ether and fusil oils, direct from the wash at one operation.
I
Figure 4 (Sheet 3) is a sectional elevation of my continuous "Pot still,” and appa-
ratus connected therewith. In combination with two "Pot stills," A!, A², I employ
a wine or wash warmer B, which serves also as a condenser. This wash warmer
commences the distillation of free ethers and light essential oils, the heating power
for the said warmer being obtained from a rectifying column R, and conveyed
though discoidal hollow chambers a, a, the heat being so regulated as to raise the
temperature of the wash at the upper part to about the boiling point of spirit, say
about 173° Fahrenheit, during ten or fifteen minutes.
From the above described warmer the wash descends by means of a pipe b with
tap into the still A', through the analysing column A of the same, where
the distillation of the wash is effected. During this operation the wash is
allowed to run continuously by means of the syphon pipe into the second "Pot
still" A², which exhausts the liquid of any spirit remaining therein, and is at the
same time used as a heat generator for the entire apparatus. The vapours formed
in the still A pass into the analysing column A by the pipe d, after having been
washed in the inner still head e as described in reference to Figure 3, Sheet, 2. fis
A1

page_text: directed by the pipe g into the water washer W, as before described in reference to
Sheet, 2, and thence pass by the pipe h into the rectifyer R, provided with a
number of reversed caps or bonnets, but so disposed as not to dip into the
condensed liquid; and further provided with overflow pipes. The vapours from the
top of this rectifyer pass by the pipe i, through the discoidal condensing chambers
a, a, which serve also to warm the wash in the wash warmer B. The said vapours
are afterwards condensed in an ordinary worm k, whence they pass if thought
necessary through the freezing process herein-before described in order to perfect
the combination of the spirit thus obtained: The vapours formed in the wash
warmer B,-consisting of light oils, are separately condensed by passing through the
small worin ; and returned to the wash receiver. The washers W and e are to be
continuously supplied as herein-before described. m, m, are pipes and cocks for
returning all vapours from the discoidal chambers a, that may require a second
rectification back to the washer W. n¹, n³, are pipes and cocks for emptying the
several frames of the rectifyer and analyser. It will thus be seen that my improve-
ments in the above process of continuous distillation are based on the working of
the wash through a wash warmer and two "Pot stills." The wash warmer analyses
the wash of ether and essential oils volatile under the boiling point of spirit. The
first still with its analysing column distills the wash, and the second still exhausts
all the spirit contained in this wash, and serves also as the general heat generator.
The stills A' A² may be heated either by fire direct or by steam coils.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not claim the passing of the aqueous
and alcoholic vapours through a vessel or vessels containing water, as I am aware
that such has already been proposed; but what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The dividing what is generally known as the coffey analyser into three
distinct compartments in order to obtain therefrom two qualities of low wines at
one operation, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated on Sheet 1 of
my Drawings.
Secondly. The application and use to and in the analyser and rectifying column
of bonnets not dipping into the liquid, whereby appreciable pressure when in
operation is avoided, substantially as heroin-before described and illustrated by my
Drawings.
Thirdly. The application and use of water washers provided with outflow syphon
pipes and inflow or supply pipes, having cocks of graduated sizes for the purpose of
maintaining a continuous and automatic change of the water in such washes, sub-
stantially as herein-before described and illustrated on Sheet 2 of my Drawings.
Fourthly. The filtration of the condensed low wines through porous material
impregnated with fixed oils as and for the purpose herein-before described.
Fifthly. The passing the condenssd low wines through any suitable freezing or
refrigerating apparatus in order to facilitate the separation therefrom of such of the
oils as are capable of solidification under low temperatures, as heroin-before
described.
Sixthly. The combination with an ordinary Pot still of a water washer provided
with an automatic arrangement for continually changing the water therein in
conjunction or not with a freezer or refrigerating apparatus, substantially as and
for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated at Figure 2, Sheet 2, of my
Drawings.
Seventhly. The construction of a pot still with a double head when the inner
part of such head is made to operate as a washer, substantially in the manner and
for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated at Figure 3, Sheet 2, of my
Drawings.
Eighthly. The mode or method of separating the ethers and light oil from the

page_text: wash before it passes into the still by elevating the temperature of such wash to
the boiling point of spirit in a separate vessel, as herein-before described.
Ninthly. In the process of the distillation of the wash, I claim the returning of
the light oils obtained at the commencement of the operation, and the feints
obtained at the termination thereof back into the wash receiver to be redistilled
along with the wash, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof I, the said Evariste Vignier have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
1
Witness,
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
14, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, W.C.
EV. VIGNIER. (L.S.)