IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SPIRITS FROM GRAINS OR OTHER SACCHARINE MATTERS, AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREIN
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
MALTBY, of Tredegar Square, Mile End, Gentleman, and THOMAS WEBB, of
Mare Street, Hackney, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain;. bearing date
at Westminster, the Fifteenth day of December, in the eleventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said William Maltby and Thomas Webb, our exors, admors, and assigns, Her.
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that we, the said
William Maltby and Thomas Webb, our exors, admors, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said William Maltby and Thomas Webb, our exors, admors,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the continuance of the term of years therein expressed,,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,.
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Guernsey,
Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies anḍ
Plantations abroad, our Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SPIRITS FROM GRAINS OR OTHER SACCHARINE MATTERS, AND IN THE APPARATUS TO
BE USED THEREIN;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that
we, the said William Maltby and Thomas Webb, do cause a particular
description of the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under our hand and seal, or
under the hand and seal of one of us, to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after.

page_text: the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
William Maltby and Thomas Webb, do hereby declare that the nature of
our said Inventions of improvements are fully known and ascertained in and
by the following description thereof, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say,
Our Invention consists,-First, of a method or methods of preparing grain
intended for brewing or distillation, preparatory to such process of brewing or
distillation.
Secondly, in the addition of certain substances, as tartaric or citric acid, to
the wort or other saccharine solutions, or to the wine employed for brewing
or distilling after the process of fermentation has commenced.
Thirdly, in retaining the vapours and gasses produced during the process of
fermentation, and rendering such products serviceable to the process of fermen-
tation by returning them to the solutions under the process of fermentation.
Fourthly, in an improved arrangement and construction of distilling appa-
ratus, by which we can perform the process of distillation in a rapid and
continuous manner, together with the means of so regulating the temperature
of the alcoholic vapour that the spirit produced may be obtained of almost
any strength desired.
:
_ Respecting the first named of our improvements, namely, the preparation of
the grain and the process of brewing and distilling, our improved method is as
follows: If we employ barley we submit it to beat by any convenient and
suitable means until it has lost about twelve and a half per cent. of its weight;
being careful not to let the temperature-be so high as to burn or scorch the
grain. When cold we grind and mix with it one-eighth its original weight of
malt, and brew in the usual way. We then add about four pounds weight of
the soda of commerce, dissolved in water, to each quarter of barley, if it has
been previously treated in the manner herein-before described. Should how-
ever the barley not have been so treated, then about three and a half pounds
in weight of the soda will be sufficient; mash in the mash tuns för half an
hour longer; let the wort run into the fermenting backs. When the tempera-
ture of the wort in the fermenting backs 'has fallen to below 80° Farenheit,
add the usual quantity of yeast; when the fermentation has commenced,
close tightly the fermenting backs, fill the refrigerator half full of water, adding
soda thereto. The agitating apparatus in the fermenting back is put in
inotion for the purpose of stirring and agitating the wort under the process of
fermentation every five or six hours, until the fermentation has ceased, or until

page_text: the specific gravity of the liquid is reduced to that or less than that of water..
In this state add to the liquid about six pounds in weight of catechu dissolved;
in hot water, or one and a half pounds of concentrated sulphuric acid diluted
with two gallons of water, or such quantity of the said acid, or of any acid
diluted with water, as will be sufficient to neutralize the soda, previously.
employed. The wine or wash is now ready for the distilling process. The
liquid in the refrigerator may, however, be employed in the before-described
operations instead of the soda of commerce, using so much however of the
liquid as contains the requisite quantity of soda.
When we employ sugar for the manufacture of spirits wo dissolve one
hundred weight of sugar in one hundred gallons of water; we then let it run
into the fermenting backs, adding thereto two per cent. of yeast to promote.
the fermentation; we dissolve in the mash tun one and a half pounds weight
of soda in one gallon of water, and supply the liquid in the fermenting:
backs with it, so that the whole shall, be in the back on the third day;
or we put half pound of carbonate of lime (chalk or marble) into the
fermenting back to produce the same effect. Then we proceed in manner.
as herein-before described for barley. When the fermentation is finished,.
we add to the liquid two and, a half pounds of catechu or nine ounces of
sulphuric acid diluted with two gallons of water, or two pounds of acetate
of lead.
'
When we employ molasses for the manufacture of spirits we treat
and carry on the process in the same manner as when we employ the
sugar for the manufacture of spirits. When we wish to obtain by distilla-
tion a very fine but peculiar spirit, we use and employ tartaric acid, or
citric acid, or the juice of any fruit containing those acids, (as lemon or lime
juice). We mix the acid with the liquid before the process of fermentation, or
with the wine or wash after the process of fermentation; in the proportion of
three-quarters of a pound of the acid, or the relative quantity of the juice, of
fruit containing that quantity of acid, to every one hundred and twelve pounds
of the solid saccharine matter employed. When the above acids are employed
we omit the use of both the soda and the carbonate of lime, or we previously
neutralize them.
The rest of our improvements consist in an improved arrangement and
construction of apparatus for the distillation of spirits by the agency and means
of steam or hot water, or both steam and hot water, such heating medium,
whether steam or hot water, passing through coiled pipes or worms in the
distilling apparatus, while the outer surfaces of such coiled pipes or worms are
in contact with the. wine or wash under process of distillation, such wine or

page_text: wash being in motion and passing continually along the exterior surfaces of the
said coiled pipes or worms, the wine or wash thereby receiving from the passing
steam or hot water the heat necessary to effect the process of distillation.
Another of our improvements is the use and employment of the hot water or
steam which has passed through the coiled pipes or worms for effecting the
distillation, to warm the wine or wash preparatory to its passing through the
still itself; we also use and employ for this purpose the waste wash which has
passed through the still and undergone the distilling process, this waste wash
being heated by jets of steam for this purpose also.
Another of our improvements is the mode we adopt of obtaining from
the distilling apparatus a spirit of almost any desired degree of strength variable
at pleasure. This, desideratum we obtain by means of enclosing within the still
head a worm, around the exterior of which the vapour generated from the wash
under operation in the body of the still passes in its passage from the still to
the refrigerator; through this worm in the still head a stream of cold water
passes downwards, the quantity of which is adjusted and regulated by a cock'
or tap being more or less open, dependent upon the strength required of the
spirit distilled. By this improvement we are enabled to obtain spirit at any
required strength, and consequently to pass over the vapour generated from
the distilling process at any required and equal temperature, a thermometer
being applied to the apparatus at the head of the still for the purpose of
ascertaining the temperature of the passing vapour, and consequently the
strength of the spirit produced.
The Drawings hereunto annexed represent an arrangement of our improved
apparatus for distilling. Sheet A, Figure 1, representing the refrigerator and
the fermenting backs, and Figure 2 a transverse section of ditto. A, the wood
back or tank containing the worm B, the lower end of which communicates.
with the fermenting back; C, D, a pipe communicating with the mash tun;
E, apparatus or agitator, by the revolving motion of which the carbonic acid
gas is forced through the fermenting liquid; this agitator is constructed of
two leaves E, E, fixed upon the shaft or axle G, placed longitudinally in the
fermenting back C, one end thereof passing through the end of the back and
having a handle fixed thereon for the purpose of giving revolving motion to
the agitator. The faces or surfaces' of the leaves E, E of the agitator are
'formed with projecting bars or ribs, placed so as to divide the entire surface of
the leaves into a series of divisions or cells, each alternate one having a hole at
ōr near the centre of the cell through the leaf. Holes is also made through
the bars or ribs laterally to communicate from the cells having no holes to
those having holes through the leaf. These holes are for the passage of the

page_text: gas during the rotation of the agitator. These series of cells or divisions are
formed only upon those sides or faces of the leaves in the direction of their
motion. H, supply pipe from the mash tun.
Figure 3, Sheet B, represents our improved distilling apparatus in sec-
5tion; and Figures 4 and 5, Sheet C, show respectively plans in section of
the body of the still through the line X, X, and the wine or wash strainer
through the line Z, Z. The same letters refer to corresponding parts in
these three Figures. A, the body of the still, which is constructed of wood,
as represented, or may be found of metal if more desirable. Within the
body of the still are arranged the shelves or trays B, B, B", B, one
above another, at about equal distances from each other ; these shelves
are provided with vertical ledges, placed in such manner as to form coils
or spirals C, C¹, Cu, Cu¹, of a number of turns upon the shelves, thus
forming upon each of the shelves a spiral channel from the circumference to
the centre, or vice versa. Within these channels are placed the coils of pipe
or worms D, D¹, D", D, the spiral channels C, C¹, Cu, C, being for the
passage of the wine or wash submitted to the process of distillation,
which enters the still by the pipe E¹, being delivered at the inner extremity
of the spiral channel or coil C upon the upper shelf B, from whence it
traverses the spiral channel or coil until it discharges itself from the outer
extremity of such coil or spiral channel C by the pipe E", which delivers
it into the spiral channel C', upon the shelf B₁at its outer extremity ;
it traverses this spiral towards the centre, when it is discharged by the
pipe E into the spiral channel C, upon the shelf B", which it traverses
in like manner until discharged at the outer extremity by the pipe Eu,
from whence it descends to the spiral channel C, and then to the receiver
G, placed beneath the still as waste wash, the spirit having been extracted
from it during its passage through the still. The coils of pipes or 'worms
D, D¹, D¹¹, D, are for the purpose of passing through the still the
steam or hot water, or steam and hot water, as desired, for producing the
requisite degree of temperature necessary for the process of distillation. The
steam enters first the lower coil of pipe or worm D at the centre by the pipe
F, traverses toward the circumference the spiral channel C, and then ascends
by the pipe F¹ to the coil or worm D" upon the shelf B". It traverses the
spiral channel C", from thence through the coil D', and is finally discharged
by the pipe F into the receiver H. From the receiver H the upper.coil of
pipe or worm D upon the shelf B is supplied with a stream of hot water..or
steam, according to the working of the still, by the pipe F at its outer
extremity, and traversing the spiral, channel C is discharged from the inner.

page_text: extremity by the pipe F". This hot water after passing through the still we
do not allow to run to waste, but we employ it to warm the wine or wash in
its passage to the still. For this purpose we convey the hot water by the pipe
F to the first of the two vertical wood trunks or boxes I, I', from whence
it is conveyed to the other by the horizontal pipe 1", near the lower parts.
From I the water is allowed to run to waste by the pipe I". These trunks
I, I, stand upon the wood back K of the wine warmer and strainer. Within
the wood back K is placed the inner vessel L, corresponding in shape to the
back K, but less in size, so as to leave a space or interval between them.
This strainer vessel L is of copper tinned. At about the middle of this vessel
is fixed in a horizontal direction the strainer I', which is composed of fine
wire gauze, between the meshes of which the wine passes in its passage to
the still. The vessel L is thus divided by the gauze strainer into two parts.
From the upper of these divisions passes the pipe E¹ upwards through the
middle of the trunk I to the still, the pipe E for supplying wine to the
apparatus passing downward through the other trunk I into the lower
division of the vessel L. Thus it will be seen that the wine or wash, as
supplied to the apparatus, passes through the pipe E, where it is slightly
warmed by the warm water in the trunk I, to the lower division of the
vessel L below the gauze strainer, through which the wine is strained, the
impurities being left behind in the lower division of the vessel L after passing
through the strainer, where the wine or wash is further warmed by the
interval of space between the vessel L and the wood back K being filled with
hot waste wash from the receiver G beneath the still. From the upper
division of the straining vessel L the wine or wash passes up the pipe E¹
within the other trunk I, by which it is further heated, and is then sup-
plied to the still, through which it passes, as before described, the impurities
from the wine collecting in the lower division of the straining vessel L
being occasionally drawn off and discharged into the waste wash receiver G by
the pipe L'; G', a pipe passing into the lower part of the waste wash
receiver G, and turning upwards, terminates with T head, which is perforated
with holes upon either side but in opposite directions; the pipe supplies steam
for the purpose of heating the waste wash to a sufficient degree of temperature
preparatory to its being passed into the warmer and strainer back K by the
pipe L", for heating the wine in its passage through the strainer, it being
discharged from the strainer back by the pipe K¹; the pipe and stop-
cock Gare for the purpose of emptying the receiver G when required. M,
the column and still head, within which traverses the worm N, which com-
municates at its upper extremity by the pipe N¹ with the worm vessel S, from

page_text: whence it receives its supply of cold water. The lower extremity of the
worm N communicates by the pipe N₁ with the receiving vessel H, into
which is discharged the water after traversing the worm N, when it becomes
heated by the steam discharged into the receiver by the pipe E" from the
still, and then passes, through the still by the pipe F, as before described.
The pipe N' is provided with a stop-cock O for the purpose of regulating and
adjusting the supply of cold water to the worm N at the bottom of the
column M, between the column and the still. A a perforated plate or
colander P, for the purpose of diffusing the vapour generated in the still in
its passage from the still through the still head, around and in contact with
the worm N, over into the receiver Q, through the worm S', in the back S
and the worm R', in the back R, in the manner usual in such processes. Upon
the top of the column is the thermometer T, the bubb of which passes just
within the top of the column for ascertaining the temperature of the vapour
passing over, and consequently the strength of the spirit produced. Should
the strength of the spirit produced not be that required, the stop-cock O upon
the pipe N must be closed or opened to a greater or less extent to allow a
greater or less quantity of water to pass through the worm N, so that the
vapour passing over may be more or less elevated in temperature as required.
Upon the receiver H is attached the safety value H, for the purpose of
relieving the receiver from any accumulated pressure of steam therein. Other
parts of the apparatus being those of the usual arrangement and contruction,
require no further explanation, being well known. In commencing the
process of distillation with this our improved apparatus by the pipe E through
the strainer L and the still A a flow of cold water is caused to circulate and
is discharged at the stop-cock Gu; steam is now turned on through the stop-
cock F, and passing through the apparatus heats the flow of water. When
the water flows from the stop-cock G¹ boiling hot (212°), we admit the wine
or wash through the apparatus by the pipe E and shut off the stop-cock G,
when the still will commence working; the thermometer T upon the still will
indicate about 180° when working strong spirit, the vapour then containing
93 per cent. by volume of alcoholic vapour.
.
Having now described the nature of our Inventions, and described and
illustrated the manner in which the same is carried into operation, we claim
as of our Invention,―
First, the separation of the oil contained in barley or other grains employed
in brewing or distilling by heat, also the application of carbonate soda or
potash to the wort employed in browing or distilling before its separation

page_text: from the grains when it is intended to use such other acids as will neutralize
the alkalies.
Secondly, we claim the application of tartaric or citric acid, or the juice of
any fruit containing either of those said acids, to a solution of saccharine
matter, or to the wine or wash employed in the process of distillation. We
also claim the purifying the wine or wash, whether the before-named ingre-
dients are employed or not, by the employment of catechu or any other
substance containing tannin, or acetate of lead, or alum, or any other.
substance that will precpitate its impurities.
Thirdly, we claim the construction and application of the apparatus for 1
collecting, condensing, and permitting the return of the volatile products of
fermentation to the fermenting liquid. We also claim the causing the
carbonic acid generated during fermentation to pass again through the
fermenting liquid.
Fourthly, we claim the warming the wine or wash before being submitted
to the operation of distillation by hot water from the still and by the spent
or waste wash, as herein-before described.
Fifthly, we claim the performing the process of distillation by means of
steam and hot water, or by means of steam or hot water in manner as
herein-before described.
Sixthly, we claim the causing the alcoholic vapour from the still to pass on
the outside of a worm, through which worm water is allowed to flow for the
purpose of retaining the alcoholic vapour at any required degree of. tempera-
ture below 212° Fahrenheit.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Maltby, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and forty-eight
WILLIAM (L.B.) MALTBY.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named William Maltby and
Thomas Webb in the presence of
Enrolled the Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-eight.