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

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 13th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by LA SOCIÉTÉ ANONYME DES PARFUMS NATURUELS de
CANNES, of 95, Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, France.]
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 to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the method or process of and apparatus for
the lixiviation of various materials described in the Specification No. 10280 dated
24th June 1889, and has for its object to obviate the inconveniences hereinafter
set forth.
In order to render the said invention better understood I will proceed to describe the
same with reference to a battery or series of extractors arranged for the lixiviation of
various materials. Suppose for example a moment in the course of an operation when
only six extractors are in connection the other extractors of the battery or series being
disconnected for charging, discharging purging or other purposes or when the solvent
is to be conveyed simultaneously from the first, third and fifth to the second, fourth
and sixth extractors. Through the medium of the operating device the second, fourth
and sixth extractors are put in communication with the discharge pipe for the gas
and the first, third and fifth extractors with the reservoir for the compressed gas
the solvent commencing to pass simultaneously through the circulating pipe from
the first, third and fifth extractors to the second, fourth and sixth extractors. If
then through any cause such as when the extractors contain unequal quantities of
material, the outflow of the solvent does not take place at a uniform velocity in
all the apparatus, this velocity being for instance greater between the first and
second apparatus than between the third and fourth, and the fifth and sixth apparatus,
the compressed gas, after all the liquid contained in the first extractor has passed
into the second extractor will tend to escape through the latter, so that, for the
operation to pursue its normal course, it is necessary to hasten the interruption
of the communication between the first and second apparatus then between the
third and fourth and next between the fifth and sixth apparatus. In case the
velocity of outflowing solvent should happen to be uniform in all the apparatus
the first, third and fifth will be empty at the same time and the compressed gas
will tend to escape at the same time through the second, fourth and sixth apparatus.
Now in order that no irregularities of any kind shall occur in the operation it will
be needful to interrupt promptly and simultaneously the communication between
the first and second, the third and fourth and the fifth and sixth apparatus.
In the first as well as in the second case it will be conducive to the proper
operation of the apparatus to close the communications at an opportune moment,
that is to say, the precise moment when the whole quantity of the solvent has just passed
from one apparatus into the apparatus connected therewith, the latter being thus
filled without permitting the introduction of gas into the same.
As this operation is of a delicate nature it is not advisable that its performance should
more or less depend upon the vigilance of a workman.
Under these circumstances I dispense with the manual labour and effect the afore-
said operation automatically.
For this purpose each of the above mentioned extractors is provided either
internally or externally according to circumstances with a float having a valve con-
nected with it.
When this automatic closing device is arranged in the interior of the extractor

page_text: the said valve has its seat at the bottom of the latter in the orifice of the short pipe for
connecting the extractor with the circulating pipe for the solvent, and the float is so
connected with the valve that at the moment when the level of the solvent is a short
distance above the bottom of the extractor the float will cease to swim.
In case the automatic closing device is arranged at the exterior of the extractor, the
valve connected with the float is placed in a closed vessel interposed between the
extractor and the circulating pipe for the solvent. In this arrangement the operation
is similar to that of the device provided inside the extractor, that is to say as soon as
the solvent sinks to a certain pre-determined level a short distance from the bottom of
the aforesaid vessel the float will discontinue to swim.
The float may either be open or closed at its bottom, but it is invariably so arranged
that it will cease to swim when the level of the solvent has descended very low.
The said valve is preferably balanced or so arranged that a minimum force will be
sufficient for raising it.
When the improved automatic closing device is employed, the solvent under the
pressure of the compressed gas will pass without any difficulty either from the
circulating pipe to the extractor, or from the extractor to the circulating pipe, that is
to say the introduction or the discharge of the same is readily effected whereas the
passage of the compressed gas in the extractor towards the circulating pipe is
automatically stopped at the moment when the gas has nearly reached the bottom of
the extractor or the vessel wherein the closing device is placed and is therefore liable
to pass from the extractor to the circulating pipe for the solvent, and thence to another
extractor connected with the former.
As each extractor is provided with the automatic closing device, the passage of the
compressed gas will be stopped at the desired moment in the various extractors either
successively or simultaneously as may be needed for the proper operation of the
apparatus, without the intervention of the workman.
Doted this 100, at. & N…….. 1. 1000
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,
45 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in the method or process of and apparatus
for the lixiviation of various materials described in the Specification No. 10280 dated
24th June 1889 and has for its object to obviate the inconveniences hereinafter set
forth.
In order to render the said invention better understood I will proceed to describe
the same with reference to a battery or series of extractors arranged for the lixiviation
of various materials. Suppose for example a moment in the course of an operation
when only six extractors are in connection, the other extractors of the battery or series
being disconnected for charging, discharging, purging or other purposes, or when the
solvent is to be conveyed simultaneously from the first, third and fifth into the second,
fourth and sixth extractors. Through the medium of the operating device the second,
fourth and sixth extractors are in communication with the discharge pipe for the
gas and the first, third and fifth extractors with the reservoir for the compressed
gas the solvent commencing to pass simultaneously through the circulating pipe
from the first, third and fifth extractors to the second, fourth and sixth extractors.
If then through any cause such as the extractors containing unequal quantities of
material the outflow of the solvent does not take place at a uniform velocity in all the

page_text: compressed gas will be stopped at the desired moment in the various extractors either
successively or simultaneously as may be needed for the proper operation of the
apparatus without the intervention of the workman.
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 I declare that what I claim is:-
First The improved method or process of lixiviation by means of connected
apparatus wherein each extractor is provided with an automatic closing device substan-
tially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings and
having the effect of permitting the free passage of the solvent into each extractor
either at the entrance or at the discharge, the passage of the gas from one extractor
to the other being at the same time automatically stopped.
Second-The improved closing device or check device constructed substantially as
herein before described and for the purpose above specified.
Dated this 8th day of August 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.