Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Flax and other Oleaginous Seeds for the Extraction of Oil therefrom.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 15th Jan., 1898
Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Flax and other Oleaginous
Seeds for the Extraction of Oil therefrom.
I, ALEXANDER EUSTON, of 3730, Lindell Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri, United
States of America, Manufacturer, 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:
-
In the treatment of oleaginous seeds, and especially flax seed, for the extrac-
tion of oil, the seeds are first crushed between heavy rolls for the purpose of
rupturing the cells or sacs containing the oil and when this crushed mass is
subjected to heat and agitation in a shallow heater, consisting of a steam jacketed
cylinder having a revolving rake which sweeps through the mass and forces
it out through an opening in the side of the cylinder. The mass after being
subjected to heat and agitation is formed in moulds and subsequently transferred
to an hydraulic press for the purpose of expressing the oil and forming the
article known as oil cake.
This method of treatment is defective in some particulars, and these defects it
is the object of my invention to remedy. The principal defect may be stated as
follows: The crushed seeds or meal is usually fed by gravity into the heater at
its top and the heater tank is kept-say-two-thirds full. The rake is arranged
to sweep through this mass and gradually works it out through the discharge
opening in the side of the tank but the mass of meal moves horizontally and
hence there is no intimate mixture of the mass from bottom to top so that it is
practically treated and discharged in layers, resulting in great lack of uniformity
in the treatment and a considerable percentage of the meal is not tempered at
all, producing in consequence a smaller amount of oil when subjected to treatment
by the hydraulic press.
1
My invention consists in an improved construction of heater in which the
seeds or meal is thoroughly commingled, uniformly tempered and an increased
yield of oil is assured. My improved heater comprises a jacketed cylinder which
is made of much greater vertical height in proportion to its transverse diameter
than heretofore, of a series of rakes, stirrers or agitators of any convenient form,
and means for delivering into the mass at different heights water, steam or air
for the purpose of securing an even temper of the mass.
I also provide certain accessories in the way of test apparatus, and extend the
pipes or conduits for the tempering agents to the bottom of the machine so as to
place each one separately under the control of an attendant.
In the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 is a broken vertical sectional elevation through the jacketed cylinder
forming the body of the machine, and showing in elevation, partly broken away,
the rake shaft, rakes and certain braces and test tubes.
Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2, Figure 1 and,
Figure 3 is a section on line 3, 3, Figure 1.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In the drawings 5 represents the inner shell and 6 the outer shell of a Soolated

page_text: cylinder which, for practical purposes, may be 16 feet in height and two feet
in interior diameter. The space between these shells contains the heating medium,
either steam or hot water. The upper end of the cylinder may be open. The
lower end is closed by a base plate 7 having a step bearing to receive the central
rake shaft 8. In the bottom plate is provided a delivery aperture for a sliding
valve or cover 9. Upon the rake shaft are mounted a series of rakes which, in
the form shewn, comprise four radial arms 10 having downwardly turned ex-
tremities 11. These are secured to hubs fixed on the shaft and turn therewith.
As shown in the drawings three sets of these rakes are employed, but it may be
found expedient to increase that number. Below each set of rakes there is pro-
vided an arm or cross piece 12 serving as a brace to the interior shell and having
up-standing arms 13 which serve as arresting points to divide the mass of meal
or crushed seed under treatment and co-operating with the rakes to effect the
intimate commingling and agitation thereof.
14 represent pipes extending up externally of the cylinder and having in-turned
ends 15 piercing both shells and projecting into the working space of the interior
shell. These pipes are intended to deliver air or steam into the mass for the
purpose of tempering it while undergoing treatment. It may be found expedient
at times to deliver steam through the upper pipes and at the same time to deliver
air through the lower pipes, or steam may be delivered to any of the series of pipes,
the proper connections being made according to the condition of the crushed seed
under treatment. Frequently it is found that the seed is too dry for proper
tempering, and hence it will be found necessary to inject steam. In other cases
it may be found that the seed is too damp, and the treatment with hot air will be
employed. These pipes all preferably extend to the base of the machine where
they may be adapted for connection to a source of supply of steam or air, either
separately or interchangeably.
At certain points I prefer to apply tubes 16, which pierce the shells and are
closed at their outer ends by screw caps 17, and through these tubes may be
inserted a proper instrument for determining the temperature. At 18 is indicated
a steam gauge and at 19 a thermometer for indicating the temperature of the
seed near the point of discharge.
In the operation of this apparatus, the cylinder being filled to any convenient
height with the crushed seed or meal and the central shaft being put in motion,
the whole mass is agitated and as it moves downwardly in the cylinder receiving
fresh accretions at the top while the finished product is being drawn from the
bottom, the mass is thoroughly agitated by the succession of rakes and thoroughly
tempered, so that each particle of the mass is subjected to a uniform treatment.
The chief advantage of this apparatus over the apparatus previously in use is
that instead of the crushed seed being discharged from the heater near the
point of inlet, and usually within two feet, and instead of being moved en masse
horizontally around and out of the heater, the whole mass has a vertical move-
ment through a considerable distance, say, 12 feet or more, as well as a horizontal
motion due to the action of the revolving rakes, and a more uniform tempering
under the control of the attendant, and a higher average yield of oil is secured.
While I do not confine my invention to the precise structural details, nor to
the exact proportions shown, I believe those above given to be approximately the
best for practical use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. An apparatus to be used in the treatment of oleaginous seeds, comprising in
combination a vertically arranged steam jacketed cylinder whose height exceeds
its transverse diameter, a centrally mounted rotating shaft extending through the
working space of the cylinder, a series of rakes or agitators mounted upon and
turning with said shaft and a series of pipes projecting into the working space at

page_text: suitable intervals for introducing a tempering or modifying medium, substantially
as described.
2. In an apparatus to be used in treating oleaginous seeds the combination with
a vertically arranged steam jacketed cylinder having a feed opening in its upper
portion and a discharge opening in its lower portion, said cylinder having a
vertical height greatly in excess of its diameter, a centrally mounted rotating
shaft extending through the working space of the cylinder, a series of rakes or
agitators mounted upon and turning with said shaft and whereby a stream of
material is caused to move continuously through said chamber from the inlet
to the discharge opening and means for introducing into the working spaces of
the cylinder a tempering or modifying medium at suitable elevations, substantially
as described.
3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a steam jacketed
cylinder, having a vertical height greatly in excess of its transverse diameter,
agitators, pipes for delivering a tempering or modifying medium to the working
space at different heights and test tubes piercing the walls of the jacketed
cylinder for testing the condition of the mass at different altitudes, substantially
as described.
101
C
1005
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.