Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Extracting Oil from Seeds or other Oleaginous Substances.
Year: 1896

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 18 of the Patents, &c., Act, 1883), as allowed by
the decision of the Comptroller General of the 15th day of May 1897.
Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st Nov., 1896-Accepted, 6th Feb.. 1897.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Extracting Oil
from Seeds or other Oleaginous Substances.
We WILLIAM ROBERT HARRISON, of Paragon Chambers, Paragon Street,
Consulting Engineer, and EDWIN STEPHENSON of 3 Withernsea Street Oiĺ
Refiner, both in Hull in the County of Yorks do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to provide improved apparatus and means for
extracting oil from seeds or other oleaginous substances by a benzoline process
whereby there is a great saving of time and expense in extracting the oil together
with a greater yield of oil.
For the purpose of our invention we employ preferably two benzoline store tanks
of suitable capacity, below the surface of the ground, we also employ an air cistern
and preferably two gas generators, each generator being fitted with a dry steam
coil in the form of a ring placed in the bottom of each. In any suitable position we
employ preferably two circular or other oil extracting pans, having stirrers driven
by any suitable means for receiving the seed and fitted each with a false perforated
bottom, over which is placed a piece of flannel or the like to prevent the meal
from being forced through the holes, each extracting pan being fitted with a safety
valve, below the false bottom is a perforated steam coil, and above it is a mouth-
piece for the removal of the meal after the oil has been extracted.
We employ preferably three oil separating tanks with steam tight closed covers,
each tank is fitted with two three or more services of steam pipes running round
the bottom and a separate tap to each, these being for dry steam, an additional
coil with perforations being provided for wet steam.
An oil receiving tank is provided for taking the oil from the separators. We
also employ preferably three surface condensers provided with any desired number
of copper tubes, and one or two water tanks for keeping the condensers supplied
with water, and an overflow tank for taking the overflow from each condenser..
A steamjacketted meal kettle is provided for drying the meal after it has come
from the extracting pans, and a bubble tauk may be employed for taking the end
of the air escape pipe from the air cistern.
We employ a service pipe running from cach benzoline tank to each gas
generator, for conveying benzoline into the generators, also a service pipe for
conveying the vapourized.benzoline from each gas generator to each extracting

page_text: pan, a service pipe is run from each extracting pan for conveying the extracted oil
to the oil separators and a pipe or pipes with connections, from the bottom of
each oil separator for conveying the separated oil to the ground tank or oil
receiver.
The vaporized benzoline is conveyed from each extracting pan to the condensers
by means of suitable pipes, a service pipe being employed from each oil
separator to the vapour collecting pipes alongside the range of condensers for
conveying the vapourized benzoline from the oil separators to the condensers,
and for conveying the condensed benzoline from the condensers back to the
benzoline store tanks we employ a pipe from each condenser to each benzoline
tank.
A connecting service of air piping is provided from each benzoline store tank
over the top of the condensers and with a separate connection to the dome of each
condenser, a branch from each of the rising pipes running to the air cistern.
The condensers are supplied with water by means of a pipe from the elevated
water tank, a pipe or pipes being employed for conveying the water from the
overflow tank of the condensers to each of the benzoline store tanks, the air cistern
is provided with an escape pipe to the bubble tank, also each benzoline store tank
is provided with an overflow pipe.
The above arrangement is for a double plant, but the same principle is employed
for a single, treble or larger plaut.
Dated this Second day of April 1896
JOHN E. WALSH,
Savile Street, Hull, and Crossley Street, Halifax,
Patent Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Extracting Oil
from Seeds or other Oleaginous Substances.
We WILLIAM ROBERT HARRISON Paragon Chambers, Paragon Street,
Consulting Engineer, and EDWIN STEPHENSON 3 Withernsea Street, Oil Refiner,
both in Hull in the County of York 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 object of our invention is to provide improved apparatus and means for
extracting oil from seeds or other oleaginous substances by a benzolinic process,
whereby there is a great saving of time and expense in extracting oil, together
with a greater yield of oil. Also we may employ naptha or any other suitable
solvent in place of benzoline.
Fig. 1 is a sectional end elevation of the plant.
Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a plan view.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of gas generator and extracting
kettle.
Figs. 5 and 6 show enlarged elevation and plan of oil separator.
Figs. 7 and 8 show enlarged view of air separator and air receiver.
Fig. 9 shows sectional plan of oil extractor showing stirrers and sweepers.

page_text: A', A, A, are cylindrical ground tanks for storing and supplying the liquid
solvent, one being used as the supply tank, another as the return tank, and the
third as a supplementary store tank, these tanks are preferably about twenty four
feet long by seven feet diameter and are placed in brick vaults underground so
as always to keep the temperature sufficiently low to be below the flashing point
of the spirit and yet to enable the tanks to be easily accessible all over for
detecting leakage.
B', B3, B3, B4, B5, B6, are the solvent vapourizers or gas generators, for
volatalising the liquid solvent, and for this purpose are preferably about six feet
high by two feet six inches diameter with or without an internal steam coil a, and
surrounded by a steam jacket a', so as to rapidly increase the temperature of the
cold solvent which enters them near the bottom, being supplied by the rising
main C, from the ground store tanks. The lower part of these vapourizers being
dished so as to form a receptacle for the heavier part of the solvent, the lighter
parts passing upwards through the piping C, C3, C4, C, C, and Cinto the
extractors as they become volatalised by the heating of the steam jacket a¹ the
heavier parts remaining in the receptacle at the bottom.
D', D, D, D, D³, D are the oil extracting kettles consisting of vertical
cylindrical vessels having each a capacity of about one and a half tons of crushed
seed or other matter to be treated, and fitted with a perforated false bottom d,
over which is stretched cocoanut matting or other form of strainer, and having
underneath the false bottom a perforated steam coil d', also with or without a steam
jacket a². Inside each of these oil extractors is placed a vertical shaft d, having
keyed upon it stirrers or beater bars 6 for making the contents into meal after the
oil is extracted the two lower ones being curved to form sweepers c for throwing
out the meal into the worm conveyors after the oil has been extracted and the
solvent recovered, this vertical shaft with the stirrers and sweepers upon it is
driven by bevel gear g, h, preferably placed underneath and receiving motion
from the line of main shafting running near the ground floor of the building.
E', E, E³, are the oil separators which receive the extracted oil, and also the
solvent from the oil extractors and then in due course volatalise the solvent out
of the oil, and so separate it, these extractors have a dished hotton for con-
venience of drawing off this separated oil, and near this bottom are placed circular
coils e, f, both perforated and unperforated, the former for wet steam and the latter
for dry heating these coils being used for volatalising the solvent and so driving it
out of the oil. A supplementary oil separator can also by preference be placed
near to the others and connected with the same vapour receiver H¹ for receiving
and treating any extra quantity of solvent or oil which may have passed down into
the other oil separators from the extractors.
F1, F2, F3, F4, and F5, are marine or other suitable condensers, F¹ being
connected by a receiver G¹ with the oil extracting kettles D' and D2 and also with
the oil separator E. F³ is connected with the oil extracting kettles, D³ and D,
by means of the receiver G2 and also with the oil separator E2. F is connected
with the oil extracting kettles D and D, by means of the receiver G³ and also
with the oil separator E³.
The other condensers F2 and F* being coupled to each of the oil separators E', E²,
and E, by means of the long vapour collecting pipe or receiver H'.
I, and J, are cold water tanks placed on the top of the building for supplying
the condensers with cold water and also to give the necessary hydraulic pressure to
the store tanks for elevating the solvent from them into the vapourizers or gas
generators.
K is a band conveyor running the full length of the building for conveying the
crushed seed into the oil extractors by means of the hoppers L1, L2, L³, L, L³,
and L*.
M1, M2, M3, M, M³, are air separators for separating the air from the liquid
solvent and condensed steam as it comes from the condensers.
N', N2, N3, N' and N are the air receivers for collecting the air as it comes

page_text: eparators and catching any solvent which may have passed into them
with the air, and for better effecting this purpose cold water can be circulated
through them or outside them.
0, 0, 0, 0 and O' are bubble tanks for relieving the pressure in the air
receivers and also to form a second trap for any solvent which had by nccident
escaped with the air from the air receivers.
P is a worm conveyor running the full length of the building for receiving the
meal from the oil extractors and taking it away into the meal house.
QQ and Q, are oil tanks placed in the ground outside the extracting house
for receiving the oil from the oil separators E, E and E.
R', R, and R, are water trap tanks for receiving the overflow water from the
solvent store tanks, and for catching and detaining any solvent which might by
accident escape from the overflow.
The action of the apparatus for extracting the oil recovering the solvent from
both the meal and the oil, and also converting the residium from the crushed seed
into meal in a marketable form is as follows:-The ground store tanks A' and A'
are first charged with a sufficient quantity of solvent A' being used as a supple-
mentary store and A³ being used as a return tank to commence with and A being
opened to the rising main C', which supplies the cold solvent to the six gas
generators.
The band conveyor K is then put into motion and delivers into the hoppers L,
and L, the crushed seed or any other oleaginous substance requiring to be treated
until the oil extracting kettles D' and D' are fully charged the valves or mouthpieces
of these latter and then closed and the gas generators, B and B are then put into
operation by opening the water cock S on the water pressure piping W from the
overhead tanks to the ground store tank A and so forcing up the solvent by
hydraulic pressure into the gas generators the solvent being so much lighter than
water it continues flowing up through the rising main until eventually the store
tank would become filled with water.
As the solvent steadily rises in the vapourisers it becomes volatalised by the
steamjacket which surrounds it or by the steam coil a, in the bottom and passes
over into the extractors at preferably about 200° of heat.
As soon as the crushed seed in the extractors is completely enveloped in the
solvent (which can be ascertained by a gauge glass attached to the extractors)
the drain pipes d', connecting D' and D, with the oil separator E', are then opened
to allow the oil and solvent to drain down into the separator and the valve on the
vapour piping H' connecting the oil separator E with the condenser F, is then
sufficiently opened to allow of a passage through to the condenser for the escaping
air and vapour which in turn passes down from the condenser F, to the air
separator M', in the form of liquid solvent condeused moisture from the seed, and
also air, this latter is here extracted from the liquid portions and the solvent and
water passes down into the ground receiving tauk A, through the solvent return
piping X the liberated air rising upwards through the air pipe T', and then down
into the air receiver N', and from that it again passes upward through the air
pipe V, and down into the bubble tank O from whence it escapes into the open
air, this process is allowed to continue until all the oil is extracted from the
crushed seed in the extractors D1 and D2, the supply of solvent from the ground
tanks to the generators being so regulated during the process that it passes into
the extractors at about the same rate that the extracted oil and solvent are
draining out of the crushed seed into the separator E. As soon as all the
oil is extracted from the crushed seed (which is ascertained by means of a pet
cock d suitably placed in the drain piping d', to oil separator E,) the supply of
solvent to the extractors is immediately shut off and the drain piping to the oil
separator E' is also closed and the steam is then turned on into the perforated
coil d', underneath the false bottom of each of the two oil extracting kettles D'
and D, and the vapour piping from these kettles to the condenser F, is opened
fully so as to allow the steam and solvent to pass freely away into the condenser,

page_text: the stirrers or beater bars
in the extracting kettles are then preferably put into-
operation before any of the solvent has been driven off, and they at once begin to
open up the residium in the extractors and to allow the steam to mix freely with it
and pass up through it and thus the contents are rapidly freed from the solvent.
and at the same time in proportion as the solvent is vapourised away the residium.
is being beaten up and pulverized into a fine meal and thus put into its most.
marketable form.
If there had been no agitation of the crushed sced at this juncture, it would.
simply have settled down into a hard cloggy mass and wherever the steam had got.
a road through it would have so rapidly evaporated the solvent from that part as
to have a tendency to freeze those parts where the steam had not reached but.
by the agitation previously described the steam passes evenly through and
consequently the solvent is continuously taken out of the meal without any of the
difficulties above mentioned and is returned through the condensers in a perfectly
pure state to the ground store tank A³.
As soon as the meal has been completely freed from the solvent (which can be
ascertained by another pet cock m conveniently placed under the air separator M²,).
the lower mouth piece d³ of each of the extracting kettles D1 and D2 is opened.
and the meal is then thrown out by the lower sweepers on the stirrer shaft into a
hopper de, placed underueath and immediately connected with the worm conveyor P
by means of which it is passed out of the building the meal house.
While the before described operation of extracting the oil has been going on in
the kettles D' and D² the other kettles D3 and D and also D and D have each
in turn been charged in pairs and put into similar operation substantially as
described for D' and D2 so that the whole of the extracting plant is practically
working concurrently and scriatum, and while the extracting is going on the oil
separating is also taking place and is put into operation as follows:-
As soon as the oil had ceased flowing from the crushed seed in D1 and D2 and
while the process of driving off the solvent from the meal is taking place in these
two kettles the valve k in the vapour piping connecting the oil separator E' with
the condenser F2 by means of the vapour piping H, is opened wide and moist
steam is then blown into the separator by means of the perforated coil or coils
previously described, and thus the extracted oil together with the liquid solvent.
which has drained into the separator E' from the kettles D1 and D2 are put into
violent agitation by the globules of steam passing through them and by this
means the solvent is rapidly freed from the oil and passes upward with the escaping
steam through the vapour piping into the condenser F2 and there getting condensed
it passes from thence into the air separator M² which frees it from the air
contained in it, the liquid solvent then Howing down quite pure into the ground.
store tank A3 and the liberated air rising up from the air separator M through
the air piping T, and then down into the air receiver N³, then again rising
through the air piping V2, and afterwards down into the bubble tank O' from
whence it escapes into the atmosphere the same process is continued in due course
with the other separators E and E³ coincident with the working of the oil
extractors D3 and D and D and D and so the process is continued day and
night throughout the week of say 132 hours.
The oil from the oil separators (having been completely cleansed by the
steaming process from all the solvent with which it was mixed) is passed after
each charge into the ground oil tanks Q' Q2 and Q3 respectively from whence it is
pumped in due course to the oil storage tanks where it is contained in its.
marketable form of crude oil.
It will be seen that by this process the oil is not only extracted out of the meal.
to a very low percentage, but in addition to this the solvent by means of which the
oil has been extracted is practically nearly all recovered and taken back to the
store tanks for use again and by the process of distillation previously described it.
becomes each time purer and better fitted for its extracting purposes, being freed.
by means of the vapourisers or gas generators from its heavy parts which remain.

page_text: in the bottom of the said generators and from whence they are drawn off from
time to time and have a good saleable value, the solvent being freed of these
heavy particles more readily escapes by evaporation from both the meal and also
the oil and thus reduces to a minimum the small percentage of solvent which
remains in them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invec-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An apparatus or plant for extracting oil from seeds or other suitable
oleaginous substances by means of solvents and for recovering and redistilling the
solvent concurrently with the extraction of the oil and also for converting the
residium into meal, the employment of gas generators oil extracting kettles (with
internal stirrers and sweepers) condensers, air extractors and air receivers, oil
separators, store tanks, bubble tanks, and water pressure, tanks together with
connecting, pipes, receivers, cocks, and valves worm and band or other conveyors
and hoppers, the whole apparatus driven by any suitable gearing in the manner and
for the purposes substantially as shewn and described.
2. In an oil extracting plant for extracting oil from seeds or other suitable
oleaginous substances by means of solvents, the employment of solvent vapourisers
or gas generators between the store tanks and the extracting kettles for heating
the solvent up to a high temperature and partially converting it into vapour
substantially as shown and described.
3. In an apparatus or plant for extracting oil from seeds or other suitable
oleaginous substances by means of solvents, the construction of a solvent vapouriser
or gas generator with a dished bottom and having an inlet pipe for such solvent
above the said bottom in the manner and for the purposes substantially as shown
and described.
4. In an apparatus or plant for extracting oil from. seeds, or other suitable
oleaginous substances by means of solvents, the employment of an extracting kettle
or kettles provided with internal stirrers or agitators and sweepers, in combination
with one or more steam coils below the false or perforated bottom (for drawing off
the solvent remaining in the material), the stirrers or agitators only being used after
the oil is extracted, and then for the two fold purpose of keeping the contents
of the kettle in the form of meal, and of bringing the steam into contact with every
part of the residium, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as shewn and
described.
5. The introduction into an apparatus or plant for extracting oil from seeds or
other suitable oleaginous substances, of an air extractor or air extractors between
the condensers and the ground store tanks for the purpose of removing the air out
of the returning solvent, and so entirely preventing it from getting into such store
tanks substantially as shown and described.
6. In plant for extracting oil from seeds or other oleaginous substances by
means of solvents, the employment of one or more cylindrical oil separators pro-
vided with alternate services of moist and dry steam coils in conjunction with
alternate services of vapour piping for vapourisng and carrying off the solvent in
the said separator and for washing the extracted oil in the manner and for the
purposes substantially as shown and described.
Dated this Twentieth dor of Naramban 1000
JOHN E. WALSH,
Savile Street, Hull, and Crossley Street, Halifax,
Patent Agent for the Applicants.