IM- PROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING, AND IN APPARATUSES EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, E.C., Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING, AND IN APPARATUSES EMPLOYED THEREIN."―A
communication.
Sealed the 24th November 1857, and dated the 27th May 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION-left by the said Richard Archibald Brooman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th May 1857.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, E.C., Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING, AND IN APPARATUSES EMPLOYED
THEREIN," (communicated to me by a foreigner residing abroad,) to be as
follows:-
This Invention is for improvements upon and additions to Inventions for
which Letters Patent for Great Britain were granted to me the 24th December
1855, and Provisional Protection the 11th April 1857.
The first part consists in a new arrangement of the distilling cylinders, in
dispensing with the pipes by which communication is established between the
cylinders, and in fitting pipes to each cylinder which communicate directly.
with the base of the rectifying column described in the Provisional Specifica-
tion filed by me the 11th April 1857. The pipes need not be furnished with
taps, but are made to plunge into the base of the column below the outlet or

page_text: cock from which the spirit wash is withdrawn, so that they will always plunge
into liquid. Any number of cylinders may thus communicate directly with
the column, which must, however, be proportioned to the number it is required
to receive. The alcoholic vapours escaping from the distilling cylinders enter
the rectifying column, and their mix their strength. To cause an equal
strength in these vapours, it is necessary to place several cylinders in commu-
nication with the rectifying column at the same time at different periods of
their distillation, so that cylinder No. 1 may give weak alcoholic vapours, No. 2
strong; and if three or more cylinders are placed in communication with the
rectifier, the period of distillation of each ought to be so regulated that the
united vapours give a uniform strength of 40 Gay Lussac, about 30 under
proof. During this time one cylinder should be shut off from communication
with the rectifying column and be in course of filling, thus the rectifying
column being constantly supplied with alcoholic vapour of an even degree of
strength, the product of the head of rectification or first runnings flow into one
worm, the pure spirit flows into another worm, and the product loaded with
oil of the end of rectification or last runnings flows into the bottom of the
column or into the feints receiver. These weak feints are redistilled by a
current of direct steam, and the alcoholic vapours arising from them also enter
the rectifying column at the same time as the alcoholic vapours arising from
the cylinders. When the feints are spent the boiler or receiver is emptied by
a cock or tap, and the feints receiver is refilled from the bottom of the rectify-
ing column by opening a cock or tap, and thus the rectification is continuous,
thus completely distilling and rectifying the slices of root and the produce of
the condensation of the feints. Each cylinder is provided with a thermometer,
which shows the temperature and indicates the strength of the alcoholic
vapours.
Secondly, the cylinders, when used for the distillation of certain substances,
such as magass, or pressed sugar cane, the sugar sorgho, maize stalks, &c. &c.,
are furnished with a man-hole at or near the bottom of the cylinders, and do
not require any perforated diaphragms or plates to facilitate the discharge of
the matter distilled at the bottom instead of the top of the cylinders. The
top of the cylinder may also be narrower than the bottom, so that they may
be more easily closed.
In hot climates the magass, sorgho, and other matters may be distilled in
the vats in which they have been fermented by fitting covers to them with
pipes and placing them in communication with the before-mentioned rectifying
column or with a refrigerator. In this case the vats must have a double
bottom; when the fermentation of the cane, sorgho, or magass is complete the

page_text: liquid is drawn off into another vat hermetically closed, and when the pieces
of sorgho, maize, magass, sugar cane, or other matter have been distilled, the
pieces must be removed and the liquid pumped back into the vat ready for a.
fresh fermentation of pieces.
The pieces of cane, magass, sorgho, or other matter should be crushed and
cut about 2 inches long. The quantity of. and with which we have succeeded
and 1 to 1000.
best has varied between
The magass requires only th of the acid in proportion to the sorgho, but
it is better always to use a small quantity to prevent the deterioration of the-
juice.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office.
on the 27th November 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, E.C.,.
Patent. Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, usè, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdon
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING, AND IN APPARATUSES EMPLOYED
THEREIN," (communicated to me by a foreigner residing abroad,) upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or..
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain.
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent: Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said.
Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say :-
This Invention is for improvements upon and additions to Inventions for
which Letters Patent for Great Britain were granted to me the Twenty-fourth
December One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, and the Eleventh of
April One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven. The first part consists in
a new arrangement of the distilling cylinders, in dispensing with the pipes by
which communication is established between the cylinders, and in fitting to
each cylinder pipes which communicate directly with a boiler or vessel at the
base of the rectifying column desoribed in the Final Specification filed by me
on the Eleventh October, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, or of
any other rectifying column; or such pipes, instead of communicating directly
with the boiler or other vessel, may severally communicate with a common
pipe which leads to such boiler or vessel, and in this case each of such pipes
must be furnished with a tap for the purpose of cutting off its communication
with the common pipe when desired. In the former case, in which the pipes
communicate directly with the boiler or other vessel, the: pipes need not be
furnished with taps, but enter into the vessel at the base of the column below
the outlet or cock from which the spirit wash is withdrawn, so that they may
always always open into the liquid within the vessel. Any number of cylinders
may thus communicate directly with the column, which must, however, be
proportioned to the number it is required to receive. The alcoholic vapours
escaping from the distilling cylinders enter the rectifying column, and there
mix their strengths. To cause an equal or uniform strength in these vapours,
it is necessary to place several cylinders in communication-with the rectifying
column at the same time at different periods of the distillation of the contents,
so that where there are two cylinders, cylinder No. 1 may give weak alcoholic
vapours, and No. 2 strong; or if three or more cylinders are placed in
communication with the rectifier, the period of distillation of each ought
to be so regulated that the united vapours give a uniform strength of forty
degrees Gay Lussac, about thirty under proof. During this time one cylinder
should be shut off from communication with the rectifying column and be in
course of filling. Thus the rectifying column being constantly supplied with
alcoholic vapour of an even or uniform degree of strength, the products of the
head of rectification or first runnings flow into one worm, the pure spirit flows.
into another worm, and the products loaded with oil of the head of rectifica-

page_text: tion or last runnings flow into the bottom of the column or into the feints
receiver. These weak feints are redistilled by a current of direct steam, or
by being otherwise heated in the boiler under the column, and the alcoholic
vapours arising from them also enter the rectifying column at the same time
as the alcoholic vapours arising or proceeding from the cylinders. When the
feints are spent the boiler or receiver is emptied by a tap or cock, and the
feints receiver is re-filled from the vessel under the bottom of the rectifying
column by opening a cock or tap, and thus the rectification is continuous.
The produce of the slices of root, and the produce of the condensation of the
feints are consequently completely distilled and rectified. Each cylinder or
each pipe is furnished with a thermometer, which shows the temperature and
indicates the strength of the alcoholic vapours.
Figure 1, Sheet 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed, represents an
elevation, and Figure 2, Sheet 1, a partial plan, of a distilling and rectifying
apparatus arranged according to this part of the Invention. A, A, are the
distilling cylinders in direct communication with the rectifier B; C is a vessel
intended to receive the water from the rectifier; D, D, are pipes commu-
nicating between the cylinders A, A, and the rectifier; E is the principal
steam pipe or conductor; F, F, are thermometers upon the pipes D, D, for
the purpose before described; G is the spent lees pipe; H is a stage or plat-
form for affording convenient access to the parts of the apparatus; I is a cock,
through which the receiver C is emptied; J is a cock for emptying the boiler
or copper of the rectifier, and for introducing the feints into the vessel;
K, K, are steam pipes leading from the pipe E to the cylinders A, A; L is a
similar pipe leading to the rectifier; M is a tank for hot water; N, a tank for
cold water; O, a conductor of alcoholic vapour from the receiver C to the
rectifier B; P, an indicator; Q, a crane for aiding in charging and discharging
the cylinders A, A; R, a pipe for conducting the alcohol of good flavor to
the refrigerator a; S, a pipe for conducting the alcohol of bad flavor to a
special refrigerator b; c, a refrigerator which receives the products of recti-
fication at the commencement; T is a pipe for injecting hot water into the
refrigerator at the twenty-fourth plate. The operation of the before-described
apparatus will be clearly understood from the description which has previously
been given.
The second part of the Invention relates to a modification of the appa-
ratus which is adopted for the distillation of substances such as magass, or
In this case the
pressed sugar cane, the sugar sorgho, maize stalks, &c. &c.
cylinders are furnished with a man-hole at or near the bottom, and do not
require any perforated diaphragms or plates. The discharge of the matter

page_text: distilled may therefore conveniently take place at the bottom of the cylinders
instead of the top. The top of the cylinders may also be narrower than the
bottom, in order that they may be more readily closed.
Figure 3, Sheet 2 of the Drawings hereunto annexed, represents an
elevation, and Figure 4, Sheet 2, a plan, of another form of distilling appa-
ratus furnished with three distilling cylinders A, A, each of which has an
upper man-hole B, through which the fermented matters are supplied, and a
lower man-hole C, through which the distilled matters are discharged; D, D,
are pipes with taps, connecting the cylinders at will, as shewn ;. E, E, are pipes
with taps, which connect the upper parts of the cylinders A, A, at will with
the refrigerator; F, F, are safety valves; G is a steam pipe.communicating
with each of the cylinders; II is a tripod which supports an inner bottom
which receives the materials to be distilled; I is a safety valve at the lower
part of the cylinder A. The action of this apparatus is as follows:-Each
cylinder is supplied with fermented material which has to. be distilled, and the
cover tightly fixed over the upper man-hole. Steam is then injected between
the two bottoms, and forcing its way up through the inner bottom, which is
pierced with holes for the purpose, rises through the mass of material, dis-
engaging the alcoholic vapours therefrom. From the upper part of the first
cylinder the steam and vapours are admitted to the lower part of the second
cylinder through the pipe D, provided for the purpose, and rising through the
material in the second cylinder, disengage additional vapours, finally passing
off through the pipe E to the refrigerator. The distillation continues in this
manner until the material in the first cylinder is exhausted, when the commu-
nications between the first and second cylinders and between the second
cylinder and the refrigerator are cut off. The steam is now admitted directly
from the boiler into the bottom of the second cylinder, and the communi-
cations between the top of the second cylinder with the bottom of the third
and between the top of the third and the refrigerator opened. The process of
distillation now proceeds till the material in the second cylinder is exhausted,
when the first cylinder is again re-charged and brought into use, and so on.
The several distillations are carried on until the whole of the vapour is
extracted from the material.
In hot climates or where hand labor is scarce, the magass, sorgho, and other
matters may be distilled in the vats in which they have been fermented, by
fitting covers to them with pipes, and placing them in communication with
the rectifying column or with a refrigerator. In this case the vats must have
a double bottom. When the fermentation of the cane, sorgho, or magass is
complete, the fermenting liquid is drawn drawn off into another vat herine-

page_text: tically closed, and when the pieces of sorgho, maize, magass, sugar cane, or
other matter have been distilled the pieces must be removed, and the fer-
menting liquid pumped back into the same or another vat ready for a fresh
fermentation of pieces.
Figure 5, Sheet 3 of the Drawings hereunto annexed, represents an eleva-
tion of an apparatus comprising a series of vessels, with each of which a
moveable refrigerator may be successively and directly connected for the
purpose of carrying out this part of the Invention. As the pressure in the
cylinders can never in this case reach an excessive amount, they may be
constructed. of thin sheet iron, or even of wood. A, A, are the vessels in
which the fermenting and distilling processes are carried on alternately; B is
a moveable cover, which is transferred from one vessel to another as tho
distillation is proceeded with; C is a reservoir, into which the fermenting
liquid is passed through the pipe C¹, from the vessel wherein the fermentation
is completed, and from which the said liquid is forced into the next vessel:
wherein the fermentation is next to commence; D is a suction and force
pump for effecting these transfers of the said liquid; E is the moveable.
refrigerator, which is carried by the carriage F, and runs upon the rails G,
which are laid on the floor or platform H; I, I, are the spaces between the
two bottoms of the several vessels A, A, into which spaces the steam is let
through the short pipes I', 1', from the steam pipe J, which leads from the
boiler or generator K; L is the building which encloses the vessels A, A ;
M, M, are pipes, which are furnished with taps or cocks, and which conduct
the water of condensation produced during the distillation away to a vessel N,
in which the alcoholic vapours remaining in such water are disengaged by the
action of steam brought from the boiler through the pipe O; P is a vessel
for receiving the said vapours. The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
When the fermentation of a charge of material has been effected in one of
the vessels A, A, the fermenting liquor is allowed to flow into the reservoir C,.
through the pipe C', and the fermented material is thus left comparatively
dry. The vessel containing it is then covered with the cover B, placed on it
by means of the carriage F, and steam is admitted, the refrigerator being also
brought above the vessel A. The steam enters the space I between an outer
and an inner bottom, the latter of which is pierced with holes, through which
the steam rises, permeating the mass of fermented material. The alcoholic
vapours thus distilled are passed from the top of the vessel A into the refri-
gerator E. The water condensed in the process passes through the holes of
the inner bottom, and is conducted away to the vessel N, in the manner and
for the purpose before described. The fresh steam passing through this water

page_text: on its way to the distilling vessel carries back from it any alcoholic vapours
which may remain in it, and thus loss is prevented. When the distillation is
complete, the exhausted residue of the material is removed from the vessel,
and the latter carefully cleansed and re-charged with fresh material to be
fermented, for which purpose the fermenting liquor is forced back from the
reservoir C by the pump D. The foregoing operation is repeated in like
manner in and in connection with each of the vessels A.
The cane, magass, sorgho, or other matter should before fermentation be
crushed and cut into pieces about two inches long. The quantity of acid with
which the Inventor has succeeded best in effecting the fermentation has varied
between and 1 to 1000. The magass however requires only 4th of the
proportion of acid necessary for the sorgho, but it is well always to use a small
quantity to prevent the deterioration of the juice.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the construction, arrangement, and method of operating distilling
cylinders, which communicate directly by pipes with the rectifying column or
other such vessel, as herein-before described and represented in Figures 1 and 2,
Sheet 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Secondly, the employment of the distilling cylinders in which the perforated
diaphragms are dispensed with, and which are discharged through man-holes
below, as herein-before described.
Thirdly, the construction, arrangement, and method of operating distilling
cylinders, as herein-before described and represented in Figures 3 and 4,
Sheet 2 of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Fourthly, the method of employing the fermenting vats or vessels in the
distillation of the materials previously fermented therein, together with the
apparatus for effecting this, as herein-before described and represented in
Figure 5, Sheet 3 of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of November,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
R. A. BROOMAN. (L.S.)