IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING FATTY BODIES."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, for the
Invention of IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING FATTY BODIES." A
communication from abroad by Pierre Nicolai, of Paris, in the Republic of
France.
Sealed the 15th July 1879, and dated the 22nd January 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, on the 22nd January 1879.
ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman. "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR DIS-
TILLING FATTY BODIES." A communication from abroad by Pierre Nicolai, of Paris,
in the Republic of France.
The object of this Invention is to effect the distillation of oils and other fatty
bodies in a more efficient manner than heretofore, to which end a novel arrange-
ment of apparatus heated by steam and constructed and operating in the manner
following is employed.
A vertical cylindrical vessel terminating in coned ends is set up at an elevation
above the rest of the apparatus.
This vessel is furnished with a coiled pipe for receiving steam, superheated or
otherwise. The fatty body, say oil, to be distilled is admitted into the top of this
vessel, and heated by the circulation of steam in the coiled pipe. Some purifying
material may be admitted to the oil, and to provide for the agitation of the same,
and the consequent quickening of the distillatory operation, air is forced into the
body of the liquid through a rose head pipe.
At its upper end this cylindrical vessel is connected by a bent pipe with a con-
denser. This bent pipe on entering the condenser takes the form of a worm, and
the vapor constituting the first distillate of the oil is condensed in the coil and run
out therefrom into a suitable receptacle.
In the bottom of the cylindrical vessel is a discharge pipe closed by a stop cock
for clearing the vessel of residual matters. That portion of the oil which is not
distilled is run off by a pipe leading from the bottom of the vessel (but at a point
somewhat higher than the discharge pipe just mentioned) into a jacketed closed
Price 6d1

page_text: cylindrical vessel furnished with a coiled pipe, receiving superheated or other
steam. For the purpose of increasing the heating surface of this vessel it is formed
with a central cylindrical projection, which is also jacketed. This projection
extends upwards some 3rd of the depth of the vessel, and situate on top of
this vessel is a shallow vessel, which with the jacket before mentioned completes
the closing in of the same. Steam being admitted to the coil from a supply pipe
it circulates through the coil, heating the surrounding oil which has been discharged
from the elevated vessel. The steam then passes from the coil into the jacket of
the vessel containing the coil, and after circulating through this jacket it passes by
a coupling pipe into the shallow vessel before mentioned, and thence by an escape
pipe to the atmosphere or into a condenser.
By subjecting the oil to steam heat in a vessel, the temperature of which is
maintained by both internal and external heat, a rapid distillation of the oil will
tako place. As the vapor is formed it is conducted to a small chamber constituting
the upper portion of a condenser. In the lower portion of this condenser is a
worm, which is connected with the conical bottom of the small chamber.
The upper end of this chamber connects with a cold water tank, from which it
receives a shower or spray of cold water for mingling with and condensing the
vapor or distillate as it enters the chamber.
Thus the distillate with the water passes down the worm, and the mingled
liquids are discharged together into a suitable receptacle.
This rapid condensation of the vapor and its continuous discharge creates a
partial vacuum in the steam jacketed vessel, and thereby quickons the distillatory
process.
If desired this may be still further quickened by applying to the exit end of the
worm an exhaust fan or its equivalent. The worms above mentioned will be
enclosed in vessels provided with a continuous supply of cold water or other
cooling medium, and the evaporating vessels will be fitted with man holes for
giving access to the interior thereof.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
July 1879.
11
ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman. IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR DIS-
TILLING FATTY BODIES." A communication from abroad by Pierre Nicolai, of Paris,
in the Republic of France.
The object of this Invention is to effect the distillation of oils and other fatty
bodies in a more efficient manner than heretofore, to which end a novel arrange-
ment of apparatus heated by steam and constructed as shown in the accompanying
Drawing is employed.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the improved apparatus, and Fig. 2 a vertical section
taken through the centre of the apparatus.
The fatty body to be treated, say oil for example, is introduced into the upper
reservoir A, where it should be disinfected before being submitted to distillation.
This reservoir, which may be of any suitable form, contains a coiled pipe B,
through which a current of steam passes. The steam enters by the pipe C and
escapes by the pipe D.
To provide for the purification of the fatty body air is introduced into the
reservoir A by the rose head pipe E, which projects downwards nearly to the
bottom of the reservoir. The air bubbles up through the liquid, and carries off
the deleterious products, which pass by the pipe F into the condenser G, where
they are condensed and collected. H is a man hole, which gives access to the
interior of the reservoir for cleansing the same, and I is a discharge tube with a
stop cock at the lowest point of the vessel.
The oil after having been submitted to the purifying process is run off by a
pipe J leading from the bottom of the vessel A (but at a point somewhat higher
than the discharge pipe I just mentioned) into a jacketed closed cylindrical vessel M
furnished with a coiled pipe L receiving superheated or other steam at P. For the
purpose of increasing the heating surface of this vessel M it is formed with a central
cylindrical projection K, which is also jacketed. This projection extends upwards
some two thirds of the depth of the vessel M, and situate on top of this vessel is a
shallow vessel N, which with the jacket O completes the closing in of the same.
Steam being admitted to the coil L from a supply pipe P it circulates through the
coil, heating the surrounding oil which has been discharged from the vessel A. The
steam then passes at Q from the coil L into the jacket O of the vessel M, and after
circulating through this jacket it passes by a coupling pipe R into the shallow
vessel N before mentioned, and thence by an escape pipe S to the atmosphere or
into a condenser.
By subjecting the oil to steam heat in the vessel M, the temperature of which is
maintained by both internal and external heat, a rapid distillation of the oil will
take place. As the vapor is formed it is conducted by the pipe a into a small
chamber 6 constituting the upper portion of a condenser e. In the lower portion
of this condenser is a worm c, which is connected with the conical bottom of the
small chamber b.
The upper end of this chamber connects with a cold water tank d, from which
it receives a shower or spray of cold water (which is regulated by the cock f) for
mingling with and condensing the vapor or distillate as it enters the chamber b,
and this tank d also serves to supply the condenser e with cold water. Thus the
distillate with the water passes down the worm c, and the mingled liquids are
discharged together at g into a suitable receptacle.
This rapid condensation of the vapour and its continuous discharge creates a
partial vacuum in the steam jacketed vessel M, and thereby quickens the distillatory
process.

page_text: If desired this may be still further quickened by applying to the exit end of the
worm can exhaust fan or its equivalent.
The above described arrangement of apparatus has the following advantages:-
Not only is the liquid which occupies about two thirds of the reservoir M carried
rapidly to boiling point, but it is not subject to cooling by radiation.
The heat which is drawn from it during the process of transformation into gas is
constantly returned by the steam which surrounds it, and thus all danger of
explosion is avoided.
It will be remarked that the reservoir M is absolutely isolated from the external
air, while at the same time the chamber N and jacket O protect all the joints of
the pipes and the cocks, and prevent the admission of air thereto, thus rendering the
formation of an explosive mixture impossible, and removing all risk of danger in
the use of the apparatus.
T and T are manholes for cleaning the apparatus. U, U₁, U", are openings in
the steam jacket O to make good the pipe joints, clean the steam jacket, and turn
stop cocks V, V'.
The purified products obtained by the use of this apparatus are applicable to any
of the uses to which the crude material is applicable, such as oiling wool, lubri-
cating, or lighting.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improved Apparatus for
Distilling Fatty Bodies," as communicated to me from abroad, and explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the
above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
Firstly. The general arrangement of apparatus for distilling fatty bodies, as above
described with reference to the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. The construction of the vessel M with its fittings, as above described,
for subjecting the fatty body to the action of steam (whether superheated or not)
for the purpose of rapidly vaporizing such fatty body.
Thirdly. The apparatus above described for condensing and drawing off the gases
of distillation.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto set
my band and seal, the Twenty-second day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)