Improvements in Apparatus and Vessels for the Manufacture and use of Acetic Acid.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 7th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 8th Apr.,
1899
Improvements in Apparatus and Vessels for the Manufacture and use
of Acetic Acid.
We, CHARLES DREYFUS, Ph.D., of Claremont, Wilbraham Road, Fallowfield,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, and ARTHUR GEORGE GREEN, F.I.C., F.C.S.,
of 13, Kings Drive, Heaton Moor, near Stockport, in the said County, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of acetic acid and in manufactures in which acetic acid
is employed such as the preparation of organic acetyl derivatives, for example,
considerable difficulty is experienced in the selection of a suitable material for
the construction of stills, rectifying columns, condensing worms, and other vessels
and apparatus. Earthenware, which at present is usually employed, is heavy
and clumsy and has the great disadvantage of being extremely liable to break,
whilst most metals are attacked by the acid which is thereby contaminated.
According to our invention we overcome these difficulties by constructing such
apparatus and vessels of aluminium, as this metal is almost unattacked by acetic
acid whether weak, or strong, so that apparatus and vessels constructed from it
can be kept in constant work for months without repair, and the delay and loss of
material consequent on the frequent breakage of earthenware vessels or apparatus
is thereby completely avoided. At the same time the construction of the apparatus
is simplified and the acetic acid produced or used is free from metallic impurities.
Dated this 27th day of September 1898.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in Apparatus and Vessels for the Manufacture and use
of Acetic Acid.
We, CHARLES DREYFUS, Ph.D., of Claremont, Wilbraham Road, Fallowfield,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, and ARTHUR GEORGE GREEN, F.I.C., F.C.S.,
of 13, Kings Drive, Heaton Moor, near Stockport, in the said County, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
In the manufacture of acetic acid, and in manufactures in which acetic acid is
employed, such as the preparation of organic acetyl derivatives for example,

page_text: considerable difficulty has hitherto been experienced in consequence of the materials
used for the construction of stills, rectifying columns, condensing worms, and
other vessels, and apparatus, employed being either liable to break, or being
injuriously attacked by the acid.
Earthenware, for example, which has hitherto been often employed in the
construction of such apparatus and vessels, is heavy and clumsy, and has the
great disadvantage of being liable to break, whilst most metals are attacked by the
acid, and the product thereby contaminated.
After numerous trials and experiments with various materials and metals we
have discovered that the difficulties and objections incidental to the use of the
materials hitherto used in the manufacture of such apparatus and vessels are
overcome by the employment of aluminium for the construction of such apparatus,
or vessels. Aluminium we have found is practically unattackable by acetic acid,
whether the acid be weak or strong, and, when the apparatus, and vessels, are
made of aluminium, they can be kept in constant work for a considerable period,
(say several months), without requiring repair, and the frequent breakage of the
apparatus incidental to the use of earthenware is entirely overcome. By the use
of aluminium therefore according to our invention several great advantages are
obtained in the manufacture of acetic acid and its employment in chemical opera-
tions, as not only can the apparatus and vessels be kept in use for a long period
without repairs but the delay and loss of material consequent on the frequent
breakage of earthenware apparatus and vessels is completely avoided, and, more-
over, the construction of the apparatus and vessels is simplified as compared with
the construction of such apparatus and vessels from earthenware, whilst, as com-
pared with the construction of such apparatus and vessels of metals other than
aluminium, metallic contamination of the product is completely avoided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
Apparatus and vessels made of aluminium for use in the manufacture and
employment of acetic acid for the purposes herein before set forth.
Dated this 6th day of March 1899.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus and Vessels for the Manufacture and use
of Acetic Acid.
We, CHARLES DREYFUS, Ph.D., of Claremont, Wilbraham Road, Fallowfield,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, and ARTHUR GEORGE GREEN, F.I.C., F.C.S.,
of 13, Kings Drive, Heaton Moor, near Stockport, in the said County, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of acetic acid and in manufactures in which acetic acid
is employed such as the preparation of organic acetyl derivatives, for example,
considerable difficulty is experienced in the selection of a suitable material for
the construction of stills, rectifying columns, condensing worms, and other vessels
and apparatus. Earthenware, which at present is usually employed, is heavy
and clumsy and has the great disadvantage of being extremely liable to break,
whilst most metals are attacked by the acid which is thereby contaminated.
According to our invention we overcome these difficulties by constructing such
apparatus and vessels of aluminium, as this metal is almost unattacked by acetic
acid whether weak, or strong, so that apparatus and vessels constructed from it
can be kept in constant work for months without repair, and the delay and loss of
material consequent on the frequent breakage of earthenware vessels or apparatus
is thereby completely avoided. At the same time the construction of the apparatus
is simplified and the acetic acid produced or used is free from metallic impurities.
Dated this 27th day of September 1898.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in Apparatus and Vessels for the Manufacture and use
of Acetic Acid.
We, CHARLES DREYFUS, Ph.D., of Claremont, Wilbraham Road, Fallowfield,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, and ARTHUR GEORGE GREEN, F.I.C., F.C.S.,
of 13, Kings Drive, Heaton Moor, near Stockport, in the said County, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
In the manufacture of acetic acid, and in manufactures in which acetic acid is
employed, such as the preparation of organic acetyl derivatives for example,

page_text: considerable difficulty has hitherto been experienced in consequence of the materials
used for the construction of stills, rectifying columns, condensing worms, and
other vessels, and apparatus, employed being either liable to break, or being
injuriously attacked by the acid.
Earthenware, for example, which has hitherto been often employed in the
construction of such apparatus and vessels, is heavy and clumsy, and has the
great disadvantage of being liable to break, whilst most metals are attacked by the
acid, and the product thereby contaminated.
After numerous trials and experiments with various materials and metals we
have discovered that the difficulties and objections incidental to the use of the
materials hitherto used in the manufacture of such apparatus and vessels are
overcome by the employment of aluminium for the construction of such apparatus,
or vessels. Aluminium we have found is practically unattackable by acetic acid,
whether the acid be weak or strong, and, when the apparatus, and vessels, are
made of aluminium, they can be kept in constant work for a considerable period,
(say several months), without requiring repair, and the frequent breakage of the
apparatus incidental to the use of earthenware is entirely overcome. By the use
of aluminium therefore according to our invention several great advantages are
obtained in the manufacture of acetic acid and its employment in chemical opera-
tions, as not only can the apparatus and vessels be kept in use for a long period
without repairs but the delay and loss of material consequent on the frequent
breakage of earthenware apparatus and vessels is completely avoided, and, more-
over, the construction of the apparatus and vessels is simplified as compared with
the construction of such apparatus and vessels from earthenware, whilst, as com-
pared with the construction of such apparatus and vessels of metals other than
aluminium, metallic contamination of the product is completely avoided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
Apparatus and vessels made of aluminium for use in the manufacture and
employment of acetic acid for the purposes herein before set forth.
Dated this 6th day of March '1000
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.