IM- PROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING LIQUIDS, AND IN THE MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Forbes, of Isla Distillery, in the City and
County of Perth, North Britain, Distiller, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING LIQUIDS, AND IN THE MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR
MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Sealed the 10th January 1865, and dated the 12th July 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Forbes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th July 1864.
I, JOHN FORBES, of Isla Distillery, in the City and County of Perth, North
Britain, Distiller, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DISTILLING LIQUIDS, AND IN THE MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR
MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to a certain improved arrangement and construction
of machinery, apparatus, or means employed for distilling liquids, and consists
of an ordinary still or vessel made of oak or other suitable timber. Placed
at one side or above the wash still is another wooden vessel, having near its
lower portion a diaphragm made of copper, thus dividing the vessel into upper
and lower compartments, the upper one of which is made of a size sufficient
to hold a charge for the distilling vessel, and in which compartment the wash

page_text: is heated before passing into the distilling vessel for distillation. Extending
from an approximate boiler is a pipe passing into the distilling vessel, which
pipe terminates in a cross pipe situated at the lower portion of the still ; this
pipe being perforated on alternate sides in such a manner that when the
steam rushes through it a circular or rotatory motion is imparted to the cross
pipe and also to the wash or other liquor, and in this way any sediment is
prevented from collecting in the bottom of the still; by this arrangement the
ordinary chains in use for the purpose of agitating the liquid are dispensed
with.
The same mode of supplying the steam applies equally well for distilling
low wines into spirits without the use of the heater. Connected to the upper
part of the distilling vessel is a pipe for carrying off the low wines vapour into
the lower compartment of the second vessel, and extending from the metallic
diaphragm in it, there are a number of metallic pipes passing upwards in a
slanting direction, and connected at the upper part of this vessel to a larger
pipe connected with an ordinary worm. When the vapour passes into the
lower compartment of the second vessel it becomes condensed by impinging
against the surface of the metallic diaphragm, which is kept cold or com-
paratively so by the wash contained in the upper part of this vessel. Any
uncondensed vapour which may remain in this lower compartment passes
up through the set of pipes herein-before referred to, into the worm. At the
lower part of the upper compartment of the second vessel is a pipe fitted with
a stop-cock for conveying the wash from the vessel to the still, and to the
lower part of the second compartment is a pipe having two branches, one of
which is for conducting the hot low wines into a worm to be cooled down
sufficiently before running into the receiver, whilst the other is for returning
the weak and impure portion back to the still for redistillation. At the lower
part of the still there is a pipe fitted with a stop-cock for discharging spent
wash.
The advantages resulting from the use of the present Invention are, that a
very efficient apparatus for distilling liquids is produced at a much lower cost
than hitherto, and that by using wooden instead of metallic vessels less heat is
allowed to radiate, whereby a saving of fuel is effected, this saving of fuel and
time being also increased by the introduction of the wash heater herein-before
described, and as the quantity of liquor this still or apparatus is capable of
distilling depends on the quantity of steam introduced and not on the heating
surface exposed to the steam or fire, it is capable of distilling more than twice
the quantity of an ordinary still of same size, and with little additional water
for cooling the worm, a great portion of the vapour being condensed in heating

page_text: the liquor to be distilled. This still is particularly adapted for distilling malt
spirits, there being no loss of flavour of the malt, and no risk of a bad flavour
from the still getting overheated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Forbes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th January 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FORBES, of Isla Distillery, in the City and County of Perth, North Britain,
Distiller, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Forbes, Her special license that I, the said John Forbes,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Forbes, my executors, administrators, or 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, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DISTILLING LIQUIDS, AND IN THE MACHINERY, APPARATUS, OR MEANS
EMPLOYED THEREFOB," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Forbes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them,
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Forbes, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to a certain improved arrangement and con-
struction of machinery, apparatus, or means employed for distilling liquids,
and consists of an ordinary still or vessel made of oak or other suitable timber.

page_text: Placed at one side or above the wash still is another wooden vessel, having
near its lower portion a diaphragm made of copper, thus dividing the vessel
into upper and lower compartments, the upper one of which is made of a size
sufficient to hold a charge for the distilling vessel, and in which compartment
the wash is heated before passing into the distilling vessel for distillation.
Extending from an approximate boiler is a pipe passing into the distilling vessel,
which pipe terminates in a cross pipe situated at the lower portion of the still,
this pipe being perforated on alternate sides in such a manner that when the
steam rushes through it a circular or rotatory motion is imparted to the cross
pipe and also to the wash or other liquor, and in this way any sediment is
prevented from collecting in the bottom of the still; by this arrangement the
ordinary chains in use for the purpose of agitating the liquid are dispensed
with.
The same mode of supplying the steam applies equally well for distilling
low wines into spirits without the use of the heater. Connected to the upper
part of the distilling vessel is a pipe for carrying off the low wines vapour into
the lower compartment of the second vessel, and extending from the metallic
diaphragm in it there are a number of metallic pipes passing upwards in a
slanting direction, and connected at the upper part of this vessel to a larger
pipe connected with an ordinary worm. When the vapour passes into the lower
compartment of the second vessel it becomes condensed by impinging against
the surface of the metallic diaphragm, which is kept cold or comparatively so
by the wash contained in the upper part of this vessel. Any uncondensed
vapour which may remain in this lower compartment passes up through the
set of pipes hereiu-before referred to into the worm. At the lower part of
the upper compartment of the second vessel is a pipe fitted with a stop-cock
for conveying the wash from the vessel to the still, and to the lower part of
the second compartment is a pipe having two branches, one of which is for
conducting the hot low wines into a worm to be cooled down sufficiently
before running into the receiver, whilst the other is for returning the weak
and impure portion back to the still for redistillation. At the lower part
of the still there is a pipe fitted with a stop-cock for discharging spent wash.
The advantages resulting from the use of the present Invention are, that a
very efficient apparatus for distilling liquids is produced at a much lower cost
than hitherto, and that by using wooden instead of metallic vessels less heat
is allowed to radiate, whereby a saving of fuel is effected, this saving of fuel
and time being also increased by the introduction of the wash heater herein-
before described, and as the quantity of liquor this still or apparatus is capable
of distilling depends on the quantity of steam introduced, and not on the

page_text: 1
.
heating surface exposed to the steam' or fire, it is capable of distilling a much
larger quantity than an ordinary still of same size is capable of doing, and
with little additional water for cooling the worm, a great portion of the vapour
being condensed in heating the liquor to be distilled. This still is particularly
adapted for distilling malt spirits, there being no loss of flavour of the malt,
and no risk of bad flavour from the still getting overheated.
.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the system, mode, or manner in or
under which the same is or may be used or carried into practical effect,
reference being had to the several Figures upon the two explanatory Sheets of
Drawings which I have hereunto appended, and in which similar parts are
indicated by corresponding letters of reference, that is to say:-
Figure 1, on Sheet 1, represents an elevation of one form of my improved
distilling apparatus; Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same, showing
the chief part of the internal arrangement in elevation; Figures 3 and 4 are
respectively sections of the wash still and wash heater. The Figure on
Sheet 2 is a vertical section of an improved low wines still.
On more particularly referring to the Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, the wash
still marked A is by preference made of timber, such as oak or elm, or of any
other material that may be found suitable.. At one side of and above the
vessel A there is situated a second vessel B, also made of timber, and in this
second vessel at its lower part there is fixed the metallic diaphragm C, which
is by preference made of copper, although any other substance that may be
found suitable may also be used; this diaphragm is shown dotted in Figure 1,
and in elevation in Figure 2. The diaphragm C divides the vessel B into
upper and lower compartments, the upper one D being the larger of the two,
and made of sufficient capacity to hold a charge large enough for the distilling
vessel A, the lower one E being for the purpose of condensing the low wines,
as herein-after more fully specified. From the upper side of the metallic
diaphragm C there extend in an inclined direction the tubes F, and these are
met at their upper extremities by a plate F¹, to which they are united, as
more particularly seen in Figures 2 and 4. When there is wash in the
vessel B it consequently surrounds the tubes F, and the vapour arising from
the low wines in the lower compartment E ascends through these tubes,
heating the wash in its passage through them, whence it is conducted by the
pipe G to an ordinary condensing worm (not shown in the Drawings). The
wash contained in the vessel B is conducted to the distilling vessel A, by
means of the pipe H, Figures 1 and 2, but only shown in part in Figure 2,
and when a sufficient quantity is let into the vessel A, further communication

page_text: is stopped by means of the stop-cock H' fitted into the pipe H. At one side
of the vessel A there is situated the pipe I, through which steam is conveyed
from a boiler, and passing on through the continuation of the pipe within the
vessel A it traverses into the revolving cross pipe J. The cross pipe J is per-
forated on alternate sides at its alternate ends with a series of holes, and is united
to the vertical portion of the pipe I by means of a swivel joint, on which it
revolves as the steam issues from the perforations on the alternate sides; this
pipe and joint being shown in plan in Figure 3. To the upper part of the
vessel A there is attached the pipe K, which communicates to the low wines
compartment of the vessel B. This pipe K instead of passing directly into the
low wines compartment may be first carried into the upper compartment of
the vessel B, and then brought into the lower compartment through the
diaphragm C. Into the bottom of the vessel B there is fixed the vertical pipe L
for conducting the hot low wines from the compartment. The pipe L branches
out in two directions M and N, each of these branches being provided with stop-
cocks M¹ and N', that branch marked M being for the purpose of conducting
the pure low wines into the worm to be properly cooled before running into
the receiver, the branch N being used for returning the impure and weak
portion back to the still for redistillation. The pipe O is connected to the
charger holding the wash for supplying the heating vessel B whenever it may
require to be replenished. The pipe P is for discharging the spent wash, and
is provided with a stop-cock at Q.
Having now described in detail the several parts of those modifications of
my said Invention shown in the several Figures on Sheet 1, and their adapta-
tion, I shall now proceed to specify more particularly the mode of operating
with the same, that is to say:-
When it is desired to distill the wash this is passed from the vessel B to the
vessel A by means of the pipe H, the stop-cock H' being opened to allow it
to run in, and when a sufficient quantity of the wash is admitted then the
cock His again closed. After the still A is charged the heater B is again
filled by means of the pipe O connected to the wash holder. The valve or
cock on the pipe I is now opened, and steam is admitted into the still A;
this, issuing from the orifices or perforations in the cross pipe J, causes it to
rotate, and produces a consequent agitation and circulation of the wash, the
vapour from which when in a state of ebullition passes up through the pipe G
into the condenser E, where it is condensed by coming in contact with the
surface of the diaphragm C and tube F, these being kept at a low temperature
by the wash in the compartment D; as soon as the vapour is condensed low-
wines are produced, and the cock M' on the pipe M being open, this flows

page_text: through into the worm until the charge in the still A becomes nearly
exhausted, when the stop-cock M¹ is closed, so that no more liquid can pass
away to the worm; the impure low wines now being collected in the condenser
the cock N' is opened, and this is returned to the still for redistillation. At
this period of the operation the wash in B having nearly reached the boiling
point will condense only the water and impure portions of the vapour, the
purest vapour passing off into the worm through the pipe G, and when the
hydrometer at the worm end shows that the charge is completely exhausted in
the still A, the spent wash is run off by the pipe and cock P and Q; when
thus emptied the still is again supplied with boiling wash from the heater D,
and any weak low wines that are collected in the condenser E are admitted
through the pipe N, and the distillation carried on as before.
In the Figure on Sheet 2, A is the body of the still, the still head being
marked B, the valve C on the pipe D being for the purpose of admitting steam
into the still, giving motion to the cross pipe E, agitating the liquid, and
heating it as in the former modification. The spirit vapour passes through
the pipe F into a condensing worm. Above the still head B there is situated
the water jacket G, into which a number of small pipes marked a are fixed by
means of the flanches at its upper and lower ends. The pipe II is for
supplying the water jacket with warm water introduced from the tun. The
vapour that becomes condensed in the pipes a falls upon the perforated
plates I, the spirit portion of which is volatilized by the streams of hot vapour
ascending from the still; the purity and flavour of the spirit depending upon
the quantity of water introduced into the water jacket that surrounds the
small pipes. A spirit varying from fifteen to thirty per cent. over proof being
easily obtainable from low wines distilled by the herein-before described
arrangement of distilling apparatus.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise
details or arrangements herein-before described and shown in the two accom-
panying Sheets of Drawings, as many variations may be made therefrom
without deviating from the principles of my said Invention; but what I
consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the general arrangement, construction, application, and combination
of distilling apparatus as herein-before described, or any mere modification
thereof.

page_text: Second, the use and application of steam for effecting distillation,
substantially as herein-before described, or any mere modification thereof.
Third, the application and mode of constructing a rotatory steam pipe
within the distilling vessel for heating and agitating the wash, as herein-before
described, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Forbes, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of January, One thousand eight hundred and
Gixty five