A. WOOLNER, JR.

DISTlLLATlON.

1915399920

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27. 1914.

PatentedSept. 21, 1915.

45

527

nae/2271'

4%

STATES AE TQFFIQE
ADOLPH WOOLNER, JR., 0F PEORIA, ILLINOIS.
DISTILLATION.
' Speci?cation of Letters Patent.

1,153,992.

Patented. Sept._21, 1915.

Original application ?led November 3, 1910, Serial No. 590,571. Divided and this application ?leu J'uneiw;
1914.

Serial No. 847,573.

ous distilling apparatus and method which

Be it known that I, ADOLPH VVooLNnR, permit a prolonged heating of the beer
Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing thereby assuring the production of highly
at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State ?avored spirits as by the old pot still proc
T0 all whom it may concern:

.of Illinois, have invented certain new and

ess, without reducing the steam economy of 60

useful Improvements in Distillation, of the continuousstill referred to, and in my

which the following is a speci?cation, this new apparatus and method the heating of
being a division of my co-pending applica the slop is done indirectly and a more con
tion Serial No. 590,571, patented July 28, centrated slop is produced than in those
stills in which the heating is done by direct
'10 1914, No. 1,104,948.
This invention relates to the art of dis steam. The distillation of the beer, fer
tilling, its leading and principal objects be! mentedmash or wort, without the intro
ing the distillation of spirits in such a man

duction of the steam into the same is not

'1 ner that a spirit of improved ?avor is eco

. new and there are various constructions of

65

is nomically obtained and the residue or slop stills provided with a system of steam-heat

70

of distillation is concentrated to a higher ing pipes for the purpose of boiling the beer

degree than has heretofore been customary ' with the indirect steam, and also providing
for mechanical agitation. It has been
In order to obtain a full and complete found, however, that when this indirect
understanding of the various advantages method or apparatus is used the heating 75
and bene?ts of this invention and its place surface becomes coatederather quickly with e
in the industry of distillation it is necessary a thick crust of organic matter, which ad
to brie?y review the development of this heres to the heating surface and prevents
art. Formerly the distillation of alcoholic the economical transmission of heat there
or usual,

20

25 liquors was carried on in so-called pot

through, consequently making this method

80.

stills an apparatus in which the fermented of indirect heating ineffective and unsatis
wort or mash,the so-called beer, was heat

factory. My present invention avoids this

difliculty by maintaining the slop continu

count of the comparatively long heating and ously in rapid circulation by running the

ed by the direct action of the ?re.

30

On ac

boiling of the beerby such apparatus and Slop in a thin ?lm over the heated surface,
process highly ?avored .spirits were pro

preferably with the aid of a circulating

duced containing compounds agreeable both pump. Such a clean heating surface by the
to taste and smell, and'bringing, about the forced circulation of the slop as obtained by

distillation of higher alcohols and fatty this invention is not only important because
35

40

acids essential or necessary to the produc of the more e?icient heat transmission, but
tion of ?ne ?avor. Obviously this method it also avoids the detrimental in?uence
of distillation was both uneconomical and which incrustation on the steam heated sur
quite unhandy and was consequently grad face has on the quality of the distillate, be

ually supplanted or displaced by steam dis

cause an overheated burnt crust causes a

tillation, the steam being delivered directly

burnt taste and smell in such distillate.~

90

In order that those skilled in the art may

this process of distillation was carried out have a thorough understanding of this im

into the beer or fermented mash. At ?rst

by successive charges placed in the pot stills proved process and novel apparatus, I have
45

and later on the continuous beer still was illustrated in the accompanying drawing an
developed, the same being a more economical embodiment-of the invention capable of, car
construction and method. The earlier still rying out the improved method of distilling.

operated by charges produced a better ?a

In this drawing the view illustrates the

vored product because the beer or mash

was boiled during a longer time, but more

parts of the apparatus partially in elevation

50 steam was used, however, than. was em

and partially in section.

A suitable pump 11.is connected by a pipe

100

105

ployed .in the continuously operating still 12 to a beer heater 13, the latter in turn be

and obviously both produced a slop diluted ing connected to a reservoir 14, of substan
by the condensed water derived from the tial capacity, by a pipe 15, the lower end of
such reservoir being in communication with
steam.

55

My present inventionprovides a continu

a still or distilling column 16,,of any suit

10

1,153,992

able and desirable type, by a pipe 17, sup

tated in the usual manner by a belt not

plied with a controlling valve 18. The top shown. This reservoir is also equipped with
end of this still 16 is in communication with a thermometer 55, and a standing-glass 56.
The carrying out of my improved proc
the vapor compartment or chamber 19 of the
beer heater 13 by a pipe 20, it being under ess or method by this-form and type of ap

70

stood that this vapor compartment has ex paratus takes place in substantially the fol
tended therethrough a plurality of passages lowing manner: The pump 11 continually
21, through which the fermented wort or feeds the beer or fermented wort or mash,
beer is forced. The lower end of this vapor to the beer heater 13 and through the pas
compartment or chamber 19, is connected by sages 21 thereof to the pipe 15, to the reser .75

a pipe 22with the top portion of the still voir 14, and from the latter through the pipe

as indicated, and at a point higher up the

compartment 19 is connected to a condenser
15

v23 by a pipe 24, such condenser having the

condensing water inlet and outlet pipes 25
and 26 respectively; such condenser being
also supplied with a discharge pipe 27 for
the high wines or alcoholic liquors.

17 to still 16. The heated steam or vapor

from the steam boiled slop in the concentra

tor acts upon the heated beer or fermented
mash in the still and drives off the volatile 80
constituents or alcoholic vapor which arises,

through the pipe 30 to the vapor compart

ment 19 of the-beer heater 13, acting in such
In the lower portion of the still 16 there compartment to heat the beer pumped
20. is a steam chamber 28 below the still and through the passages 21. A portion of such 85
in communication therewith, I employ a vapors, that is the heavier ones, are con
steam-heated slop boiler or concentrator densed and ?ow back through the pipe 22
having an outer shell 29, a steam chamber to the still, while the lighter vapors or vola-v
30 at one end between an end wall 31 and an tile constituents pass through the pipe 24
apertured header 32 having secured in its and are lique?ed in the condenser 23, be 90
holes a plurality of comparatively long ing discharged through the pipe 27, being _
steam pipes 33 open at their remote ends, understood that condensing water 1s con
steam being admitted to the compartment 30 tinually forced through the condenser 23 by
through an inlet pipe 34. Between the means of the pipes 25' and 26. After the
.80 header 32 and another header 35 is an ex fermented wort or beer has passed through 95
haust chamber 36 in communication with the heater 13 and been raised to a tempera

the various pipes 37 surrounding and spaced ture approximating the boiling point it is

away from the pipes 33, and closed at one retained for some time'in the reservoir 14,
end and in communication at the other end the dimensions of the reservoir being suchv
85 ~with the chamber 36. A heating coil 38 in as to hold a quantity of beer equivalent to

100

coil 38 in turn having a discharge 40. The to a prolonged heating at a temperature ap

upper portion of the slop boiler or concen proximating the boiling point by coil 38 and.
40 trator has a distribution chamber 41, the agitated by the mechanical stirrer 30. Such

105

the reservoiror receptacle 14, is connected three or four times the hourly capacity of
to this exhaust chamber 36 by a pipe 39, the the still, so that the beer is therein subjected

lower wall of which is disposed above the prolonged heating as has been described
steam pipes 33, 37, and is composed of a above develops the formation of compounds
perforated partition or distributing plate particularly pleasing to the taste and smell,
14:2. The slop free, or substantially free from and brings about the subsequent distillation
45 alcohol, is delivered from the still 16 into a of certain higher alcohols and fatty acids cup or pan 43 from which it over-?ows onto essential to the production of a ?ne ?avor,
and this feature of the process forms the
the perforated or apertured plate 42.
_
The lower portion of the concentrator is principal subject matter of the parent ap- v
connected by a pipe 44 to a pump 45, which plication, of which this is a division.
50 in turn is connected to the distributing , The slop when it reaches the concentrator 115
chamber 41 by another pipe 46. Near one or boiler 29, after passing through the per
end of this concentrator is a discharge pipe forated distributing plate 42, comes in- con~
47 in communication with the lnterior of tact with the steam-heating pipes 37 , pass
55

this slop boiler, such pipe having a. control-h ing over the same in the form vof a thin ?lm,
which is governed by the actuation of a the action of the circulating'pump 45, caus-v
ing a constant-heavy torrential rain of slop

ling valve 48, the opening and closing of the distributing plate in conjunction with

on the pipes, the washing effect of which is

to
prevent the formation of any incrustation
ceptacle 14, it will be noticed that the lower
portion of the same beneath the heating on such pipes thereby maintaining an e?i
coil 38, is equipped with a rotary stlrrer or cient transmission of heat from the pipes to

120

Referring again to the reservoir or re

agitator 50 mounted on a revoluble shaft 51

the slop and preventing the development of

one of which is on a drive shaft

late, due to an over-heated or burnt crust.

125

' rotated "by meansof interme'shing gears 52, an objectionable taste or smell in the distil
sup

plied with pulleys 54, this shaft being ro

The discharge of the concentrated slop 18*:{3

333

1,153,992

controlled by the ?oat 49, the movement of vapor developed by said concentration being 65
which is necessarilygoverned by the amount substantially free from qualities which
of slop accumulated iii'ithe bottom of the would tend to injure the ?avor of the mash
concentrator, but under ordinary working and being employed to effect such distllla
conditionsthe discharge of slop would be tion, substantially as described. 2. The method of distilling, which consists
substantially continuous and uniform. The
in
distilling the volatile constituents from 70
chamber 28 is connected through the pipe 57

10

with a pressure gage 58, which shows the saidmash, and concentrating the resulting
pressure prevailing in the column, and a slop by circulating the same for an eXtend-- .
slop tester 59 which shows whether the va , ed period rapidly in a thin ?lm over a heat

por coming from the slop boiler 28 is free ed surface, the vapor resulting from such
of alcohol. This pressure gage and slop concentration being substantially free from 75
tester are of known construction, and do objectionable qualities which would tend to .
not form part of my present invention. It injure the developed ?avor and being em
15 should be understood therefore that in this ployed to effect said distillation, substan
process and in the operation of this appa~ tially as described.
3. The method of distilling, which consists 80
ratus the fermented wort or beer is heated
in
distilling the volatile constituents from
by the action of the hot volatile constituents
of the mash delivered from the still, and the mash, and concentrating the resulting
20 that the beer is subsequently subjected to slop by applying the same in the form of a
an'extended or prolonged heating and agita heavy rain to a heated surface, the vaporre
tion in the reservoir 14, in time passing to sulting from such concentration being sub 85
the still and having its volatile constituents stantially free from objectionable qualities
or alcoholic vapors driven off by the action which would tend to injure the developed
25 of the steam or vapor from the boiling slop ?avor and being employed to effect said dis
in the concentrator, its volatile constituents tillation, substantially as described.
4. The method of distilling, which consists 90
in turn heating another portion of the con
in
distilling the volatile constituents from
tinuously pumped or conveyed beer. The
action of the steam heated concentrator is the mash, and concentrating the resulting
30

continuous and it operates in such a manner

that the heated surfaces are maintained sub

35

40

stantially clean and free from incrustation,

the condensed steam of such concentrator in
turn being used to heat the beer or ferment
ed mash in the reservoir. Clearly then this
process is carried out and this apparatus

slop by projecting the same forcibly against

a heated surface, the vapor resulting from

such concentration'being substantially free

from objectionable qualities which would
tend to injure the developed ?avor and be

95

ing employed to effect said distillation, sub

stantially as described.

'

5. The method of distilling, which consists 100

is operated at a maximum of economy with
a resulting ?nely ?avored alcoholic or spirit in continuously distilling the volatile con
uous liquor and the slop concentrated to a stituents from the mash, continuously conhigher degree than has heretofore been ac centrating the resulting slop by applying
complished.

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"

The invention is not limited to this par

the same with force against a heated sur

face, and continuously withdrawing a por- 105 .

tion of such slop, the vapor resulting from

advantages hereinabove mentioned may be such concentration being substantially free
secured by employing other devices of some from objectionable qualities which would
what similar construction and various modi tend to injure the developed ?avor and be
?cations in the process which may be used ing employed to effect said distillation, sub- 110

, ticular apparatus because the bene?ts and

45

without departure from the heart or essence

of the invention.

While I have herein

stantially as described.
6. The method of distilling, which consists

in distilling the volatile constituents from

the slop boiler or concentrator for heating the mash, concentrating the resulting slop,
the beer or fermented mash in the reservoir and mechanicallyv circulating the slop dur- 115
14, I wish to have it understood that the ing its concentration, the vapor resulting

50

shown the use of the condensed steam from

55

hot spent slop may, if desired, be used for from such concentration being substantially
the same purpose instead of. the condensed "free from objectionable qualities which
steam and in place of the same any other would tend to injure the developed ?avor
suitable heating medium might be employed. and being employed to effect said distilla- 120
I claim:

>

tion, substantially as described.

1. The method of distilling, which con60

sists in distilling the volatile constituents

from the fermented mash, and. concentrat

ing the resulting slop by passing the same

in a thin ?lm over a heated surface, the

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ADOLPI-I WOOLNER, JR. Witnesses:

WILLIAM BOURKE,
R. G. RYAN.

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