US654530A

US654530A - Apparatus for extracting grease from wool.

Info

Publication number: US654530A
Application number: US16624A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter Erben
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1898-04-26
Filing date: 1900-05-14
Publication date: 1900-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 1917-07-24

Description

No. 654,530. Patented July 24, I900. W. ERBEN.

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING GREASE FROM WOOL. (Application flleA Kay 14, 1900.!

2 Sheets-Shoat (No Moqel.)

THE uanms' versus cw, PNOTO-LITHUE..WKSHINGTON, n. c

Patented July 24, I900.

' W. ERBEN. APPARATUS FOREXTRAOTING GREASE FROM WOOL.

(Application filed III-y 14, 1800.)

2 Sheets-Shaat 2 (llo- Modal.)

xinxlulsumu THE NORRIE virus :0. Pam-ammo, WASHINGTON, n. c.

tries,

WALTER ERBEN, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACT'lNG GREASE FROM WOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,530, dated July 24, 1906.

Original application filed April 26, 1898, Serial No.

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER ERBEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in'Apparatus for Extracting Grease from Wool, (the same being a division of the invention forming the subject of my application, Serial No. 678,874, filed April 26, 1898,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide economical and efficient apparatus for the extraction of grease from wool by the action of a liquid solvent of the grease, such as naphtha, an object which I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of apparatus adapted for use in carrying out my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional View, on a larger scale, of the extracting vessel. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a vaporizer forming part of the apparatus, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a condenser for the naphtha-vapor.

The extraction of grease from wool by means of naphtha or equivalent solvent of grease has been many times proposed, but has not, so far as I am aware, been extensively used, one of the objections to the process being the highly-inflammable character of the solvent, another being the difliculty of removing all traces of the solvent from the wool after the grease has been extracted therefrom, and still another being the expensive character of the apparatus designed for carrying out the process.

My invention consists of apparatus designed with the view of reducing toa minimum the risk of fire due to the use of the inflammable solvent, the complete elimination of the solvent from the wool after the extraction of the grease, and the utilization of the potash salts in the wool as an aid in the washing of the same.

In the diagrammatic representation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1 is the extracting vessel; 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, tanks for containing the naphtha or other solvent which is employed; 7, a vacuum-pump; 8, a water-pump; 9, a reservoir containing water or other liquid of a greater specific gravity 678,874. Divided and this application filed May 14, 1900. $erial No. 16,624, (No nmcleL.

than the solvent and of a character to render it available in the washing of wool; 10 and 11, Vaporizers for the solvent, and 12 a condenser for the same.

To simplify the description, I will hereinafter allude to the solvent simply as naphtha and to the contents of the reservoir 9 as water. i

The construction of the extractor Will be understood on reference to Fig. 2, the body 1 having at the bottom a projecting cylinder 60, containing a ram or plunger 61, which carries a presser-head, fitting snugly within the body 1 of the extractor and comprising a perforated plate 62, which is mounted upon a hub 63 at the top of the plunger 61 and upon ribs or arms 64 projecting therefrom. The top of the extractor 1 is closed by a cap or cover 65, which has a depending perforated plate 66, and around the top of the extractor is an annular chamber 67, which is in communication with the interior of the extractor through the perforated plate 66 and channels 90 between the same and the cap 65. Fluid under pressure can be supplied to the cylinder from a high-pressu re pump 68 through a pipe 69.

Each of the Vaporizers Hand 11 has in the upper portion a perforated plate or diaphragm 70 and beneath the same a steam-coil 71, so

that liquid entering the upper portion of the condenser passes through the perforated plate 70 and falls in the form of a spray or shower upon the steam-coil, which serves to vaporize the more volatile portions of the liquid, the vapor escaping at the top of the vaporizer and the liquid accumulating in the lower portion of the latter, from which it can be drawn off as required through the pipe 72.

The condenser 12 contains a coil 73 and is provided with pipes 74: and 75, wherebya constant flow of water or other cooling agent through the same can be maintained.

The system has four

main pipes

80, 81, 82, and 83, the main 80 communicating with the chamber 67 of the extractor and having three valves 13,1t, and 15, while the main 81 communicates with the lower end of the extractor and has three valves 16, 17, and 18. The main 82 constitutes a suction-main of the pump 8 and I has

valves

38 and 40, the main 83 constituting the discharge or pressure main from said pump and having three

valves

37, 39, and 50. The main 8O communicates with the upper portion of each of the solvent-receptacles 2, 3, 4, and through branches having valves 20, 22, 24, and 26, and the main 81 likewise communicates with the upper portion of each of these solvent-receptacles through branches having valves 19, 21, 23, and 25. The main 81 also communicates with the solvent-receptacle 6 and is in communication with the vacuum-pump 7 at a point between the valves 17 and 18 through a branch having a valve 27, said vacuum-pump being also in communication with the main 80 at a point between the valves 14 and through a branch having a valve 28. The main 8O communicates with the Vaporizers 10 and 11 through branches which are respectively provided with

valves

43 and 44, and the vapor-pipe of each vaporizer communicates with the condenser through branches which are respectively provided with valves 45 and 46,the condenser-coil communicating with the solvent-receptacle 6 through a pipe having a valve 47. The suction-main 82 of the pump communicates with the lower portion of each of the solventreceptacles 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 through branches which are respectively provided with valves 29, 31, 33, 35, and 42, and said main also communicates with the water-receptacle 9 through a branch having a valve 41. The pressure-main 83 of the pump communicates with the upper portion of the water vessel 9 and also with the lower portion of the solventreceptacles 2, 3, 4, and 5 through branches provided, respectively, with

valves

30, 32, 34, and 36, and said main 83 is also in communication with the main 81 through a pipe having a valve 51 and is in communication with the main 82 through a pipe having a valve 48. The suction-main 82 has at a point between the

valves

38 and 40 an inlet branch with valve 49, and the outlet-pipe 72 of the vaporizer 11 communicates with said main 82 through a valve 52 and also communicates with the water vessel 9 through a branch having a valve 53.

In the following description of the operation of the apparatus it should be understood that all the valves not specifically referred to as being open are closed.

The extractor is filled with wool while the presser-head is at the bottom of the extractor, and the cap or cover plate being then applied and secured in place the valves 13, 14, 27, and 28 are opened, the vacuum-pump is put in operation, and a partial vacuum is produced in the extractor by the operation of said pump, after which the valves 14, 27, and 28 are closed. The

valves

13, 16, 19, 30, 50, 37, 40, and 41 being open, the water-pump is put in operation, and water drawn from the receptacle 9 is forced into the lowerportion of the solvent-receptacle 2, so that the solvent is caused to flow therefrom into the extractor under the combined influence of the partial vacuum therein and the inflowing volume of water, which, being of greater specific gravity than the solvent, retains its position in the lower portion of the receptacle. The extractor being filled with solvent, the valves are readjusted, the

valves

20, 21, 29, 32, 37, 38, and 50 being open, so that the water may be withdrawn from the receptacle 2 and forced into the receptacle 3, thereby driving the solvent from the latter into the extractor and forcing the solvent contained in the lat ter back into the receptacle 2, and in like manner the solvent from the successive receptacles can be forced into the extractor, if such operation is necessary, in order to effect thecomplete extraction of the grease from the wool contained therein, or instead of returning the solvent, with the grease in solution therein, to the separate receptacles 2, 3, 4, and 5 it maybe passed directly to the vap-. orizer 10 by opening the

valves

14, 15, and 43, the vaporized solvent being conducted to the condenser and from the latter conveyed to the receptacle 6, from which it can be returned to any desired one of the receptacles 2, 3, 4, and 5 through the main 81, the water being withdrawn from each receptacle as the solvent is forced into the same and the solvent being forced from the receptacle 6 by the water-pressure from the main 83 on

opening valves

39, 42, and 48. When the grease has been sufficiently extracted from the wool, the pump 68 is started and fluid under pressure is introduced into the cylinder 60, so as to force upward the ram 61 and pressurehead carried thereby, thereby subjecting the wool in the extractor to pressure sufficient to express from it the greater portion of the solvent contained in it, and the

valves

16, 38, 40, and 41 and the valves in branches of the mains 81 and 82, leading to one of the receptacles 2, 3, 4, or 5, being open said solvent finds its way through the main 81 and valved branches to said solvent-receptacle. The flow may, if desired, be aided by positively drawing off Water from the desired solventreceptacle by means of the pump 8 instead of merely permitting the water to flow from the receptacle, or a partial vacuum may be produced in the receptacle by means of the vacuum-pump 7, in which case the discharge of said pump should be led to the condenser 12, so as to condense any solvent vapor therein. When the fluid under pressure is permitted to escape from the cylinder 60, the presser-head will descend in the extractor, thereby permitting the wool to again expand, and the

valves

13, 14, 15, 16, 37, 40, 41, 44, 46, and 51 being opened water is pumped into the extractor, and after passing through the wool contained therein is conveyed to the vaporizer 11, the solvent being vaporized and passing to the condenser 12, while water flows from the vaporizer, either directly into the main 82 through the valve 52 of the pipe 72 or into the water-receptacle 9 through the branch pipe having a valve 53, to be again pumped through the extractor, or if the waterbecomes too hot for this purpose the valve 49 in the supplementary suction-pipe may be opened and cold water may be supplied to the extractor, the surplus water escaping from the vessel 9 through a suitable overflow. After the wool has been sufficiently washed fluid under pressure is again admitted to the cylinder 60, so as to raise the presser head in the extractor and express from the wool the surplus water contained therein, after which the presser-head can be lowered, the cap-plate removed, and the presser-head then again raised, so as to eject the cleaned and partially-dried wool from the extractor preparatoryto the insertion of a new supply of wool and a repetition of the operation. The passage of the water through the wool contained in the extractor effects not only the removal of the remaining naphtha therefrom, but also the washing of the wool, the potash salts contained in the wool materially facilitating this latter operation, and owing to this thorough Washing of the wool and to the expressing of the surplus water from the same after the washing has been completed the wool is delivered from the extractor clean, almost dry, and wholly free from any traces of naphtha. 7

Although I have described the use of two Vaporizers 10 and 11, one for separating the naphtha from the grease and the other for separating the naphtha from the water, the same vaporizer may be used for both purposes, if desired.

The tank 6 is by preference provided with two check-valves, one opening outward and the other opening inward, so as to permit escape of air when the naphtha is fiowing into the tank and the inflow of air when naphtha is being withdrawn therefrom. The tank is the only element of the entire apparatus from which any naphtha-vapor can possibly escape, and as it can be located at any desired point remote from the building in which the treatment of the wool takes place there is -no danger whatever of fire due to the presence of naphtha-vapor, the use of water or other liquid as a means of forcing the naphtha through the extractor and other parts of the apparatus preventing the formation of any explosive or inflammable vapor within any of the other tanks.

Theexpressing of the surplus naphtha from the wool by pressure after the extraction of the grease very materially facilitates the freeing of the wool from the naphtha, as only a small percentage of the latter remains to be removed by washing. Hence the time necessary to treat the batch of wool is materially reduced, as compared with thetime required in carrying out a process in which washing or vaporization alone is resorted to for freeing the'wool from the naphtha after the grease has been extracted, while the expressing of the surplus water from the wool after the washing operation enables me to deliver the wool in a condition best suited for subsequent scouring. I

Certain features of the process herein set forth form the subject of applications for patent filed by me on the 29th day of January, 1900, Serial No. 3,223, and on the 14th day of May, 1900, Serial No. 16,623.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut- 1. In apparatus for extracting grease from wool by means of liquid solvent, the combination of the extractor having fluid inlet and outlet, and a receiving-chamber at one end, a detachable cap having channels communicating with said chamber, a perforated plate covering said channels and forming a bearin g for the wool, and a false bottom movable in the extractor and serving to compress the wool against said perforated plate, substantially as specified.

2. In apparatus for extracting grease from wool by means of liquid solvent, the combination of the extracting vessel with fluid in let and outlet, a false bottom movable so as to compress the wool in the extractor, and a detachable cap having a perforated plate against which the wool is compressed, said plate being offset from the cover, substantially as specified.

3. In apparatus for extracting grease from wool by means of a liquid solvent, the combination of the extractor having an annular receiving-chamber at the top, a false bottom, a stem extending downward from the false bottom of the extractor so as to constitute a ram for the movement of the false bottom by fluid-pressure, and a cap with perforated plate and space above the same through which liquid can pass from the interior of the extractor into the annular receiving-chamber at the top of the same, substantially as specie fied.

l. The combination in apparatus for extracting grease from wool by means of liquid solvent, of an extractor, a solvent tank, communication between the upper portion of said tank and the extractor, a water-reservoir, a pump, and connections so disposed that said pump can draw water from said reservoir and force it. into the lower portion of the solvent: tank, substantially as specified.

5. The combination in apparatusfor extracting grease from wool by means of liquid solvent, of an extractor, a solvent-tank, communication between said tank and the extractor, and provision for forcing water into the lower portion of the solvent-tank and into the extractor, substantially as specified.

6. The combination in apparatus for extracting grease from wool by means of liquid,

solvent, of an extractor, a solvent-tank, communication between said solvent-tank and the extractor, a false bottom in the extractor, a cylinder having a ram for operating the same, provision for forcing water into the. lower portion of the solvent-tank, and means for forcing water into said ram-cylinder, substantially as specified.

7. The combination in apparatus for extracting grease from wool by means of liquid solvent, of the extractor, a solventtank, a communication between said solvent -tank and the extractor, a pump having an inlet communicating with a water vessel, and a dis charge-pipe communicating with the lower portion of said solvent-tank, and provision whereby the water may be permitted to escape from the solvent-tank, substantially as specified.

8. The combination in apparatus for extracting grease from wool by means of liquid solvent, of an extractor, a solvent-tank, communication between said solvent-tank and the extractor, a vacuum-pump communicating with the extractor, and a liquid-pump having a discharge-pipe communicating with the lower portion of said solvent-tank, substantracting grease from wool by means of liquid solvent, of an extractor, a solvent-distribut in g tank communicating with the inlet of said extractor, an outlet-pipe from the extractor communicating with a vaporizer, a condenser for receiving the vapor from said vaporizer,

a solvent-receiving tank into which said condenser discharges, a connection between said solvent-receiving tank and the solvent-distributing tank, and provision for forcing water into or withdrawing it from the lower portion of said solvent-distributing tank, substantially as specified.

11. The combination in apparatus for extracting grease from wool by means of liquid solvent, of the extractor, a pump having a discharge-pipe communicating with the inlet of said extractor, a vaporizer communicating WALTER ERBEN.

Witnesses:

F. E. BEGHTOLD, J 0s. H. KLEIN.