Improvement 

 in stills. 



358 IMPROVEMENT IJV STILLS, 



V. 



J^ccount of a simple Improvement in the common Still. In 

 a Letter from Mr. J. Acton. 



To Mr. NICHOLSON, 



SIR, 



1 SEND you an outline of an improrcraent I hare added 

 to my common still and worm tub, which 1 hare found of 

 such great utility, that I cannot resist the desire I have of 

 communicating it. The still holds about nine gallons, and 

 is used for distilling common water, essential oils, and 

 water impregnated with them. The tub holds about 3Q 

 gallons, and not being near any water, I was accustomed to 

 have a great deal of trouble in changing that in the tub when 

 it became hot, which it did very soon after commencin^ the 

 operation. It was this trouble, that put me to the necessity 

 of contriving the additional condenser, which, though very 

 gimple, I have found to answer every purpose I could wishj 

 and I can now distil any length of time without the water 

 in the tub being scarcely raised a degree in temperature, or 

 requiring to be changed, as the heat accumulates in the ad., 

 ditional condenser, and when elevated to about 140^ or 

 150°, passses off by evaporation. 



This condetiscr consists of a trough, «, Plate X, Fig. 1, 

 three feet long, twelve inches deep, and fifteen inches wide j 

 with a pewter pipe, &, passing through the middle of it, of 

 about two inches diameter at the largest end, and gradually 

 tapering to about three quarters of an inch at the smaller 

 end. It is most likely, that so simple and so useful a con- 

 trivance must have been thought of before, but never hav, 

 ing seen or heard of any, I have taken the liberty of troub- 

 ling you with it, requesting you will exercise your own 

 judgment as to the propriety of inserting it in your Journal, 

 as I have so firm a reliance upon the justice of it I cannot 

 lOQ otherwise than pleased with your decision. 

 I remain, Dear Sir, 



Your obliged and faithful Servant, 

 Ipsmch, J, ACTON, 



August Ipj 1808, 



VI, Descri]iiion 



I 



