Method of and apparatus for the extraction of solid materials

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE CONTINUOUS SOLVENT EXTRACTION OF SOLID MATERIAL CONTAINING EXTRACTABLE MATERIAL WHICH COMPRISES PROVIDING A SERIES OF MOVING CONFINED INDIVIDUAL BATCHES OF SUCH SOLID MATERIAL IN AN ENCLOSED EXTRACTION SPACE, SAID INDIVIDUAL BATCHES OF SOLID MATERIAL BEING MAINTAINED AT REST IN MOVING INDIVIDUAL CONTAINERS PROVIDED WITH PERFORATED BOTTOMS, LEADING A SOLVENT THROUGH SAID SERIES OF BATCHES TO PRODUCE AN EXTRACT CONTAINING EXTRACTABLE MATERIAL FROM SAID SOLID MATERIAL DISSOLVED THEREIN, THE SOLVENT BEING SUPPLIED TO A INDIVIDUAL BATCHES FROM ABOVE AND BEING WITHDRAWN FROM THE INDIVIDUAL BATCHES ONLY FROM THE LOWER PORTIONS OF THE INDIVIDUAL BATCHES THROUGH THE PERFORATED BOTTOMS OF SAID CONTAINERS AND THEN BEING SUPPLIED TO THE NEXT BATCH IN SUCH SERIES FROM ABOVE, MAINTAINING SAID INDIVIDUAL BATCHES IN SEPARATE CONFINED BATHS OF PREDETERMINED HEIGHT IN SAID CONTAINERS OF THE SOLVENT SUPPLIED TO THE INDIVIDUAL BATCHES, SEPARATING FROM THE EXTRACT AT LEAST A PORTION OF ANY OF THE SOLID MATERIAL CONTAINED THEREIN, REMOVING THE EXTRACT FROM THE EXTRACTION SPACE, REMOVING THE SOLID MATERIAL WHICH HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO THE SOLVENT EXTRACTION FROM SAID EXTRACTION SPACE AND DISTILLING SOLVENT OFF FROM SAID EXTRACT AND SAID SOLID MATERIAL AFTER THEIR REMOVAL FROM THE EXTRACTION SPACE.