Method of processing lignified cellulose

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF PROCESSING LIGNIFIED CELLULOSE WHICH COMPRISES, SATURATING SAID LIGNIFIED CELLULOSE WITH A COOKING LIQUOR CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A SOLUTION OF NEUTRAL ALKALI METAL SULPHITE AND DIGESTING SAID MIXTURE UNDER CONVENTIONAL CONDITIONS AS TO TIME, TEMPERATURE, AND SULPHITE CONCENTRATION UNTIL SAID RESIDENT CELLULOSE SHALL HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY LIBERATED FROM ENCRUSTING SUBSTANCES, SEPARATING THE CELLULOSE PORTION FROM THE SPENT COOKING LIQUOR, COMMINGLING THE SAID CELLULOSE WITH AN ACID LIQUOR CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 1/2% OF SULPHURIC ACID, MADE BY ACIDIFYING STILL-BOTTOMS OBTAINED IN A LATEX STEP, AND DIGESTING FOR A PATRIAL SACCHARIFICATION ONLY AT A TEMPERATURE CORRESPONDING TO 150 LBS. GAGE, SEPARATING THE SUGAR SOLUTION FORMED FROM UN-REACTED CELLULOSE AND RECYCLING SAID CELLULOSE TO THE SACCHARIFICATION STEP UNTIL ONLY A NON-CELLULOSE RESIDUAL SHALL REMAIN, PERFORMING THE SACCHARIFICATION IN A CONTINUOUS MANNER SO THAT THE SUGAR SOLUTION, MIXED WITH UNREACTED CELLULOSE AND RESIDUUM SHALL EMERGE CONTINUOUSLY AS A JET FROM THE SACCHARIFYING VESSEL, NEUTRALIZING THE RESULTANT SUGAR SOLUTION AND FERMENTING WITH A CULTURE SUITED TO THE CONVERSION OF SUGAR, ESSENTIALLY, INTO BUTYL ALCOHOL AND ACETONE, PERFORMING SAID FERMENTATION IN A SERIES OF CLOSED VESSELS TO COLLECT THE CARBON DIOXIDE AND HYDROGEN FORMED DURING FERMENTATION, PASSING THE FERMENTING BROTH SUCCESSIVELY FROM VESSEL TO VESSEL UNTIL IN THE LAST VESSEL THE SUGAR SHALL HAVE BEEN ESSENTIALLY CONVERTED, MEANWHILE RE-CYCLING A PORTION OF SAID FERMENTING MATERIAL, CONTINUOUSLY, FROM THE LAST VESSEL TO THE FIRST VESSEL BOTTOMS FOR RE-CYLING AS HEREIN PRESCRIBED, AND AN OVERHEAD PRODUCT CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF BUTYL ALCOHOL, ACETONE, AND ETHANOL FOR SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION AND REFINING.