Liquid-solid extraction process

Claim 1

A CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE SOLVENT EXTRACTION OF SOLUBLE COMPONENTS FROM GROUND COFFEE BEANS TO FORM A LIQUID COFFEE EXTRACT WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING GROUND COFFEE INTO A FIRST VESSEL, PUMPING LIQUID COFFEE EXTRACT INTO THE FIRST VESSEL TO FORM A FEED SLURRY WITH THE GROUND COFFEE, INTRODUCING FEED SLURRY UNDER PRESSURE TO THE LOWER PART OF A SECOND AND VERTICALLY ORIENTED VESSEL CAUSING THE SOLIDS TO FLOW UPWARDLY THEREIN AS A MOVING BED, INTRODUCING SOLVENT AT SUPERAMBIENT TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE INTO THE UPPER PART OF THE SECOND VESSEL REMOVING A PART OF THE INTRODUCED SOLVENT AND SPENT SOLIDS FROM THE UPPER PART OF THE SECOND VESSEL AS A SLURRY, SEPARATING THE REMOVED SPENT SOLIDS FROM THE REMOVED SOLVENT WITHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCING THE PRESSURE OF THE SOLVENT AND RECYCLING THE SOLVENT TO THE UPPER PART OF THE FIRST VESSEL, A PORTION OF THE SOLVENT INTRODUCED INTO THE SECOND VESSEL FLOWING DOWNWARDLY THEREIN COUNTERCURRENTLY TO THE MOVING BED OF COFFEE SOLIDS TO EXTRACT THE SOLUBLES THEREFROM, REMOVING EXTRACT FROM THE LOWER PART OF THE SECOND VESSEL, AND REINTRODUCING A PORTION OF THE EXTRACT INTO THE FIRST VESSEL AS THE LIQUID PHASE OF THE FEED SLURRY.