Apparatus for continuous distillation

Claim 1

Apparatus for the continuous automatic distillation of water comprising: (a) an elongated vertically disposed cylindrical boiling vessel having heating means positioned adjacent the bottom thereof, (b) a vented reservoir vessel adapted to hold water awaiting distillation and transfer said water by gravity flow to said boiling vessel, (c) a float valve associated with said reservoir vessel adapted to control the admission of water from a water supply conduit in a manner to maintain a substantially constant water level in said reservoir vessel, (d) a transfer conduit communicating between said reservoir vessel and said boiling vessel in a manner whereby equal levels of water are established in said intercommunicating vessels, (e) a vapor condensation tube having an entrance end and exit end, said entrance end communicating with an upper portion of said boiling vessel, (f) a water cooling tube disposed below said vapor condensation tube as a continuous extension thereof, having an exit end associated with valve means for the controlled removal of water, said water cooling tube being positioned within said reservoir vessel below the normal water level therein, whereby water within said reservoir is raised to an elevated temperature which, in conjunction with the vented nature of said reservoir vessel, effects evaporative removal from said water of species dissolved therein more volatile than water, (g) the various aforesaid components of said apparatus being interconnected in a manner causing said apparatus to have a structurally integral nature permitting attachment to a support structure by mounting means associated with said boiling vessel.