Apparatus for Extracting Oil From Oil-Bearing Plant Material

An apparatus for extracting oil from oil-bearing plant material, comprising:

• a source of hydrocarbon solvent comprising a gas tank retaining the hydrocarbon solvent;
• an extraction assembly having an extraction vessel receiving the oil-bearing plant material, the extraction assembly comprising a tubular hollow extraction vessel having an open top and an open bottom, a top cup detachably engageable with the open top and a bottom cup detachably engageable with the open bottom of the extraction vessel;
• a separator assembly operationally connected to the extraction assembly, the separator assembly separating the hydrocarbon solvent from oil extracted in the extraction vessel, the separator assembly comprising a hollow separator vessel having an open top and a closed bottom, a separator thermal jacket enveloping the separator vessel and receiving heating medium therein, and a separator vessel cap detachably sealingly engageable with the open top of the separator vessel;
• an expansion filter assembly operationally connected to the separator assembly and positioned downstream of the extraction filter assembly, the expansion filter assembly comprising an expansion filter vessel enveloped in a filter thermal jacket, the filter thermal jacket being configured to receive a heating medium therein;
• an upright stand supporting the extraction vessel, the separator vessel and the expansion filter vessel;
• and
• a solvent recovery assembly operationally connected to the expansion filter assembly and the source of hydrocarbon solvent, the solvent recovery assembly comprising gas recovery/control unit having a re-circulating gas pump and a condenser unit, the gas recovery/control unit being mounted between the expansion filter vessel and the gas tank.