AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AQUA AMMONIA, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick John Cheesbrough, of the Office for Patents,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer,
for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AQUA
AMMONIA, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE." A com-
munication from abroad by James L. Marsh, of Brooklyn, County of Kings,
State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick John Cheesbrough.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th August 1880.
FREDERICK JOHN CHEESBROUGH, of the Office for Patents, 15, Water Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer. "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AQUA AMMONIA, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN
SUCH MANUFACTURE." [A communication from abroad by James L. Marsh, of
Brooklyn, County of Kings, State of New York, United States of America.]
This Invention consists of an improved method of manufacturing aqua ammonia
and apparatus to be used in such manufacture.
This improved process consists substantially of the following method of treating
sulphate of ammonia for the production of an improved liquor of ammonia :-
First. The sulphate of ammonia, fresh slacked lime, and water are taken in the
proportion of about sixty pounds of the sulphate, forty pounds of lime, and fifty
gallons, of water and put together in a cylindrically formed retort, having its axis
horizontally arranged and enclosed or surrounded by a chamber heated with steam
or hot air of the desired temperature and pressure, and fitted with a horizontally
arranged rotating stirrer having wings or beaters by which the materials under
treatment can be thoroughly broken up, thrown over, and mixed around the
horizontal axis of the retort or containing vessel.
Second. Steam is admitted to the chamber enclosing the retort, and the tem-
perature of its contents raised to about 212° of Fahrenheit, and the stirrer put
in motion by which the lime and sulphate are thoroughly mixed, the water rapidly
evaporated, and the ammoniacal gas quickly liberated and carried over.

page_text: Third. The ammoniacal gas is drawn from the retort and delivered into the
bottom of a condenser charged with water and enclosed in a chamber filled with
water, the water continually entering at the bottom of said last mentioned chamber
and discharging at the top, by which a hollow column of cold circulating water is
made to enclose the condenser and cool its contents.
Fourth. From the condenser above described the unabsorbed gas passes to the
bottom of a second condenser, also charged with water, and enclosed or surrounded
by a hollow column of circulating water sustained by a jacket to cool the contents
of the containing vessel, the same as in the case of the first condenser. The
water in the first condenser or reservoir will absorb the ammoniacal gas until it
becomes saturated; the gas will then rise through the water partially washed and
purified and pass into the second condenser, and will be there absorbed until the
water becomes saturated, when it will pass from that condenser to a third, still
further purified, and so on, until the desired purity is obtained.
Fifth. After the water in the first condenser has become charged with the
sulphate of ammonia, it is drawn or pumped out of the condenser back into the
retort, and subjected again to the lime treatinent in the retort.
The improved apparatus consists substantially of the following parts in
combination: -
A retort or containing vessel, as above referred to, in which the sulphate and
lime are treated.
A jacket or chamber enclosing or surrounding the retort, and into which the
steam is admitted to heat its contents.
A shaft and arms, wings, or beaters composing the horizontal rotating stirrer,
the alternate ends of which are united, by which the material under treatment is
more effectually thrown over, broken, and mixed. The shaft and arms of this
stirrer should be made hollow and steam admitted to the interior.
There is a spur wheel by which the stirrer is operated, and there is a dome set
on the retort and fitted with a man hole plate and a screw mounting through
which the retort is charged, and there is a pipe fitted to the bottom of the retort
and supplied with a gate through which the refuse is discharged; there is the
first condenser before referred to, and the jacket or chamber enclosing or
surrounding it; there is also the second condenser, above referred to, enclosed in
a jacket or chamber.
From the dome leads a pipe through which the gas escapes to the condenser ;
the pipe connecting to another pipe leading into the condenser.
Each of the condensers are fitted with pipes by which they can relieve themselves
in case the pressure becomes too great.
There is a pump by which the impregnated water can be drawn or pumped
from the condenser back into the retort for retreatment through a pipe.
There is also a pipe fitted with a suitable cock to draw the water of condensation
out of the chamber enclosing the retort, and a valve held by a spring to admit air
to the jacket when the steam condenses to prevent a vacuum in it.
There is an air pump by which the vapor and air can be thrown out of the
retort and forced into the condenser.
The apparatus is also fitted with the usual cocks and gauges employed in such
cases to regulate its operation.
The arms or wings of the stirrer should be made equal in diameter to the retort
or connecting vessel, or nearly so, to insure a perfect agitation of all the material
under treatment.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick John Cheesbrough in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd February 1881.
FREDERICK JOHN CHEESBROUGH, of the Office for Patents, 15, Water Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer. "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AQUA AMMONIA, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN
SUCH MANUFACTURE." A communication from abroad by James L. Marsh, of
Brooklyn, County of Kings, State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention consists of an improved method of manufacturing aqua ammonia,
and of an apparatus to be used in the manufacture of the same. This improved process
consists substantially of the following method of treating sulphate of ammonia for
the production of aqua ammonia :—
First. Take the sulphate of ammonia, fresh slacked lime, and water in the
proportions of about one hundred pounds of the sulphate, one hundred pounds
of the lime, and from eighty to one hundred gallons of water, and put them
together in a cylindrically formed retort having its axis horizontally arranged and
enclosed or surrounded by a chamber heated with steam or hot air of the desired
temperature and pressure, and fitted with a horizontally arranged rotating stirrer
having wings or beaters, by which the materials under treatment can be thoroughly
broken up, thrown over, and mixed around the horizontal axis of the retort or
containing vessel.
Second. Steam is admitted to the chamber enclosing the retort and also into the
retort itself to raise the temperature of its contents to about 220° Fahr., and put
the stirrer in motion, by which the lime and sulphate are thoroughly mixed, the
water rapidly evaporated, and the ammoniacal gas quickly liberated and carried
over.
Third. Ammoniacal gas is drawn from the retort and delivered into the bottom
of a receiver charged with water and enclosed in a chamber filled with water, the
water continually entering at the bottom of the said last mentioned chamber, and
discharging at the top, by which a hollow column of cold circulating water is made
to enclose the receiver and cool its contents.
Fourth. From the receiver above described the unabsorbed gas passes to the
bottom of a second receiver, also charged with water, and enclosed or surrounded by
a hollow column of circulating water substained by a jacket to cool the contents of
the containing vessel, the same as in the case of the first receiver. The water in
the first receiver will absorb the ammoniacal gas until it becomes saturated, the gas
will then rise through the water, partially washed and purified, and passes into the
second receiver, and will then be absorbed until the water becomes saturated, when
it will passes from that receiver to a third or overflow receiver X, in case of excessive
pressure in the receiver M.
Fifth. In case the water in the first receiver becomes over charged with the
sulphate of ammonia it is drawn or pumped back into the retort and subjected again
to the lime treatment in the retort.
Sixth. The ammoniacal gas is passed through a surface condenser on its way
5 from the retort to the first receiver for the purpose of separating a portion of the
water vapour from the ammoniacal gas, the surface condenser being so arranged
with reference to the retort that the water of condensation will gravitate from the
condenser back into the retort.
The improved apparatus consists substantially of the following parts in com-
0 bination, reference being had to the Drawing:-A is the retort or containing vessel
above referred to, in which the sulphate and lime are treated; C, the jacket or
chamber enclosing or surrounding the retort, and into which the steam is admitted

page_text: to heat its contents; A' is a pipe running alongside of the retort and fitted with a
series of jet pipes B¹ leading into the retort for the purpose of admitting a blast of
live steam into the retort on the material under treatment; E, the shaft; and B,
the arms, wings, or beaters composing the horizontal rotating stirrer, the alternate
ends of which are united, by which the material under treatment is more effectually
thrown over, broken, and mixed.
The shaft and arms of the stirrer may be made hollow, and steam introduced
into them for the purpose of enlarging the heating surface if that should be thought
necessary.
E' is a spur wheel by which the stirer is operated; G is a dome set over the
retort and fitted with a man hole F, through which the retort is charged; and Q is
a pipe fitted to the bottom of the retort and supplied with a gate R¹, through
which the refuse is discharged.
I is the first receiver above referred to, and J the jacket or chamber enclosing or
surrounding it. M. is the second receiver above referred to, enclosed in the jacket
or chamber R. From the dome G leads a pipe K into a surface condenser,
consisting of a tank N' and coil S, through which the gas escapes to the receiver,
the pipe K connecting to the pipe P1, P₁, leading into said receiver; the condenser Si
receives its condensing water by the pipe y, and discharges it by the pipe x to
condense the vapour in the coil N¹. Each of the receivers are fitted with relief
pipes i, 2, in case of excessive pressure accumulating in them. P is a pipe by
which the saturated water can be drawn or pumped back from the first receiver
into the retort for treatment, as described. U is a pipe fitted with a suitable cock
to draw the water of condensation out of the jacket C enclosing the retort, and V is
a valve held by a spring to admit air to the jacket when the steam condenses to
prevent a vacuum in it. The apparatus is also fitted with the usual cocks and
gauges employed in such cases to regulate its operation.
The arms or wings of the stirrer should be made equal in diameter to the retort
or containing vessel, or nearly so, to insure a perfect agitation of all the material
under treatment.
By applying steam, heat, or hot air in the jacket or heating chamber enclosing
the retort, the heat is evenly applied and easily controlled, and all danger of
excessive heating is avoided. By means of the horizontal rotating stirrer the
matter under treatment is continually broken and raised up in the free beat of the
retort, by which the gas is quickly liberated.
By putting steam in the shaft and arms of the stirrer the heating and evaporating
surface and capacity of the apparatus is increased. By means of the surface
condenser the water vapour can be separated from the gas, by which the strength
of the liquor in the receivers can be rapidly concentrated without increasing the
quantity, but the use of surface condenser is to be dispensed with by shutting off 4
the water to the tank N', in case it is not desired to concentrate the liquor in the
receiver M.
By means of the jets of steam thrown into the retort the gas is rapidly absorbed
and carried over, the mass is more rapidly heated, the quantity of water and the
sulphate and lime are prevented from getting too dry and stiff for effectual 4
treatment.
Having now described the improved method and apparatus to be used in the
manufacture of aqua ammonia, what I claim as the Invention communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent is,-
First. In the process of manufacturing aqua ammonia the combined method of 5
heating and agitating the material under treatment in a tight retort or containing.
vessel consisting of a steam jacket enclosing the retaining vessel for heating the
material, in combination with a horizontal rotating stirrer, by which the material
so heated is thrown around the horizontal axis of the stirrer to obtain a more
thorough separation of the material and a more rapid elimination of the 5
ammoniacal gas.
Second. In the process of manufacturing aqua ammonia the method of re-treating

page_text: the sulphate of ammonia, consisting of pumping or drawing the same from the first
receiver back into the retort, and submitting it again to the combined action of the
heat, the lime, and the stirrer, for the purpose of obtaining a more thorough
elimination of the ammonia.
Third. The improvement in the process of manufacturing aqua ammonia, con-
sisting of the introduction of a jet or jets of live steam into the containing vessel
or retort upon or in the material under treatment, by which it is more rapidly
gasses
heated, the quantity of water maintained, the development and escape of the
augmented and accelerated, substantially as described.
Fourth. The improvement in the process of manufacturing aqua ammonia, con-
sisting of separating the water vapour from the gas on its way from the retort to
the condensing receiver, for the purpose of increasing the strength without
increasing the quantity of liquor in the receiver, substantially as described.
Fifth. An apparatus to be used in the manufacture of aqua aminonia, consisting
of a retort or containing vessel enclosed in a steam or heating chamber, and fitted
with a horizontal rotating stirrer, combined with or connected to one or more
condensers or absorbing chambers enclosed in a water jacket or cooling chamber,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick John Cheesbrough, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
FREDERICK JOHN (L.S.) CHEESBROUGH.