IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF AMMONIATED SULPHURIC ACID FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF AMMONIATED
SULPHURIC ACID FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE."-A communication
from abroad by Charles U. Shepard, junior, of Oharleston, South
Carolina, United States of America.
Sealed the 10th May 1870, and dated the 24th March 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 24th March 1870.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PREPARATION OF AMMONIATED SULPHURIC ACID FOR THE MANUFACTURE OP
MANURE," a communication, to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved process of treating the
ammoniacal distillate of the ammoniacal water of gasworks with sulphuric

page_text: acid for admixture with phosphatic material in the manufacture of
manure.
I propose to mix quicklime or other equivalent material with the
ammoniacal water of gasworks, and apply heat thereto for the purpose of
liberating the ammonia, which is carried over as a gas and absorbed by
sulphuric acid, not however for the immediate or ultimate production of
a dry salt of ammonia, as I am aware that this is a well-known method
of preparing the sulphate and other salts of ammonia, but I limit the
absorption to such degree only that a portion of the sulphuric acid
shall remain uncombined, leaving the product in a fluid state convenient
for shipment; I then pour the liquid upon the phosphatic material. The
uncombined sulphuric acid acting upon the phosphatic material will
render it somewhat soluble, and the entire mass will become ammoniated
by that portion of ammonia which has been combined with the acid.
The same process may be applied to the combination of ammonia
produced by liberation from bone black or other ammoniacal material by
familiar processes; the gas thus produced is to be treated in the same
manner.
My process is distinguished from all others of which I have a
knowledge by this, that I stop the process before a solid salt has been
formed, and while a portion of the acid remains uncombined, so that
I may economically produce upon the phosphatic material the effect due
both to the presence of the acid and also of the ammonia.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent 25
Office on the 20th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 30
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special

page_text: "
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF AMMONIATED SULPHURIC ACID. FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF. MANURE," a communication to me from abroad by
Charles U. Shepard, junior, of Charleston, South Carolina, United States
of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My Invention relates to an improved process of treating the
ammoniacal distillate of the ammoniacal water of gasworks with
sulphuric acid for admixture with phosphatic material in the manu-
facture of manure.
I propose to mix quicklime or other equivalent material with the
ammoniacal water of gasworks, and apply heat thereto for the purpose of
liberating the ammonia, which is carried over as a gas and absorbed by
sulphuric acid, not however for the immediate, or ultimate production of
a dry salt of ammonia, as I am aware that this is a well-known method
of preparing the sulphate and other salts of ammonia, but I limit the
absorption to such degree only that a portion of the sulphuric acid shall
remain uncombined, leaving the product in a fluid state convenient for
shipment; I then pour the liquid upon the phosphatic material. The
uncombined sulphuric acid acting upon the phosphatic material will
render it somewhat soluble, and the entire mass will become ammoniated
by that portion of ammonia which has been combined with the acid.

page_text: The same process may be applied to the combination of ammonia
produced by liberation from bone black or other ammoniacal material
by familiar processes; the gas thus produced is to be treated in the same
manner.
My process is distinguished from all others of which I have knowledge
by this, that I stop the process before a solid salt has been formed, and
while a portion of the acid remains uncombined, so that I may
economically produce upon the phosphatic material the effect due both
to the presence of the acid and also of the ammonia.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be con-
veniently and advantageously carried into practice, I wish it understood
that I do not claim the process of treating ammoniacal gas with an acid
for the production of salts of ammonia; but I claim,-
First. The production of ammoniated sulphuric acid by treating
ammoniacal water with lime or other liberating material, or by the
liberation of ammonia from bone black or other ammoniacal matter, and
the absorption of the ammoniacal gas or vapour by sulphuric acid in
such proportions as to leave a part of the sulphuric acid uncombined,
substantially as set forth.
Second. The treatment of phosphatic material with such ammoniated
sulphuric acid for the production of an ammoniated superphosphate,
substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
substantially as set forth.
Second. The treatment of phosphatic material with such ammoniated
sulphuric acid for the production of an ammoniated superphosphate,
substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
J. TEARE,
Clerk to Mess. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Southampton Buildings,
London.