Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 14th Dec., 1888
1 RICHARD HUNT of 19 Oldhall Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The objects are to purify and render clear and of light colour cotton seed oil so as to
make it suitable for edible culinary and general purposes; to accomplish this with
less loss of oil than heretofore, and to provide apparatus to be used in the purification
of the said oil.
Now I have found that there is great difficulty in efficiently and economically
purifying cotton seed oil on account of the extreme minuteness of the oil particles
and the main features of my improved process are (a) the intimate admixture of
the oil divided into very minute particles with suitable purifying agents such as
alkaline carbonates or other alkaline solutions so that the individual particles of oil
are brought into contact with the said purifying agents, and (b) in the separation of
the oil from the purifying agents by centrifugal action.
Under my improved process the purification of oil becomes a continuous instead of
an intermittent process as heretofore.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I give the following examples
of treatment in accordance with my invention.
First. I subject cotton seed oil to the action of an alkaline carbonate such as
carbonate of soda in solution, when the two are intimately mixed as hereinbefore set
forth. I then by centrifugal action separate the oil from the alkaline carbonate and
the impurities absorbed by it. To obtain the most satisfactory results the two operations
above described are repeated, and the heat and amount of akaline carbonate are varied
during the operations so that the albuminous matters are coagulated and the colouring
matter removed.
Second. I subject cotton seed oil in any usual manner to the action of an alkaline
solution such as a solution of caustic soda, and separate from the solution by
decantation or otherwise the partly purified oil. I then subject the oil to the action of

page_text: an alkaline carbonate solution when the two are intimately mixed as hereinbefore
setforth, and I separate the oil from the solution and impurities by centrifugal action.
The carbonate solutions may if sufficiently alkaline be reused.
Third. I intimately mix cotton seed oil and an alkaline carbonate solution as herein-
before setforth and I separate the oil by centrifugal action. I then intimately mix the
oil with water and heat the mixture (or the oil may be mixed with hot water) and
separate the oil by centrifugal action, finally I intimately mix the oil with an
alkaline or alkaline, carbonate solution and again separate the oil by centrifugal
action.
Apparatus for use in carrying my invention into effect consists of high speed
minutely acting mixing apparatus in conjunction with centrifugal separaters.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Purification of Cotton Seed Oil and in
Apparatus therefor.
I RICHARD HUNT of 19 Old Hall Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statenient :-
The objects are to purify and render clear and of light colour cotton seed oil so as
to make it suitable for edible, culinary and general purposes, to accomplish this with
less loss of oil than heretofore and to provide apparatus to be used in the purification
of the said oil.
Now I have found that there is great difficulty in efficiently and economically
purifying cotton seed oil on account of the extreme minuteness of the oil particles and
the main features of my improved process are (a) the intimate admixture of the oil
divided into very minute particles with suitable purifying agents such as an alkali or
alkaline carbonate or silicate in solution so that the individual particles of oil are
brought into contact with the said purifying agents and (b) in the separation of the oil
from the purifying agents and impurities by centrifugal action.
To obtain the intimate admixture above mentioned about equal quantities of oil and
purifying solution must be used and the purifying solution when an alkali such as
caustic soda or potassa is used should not exceed in strength about 5° Twaddle.
According as the oil is made from new or old seed and is of good or poor quality so
will the strength of the solution be varied. Comparatively fresh pure oil may only
require a solution of 1° Twaddle.
Under the above improved process the purification of cotton seed oil becomes a
continuous instead of an intermittent process as heretofore.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I give the following treat-
ment which I have found to answer well.
First. I subject cotton seed oil to the action of an alkaline solution of the strength
and volume hereinbefore set forth at a heat of from 100° to 120° F. and intimately mix
the two by centrifugal action in two streams. I then separate by centrifugal action
the oil as far as possible from the alkaline solution which will be found to have taken
up a large quantity of the colouring matter and other impurities.
To obtain the most satisfactory results I repeat the above operation once or oftener
on the separated oil preferably with a weaker solution than previously used. The oil
freed from colouring matter is then separated from the soap, formed therein by the
alkali, by centrifugal action or subsidence.
When a caustic alkaline solution is used not exceeding 14° Twaddle in strength an
alkaline carbonate or silicate such as carbonate or silicate of soda or potassa may be
employed instead. A per cent. solution of such carbonate or silicate when the
carbonate is in the form of soda crystals may take the place of a caustic alkali solution
of about 1° Twaddle.

page_text: Water may be used for one of the subsequent operations instead of weak alkaline
solution and after a second or subsequent treatment of the oil under my invention
or when the oil has been freed from colouring matter the heat may be increased causing
the oil and soap to separate with greater facility without interfering with the quality
of the oil.
Apparatus for use in carrying my invention into effect consists of high speed
minutely acting mixing apparatus in conjunction with centrifugal separators.
The mixing apparatus that I have found most successful is that in which the
materials to be mixed are admitted in two streams into a rapidly rotating basin and are
forced by centrifugal action through a narrow annular orifice and against the walls of
a second basin or container.
For separating the intimately mixed oil from the solution I have found apparatus
constructed in manner similar to the well known cream separator to be satisfactory.
For separating the soap from the oil apparatus similar to a hydro extractor but
with the basket unperforated will answer well. The soap collects on the surface of
the basket whilst the oil is removed through a pipe or scoop from the interior.
The colour having been removed by the above process from the oil and as far as is
desired in proportion to the number of operations from the soap also the latter is now
of considerably enhanced value, hence any oil that is formed into soap is by the above
process promptly and economically used up instead of being transformed into foots as
heretofore.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
First. Intimately mixing cotton seed oil with a purifying solution and afterwards
separating the oil from the purifying solution and impurities by centrifugal
action.
Second. The intimate admixture by high speed apparatus of cotton seed oil and
a purifying solution and the subsequent separation of the oil from the purifying agent
and impurities by centrifugal appliances.
Third. In obtaining intimate admixture of cotton seed oil and purifying solution by
employing about equal bulks of oil and solution substantially as herein set forth.
Fourth. Treating cotton seed oil with a solution of about equal bulk having the
strength and temperature specified substantially in the manner and for the purpose
setforth.
Fifth. The purification of cotton seed oil substantially in the manner and by the
appliances setfortli.
Sixth. The combination of high speed mixing apparatus with centrifugal separating
appliances substantially as and for the purpose setforth.
Dated this 19th day of November 1988
Per pro J. T. KING,
J. Johnson,
Agent.