A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS OF CLEANSING ANIMAL BLACK OR BONE CHARCOAL AFTER OR BEFORE ITS USE FOR THE PURPOSE OF FILTERING A SACCHARINE SYRUP
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gustavus Adolphus Jasper, of the State of Massa-
chusetts, of the United States of America, for the Invention of "A NEW
OR IMPROVED PROCESS OF CLEANSING ANIMAL BLACK OR BONE CHARCOAL
AFTER OR BEFORE ITS USE FOR THE PURPOSE OF FILTERING A SACCHARINE
SYRUP."
Sealed the 24th July 1866, and dated the 12th May 1866.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Gustavus Adolphus Jasper
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 12th May 1866, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL PERSONS TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,
BE IT KNOWN that I, GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS JASPER, of the State of Massa-
chusetts, of the United States of America, have invented "A NEW OR IMPROVED
PROCESS OF CLEANSING ANIMAL BLACK OR BONE CHARCOAL AFTER OR BEFORE ITS
USE FOR THE PURPOSE OF FILTERING A SACCHARINE SYRUP," and I do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention to be fully described as follows:―
In carrying out my Invention I employ a suitable wooden or metal tank,
say of capacity sufficient to hold one filter charge of charcoal at a time. This
tank, which may be four or five feet high, is to be constructed with a

page_text: partition parallel with and raised a few inches above its bottom, such parti-
tion being foraminous or perforated with numerous holes, and covered with a
blanket to prevent the escape of the charcoal. A pipe for discharging water
into the space below the perforated partition and causing it to flow up
through and out of the tank is applied to the tank. Another such pipe
is also employed to discharge water into the upper part of the tank. These
pipes are to be provided with suitable stop-cocks, so that water may be
admitted to the charge in the tank, either from below or on top of it as may
be desirable in cleansing the coal. There may also be an overflow or waste
passage at the upper part of and in one side of the tank. A suitable pipe or
apparatus for the admission of steam or for causing the water when in the
tank to boil is to be connected with the tank, and there should be at the bottom
of the tank an opening or a stop-cock for the escape of the water when it
may be desirable to draw it off, such opening being kept plugged at other
times. Muriatic or acetic acid is to be used for neutralizing the lime in the
charcoal, but as the amount to be employed will depend upon the quantity
of lime contained in the coal I deem it is necessary only to state that but
little acid is required in this process, one part of acid to four parts of lime
being usually sufficient. Care must be taken not to use an excessive amount
of the acid, as this will injure the coal.
My process of treatment is as follows:-I place in the tank a proper
quantity of acid and water to cover the coal when thrown into the tank.
The tank is next to be supplied with charcoal to within two or three
inches of the top, care being taken to have all the coal covered by the
water, The acid solution is next to be caused to boil. I find the most
economical mode of accomplishing the boiling of it is by introducing a jet of
steam through a pipe leading into the space below the foraminous partition.
The process of boiling is to be continued for about one half-hour to an hour,
during which time the coal will be so put in motion that the impurities
or extraneous matters will rise to the top of it, and with a portion of the
water will flow out, the waste opening at the upper part of the tank. Next
the water should be tested, and if the alkali of the coal has been neutralized
by the acid the steam is to be shut off and cold clear water should be admitted
from below the charge and allowed to escape at the top of it until the
temperature of the coal may be the same as the water thus entering. The
flow of water having been stopped beat should again be applied as before
to the body of charcoal and the water, which should be boiled from ten to
fifteen minutes. This boiling is for the purpose of setting free any remaining
impurities in the coal. The water is next to be drawn off, and cold water

page_text: should be again admitted from below and allowed to now through the charge
and until such water may run off free from impurities. Next the flowage of
the water should be stopped, and that remaining in the tank should be drawn
off. The tank should again be filled with water from the pipe at its top.
The hole at the bottom of the tank being opened water should be allowed to
run down through the charge until such water may run clean from the hole.
The charcoal will then be ready for being re-burned.
My said process is particularly advantageous with respect to others employed
for the purpose. The ordinary treatment of the coal with a cold solution of the
acid or of acid gas does not thoroughly act upon the impurities taken out of the
sugar, and these impurities being carbonized in the retort remain mixed with
the coal, and diminish its decolorizing power; secondly, most, if not all, the
former processes are very long, requiring several days to be effective, and also
necessitating the erection of large tanks in order to treat enough coal to meet
the daily requirements of a sugar refinery. By my process the coal after
being re-burned is left in the best condition for decolorizing, and as
the time required to carry through my process is but a few hours a very small
apparatus is sufficient to receive and thoroughly cleanse each filter charge of
charcoal when it becomes necessary. From the fact that the coal is so thoroughly
purified it requires less time in re-burning in the retorts, and hence there is a
saving of time, expense, and working capacity of the kilns.
The accompanying Drawing serves to illustrate the apparatus used by me
in carrying out the said process.
In this Drawing A is the tank; B, the water conduit for introducing
water under pressure into the lower part of the tank. a is the foraminous
partition; b, a branch pipe leading from the pipe B into the upper part
of the tank; c and d are stop-cocks; e, the overflow or waste hole ;
f the discharge opening at the bottom of the tank. C is the steam pipe for
introducing steam into the tank, such pipe being supposed to lead from a
steam generator, and to be provided with a stop-cock g.
I am aware that previous to my Invention it has been customary to employ
steam water and an acid for the purpose of revivifying charcoal used in filters,
therefore I do not claim such as used in the manner or mode heretofore
practised. The washing of charcoal by reversed currents of water introduced
into the filter in connection with steam water and an acid therein also used
constitutes a subject of a Patent recently granted to me, and consequently
I do not herein claim such, it having been claimed in the said Patent. My
present Invention differs from all these last mentioned, inasmuch as it involves
the boiling of the acidulated solution holding the charcoal, and thereby

page_text: so sets in motion the particles of the carbon as to thoroughly or very effectively
neutralize the alkali and separate from them the foreign matters, and cause
such matters to rise and be floated off or expelled from the mass. Further-
more, my present Invention is particularly advantageous for treating bone
charcoal before being used in a filter, as this preparative treatment renders it
a much better decolorizer than it is in its natural state.
I claim as my Invention the new or improved process, substantially as herein-
before described, for treating charcoal, either after or before its use in a filter
for the cleansing of a saccharine or other liquid, the same consisting in boiling
the charcoal in an acid solution and washing it, the whole being essentially as
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gustavus Adolphus Jasper, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 17th day of April 1866.
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS JASPER. (L.S.)