IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THERETOR
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hargreaves, of Widnes, in the County of
Lancaster, Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THERETOR.” .
Sealed the 13th July 1875, and dated the 14th January 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hargreaves at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th January 1875.
I, JAMES HARGREAVES, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster,
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREFOR," to be as follows :-
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture
of sulphates of soda and of potassa by the direct action of sulphurous
acid-thereon, and consists,
"Tint. To baan tight the inints in the horizontal sulphurous acid flues

page_text: fine granular silicious sand or like material, so that as the flue expands
or contracts the said sand or like material keeps the joint tight, and
prevents leakage.
Second. To prevent loss of heat from the pyrites burners I form the
burner doors with a tile of fire-brick or other non-conducting material, 5
or I place an iron or other frame on the said burner doors, and fill the
said frame with fire-bricks or other suitable non-conducting substance.
.
Third. To economise space and lessen radiating surface I place the
sulphate chambers back to back, and pass the sulphurous acid flue
between the two lines of chambers, and arrange the branches or
syphons on the sand sulphurous acid flue so as to supply both lines of
chambers.
Fourth. To superheat the steam before its admixture with the
sulphurous acid I pass it through a chamber of hot finished sulphate,
thereby reducing at the same time the temperature of the said finished
sulphate. I also use the heat of the finished sulphate to raise the
temperature of the chloride in the newly charged chambers by con-
necting the finished sulphate chamber with a newly charged chamber
through a syphon, such newly charged chamber being in its turn con-
nected with a chimney. Air is drawn in succession through the
chambers containing the finished sulphate and newly charged chloride.
Fifth. To keep the temperature of the gas issuing from the sulphate
apparatus at a regular temperature I use vessels of water to cool the
said gas when too hot. Such water also serves to warm the gas when
too cold, so as to avoid condensation of hydrochloric acid on the exhaust-
ing apparatus.
Sixth. To enable a large quantity of pyrites to be burnt in the pyrites
burners without melting or softening the pyrites; and yet to avoid loss
of heat given out by the said pyrites, I make the said pyrites burners
with double containing walls or arches, and pass steam through the
space thus formed; the steam is thereby superheated, and the pyrites.
burner cooled. The said superheated steam is mixed with the
sulphurous acid previous to their reacting upon the chloride. I also
provide openings from the space above mentioned into the pyrites
burners, so that if necessary steam may be admitted into the said
burners to cool the pyrites and superheat the steam by direct contact.
I sometimes pass steam pipes through the said pyrites burners.

page_text: Seventh. To discharge the sulphate from the chambers I provide a
frame containing an archimedean screw, which is pushed into the said
chambers when being discharged. The sulphate is withdrawn by the
revolution of the said screw. Instead of an archimedean screw con-
tinuous scrapers or carrying aprons may be used. The above machinery
may be driven by any suitable means.
Eighth. To enable workmen to readily perceive whether the water
vapor and sulphurous acid are properly proportioned, and also to assist
proper condensation of the evolved hydrochloric acid, I pass the gases
from the sulphate apparatus through a set of multitubular cooling
syphons previous to passing the said gases through the condensing
tower.
Ninth. To dry the chloride into hard cohesive masses fit to be used in
the manufacture of sulphate I provide an endless band, preferably
formed of a series of plates hinged together, and cause the said endless
band to traverse a heated chamber or oven. A quantity of dry salt
is run upon the endless band at the mouth of the chamber; the said
band as it travels along is supplied with damp salt, and carries such salt
first between consolidating rollers, and then through the chamber or
oven. The salt after the above treatment is broken by a roller or
rollers, and allowed to fall into a suitable receptacle, whence it is with.
drawn to be broken up into pieces of suitable size. The said chamber
or oven is preferably heated by the heated waste products of combustion
from the sulphate chambers.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-

page_text: eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Hargreaves, Her special licence,
that I, the said James Hargreaves, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Hargreaves, 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
I vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPR÷VEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOF," upon 1
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Hargreaves, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal 1
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
. the date of the said Letters Patent..
· NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Hargreaves, do hereby declaro
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
illustrative Drawings and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say-
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture
of sulphates of soda and of potassa by the direct action of sulphurous;
acid thereon, and consists,-
First. To keep tight the joints in the horizontal sulphurous acid flues
I make each joint of such flues pass through a box or well containing
fine granular silicious sand or like material, which keeps the joint tight
and prevents leakage.
Second. To prevent loss of heat from the pyrites burners I form the
burner doors with a tile of fire-brick or other non-conducting material,
or I place an iron or other frame on the said burner doors, and fill the
said frame with fire-bricks or other suitable non-conducting material.
Third. To economize space and lessen radiating surface I place the
sulphate chambers back to back, and pass the sulphurous acid flue

page_text: between the two lines of chambers, and arrange the branches or
syphons on the said sulphurous acid flue so as to supply both lines of
chambers.
Fourth. To superheat the steam before its admixture with the sul-
phurous acid I pass the said steam through the mass in a chamber of
hot finished sulphate, thereby reducing at the same time the temperature
of the said finished sulphate. I also use the heat of the finished sulphate
to raise the temperature of the chloride in the newly charged chambers
by connecting the finished sulphate chamber with a newly charged
chamber through a syphon, such newly charged chamber being in its
turn connected with a chimney. Air is drawn in succession through
the chambers containing the finished sulphate and newly charged
chloride.
Fifth. To keep the temperature of the gas issuing from the sulphate
apparatus at a regular temperature I use vessels of water to cool the
said gas when too hot; such water also serves to warm the gas when too
cool, so as to avoid condensation of hydrochloric acid on the exhausting
apparatus.
Sixth. To enable a large quantity of pyrites to be burnt in the pyrites
burners without melting or softening the pyrites; and yet to avoid loss
of the heat given out by the said pyrites, I make the said pyrite
burners with double containing walls or arches, and pass steam through
the space thus formed; the steam is thereby superheated, and the pyrites
burners cooled. The said superheated steam is mixed with the
sulphurous acid previous to their reacting upon the chloride. I also
provide openings from the space above mentioned into the pyrite burners,
so that if necessary steam may be admitted into the said burners to
cool the pyrites and superheat the steam by direct contact. I some-
times pass steam pipes through the said pyrite burners.
Seventh. To discharge the sulphate from the chamber I provide a
frame containing an archimedian screw, which is pushed into the said
chamber when being discharged; the sulphate is withdrawn by the
revolution of the said screw. Instead of an archimidean screw_con_
tinuous scrapers or carrying aprons may be used. The above machinery
may be driven by any suitable means.
Eighth. To enable workmen to readily perceive whether the water
vapor and sulphurous acid are properly proportioned, and also to assist

page_text: Under the ninth part. Drying and preparing chlorides, substantially
in the manner described for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hargreaves, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Third day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
J. JOHNSON,
Patent Office,
Clayton Square,
Liverpool.
JAMES HARGREAVES. (L.S.)