IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREAT- MENT OF SOAPY AND GREASY WATERS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Sykes, of Castleford, Yorkshire,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREAT-
MENT OF SOAPY AND GREASY WATERS"-A communication
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Sykes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st March 1858.
I, THOMAS SYKES, of Castleford, Yorkshire, Gentleman, do hereby
declare that the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT OF SOAPY AND GREASY WATERS" to be as follows:-
The Invention consists in the application of chlorine for decomposing
soapy or greasy waters; the chlorine is to be manufactured in the
usual known way, and introduced into the suds by its natural pressure
or by pneumatic pumps or any other convenient means.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Sykes, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 20th September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
THOMAS SYKES, of Castleford, Yorkshire, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Twenty-first day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of IIer reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Sykes, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Sykes, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Sykes, 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 TREATMENT OF SOAPY AND GREASY WATERS," communicated to me
from a foreigner residing abroad, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Sykes, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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 Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that J, tho said Thomas Sykes, 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 thereof, that is to say:
The object of the Invention is the treating soapy or greasy waters in
order to extract the grease therefrom in a form available for various

page_text: commercial purposes. The waters which I employ more particularly
are such as have been used in the washing and cleansing of wool, spui
wool, and woollen cloths, and the Invention consists in the use and
application of chlorine thereto to effect the above object.
The method of practising the said Invention is as follows:-
The soapy or greasy waters are received into proper tanks, cisterns,
or other vessels. To these waters I add liquid chloride of lime,
commonly called bleaching liquid, in such quantity as to separate the
water from the thick or muddy part commonly called magma.
The quantity of liquid chloride of lime necessary for that purpose
will vary according to the quality of the soapy or greasy waters, but the
proper quantity to be applied to effect the separation of the water and
magma will be easily and readily ascertained by workmen having
experience in the extraction of grease from soapy waters by the
processes now ordinarily in use for that purpose. On the liquid chloride
of lime being applied the soapy or greasy waters require to be well
agitated, and then left to rest for a few hours, when the clear water will
be found to have separated from the thick or muddy portion containing
the grease. The clear water is then run off, and the thick or muddy
part transferred to a suitable tub or other vessel into which steam is
to be introduced, and a small quantity of sulphuric or muriatic acid
added, when the whole is made to boil for a few minutes, after which
it is filtered, and the sediment put into bags and pressed in proper
presses heated by steam or hot air.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I lay no claim to the use of the several processes herein-before
described, except when the same are employed for the purposes of the
said Invention; also I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the use of liquid chloride of lime to attain that object,
inasmuch as chlorine may be applied in its natural state as gas, or in
combination with other substances, as will be well understood by
chemists. But what I claim as being a new Invention is, the treating

page_text: of soapy or greasy waters by chlorine in such manner as to separate
the magma and greasy matter therefrom as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Sykes, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three.
THOS SYKES. (L.S.)
Witness, L. DE FONTAINEMOREAU.