AN IMPROVEMENT IN EXTRACTING GREASE FROM ANIMAL REFUSE, RESULTING FROM THE MANUFACTURE OF GLUE AND FROM FELLMONGERS' PROCESSES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Minnitt, of the Town of Nottingham, Tallow
Chandler, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN EXTRACTING GREASE
FROM ANIMAL REFUSE, RESULTING FROM THE MANUFACTURE OF GLUE AND FROM
FELLMONGERS' PROCESSES."
Sealed the 9th March 1858, and dated the 19th September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Minnittt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
September 1857.
I, JOHN MINNITT, of the Town of Nottingham, Tallow Chandler, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN EXTRACTING
GREASE FROM ANIMAL REFUSE, RESULTING FROM THE MANUFACTURE OF GLUE AND
FROM FELLMONGERS' PROCESSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of a new method of treating the refuse known as
glue, manure, and fleshings, and other like refuse, which remains after the
process of fellmongering and other like processes have been completed, and
which consists of animal matter combined with lime and other substances, so
as to extract therefrom the grease which is suspended in it, which grease when
obtained is applicable to the manufacture of soap, candles, and other like
purposes.
I take a vessel (made of some material not easily acted upon by acids),
having a jet of steam introduced into the bottom of it of sufficient size to boil

page_text: the contents of the vessel when full, and place therein clean spring water and
sulphuric or other suitable acid; and I have found the proportion of one
gallon of water to 1lb. of sulphuric acid answer very well, and as soon as the
water and acid are thoroughly mixed, I introduce a portion of animal refuse of
the kind above designated; and I have found that the proportion of 7lbs. of
refuse to each gallon of water answers very well. I then stir the refuse in the
acid and water until it is thoroughly mixed with them; I then admit the jet
of steam into the bottom of the vessel, and thereby boil the contents of the
vessel, and I continue to do so until the grease is set free from the other part
of the refuse, which I find takes about four hours; I then put additional
clean spring water into the vessel, and I have found a proportion of two-thirds
of the original quantity of water answer very well; I then continue to boil the
contents of the vessel until the grease is properly cleansed and separated from
the other part of the refuse, which I find takes about half an hour; I then
turn off the steam and cover the top of the vessel and let it continue covered
until the sediment is disunited from the grease, and the grease floats on the
top of the surface, which I find takes about four hours; I then uncover the
vessel and skim off the grease and place the grease when skimmed in an iron
or copper vessel containing clean spring water, in the proportion of two-thirds
of the original quantity of water first used, and having a fire or furnace under-
neath the vessel of a sufficient size to boil the contents; I then boil the
contents of this second vessel by means of the fire or furnace underneath it,
until the grease is purified, which I find takes about two hours; I then
remove the fire from underneath the vessel and cover down the top of the
vessel until the grease is properly refined, and then I uncover the vessel, skim
off the grease and let it cool, when it is fit for use.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Minnitt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MINNITT, of the Town of Nottingham, Tallow Chandler, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Minnitt, Her special licence that I, the said John

page_text: Minnitt, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said John Minnitt, 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT IN EXTRACTING GREASE PROM ANIMAL REFUSE,
RESULTING FROM THE MANUFACTURE OF GLUE AND FROM FELLMONGERS' PROCESSES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Minnitt, 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
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Minnitt,. 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 :-
My Invention consists of a new method of treating the refuse known as
glue manure and fleshings, and other like refuse, which remains after the
process of fellmongering and other like processes have been completed, and
which consists of animal matter combined with lime and other substances, so
as to extract therefrom the grease which is suspended in it, which grease
when obtained is applicable to the manufacture of soap, candles, and other like
purposes.
I take a vessel (made of some material not easily acted upon by acids),
having a jet of steam introduced into the bottom of it of sufficient size to boil
the contents of the vessel when full, and place therein clean spring water and
sulphuric or other suitable acid; and I have found the proportion of one
gallon of water to 1 lb. of sulphuric acid answer very well; and as soon as
the water and acid are thoroughly mixed I introduce a portion of animal
refuse of the kind above designated; and I have found that the proportion of
7lbs. of refuse to each gallon of water answers very well. I then stir the
refuse in the acid and water until it is thoroughly mixed with them; I then
admit the jet of steam into the bottom of the vessel and thereby boil the
contents of the vessel, and I continue to do so until the grease is set free from
the other part of the refuse, which I find takes about 4 hours. I then put
additional clean spring water into the vessel, and I have found a proportion of

page_text: two-thirds of the original quantity of water answer very well; I then continue
to boil the contents of the vessel until the grease is properly cleansed and
separated from the other part of the refuse, which I find takes about half an
hour; I then turn off the steam and cover the top of the vessel and let it
continue covered until the sediment is disunited from the grease and the
grease floats on the top of the surface, which I find takes about four hours; I
then uncover the vessel and skim off the grease, and place the grease when
skimmed in an iron or copper vessel containing clean spring water, in the
proportion of two-thirds of the original quantity of water first used, and having
the fire or furnace underneath the vessel of a sufficient size to boil the contents.
I then boil the contents of this second vessel by means of the fire or furnace
underneath it until the grease is purified, which I find takes about two hours;
I then remove the fire from underneath the vessel, and cover down the top of
the vessel until the grease is properly refined, and then I uncover the vessel,
skim off the grease and let it cool, when it is fit for use.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Minnitt, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
GEO. PITT.
JOHN MINNITT. (L.S.)