IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF THE WASTE WASH-WATERS OF WOOL AND OTHER MILLS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William. Charles Theodore Schaeffer, of Bradford,
in the County of York, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF THE WASTE WASH-WATERS OF WOOL AND OTHER
MILLS."
Sealed the 12th October 1855, and dated the 21st April 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Charles Theodore
Schaeffer, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st April 1855.
I, WILLIAM CHARLES THEODORE SCHAEFFER, of Bradford, in the County of
York, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF THE WASTE WASH-WATERS OF WOOL AND
OTHER MILLS" to be as follows:-
I run the waste waters into tanks or reservoirs, and add to them a sufficient
quantity of a solution of alum, sulphate of magnesia, potash salt, rock salt, or
any other salt, to separate the fatty or greasy matters contained in the waters.
After having stood for some hours, I run off the clear water and collect the
deposited fatty or greasy matters, which I submit to heat or distillation in any
convenient apparatus, for the purpose of obtaining the fat or grease in a pure
state and fit for manufacturing purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Charles Theodore Schaeffer, in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th October 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CHARLES THEODORE SCHAEFFER, of Bradford, in the County of York, Manufac-
turer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Charles Theodore Schaeffer, Her special licence that I, the
said William Charles Theodore Schaeffer, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Charles Theodore Schaeffer,
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 THE
WASTE WASH-WATERS OF WOOL AND OTHER MILLS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Charles Theodore Schaeffer, 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 I, the said William Charles Theodore Schaeffer,
do hereby declare 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 thereof, that is to say:-
I run the waste waters into tanks or reservoirs, and add to them a sufficient
quantity of a solution of alum, sulphate of magnesia in its rough state, as
prepared in alum works, potash salt, rock salt, or any other salt, to separate
the fatty or greasy matters contained in the waters. After the whole has stood
for some hours, I run off the clear water and collect the deposited fatty or
greasy matters, which I submit to heat or distillation in any convenient
apparatus, for the purpose of obtaining the fat or grease in a pure state and
fit for manufacturing purposes.
The manner in which I proceed is as follows:-I run the wash-waters into

page_text: tanks, and add to them a solution prepared thus:-To eighty pounds, more or
less, of the rough sulphate of magnesia add twenty pounds, more or less, of
alum, and about twenty quarts of water, taking by preference rain water, or
water produced by the condensation of steam, and apply heat until the mag-
nesia and alum are dissolved. This I find about the dose for four thousand
gallons of wash-waters. After running the solution into the wash-waters, I
stir or agitate for about half an hour, and allow the whole to settle. In about
six hours the greasy matters will have partly settled on the bottom, and part
will float on the top. I draw off the water and run or pump the greasy matters
into filtering frames or filters; I take them from the frames and place them
in evaporating pans in order to free them entirely from liquid. The pans
should be of such construction as will not allow of any burning of the matters
on the bottom thereof. After evaporation, I stir in to every ton of substance
ten gallons, more or less, of acid, preferring muriatic acid, and continue the
stirring for half an hour; I maintain a gentle heat under the pan for about
twenty-four hours, more or less, and when the grease and oil are converted and
separated from the dirt and alkaline matters, which I ascertain by testing from
time to time, I shut off the heat from the pan, and allow it to cool down and
the dirt to settle at the bottom. In about six hours I collect the grease and
oil from the top of the mass in a state fit for the market. Or, after obtaining
the fatty matters from the filters, I submit them to distillation in any form
of apparatus suitable to the distillation of fatty matters.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, the treating of
waste wash-waters of wool and other mills by adding thereto a solution of alum,
sulphate of magnesia in its rough state, as prepared in alum works, potash
salt, rock salt, or any other salt, for the purpose of separating the greasy, oily,
and fatty matter from and contained in such wash-waters, in the manner
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Charles Theodore Schaeffer, have
hercunto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of October, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
W. SCHAEFFER. (L.S.)