IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MAWUn An ID OF SODA AND DAMAGE
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Berger Spence, of Mark Lanc, in the City
of London, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MAWUn An ID OF SODA AND DAMAGE"
Scaled the 19th April 1876, and dated the 19th October 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Berger Spence
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 19th October 1875.
1, JOHN BERGER SPENCE, of Mark Lanc, in the City of London,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE PHOSPHATES OF SODA and Potash,"
to be as follows:-
-
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of the phosphates
of soda and potash, and the result is obtained by bringing superheated
steam in contact with chloride of sodium and the phosphates of alumina
and iron or chloride of potassium in contact with the phosphates of
alumina and iron.

page_text: The above salts of sodium and potassium, together with the phosphates
of alumina and iron, are intimately mixed with water, so as to form a
paste, which is quickly baked and then divided into small fragments.
These are then put into a retort constructed so as to be heated externally
or not, as the case may be. The superheated steam is allowed to pass
through the retort, and the decomposition of the paste ensues, phos-
phate of soda or potash being produced, as well as some aluminate of
soda or potash, hydrochloric acid being also evolved, which can be
condensed in the ordinary manner.
If the heat be much increased the chlorides will (to some extent)
volatilize, and may be collected in suitable receivers. The material is
then treated with water and the phosphates separated by crystallization.
Or the mixture may be used for the same purposes as alumina or
phosphates are now used, and the hydrochloric acid condensed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Berger Spence in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BERGER SPENCE, of Mark Lane, in the City of London, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Berger Spence, Her
special licence that I, the said John Berger Spence, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Berger
Spence, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE PHOSPHATES OF SODA AND
POTASH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John

page_text: ww
Berger Spence, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Berger Spence, 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 (that is to say) :-
My Invention of " Improvements in the Manufacture of Phosphate
of Soda and Phosphate of Potash" has for its object the manufacture
of these phosphates from phosphate of alumina and iron when intimately
mixed with chloride of sodium or chloride of potassium by bringing
superheated steam into contact with these ingredients, so that they may
undergo decomposition.
The same process applies to the manufacture of phosphate of potash
as to the manufacture of phosphate of soda, with the exception that
when the former salt is to be made chloride of potassium is employed,
and in the case of the other salt chloride of sodium is used. It should
be therefore understood that when describing the manufacture of phos-
phate of soda precisely the same mode of operating is applicable to the
manufacture of the phosphate of potash, except that for the first
mentioned salt chloride of sodium and for other salt chloride of
potassium is employed, as already mentioned.
In carrying out my Invention, say, for the manufacture of phosphate
of soda, I prefer to use the ordinary common salt of commerce; and in
the manufacture of phosphate of potash I prefer to use what is com-
mercially called the German muriates of potash, in addition in all cases
to the phosphate of alumina and iron.
The phosphates of alumina and iron above referred to are ground to
a powder, and may be calcined before grinding; or if preferred they
may be ground in an uncalcined state. They are then to be intimately
mixed with equal parts by weight of the selected soda or potash salt.
The mixed ingredients are then treated with water in order to render
them to some extent plastic, so that the grains may adhere together in

page_text: drying. Or the pulverized ingredients may be made to adhere together
by subjecting them to pressure. The compound is then placed in a
retort or other suitable vessel, which may be heated externally or not,
as the case may be; and steam is then passed through the retort until
decomposition ensues and hydrochloric acid is eliminated, and the
phosphate of soda or phosphate of potash, as the case may be, is
formed.
It will be gathered from the foregoing description that the peculiar
feature of novelty in my improved process for the manufacture of
phosphate of soda or phosphate of potash consists in bringing steam
into contact with phosphate of alumina and iron when intimately mixed
with chloride of sodium or chloride of potassium, the steam being
superheated to such a degree as to produce the decomposition of the
salts. The same object may be effected by heating the retorts externally,
so that if common steam be used it may be superheated by this means;
or the retorts may be heated externally, even when superheated steam
is supplied thereto.
The quantities of the various ingredients to be operated upon at one
time may be increased or diminished as may be found convenient or
suitable for obtaining the best results in practical operation. The
phosphate of soda or potash obtained in this manner may be dissolved
out of the mass by means of water, and this may be done more
effectually by the addition of a little soda or potash; or the material
(as it is drawn from the retorts) may be used for the purposes for which
phosphate of soda and phosphate of potash is used.
Iron ores may be treated in a similar manner for the extraction of
the phosphates or phoric acid contained therein, but I prefer to use (for
the purposes of my Invention) the richer descriptions of phosphates of
alumina and iron. In treating iron ores for this purpose it will be
preferable to operate upon the ore in heaps instead of in retorts, and the
heat may be kept up by the admixture of combustible or carbonaceous
substances with the ore and then burning the mass.
Having now described my Invention of " Improvements in the
Manufacture of the Phosphates of Soda and Potash," and having
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the
Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid manufacturing
phosphate of soda or phosphate of potash by intimately mixing phos-

page_text: phate of alumina and iron with chloride of sodium or chloride of
potassium, and then subjecting the mixed ingredients to the action of
superheated steam, as and for the purposes berein set forth, after which
the phosphates may be dissolved out, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Berger Spence, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six