IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBON OR PARAFFIN OILS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Perkins, of No 41, Norfolk Street,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Analytical Chemist, for the Inven
tion of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBON OR PARAFFIN
OILS."
Sealed the 30th January 1866, and dated the 3rd August 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Perkins
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 3rd August 1865
I, JOHN WILLIAM PERKINS, of No. 41, Norfolk Street, Strand, in the
County of Middlesex, Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBON OR
PARAFFIN OILS," to be as follows-
This Invention consists of improvements in the purifying or refining of
hydrocarbon or paraffin oils, either native or obtained by the destructive
distillation of coal shale, peat, liguite, or like bituminous bodies.
The improvements for which I claim consist in purifying the said oils by
the use of certain oxidizing agents, such as nitro-sulphuric acid or sulphuric
acid in combination with about one per cent of permanganate of potash,
1

page_text: nitrate of soda, or nitrate of potash, by which means the sulphur present in
the oils is oxidised and converted into sulphuric acid I also claim for further
purifying the said oils after such treatment as aforesaid by washing them with
boiling water or by the agency of steam under low pressure in whatso ver
manner applied so as to remove any fiee sulphur or other extraneous matter
that may have been produced during the purifying process The oils are
afterwards to be treated by distillation in the usual manner, by which means
I am enabled to produce illuminating oils far superior to any heretofore
manufactured.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John William Perkins in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st February 1966
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WILLIAM PERKINS, of No 41, Norfolk Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Analytical Chemist, send greeting
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year
of IIer reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John William Perkins, Hei special licence that I, the said
John William Perkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John William Perkins, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agice 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 Gicat Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBON OR
PARAFFIN OILS," upon the condition (ainengst others) that I, the said John
William Perkins, my executors or administrators,by an instrument in writing
under my,or their, or one of then hands and seals,should particularlydescribe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the saine 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 William P'erkins, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say)
-
3
MyInvention consists in oxidizing the crude oil obtained by the destructive
distillation of coal shale, peat, or other bituminous bodies, and treating the
resulting products as herein-after described I place in a suitable vessel,fitted
with agitating machinery, a quantity of crude coal oil or other hydrocarbon or
parafhu oil, and raise the temperature by a steam coil to about 100° Fahr
after which ladd about per cent of nitrousacid or nitric acid, or 1 per cent.
of nitrate of soda oi nitiate of potash, and the agitator having been put in
motion for a few minutes I add from 3 to 4 per cent of sulphuric acid,
and maintain the whole in a state of motion for about half an hour, according
to the quantity operated upon, by which means the sulphur present in the oil
18 converted into sulphuric acid, and the oil to some extent deoxidized.
After one hour's repose, the tai and carbonaceous matter having settled down
must be drawn of together with the acid, and the clear oil passed into another
vessel and washed with water holding in solution about one per cent of caustic
soda, having a specific gravity of 1-334' and jets of steam and then conveyed
Into any convenient distilling apparatus furnished with syphon cocks at the
woim o efigerator end and distilled in vacuo, the permanent gases
generated may be used as fuel to the stills or for the purpose of illumination
whereby the escape of offensive vapours is prevented. The oil thus obtained
must be re-distilled and about 2 per cent. of chloride of zinc or chloride of
calcium added to it about per cent of oxide of amyle (the fusel oil of
commerce) may also be added, the distillate having a mean specific gravity of
832 must be agam treated with liom 3 to 4 per cent of sulphuric acid
and washed with a solution of caustic soda and then submitted to a further
distillation which I continue until oil of a mean specific gravity of from 810'
to 820' is obtained,which may be further treated with 3 per cent of sulphuric
acid, and after waids washed with a weak solution of caustic soda to remove
any sulphurous acid that may be present The oil which is distilled over afteı
the oil of the specific gravity of 832° has been obtained, and which is too
dense for illuminating purposes inust be treated with 3 per cent of sulphuric
acid and washed with a weak solution of caustic soda. and the paraffin scales
having been removel by filtration the oil is to be combined with a fresh
portion of crude oil in the proportion of about one to two thnds of crude oil
and treated in the same manner as the crude oil is hereır-before directed to
be treated. the proportion of sulphuric acid being regulated according to the
quantity of carbon present, and for which particular purpose the acid from the
last oneration may be again used.

page_text: 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 for the mode of
treating crude hydrocarbon or paraffin oils at a temperature of about 100°
Fahr by means of the oxydizing agents herein-before mentioned, in actual
combination with and used in conjunction with sulphuric acid, but I do not
confine myself to the use of nitrous acid. nitric acid, or any of the soluble
nitrates, and I claim also for combining the heavy oil with a fresh portion
of crude oil as herein-before described, and also for the use of the soluble
chlondes herein-before mentioned in connection with sulphuric acid for the
conversion of any sulphur that may be present in such oils into chlorido of
sulphur
In witness whereof, I, the said John William Perkins, have hereunto
hand and cool, this First day of February, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-six
JOHN WILLIAM PERKINS
(LS)