IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF HYDROCARBON AND OTHER OILS PROM GAS TAR, COAL TAR, GAS PITCH, ASPHALTE, COAL, AND OTHER BITUMENOUS SUB- STANCES
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Barnes Cochrane, Earl
Dundonald, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 30th December 1868.
I, THOMAS BARNES COCHRANE, Earl Dundonald, 12, Queen's Gate, Hyde
Park, County Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF HYDROCARBON AND OTHER OILS PROM
GAS TAR, COAL TAR, GAS PITCH, ASPHALTE, COAL, AND OTHER BITUMENOUS SUB-
STANCES," to be as follows:-
In operating upon the above-named materials in order to obtain their
various products, I combine the substance to be operated upon with sulphuric
acid or other suitable oxidizing body, as sesquioxide of iron; this combination.
I effect in a retort or still or other convenient apparatus. I then apply super-
heated steam or hot air produced by any of the known means in sufficient
quantity and of such temperature as will cause the whole of the volatile
products to distil over, the heat required will vary according to the substance
operated upon and also with the ultimate product required varying from 1:00°
to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The volatile products evolved I collect or con-
dense in any suitable apparatus. By thus combining the raw material with.
an oxidizing agent and distilling it in combination with the same, I obtain a
considerably increased portion of oils, and of greater purity. I also obviate
the necessity of operating upon the distillate obtained from the first.
distillation.
The quantity of sulphuric acid, sesquioxide of iron, or other oxidizing body

page_text: required, varies according to the nature of the substance to be operated upon
and that of the ultimate distillate required, those of lighter specific gravity
requiring a considerably larger proportion than the heavier ones. The
quantity used by me varies from 2 to 10 per cent., being regulated entirely by
the character of the raw materials operated upon and the nature of the
products required.
In distilling gas pitch, asphalte, and other bitumenous substances by the
process above described, I obtain a heavy hydrocarbon or series of hydrocarbon
oils capable of partial saponification, and which oils I convert into a lubricating
grease suitable for railway carriage axles and heavy machinery of all descrip-
tions. To effect the conversion of these hydrocarbon oils into a lubricating
substance I combine them (by melting together) with from 10 to 20 per cent.
of animal or vegetable fats or oils. This admixture of heavy hydrocarbon oils
with animal or vegetable fats is introduced into a suitable agitating apparatus
and there combined with from 10 to 15 per cent. of a concentrated alkaline
solution of caustic potash or caustic soda; I prefer the latter in consequence
of its being cheaper than potash. The whole of these substance are to be
thoroughly agitated for some time in order to saponify or partially saponify
the oils and to ensure the thorough admixture of the whole. The resulting
product will be found to consist of an excellent lubricating grease or semi-
saponified substance of great value.
In some instances I prefer to introduce the animal or vegetable fats direct
into the still together with the raw materials to be operated upon; this I only
propose to do when the resulting product is intended for the manufacture of
railway and other lubricating greases.