IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CITRIC AND TARTARIC ACIDS, AND OF CERTAIN SALTS OF POTASH SORA AMMONIA LINE AND BARYTA
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Astley Paston Price, of Margate, in the
County of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF CITRIC AND TARTARIC ACIDS, AND OF CERTAIN SALTS
OF POTASH SORA AMMONIA LINE AND BARYTA
Sealed the 12th January 1853, and dated the 1st October 1852..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Astley Paston Price,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st October 1852.
I, ASTLEY PASTON PRICE, of Margate, in the County of Kent, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CITRIC AND TARTARIC ACIDS, AND OF CERTAIN
SALTS OF POTASH, SODA, AMMONIA, LIME, AND BARYTA," to be as
follows:-
My improvements consist in combining citric acid with potash, soda,
or ammonia, so as to form soluble citrates, and subsequently decom-
posing the same by means of salts of lime or baryta:
A

page_text: In combining bitartrate of potash with potash, soda, or ammonia,
so as to form soluble tartrates, and decomposing the same by means of
salts of line or baryta:
In obtaining salts of potash, soda, and ammonia, by combining
bitartrate of potash with potash, soda, or ammonia, and decomposing
the same by means of acids or acid salts:
In obtaining salts of potash by decomposing tartrate of potash by
means of acids or acid salts, and by decomposing the same by means
of salts of lime or baryta:
In obtaining salts of potash and tartrates by double decomposition
of salts of soda or ammonia and tartrates:
In obtaining lime and baryta salts "to be employed in producing
salts of potash, soda, and ammonia," by decomposing salts of lime and
baryta with salts of soda, and by decomposing salts of baryta with salts
of lime.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Astley Paston Price in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 1st April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ASTLEY PASTON PRICE, of Margate, in the County of Kent, send s
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Astley Paston Price, Her special licence that
I, the said Astley Paston Price, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Astley Paston Price, 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

page_text: IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CITRIC AND TARTARIC ACIDS, AND OF CERTAIN
SALTS OF POTASH, SODA, AMMONIA, LIME, AND BARYTA," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Astley Paston Price, 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 Astley Paston Price, 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, firstly, in a new and improved method,
herein-after described, of manufacturing citric acid, by which method
of manufacture the loss of the said acid experienced in the ordinary
method of manufacture is considerably diminished. In order that the
nature of my improvements in the manufacture of citric acid may be
more readily understood, I deem it necessary to state that in the
ordinary method of the manufacture of citric acid the lemon juice or
lime juice, or other solution, from which the said citric acid is to be
obtained, is neutralized or saturated by the addition of chalk, "car-
bonate of lime," whereby the said citric acid is obtained in the form of
a nearly insoluble compound (citrate of lime), which said compound
is separated from its supernatant liquor, and decomposed by sulphuric
acid, the addition of sulphuric acid giving rise to the formation of
(nearly) insoluble sulphate of lime and soluble citric acid, which latter
is obtained in a solid form by evaporation of its solution and crystaliza-
tion. In this the ordinary method of manufacture, mucilagenous and
other organic matters are precipitated with the citrate of lime, which
said organic matters, on the subsequent decomposition of the citrate of
lime by sulphuric acid (contaminate the solution of citric acid obtained,
and which said acid is separated from the said organic matter by
repeated crystallizations. Now my Invention consists in combining
citric acid contained in lemon or lime juice, or other impure solution of
citric acid, with potash, soda, or ammonia, so as to obtain soluble

page_text: citrates. And after separating any insoluble impurities, or which may
be present or may arise in neutralization, from the said neutral solution,
by filtration or decantation, I decompose the said solution with salts of
line, or with salts of baryta or strontia, so as to obtain pure or nearly
pure citrate of lime, or citrates of baryta, or citrates of strontia and
ammonia, or salts of ammonia, or salts of potash or of soda. The citrate
of lime, or citrates of baryta and strontia, is decomposed by sulphuric
acid in the usual manner, and the citric acid crystallized, and the
ammonia of salts of ammonia or salts of potash or of soda contained
in the solution from which the citrate of lime has been precipitated,
may be recovered by crystallization or otherwise, as is hereafter par-
ticularly explained. When I neutralize the impure solution of citric
acid with ammonia I proceed as follows:-
Into crude lemon or lime juice, or other solution containing citric
acid, I distill the volatile ammoniacal compounds contained in gas liquor
until the said juice or solution is neutralized; or I neutralize the said
juice or solution with gas liquor, or with ammonia or its carbonates,
or with sulphides of ammonium, obtained as hereafter described: and
having filtered the neutralized solution from the insoluble impurities, I
decompose the solution of citrate of ammonia thus obtained in the
following manner :-
I place the solution thus obtained in a distillatory apparatus, and
add thereto 150 parts by weight of carbonate of lime (chalk) powdered,
and made into a paste with water, or 90 parts (by weight) of lime
slacked and made into milk of lime.
To every 192 parts by weight of citric acid existing in solution as
citrate of ammonia I then apply heat, and decompose the said solution
of citrate ammonia into citrate of lime, and into carbonate or free
ammonia, which may be conducted into a fresh quantity of lemon or
lime juice, or other solution containing citric acid, so as to neutralize
the same, as herein-before described, which solution, when neutral, or
better, when alkaline, may be treated as last described.
The citrate of lime thus obtained is to be decomposed with sulphuric
acid, as is now done in the ordinary manufacture of citric acid, and the
solution of the liberated citric acid filtered from the sulphate of lime,

page_text: and evaporated and crystallized.
The solution of citrate of ammonia
obtained as first above described may be treated with either chloride
of calcium or sulphate of lime. For this purpose I boil the solution
of citrate of ammonia with either of the salts of lime, viz., chloride of
calcium or sulphate of lime, until the citrate of ammonia previously
existing in solution is decomposed, and citrate of lime and either
sulphate of ammonia or chloride of ammonia obtained, the decomposi-
tion of the said citrate of ammonia being conducted in the same
manner and with the same precautions as herein-after described with
reference to improvements in manufacturing tartaric acid.
The solution of citrate of ammonia obtained as first above described
may be decomposed with 108 parts by weight of sulphide or sulphides of
calcium or soda waste (oxysulphide of calcium), or 255 parts by weight
of sulphides of barium, or 60 parts by weight of sulphide of strontium,
the said solution being contained in a distillatory apparatus, and the said
decomposition being conducted in the manner herein-before described.
The citric acid existing in lemon juice or lime juice, or other solution,
may be combined with potash or soda instead of animonia, and the
resulting solution of citrate of potash or soda be decomposed with
either salts of lime or baryta, as follows:-
Having placed lemon or lime juice, or a solution containing citric
acid, in a convenient vessel (I prefer using such a vessel as is.herein-
after described), in reference to improvements in the manufacture of
tartaric acid, I add to the said juice or solution containing citric acid a
solution of sulphide or sulphides of potassium, with application of heat
until the whole of the citric acid is converted into citrate of potash,
which may be known by the solution becoming neutral or slightly
alkaline.
The solution of citrate of potash thus obtained, being filtered from
the insoluble impurities, and placed in a suitable vessel, (such as is now
employed in the manufacture of tartaric acid, in which the tartrate of
potash is decomposed with sulphate of lime or chloride of calcium, will
be applicable,) and is decomposed by means of sulphate of lime, or a
solution of chloride of calcium, or chloride of barium, or of nitrate
of lime, of nitrate of baryta, or chloride of strontium, or nitrate

page_text: of strontia, in a manner similar to that now adopted for decom-
posing tartrate of potash by means of sulphate of lime or chloride
of calcium.
The citrate of lime thus produced may be separated by decantation
or filtration, and the solution containing the salts of potash, viz, either
chloride of potassium, nitrate of potash, or sulphate of potash, is
evaporated in a convenient evaporating vessel.
The salts of potash thus obtained, if mixed with any impurities, may
be recrystalized so as to be rendered marketable.
In employing the salts of lime or baryta to decompose citrate of
potash, citrate of soda, or citrate of ammonia, solutions, either saturated
or partially so, may be employed, or sulphate of lime in small crys-
tals or powder may be used in the following proportions, viz., to every
192 parts by weight of citric acid previously existing in lemon juice or
lime juice, or contained in other solutions, and now existing as citrate
of potash, citrate of soda, or citrate of ammonia, there may be added in
parts by weight as follows:
246 parts of nitrate of lime, or
318 parts of nitrate of strontia, or
168 parts chloride of calcium, or
240 parts of chloride of strontium, or
390 parts nitrate of baryta, or
312 parts chloride of barium, actually contained in solution or other-
wise, or
258 parts of sulphate of lime.
I also employ sulphide or sulphides of sodium to neutralize citric
acid; this may be employed in a manner similar to that described for
saturating citric acid with sulphide of potassium; and after having
separated by decantation or by filtration the insoluble impurities, I
decompose the said solution of citrate of soda with sulphate of lime
in a manner similar to that described for decomposing citrate of potash
with salts of lime, and with the same amount of sulphate of lime as
there employed. The citrate of lime produced is separated, and the
sulphate of soda existing in solution may be obtained by evaporation
and crystallization.

page_text: The salts of baryta, strontia, and lime which are to be employed in
decomposing citrate of potash may be employed to decompose citrate
of soda, and may be employed in a similar manner and in the same
proportions as when employed to decompose solutions of citrate of
potash.
The citrate of lime and citrate of baryta or strontia resulting may
be decomposed by means of sulphuric acid, in the same manner as
citrate of lime is now decomposed in the manufacture of citric acid,
and citric acid be therefrom obtained.
The sulphide of potassium and the sulphide of sodium employed may
be obtained by heating a mixture of either sulphate of potash or sul-
phate of soda with small coal, coal dust, or powdered charcoal in a
reverberatory furnace, or otherwise, until the whole or the greater pro-
portion of the sulphate of potash or sulphate of soda is reduced and
converted into sulphide of potassium and sulphide of sodium. These
sulphides being soluble in water, they may either be employed in
solution, or the fused mass may be used direct, or these sulphides may
be obtained from other sources.
Having now described this part of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is performed, I wish it to be understood what I
claim as my improvements in the manufacture of citric acid is the
employing of sulphide or sulphides of potassium, sulphide or sulphides
of sodium, ammoniacal liquor, or volatile ammonical salts obtained there-
from, or employing caustic ammonia, carbonate of ammonia, or sul-
phide or sulphides of ammonium obtained by decomposing citrate or
tartarates of ammonia with carbonate of lime, or hydrated caustic lime,
or sulphide of calcium, or sulphides of the alkaline earths, to neutralize
the citric acid contained in lemon or lime juice, or contained in any
impure solution, and the decomposing soluble citrates of potash, soda,
and ammonia so obtained by means of sulphate of lime, chloride of
calcium, chloride of barium, or chloride of strontium, nitrate of limé,
and nitrate of baryta, or nitrate of strontia, and the decomposing the
soluble citrates of ammonia so obtained by means of hydrated caustic
lime, carbonate of lime, or sulphide of calcium, or sulphides of calcium,

page_text: or soda waste (oxysulphide of calcium), or sulphides of barium,
or sulphides of strontium.
Secondly, I claim the manufacture of citrate of lime and citrate of
baryta in the manner herein-before described.
My improvements in the manufacture of tartaric acid consist in
combining bitartrate of potash with ammonia, so as to form tartrate
of ammonia and potash, which may be effected either by neutralizing
impure bitartrate of potash, or crude argol, or crude tartar, with gas
liquor, or with a solution of ammonia, or with carbonate of ammonia,
or sulphides of ammonium, obtained by decomposing tartrate or citrate
of ammonia with hydrated caustic juice, or carbonate of lime, or sul-
phides of calcium, or sulphides of barium, or sulphides of strontium, or
with condensed volatile salts of ammonia obtained by distilling gas
liquor or ammoniacal liquors..
Having placed impure bytartrate of potash, with or without water, in
a suitable and convenient vessel, I add the before-mentioned solution
of ammonia, or of salts of ammonia, until the whole of the bitartrate
of potash existing in the cruile tartar or argol is neutralized, and a
solution obtained of tartrate of potash and ammonia, which solution is
to be separated by filtration or decantation from any insoluble impu-
rities; and the solution of tartrate of potash and ammonia thus obtained
may be treated by either of the following processes:-To the tartrate of
potash and ammonia so obtained a solution of chloride of calcium is
added until the whole of the tartrate of potashi and ammonia is decom-
posed; that is to say, that for every 188 parts of bitartrate of potash
existing in the crude argol or tartar, and now existing in solution as
tartrate of potash and ammonia, a solution of chloride of calcium, cor-
responding to 112 parts of chloride of calcium, are to be added, with
application of heat to the mixed solutions. The solution of chloride of
potassium and ammonium is separated from the tartrate of lime pro-
duced by decantation or filtration, and the solution containing chloride
of potassium and chloride of ammonium is to be evaporated, care being
taken that the solution be kept alkaline or neutral by the addition of
either of the above-mentioned ammonical salts or ammonia. The

page_text: tartrate of lime deposited is to be separated, and the chlorides of
potassium and ammonium in the solution separated by evaporation
and crystallization; the mother liquors containing chlorides of animo-
nium and potassium, together with tartrate of lime, are to be evapo-
rated, and the tartrate of lime which deposits separated, or the mother
liquors may be evaporated to dryness, and the chlorides of potassium
and ammonium be dissolved in water and filtered. The tartrate of
lime left, together with that previously separated, is to be collected, and
may be decomposed in the usual manner, that is to say, with sulphuric
acid, and tartaric acid be therefrom obtained. The chloride of ammo-
nium and chloride of potassium in the solution may be evaporated
down, and crystallized either together or separately. Or, 2nd, in lieu of
the above process, the tartar of ammonia and potash may be decom-
posed by boiling a solution of the same with sulphate of lime until
the whole of the tartrate of potash and ammonia is decomposed, viz,
into tartrate of lime and sulphate of potash and sulphate of ammonia.
These may be separated in a manner similar to that described under
the first head of this part of my Invention for effecting the separation of
chloride of potassium and chloride of ammonium from tartrate of lime.
The tartrate of lime obtained after separating the sulphate of potash
and sulphate of ammonia may be decomposed in the usual manner,
(that is to say,) by means of sulphuric acid, and after separation from
the resulting sulphate of lime, and by evaporation and crystallization,
rendered fit for use.
Or tartrate of potash and ammonia may be decomposed by treating
a solution of the same contained in any suitable distillatory apparatus
with carbonate of lime or hydrated caustic lime, and in the proportion
of 60 parts by weight of carbonate of lime, ground and made into a
paste with water, or 30 parts by weight of lime slacked and made into
milk of lime, or with 36 parts of sulphide of calcium, or 36 parts by
weight of soda waste, "oxysulphide of calcium," or 85 parts by weight
of sulphide of barium, or 60 parts by weight of sulphide of strontium, for
every 188 parts of bitartrate of potash previously existing in the crude
argol or crude tartar, and now contained in solution as tartrate of
potash and ammonia.
:

page_text: Heat is to be applied, and the volatile ammoniacal products which
distil off are to be collected, and may be employed for dissolving and
neutralizing an additional quantity of impure bitartrate of potash con-
tained in crude argol or crude tartar.
After having distilled off the ammonia or volatile ammoniacal salts,
the tartrate of lime, or tartrate of baryta, or tartrate of strontia formed,
is to be separated, and the solution containing tartrate of potash (may
be decomposed with nitrate of soda, as herein-after mentioned), or may
be decomposed with either sulphate of lime or chloride of calcium, or
nitrate of lime, chloride of barium, or nitrate of baryta, or nitrate of
strontia, as will be herein-after described, together with the proportions
to be employed. The lecomposition is to be effected in the same
manner as tartrate of potash is now decomposed in the manufacture
of tartaric acid by sulphate of lime and chloride of calcium.
The tartrate of lime, or tartrate of baryta, or tartrate of strontia
thus obtained are separated from the salts of potash produced, and
may be decomposed with sulphuric acid, as is now done in the manu-
facture of tartaric acid from tartrate of lime, and the solution con-
taining the potash salts, either sulphate or nitrate of potash, or chloride
of potassium, be evaporated and crystallized.
The apparatus and vessels now employed in manufacturing citric or
tartaric acids, or in manufacturing sulphate of ammonia, and ammonia
also employed in saltpetre refineries, are applicable to the processes
herein mentioned and described.
My improvements in the manufacture of tartaric acid further
consist in combining bitartrate of potash existing in crude argols,
crude tartars, and impure bitartrate of potash, with potash or soda, and
in decomposing the tartrates of potash and tartrate of potash and soda
with salts of lime, or baryta, or strontia.
Having placed impure bitartrate of potash in a suitable vessel
(such as is described herein, in the mode of obtaining tartrate of
potash, or tartrate of potash and soda, by neutralizing bitartrate of
potash with sulphides of potassium or sulphides of sodium), I neu-
tralize the said impure bitartrate of potash with a solution of sulphide
of potassium or sulphides of potassium, and after separating the

page_text: insoluble impurities place the solution in a convenient vessel, and
decompose the same with either sulphate of lime, or chloride of
calcium, or chloride of barium, or nitrate of baryta, or nitrate of lime,
or nitrate of strontia, in a similar manner and in similar apparatus
to that in which tartrate of potash is now decomposed with sulphate of
lime, or chloride of calcium. With the exception of sulphate of
lime, the baryta, strontia, and line salts may be added, in solution or
otherwise, in about the following proportions, viz. :-
208 parts by weight of chloride of barium, or
160 parts by weight of chloride of strontium,
112 parts by weight of chloride of calcium, or
166 parts by weight of nitrate lime, or
212 parts by weight of nitrate of strontia,
260 parts by weight of nitrate of baryta, or
172 parts of sulphate of lime, by weight, to every 188 parts of
bitartrate of potash previously existing in the crude argol, crude tartar,
or impure bitartrate of potash, and now existing as tartrate of potash in
solution.
The solution of the salts of potash thus obtained being separated
by decantation from the tartrate of lime and tartrate of baryta may
be evaporated and crystallized. The impure salts of potash may
be purified by recrystallization, and the tartrate of lime, or tartrate of
baryta, or tartrate of stroutia, after having been washed with water,
may be decomposed with sulphuric acid in the same manner as tartrate
of lime is now decomposed, and tartaric acid be therefrom obtained
by crystallization.
Impure bitartrite of potash, crude argol, or crude tartar, is to be
neutralized by means of sulphides of sodium, as herein-after described;
and tartrate of potash and soda be thereby obtained; which said solution,
after being separated from the insoluble impurities, may be evapo-
rated as crystallized, as herein-after described. Having obtained a
solution of tartrate of potash and soda by dissolving the said salt
in water, the said solution is to be decomposed by means of chloride
of calcium, in the proportion of 112 parts, by weight, of chloride
of calcium to every 300 parts, by weight, of tartrate of potash and

page_text: soda employed. The decomposition of the mixed solutions may be
effected by heating the same, contained in a suitable vessel, such as is
now employed in the manufacture of tartaric acid, wherein tartrate of
potash is decomposed by means of sulphate of lime. The resulting tar-
trate of lime being allowed to settle, the supernatant solution containing
chloride of sodium and chloride of potassium is to be withdrawn, and by
evaporation and crystallization chloride of potassium and chloride of
sodium obtained; or a solution of tartrate of potash and soda may be de-
composed in a similar manner by heating the same with sulphate of lime,
in the proportion of 172 parts, by weight, to every 300 parts, by weight,
of tartrate of soda and potash employed. After separating the tar-
trate of lime formed, the solution containing sulphate of potash and
sulphate of soda is to be evaporated, and these salts either obtained
together, or they may be separated by recrystallization.
In order to separate certain soluble impurities, such as coloring
matters, existing in the solution of citrates or tartrates of ammonia,
potash, or soda, their solutions may be filtered through filters or
cisterns containing animal charcoal; or animal charcoal
may be mixed
with their solutions, and be separated, together with certain impurities,
by filtration.
As bitartrate of potash of commerce usually contains a certain amount
of tartrate of lime, the said tartrate of lime will remain with the im-
purities after the before-mentioned treatment of the said bitartrate of
potash; and in order to utilize the same, the residuum is to be treated with
sulphuric acid in the same manner (but in proportion to the amount of
tartrate of lime present) as the tartrate of lime mixed with impurities
from impure bitartrate of potash, argols, or tartars, is now decomposed,
and the tartaric acid be therefrom obtained.
Having now described this part of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim
as my improvements in the manufacture of tartaric acid, the employing
of sulphide or sulphides of potassium, sulphide or sulphides of sodium,
ammonical liquor or volatile ammonical salts obtained therefrom, or
employing caustic ammonia, carbonate of ammonia, or sulphides of
ammonium, obtained by decomposing citrate of ammonia or tartrate

page_text: of potash and ammonia, or tartrates of ammonia, with hydrated caustic
lime, carbonate of lime, or sulphides of calcium, or sulphides of
barium, or sulphides of strontium. To neutralize bitartrate of potash
contained in argols, or crude tartars, or impure bitartrate of potash
and the decomposing the soluble tartrates of potash or ammonia, or
tartrates of potash and soda, or tartrates of potash and ammonia so
obtained, by means of sulphate of lime, chloride of calcium, chloride
of barium, chloride of strontium, nitrate of lime, or nitrate of baryta,
or nitrate of strontia, and the decomposing soluble tartrates of ammonia
or tartrate of potash and ammonia so obtained, by means of hydrated
caustic lime, carbonate of lime, sulphides of calcium, or sulphides of
barium, or sulphides of strontium.
Secondly, I claim the manufacture of tartrate of lime and tartrate
of baryta, in the manner herein-before described.
Another part of my Invention relates to improvements in obtaining
and refining bitartrate of potash, which I effect by rendering the bitar-
trate of potash existing in crude argol and crude tartars more soluble
by combining the said bitartrate of potash with potash, soda, or
ammonia, and obtaining soluble double and neutral tartrates (tartrate
of potash and soda, and tartrate of potash and ammonia, or tartrate of
potash); which said tartrates, being separated from the insoluble
impurities contained in the said impure bitartrate of potash, are de-
composed by means of acids or acid salts, as herein-after mentioneıl,
and purified bitartrate of potash is obtained more economically and
expeditiously than by the methods now generally employed; and for
this purpose I proceed as follows:--
I take crude argol, or crude tartar, or impure bitartrate of potash,
and place it in a closed vessel, with one or more exit pipes, capable of
allowing any gas that may be generated to escape, or to be conducted
away, and I run into such vessel a solution of sulphide or sulphides of
sodium sufficient to neutralize the bitartrate of potash. The vessel is
so arranged that artificial heat may be applied, by steam or otherwise,
or that a jet of steam may be admitted. The bitartrate of potash
decomposes the sulphide or sulphides of sodium, forming tartrate of

page_text: potash and soda, and sulphuretted hydrogen is liberated, which escapes
by the exit tubes. The resulting solution of tartrate of potash and
soda being separated, either by decantation of filtration, from the
insoluble impurities contained in the crude argol, crude tartar or
impure bitartrate of potash is concentrated in a suitable evaporating
vessel to about S.G. 1425 at 212° Fahrenheit, and allowed to cool to
60° Fahrenheit. The crystals obtained are separated from the mother
liquors, and these liquors are again concentrated to S.G. 1425 at
212° F, and allowed to crystalize; the mother liquors left after this
crystallization, if they contain much foreign matter, may be boiled with
animal charcoal, filtered, evaporated, and set aside to crystallize. The
remaining mother liquors may be similarly treated, or mixed with liquors
resulting from subsequent operations. The crystals of tartrate of potash
and soda thus obtained, if they be not sufficiently pure, are to be dis-
solved in water and re-crystallized.
Having obtained tartrate of potash and soda of the desired purity, the
crystals are dissolved either in hot or cold water, and a partially or a satu-
rated solution obtained; into this solution sulphurous acid is to be passed,
which unites with the soda, forming soluble sulphite and sulphites of
soda, and bitartrate of potash is precipitated; sulphurous acid is to be
added until the double tartrate of potash and soda is decomposed (which
may be known when no further precipitation of bitartrate of potashı
occurs on the addition of a small quantity of an acid stronger than
tartaric to a portion of the solution); the deposited bitratrate of potash
is allowed to settle, and the solution is drawn off and entirely or par-
tially resaturated with tartrate of potash and soda; sulphurous acid is
again passed into the solution, and the fornier operations repcated; the
supernatant solution may then be separated, and will contain sulphites
of soda and bitartrate of potash. The solution may be neutralized with
sulphide of sodum or carbonate of soda, and concentrated, when tartrate
of potash and soda, sulphite of soda, (and if sulphide of sodium has
been employed) byposulphite of soda, will crystallise out; these may
be separated by crystallisation, and the tartrate of potash and soda may
be decomposed with sulphurous acid as before mentioned.

page_text: The birtartrate of potash thus obtained is to be washed with cold
water until the whole of the sulphites of soda are removed, and then
dried, when it will be ready for use.
The resulting sulphites of soda and hyposulphite of soda which are
obtained in this operation may be dried and fused with small coal or
charcoal, and converted into sulphide of sodium; or the sulphite or
sulphites of soda, and the hyposulphite of soda, may be decomposed in
a suitable vessel by sulphuric acid, and the sulphurous acid liberated
be collected and employed for precipitating bitartrate of potash from
tartrate of potash and soda.
A solution of tartrate of potash and soda, obtained as before described,
by neutralizing bitartrate of potash with sulphide of sodium, or from
any other source, may be decomposed with bisulphate of potash or
bisulphate of soda, or acid sulphates of potash, or acid sulphates of
soda, added in the proportion of three hundred parts by weight of
tartrate of potash and soda (in crystals) dissolved in water, to every
forty parts by weight of sulphuric acid not in combination, as neutral
sulphate of potash or soda, that is to say, in employing bisulphate of
potash three hundred parts by weight of tartrate of potash and soda
are to be used for every one hundred and thirty-seven parts by weight
of bisulphate of potash, and three hundred parts by weight of tartrate
of potash and soda arc to be employed for every one hundred and
twenty-one parts by weight of bisulphate of soda (solia).
Having dissolved in any suitable vessel the acid sulphates of soda a
solution of the tartrate of potash and soda obtained, as before mentioned,
is to be added, and, after being well agitated, the precipitated bitartrate
of potash is allowed to settle. The supernatant solution is then to be
separated, and saturated either with sulphide of sodium or carbonate of
soda, and evaporated, in order that the sulphate of seda may be
separated by crystallization from the tartrate of soda and potash
existing in the said solution. The tartrate of potash and soda thus
obtained from the supernatant liquor is to be decomposed with a
solution containing an equivalent proportion of acid sulphates of soda
and the deposited bitartrate of potash separated.
If acid sulphate of potash be employed to decompose the tartrate of

page_text: potash and soda, the supernatant solution having been separated from
the precipitated bitartrate of potash, and having been neutralized with
sulphide of sodum, or sulphides of patassium or carbonate of soda or
carbonates of potash, is to be evaporated, and the sulphate of potash
and sulphate of soda separated from the tartrate of potash and soda by
crystallization.
The tartrate of potash and soda may be decomposed in a similar
manner by means of acid sulphites of soda; and after separating the
deposited bitartrate of potash the supernatant solution may be neutra-
lized with sulphides of sodium or carbonate of soda, and by crystallizing
the resulting sulphite of soda and hyposulphite of soda obtained by
evaporation and crystallization they may be decomposed by adding an
equivalent of sulphuric acid to a solution or to crystals of sulphite of
soda or hyposulphate of soda, contained in a suitable vessel, and the free
sulphurous acid liberated, collected, and employed for decomposing
tartrate of potash and soda, as before mentioned.
Further, my improvements relate to the decomposition of tartrate of
ammonia and potash by means of acids and acid salts so as to obtain
purified bitartrate of potash, which I effect as follows:-
Having obtained a solution of tartrate of potash and ammonia in the
manner herein-before described, and having placed the said tartrate of
potash and ammonia in a suitable vessel, I pass into the same sul-
phurous acid until no further precipitation of bitartrate of potash is
occasioned on the addition to the solution of a small quantity of an acid
stronger than tartaric acid. The deposited bitartrate of potash being
separated, the solution containing sulphite of ammonia and bitartrate
of potash may be decomposed in a suitable vessel by means of sulphuric
or hydrochloric acid so as to obtain sulphurous acid, which may be em-
ployed for effecting the decomposition of a subsequent quantity of a
solution of tartrate of potash and ammonia.
The resulting sulphate of ammonia or chloride of ammonium, con-
taining in solution a certain amount of bitartrate of potash, is to be
neutralized with any of the before-mentioned volatile alkaline ammo-
niacal salts and evaporated, and the sulpbate of ammonia or chloride
of ammonium obtained by crystallization. The mother liquors con-

page_text: taining tartrate of potash and ammonia are to be acidified with sulphu-
rous acid in order to obtain bitartrate of potash.
The resulting solution is then neutralized with animonia and evapo-
rated, as before mentioned; care being taken in both instances that the
solution be kept slightly alkaline by means of ammonia or alkaline
ammoniacal salts during and after concentration.
The tartrate of potash and ammonia may be decomposed and purified,
bitartrate of potash obtained, by decomposing the said tartrate of
potash and ammonia with bisulphate of potash, or bisulphate of soda;
or acid sulphates of potash, or acid sulphites of soda,, in the same
manner and in the same proportions as described under the process
for decomposing tartrate of potash and soda with acid sulphates of
soda, and acid, sulphates of potash, for every 188 parts by weight
of bitartrate of potash originally contained in the impure bitartrate
of potash. If bisulphate of potash is employed, bitartrate of potash
is precipitated, and sulphate of potash and sulphate of ammonia re...
main in solution with a certain amount of bitartrate of potash. The
solution is kept neutral or alkaline by the addition of ammonia or the
volatile alkaline salts thereof, as before-mentioned; and when evaporated
to a S. G. of about 1350 at 212° Fahrenheit, a solution of bisulphate
of potash or sulphuric acid may be added in sufficient quantity to neu-
tralize the ammonia existing in excess, and also that which is combined.
as tartrate of potash and ammonia. The resulting bitartrate of potash,
which precipitates is separated, and the solution neutralized with
ammonia or potash or their carbonates, or sulphides of the same, and
evaporated, in order to obtain by crystallization the sulphate of; potash
and sulphate of ammonia. The tartrate of potash and ammonia,
existing in the mother liquors may be decomposed as before mentioned.
Or sulphuric or hydrochloric acid may be employed to decompose the
tartrate of potash and ammonia obtained by neutralizing impure bitar-
trate of potash by means of gas liquor ammonia or carbonate of
ammonia or sulphides of ammonium obtained by decomposing citrates or
tartrates of ammonia by means of hydrated caustic lime, carbonate of
lime, or sulphides of calcium, sulphides of barium or sulphides of
strontium may be decomposed by means of sulphuric or hydrochloric
B

page_text: acid in the proportion of fifty parts of monohydrated sulphuric and
thirty-seven parts of actual hydrochloric acid contained in any dilute
acid solution to every one hundred and eighty-eight parts of bitartrate
of potash existing in the crude argol, crude tartar, and now existing
in solution as tartrate of potash and ammonia. After separating the
precipitated bitartrate of potash, the resulting solution containing the
sulphate or muriate of ammonia may be separated by crystallization.
The tartrate of potash and ammonia remaining in the solution is to
be decomposed with an equivalent proportion of ether sulphuric or
hydrochloric acid.
Having obtained tartrate of potash, either by neutralising bitartrate
of potash with sulphide of potassium, or neutralizing bitartrate of potash
with carbonate of lime or lime, and having placed the solution of
tartrate of potash in any convenient vessel, I pass into the same
sulphurous acid until no further precipitation is effected by the addi-
tion of a small quantity of an acid stronger than tartaric acid to the
solution.
The precipitated bitartrate of potash is separated and washed with
cold water; the decanted or filtered solution is neutralised with sulphide
of potassium, and concentrated to about S. G. 2000 at 212° F.; the
tartrate of potash existing in solution is decomposed by sulphurous acid;
the resulting bitartrate of potash is separated as before mentioned; and
the mother liquors being separated from the precipitated bitartrate of
potash, and after having been neutralised with sulphide or sulphides
of potassium, are concentrated; and the sulphite and hyposulphite of
potash are separated from the tartrate of potash by crystallisation :
or the sulphite and hyposulphite of potash thus obtained may be
reconverted into sulphide of potassium by heating the dried salts with
small coal in a reverberatory or suitable furnace, and the sulphide of
potassium resulting may again be employed for neutralising and dis-
solving impure bitartrate of potash; or the sulphites of hyposulphite of
potash may be decomposed with a stronger acid, and the liberated sul-
phurous acid be employed for a subsequent operation.
Having now described this part of my Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that.-

page_text: Firstly, I claim the manufacture of purified bitartrate of potash by
combining bitartrate of potash with potash, soda, or ammonia, in the
manner herein described, or by any other process, and decomposing
the same by sulphurous acid, or acid sulphites or acid sulphates of potash,
soda, or ammonia:
Secondly, I do not claim the mere precipitation or separation of
bitartrate of potash from soluble tartrates by hydrochloric or sul-
phuric acid; but what I claim is the manufacture of purified bitartrate
of potash from the soluble tartrates obtained in the manner above
described:
Thirdly, I claim the obtaining of purified bitartrate of potash by
decomposing tartrate of potash and soda, tartrate of potash and am-
monia, or tartrate of potash, by sulphurous acid, and acid sulphites and
acid sulphates of potash, soda, or ammonia.
Another of my improvements in the manufacture of purified bitar-
trate of potash consists in that tartrate of potash and soda obtained by
neutralising impure bitartrate of potash by sulphide of sodium, or
obtained by decomposing tartrate of potash and ammonia, or tartrate
of potash, by means of nitrate of soda, or sulphate of soda, or chloride
of sodium, so as to obtain nitrate of potash or sulphate of potash, or
chloride of potassium and tartrate of potash and soda, as herein
described, is to be decomposed by sulphuric acid, or hydrochloric acid,
in the proportion of fifty parts by weight of monohydrated sulphuric
acid contained in solution in water, or thirty-seven parts by weight
of actual hydrochloric acid contained in solution in water, to every
three hundred parts by weight of tartrate of potash and soda em-
ployed tartrate of soda and potash, obtained as above mentioned,
being dissolved in either warm or cold water, and placed in a couve-
nient vessel to the said solution, sulphuric or hydrochloric acid is added
in the proportions above mentioned. The bitartrate of potash which
is. precipitated is allowed to settle, and the supernatant solution is
decanted or filtered from the deposited bitartrate of potash. The solu-
tion separated is neutralised with sulphide or sulphides of sodium, and
concentrated by evaporation, when sulphuric or hydrochloric acids are
to be added to decompose the tartrate of potash and soda existing
19

page_text: in the concentrated solution, and they are to be added until no further
precipitate of bitartrate of potash is occasioned by the addition of the
same to the said solution. The said solution being separated from the
precipitated bitartrate of potash, and neutralised by means of sulphides
00 dium, as before mentioned, is to be evaporated in order that the
-salts of soda, viz, sulphate of soda or chloride of sodium, may be
separated by means of crystallisation. The mother liquor remaining
will contain a small quantity of tartrate of potash and soda, which
may be decomposed by means of sulphuric or hydrochloric acid, as
before mentioned, or may be mixed with mother liquors resulting from
a subsequent operation.
.
What claim in respect to this part of my Invention, in the im-
provements in the manufacture of purified bitartrate of potash, is the
employment of sulphide or sulphides of sodium to neutralise impure
bitartrate of potash, and the decomposing the tartrate of potash and
soda so obtained by means of sulphuric or hydrochloric acid.
Secondly, I claim the manufacture of purified bitartrate of potash,
by decomposing tartrate of potash and soda obtained as before de-
scribed, viz., by decomposing tartrate of potash and ammonia, or by
decomposing tartrate of potash obtained as above described, by means
of nitrate of soda, chloride of sodium, or sulphate of soda, so as to
.obtain tartrate of potash and soda, and the decomposing of the tartrate
of potash and soda thus obtained, by means of sulphuric or hydrochloric
acil.
Another of my improvements consists in obtaining salts of potash and
tartrates by the decompositions of salts of soda or ammonia and tar-
trates. For this purpose, I decompose tartrate of potash, and nitrate
of soda, so as to obtain nitrate of potash and tartrate of soda. I
obtain the tartrate of potash by neutralising impure bitartrate of potash,
crude argol, or crude tartar, with lime or with carbonate of lime, as is at
present effected in the manufacture of tartaric acid, and separate the
tartrate of lime or I obtain the tartrate of potash by nentralizing crude
argol, crude tartar, or impure bitartrate of potash; with sulphide or
sulphides of potassium.
The sulphide or sulphides of potassium may be obtained by heating

page_text: sulphate of potash in a reverberatory or other suitable furnace, with
small coal or charcoal, until the whole or the greater portion of the.
sulphate of potash is converted into sulphide of potassium, or may be
obtained by other means. The vessel or boiler in which, the tartrate
of potash is formed, may be such as is now employed in the manu-
facture of tartaric acid, in which the decomposition of the neutral tartrate
of potash is effected by means of sulphrate of lime, or similar to those
vessels in which the crude argol and impure bitartrate of potash is
neutralized with carbonate of lime, which vessels may be heated either
by means of steam or otherwise.
If the sulphurretted hydrogen evolved in the manufacture of the
tartrate of potash is to be collected, a close vessel must be employed
having a suitable exit and conduct pipe through which the gas may be
conducted. The sulphuretted hydrogen so obtained may be converted
into sulphurous acid by burning the same.
The solution of tartrate of potash is separated from the insoluble
impurities by filtration or decantation.
To the solution of the tartrate of potash contained in any suitable
and convenient vessel to which heat may be applied (such, for instance,
as an evaporating pan or vessel,) I add nitrate of soda, either in solu-
tion or in crystals, in the proportion of one hundred and eighty parts (by
weight) of nitrate of soda to every one hundred and eighty-eight parts
of bitartrate of potash previously existing in the impure bitartrate of
potash, crude argol, or crude tartar, and now existing as tartrate of
potash. I evaporate the solution resulting to about S. G. 1500, at 212°
Fahrenheit, and allow the solution to cool down to 60° or 70° F., when
the nitrate of potash will crystallize out. The mother liquors are now
to be withdrawn and allowed to remain undisturbed, in order that the
tartrate of soda may crystallize; the crystals of tartrate of soda being
separated, the mother liquors are to be evaporated to about S. G. 1500.
at 212 Fahrenheit, and then, as before, allowed to cooled to about 60°
Fahrenheit, or 70° Fahrenheit, when the nitrate of potash will crystal-
lize out. The mother liquor is then to be set aside, in order that it.
may deposit crystals of tartrate of soda; and having separated them from
any solution remaining, the said solution may be further concentrated,

page_text: or may be mixed with the mother, liquors resulting from a subsequent
operation.
Any nitrate of potash remaining with the tartrate of soda may be
separated by dissolving the same in hot or cold water, and evaporating
until the solution attains to about S. G. 1500, at 212 Fahrenheit, and
crystallizing out the nitrate of potash, by allowing the solution to cool.
and proceeding with the mother liquors as before directed.
The tartrate of soda thus obtained may be decomposed with sul-
plate of lime in the same manner as tartrate of potash is now decom-
posed by means of sulphate of lime in the manufacture of tartaric acid,
videlicit, by boiling a solution of the said tartrate of soda with sulphate
of lime, until the whole of the tartaric acid has been converted into
tartrate of lime, and the soda into sulphate of soda. The tartrate of
lime is to be separated, and the solution containing sulphate of soda
is to be evaporated down in order to afford a useful product, sulphate
of soda.
One hundred and seventy-two parts by weight of sulphate of line are
to be employed for every one hundred and eighty-eight parts by weight
of bitartrate of potash previously existing in the impure bitartrate of
potash.
. Or nitrate of potash may be obtained from crude bitartrate of potash.
argols, and tartars, by neutralizing or saturating bitartrate of potash
with a solution of sulphide or sulphides of potassium, in the manner
before described, forming soluble tartrate of potash.
The said solution of tartrate of potash thus obtained is separated by
filtration or decantation from the impurities existing in the argols,
tartars, or impure bitartrate of potash and nitrate of soda, in the pro-
portion of ninety parts by weight of the crystallized salt, are to be added
for every one hundred and eighty-eighty parts by weight of bitartrate of
potash originally contained in the impure bitartrate of potash; and now
existing in solution as tartrate of potash.
-
The solution is concentrated to about S. G. 1300, 212 Fahrenheit,
and allowed to cool to about 60 Fahrenheit, or 70 Fahrenheit, when
nitrate of potash will separate; after withdrawing the solution, and evapo-
rating to about 1400 S. G. at 212 Fahrenheit, tartrate of potash and

page_text: soda will crystallize out. The mother liquors after separation are to
be concentrated to S. G. 1400, or 212 Fahrenheit, and the remaining
nitrate of potash and tartrate of potash and soda separated by crystal-
lization.
:
Nitrate of potash thus obtained will contain a small amount of
tartrates of potash and soda and impurities, from which it may be
separated by re-crystallizations; or the tartrates may be decomposed
with nitrate or sulphate of lime, or chloride of calcum, and the resulting
chloride of sodium, sulphate or nitrate of soda, separated by crystalliza-
tion in a manner similar to that now adepted for refining saltpetre.
What I claim in respect of this part of the Invention lastly above
described is the manufacture of nitrate of potash and tartrate of potashi
and soda, from bitartrate of potash, crude argols, or crude tartars, by
neutralizing the bitartrate of potash contained therein by sulphide of
potassium or sulphides of potassium, and decomposing such tartrate of
potash by nitrate of soda, so as to obtain nitrate of potash, and tartrate
of soda and potash, which may be separated by crystallization
Another part of my Invention consists in obtaining from tartrate of
soda and potash nitrate of potash by dissolving the same in water in a
convenient vessel in the proportion of three hundred parts by weight of
crystallized tartrate of potash and soda, and adding to the same ninety
parts by weight of crystallized nitrate of soda.
The solution is concentrated by evaporation to about S.G. 1550-
water being taken at 1000, which is the scale adopted throughout this
Specification at 212 Fahrenheit, and allowed to cool to 60 Fahrenheit
or 70 Fahrenheit, when nitrate of potash will crystallize out, and on
removing the mother liquor to a convenient and suitable crystallizing
vessel tartrate of soda will crystallize. The mother liquor may be.
treated as before described under the process for obtaining nitrate of
potash and tartrate of soila, by decomposing tartrate of potash by means
of nitrate of soda, and the nitrate of potash thus obtained may be puri-
fied by crystallization as before mentioned.
The tartrate of soda thus obtained may be decomposed with sulphate
of lime, as before described, and the solution of sulphate of soda being
separated from the resulting tartrate of lime may be made an available
product.

page_text: I also obtain nitrate of potash from neutral tartrate of potash obtained
by neutralizing bitartrate of potash as is now effected in the manufacture
of tartaric acid by means of carbonate of lime (chalk) or lime; and
after separating, by filtration or decantation, the tartrate of lime, a solu-
tion of tartrate of potash, free from any insoluble impurities, may be
obtained.
This solution of tartrate of potash is placed in a suitable vessel, and
to it is added nitrate of soda in crystals or in solution in the proportion
of ninety parts by weight of crystallized nitrate of soda to every three
hundred and seventy-six parts by weight of bitartrate of potash pre-
viously existing in the argol, tartar, or impure bitartrate of potash.
The solution is to be concentrated to about S.G. 1400 at 212 Fahren-
heit, and allowed to cool. The nitrate of potash resulting is separated
from the tartrate of potash and soda by crystallization, as before
described under the process given for obtaining tartrate of potash and
soda and nitrate of potash by decomposing tartrate of potash obtained
by neutralizing bitartrate of potash with sulphide of potassium with
nitrate of soda.
I obtain tartrate of soda, and sulphate or muriate of potash, by de-
composing tartrate of potash and soda by means of sulphate of soda or
chloride of sodium. Tartrate of potash and soda in solution may be
decomposed so as to obtain either sulphate of potash and tartrate of
soda, or chloride of potassium and tartrate of soda, by means of sulphate
of soda or chloride of sodium in the proportion of seventy-one parts by
weight of dry sulphate of soda, and sixty parts by weight of chloride of
sodium to every three hundred parts by weight of tartrate of potash
and soda, in a manner similar to that described for effecting the decom-
position of tartrate of soda and potash with nitrate of soda, and obtaining
thereby nitrate of potash and tartrate of soda. The sulphate of potash
or chloride of potassium produced by this decomposition may be sepa-
rated from the tartrate of soda by crystallization, and the tartrate of
soda may be decomposed, as before mentioned, with sulphate of lime.
The resulting tartrate of lime, being separated from the solution con-
taining sulphate of soda, is employed in the manufacture of tartaric
acid, as before mentioned; and the sulphate of soda resulting is obtained
by evaporation and crystallization.

page_text: I decompose tartrate of potash with nitrate of ammonia so as to
produce nitrate of potash and tartrate of ammonia, which I effect in the
following manner-Having placed a solution of tartrate of potash in a
suitable vessel I add thereto one hundred and sixty parts by weight of
nitrate of ammonia to every one hundred and fifty parts by weight of
tartaric acid existing in solution in combination as tartrate of potash.
1 evaporate the solution to about S.G. 1500 at 212 Fahrenheit, and
allow the said solution to cool, when nitrate of potash will crystallize
out. The mother liquors being removed, the nitrate of potash and
tartrate of ammonia may be separated in the following manner :-I
place the said mother liquors in a convenient distillatory apparatus, and
add thereto sixty parts by weight, caustic line made into milk of lime,
or one hundred parts by weight of carbonate of lime, to every one
hundred and fifty parts of tartaric acid existing in solution as tartrate
of ammonia. Heat being applied, the volatile ammonial compounds
are distilled off; which may be employed, as before described, videlicet,
for neutralizing impure bitartrate of potash.
The tartrate of lime thus produced is separated, and the solution
containing nitrate of potash is to be evaporated and crystallized.
The tartrate of line thus obtained is to be decomposed with sulphuric
acid, in the usual method for obtaining tartaric acid from tartrate of
lime, and the solution of tartaric acid obtained is to be evaporated and
crystallized.
What I claim in respect of this part of the Invention herein-before
described is, the manufacture of nitrate of potash and tartrate of soda
by the decomposition of tartrate of potash by nitrate of soda, as above
described:
Secondly, I claim the manufacture of nitrate of potash and tartrate of
soda by the decomposition of tartrate of soda and potash by nitrate of
soda, as above described:
Thirdly, I claim the manufacture of nitrate of potash and tartrate of
potash and soda by decomposing tartrate of potash (obtained by neu-
tralizing bitartrate of potash by carbonate of lime or lime) by means of
nitrate of soda, as above described:
Fourthly, I claim the manufacture of chloride of polassium, sulphate

page_text: of potash, and tartrate of soda, by decomposing tartrate of potash and
soda by chloride of sodium or sulphate of soda, as before described.
The nitrate of lime employed in the processes herein-before described
may be obtaining by decomposing eighty-five parts of nitrate of soda,
dissolved in water with fifty-six parts of chloride of calcium, dissolved
either in water or in the solution containing nitrate of soda. The
solution of these salts contained in any suitable vessel is to be concen-
trated by evaporation, and the chloride of sodium which deposits is to
be separated by raking out the same as deposited. The solution having
obtained a density of about S.G. 2500 at 212 Fahrenheit, and after
having separated by decantation the chloride of sodium deposited, the
solution is allowed to cool, when nitrate of lime will crystallize out.
The mother liquor resulting is to be concentrated, and the chloride of
sodium which is deposited on concentrationis to be separated as before
mentioned. The said concentrated mother liquors are allowed to cool,
when nitrate of lime will crystallise out. The mother liquors resulting
are to be treated as before described. The nitrate of lime thus obtained
is to be re-crystallized, in order to separate any chloride of sodium
that may remain mixed therewith, or may be directly employed for
decomposing tartrate of potash, as before mentioned.
The nitrate of baryta employed in the processes herein-before
described may be obtained by dissolving eighty-five parts of nitrate
of soda and one hundred and four parts of chloride of barium in
water, evaloporating until a deposition of chloride of sodium takes
place; the solution is separated by filration or decantation, and allowed
to crystallize; the nitrate of baryta is separated, and the mother liquor
containing chloride of sodium and nitrate of baryta is further con-
centrated by evaporation; the deposited chloride of sodium is separated,
and the filtered solution of nitrate of baryta allowed to crystallize.
The mother liquors are to be further concentrated, and the nitrate of
baryta obtained by crystallization.
The nitrate of baryta thus obtained is dissolved in water, and to
every one hundred and thirty parts of crystals of nitrate of baryta
dissolved one hundred and eighty-six parts of sulphate of lime are to
be added, and the solution of nitrate of baryta holding in suspension

page_text: the sulphate of lime is to be heated until the baryta is precipitated
as sulphate of baryta, when the solution will contain nitrate of lime.
Nitrate of baryta and nitrate of lime thus obtained may be employed
for decomposing tartrate of potash, or citrate of potash, as hercin
described.
I obtain nitrate of potash by decomposing tartrate of potash and
ammonia by means of nitrate of soda in the following manner:
Having obtained a solution of tartrate of potash and ammonia,
either as before described or otherwise, I add to the same contained in
a suitable vessel, nitrate of soda, in the proportion of forty-five parts of
crystallized nitrate of soda to every one hundred and eighty-eight parts
of bitartrate of potash existing in the argol tartar or impure bitartrate of
potash; the solution is concentrated to about S. G. 1400, at 212
Fahrenheit, taking care that the solution be kept alkaline, by the
addition from time to time of either distilled gas liquor or ammonia,
or rolatile alkaline ammonical salts; the nitrate of potash will, on the
solution being allowed to cool, crystallize out, and the solution contain-
ing the tartrate of soda and potash and tartrate of ammonia is with-
drawn, and the tartrate of ammonia, and the tartrate of potash and
soda may in part be separated by evaporation and crystallization, care
being taken that during evaporation the said solution be kept alkaline.
The solution containing tartrate of ammonia with tartrate of potash and
soda, and nitrate of potash, may either be concentrated to about
S. G. 1400, at 212 Fahrenheit, care being taken that the said solution
be kept alkaline or neutral, when on on cooling a further portion of the
nitrate of potash and tartrate of soda and potash may be separated;
or the remaining solution may now either be decomposed by heating.
the same in a distillatory apparatus, with either hydrated caustic lime
or carbonate of lime in the proportion of thirty parts of lime mixed
with water and made into milk of lime, or fifty parts of carbonate of lime
powdered and made into a paste with water, to every one hundred and
eighty-eight parts of bitartrate of potash previously existing in the
impure bitartrate of potash, and now existing in solution as tartrate of
ammonia.
The ammonia or volatile alkaline salts thereof which distil over

page_text: may be collected, and employed for converting another portion of
impure bitartrate of potash into tartrate of potash and ammonia. The
resulting tartrate of lime may after separation be employed in the
manufacture of tartaric acid.
The solution remaining in the distillatory apparatus containing
nitrate of potash and tartrate of potash and soda, together with a
solution of the tartrate of potash and soda, and nitrate of potash, which
had previously crystallized together, may be separated by evaporation
and crystallization, and nitrate of potash and tartrate of potash and
soda may be obtained.
In lieu of employing nitrate of soda to decompose tartrate of potash
and ammonia, chloride of sodium or sulphate of soda may be employed, in
the proportions of thirty parts by weight of chloride of sodium, or thirty-
six parts by weight of dry sulphate of soda, for every one hundred and
eighty-eight parts by weight of bitartrate of potash previously existing
in the impure bitartrate of potash crude argol, or crude tartar, and
now existing in solution as tartrate of potash and ammonia. "The
decomposition and the several processes are to be conducted in a
manner similar to that above described for obtaining nitrate of potash
and tartrate of potash and soda by decomposing tartrate of potash and
ammonia by means of nitrate of soda." Chloride of potassium, and
tartrate of potash and soda, or sulphate of potash and tartrate of potash
and soda, are obtained.
The tartrate of lime obtained in either of these processes may, after
having been washed with cold water, be decomposed with sulphuric
acid, in the same manner as tartrate of lime is now decomposed in the
manufacture of tartaric acid, and the tartaric acid may be obtained
by evaporating and crystallizing the solution.
What I claim as ny improvements in respect to this part of my
Invention relating to the manufacture of nitrate, muriate, or sulphate
of potash, and the obtaining of tartrate of potash and soda, is the
decomposing of tartrate of potash and ammonia with nitrate, sulphate,
and muriate of soda, as described.
Having decomposed tartrate of potash and ammonia, by heating
the same in a suitable distillatory apparatus with hydrated caustic lime,

page_text: carbonate of lime, or with sulphides of calcium, or with sulphides of
barium, or with sulphides of strontium, as before mentioned under that
portion of my Invention which relates to improvements in the manufac-
ture of tartaric acid.
The tartrate of potash remaining after the separation of the tartrate
of lime, tartrate of strontia, or tartrate of baryta, is to be decomposed
with nitrate of soda, in such proportions that nitrate of potash and
tartrate of soda, or tartrate of potash and soda, and nitrate of potash,
be obtained.
The decomposition is to be effected in a similar manner to and by
the employment of the same proportions of nitrate of soda and tartrate
of potash, as described under that portion of my Invention which
relates to the obtaining of nitrate of potash and tartrate of soda from
nitrate of soda and tartrate of potash, and also for obtaining tartrate
of potash and soda, and nitrate of potash, by decomposing tartrate of
potash with nitrate of soda.
What I claim is, the obtaining of nitrate of potash and tartrate of
soda, and nitrate of potash and tartrate of soda and potash, by
decomposition of tartrate of potash obtained as before described by
means of nitrate of soda, as herein mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said Astley Paston Price, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
5 Witness, BENJ* BROWNE,
4, Trafalgar Square.
ASTLEY PASTON PRICE. (L.S.)

page_text: Invention, as described in the said Letters Patent and Specification, are
of no use, benefit, or advantage to the public.
NOW KNOW YE that I, the said Astley Paston Price, do hereby
disclaim the words "or strontia" contained in the fourth line from the
bottom of page 1 [top of page 4] of the said Specification so as
aforesaid filed in the Office of the Commissioners of Patents for Inven-
tion; also the words "citrates of strontia" in the third [fifth] line from
the bottom [top] of the same [fourth] page; also "and strontia" in the
second [seventh] line from the bottom [top] of the same [fourth] page;]
and the words" or 60 parts by weight of sulphide of strontium" in the
tenth [fourteenth] line from the bottom of page 2 [top of page 5] of the
said Specification; the words "or chloride of strontium or nitrate of
strontia" in the ninth [thirty-fifth] line from the top of page 3 [5]; the
words "three hundred and eighteen parts of nitrate of strontia" in the
twenty-fifth [nineteenth] line of the same [sixth] page; and the words
"two hundred and forty parts of chloride of strontium" in the twenty-
seventh [twenty-first] line of the same [sixth] page; the word "strontia
in the twelfth [first] line from the bottom of the same [top of the seventh]
page; the word "strontia" in the eighth [sixth] line from the bottom
of the same [top of the seventh] page; the words "chloride of strontium"
in the fourteenth [thirty-first] line from the top of page 4 [7]; also
the words "nitrate of strontia" in the fifteenth [thirty-second] line of the
sane [seventh] page; also the words "or sulphides of strontian" in the
eighteenth [second] line of the same [eighth] page; and the words
"or sulphides of strontium" in the twenty-seventh [twelfth] line of the
same [eighth] page; the words "sixty parts by weight of sulphide of stron-
tium" in the fifteenth [thirty-second] line from the bottom of page 5
[top of page 9]; the words or "tartrate of strontia" in the seventh [siath]
line from the bottom of the same [top of the tenth] page; and the words
"nitrate of strontia" in the fourth line from the bottom [tenth and eleventh
lines from the top] of the same [tenth] page; and the words "tartrate of
strontia" in the first [fifteenth] line of page 6 [10]; also the words "or
strontia" in the fourteenth [twenty-ninth] line from the top of page 6 [10];
the words "or nitrate of strontia" in the twenty-first [fourth] line of the
same [eleventh] page; also the word "strontia" in the twenty-fourth

page_text: [seventh] line of the same [eleventh] page; and the words "one hundred
and sixty parts by weight of chloride of strontian" in the seventeenth
[tenth] line from the bottom of the same [top of the eleventh] page; the
words "two hundred and twelve parts by weight of nitrate of strontia"
in the fourteenth [thirteenth] line from the bottom of the same [top of
the eleventh] page; and the words "tartrate of strontia" in the sixth
[twenty-third] line from the bottom of the same [top of the eleventh]
page; the words
or sulphides of strontian" in the third line from the
bottom of page 7 [top of page 13]; the words "chloride of strontium"
in the third [eighth] line from the top of page 8 [13]; also the words
"nitrate of strontia" in the same [ninth] line; and the words "or
sulphides of strontium" in the fifth [twelfth] line from the top of the
same [thirteenth] page; the words "sulphides of strontium" in the
thirteenth [thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth] line of page 11 [17]; and that
part or portion of the said Specification set out as follows, and com-
mencing at the thirteenth [first] line from the top of page 16 [25],
and ending at the eleventh [twenty-third] line from the bottom of the
same [top of the twenty-fifth] page.
"I decompose tartrate of potash with nitrate of ammonia so as to
produce nitrate of potash and tartrate of ammonia, which I effect
in the following manner:-Having placed a solution of tartrate of
potash in a suitable vessel, I add thereto one hundred and sixty
parts by weight of nitrate of ammonia to every one hundred and
fifty parts by weight of tartaric acid existing in solution in combi-
nation as tartrate of potash. I evaporate the solution to about S. G.
1500, at 212 Fahrienheit, and allow the said solution to cool, when
nitrate of potash will crystallize out. The mother liquors being re-
moved, the nitrate of potash and tartrate of ammonia may be
separated in the following manner :-I place the said mother liquors
in a convenient distillatory apparatus, and add thereto sixty parts by
weight caustic lime made into milk of lime, or one hundred parts by
.weight of carbonate of lime, to every one hundred and fifty parts of
tartaric acid existing in solution as tartrate of ammonia. Heat being
applied, the volatile ammonial compounds are distilled off; which
may be employed as before described, videlicet, for neutralizing im-

page_text: pure bitartrate of potash. The tartrate of lime. thus produced is
separated, and the solution containing, nitrate of potash is to be
evaporated and crystallized. The tartrate of lime thus obtained is
to be decomposed, with sulphuric acid in the usual method for obtain-
ing tartaric acid from tartrate of lime, and the solution of tartaric
...ucid obtained is to be evaporated and crystallized."
And also the words "or with sulphides of strontian". in the seventh
second line from the top of page 19 [29]; and the words "tartrate
strontia" in the tenth [siath] line of the same [twenty-ninth] page;
ll which words, parts, or portions relate to matter which I believe not
be a necessary or useful part of the said Invention.
And I am also desirous of disclaiming that further part of the said
pecification set out as follows, commencing at the second [third]. line
om the top of page 17 [26], and ending at the ninth [fifth] line from
he bottom of the same [top of the twenty-seventh] page.
"The nitrate of lime employed in the processes herein-before de-
scribed may be obtained by decomposing eighty-five parts of nitrate of
soda, dissolved in water, with fifty-six parts of chloride of calcium,
dissolved either in water or in the solution containing nitrate of soda.
The solution of these salts contained in any suitable vessel is to be con-
centrated by evaporation, and the chloride of sodium which deposits
is to be separated by raking out the same as deposited. The solution
having obtained a density of about S. G. 2500 at 212 Fahrienheit,
and after having separated by decantation the chloride of sodium
deposited, the solution is allowed to cool, when nitrate of lime will
crystallize out. The mother liquor resulting is to be concentrated,
and the chloride of sodium which is deposited is to be separated as
before mentioned. The said concentrated mother liquors are allowed
to cool, when nitrate of lime will crystallize out; the mother liquors
resulting are to be treated as before described. The nitrate of lime
thus obtained is to be re-crystallized, in order to separate any chloride
of sodium that may remain mixed therewith, or may be directly
employed for decomposing tartrate of potash as before mentioned.
The nitrate of baryta employed in the processes herein-before described
may oe obtained by dissolving eighty-five parts of nitrate of soda and

page_text: one hundred and four parts of chloride of barium in water, evapo-
rating until a deposition of chloride of sodium takes place; the
solution is separated by filtration or decantation, and allowed to
crystallize; the nitrate of baryta is separated, and the mother liquor
containing chloride of sodium and mitrate of baryta is further con-
centrated by evaporation; the deposited chloride of sodium is separated,
and the filtered solution of nitrate of baryta allowed to crystallize.
The mother liquors are to be further concentrated, and the nitrate of
baryta obtained by crystallization. The nitrate of baryta thus
obtained is dissolved in water; and to every one hundred and thirty
parts of crystals of nitrate of baryta dissolved, one hundred and
eighty-six parts of sulphate of lime are to be added, and the solution
of nitrate of baryta holding in suspension the sulphate of lime is to
be heated until the baryta is precipitated as sulphate of baryta, when
the solution will contain nitrate of lime. Nitrate of baryta and
nitrate of lime thus obtained may be employed for decomposing
tartrate of potash, or citrate of potash, as herein described."
of which said last-mentioned portion was not, on the day of the date
he said Letters Patent, new as to the public knowledge, use, or
rcise thereof, to the best of my knowledge and belief.
In witness whereof, I, the said Astley Paston Price, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Third day of September, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
ASTLEY PASTON PRICE. (L.S.)
4th November 1853.
Let this Disclaimer be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office with the Specification
to which the same relates.
ASTLEY PASTON PRICE. (L.S.)
4th November 1853.
Let this Disclaimer be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office with the Specification
to which the same relates.
Temple,
Nov. 4, 1853.
A. E. CоCкBURN.