IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLUE FROM BONES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Julius Boult, of the Firm of Wm. P. Thompson
and Company, Agents for Foreign Patent Solicitors, of 323, High Holborn,
London, County of Middlesex, G, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, and Berridge Street, Leicester, in the County of Leicester,
Engineer and Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF GLUE FROM BONES." A communication from abroad by
Dr. Richard Hagen and Friedrich Seltsam, both of Forchheim, Bavaria, in
the Empire of Germany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Julius Boult at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th February 1881.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of the Firm of Wm. P. Thompson and Company, Agents
for Foreign Patent Solicitors, of 323, High Holborn, London, County of Middlesex,
G, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and Berridge Street,
"IMPROVE-
Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Engineer and Patent Agent.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLUE FROM BONES." A communication from
abroad by Dr. Richard Hagen and Friedrich Seltsam, both of Forchheim, Bavaria,
in the Empire of Germany.
It is well known to all those conversant with the subject that the manufacture
of glue in general; and its manufacture from bones by means of steam in particular,
are as yet very faulty. The reasons therefor are,―
1. The great quantity of water which, according to the prevailing methods, is
requisite for profitably exhausting the osseous tissues which yield the glue.
2. The long continued boiling (either in open vessels or in vacuo) of the endless
thin decoctions of glue, whereby not only a great deal of fuel and time are wasted,
but the glue becomes, as is natural, not better but worse.
3. It is but very seldom that a perfectly clear transparent glue is obtained unless
noxious chemical agents are added, or cumbersome and expensive apparatus, such
as charcoal filters, large decanting vessels, etcetera, are used.
4. Up to the present bones are used either whole or but little comminuted, and
they are furthermore, with considerable loss of substance, washed for a long time,
treated with lime, or even with hydrated sulphurous acid, etcetera, which bones
would more properly and advantageously serve for bone flour or for animal
charcoal rich in carbon.

page_text: 5. The exceedingly long time required by the whole of the processes under the
methods hitherto known, whereby the manufacture of glue becomes impossible at
certain seasons.
All these difficulties are obviated by my method, which is based substantially
on,―
a. The use of bones which are unwashed and not subjected to any process but
comminuted to about the size of pin-heads, or of the offal from the manufacture of
bone-powder or flour which possesses the same physical properties.
By such comminution is formed for the tissues which are to be transformed into
bone-glue an immense surface which is easily and rapidly penetrated, whilst on the
other hand the particles of bone laid closely by the side and above one another in
the cylindrical glue steaming apparatus form a filter, so grand in its effects that
the most concentrated solution of glue flows sparklingly clear from the steaming
apparatus.
b. The dampening of these comminuted bones or of this bone-grist-offal with an
aqueous solution of certain organic acids and their subsequent maceration till
slight spontaneous heating takes place.
This is a powerful preparation for a subsequent complete transformation of the
tissues into glue by steam.
c. A slight steaming of the glue-stuff or partly prepared material in the
steaming-apparatus, the upper manhole being open, whereby the ammoniacal
combinations, which are so perilous for the glue, and which always occur in bones
that have been stored for some time are expelled, if they have not been already
rendered innoxious by the macerating material.
d. The use of small quantities of water under pressure to obtain from the
steaming apparatus the most concentrated solution of glue directly and at once.
Now the practical process is as follows:-The bones comminuted to the indicated
size or offal from the manufacture of bone-grist, having on the preceding day been
suitably dampened with an aqueous solution of organic acids of limited strength
(by preference oxalic acid), and having been shovelled into heaps and allowed to
rest and to be spontaneously heated, are placed in a steaming apparatus of
cylindrical shape and provided with a water spray, a very fine sieve bottom and
similar steam spray, and the upper manhole being open they are steamed by means
of the steam spray for some time according to the quality and oldness of the
material. When the ammoniacal combinations have thus been destroyed and
expelled the steaming apparatus is closed, and a steam pressure of from two to three
atmospheres is produced. After a sufficient time the steam pressure is removed,
preferably by opening the steam cock, and at intervals as much boiling water is
pumped in through the spray as is required for the solution of the osseous tissues,
which are completely transformed into jelly by the steam and the macerating
material. The steaming apparatus with the whole of its contents is now allowed
to rest under an air pressure of about one atmosphere, after which the concentrated
solution of glue (having 25%-30% solid components) is pressed under gradually
increasing air pressure into a wooden vat with a coil of copper boiling tubes, and
can therein be further concentrated at will in a short time, which however is not
necessary after the concentration already attained.
Finally the steaming apparatus and its contents are slightly rinsed with boiling
water by means of the spray so as to obtain the rest of the glue that may yet
adhere.
The dark yellow but sparkling clear solution of glue, which rapidly gelatinizes
and gives a most sound and consistent jelly, before being poured out is reduced to
a pale yellow wine-colour, by any of the well known methods..
The whole operation, which is superior to any other method by reason of its
simplicity, rapidity, and cleanliness is finished in 5-6 hours. In this com-
paratively short time, and without regard to the season of the year, 12-20% of
glue are obtained according to the quality of the material.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Julius Boult in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
August 1881.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of the Firm of Wm. P. Thompson and Company, Agents
for Foreign Patent Solicitors, of 323, High Holborn, London, County of Middlesex,
6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and Berridge Street,
Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Engineer and Patent Agent.
$8 IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLUE FROM BONES." A communication from
abroad by Dr. Richard Hagen and Friedrich Seltsam, both of Forchheim, Bavaria,
in the Empire of Germany.
It is well known to all those conversant with the subject that the manufacture
of glue in general, and its manufacture from bones by means of steam in particular,
are as yet very faulty. The reasons therefor are,―
1.) The great quantity of water which, according to the prevailing methods, is
requisite for profitably exhausting the osseous tissues which yield the glue.
2.) The long continued boiling (either in open vessels or in vacuo) of the endless
thin decoctions of glue, whereby not only a great deal of fuel and time are wasted,
but the glue becomes, as is natural, not better but worse.
.3.) It is but very seldom that a perfectly clear transparent glue is obtained
unless noxious chemical agents are added, or cumbersome and expensive apparatus,
such as charcoal-filters, large decanting vessels, etcetera, are used.
4.) Up.to the present bones are used either whole or but little comminuted, and
they are furthermore, with considerable loss of substance, washed for a long time,
treated with lime, or even with hydrated sulphurous acid, etcetera, which bones
would more properly and advantageously serve for bone-flour or for animal
charcoal rich in carbon.
5.) The exceedingly long time required by the whole of the processes under the
methods hitherto known, whereby the manufacture of glue becomes impossible at
certain scasons.
All these difficulties are obviated by this method, which is based substantially
00,-
a.) The use of bones which are unwashed and not subjected to any process but..
comminuted to about the size of pins-heads, or of the offal form the manufacture of
bone-powder or flour which possesses the same physical properties.
By such comminution is formed for the tissues which are to be transformed into
bone-glue an immense-surface which is easily and rapidly penetrated, whilst on the
other hand the particles of bone laid closely by. the side and above one another in
the cylindrical glue steaming apparatus form a filter, so grand in its effects that
the most concentrated solution of glue flows sparklingly clear from the steaming
apparatus.
i
b.) The dampening of these comminuted bones or of this bone-grist-offal with.
an aqueous solution of certain organic acids and their subsequent maceration till
slight spontaneous heating takes place.
This is a powerful preparation for a subsequent complete transformation of the
tissues into glue by steam.
c.) A slight steaming of the glue-stuff or partly prepared material in the
steaming apparatus, the upper manhole being open, whereby the ammoniacal
combinations, which are so perilous for the glue, and which always occur in bones
that have been stored for some time are expelled, if they have not been already
rendered innoxious by the macerating material.
d.) The use of small quantities of water under pressure to obtain from the
steaming apparatus the most concentrated solution of glue directly and at once.

page_text: Now the practical process is as follows:-The bones comminuted to the indicated
size or offal from the manufacture of bone-grist, having on the preceding day been
suitably dampened with an aqueous solution of organic acid of limited strength
(by preference oxalic acid), and having been shovelled into heaps and allowed to
rest and to be spontaneously heated, are placed in a steaming apparatus of
cylindrical shape and provided with a water-spray, a very fine sieve bottom and
similar steam-spray, and the upper manhole being open they are steamed by means
of the steam spray for some time according to the quality and oldness of the
material. When the ammoniacal combinations have thus been destroyed and
expelled the steaming apparatus is closed, and a steam pressure of from two to
three atmospheres is produced. After a sufficient time the steam pressure is
removed, preferably by opening the steam-cock, and at intervals as much boiling
water is pumped in through the spray as is required for the solution of the osseous
tissues, which are completely transformed into jelly by the steam and the macerating
material. The steaming apparatus with the whole of its contents is now allowed
to rest under an air pressure of about one atmosphere, after which the concentrated
solution of glue (having 25% to 30% solid components) is pressed under gradually
increasing air pressure into a wooden vat with a coil of copper boiling tubes, and
can therein be further concentrated at will in a short time, which however is not
necessary after the concentration already attained. Finally the steaming apparatus
and its contents are slightly rinsed with boiling water by means of the spray so
as to obtain the rest of the glue that may yet adhere.
°
The dark yellow but sparkling clear solution of glue, which rapidly gelatinizes
and gives a most sound and consistent jelly, before being poured out is reduced to
a pale yellow wine-colour by any of the well known methods.
The whole operation, which is superior to any other method by reason of its
simplicity, rapidity, and cleanliness, is. finished in 5 to 6 hours. In this com-
paratively short time, and without regard to the season of the year, 12 to 20% of
glue are obtained according to the quality of the material.
Having now described this Invention as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondents, I wish it to be understood that what I claim and desire to protect
under the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The production of animal glue from bones reduced to the size of grist or
from the offal from the manufacture of bone-grist, in the manner hereinbefore
described, which is based substantially upon the production, af, concentrated and
sparkling clear solution of glue directly from the steaming apparatus by the means
and manipulations applied especially.
Second. The previous dampening of the bone grist with an aqueous solution of
organic acids, preferably oxalic acids, and subjecting the material shovelled into
heaps to spontaneous heating and maceration.
Third. The preliminary steaming of the grist-shaped material in the steaming
apparatus, the manhole being open, for destroying and expelling the ammoniacal
combinations.
Fourth. The use of small quantities of water under pressure for obtaining from
the steaming apparatus directly and in a single operation highly concentrated
solutions of glue.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Julius Boult, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of Aagust, in the year of our Lord One
thousand night hundred and nights and
ALFRED J. BOULT. (L.S.)