An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Treating Paraffin Scale.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1898-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1898
COMELNIE DIUINICATION.
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Treating Paraffin Scale.
We, JAMES ARMOUR and FRANCIS ALISON, both of the Clippens Oil Company,
Limited, Pentland Works, Loan head, Midlothian, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention is an improvement upon the prior invention of Robert Tervet and
Francis Alison No. 8756 of 1886.
At present in the manufacture of paraffin wax it is usual, where the process
described in the aforesaid patent is used, to melt the paraffin "scale" by means of
steam and then run it into small pans placed on shelves in the wax cooling house.
After the scale has solidified in the pans it is transferred, in the form of cakes,
to the "sweating house" where it is subjected to the action of heat for the purpose
of sweating out the on and colouring matters. In order that this sweating process may
be thoroughly effectual it is absolutely necessary that the paraffin cakes should be
turned over so as to properly expose both sides of each cake to the action of the
heat. Up till now the turning of the cakes has been performed by hand labour
and the work is not only extremely arduous and trying but it is also expensive as
a number of men have to be employed.
Our invention has mainly for its object to provide an apparatus whereby the
necessity for hand labour in the turning of the cakes of paraffin, during the sweating
process, is obviated.
And in order that our said invention may be properly understood we have
hereunto appended three explanatory sheets of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 is a front view of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is an end view of the apparatus.
Figs. 3 and 4 are views showing the method of tilting the "cells."
Fig. 5 is a vertical section, to an enlarged scale, of a paraffin cell.
Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of two apparatuses arranged to work
together.
Referring to the drawings whereon the same reference numerals wherever
repeated indicate the same parts.
The apparatus consists of a frame 1, 1, carried by a shaft 2 which is capable of
turning in bearings 3, 3, secured to the floor of the house. The frame carries a
battery of cells, 4, each of which is so connected to the frame, as hereinafter
described, as to be capable of a swinging movement backwards and forwards. The
cells, of which there may be, say, five or seven in a battery are jointed together
by longitudinal bars 5, 6, or in other suitable manner. We prefer to make each
cell 4 in the form of a sheet iron receptacle of oblong shape having a cast iron
trough 7 at the bottom and open at the top. The sides of the cell are lined with
cloth 8 or cloth backed with wire gauze. In the latter case the gauze and cloth
would preferably be stretched on a light frame capable of being fitted in place in
Price 8d.1

page_text: the cell and of being withdrawn whenever necessary in order that the cloth might
be renewed. The trough 7, which extends from end to end of the cell has hollow
projecting ends 10, 11, which constitute trunnions and pass through stuffing boxes
in the steam chests 12, 12ª secured to the frame 1. A steam pipe or conduit 9 is
made in one with or secured within the trough and communicates with the
trunnions 10, 11: if so desired the ends of the steam pipe may be made to form
the trunnions. Each cell which may have one or more vertical partitions 13 in it
for the purpose of dividing it into compartments, is preferably made from
about 8' to 10' long, 5' to 6' deep and 2" to 4" broad.
The steam for heating the individual cells is carried by a pipe 14, from the source
of supply, through a stuffing box connection 15 to a vertical pipe 16 leading to
the chest 12. From the chest 12ª the steam passes through the trunnion 11 of
the cells and the pipes 9 in the bottom of the cells to the
trunnions 10 and steam chest 12. From the chest 12 the steam
may be passed by the pipes 17, 18, to the next apparatus. We may say that we
prefer to arrange the apparatuses in pairs; the steam from one being passed on
to the next and then exhausted. In the house there may be as many as 6 pairs
of apparatuses.
Each cell is, or may be provided with a water overflow cock 19 and has an
outlet 20 capable of being closed by a valve 21. This valve is, preferably, normally
held closed by a spring 22. When the valve is opened it can be retained in the
open position by passing a locking pin 23, on the chain 23, through the lever
and a hole in the lever bracket.
24 is a conduit by means of which the impurities exuded from the paraffin
during the sweating operation are carried away. This conduit also carries off the
paraffin when finally melted to the proper receptacle.
It is necessary, in order to admit of the cells being inclined at the proper angle
to the horizontal, say 15°. that the frame should be tilted over in the manner
shown at Figs. 3 and 4 and to enable this to be done means are provided such as a
rack 25 secured to one side of the frame and a pinion 26 capable of being actuated
by a shaft 27 and hand wheel 28. The shaft 27 is carried in bearings on a
bracket 29.
The cells can be swung over from side to side so as to " turn" the paraffin in
them by means of a shaft 30. operated by a hand wheel 31, having a worm 32 on it
which actuates a worm wheel 33 on the hollow shaft 34 which latter, at each end,
is connected rigidly to the trunnions of the centre cells of the apparatuses of the
pair (see Fig. 6). When the wheel 31 is turned the shaft 34 is operated and as a
consequence the trunnions of each central cell are turned thereby moving all the
cells as they are connected together by the bars 5, 6.
35 is the usual paraffin supply pipe which runs along the house from end to end
and fills up all the cells.
The method of treating the paraffin with our apparatus is as follows:-
Water is first run into the cells, which at this time are held in the vertical
position as shown at Figs. 1 and 2, by means of the pipe 35 so as to fill them up
at the bottom to the water line level Fig. 2. When this has been done the
water supply is cut off and the paraffin turned on. Before the paraffin is admitted
to the cells the water overflow cocks 19 are closed. The paraffin is run into the
cells until it fills them to the top and then is cut off. The cells are still retained
in the vertical position until the paraffin becomes solidified or caked which can be
ascertained by inspection. When the paraffin is properly cooled the frame is
tilted over by means of the rack and pinion mechanism into the position shown
at Fig. 3 and thereafter the cells are lowered into the inclined position Fig. 3
by means of the worm gear 32, 33. The angle of inclination of the cells to the
horizontal should be about that shown on the drawings Fig. 3. The valves 21 are
now opened and the water at the bottom of the cells allowed to drain away into the
conduit. The temperature of the house is now increased, in the usual manner, to
the required melting point and this temperature is maintained until the bulk

page_text: of the impurities in the paraffin is sweated off. The frame is then tilted again into
the position shown at Fig. 4 and the cells 4 are turned over also to the position
shown at Fig. 4 by means of the worm gear.
Whilst the cells are in this position
the sweating is continued until all the impurities are sweated off and drained away
by the conduit 24 and the desired melting point of the wax is obtained. When
this has been accomplished the frame and the cells are brought again into the
vertical position shown at Figs. 1 and 2 and steam is introduced by means of the
pipe 14 to the pipes 9 of the cells with the result that the paraffin wax in the
cells is melted and runs off by the conduit 24 to the proper receiver. The valves 21
are now closed, the cocks 19 opened and the procedure commenced again de novo.
For the sake of economy in working we prefer to work the batteries of cells in
pairs as shown in the diagram Fig. 6.
It is very necessary that a clear air space of, say, 4 inches should be left between
each cell when in the inclined positions Figs. 3 and 4 so that the heat may, as
far as possible, act effectively on both sides of the cells. In order to prevent the
cells being moved down beyond the proper angle of inclination stops 40 are pro-
vided upon the frame. The extensions or projecting bars 41 on the bars 5, 6,
when the cells are in the inclined position rest upon these stops.
The tilting over of the cells from side to side as at Figs. 3 and 4 thoroughly
exposes both sides of the paraffin cakes to the action of the heat in order that they
may be properly sweated. This tilting of the cells is equivalent to the present
method of turning over the cakes in the sweating house by means of hand labour.
Although we have shown rack and pinion gear for rocking or tilting the frame
and worm gear for turning over the cells from side to side it is to be understood
that we do not confine ourselves to such mechanism for the purpose as any other
suitable and well known mechanism may be employed. Moreover, the construction
and arrangement of parts of the apparatus may be altered or modified to suit
different requirements or the nature of the building in which the apparatus is to
be erected.
In situations where sufficient space can be allowed between the movable cells the
latter can be fitted upon a fixed frame instead of a tilting frame, and, if so desired,
the cells can be pivotally secured at or about their centres instead of at their
lower ends.
By this invention the following advantages are gained
1. Economy in labour.
2. The paraffin is thoroughly and equally acted upon by the heat.
3. As the paraffin wax is turned by the turning over of the cells there is no
necessity for turning the paraffin cakes by hand.
4. The product produced is superior to that produced by the old methods.
5. As the cooling and the sweating of the paraffin is performed in the same house
and in the same apparatus there is no necessity for separate cooling and sweating
plants.
By retaining water at the bottom of the cells during the cooling process the
paraffin is prevented from completely filling up the cells at the bottom so that
when the water is drained off a free passage is left for the running off of the
impurities during the sweating process.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we consider novel and desire to claim is:-
1. The improved mode of treating paraffin wax in which the paraffin scale is
run into cells retained in the vertical position and in which it is allowed to cool
and solidify the temperature of the house being thereafter increased so as to sweat
the wax in the cells which latter, during the sweating process, are turned over
from side to side; the cells, when the sweating process has been completed, being
again brought to the vertical position and the wax melted and finally run off,
substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: 2. An apparatus for carrying out the mode of treatment claimed in Claim 1
characterised by a frame having a number of cells movably secured therein and
capable of being turned over from side to side by means of suitable mechanism,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The construction or general arrangement and combination of parts of the 3
apparatus substantially as herein before described with reference to the drawings
annexed.
Doted this 21st dow of Cantamhan 1000
H. 1. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.