IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOAP
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Blake and Francis Maxwell, both of Kitchen
Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Soap Manufacturers, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOAP."-A com-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Blake and Francis
Maxwell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 30th August 1856.
We, JAMES BLAKE and FRANCIS MAXWELL, both of Kitchen Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Soap Manufacturers, do hereby declare
the nature of our Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOAP,"
to be as follows:-
Our said Invention consists, firstly, in forming a soap by combining soap
or saponified matter in the state in which it is commonly called soft curd,
with a neutral soap which has not been deprived of its water. The soft
curd is formed of an oil or oils or fatty matters saponified by alkaline leys;
the saponified matter thus formed being then separated from the water or
excess of leys by means of salt or salt water in the usual way. The neutral
soap we use in what may be called the hydrated state, and it is composed of
an oil or oils or fatty matters and alkaline leys, of such strength and quantity
that, when combined by boiling, the two component parts of the saponified

page_text: matters, that is to say the fatty matters and the alkali, are neutralized. The
soft curd soap being added to the hydrated neutral soap is to be combined with
it by boiling the mixture. Resinous and other matters which are commonly
used in soap making, may also be used in making the soap or saponified
matters above mentioned.
Our said Invention consists, secondly, of a mode of combining resin or resinous
substances with alkali or alkaline leys, so as to obtain a saponified resin or
combination of resin and alkali to be used in the manufacture of resin soaps.
The resin is mixed with a small quanity of fatty matter and then boiled with
the requisite quantity of leys until saponified by the combination of the resin
with the alkali contained in the leys. The saponified resin may then be
separated from the water or excess of leys with which it is mixed by adding
salt or salt water, and in this way the saponified resin may be obtained in the
state of soft curd or paste. This saponified resin may be combined or mixed
with a hydrated neutral soap such as above mentioned and with other soaps,
and by thus preparing or combining resin a larger quantity or proportion of
resin may be caused to enter into the composition of resin soaps, and we deem
the quality of the resin soap thus made to be improved. For the purpose of
better enabling the operator to combine alkaline leys with fatty and other
matters in the proper proportions to obtain neutral soaps, we use a table of
equivalents or proportions, which shews the proportionate quantities of materials
to be used in order to make such soaps.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Blake and Francis Maxwell in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 27 February 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
BLAKE and FRANCIS MAXWELL, both of Kitchen Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Soap Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
James Blake and Francis Maxwell, Her special licence that we, the said
James Blake and Francis Maxwell, our executors, administrators, and assigns,

page_text: or such others as we, the said James Blake and Francis Maxwell, our
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 IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOAP," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said James Blake and Francis
Maxwell, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 we, the said James Blake and Francis Maxwell,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
Our said Invention consists, firstly, in forming a soap by combining soap or
saponified matter in the state in which it is commonly called soft curd, with a
neutral soap which has not been deprived of its water. The curd soap which
we use may be formed of any of the oils or fatty matters usually employed in
soap making, and such oils or fatty matters may be saponified by means of
alkaline leys in the usual way, but we prefer to use curd made by means of
the soda leys of the strength and in the quantity herein-after mentioned, for
the purpose of obtaining a soft curd better adapted for combining with a
neutral soap, the saponified matter thus formed may be separated from the
water or excess of leys with which it is mixed by means of salt, salt water, or
concentrated soda leys, in the usual way.
In the first table of equivalents or proportions which we give below, we
state the oils and fatty matters which we prefer to use in making the soft curd
soap, and also the strength and quantity of the soda leys which we deem to be
best adapted for the speedy saponification of such oils and fatty matters. The
neutral soap which has not been deprived of its water, is a soap which retains
in its constitution the soda leys, or soda and water, employed in its manu-
facture, which not being separated therefrom is in a hydrated state and may be
called a bydrated soap.
In calling this soap neutral it must be understood that we mean that it
shall be made of fatty or oily matters and soda leys, in such proportions that

page_text: they may be effectually saponified or combined by means of boiling or heat, so
as to make a soap or combination in which neither the fatty or oily matter nor
the alkali shall be materially in excess.
This hydrated soap we make by saponifying oils or fatty matters, or com-
binations of oils and fatty matters, by means of soda leys in manner herein-after
described, so as not to contain too much water of hydration to make, when
combined with the soft curd soap to be used, a soap of the degree of hardness
which we desire to produce. In making hydrated neutral soaps we have found
that it is necessary to avoid using the soda leys of two great strength, for if the
leys be too strong the soap will not be neutral; and it is desirable not to use
the leys any weaker than shall be necessary, because the soap made with weak
leys would contain too much water of hydration to allow it to be applicable in
the manufacture of hard soap.
In the second table, which we give below, we mention those fatty matters
which we have found to be best adapted, either separately or in combination,
for producing hydrated neutral soap; also the strength of leys which we have
found to be most useful in converting each of such fatty matters into hydrated
neutral soap, and also the quantity of such leys which we deem to be requisite
for that purpose.
In making the curd soap for the purposes of our Invention, we place the
mixture of fatty or oily matters and soda leys in soap pans or vessels of the
ordinary or any other suitable description, and apply heat in any usual or
convenient way, and when the proportions of fatty or oily matters and soda
leys mentioned in the first table are adopted, we have found the process
of producing the curd soap to be much more rapid than when making it with
fatty matters and soda leys in the ordinary manner.
We have mentioned soft curd because, for the purpose of our Invention, it
is not necessary to convert the soft curd into a finished soap of any description,
and we use it in the unfinished state because it is more economical so to do.
In making a hydrated soap, we place the mixture of fatty or oily matters
and soda leys in a suitable pan or vessel, preferring one that presents a larger
extent of heating surface than ordinary soap pans, and the mixture being
heated to and maintained at a boiling temperature, we have found that under
careful management the fatty or oily matters and soda leys will be combined in
about two hours. The curd soap made as above described or otherwise, and
the hydrated soap made in manner above described, we mix together in the
proportions which we deem expedient for producing a soap of the required
description, and in the description below, we shew (by way of illustration) the

page_text: proportions of soft curd and hydrated soaps which may be mixed together for
producing several descriptions of soap.
We place the mixture in a suitable pan or vessel, preferring one that
presents a considerable extent of heating surface, heated by a furnace, or
fire, or steam in any usual or convenient manner. We apply a slow heat
until the soft curd soap is dissolved and thoroughly incorporated with the
hydrated soap, and then increase the temperature until the contents of the
pan begin to boil; afterwards we remove the greater part of the fire, or shut
off a portion of the steam, in order to prevent any further increase of the tem-
perature, and we continue the boiling by the application of a moderate heat
until the materials are thoroughly combined, when the soap which will be
formed may be removed to the soap frames; but we prefer to keep the: soap hot
(by covering it) without crutching it for as long as may be convenient. Resinous
and other matters, which are commonly used in soap making, may also be
used in making the soap or saponified matters above mentioned.
Our said Invention consists, secondly, of a mode of combining resin or
resinous substances with alkali, or alkaline leys, so as to obtain saponified
resin, or a combination of resin and alkali to be used in the nianufacture of
resin soap.
In order to effect this combination, we first mix a portion, say about one
third part of the resin which we intend to use, with a small quantity of fatty
matter, and we find that a quantity equal to from six to ten per cent. of the
entire quantity of resin or resinous substances to be saponified is sufficient.
A similar proportion, say one-third of the alkaline leys, is also mixed with the
resin, and the mixture is then slowly melted. The remainder of the resinous
substance is then added gradually by small quantities at a time, as the added
portions became melted, and when the entire quantity has been melted we
add the residue of the alkaline leys. Increased heat is then applied until the
material boils, and this is continued until the saponification of the whole of
the mass has been effected, when it will have assumed an appearance or con-
sistence somewhat similar to thick glue or paste, and this effect may be
produced, under the application of heat in manner above described, and careful
management, in about three hours. We then separate the saponified resin
from the excess of leys and water by means of salt or concentrated leys in the
same manner as herein-before mentioned with respect to saponified fatty
matters, and thus obtain the saponified resin in the state of soft curd. In
saponifying resin in this way, it is deprived of much of its peculiar smell, and
is considerably bleached, and the soft resinous curd soap which is obtained is

page_text: adapted for being mixed with other soaps. In saponifying resin or resinous
substances in this way, we deem it necessary to use an easily manageable fire,
or steam heating apparatus, which can be effectually controlled, in order to
regulate the temperature.
For the purpose of exemplifying the application of our Invention in the
manufacture of various kinds of soaps (similar to soaps in ordinary use), we
will proceed to mention how soft curd soap obtained by the saponification of
fatty matters may be combined with neutral hydrated soap for that purpose,
either with or without admixture with other ingredients, and also how
saponified resin may be combined with other soaps.
To make mottled soap, we take a known quantity of tallow, fatty matter, or
bleached palm oil, and boil it with sufficient soda leys to produce saponifica-
tion, and then obtain the saponified fatty matters in the state of soft curd, as
before mentioned; at the same time we prepare in another soap pan the
hydrated soap, which may be formed of any of the oils or fatty matters men-
tioned in the second table of equivalents or proportions, either singly or in
combination.
For a combination of oils or fatty matters to be used in making this soap,
we prefer to use cocoa-nut oil, tallow, and lard, in the proportions of about
eighty per cent. of cocoa-nut oil, fourteen per cent. of tallow, and six per cent. of
lard. The quantity of leys to be used for the saponification of these oils and
fats, either singly or in combination, should be carefully calculated by means of
the second table, in order that a suitable hydrated soap may be formed; we then
transfer the curd soap to the soap pan containing the hydrated soap made as
last described, and boil both soaps together by means of a slow fire until they
are perfectly united, and an appearance is presented of a soap finished in the
ordinary manner. A mottle may be produced in this soap by adding to it,
when in a finished state, coloring matter, to impart to the mottle such
color as may be desired, in the usual way; in about half an hour after
the soaps and coloring matter have been thoroughly incorporated, the soap
may be transferred to the frames. To manufacture the best descriptions
of mottled soaps, we use a quantity or weight of oil or fatty matter converted
into hydrated soap equal to from-one fourth to one-half of the oil or fatty
matters used in making the curd soap intended to be combined with it,
and for cheaper descriptions of soap the proportion of hydrated soap may be
increased to proportions in which the oil or fatty matter converted into
hydrated soap shall be equal to from two-thirds to one and a half of the weight
of oil and fatty matter used to make the curd soap.

page_text: To make white soap we use a combination of tallow, oils, and fats, to form
both the curd soap and the hydrated soap, and mix them together, as indicated
in the process for making mottled soap.
To prepare a soap similar to that made from tallow and resin, and known in
the trade as "pale soap," we put into the soap pan two-thirds of the entire
quantity of tallow intended to be used in the operation, and then add about
one-third of the quantity of ley calculated to be required for its saponification,
a slow heat must be applied; and when the tallow and leys have united, a
quantity of resin saponified, as herein-before described, must be added to the
soap under the process of manufacture. We do not confine ourselves to any
proportion, but prefer to use for the better qualities of pale soap, saponified resin,
in the proportion of one-third to the weight of tallow used in making the soap.
When the tallow, leys, and saponified resin are thoroughly united, we add the
remainder of the leys, gradually increasing the heat at the same time, until the
whole of the calculated quantity is used. After saponification, the excess of
leys and water is separated in the usual manner, and the mixture of tallow and
resin soap obtained in the state of soft curd. In another soap pan we make
the hydrated soap by saponifying the remaining quantity of tallow, that is, the
third part left from the first operation by using soda leys, of the strength and
in the quantity which may be ascertained by reference to the said second table
of equivalents, and into the pan containing such bydrated tallow soap we
trasnfer the soft curd of resin and tallow soap, made as already mentioned.
And after boiling the mixture together for about two hours, the soaps will
become thoroughly united, and the compound soap will have assumed the
appearance similar to the ordinary soaps in process of finishing. The soap
should be removed to the frames within two or three hours after it is finished,
and the frames should be covered so as to retain the heat as long as practicable.
To make a palm oil and resin soap, similar to that known in the trade as "crown
soap," we prepare a curd soap from palm oil and resin in a similar manner to
that described in making "pale soap" from tallow and resin, the weight of the
leys required for palm oil being ascertained by reference to the first table of
equivalents. In another soap pan we form a hydrated soap by saponifying a
quantity of palm oil or tallow, equal to one-third of the weight of palm oil
firstly used for the curd soap, by using leys of the strength, and in the quantity
which may be ascertained by means of the second table of equivalents; and to
such hydrated soap we add the palm oil and resin curd soap, and proceed in the
completion of this soap in like manner as in the production of tallow pale soap
above described.
To manufacture soaps at a reduced cost, we use a greater proportion of

page_text: saponified resin curd for admixture with the curd soap obtained from fatty
matters, or we use a greater proportion of hydrated soap in proportion to the
curd soap used. When the curd soap to be combined with a hydrated soap
contains any excess of fatty or oily matters so that the combination of the two
soaps would not produce a neutral soap, we add such a quantity of leys to
the hydrated soap, or to the mixture, as will make the combination neutral.
In the preparation of soda leys, we prefer to use soda ash, of the strength
containing from forty to forty-eight per cent. of pure soda, and to every one
hundred pounds such soda ash we use sixty-five to seventy pounds of freshly
calcined lime, slacked in its own weight of water, and one thousand pounds of
water to dissolve the soda ash.
We slack the lime firstly, and then add the required weight of water, and
when the lime and water have been thoroughly mixed, we add the soda ash.
We employ free steam, blown through the mixture of water, lime, and soda
ash, in order to boil it, and to assist in the operation, or rendering the leys
caustic. The leys produced from the above proportions of materials will be of
the specific gravity of 11° Beaumé's hydrometer. Stronger leys may be pro-
duced by using less proportions of water, or larger proportions of soda ash in
the quantities necessary to produce the leys desired.
In the following table of equivalents or proportions, we state the oils and
fatty matters we prefer to use for making the soft curd soap, and the strength
of soda leys (as indicated by Beaumé's hydrometer), and and the quantities of
the same which we deem to be best adapted for speedily effecting the saponi-
fication of such fatty matter, such quantities being stated in degrees of Beaumé's
hydrometer with reference to a combination with one hundred pounds of each
fatty matter, so that the number of pounds of leys required for the saponifi-
cation of any particular fatty matter may be ascertained by dividing such
number of degrees by the strength of the leys stated to be applicable to such
fatty matter, and the quotient will be the number of pounds of leys required
to be used to saponify one hundred pounds of fatty matter.
FIRST TABLE OF EQUIVALENTS OR PROPORTIONS ABOVE-MENTIONED.

page_text: In the next table of equivalents or proportions, we state the oils and fatty
matters we prefer to use in making the hydrated soaps, and the strength of
soda leys (as indicated by Beaumé's hydrometer), and the quantities of the
same which we prefer to use in converting such fatty matters into hydrated
soap, such quantities being stated in degrees of Beaume's hydrometer, with
reference to a combination with 100 lbs. of any fatty matter intended to be
used, so that the number of pounds of leys required for the saponification of
any fatty matter may be ascertained by dividing such number of degrees by
the strength of the leys stated to be applicable to such fatty matter, and the
quotient will be the number of pounds of leys required to be used to saponify
one hundred pounds of fatty matter.

page_text: order to ascertain the quantities and strength of leys required to saponify the
several fats above mentioned which are to be used in producing the hydrated
soap. For cocoa-nut oil, either of the two different strength of leys 16° or 20°,
mentioned in the second table of proportions, may be used. The quantities of
leys required, may be stated as follows:-
For 80 lbs.
cocoa-nut oil,
For 80 lbs.
c. n. oil,
For 14 lbs.
tallow,
For 6 lbs.
lard,
if leys of 16° be
used, we take the
proportion,
if leys of 20° be
used, we say,
we take the pro-
portion,
we take the pro-
portion,
}·
lbs.
c. n. oil
as 100:10:: 80: 205 lbs. weight
of leys 16°.
as 100:110:80: 164 = lbs. weight
of leys 20°.
as 100:300 :: 14:48 = lbs. weight
of leys 11°.
as 100:3400:: 6:15 lbs. weight
of leys 13°.
Having now particularly described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner in which it is to be performed, we declare that we claim as of our
Invention,
Firstly, the manufacture of soap by combining curd with hydrated soap, and
also the manufacture of hydrated soaps in manner herein-before described.
Secondly, the mode of saponifying resin, or similar resinous matter by
mixing it with a small portion of fatty matter, and treating it with alkaline
leys in manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Blake and Francis Maxwell,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-sixth day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-seven
JAMES BLAKE.
(L.S.)
FRANCIS MAXWELL. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the said
James Blake and Francis Maxwell, in
the presence of
Attent I am
T