Process and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Per Salts of Iron.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left,
16th Feb 1803 Accepted 18th Mar 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Process and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Per Salts of
Iron.
We, EUGENE HERMITE, and ANDRÉ DUBOSC, both of No. 4 Rue Drouot,
Paris, France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to a process for converting proto salts of iron into per
salts, suitable for dyeing, coagulating blood and other purposes, by electrolytic
The
action, and to electrolytic apparatus suitable for conducting this process.
process depends upon a principle discovered by us which may be thus expressed.
When a solution of sulphate of protoxide of iron (FeOSO³ 7 HO) is subjected
to electrolytic action, with the addition of a weak solution of protochloride of
iron, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium or vanadium, more especially proto-
chloride of magnesium, this salt, under the influence of the current, becomes
decomposed along with the water and produces an oxygenated chlorine compound
very rich in oxygen, which, as soon as it is formed, passes to the sulphate of
protoxide of iron, converting it into a basic sulphate of peroxide according to
the equation
2 (FeOSO³ 7 HO) + 0 = Fe³O³ 2 SO³ + 14 HO.
On adding an equivalent of sulphuric acid there is obtained trisulphate of
peroxide of iron or normal sulphate Fe2O3 3 SO³. When it is desired to obtain
sulphate of peroxide of iron under this latter form, the sulphuric acid may be
added before the electrolytic action which is promoted by this addition.
As the sulphate of peroxide of iron is more soluble than sulphate of protoxide,
if, during the electrolysis, the solution is caused to circulate through apparatus
arranged to maintain always the maximum proportion of sulphate of protoxide,
a completely saturated solution of sulphate of peroxide of iron can be obtained.
By more or less prolonging the action of the current, or employing a current
of greater or less intensity, a greater or less quantity of the sulphate of peroxide
of iron can be obtained constituting the various dyeing mordants, known as rust,
sulphonitrate and persulphate of iron, which are mixtures in various portions of
the sulphate of protoxide with the bisulphate or trisulphate of peroxide of iron.
If, on the contrary the electrolytic action is continued after addition of a
suitable quantity of sulphuric acid until complete conversion of the sulphate of
protoxide into trisulphate of peroxide of iron, a liquor is obtained the action of
which is most energetic in coagulating blood in slaughter houses, so that the
manure known as dried blood can be rapidly prepared.
A convenient form of apparatus for conducting the process consists of a tank
of enamelled iron with an outlet at the bottom for running off the contents when
required, a perforated pipe in the lower part of the tank for supplying the
solution to be acted on, and an overflow outlet at the upper part. The electrodes
are plates of iron alternating with frames of platinum sheets, each of the iron
plates having a pair of goose neck arms which rest at one side of the tank on
a copper conductor and on the other side on an iron bar, each of the platinum
frames having also a single goose neck arm secured to another conductor extending
along the tank.
Dated this 30th day of May 1892.
ABEL & IMKAY,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: .
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A. Process and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Per Salts of
Iron.
We, EUGENE HERMITE, and ANDRÉ DUBOSC, both of No. 4 Rue Drouot,
Paris, France, 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 :-
Our invention relates to a process for converting proto salts of iron into per
_salts, suitable for dyeing, coagulating blood and other purposes, by electrolytic
action, and to electrolytic apparatus suitable for conducting this process.
The
process depends upon a principle discovered by us which may be thus expressed.
When a solution of sulphate of protoxide of iron (FeOSO³7 HO) is subjected
to electrolytic action, with the addition of a weak solution of protochloride of
iron, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium or vanadium, more especially proto-
chloride of magnesium, this salt, under the influence of the current, becomes decom-
posed along with the water and produces an oxygenated chlorine compound very
rich in oxygen, which, as soon as it is formed, passes to the sulphate of protoxide of
iron, converting it into a basic sulphate of peroxide according to the equation
2 (FeOSO³ 7 HO) + 0 = Fe²0³ 2 SO³ + 14 HO.
On adding an equivalent of sulphuric acid there is obtained trisulphate of
peroxide of iron or normal sulphate Fe2O3 3 SO³. When it is desired to obtain
sulphate of peroxide of iron under this latter form, the sulphuric acid may be
added before the electrolytic action which is promoted by this addition.
As the sulphate of peroxide of iron is more soluble than sulphate of protoxide,
if, during the electrolysis, the solution is caused to circulate through apparatus
arranged to maintain always the maximum proportion of sulphate of protoxide, a
.completely saturated solution of sulphate of peroxide of iron can be obtained.
By more or less prolonging the action of the current, or employing a current of
greater or less intensity, a greater or less quantity of the sulphate of peroxide of
iron can be obtained constituting the various dyeing mordants, known as rust,
sulphonitrate and persulphate of iron, which are mixtures in various portions of
the sulphate of protoxide with the bisulphate or trisulphate of peroxide of iron.
If, on the contrary the electrolytic action is continued after addition of a suitable
quantity of sulphuric acid until complete conversion of the sulphate of protoxide
into trisulphate of peroxide of iron, a liquor is obtained the action of which is
most energetic in coagulating blood in slaughter houses, so that the manure known
as dried blood can be rapidly prepared.
A convenient form of apparatus for conducting the process is shewn in end view
by Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, Fig. 2 being a longitudinal section and
Fig. 3 a plan. It consists of a tank a of enamelled iron with an outlet b at the
_bottom for running off the contents when required, this outlet having a hinged
cover b¹, a perforated pipe c in the lower part of the tank for supplying the
solution to be acted on, and an overflow outlet d at the upper part. The electrodes
are plates of cast iron e alternating with frames of platinum sheets, each of the
iron plates e having a pair of goose neck arms which rest at one side of the tank
on a copper conductor g and on the other side on an iron bar h each of the
platinum frames baving also a single goose neck arm secured to another conductor i
extending along the tank.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim.is:-
:-
1. The herein described process for converting proto salts of iron into per salts,

page_text: particularly protosulphate into per sulphate, by electrical action in presence of
protochlorides especially magnesium protochloride.
2. The herein described process for the manufacture of trisulphate of iron
peroxide by electrolysis of a solution of iron proto sulphate and a protochloride
especially magnesium proto chloride in presence of excess of sulphuric acid.
3. The manufacture of various mixtures of sulphate of iron protoxide with
bi- or tri-sulphate of iron peroxide by maintaining for a longer or a shorter period
the electrolytic action referred to in the preceding claim.
4. The apparatus for conducting the processes above referred to, substantially
as described.
Dated this 16th day of February 1892
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.