IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING CERTAIN COMPOUNDS OF NITROGEN, TO BE APPLIED IN THE COMPOSITION OF ARTIFICIAL MANURES, AND FOR OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1858

page_text: }
LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING CERTAIN COMPOUNDS OF
NITROGEN, TO BE APPLIED IN THE COMPOSITION OF ARTIFICIAL MANURES, AND
FOR OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."-A communication.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
. 2nd February 1858.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery, Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING CERTAIN COMPOUNDS OF
NITROGEN, TO BE APPLIED IN THE COMPOSITION OF ARTIFICIAL MANURES, AND POR
OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
1
The manufacture of artificial manures by decomposing phosphate of lime by
means of sulphuric acid, and adding to the superphosphate of lime thereby
produced various compounds containing nitrogen, such as nitrate of soda orof
potash, and compounds of ammonia, together with other ingredients, has taken
au extraordinary development within the last few years.. In conducting this
Pain Q11

page_text: manufacture in the most economical manner, the manure manufacturer has
found it desirable to prepare sulphuric acid for his own use.
During the manufacture of sulphuric acid, as this is ordinarily conducted, it
is requisite to employcertain compounds of nitrogen with oxygen for the pur-
pose of converting sulphurous acid (SO2) into sulphuric acid (SO). During
.such action, the compounds of nitrogenwith oxygen employed,are repeatedly
converted from hyponitric acid (NO) into deutoxide of nitrogen (NO,) by
the action of sulphurous acid gas, and again from NO, into NO bythe action of
atmospheric air. 'Such conversions are effected repeatedly as the gases employed
pass through the apparatus in which sulphuric acid is being condensed, and the
residual gases containing compounds of nitrogen with oxygen in the state of
NO, and NO, are allowed to escape into the atmosphere, and become wasted.
The Inventor of the present improvements has discovered, that if the said
residual gases proceeding from the manufacture of sulphuric acid are conducted
together with a proper additional supply of atmospherical air, into suitable
apparatus containing alkali or certain alkaline salts in solution, or alkalinė
earth, or certain salts of such earths moistened or mixed with water, the com-
pounds of nitrogen with oxygen contained in such residual gases become
absorbed and combine with the alkali or alkaline earth employed, and produce
nitrates and nitrites equally valuable to be used in the composition of artificial
manures as the nitrates usually employed, and when so used producing a great
economyin the cost of such artificial manures. Such nitrates and nitrites may
also be employed for other purposes, for which ordinary alkaline and earthy
nitrates and nitrites are employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd August 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such

page_text: others as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to...
ime 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 In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING CERTAIN COMPOUNDS OF NITROGEN TO BE
APPLIED IN THE COMPOSITION OF ARTIFICIAL MANURES, AND FOR OTHER USEFUL
PURPOSES," being a communication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing
under iny 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 within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 (that is to say):-
The said Invention relates to the absorption of compounds of nitrogen with
oxygen proceeding from the manufacture of sulphuric acid by means of certain
alkaline earths, and the application of the compounds of nitrogen so obtained
in the composition of artificial manures, and for other useful purposes.
The manufacture of artificial manures by decomposing phosphate of lime by
means of sulphuric acid, and adding to the superphosphate of lime thereby
produced various compounds containing nitrogen, such as nitrates of soda or of
potash, and compounds of ammonia, together with other ingredients, has taken
an extraordinary development within the last few years. In conducting this
manufacture in the most economical manner, the manufacturer of manure has
found it desirable to produce sulphuric acid for his own use.
During the manufacture of sulphuric acid, as this is ordinarily conducted, it
is 'requisite to employ certain compounds of nitrogen with oxygen, for the
purpose of converting sulphurous acid (SO) into sulphuric acid (SO³). During
such action the compounds of nitrogen with oxygen employed are repeatedly
'converted from hyponitric acid (NO) into deutoxide of nitrogen (NO2) by the
action of sulphurous acid gas, and again from NO2 into NO' by the action of
'atmospherical air. Such conversions are repeatedly effected as the gases
'employed pass through the apparatus in which sulphuric acid is being produced,
and'the residual gases containing compounds of nitrogen with oxygen in the
state of NO and NO are allowed to escape into the atmosphere and to become
waisted

page_text: The Inventor of the present improvements has discovered, that if the said
residual gases proceeding from the manufacture of sulphuric acid are conducted,
together with a proper additional supply of atmospherical air (when such
additional supply is requisite), into suitable apparatus containing certain alka-
line earths or carbonates of such earths moistened or mixed with water, the
compounds of nitrogen with oxygen contained in such residual gases become
absorbed and combine with the alkaline earths employed,and produce nitrates
equally valuable to be used in the composition of artificial manures as the
nitrates usually employed, and when so, used, producing a great economy in
the cost of such artificial manures; such nitrates may also be employed for
other purposes for which ordinary nitrates are employed.
In effecting the said Invention, I prefer to use lime, either caustic or in the
state of carbonate of lime, as the alkaline earth employed for absorbing the
said compounds of nitrogen, although magnesia or carbonate of magnesia and
mixtures of lime and magnesia, or of carbonates of lime and magnesia (such
as magnesian limestone), may also be used advantageously for the same purpose.
To effect the said Invention by the use of carbonate of lime or of carbonate of
magnesia or a mixture of such carbonates, I construct a tower of timber
framework lined with sheet lead, having an arrangement at its lower part for
running off fluid, and at its upper part for supplying water or solution of
nitrate in such manner as to moisten the contents of such tower. I fill such
tower with pieces of limestone, or of chalk, or of magnesian limestone, or of
native carbonate of magnesia, supported on a perforated false bottom, and I
conduct residual gases proceeding from the ordinary manufacture of sulphuric
acid, with or without an additional proportion of atmospherical air into such
tower below the said perforated false bottom, and I connect the upper portion
of such tower with a chimney draft, and thereby cause a current of residual
gases to be drawn from apparatus in which sulphuric acid is being manu-
factured and passed through such tower. I supply water or solution of nitrate
of alkaline earth at the upper part of such tower in such manner that the fluid
supplied trickles over the surfaces of the material contained therein, and
extensive moistened surfaces are thereby presented for the absorption of com-
pounds of nitrogen from the said residual gases, and the said compounds
entering into combination with the alkaline earth of the material employed
produce solution of nitrate of such alkaline earths, which solution descends to
the lower part of such tower, and flows therefrom into a suitable reservoir, from
which it may be pumped up and again passed through such tower until the
solution acquires such a gravity as may be desired. In consequence of alkaline
earth becoming thus dissolved from the pieces of material employed, it is

page_text: needful from time to time to fill up the tower with fresh pieces of such material,
and it is occasionally needful to empty such tower and substitute larger pieces
of material for the smaller ones remaining in such tower after it has been in
use for some time. It is necessary at all times to have sufficient interstices
between the pieces of material used in such tower to permit a free passage of
the said residual gases through the same.
To effect the said Invention by the use of caustic lime or of caustic magnesia,
or of a mixture of such alkaline earths, 1 construct a similar tower to that
which I have herein-before mentioned, and I fill the same with siliceous
pebbles or other suitable material supported on a perforated false bottom, and
I introduce residual gases proceeding from the manufacture of sulphuric acid
under such perforated bottom, in the manner herein-before mentioned. I
prepare a mixture of the alkaline earth or of the alkaline earths (which I
employ) with water, the mixture having such fluidity as will provide for its
flowing readily, and I introduce such mixture into the upper part of the said
tower, from which it descends over the pebbles or other materials contained
therein, and thus prevents extensive surfaces coated with a mixture of alkaline
earth and water to the residual gases passing through such tower, and effects
the absorption of compounds of nitrogen therefrom, producing nitrates of the
alkaline earth or alkaline earths employed.
I concentrate solution of nitrates (so obtained) by evaporation of water
therefrom, and I obtain crystallized nitrates or concentrated solutions which I
apply in the composition of artificial manures or for other useful purposes for
which nitrates are employed.
I generallyfind it advantageous to introduce some atmospherical air into or
amongst the residual gases, from which I effect the abstraction of nitrogen
compounds; I effect such introduction by means of an aperture in the channel
throughwhich suchresidualgases are conductedto the towerherein mentioned.
I have herein-before particularlydescribed andascertained the means which
I consider to be best adapted for effecting the objects of the Invention for
which I obtained the Letters Patent herein-before partly recited; but I do not
confine myself in effecting such objects to the precise details herein-before
described, as these may be varied to some extent without deviating from the
nature of the said Invention.
I claim as the Invention secured to me as herein-before mentioned,―
Firstly, the absorption of compounds of nitrogen with oxygen proceeding
from the ordinarymanufacture of sulphuric acid bymeans of lime or magnesia
or by means of mixtures of lime and magnesia, thereby producing nitrates of
the alkaline earth employed.

page_text: Secondly, the application of nitrates of alkaline earths so obtained in the
manufacture of artificial manures, and for other usefulpurposes to which such
nitrates are applicable.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton,have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Second day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
(L.B.)