IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION FOR USE OF CAUSTIC ALKALIES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Collier Bakewell, of No. 6, Haverstock
Terrace, Hampstead, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION FOR USE OF CAUSTIC ALKALIES."
A communication from George Thompson, of North America.
Sealed the 19th March 1858, and dated the 23rd September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Collier Bake-
Iwell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd September 1857.
I, FREDERICK COLLIER BAKEWELL, of No. 6, Haverstock Terrace, Hamp-
stead, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION FOR USE OF CAUSTIC
ALKALIES," being a communication from George Thompson, of North America-
to be as follows:-
The Invention consists in putting up into air-tight packages small quantities
of caustic soda or potass, for the purpose of introducing those caustic articles
into general use for domestic purposes. The plan adopted is the following:-
Small cylindrical cases of very thin sheet iron are first made. These are
joined down the side by a lap joint, the metal being pressed firmly together
by machinery, the top and bottom of each case are made of circular discs of
thin sheet iron of the proper size, the edges of which are turned up by
machinery. The bottom is fastened on by laying an infusible cement, mada

page_text: of fire-clay mixed with linseed oil or of other suitable materials, round the
inside of the turned-up edge of the bottom piece, and then the hollow
cylinder which forms the body of the case is pressed into it. When the
cement round the bottom is sufficiently dry, the hot liquid caustic soda or
potass is poured in until the case is quite full, the top piece is made similarly
to the bottom piece, and being in like manner supplied with cement round
the turned-up edge it is then pressed down upon the case. The small iron
case filled with the caustic alkali' being thus closed, is then dried in an oven
or kiln, and finally when the cement is sufficiently dry the whole is dipped
into varnish which ensures the exclusion of atmospheric air. A number of
these cases holding each about one pound or more, or less, as may be found
convenient, may be filled at the same time, and the alkali thus secured may be
kept ready for use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Collier Bakewell in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd March 1858,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
COLLIER BAKEWELL, of No. 6, Haverstock Terrace, Hampstead, in the County
of Middlesex, send greeting,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Frederick Collier Bakewell, Her special licence that I, the said
Frederick Collier Bakewell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Frederick Collier Bakewell, my executors, admini-
strators, 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 PREPARATION FOR USE OF CAUSTIC
ALKALIS," being a communication from George Thompson of North America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Collier Bake-
well, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
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

page_text: 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 I, the said Frederick Collier Bakewell, 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:
fellowing statement:
.This Invention consists in the mode herein-after described or its equivalent,
of putting up into small air-tight packages quantities (say from ten pounds
and under) of the hydrated alkalis soda and potassa, for the introduction of
those articles into general use for domestic purposes. The hydrated alkalis
soda and potassa, are ordinarily put up into large wooden barrels and they
have heretofore. been sold in those. large quantities, owing to the extreme
difficulty of putting them up into small packages, which would at the same
time withstand the intense heat of the molten alkalis, and effectually protect
them from the action of atmospheric air. These caustic alkalis will not,
as is well known, bear exposure to atmospheric air even for a short time,
without attracting moisture therefrom, when they speedily deliquesce and
become useless, and it has therefore been found impracticable to retail them for
domestic use, and still more difficult to keep them on hand in private families.
In putting up caustic alkalis the case or covering must fit so closely to their
surfaces as to allow of no air whatever being present, otherwise the articles
will be damaged. To effect this exclusion of air the plan which has been
found most efficient and entirely successful is the following:-Small cylindrical
cases are made of very thin sheet iron with a lap joint down the side of each,
which is pressed firmly together by machinery, ordinary solder not being able
to withstand the intense heat of the liquid alkalis when poured into the cases.
The top and bottom of each case consist of circular discs of thin sheet iron,
the edges of which are turned up by machinery so as to fit on to the cylindrical
cases. The bottom is fastened on by an infusible cement, made of fire-clay
mixed with linseed oil, or of other suitable materials. This cement is laid
round the inside of the turned-up edge of the bottom piece, and the body of
the case is then pressed into it. When the cement round the bottom is
sufficiently dry, the caustic soda or potass is poured from a ladle into each
small case until it is quite full. The top piece being made similarly to the
bottom piece, and like it supplied with cement round the turned-up edge, is
then pressed down upon the case. The small iron case filled with caustic
alkali being thus closed is placed in an oven or kiln, and, finally, when the
cement is sufficiently dry, the whole is dipped into varnish to ensure the

page_text: perfect sealing of the case, and the exclusion of atmospheric air from its
contents. A large number of these: cases, holding each about one pound,
(or more or less as may be found convenient) may be filled at one time
and very expeditiously. The alkali thus secured may be kept uninjured
until opened, the cases being of such sizes that the contents of a single one
may be convenient to use at once.
What is claimed in this Invention is the mode herein-before described, or
its equivalent, of putting up the caustic alkalis, soda, or potass into small air-
tight packages.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Collier Bakewell, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of March, in the
year of our Lord 1858.
FRED COLLIER BAKEWELL.
(L.B.)
FRED COLLIER BAKEWELL. (L.S.)