IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CARBONATE OF BARYTES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for
'the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CARBONATE OF
BARYTES.
A communication from Etienne Philibert Theodore Tassy
de Montluc and Louis Jules Gauthier, both of Paris, in the Empire of
France.
7
Scaled the 28th November 1856, and dated the 27th June 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 27th June 1856.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare
the nature of the said. Invention fo: "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF
CARBONATE OF BARYTES," a communication from Etienne Philibert Theodore
Tassy de Montluc and Louis, Jules Gauthier, both of Paris, in the Empire of
France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar process for producing carbonate of
barytes, a salt which is or may be advantageously applied to various useful
purposes in-the arts, and manufactures..
The peculiar process consists in decomposing an aqueous solution of the

page_text: sulphuret of barium by the aid of carbonic acid gas, assisted by the presence of
a certain quantity of potash, soda; or other alkali.
In this process the carbonic acid unites with the barium, and carbonate of
barytes is precipitated, leaving, however, a slight excess of sulphate of barytes;
the sulphuric acid unites with the alkali, and a sulphate of that alkali is held
in solution.
If sulphate of soda is used it will be entirely decomposed by carbonic acid,
pure carbonate of soda and sulphuretted hydrogen being thereby formed.
Now if we add a solution of sulphuret of barium to a solution of carbonate of
soda, and pass through the united solutions a current of carbonic acid gas, the
sulphate of soda will be decomposed, sulphuretted hydrogen will be produced!
and will escape, (especially if the temperature is slightly elevated,) and
carbonate of soda will be formed, which salt immediately reacts upon the
sulphuret of barium, and carbonate of barytes is thereby produced.
The same original quanfity of the alkaline salt will serve for an indefinite
time, and thus the reaction goes on continuously, and the precipitation of
carbonate of barytes is continuous likewise. When the carbonate has been
precipitated it should be washed with pure water and dried, and it will be
found to be free from sulphates and all compounds of sulphur. I obtain the
sulphuret of barium either by calcining in closed vessels a mixture of sulphate
of barytes and powdered charcoal, or by way of "cementation," the sulphate
being broken into small pieces and calcined in a furnace similar to that
employed in the calcination of lime.
With regard to the carbonic acid it is the result of the combustion of
charcoal, coke, &c., in closed vessels fed with air by a blowing machine. The
carbonate of barytes obtained.in this manner can be applied to various useful
purposes, and in consequence of its purity it may be submitted to the action of
the various acids, with the view of producing salts of baryta for use in
industrial operations.
It is also possible so to arrange the apparatus as either to destroy the
sulphuretted hydrogen or to turn it to useful account, and this may be done
either by burning the gas or by producing from it sulphur or sulphuric acid;
and thus the evils flowing from the presence of sulphuretted hydrogen in the
manufactory may be avoided, whilst an article will be produced which has a
commercial value, and will help to defray the expense of the manufacture of
the carbonate of barytes.
In order to produce sulphur, sulphurous acid gas and sulphuretted hydrogen
should be formed simultaneously, and brought together in a suitable receiver,
when they will neutralize one another, the resulting products being water and

page_text: sulphur. To accomplish this it is only necessary to cause two apparatus to be
in action at the same time, to burn the gas of one by making it pass over a
furnace,and causing the sulphurous acid thus obtained to pass into a chamber
in which the sulphuretted hydrogen disengaged by the other apparatus is
evolved. This product (carbonate of barytes), which I am enabled by this
Invention to produce in a pure state at and a very cheap rate, may be largely
employed in the arts and manufactures, particularly in the manufacture of
glass, crystal, enamel, pottery ware, &c., the carbonate of barytes being used
wholly or partially in place of the carbonates of potash and soda in the pro-
duction of silicates. It may also be employed in the inanufacture of paints,
and in the production of painted and glazed papers, and likewise as a mordant
in dyeing in the state of acetate (or pyrolignite) of barytes, as a substitute for
the acetate (or pyrolignite) of lead.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th December 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,and
of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent; bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reiga,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or 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 PRODUCTION OF CARBONATE OF BARYTES," a communication
from Etienne Philibert Theodore Tassey de Montluc and Louis Jules
Gauthier, both of Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be

page_text: 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 John Henry Johnson, 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.
This Invention relates to a peculiar process for producing carbonate of
barytes, a salt which is or may be advantageously applied to various useful
purposes in the arts and manufactures.
The peculiar process consists in decomposing an aqueous solution of the
sulphuret of barium by the aid of carbonic acid gas, assisted' by the presence of
a certain quantity of potash, soda, or other alkali. In this process the
carbonic acid unites with the barium, and carbonate of barytes is precipitated,
leaving, however, a slight excess of sulphate of barytes; the sulphuric acid
unites with the alkali, and a sulphate of that alkali is held in solution.
If sulphate of soda be used it will be entirely decomposed by carbonic acid,
pure carbonate of soda and sulphuretted hydrogen being thereby formed.
Now if we add a solution of sulphuret of barium to a solution of carbonate of
soda, and pass through the united solutions a current of carbonic acid gas, the
sulphate of soda will be decomposed, sulphuretted hydrogen will be produced
and will escape, (especially if the temperature is slightly elevated,) and
carbonate of soda will be formed, which salt immediately reacts upon the
sulphuret of barium, and carbonate of barytes is thereby produced. The
same original quantity of the alkaline salt will serve for an indefinite time
and thus reaction goes on continuously, and the precipitation of carbonate
of barytes is continuous likewise. When this carbonate has been pre-
cipitated it should be washed with pure water and dried, and it will be
found to be free from sulphates and all compounds of sulphur. I obtain the
sulphuret of barium either by calcining in closed vessels a mixture of sulphate
of barytes and powdered charcoal, or by way of" cementation," the sulphate
being broken into small pieces and calcined in a furnace similar to that
employed in the calcination of lime.
With regard to the carbonic acid it is the result of the combustion of
charcoal, coke,&c., in closed vessels fed with air by a blowing machine. The
carbonate of barytes obtained in this manner can be applied to various useful
purposes, and in consequence of its purity it may be submitted to the action of
the various acids, with the view of producing salts of baryta for use in
industrial operations.

page_text: It is also possible so to arrange the apparatus as either to destroy the
sulphuretted hydrogen or to turn it to useful account, and this may be done
either by burning the gas, or by producing from it sulphur or sulphuric acid;
and thus the evils flowing from the presence of sulphuretted hydrogen in the
manufactory may be avoided, whilst an article will be produced which has a
commercial value, and will help to defray the expense of the manufacture of
the carbonate of barytes.
In order to produce sulphur, sulphurous acid gas and sulphuretted hydrogen
should be formed simultaneously, and brought together in a suitable receiver,
when they will neutralize one another, the resulting products being waterand
sulphur. To accomplish this it is only necessary to cause two apparatus to be
in action at the same time, to burn the gas of one by making it pass over a
furnace, and causing the sulphurous acid thus obtained to pass into a chamber
in which the sulphuretted hydrogen disengaged by the other apparatus is
evolved. This product (carbonate of barytes), which I am enabled by this
Invention to produce in a.pure state and at a very cheap rate, may be largely
employed in the arts and manufactures, particularly in the manufacture of
glass, crystal, enamel, pottery ware &c., the carbonate of barytes being used'
wholly or partially in place of the carbonates of potash and soda in the pro-
duction of silicates. It may also be employed in the manufacture of paints,
and in the production of painted and glazed papers, and likewise as a mordant
in dyeing in the state of acetate(or pyrolignite) of barytes, as a substitute for
the acetate (or pyrolignite) of lead.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of the said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-six.
.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)