AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF HARD SOAP
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF HARD SOAP" to be as follows:-
In the process now generally employed for the production of hard soap, this is
separated from the lye after the salting process, by drawing off the lye; the
nucleus soap thus obtained is then either cut out after cooling or it is boiled down
and run into moulds. The product thus obtained is rendered more or less impure
by the lye and salt remaining therein, the lye having, on account of its alkaline
constituents, a detrimental effect upon the fabrics treated therewith, as also on the
colors thereof, while the salt diminishes the cleansing properties, and consequently
the value of the soap.
The present Invention has for its object the production of a nucleus soap that
shall be practically almost completely freed from the lyes and that shall contain
much less salt than ordinary nucleus soap, while, at the same time a much harder
and more neutral product is obtained, containing also less water (from 20 to
25 per cent.) than that obtained in the ordinary way.
In carrying out the improved process, the soap, separated by salt by the known
methods and before its separation from the lye by complete cooling has taken
place, is introduced into a centrifugal machine driven at a high speed, and is
subjected, while in a heated condition, to centrifugal action for a comparatively
short space of time (from 4 to, at most, 20 minutes). The centrifugal apparatus
can be of any suitable known construction that permits of the specifically heavier
lyc flowing off at the proper place while the soap is condensed by the centrifugal
action either against the sides of the drum itself, or in special moulds or buckets,
if a bucket centrifugal machine be employed. After being subjected to this
centrifugal action, the soap is practically entirely freed from the lyes and contains
only a small quantity of the salt and a much smaller percentage of water than is
ordinarily the case, while the specific density is greatly increased, the product
being perfectly neutral. The soap may, if necessary, be subject to a further cooling

page_text: which however would be of but short duration, either in the centrifugal machine
itself under the application of cold water, if necessary, or the moulds or buckets
or even the centrifugal drum itself can be removed for this purpose and be placed
in a cooling chamber.
.
If the salting has been effected under a dilute condition of the lye, it might, in
some cases, be of advantage to allow the soap to settle from the lye for a short
time before the centrifugal action is applied, in order to have to remove a somewhat
less quantity of liquid by such action. The application of centrifugal action in
the hot condition as described is also effective in those cases where, according to
the ordinary methods, a complete separation of the soap is not possible or very
difficult, as is the case, for instance with the saponification of cocoanut oil. With
this, the separation of the soap, by the existing methods, is so difficult (some
soapmakers even assert that cocoanut oil cannot be converted into hard soap at
all) and the separated product is so porous when effected at all, and so saturated
with salt solution, that it is generally preferred to treat cocoanut oil together with
other oils of which the soap is more easily separated. With the centrifugal action
described, however, even the separation of cocoanut oil can be perfectly effected,
resulting in a hard neutral product free from lye and containing a low percentage
of water.
As further advantages of the described process may be mentioned:
1. That the greater or less degree of concentration at which the salting is
effected, is without influence upon the product obtained, a product of uniform
quality being obtainable by due regulation of the duration of the centrifugal
action.
1
2. That in the cases which sometimes occur where the soap has a tendency to
remain in the granular condition, the centrifugal action nevertheless converts it
into a solid compact mass, thereby dispensing with repeated solution of the soap,
which is otherwise necessary.
3. That the entire separation requires much less time, so that, for a large
production, a considerable saving in cost is thus effected, in addition to the
advantage of obtaining a better, harder and perfectly neutral product, free from
lye and containing less percentage of salt and of water.
Doted this 77th dose of Anvil 1001
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby
declare the nature of my Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF HARD SOAP" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In the process now generally employed for the production of hard soap, this is
separated from the lye after the salting process, by drawing off the lye; the
granular or hard soap thus obtained is then either cut out after cooling, or it is
boiled down and run into moulds. The product thus obtained is rendered more
or less impure by the lye and salt remaining therein, the lye having, on account of
its alkaline constituents, a detrimental effect upon the fabrics treated therewith,
as also on the colors thereof, while the salt diminishes the cleansing properties, and
consequently the value of the soap.
The present Invention has for its object the production of a hard soap that shall
be practically almost completely freed from the lyes and that shall contain much
less salt than ordinary curd soap, while, at the same time a much harder and more
neutral product is obtained, containing also less water (from 20 to 25 per cent.)
than that obtained in the ordinary way.
In carrying out the improved process, the soap, separated by salt by the known
methods, and before its separation from the lye by complete cooling has taken
place, is introduced into a centrifugal machine driven at a high speed, and is
subjected, while in a heated condition, to centrifugal action for a comparatively
short time (from 4, to, at most 20 minutes). The centrifugal apparatus may be of
any suitable known construction that permits of the specifically heavier lye flowing
off at the proper place while the soap is condensed by the centrifugal action either
against the sides of the drum itself, or in special moulds or buckets, if a bucket
centrifugal machine be employed. After being subjected to this centrifugal action,
the soap is practically entirely freed from the lyes and contains only a small quantity
of the salt and a much smaller percentage of water than is ordinarily the case,
while the specific density is greatly increased, the product being perfectly neutral.
The soap may, if necessary, be subject to a further cooling, which however would
be of but short duration, either in the centrifugal machine itself under the
application of cold water, if necessary, or the moulds or buckets or even the
centrifugal drum itself can be removed for this purpose and be placed in a cooling
chamber.
If the salting has been effected under a dilute condition of the lye, it might, in
some cases, be of advantage to allow the soap to settle from the lye for a short
time before the centrifugal action is applied, in order to have to remove a
somewhat less quantity of liquid by such action. The application of centrifugal
action in the hot condition, as described, is also effective in those cases where,
according to the ordinary methods, a complete separation of the soap is not possible
or very difficult, as is the case, for instance with the saponification of cocoanut oil.
With this, the separation of the soap, by the existing methods, is so difficult (some
soapmakers even assert that cocoanut oil cannot be converted into hard soap at
all) and the separated product is so porous when effected at all, and so saturated
with salt solution, that it is generally preferred to treat cocoanut oil along with
other oils of which the soap is more easily separated. With the centrifugal action
described, however, even the separation of cocoanut oil soap can be perfectly

page_text: effected, resulting in a hard neutral product, free from lye and containing a low
percentage of water.
As further advantages of the described process may be mentioned:
1. That the greater or less degree of concentration at which the salting is
effected, is without influence upon the product obtained, a product of uniform
quality being obtainable by due regulation of the duration of the centrifugal
action.
2. That in the cases which sometimes occur, where the soap has a tendency to
remain in the granular condition, the centrifugal action nevertheless converts it
into a solid compact mass, thereby dispensing with repeated solution of the soap,
which is otherwise necessary.
3. That the entire separation requires much less time, so that, for a large
production, a considerable saving in cost is thus effected in addition to the
advantage of obtaining a better, harder and perfectly neutral product, free from
lye and containing less percentage of salt and of water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
In the manufacture of hard soap, subjecting the curd immediately after the
salting and before its cooling to centrifugal action, substantially in the manner and
for the purpose herein set forth.