IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED OR USED IN THE- FACTURE OFULPHATES OF SODA AND POTA
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hargreaves, of Appleton-within-Widnes,
in the County of Lancaster, Analytical Chemist, and Thomas
Robinson, of Widnes, in the same County, Ironfounder, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED OR USED IN THE
Scaled the 19th May 1871, and dated the 21st November 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hargreaves and
Thomas Robinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 21st November 1870.
We, JAMES HARGREAVES, of Appleton-within-Widnes, in the County
of Lancaster, Analytical Chemist, and THOMAS ROBINSON, of Widnes, in
the same County, Ironfounder, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED OR USED IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF SULPHATES OF SODA AND POTASSA," to be as follows:-
When sulphates of soda and potassa are produced by the employment
of a series of chambers as described under the fifth part of an Invention'
for which we have applied for Letters Patent simultaneously with this,

page_text: it is requisite that these chambers should be constructed with proper
passages or connections for (1) conducting the mixed sulphurous acid
gas, air, and water vapour to them; (2) for conveying the said mixed
gases together with any hydrochloric acid gas evolved from one to the
other; and (3) for conveying away the hydrochloric acid gas and any
other gases present to the condensing towers. For this purpose we
connect the chambers, which preferably are constructed of fire-brick,
each with passages or flues from the supply of mixed sulphurous acid
gas, air, and water vapour. We also connect them with each other by a
series of passages or flucs leading from one to the other. And we
further provide them with passages or flues leading to the condensing
tower. Dampers are placed in the said passages or flues where required
to stop and direct the currents.
When sulphates of soda and potassa are produced by the employment
of a high tower under the sixth part of the Invention for which we have
applied for Letters Patent simultaneously with this, we construct the
said tower with an inlet opening or way for the admission of the current
of mixed sulphurous acid, air, and water vapour. We construct the said
tower with bars or gratings to carry or support the mass of chloride of
sodium or potassium, and in practice we prefer to admit the mixed
gases below the grating direct from the burners.
Third. For the purpose of maintaining chlorides placed within
chambers to be acted upon by mixed currents of sulphurous acid gas,
air, and water at the desired temperature we form flues or passages
alongside, around, or within the walls of the said chambers, and pass the
heated products of combustion or heated gases through the said flues.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th May 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES 30
HARGREAVES, of Appleton-within-Widnes, in the County of Lancaster,
Analytical Chemist, and THOMAS ROBINSON, of Widnes, in the same
County, Ironfounder, send grecting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson,
Her special license that we, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas
Robinson, our executors, administrators, and assigus, or such others as
we, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson, our executors,
administrators, 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
APPARATUS EMPLOYED OR USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES OF SODA AND
POTASSA," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said James
Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson, our executors or administrators, by
au instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of our or their
hands and seals, 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 Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas
Robinson, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying Sheets of illustrative Drawings, and to the figures
and letters marked thereon, that is to say:
First. When sulphates of soda and potassa are produced by the
employment of a series of chambers as described under the fifth part of
an Invention for which we have applied for Letters Patent simultaneously
with this, it is requisite that these chambers be constructed with proper
passages or connections for (1) conducting the mixed sulphurous acid
gas, air, and water vapour to them; (2) for conveying the said mixed
gases together with any hydrochloric acid gas evolved from one to the
other; and (3) for conveying away the hydrochloric acid gas and any other
gases present to the condensing towers. For this purpose we connect

page_text: the chambers, which preferably are constructed of fire-brick, each with
passages or flues from the supply of mixed sulphurous acid gas, air,
and water vapour. We also connect them with each other by a series
of passages or flues leading from one to the other. And we further
provide them with passages or flues leading to the condensing tower.
Dampers are placed in the said passages or flues where required to stop
and direct the currents.
Second. When sulphates of soda and potassa are produced by the
employment of a high tower under the sixth part of the Invention for
which we have applied for Letters Patent simultaneously with this, we
construct the said tower with an inlet opening or way for the admission
of the current of mixed sulphurous acid, air, and water vapour. We
construct the said tower with bars or gratings to carry or support the
mass of chloride of sodium or potassium, and in practice we prefer to
admit the mixed gases below the grating direct from the burners.
Third. For the purpose of maintaining chlorides placed within
chambers to be acted upon by mixed currents of sulphurous acid gas,
air, and water vapour at the desired temperature, we form flues or
passages alongside, around, or within the walls of the said chambers,
and pass the heated products of combustion or heated gases through

page_text: h, teasing and peep holes ; i, 1, 2, and 3, gas inlet passages, that is to
say, passages through which the mixed sulphurous acid gas, air, and
water vapour are admitted to the chambers c, c³, c², and c³; j, j', j³,
and, gas intermediate passages for conveying the gases from chamber
to chamber; k, k¹, k, and k³, gas outlet passages for conveying away,
hydrochloric acid from each chamber in its turn. The arrows shew the
direction of the gases; as here delineated the mixed sulphurous acid gas,
air, and water vapour is admitted at i to chamber c, and passes with
any hydrochloric acid given off by j to c, thence to c² and in suc-
cession. From the hydrochloric acid gas passes to condensing towers
through ³, the luted damper or tile being placed against the inter-
mediate passage to cause it to pass through k³. When c, c¹, and c³
become in their turn the last of the series dampers or tiles similar to / are
placed against the intermediate passages k, k¹, and k², so as to direct the
hydrochloric acid to the condensing towers; P, P, and are dampers or
tiles closing the inlet openings ¹, ³, and ³; m, m³, and m² are dampers
or tiles closing the outlet openings k, k¹, and k²; n, n¹, n², and n³, covering
tiles or slabs. Any of the gas inlet passages i, 2ª, 22, or ³ it will be
obvious can be made, and in practical working would in succession
become the inlet to receive the mixed sulphurous acid gas, air, and
water vapour from the producer or producers; so arranging them insures
that the mixed gas is passed primarily into the chamber in which the
chloride of sodium or chloride of potassium has been most nearly
converted into a sulphate. Similarly the gas outlet passages k, k¹, k²,
and become each in succession the last of the series, and the one to
permit the escape of hydrochloric acid from the chamber last charged
with chloride of sodium or chloride of potassium. During the time
either of the chambers c, c¹, c², or c³ is being emptied of sulphate of
soda or potassa through the discharge ways o, o¹, o³, or o³, the mixed
gases pass through the other three chambers in succession, first entering
the chamber which immediately before was the second of the series.
When a chamber has been emptied of sulphate and recharged with
chloride it is re-connected and then becomes the fourth of the series, the
mixed gas after passing through the mass in three chambers being
admitted through it, and the hydrochloric acid gas formed conveyed
away therefrom to the condensing towers. In fact during emptying and
recharging of a chamber that chamber is shut off from communication
with the other three chambers.

page_text: As regards the third part of our Invention applied to the series of
four chambers arranged in a group and described above under the first
part, 1, are fire places; 2, main flue for heated products of combustion;
3, flues underneath the chambers; 4, ascending flues at the ends of the
chambers; 5, arched flues over the chambers; 6, descending flues at
the sides of the chambers; 7, outlet flue leading to the chimney; 8,
peep holes for observing the temperature in the flues. The arrows shew
the direction of the heated products of combustion or hot gases in these
flues, the form and position of which may be varied.
f
.
The second part of our Invention is illustrated on Sheet C. of the
Drawings, Fig. 6 being a representation in vertical section of a tower.
Here 9 is the space for chloride; 10, bars for supporting the mass;
11, inlet passage for mixed sulphurous acid gas, air, and water vapour;
12, outlet passage for hydrochloric acid; 13, ways for charging with
chloride; 14, door or way for withdrawing sulphate; 15, inner walls,
and 16 outer walls of tower; 17, teasing and peep holes.
As regards the third part of our Invention applied to the above second
part shewn by Fig. 6, 18 is a fire grate; 19, flue under the space 9;
20, annular flue between 15 and 16; instead of the annular flue a
number of spiral or other flues may be formed in or between 15 and 16
for the heated products of combustion or hot gases; 21, chimney or
flue.
escape
Having now described the nature of our said improvements, and
particularized the same in such manner that they may be carried into
effect, we claim,―
First. Constructing a series of chambers with gas inlet intermediate
and outlet passages arranged substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein set forth.
Second. Constructing a tower with bars or gratings to support the
mass of chloride of sodium or chloride of potassium during conversion a
into sulphate of soda and sulphate of potassa, substantially as herein
set forth.
· Third. Constructing chambers or towers with flues or passages along-
side, around, or within the walls thereof to contain heated products of
combustion or hot gases as agents for maintaining chloride of sodium a

page_text: or chloride of potassium in a heated state during conversion into sulphate
of soda or sulphate of potassa, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hargreaves, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
In the presence of
J. T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
JAMES HARGREAVES. (L.S.)