IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF ALKALI
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Elliot and William Russell, both
of Saint Helens, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing
Chemists, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF ALKALI."
Sealed the 7th June 1853, and dated the 13th April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Elliott
and William Russell at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 13th April 1853.
We, GEORGE ELLIOT and WILLIAM RUSSELL, both of St. Helens, in
the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemists, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
PACTURE OF ALKALI" to be as follows:-
Our improvements consist in the application of revolving cylinders,
worked by steam engine or other power, to parts of those processes in
the manufacture of alkali which have been usually made in reverbera-
tory furnaces. They are applicable to three of the processes in the
manufacture of alkali:-

page_text: 1st, where an impure salt cake is made by subjecting salt and
pyrites to heat. In this case the revolving cylinders may be advanta-
geously fitted with a worm.
2nd, to the manufacture of black ash.
3rd, to the drying of the alkali.
In these two latter cases a roller or crusher may be advantageously
introduced into the cylinder, and a tilling motion may be advantage-
ously applied, whereby the two ends of the cylinders can be alternately
raised and depressed.
In the two first processes the flame enters through an aperture at
one end and passes out at an aperture at the other; in the third case
the heat may sometimes be applied on some portion of the exterior
of the cylinder, and sometimes in the interior, as in the two other
cases.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Elliot and William Russell, in the
Great Seal Patent Office, on the 13th October 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
GEORGE ELLIOT and WILLIAM RUSSELL, both of Saint Helens, in the
County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemists, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said George Elliot and William Russell,
Her special licence that we, the said George Elliot and William
Russell, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said George Elliot and William Russell, our executors, admi-
nistrators, 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

page_text: LANUFACTURE OF ALKALI," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
he said George Elliot and William Russell, by an instrument in
writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of
ne of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
aid Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
nd cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
ix calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
:
-
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Elliot and William
Russell, 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 drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say):
Our Invention of "improvements in the manufacture of alkali"
relates to two of the processes in such manufacture, viz., the manu-
facture of black ash, and the finishing of soda ash, or the drying process.
It is intended to apply to such processes a mechanical means by which
the material under operation may be put and kept in motion as
required, instead of having to be stirred by an attendant, in the usual
manner.
And this object of our Invention is accomplished by conducting the
above-nained processes on the material contained in revolving cylinders,
with heat applied to them, instead of in reverberatory furnaces, as
heretofore.
The dimensions of the cylinders and mode of their construction may
be varied, and, together with the appliances thereto, adapted to the
particular process, whether it be the manufacture of black ash, or the
finishing of soda ash, or drying process. We prefer that the cylinder
should be composed of cast iron, with two or more ribs cast on it,
according to its dimensions, and lined with fire brick.. It should be
mounted or supported, so that the heat may pass into it from the
furnace, and out into the flue leading to the chimney, and it may in
some cases have a central pipe through which the heat may pass. The
material to be operated upon is introduced at the upper part of the

page_text: cylinder, and discharged, after the operation, at the lower part of the
same.
In order, however, that our Invention may be fully understood, we
will proceed to describe it more particularly by the aid of the accom-
panying drawings, which represent the best mode with which we are
acquainted of carrying it into effect.
Fig. 1, is a longitudinal elevation of a cylinder and furnace, adapted
for the manufacture of black ash. Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section;
Fig. 3, an end elevation; and Fig. 4, a transverse section of the same.
Fig. 5, is a longitudinal elevation and Fig. 6, is a longitudinal section
of a cylinder, adapted for the finishing of soda ash, or the drying process.
Figure 7, is an end elevation, and Figure 8, a transverse section of the
same. A, is the cylinder, composed of a cast iron case or covering a, and
lined with brick work B; this cylinder has two ribs C, cast on it, and
is supported by the ribs resting in the grooves, on four wheels or
pulleys D, D, two of which D, are placed nearer the centre of suspen-
sion than the other two, and are connected by a shaft E, which is
turned by a steam engine or other prime mover. By this means, the
cylinder is made to revolve when required; the wheels D*, which have
no connecting shaft, merely revolving by the friction of the ribs C, on
their grooved circumferences. F, is the furnace for supplying heat to
the cylinder; G, the ash pit of the same; H, the pipe or flue through
which the heat passes from the furnace into the cylinder; I, is the pipe
or flue through which the draft is carried from the cylinder to the flue
J, leading to the chimney; K, is an aperture, with a door to admit
air into the furnace; L, is an aperture, with a door at the other end of
the apparatus, by which the process may be inspected; M, Fig. 1, is
the hopper by which the inaterial intended for the manufacture of
black ash is introduced into the cylinder; and M*, Fig. 5, is the
hopper for the same purpose, when applied to the drying or finishing of
soda ash; N, is an opening in the centre of the cylinder, for charging
it with the material to be manufactured into black ash; 0, is a door
for covering the same; P, P, are openings for discharging the material
when manufactured; Q, Q, are doors for covering the same; R, R, are
a series of tiles extending inwards from the brick work B, of the

page_text: cylinder, for the purpose of causing a more complete admixture of the
materials during the revolution of the cylinder. S, Fig. 6, is a central
pipe or tube, extending the whole length of the cylinder, through
which the heat and flames from the furnace may pass, instead of their
going into the cylinder.
TYL
11
now to decoribe the wade of onoration for the two.
A charge of the material used in this manufacture having been
placed in the hopper M, (which can be conveniently carried from the
roof,) and the fire having been lighted, and burned long enough to
make the whole of the interior of the cylinder red hot, the charge is
dropped from the hopper; and the three doors O, and Q, Q, being all
closed and fastened, the charge is suffered to heat for about ten minutes.
The driving wheels D, are then set in motion, and the cylinder made
to effect half a revolution. It is then stopped for about five minutes,
after which another half revolution is given to it. And this alternate
movement and repose is continued until the material in the cylinder
begins to flux; which takes place in about an hour. The cylinder is
then kept constantly revolving at the rate of about one revolution
in every three minutes, the required mixture of the materials being
facilitated by the tiles R, which operate as mechanical stirrers of the
same.
The progress of the operation of manufacture may be seen by the
attendant, by opening the door at L; and, when the process is seen to
be complete, the doors O, and Q, Q, are opened, and the cylinder is
stopped when they are at their lowest position, so that the black ash
may flow out into suitable iron vessels, which have been placed below
the cylinder to receive it. A half revolution is then given to the
cylinder, and a fresh charge having been let down from the hopper M,
the doors O, and Q, Q, are secured, and the cylinder is ready for a
fresh operation. We find we can advantageously consume the smoke
by occasionally opening the door at K.

page_text: TING OF DUDAH, OR DRYING IROCESS...
The cylinders for this process are made to revolve in the same
manner as in that just described. If the object in view be to make an
alkali or soda ash, highly roasted and fit for the manufacture of soda
crystals, there is little difference in the arrangement of the cylinder,
only that in such case we introduce a bar of iron of about two inches
square in the cross section, and of nearly the internal length of the
cylinder, which, after being carried up a certain height by the
projecting tiles R, falls on to the soda ash or alkali lying at the bottom
of the cylinder, and breaks the lumps, thereby facilitating the exposure
of more surface of the material to the action of the fire.
But when it is important that the soda ash should not be con-
taminated and soiled by ashes brought over by the draft from the fire,
we insert in the cylinder a pipe or tube of iron (which we prefer to be
cast iron), as shewn at S, Fig: 6. This pipe passes through the
cylinder, and, being fixed to it at the ends, moves with it. The heat
and flame from the fire is thus made to pass through this central pipe,
and the soda ash within the cylinder is dried by the heat radiated from
it. In some cases, we prefer that this central pipe or tube should be
constructed of circular tiles manufactured for the purpose, and held
together by an iron framing.
As in this process it is important that the damp or freshly introduced
soda ash should not fall on the highly heated pipe or tube, this is pre-
vented by stopping the cylinder in the position shewn at Fig. 8, when
the charge is to be dropped into it from the hopper M*, through the
opening underneath the same. By this means, the damp soda ash will
fall to the bottom of the cylinder, without coming in contact with the
pipe or tube S. When half the charge has entered the cylinder, it
must have one or two revolutions given to it, in order to spread the
soda ash before the remainder is introduced. It may be observed that
the width of the hopper M*, should be rather less than the width of
the opening into the cylinder, so as to enter the same with its upper
surface remaining in a horizontal direction, so that the material may
descend perpendicularly, and clear the central pipe or tube S. When

page_text: this last-described process of drying is used, the projecting tiles and
iron bar for crushing in the cylinder are dispensed with.
We would here remark, that in case it should be found desirable, a
tilting motion might be applied to the cylinder, so as alternately to
raise and depress its two ends, but in most cases this plan would not
be required, as the motion of the cylinder before described would be
sufficient. We would also remark, that in case it should be found
desirable, the heat might be applied to the external surface of the
cylinder, but we prefer the modes of applying the heat herein-before
described, for the drying or finishing process.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we would have it understood that
we do not mean or intend to confine ourselves to the precise forms and
arrangements of the parts shewn and described; neither do we claim as
of our Invention any of those parts separately considered, nor the
particular adaptations and arrangements combined with the revolving
cylinders. But what we do claim as of our Invention is, the manufac-
ture of black ash, and also the drying or finishing of soda ash, by means
of revolving cylinders, as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Elliot and William
Russell, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Eleventh
day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-three.
Witness, HY. FURCY LAZONCHERE.
GEORGE ELLIOT. (L.S.)
WILLIAM RUSSELL. (L.S.)