IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALKALI
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Holbrook Gaskell, the younger, of Widnes, in
the County of Lancaster, Alkalı Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALKALI."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Holbrook Gaskell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th April 1875.
I, HOLBROOK GASKELL, the younger, of Widnes, in the County of
Lancaster, Alkalı Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALKALI," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to that stage in the manufacture of alkali in
which "blackash" is made in revolving furnaces.
At present either the whole charge, consisting of "salt cake," "slack,"
and "limestone," or "chalk " is placed in the furnace at once. Or the
"limestone" or "chalk," with or without "slack," is first placed in the

page_text: furnace, and when hot, the "salt cake" and the remainder of the
"slack" are added. Or the "salt cake," together with an equivalent or
thereabouts of the "limestone" or "chalk," and the "slack" are put
into the furnace, and when the reaction is nearly complete, a small
quantity of caustic lime is added.
"
Now my Invention consists in first charging the furnace either with
"salt cake" and a portion or the whole of the "slack," or with "salt
cake" alone, and when the "salt cake" has "fluxed or ** softened "
so that it occupies less space in the furnace, I add the remainder of the
charge.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Holbrook Gaskell in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 9th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HOLBROOK
GASKELL, the younger, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Alkali
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-five, in the 38th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Holbrook Gaskell, the younger, Her special
license that I, the said Holbrook Gaskell, the younger, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Holbrook
Gaskell, the younger, my èxecutors, 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 law-
fully 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 MANUFACTURE OF ALKALI," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, tho said Holbrook Gaskell, the
younger, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and scal, 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 Scal Patent

page_text: Umice within six calendar montus next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Holbrook Gaskell, the younger, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say
This Invention relates to that stage in the manufacture of alkali in
which “black ash" is produced in revolving furnaces.
"
At present either the whole charge, consisting of "salt cake," "slack,"
(or small coal) and "hmestone," or "chalk," is placed in the furnace at
once, that is to say, simultaneously. Or the "limestone or "chalk,"
with or without "slack" (or small coal), is first placed in the furnace,
and when hot, the "salt cake" and the remainder of the requisite charge
of "slack" (or small coal) are added. Or the "salt cake," together with
an equivalent or thereabouts of "limestone" or " chalk," and the requisite
proportion of "slack" (or small coal) are put into the furnace, and when
the reaction is nearly complete, a small quantity of caustic lime is added.
Now my Invention consists in first charging the revolving furnace,
either with "salt cake" and a portion or the whole of the "slack" (or
small coal) requisite, or with "sall cake" alone, and when the "salt
cake "has "fluxed" or "softened" and shrunk so that it occupies less
space in the furnace, I add the remainder of the charge, viz*, the
requisite amount of "chalk," "limestone," or "lime," and "slack (or
small coal), if the whole of the "slack" (or small coal) has not been put
m at first.
"
If the "chalk, ," "limestone," "lime," or " slack (or small_coal),
added and operated upon contain a material amount of moisture, I prefer
that they be added as soon as there is sufficient space for the same
without waiting until the "salt cake" is thoroughly "fluxed," as their
addition after the "salt cake" has been fused or has become fluid might
cause an explosion. The charge having been sufficiently operated upon
in the revolving furnace, and the desired result having been obtained,
the charge is withdrawn as is well understood.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider

page_text: 39
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the horein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the pro-
duction and manufacture of what is known as " blackash in revolving
furnaces, by firstly charging a heated revolving furnace with "salt cako,"
or with "salt cake" and "slack or (small coal), and when the "salt
cake" has become fluxed or has "softened" and shrunk, adding thereto
the "chalk," "limc,” or limestone," and the remaining portion of
"slack" (or small coal), if any, substantially as herein-before described.
66
"
In witness whereof, I, the said Holbrook Gaskell, the younger,
have to this my Specification set my hand and seal, the Twenty-
seventh day of September, One thousand cight hundred and
seventy-five.