IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LUBRICATING OILS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Patrick Moir Crane, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
LUBRICATING OILS."
Sealed the 3rd November 1876, and dated the 26th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Patrick Moir Crane at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th May 1876.
PATRICK MOIR CRANE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LUBRICATING OILS."
The chief object of this Invention is to produce lubricating oils from hydro-
carbons possessing body and qualities particularly suitable for such purposes.
With this object I take for example the residual grease from petroleum, known
in the trade as "petroleum residuum," or the residual greases or oils from shale and
other substances of a like nature, or the natural lubricating oils as the come from
the earth, and I place the material in a still, taking care that the still is not too full
to avoid its boiling over.
In connection with the still I provide a condenser and vessel connected there-
with for receiving the products of distillation. To the receiver I connect a pipe in
connection with an exhaust pump or suitable apparatus for exhausting the air from
the distilling apparatus. Heat is applied to the still and the oil comes off, exhaus-
tion being carried on at the same time, but care should be taken that as low a
temperature as possible is employed. The oils which run into the receiver may
then be separated from one another, according to the degree of body required, the
first run off being the thinnest and increasing in body.
In those cases where the oil solidifies when cooling, as in the case of oil products
from the distillation of "petroleum residuum," the solidified product to be in a
marketable form as oil is expressed by pressure in suitable presses, whereby the
oil is divided from the paraffine wax, and if the oil is to be used in a brown or dark
state it is fit for use, but if it is thought desirable to remove colour and smell it is
further treated with acids and alkalis and washings in the ordinary way. With oils
which do not solidify pressure is not necessary, and they are finished in the manner
last described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Patrick Moir Crane in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
November 1876.
PATRICK MOIR CRANE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LUBRICATING OILS."
The chief object of this Invention is to produce lubricating oils from hydro-
carbons possessing body and qualities particularly suitable for such purposes.
With this object 1 take for example the residual grease from petroleum, known
in the trade as "petroleum residuum," or the residual greases or oils from shale and
other substances of a like nature, or the natural lubricating oils as they come from
the earth, and I place the material in a still, taking care that the still is not too full
to avoid its boiling over.
I prefer using a still of large diameter with a comparatively not great height,
and heated at the top, this may be done by carrying a flue outside the top, or by a
coil of pipe inside the top part and heated by superheated steam.
In connection with the still I provide a condenser and vessel connected there-
with for receiving the products of distillation. To the receiver I connect a pipe in
connection with an exhaust pump or suitable apparatus for exhausting the air from
the distilling apparatus. Heat being applied to the still the oil comes off, exhaus-
tion being carried on at the same time, but care should be taken that as low a
temperature as possible is employed. The oils which run into the receiving vessel
may then be separated from one another according to the degree of body required,
the first run off being the thinnest and increasing in body.
In those cases where the oil solidifies when cooling, as in the case of oil products
from the distillation of "petroleum residuum," the solidified product to be in a
marketable form as oil is expressed by pressure in suitable presses, whereby the oil
is divided from the parafline wax. If the oil is to be used in a brown or dark
state it is now fit for use, but if it is thought desirable to remove colour and smell
it is further treated with acids and alkalis, and washings in the ordinary way.
With oils which do not solidify pressure is not necessary, and they are if desired or
required finished in the manner last described.
62
And having thus fully described the nature of this Invention I declare that I
claim, the manufacture of lubricating oils by low distillation of the residual grease
from petroleum, known in the trade as petroleum residuum," and of the residual
greases or oils from shale and other substances of a like nature, and of the
natural lubricating oils as they come from the earth in the manner horein set forth.
In witness wheroof, I, the said Patrick Noir Crane, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Twenty-second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.