ImprovemENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF IMPREGNATED POROUS SUBSTANCES EMPLOYED FOR EFFECTING MED AHD
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Deacon, of Appleton House, Widnes, in
the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of “ImprovemENTS IN THE
TREATMENT OF IMPREGNATED POROUS SUBSTANCES EMPLOYED FOR EFFECTING
MED AHD "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Deacon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th January 1874.
I, HENRY DEACON, of Appleton House, Widnes, in the County of
5 Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF IMPREGNATED POROUS SUBSTANCES EM-
PLOYED FOR EFFECTING CHEMICAL DECOMPOSITION OF CERTAIN GASES AT AN ELEVATED
TEMPERATURE," to be as follows:-
-
Gases at an elevated temperature are often passed through vessels
filled with a permeable mass consisting of pieces of burnt clay, pumice
stone, or the like, which are porous, and are impregnated with chemical

page_text: substances, the object of the arrangement being to present large surfaces
of chemical substances to the gas, and so cause a mutual chemical action
to take place; the gases are removed by the current, but the chemical
substances remain in the vessel. Sometimes however portions of these
chemical substances are sublimed, and at other times they are fused.
In the case of sublimation the surfaces of the porous pieces are
deprived of part of the chemical substance, whilst the interior contains
much of it, and being contained in the interior it is practically out of
reach of the gas, and then the chemical activity of the surface on the
passing gas is reduced.
In the case of the fusion of the chemical substances the surface of
the impregnated porous substances presents to the passing gas a smooth
instead of a rough surface, and therefore a surface of smaller area, and
its chemical action on the passing gases is lessened.
In such processes as the manufacture of chlorine by what is known as
Deacon's process apparatus containing porous and impregnated material
as above described is employed, and the lessening of the action of the
apparatus is sometimes due to one of the two causes named, that is
to say, either to sublimation of or to fusion of the chemical substances
employed.
Now my Invention consists in renewing the activity of the contents of
the apparatus when the chemical substances employed are soluble in
water, or will combine with water, or which can contain water as water
of crystallization. I effect this by cooling the contents of the apparatus,
and then passing steam through such apparatus.
When steam at suitable temperatures comes in contact with chemical
substances soluble in water, or which unite with water, or which can
contain water, as water of crystalization, it form's either solutions thereof
or crystalizes therewith. Solutions are formed in this way more quickly
in proportion to the elevation of the temperature, provided always it is
below the boiling point of the solution.
Where the crystalline combination with water occurs or is the object
desired it must be effected below the temperature at which it is decom-
posed in an atmosphere of steam.
In each of these cases the points of temperature of greatest activity
and the commencement of decomposition or of reversal of the activity

page_text: are near each other, the point of greatest activity, i.e., of the most rapid
union between the water of the steam and the chemical substance being
of course lower than the point at which their union is dissolved and the
bodies separated.
In applying this Invention I will take as one illustration the case of
the use of sulphate of copper in Deacon chlorine process when some of
the salts of copper have been sublimed from the surface of the porous
materials, although much sulphate or salt of copper remains in the
interior in a state that it is soluble in water. In such a case I cool the
mass to about 220° Fahrenheit, and pass steam through it at about the
atmospheric pressure. The temperature of the apparatus soon influences
the temperature of the current of steam passed through it, but the
steam may previously be superheated to the same temperature as the
apparatus, or even to a higher temperature if that of the apparatus
be too low. A very strong solution of the copper salt will then be
formed, and will spread itself through the mass of each piece of the
porous material by capillary action, and will so renew the surface by
by bringing to it a fresh quantity of the copper salt from the interior. The
application of steam is continued until on examination of some of the
materials withdrawn from time to time the desired object is accomplished,
when the steam is stopped, and the apparatus is heated until ready for
use as before. The working temperature of the apparatus during the
application of the steam will regulate the kind of solution obtained.
this temperature be above 212° Fahrenheit the solution will be so far
concentrated that its boiling point will be just above the temperature at
which it has been formed.
If
As another illustration of the application of my Invention I will take.
the case where the chemical substances, sulphate of soda and sulphate
of copper, have been used in Deacon's chlorine process, and where the.
two salts are fused on the surface of the porous material, but where no
salt of copper has been sublimed. In this case a solution is not required,.
because the smooth fused surface contains enough of the chemical sub-
stances and it can be rendered rough and porous and its activity
increased by uniting the chemical substances with water, so as to form
water of crystallization, and subsequently drying them. The contents
of the apparatus are then cooled to about 250°, and steam is passed.
through the apparatus as before described. As this temperature is above-

page_text: the boiling point of the solutions no solution is formed, and as it is
below that at which water of crystallization is completely separated the
chemical substances unite with the water of the steam so as to form
water of crystallization, and when this combination is sufficient or
complete the application of steam is stopped and the apparatus re-heated
for use as before. The application of steam in this manner is available
for all similar cases where the chemical substances are soluble in water
or combined with water so as to form water of crystallization.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Deacon in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
DEACON, of Appleton House, Widnes, in County of Lancaster, send.
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the 37th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Deacon, Her special
license that I, the said Henry Deacon, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Deacon, my executors,
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 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 TREAT-
MENT OF IMPREGNATED POROUS SUBSTANCES EMPLOYED FOR EFFECTING CHEMICAL
DECOMPOSITION OF CERTAIN GASES AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Deacon, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Deacon, do hereby declare
the nature of 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:
-
Gases at an elevated temperature are often passed through vessels.
filled with a permeable mass consisting of pieces of burnt clay, pumice
stone, or the like, which are porous and are impregnated with chemical
substances, the object of the arrangement being to present large surfaces
of chemical substances to the gas and so cause a mutual chemical action
to take place. The gases are removed by the current, but the chemical
substances remain in the vessel. Sometimes however portions of these
chemical substances are sublimed, and at other times they are fused.
In the case of sublimation the surfaces of the porous pieces are
deprived of part of the chemical substance, whilst the interior contains
much of it, and being contained in the interior it is practically out of
reach of the gas and then the chemical activity of the surface on the
passing gas is reduced.
In the case of the fusion of the chemical substances the surface of the
impregnated porous substances presents to the passing gas a smooth.
instead of a rough surface, and therefore a surface of smaller area, and
its chemical action on the passing gases is lessened.
In such processes as the manufacture of chlorine by what is known as
Deacon's process apparatus containing porous and impregnated materials
as above described is employed, and the lessening of the action of the
apparatus is sometimes due to one of the two causes named, that is
to say, either to sublimation of or to fusion of the chemical substances
employed.
Now my Invention consists in renewing the activity of the contents of
the apparatus when the chemical substances employed are soluble in
water, or will combine with water, or can contain water as water of
crystallization. I effect this by cooling the contents of the apparatus,
and then passing steam through such apparatus.
When steam at suitable temperatures comes in contact with chemical
substances soluble in water, or which unite with water, or which can
contain water as water of crystallization, it forms either solutions thereof
or crystallizes therewith. Solutions are formed in this way more quickly.

page_text: in proportion to the elevations of the temperature provided always it is
below the boiling point of the solution.
Where the crystalline combination with water occurs or is the object
desired it must be effected below the temperature at which it is decom-
posed in an atmosphere of steam.
In each of these cases the points of temperature of greatest activity
and the commencement of decomposition or of reversal of the activity
are near each other, the point of greatest activity, that is, of the most
rapid union between the water of the steam and the chemical substance
being of course lower than the point at which their union is dissolved
and the bodies separated.
In applying this Invention I will take as one illustration the case of
the use of sulphate of copper in Deacon's chlorine process when some of
the salts of copper have been sublimed from the surface of the porous
materials, although much sulphate or salt of copper remains in the
interior in a state that it is soluble in water. In such a case I cool the
mass to about 220 degrees Fahrenheit, and pass steam through it at about
the atmospheric pressure. The temperature of the apparatus soon influ-
ences the temperature of the current of steam passed through it, but the
steam may previously be superheated if the temperature of the apparatus
be too low. A very strong solution of the copper salt will then be
formed, and will spread itself through the mass of each piece of the
porous material by capillary action, and will so renew the surface by
bringing to it a fresh quantity of the copper salt from the interior. The
application of steam is continued, and if necessary the temperatures are
varied, until on examination of some of the materials withdrawn from
time to time the desired object is accomplished, when the steam is
stopped, and the apparatus is heated until ready for use as before. The
working temperature of the apparatus during the application of the
steam will regulate the kind of solution obtained. If this temperature
be above 212 degrees Fahrenheit the solution will be so far concentrated
that its boiling point will be just above the temperature at which it has
been formed.
As another illustration of the application of my Invention I will take
the case where the chemical substances, sulphate of soda and sulphate
of copper, have been used in Deacon's chlorine process, and where the
two salts are fused on the surface of the porous material but where no

page_text: salt of copper has been sublimed. In this case a solution is not always
required, because the smooth fused surface may contain enough of the
chemical substances, and it can be rendered rough and porous and its
activity increased by uniting the chemical substances with water so as to
form water of crystallization, and subsequently drying them. In such a
case the contents of the apparatus may be cooled to about 250 degrees,
and steam, which may be superheated if required to regulate the tempe-
rature, is passed through the apparatus as before described. As this
temperature is above the boiling point of the solutions no solution is
formed, and as it is below that at which water of crystallization is com-
pletely separated in an atmosphere of steam the chemical substances
unite with the water of the steam so as to form water of crystallization,
and when this combination is sufficient or complete, the application of
steam is stopped and the apparatus re-heated for use as before.
If however it be desired to form a solution of the chemical substances
the steam must be applied at a corresponding lower temperature as
herein-before described. The application of steam in this manner is
available for all similar cases where the chemical substances are soluble
in water or combine with water so as to form water of crystallization.
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 to
be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the direct appli-
cation of steam to the surfaces of impregnated porous substances
employed for effecting chemical decomposition of certain gases at an
elevated temperature, essentially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Deacon, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of
June, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.