IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MIXING SOAP AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Lewis Degener, of Shoe Lane, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR MIXING SOAP AND OTHER MATERIALS."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Francis Mickel Weiler, of the City, County,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Lewis
Degener at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 31st December 1875.
I, FREDERICK LEWIS DEGENER, of Shoe Lane, in the City of London,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MIXING SOAP AND OTHER MATERIALS," à
communication to me from abroad by Francis Mickel Weiler, of the
City, County, and State of New York, in the United States of America,
to be as follows:-

page_text: other materials, and the object thereof is primarily to mix up soap
either by itself or combined with scent or other materials while in a
fluid state, so as to incorporate therewith no air, or as little air as
possible, and thereby produce a more solid and finer article of soap.
The machinery or apparatus is constructed in the following manner :—
In the interior of a vat or tub is fixed a cylindrical case having an open
top and bottom, and which is so arranged in said tub or vat that it is
elevated above the floor thereof on standards, thereby forming a space
between the bottom of the cylindrical case and the floor of the tub or
vat, the purpose of which will be presently described. In the centre
of the cylindrical case is erected a vertical shaft, having its foot bearing
in a step carried by the bottom of the tub or vat, whilst its upper end
is supported in a beam at the upper part of the tub or vat. On the said
shaft is fixed a screw, having preferably a broad thin thread, the
diameter of which is but little less than that of the cylindrical case in
which it works. The screw is made to revolve preferably by means of
a bevilled wheel fixed on the upper end of the axle thereof, which wheel
is made to engage with a corresponding bevilled wheel on a horizontal
axis.
The practical operation of the above described machinery or apparatus
is as follows:-The ingredients of the soap while in an unmixed and
fluid condition are put into the tub or vat for being mixed together,
and the mixing is effected by turning the screw, thereby causing the
material to work upward from the bottom of the tub or vat through the
cylindrical case, it being carried up by the broad flat surface of the
screw revolving in the cylindrical case and discharging the same over
the top; the soap being constantly replaced by the soap from the tub
or vat which finds its way into the cylindrical' case through the space at
the lower end thereof. By this means the mixing is done at the bottom
of the tub or vat without greatly agitating the surface of the material,
hence there is no or but little air mixed up with the soap, so that it
is less spongy and frothy when mixed ready for being moulded. By this
manner of mixing a harder and more solid soap is obtained than when
the soap is mixed up in the ordinary manner, which agitates it in sucli
a way as to expose it to the air, which being incorporated therewith
makes the soap porous and soft.
In this process of mixing there is established a current of soap from
the bottom of the tub or vat to the top of the inside of the cylindrical

page_text: case, over which it pours into the tub or vat again, during which time
it is thoroughly stirred and mixed up ready for the moulds.
By reversing the action of the screw the current of material being
mixed in the cylindrical case is caused to pass from the top to the
bottom, which however is not so favourable in its results as when the
mixture is worked upwards from the bottom.
fixed to the screw axis so as to pass down in the
or vat and the cylindrical case, which by their rotation prevent tho
material from becoming set in the tub or vat as the arms pass through,
thereby keeping it in motion.
One or more arms are
space between the tub
When the mixing of the soap is completed it is drawn off through the
bottom of the tub or vat, an opening being made therein for that
purpose, which, when not in use, is closed by a slide.
The herein-before described machinery or apparatus is equally
applicable to mixing other compounds, or paints, concrete, mortar, and
other like compositions requiring mechanical action for their com-'
bination.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Frederick Lewis Degener in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 26th June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
LEWIS DEGENER, of Shoe Lane, in the City of London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Frederick Lewis Degener, Her
special licence that I, the said Frederick Lewis Degener, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick
Lewis Degener, my 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

page_text: 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 MACHINERY OR APPARatus for MixinG
SOAP AND OTHER MATERIALS," a communication to me from abroad by
Francis Mickel Weiler, of the City, County, and State of New York, 5
in the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Frederick Lewis Degener, my executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to 10
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 I, the said Frederick Lewis Degener, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the 18
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
The Invention relates to machinery or apparatus for mixing soap and
other materials, and the object thereof is primarily to mix up soap
either by itself or combined with scent or other materials while in a 2
fluid state, so as to incorporate therewith no air, or as little air as
possible, and thereby produce a more solid and finer article of soap.
The machinery or apparatus.is.constructed in the following manner :—
In the interior of a vat or tub is fixed a cylindrical casc having an open
top and bottom, and which is so arranged in said tub or vat that it is 2
elevated above the floor thereof on standards, thereby forming a space
between the bottom of the cylindrical case and the floor of the tub or
vat, the purpose of which will be presently described. In the centre of
the cylindrical case is erected a vertical shaft, having its foot bearing
in a step carried by the bottom of the tub or vat, whilst its upper end 3
is supported in a beam at the upper part of the tub or vat. On the said
shaft is fixed a screw, having preferably a broad thin thread, the
diameter of which is but little less than that of the cylindrical case in
which it works. The screw is made to revolve preferably by means of a
bevelled wheel fixed on the upper end of the axle thereof, which wheel 3
is made to engage with a corresponding bevelled wheel on a horizontal
axis. One or more arms are fixed to the screw axis so as to pass down

page_text: in the space between the tub or vat and the cylindrical case, which by
their rotation prevent the material from becoming set in the tub or vat
as the arms pass through, thereby keeping it in motion.
When the mixing of the soap is completed it is drawn off through the
bottom of the tub or vat, an opening being made therein for that
purpose which when not in use is closed by a slide.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood
and readily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accom-
panying Drawings, more fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation; Figure 2 is an elevation taken at right
angles to Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan; and Figure 4 is a vertical section of machinery
or apparatus for mixing soap and other materials, constructed according
to the said Invention.
a is a vat or tub, closed at its bottom end and provided in the interior.
thereof with a cylindrical caso b, having an open top and bottom, and
which is so arranged and fixed in the tub or vat a that the bottom
thereof is elevated above the floor or bottom of the tub or vat a on
standards b¹, thereby forming a space between the bottom of the
cylindrical case 6 and the floor of the tub or vat a. In the centre of
the cylindrical case is erected a vertical shaft c, having its foot
bearing in a step a', whilst its upper end is supported in a beam or
cross bar a² fixed at the upper part of the tub or vat. On the shaft c is
fixed a worm or screw c', having preferably a broad thin web or thread,
the diameter of which is but little less than that of the interior of the
cylindrical case b. The worm or screw c¹ is made to revolve preferably
by means of a bevelled wheel & fixed on the upper end of the shaft or
axle c, which wheel is made to engage with a corresponding bevelled
wheel or pinion e¹ on a horizontal shaft or axis e. This shaft or axis e
may be rotated by means of a handle e² or by means of a strap or band
acting on one of the pulleys e³. One or more arms fare fixed to the
axis c, so as to pass down in the space between the tub or vat a and
the cylindrical case, which arms by their rotation prevent the material
from becoming set, as the arms by passing through the material keep
it in motion and also assist in guiding the materials towards the worm

page_text: or screw c¹. The bottom of the tub or vat a is provided with an
opening a³, through which the contents may be discharged whilst such
opening may be closed when desired by means of a slide or cover g.
The practical operation of the above-described machinery or apparatus
is as follows:-The ingredients of the soap while in an unmixed and
fluid condition, are put into the tub or vat a for being mixed together,
and the mixing is effected by turning the screw c', thereby causing the
material to work upward from the bottom of the tub or vat through the
cylindrical case b, it being carried up by the broad flat surface of the
screw c¹, revolving in the cylindrical casc and discharging the same
over the top, the soap as it is worked upward from the bottom being
constantly replaced by the soap from the tub or vat, which finds its
way into the cylindrical case 6 through the space at the lower end
thereof. By this means the mixing is done at the bottom of the tub or
vat a without greatly agitating the surface of the material; hence there
is no or but little air mixed up with the soap so that it is less spongy
and frothy when mixed ready for being moulded. By this manner of
mixing a harder and more solid soap is obtained than when the soap is
mixed up in the ordinary mannor, which agitates it in such a way as
to expose it to the air, which being incorporated therewith makes the
soap porous and soft.
In this process of mixing there is established a current of soap from
the bottom of the tub or vat to the top of the inside of the cylindrical
case b, over which it pours into the tub or vat again, during which time
it is thoroughly stirred and mixed up ready for the moulds. By
reversing the action of the screw c¹ the current of material being mixed
in the cylindrical case is caused to pass from the top to the bottom,
which, however, is not so favorable in its results as when the mixture
is worked upwards from the bottom.
The herein-before described machinery or apparatus is equally
applicable to mixing other compounds or paints, concrete, mortar, and
other like compositions requiring mechanical action for their com-
bination.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the mode
in which the same is carried into effect, I would have it understood,
that what I claim is the combination of the tub or vat a, cylindrical

page_text: operating in the manner substantially as herein shown and described
and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Lewis Degener, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.