Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 20th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 24th Feb., 1888
We, THOMAS TRAIN MATHIESON, of Croxteth Road, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Chemical Manufacturer, and JOSEF HAWLICZEK, of Bentley Road,
Liverpool, aforesaid Chemist do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be
as follows:
This Invention relates to the manufacture of caustic ash from bicarbonate, or mono
carbonate of soda, or a mixture of bicarbonate and mono-carbonate of soda.
According to this Invention caustic ash is manufactured from mono carbonate, or
bicarbonate of soda, or a mixture of both by the addition of a strong caustic solution,
or liquor injected, or supplied to the material and preferably in a finely divided state,
and while such material is being stirred, or agitated in the furnace.
As an example of the carrying out of our Invention, we take the material (bicar-
bonate of soda) to be converted into caustic ash of the type set forth in Specification of
our application for Letters Patent No. 5753 A.D. 1887 namely a cylindrical vessel
having stirring blades which also convey the material along from one end of such
apparatus to the other (the vessel being heated by fire beneath it) and inject, or supply
the caustic liquor in a finely divided state into the material whilst it is being stirred
and fed forward by the blades. During the passage of the material from the point of
supply of the caustic liquor to the end of the vessel (where it leaves such vessel) the
conversion of the material into caustic ash takes place.
When manufacturing caustic ash from moist material such as the bicarbonate of
soda, produced by the ordinary ammonia soda process, the caustic liquor is supplied at
such a point in the vessel where the bicarbonate will have become converted into mono
carbonate of soda thus saving an unnecessary excess of caustic soda liquor. Hence
we are enabled to calcine the moist bicarbonate made by the ammonia soda process
and to convert it into caustic ash by one operation and apparatus, thereby effecting a
saving in cost of manufacture and a simplification of the method of its production.
A 1007

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Caustic Ash.
We THOMAS TRAIN MATHIESON of Croxteth Road Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster Chemical Manufacturer, and JOSEF HAWLICZEK of Bentley Road, Liver-
pool aforesaid Chemist, 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:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of caustic ash from bicarbonate, or mono
carbonate of soda, or a mixture of bicarbonate and mono-carbonate of soda."
According to this Invention caustic ash is manufactured from mono-carbonate, or
bicarbonate of soda, or a mixture of both by the addition of a strong caustic solution,
or liquor injected, or supplied to the material and preferably in a finely divided state
and while such material is being stirred or agitated in the furnace.
As an example of the carrying out of our Invention we take the material (bi-car-
bonate of soda) to be converted into caustic ash and place it in a furnace of the type set
forth in Specification of our application for Letters Patent No. 575387 namely a
cylindrical vessel having stirring blades which also convey the material along from
one end of such apparatus to the other (the vessel being heated by fire beneath it)
and inject or supply the caustic liquor in a finely divided state into the material
whilst it is being stirred and fed forwards by the blades. During the passage of the
material from the point of supply of the caustic liquor to the end of the vessel (where
it leaves such vessel) the conversion of the material into caustic ash takes place.
When manufacturing caustic ash from moist material such as bicarbonate of soda,
produced by the ordinary ammonia soda process the caustic liquor is supplied at such
a point in the vessel where the bicarbonate will become converted into mono carbonate
of soda thus saving an unnecessary excess of caustic soda liquor. Hence we are
enabled to calcine the moist bicarbonate made by the ammonia soda process and to
convert it into caustic ash by one operation and apparatus, thereby effecting a saving
in cost of manufacture and a simplification of the method of its construction.
Having thus specified generally the object nature and effects of this Invention its
description will first be proceeded with in reference to the Drawings, by way of
explaining more fully the construction and operation of the Invention.
The Drawings and the following description of them set forth special apparatus
designed to apply the method of manufacturing caustic ash, the mode of operation of
which has been above explained.
Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of apparatus according to this Invention.
Figure 2 shows a cross section of the apparatus taken in the vertical plane at the
point marked X X in Figure 1.
Figure 3 represents an end view of the construction of central bracket and bearing
for the main shaft of the apparatus, and
Figure 4 illustrates a front end view of the apparatus.
Figure is an end view, Figure 6 a plan and Figure 7 a detail of stirrer, or
scrapers provided with an auxiliary scraper.
Referring in the first instance to the first four figures of the drawings, A represents
a vessel made in segments as shown. The lower half a of the vessel is made of cast

page_text: iron, or steel and the upper half a¹ of wrought metal-iron or steel.
The upper
half a of the vessel is of light construction serving chiefly as a cover or casing
whilst the lower half a is placed above a grate or furnace and flues, and is consequently
subject to the action of the heat of the furnace gases besides having to bear the
greater proportion of internal wear due to the action of the scrapers and material treated
in it. A furnace is not shown in the drawings under the vessel A inasmuch as it may
be arranged and constructed in any known suitable way and fired by solid liquid
or gaseous fuel. B is a hopper through which the material to be treated is introduced
into the vessel, and represents a shute through which the finished material takes its
exit. D are the ends of the vessel. They are made in halves and are of cast iron or
steel and provided with bearings d d for supporting the main shaft E. A suspended
bearing b is provided midway between the ends D to support the shaft E at that
point. The bearing is carried by vertical rods e and horizontal rods e¹ both being
adjustable. These rods are secured to the arched bracket F.
G designates the blades or scrapers which are secured to bars H-of rectangular
cross section and are carried by arms 1 mounted on the shaft E. The ends of these
arms are provided with caps e², which are bolted to the arms as shown, gripping the
bars H between themselves and the main portion of the arm-J represents a worm
and Ja worm wheel mounted on the ond of the shaft E, the worm J being mounted
on a shaft which carries fast and loose pulleys J2. These appliances constitute the
driving gear for the shaft and the moving parts connected with it.
In Figures 5, 6 and 7 the blades G as well as the auxiliary scrapers K are more
clearly shown. These scrapers K are provided to assist the blades G to remove any
accumulations of matters adhering to the inner surface of the lower portion a of the
vessel to keep its surface clean; whilst the function of the blades G is-as herein
before stated to stir and spread the material over the surface of the vessel as well as
to feed it from the end of the vessel at which it is introduced to the other, or outlet
end. To secure these ends the blades G are formed with a certain inclination or
pitch at their tips and are provided at their inner edges with a plate g, this portion in
the example illustrated being a part of the plate of which the blade is formed, bent
forward. The inclined part of the blade effects the feeding forward of the material
and the bent over portion g carries the material collected on the blades over with it
when making the upward movement, or semi circle of rotation.
Upon the next downward movement this material falls from the blades and is in
this way spread and mixed. It will be evident the effect produced by all the bla∙les
in these respects will be thorough. The blades G are secured to the bars H by bolts h
which also serve to secure the eyes i provided to support the scrapers K. It will be
seen upon reference to Figures 5, 6 and 7 that this scraper consists of a tock attached
to a frame and supported by a pin 2 which is held by the aforesaid eyes i. The
frame k¹ lies to the outside edges of the blades as shown and its rear ends are turned up
at ³. These turned up ends bear upon the extended portion of the eye pieces i
when the toes are travelling over any portion of the lower part a which may lie, say
an inch, below the true circle of the vessel A. When the scrapers pass the top centre
of rotation the toe k falls and does not come into contact with the surface of the
vessel until it enters the lower part a of the vessel.
The caustic liquor is preferably supplied to the material under treatment in the form
of a spray such as that delivered by an ordinary air jet. The position of this is shown
in figure 3 and designated I. It will be evident, that any form of device by which
the caustic liquor can be supplied in a spray equivalent to the one just described is
suitable for the purpose and may be used in lieu of the one shown.
The example of apparatus illustrated by the drawing is designed to carry out the
method of making caustic ash according to this Invention from moist bicarbonate of
soda produced by the ordinary ammonia soda process and it is so arranged and
operated that by the time the bicarbonate has been propelled to about that portion
where the caustic liquor is added to it, it shall have been converted into mono-carbonate,
as it is better that the material shall be in the form of mono-carbonate when the
caustic liquor is supplied to it; and that after such caustic liquor is added, and as

page_text: delivered from the apparatus, the material shall have been heated, stirred and mixed
sufficiently to have become converted to a homogeneous caustic ash and ready for
marketable purposes. The proportion of caustic liquor to mono-carbonate sufficient
to produce the result herein stated may vary from about 2 to 10 per cent. by weight
according to the requirements of users, or purchasers.
We have found the inner surface of the vessel A to have been kept quite free of
scale by providing alternate blades G with auxiliary scrapers K and consequently we
prefer to arrange them in this manner for ordinary practice when making caustic aşh
from ordinary moist bi-carbonate of soda produced by the ammonia soda process.
The example of apparatus shown is about 30 feet long and the shaft. E may be
arranged to travel at about the rate of 3 or 4 revolutions per minute when the material
treated is the ordinary moist ammonia bicarbonate of soda. With the pitch of blade
shown in the Drawing this will propel material from one end of the apparatus to the
other in from about forty minutes to an hour. But it will be evident the time required
to make the caustic ash will vary as the degree of moisture in the material varies
when introduced, and other circumstances of practice.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we would state in conclusion that
the apparatus and mode herein above set forth of carrying out the method according
to this Invention of manufacturing caustic ash constitutes merely one example, and
that this Invention is not confined to such apparatus and mode, as the mode of pro-
duction of caustic ash from bi-carbonate or nono-carbonate of soda, or a mixture of
them made by any known process-may be varied from the precise mode above
described without departing from the spirit of this Invention as long as it is carried
out in substance in the manner herein above specified, but what we claim in respect
of this Invention is :-
First. The production, or manufacture of caustic ash from mono carbonate of soda
by adding to and mixing with such material caustic liquor whilst the material is being
stirred, or spread and subjected to heat, as, or substantially as set forth.
Second. The method herein described of manufacturing caustic ash from bi-carbonate
or mono-carbonate of soda, or a mixture of bicarbonate and mono-carbonate of soda
which method consists in first, heating, spreading and feeding forward the material,
then adding caustic liquor and then again heating, mixing and feeding forward the
material so treated, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Third. The apparatus for making caustic ash consisting of a vessel A, rotating
shaft E and blades G, or blades G and scrapers K; and a device for spraying, or
distributing caustic liquor, constructed and operating as, or substantially as set forth
for the purposes specified.
Fourth. In apparatus for making caustic ash in which a system of blades, or
scrapers are employed the scrapers K constructed and operating substantially as
set forth.
Fifth. In apparatus for making caustic ash, in which a system of blades are employed,
the blades G consisting of a portion by which the material under treatment is propelled,
and a portion such as g-by which the material is carried over and spread, substantially
as set forth.
1
" T
1000
THOMAS TRAIN MATHIESON.
JOSEF HAWLICZEK.
By Cheesbrough & Royston,
15, Water Street, Liverpool,
Patent Agents.