A NEW COMPOUND FOR WASHING AND CLEANSING PURPOSES, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN ITS MANUFACTURE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Watt, of Lewisham, in the County of Kent,
"
Gentleman, for an Invention of A NEW COMPOUND FOR WASHING AND
CLEANSING PURPOSES, AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN ITS MANUFACTURE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Watt at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th January 1881.
ALEXANDER WATT, of Lewisham, in the County of Kent, Gentleman.. "A NEW
COMPOUND FOR WASHING AND CLEANSING PURPOSES, AND APPARATUS TO BE
USED IN ITS MANUFACTURE."
My Invention relates to the production of a new compound or granulated soap
for washing and cleansing purposes.
In carrying out my Invention, I first introduce into the boiler, vat, copper, or
or other utensil in which I make the granulated soap, a quantity of oil and fat of
any description that I can conveniently procure, and proportion them according to
their quality; to this I add a quantity of ordinary soap makers' leys, but the specific
gravity I vary according to the descriptions of oils or fats. I have found in practice
from about three to about six parts by weight of oil, and from about five to about
two parts by weight of fat, to be suitable for the purpose, and the specific gravity
of the leys employed varies from about 1·000 to about 1-400.
During the operation of boiling the oil and fat with the leys used for the purpose
of saponification, I granulate the soap or compound by means of the machine here-
inafter described.
When the soap is taken from the boiler, vat, copper, or other utensil used in a
granulated form, I mix it with potash, soda-ash, soda, or other alkali, to form the
compound proportionately to the strength it is required to be, and to the purpose
for which it is required.
The granulating machine may consist of a spindle or shaft connected with the
granulating apparatus hereinafter described, and being within the interior of the
boiler, vat, copper, or other utensil in which the fat or fats and alkalies may be or
is or are melted or boiled together for the purpose of saponification; to this spindle
or shaft is affixed a number of cups, spoons, ladles, or spades, composed of or
partially composed of any perforated material or wire work, for the purpose of
granulation.
The machinery above described may be put in motion by any convenient prime
mover, and continued in operation for a sufficient length of time to effect the
complete granulation of the compound.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Watt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th July
1881.
"
ALEXANDER WATT, of Lewisham, in the County of Kent, Gentleman. A NEW
COMPOUND FOR WASHING AND CLEANSING PURPOSES, AND APPARATUS TO BE
USED IN ITS MANUFACTURE."
My said Invention relates to the production of a new compound for washing and
cleansing purposes, and apparatus to be used in its manufacture.
In carrying out my said Invention, I produce soap in a granulated form by
subjecting saponaceous matter during the process of saponification to the action of
cups, spoons, ladles, or blades, composed or partially composed of perforated
material or wire gauze, and maintained in motion in the boiler, vat, copper, or
other suitable utensil containing the saponaceous matters. I then mix the granu-
lated soap thus obtained with suitable alkaline detergent substances or bodies so as
to form a compound which is highly effective for washing and cleansing purposes,
whilst at the same time it is free from ingredients calculated to destroy or injure
the articles to which it is applied.
In preparing the soap, I first introduce into a boiler, vat, copper, or other suitable
utensil, a quantity of oil and fat of any suitable description, and proportion them
according to their quality; to this I add a suitable quantity of ordinary soap
makers' leys, separately, or in combination with suitable alkaline bodies if desired
or preferred.
I have found in practice that good results are obtained by the employment of
cocoa nut oil with butcher's or other fat of any description, in the proportion of,
say, about one part by weight of the oil to about three parts by weight of the fat.
When the fat is of very inferior quality the proportion of oil may be increased.
I then add to one part by weight of the mixture of oil and fat, from, say, about two
to three parts by weight of soap makers' leys, of a density of, say, about from 1·120
to 1-230, by preference 1.175. The oil and fat with the leys. are boiled together,
and during this operation I granulate the saponaceous matter by means of the
apparatus represented in sectional elevation in the accompanying Diagram, and
next hereinafter described.
A is the boiler, vat, or copper into which the oil, fat, and leys are introduced,
a furnace B being provided beneath the boiler, vat, or copper, so that the contents
of the latter shall be heated and maintained in a state of ebullition, or by preference
a steam heated vessel may be used.
In the interior of the boiler, vat, or copper A are arranged a number of sets of
cups, spoons, ladles, or blades perforated or composed of wire gauze, for example, and
carried upon arms 6, radiating from a central spindle or axis c; this spindle or axis is
adapted to bearings d in a frame A' (placed over the boiler, vat, or copper A), so as
to be capable of rotatory motion, and is provided with a bevel wheel e, to which
motion is imparted by another bevel wheel ƒ fast upon a shaft g, which is driven
by a handle h or by belt and pulley i from any suitable prime mover. Rotary
motion is thus imparted to the spindle or axis c, whereby the whole system of cups,
spoons, ladles, or blades a is caused to rotate bodily through the boiling mass of
saponaceous matter contained in the boiler, vat, or copper A, so as to comminute or
finely divide the said saponaceous matter by causing it to pass through the meshes
of the cups, spoons, ladles or blades a. On the completion of the operation (which
may be ascertained by withdrawing test samples the spindle or axis c carrying the
cups, spoons, ladles or blades a, is lifted by means of the cord k, or in any other
convenient manner, and the soap is removed from the boiler, vat or copper A in a
granulated form, and it is then mixed with potash, soda, soda ash, or other innoxious
alkaline bodies to form the compound. The proportion of the alkali and granulated
soap may be varied according to the required strength of the compound, and the

page_text: purpose to which it is to be applied, but I have found in practice that from, say,
about two to three and a half parts by weight of alkali to one part by weight of
granulated soap produces a compound which is adapted for ordinary washing and
cleansing purposes.
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
practical effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not claim as of my Invention
the use of soap for cleansing and washing purposes, as this is not new, nor the use
of fat and alkaline matter in combination, as this is not novel, nor do I limit or
confine myself to the precise details hereinbefore described and specified, and as
shewn in the accompanying Sheet of Diagrams, as the same may be varied without
departing from the nature of my said Invention, but what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent is,―
First. A new compound for washing and cleansing purposes, consisting of soap
granulated during the process of saponification and alkaline detergent substances or
bodies, substantially as herein before described.
Second. The apparatus for granulating saponaceous matters, substantially as
herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Watt, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, this Second day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one
ALEXANDER WATT. (L.S.)