Improvements in Means or Apparatus Employed in the Manufacture of Sulphites.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1886.
Complete Left, 4th May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 10th June, 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus Employed in the Manufacture
of Sulphites.
We, ALEXANDER WILLIAM GILLMAN and SAMUEL SPENCER, both of the Castle
Brewery, St. George's Road, Southwark, in the County of Surrey, Consulting
Practical Brewers and Analytical Chemists, do hereby declare the nature of said
invention to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of bi-sulphite of lime, mono-sulphite of lime, sulphite of soda
sulphite of potash and other sulphites, we employ the following arrangement of means
or apparatus.
We burn sulphur on the floor of a furnace formed preferably of cast iron plates
enclosed by brickwork or other means for preventing the escape of the heat; this
furnace is a close chamber except that it is provided with a door and is connected
with an outlet tube, the door is capable of being raised more or less or other means
are employed for permitting a regulated supply of air to enter the furnace to support
combustion.
The resulting sulphurous acid gas rises through the outlet tube to and passes along
one or more horizontal tubes which at their other end or ends is or are connected to
one or more descending refrigerators which may be formed of an internal lead tube
surrounded by an external iron tube and having water circulating in the intervening
space or may be of other suitable construction.
From the lower ends of the refrigerator or refrigerators the sulphurous acid gas
is conducted to the lower end of a lofty chamber containing limestone, dolomite or
other carbonate of lime and constructed by preference of headless casks, placed one
above the other, the ends of which casks are bevelled to fit each other and are
connected together by leaden bands nailed in position with copper nails. Several
of these limestone chambers are employed and water is admitted to the upper part
thereof through a pipe formed with an S bend or with other suitable gas trap.
The limestone or other carbonate of lime is supported on a wooden frame or stand
in the lower part of each of such chambers so as to leave a free space below for
drainage and for the entry of the gas. The gas in rising through the limestone

page_text: chambers is to a great extent absorbed by the descending water and the gas saturated
water dissolves out lime from the limestone or other carbonate of lime employed.
The gas arriving at the top of the first of these limestone chambers is conducted
through a pipe formed of lead or earthenware to the lower part of the second of such
chambers and so on through all such limestone chambers.
The hoops of the casks are preferably tightened by means of screws and nuts
connecting together the ends of such hoops.
The bi-sulphite of lime resulting from the union of the gas and the lime is run off
from the lower ends of the limestone chambers into a suitable receiving vessel whence
it may be pumped into a store tank.
The excess gas escaping from the last of the limestone chambers may be conducted
directly to a chimney in which a sufficient draft is created to ensure the gas being
drawn through the apparatus by its being used in connection with a boiler or other
furnace.
For the manufacture of monosulphite of lime we convey the gas from any part of
the above described apparatus to the bottom of a chamber provided with trays
supplied with about of an inch in depth of coarsely sifted slaked lime, preferably
chalk lime on account of its purity. The trays are so arranged as to cause the gas
to pass to and fro, over the lime spread thereon from the bottom to the top of such
chamber where the excess gas is conducted to a chamber for producing sulphite of
soda or potash or to the chimney before described.
The top of the mono-sulphite chamber is removeable to enable the trays to be
charged and emptied.
The slaked lime is left in the chamber under the influence of the gases for about
48 hours.
The sulphite of soda or potash chamber is fitted with trays in a similar manner to
the mono-sulphite chamber and gas from any suitable part of the before described
apparatus is caused to enter such chamber at the bottom and to pass to and fro over
the trays to the top thereof where the excess gas is led to the chimney.
The trays in the sulphite of soda or potash chamber are supplied with a solution of
carbonate of soda or potash of the strength of about 112 lbs. of carbonate of soda or
potash to 36 gallons of water, the said solution is admitted at the top of the chamber
through a suitable gas trap and flows to and fro over the trays descending from one tray
to another until it arrives at the bottom of the chamber and meeting in its course the
current of gas which traverses in the reverse direction, the resulting sulphite of soda
or potash is run off from the bottom of the chamber into a suitable receiver.
.The cover of the said chamber is capable of removal to permit of the cleansing of
the interior thereof when required.
The apparatus is provided with suitable valves or dampers at various parts to open
and close communications so as to permit of the gas being caused to pass through any
or all of the various parts as may be required.
Apparatus constructed and operated as above described may be employed for
producing other sulphites than those above named.
Dated this 4th day of August 1886
ALEX. W. GILLMAN.
SAML. SPENCER.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus Employed in the Manufacture
of Sulphites.
We, ALEXANDER WILLIAM GILLMAN and SAMUEL SPENCER both of the Castle
Brewery, St. Georges Road, Southwark in the County of Surrey, Consulting
Practical Brewers and Analytical Chemists, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
or
In the manufacture of bi-sulphite of lime, mono-sulphite of lime, sulphite of soda,
sulphite of potash and other sulphites we employ an arrangement of means
apparatus substantially as represented in the accompanying drawings of which the
following is a description.
Figure 1 is a general view of the apparatus shown partly in section and partly in
elevation. Figure 2 is a vertical section of parts shown at Figure 1. Figure 3 is a
vertical section of the mono sulphite chamber and Figure 4 is a horizontal section
of parts of the same and Figure 5 is a vertical section of the sulphite of soda or potash
chamber. Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 are drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1.
In all the figures like parts are marked with similar letters of reference: a is a
furnace formed preforably of cast iron plates bolted together, and enclosed by brick-
work or other means for preventing the escape or radiation of heat therefrom this
furnace a is a close chamber except that it is provided with a door a¹ and an outlet
tube a; on the floor of this furnace we burn sulphur and the door a¹ is balanced by
a weight a³ to enable it to be more or less raised for the purpose of regulating the
amount of air entering the furnace a, or other means may be employed for admitting
a regulated supply of air to the furnace.
The sulphurous acid gas, resulting from the combustion of the sulphur in the
presence of atmospheric air, passes into and rises through the outlet tube a whence
it enters and passes along two horizontal tubes which at their other ends are
connected to two descending refrigerators each of which is formed of an internal
lead tube c surrounded by an external iron tube d; water is admitted to the upper
part of the spaces between these tubes c, by pipes and such water is directed
upon the inner tube c by a conical guide or spreader (see Figure 2) whilst the
water after having traversed to the bottom of the space between the tubes c, d is run
off therefrom by a pipe d' attached to the outer tube d; other forms of refrigerator
may however be employed.
The object of passing the gas through the refrigerators is to ensure that in hot
weather or in hot climates a more highly saturated product can be obtained than
when working without such refrigerators.
dis a test pipe applied to each pipe d for the purpose of enabling the attendant
readily to ascertain whether the water is properly running off from the refrigerators.
From the lower ends of these refrigerators c. d the sulphurous acid gas is conducted
to the lower end of a lofty chamber e filled with any kind of lime stone preferably in
rather large pieces and as pure as can be obtained.
This chamber e is preferably constructed of headless casks placed one above the

page_text: other, their ends being bevelled to fit each other, whilst they are connected together
by bands e¹ of lead shaped to closely fit adjacent ends of casks and nailed in position
with copper nails red lead being used to effect a tight joint between the ends of
the casks.
The hoops e of the casks may be driven on the casks for the purpose of tightening
the staves or they may be tightened upon the staves by means of screws and nuts
connecting together the ends of such hoops. Several of these lime-stone chambers e
are employed, three being represented in the drawings, and water is admitted to the
upper part of each through a pipe e³ formed with an S bend or provided with other
suitable gas trap.
The limestone is supported on a wooden frame or stand et in the lower part of
each of such chambers e so as to leave a free space below for drainage and for the
entry of the gas.
These limestone chambers may be otherwise constructed but the method shown in
the drawings is preferred. The gas in rising through the limestone chambers is to a
great extent absorbed by the descending water and the gas saturated water dissolves
out lime from the lime stone employed thereby producing bi-sulphite of lime which
is run off from the lower ends of the limestone chamber e by pipes es into a pipe e
which communicates with a suitable receiving vessel whence it may be pumped into a
store tank.
The lower part of each of the chambers e is provided with a door e² to permit of the
cleansing thereof when necessary.
The excess gas arriving at the top of the first of these limestone chambers e is
conducted through a pipe f formed of lead or earthenware to the lower part of the
second of such chambers e and so on through all such limestone chambers e.
The excess gas arriving at the top of the last limestone chamber e may be
conducted directly into a chimney in which a sufficient draft is created to ensure
the gas being drawn through the apparatus by such chimney being used in connection
with a boiler or other furnace, but when it is desired to manufacture niono-sulphite
of lime we shut off direct communication between the said last limestone chamber e
and the chimney by means of a damper ¹ and we convey the gas from any part of
the above described apparatus by a pipe g to the bottom of a chamber provided with
trays which are supplied with about three quarters of an inch in depth of coarsely
sifted slaked lime preferably chalk lime on account of its purity, such slaked lime
being slightly wetted, when, or before, being placed on the shelves to facilitate
absorption of the gas.
2:
The trays h are arranged as shown so as to cause the gas to pass to and fro over
the lime spread thereon from the bottom to the top of such chamber h where the
excess gas is conducted by a pipe to a pipe ¹ communicating with the chamber j
for producing sulphite of soda or potash or through such pipe ¹ to the upper part of
the last limestone chamber e and thence to the chimney . before described.
The top of the mono-sulphite chamber his removeable to enable the trays to be
charged and emptied.
The slaked lime is left in the chamber h under the influence of the gas for about
48 hours after which the top of the mono-sulphite chamber is removed and the
trays emptied and recharged. The sulphite of soda or potash chamber jis fitted
with trays in a similar manner to the mono-sulphite chamber but more trays are
employed.
The trays are supplied with a solution of carbonate of soda or potash of the
strength of about 112 lbs. of carbonate of soda or potash to 36 gallons of water, the
said solution is admitted at the top of the chamber through a funnel and pipe
fitted with a suitable gas trap and such solution flows to and fro over the trays,
descending from one tray to another until it arrives at the bottom of the chamber j
and meeting in its course the gas which enters such chamber j at the bottom and
traverses in the reverse direction to that of the solution of carbonate of soda or potash
to and fro over the trays to the top of the chamber where the excess gas is led to
the chimney x. by the pipe k. The sulphite of soda or potash resulting from the

page_text: combination of the gas with the soda or potash is run off from the bottom of the
chamber j into a gas trap or small chamber and from thence through a pipe j* to a
suitable receiver.
The cover of the chamber j is also removable to permit of the cleaning of the
interior thereof when required.
The chamber may be placed in communication when required with the top of
the last limestone chamber e by the pipe which is provided with a damper or valve
which enables the communication between such pipe and the chamber e to be opened
or closed when desired.
The pipes g, and i are also provided with dampers or valves g¹, 3, to enable the
chamber h to be thrown into or out of use when required.
The various communications and the dampers or valves may be so arranged as to
enable any part of the apparatus to be used separately or in combination with any
other part or parts or to enable the entire apparatus to be in use at the same time.
The chamber h and trays are made of wood without any lead lining but the
chamber and the trays are formed of wood lined with stout lead to enable them to
j
withstand the action of the liquid.
Apparatus constructed and operated as above described may be employed for
producing other sulphites than those above named.
When starting the furnace a the cap at of the pipe a² is removed for say half an
hour or the pipe a² is connected directly with the chimney by means of a suitable
length of tube and connections until sufficient draft is obtained and the sulphur is
well alight in the furnace a after which the gas is caused to pass through the apparatus
as before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :—
1. The combination of furnace a, outlet. tube a³, tubes b, refrigerating tubes c, d,
lime-stone chambers e, mono-sulphite chamber fitted with trays, sulphite of soda
or potash chamber j fitted with trays, the various inlet, communicating and outlet
pipes and their accompanying dampers, valves or cocks and chimney & substantially
as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
2. The combination of furnace balanced door a¹, tubes a³, b, refrigerating
tubes c, d, spreader d', supply, discharge and test tubes d', d³, d, limestone chambers e,
stand e, supply and discharge pipes es, e, e, communicating tube f and chimney
either alone or combined with chambers h and j substantially as herein shown and
described and for the purpose stated.
3. In apparatus for the manufacture of sulphites the employment of refrigerating
apparatus substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
4. In apparatus for the manufacture of sulphites, the employment of limestone
chambers e constructed of headless barrels fitted together with bevelled joints at their
ends and, connected together by leaden bands e nailed thereto with copper nails and
fitted with stand e and supply and discharge tubes es, e substantially as herein shown
and described.
1
1000