IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO THE PROCESS OF BLEACHING OR PURIFYING OZOKERITE, PARAFFINE, PETROLEUM, STEARINE, AND OTHER LIKE BITUMINOUS MATTERS OR FATS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Firm of W. P.
Thompson and Co., British and International Patent Agents, 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
APPERTAINING TO THE PROCESS OF BLEACHING OR PURIFYING OZOKERITE,
PARAFFINE, PETROLEUM, STEARINE, AND OTHER LIKE BITUMINOUS MATTERS OR
FATS." A communication from abroad by Victor Ofenheim, of Vienna, in the
Empire of Austria.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd August 1879.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., British and
International Patent Agents, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO THE PROCESS OF BLEACHING OR PURIFYING
OZOKERITE, PARAFFINE, PETROLEUM, STEARINE, AND OTHER LIKE BITUMINOUS
MATTERS OR FATS." A communication from abroad by Victor Ofenheim, of
Vienna, in the Empire of Austria.
My Invention consists,―
(a.) In the working of crude ozokerite into yellow ozokerite.
and
(b.) In the process of bleaching the latter to form a white product;
(c.) In the employment of hydrates of alumina, of oxides of iron and manganese,
and of magnesia as means for bleaching ozokerite, paraffine, petroleum, stearine, and
other bitumens and fats.
For working crude ozokerite into yellow ozokerite the crude material is filled
into suitable vessels of iron or other convenient material, where it is molten by
direct fire or by superheated steain, and heated until it reaches a temperature of
about 170 to 200 degrees of Celsius, when about twenty parts by weight of
hydrates of alumina, oxides of iron or manganese, or magnesia are mixed with the
molten mass.
Each of these hydrates alone, or a mixture of them in any arbitrary
proportion, may be employed. The mass is well stirred for about from half an
hour to an hour, and is then cooled down to a temperature of 100 to 110

page_text: degrees of Celsius to allow the hydrates to settle, whereupon the liquid contents
are drawn off.
This product is of a dark reddish brown colour, and is now treated a second time
with about 20 parts of one of, or a mixture of, the above named hydrates in a
similar manner as before described, after which yellow ozokerite is obtained.
In the same manner the ozokerite is treated three, four, or more times until the
mass has acquired the desired degree of purity.
Paraffine, petroleum, stearine, and other bitumens and fats are bleached in the
same manner by employing the above named hydrates as means for bleaching.
The hydrates used may be revivified by treating them with hot steam in wooden
vats provided with a stirrer until all fat contained in the mass is molten, where-
upon the contents are cooled down and the fat taken away from the surface of the
mass, which is then treated a second time with hot steam, and so on until all fat is
driven out from the hydrates, which after being dried and ground can be used
anew.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st February 1880.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., British
and International Patent Agents, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer..
IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO THE PROCESS OF BLEACHING OR
PURIFYING OZOKERITE, PARAFFINE, PETROLEUM, STEARINE, AND OTHER LIKE
BITUMINOUS MATTERS OR FATS." A communication from abroad by Victor
Ofenheim, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria.
My Invention chiefly consists:-First. In the working and manufacture of the
raw produce into yellow ozokerite. Second. In the final bleaching of the last
named article into white. Third. In employing hydrates of alumina, oxides of iron
and manganese and magnesia as a means for bleaching hydro-carbonaceous matters.
Instructions for working the raw article into yellow ozokerite:-The material is
placed in suitable vessels constructed of iron or other substantial material where it
is melted down by the heat of fire or steam up to the degree of 170 to 200 Celsius.
As soon as this temperature has been reached 20 per cent. of hydrate of aluinina,
or oxides of iron or magnesia must be added to the melting mass. The above
named hydrates may be used separately and proportionately, or singly, as desired.
The molten mass must be well stirred for about an hour, when it must be dis-
continued and cooled down to 100 to 110 degrees to permit the ingredients to
settle, after which the pure and clean contents may be drawn off.
The result of this process is the production of dark red and brown coloured
ceresin.
A further 20 per cent. of one or more of the previously named hydrates must be
added to the drawn liquid, after which the described process must be repeated.
By this second procedure light yellow ceresin will be obtained from ozokerite.
The sediments of a very dark brown colour are utilized for the recovery of the
hydrates, and are for this purpose preserved in wooden vats containing a stirrer, and
worked by steam until every particle of ceresin has been extracted from the
hydrates and brought to the surface. After this the contents must be cooled down
and the cold ceresin skimmed off, but the refuse still containing portions of ceresin
inay be again treated in a similar manner. The cleansing of the hydrates is con-
tinued by steam power until all ceresin has been extracted from the hydrates.
soon as this result has been obtained the cleansed and still wet hydrate should be
placed in a drying room with a temperature of 35 degrees Celsius and then finely
ground. The hydrate thus ground and dry may then again be used for bleaching
and decolorizing.
So
I use for the purpose of extracting yellow ceresin from ozokerite about 40 per
cent. of the previously named hydrates, and for the bleaching of the yellow ceresin
a further addition of 40 per cent.
The hydrates which I employ for bleaching the yellow ceresin to the fullest per-
fection may be applied on further occasions after having undergone the same
treatment as indicated by mne regarding ozokerite.
The renewing of the strength of the hydrates may be repeated in an unlimited
measure, and the issue may be used for ozokerite and ceresin in the same manner
and with the same result as newly prepared hydrates.
In conclusion I beg to remark that the previously named degrees of temperature
are not strictly binding, but principally depend upon the quantity and quality of
the hydrates used and that the experiment must be frequently repeated. The
desired result will also be achieved by employing any kind of uncrystallized
hydrate of alumina, oxide of iron, oxide of manganese and magnesia. According

page_text: to circumstances the bleaching materials or part of the same finely ground may be
thrown over the articles to be bleached, or the bleaching materials may be placed
upon filters and the heated and fluent extracted; hydro-carbon should be thrown
over the bleaching materials. If sufficient material should not be ready for
bleaching, any material to be bleached and the bleaching materials can be placed
as they come to hand in filters and kept in hot rooms or boilers, pans, and the like.
If filtered in closed chambers or pans the running through could be quickened by
mechanical means, pressure, or exhaustion.
Having now described Mr. Ofenheim's Invention and the best mode known to
me of carrying it into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the exact quantities and materials herein claimed, as the quantities may
be considerably varied, and any absorbent neutral earth will do for the purpose;
but that what I believe to be new and desire to protect under the hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is:-
The bleaching or purification of ozokerite, paraffine, petroleum, stearine, and
other like bituminous matters or fats by the application of one or more of the
uncrystallized hydrates of alumina, magnesia, manganese, or iron, or other neutral
absorbent earth in a state of fine comminution or porosity substantially in the
manner herein described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto
set ny hand and seal, this Twentieth day of February, in the year of our
Trud 10en
WM. P. THOMPSON. (L.S.)