Improvements in or relating to the Production of Neutral Wool Grease from Suint or Wool Washings.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 9th June, 1893-Accepted, 8th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Production of Neutral Wool
Grease from Suint or Wool Washings.
I, JOHANN CARL LAHUSEN Manager of The North German Wool Carding
and Worsted Yarn Spinning Factory, of 39, Georgstrasse Bremen, in the
Empire of Germany, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The neutral wool grease found in commerce hitherto only reached a melting
point at above 45 degrees centigrade, which not infrequently rose to 60 degrees or
even 65 degrees centigrade. Such fats were at all ordinary temperatures much
too solid to allow of their being rubbed down like ointment, and therefore the
most varied additions, such as water, lard and oils, were necessary in order to
render them sufficiently ductile; such additions, however, damaged the known
valuable properties of pure unmixed wool grease.
By this invention, there is obtained directly from the suint separated out of the
water from wool washing, a neutral wool grease, which has, in addition to other
prominent advantages, an extremely low melting point, so that the grease at the
ordinary temperature of a room has a thick oily or ointment like consistency.
The fixing of the melting point is also so far under control that it may stop at any
degree between 25 and 36 degrees centigrade.
This result is attained by means of a washing process to which the suint is
subjected. It has been found that the low melting wool grease is comparatively
easily removed by washing, whilst the alkaline earth soaps remain behind, and
these latter retain the less easily melted constituents of the wool grease which have
also a higher specific gravity.
The process is practically carried out in the following manner :-
The water running away from the washing machines is conducted into large
receptacles after having been freed from clay, sand and wool fibres, and is precipi-
tated in these vessels by means of an acid solution of chloride of calcium. In
doing this, it is necessary that the quantity of alkaline carbonate contained in the
water must be exactly determined by analysis for each vessel, in order to after-
wards allow of the amount of acid which is to be added to be calculated: this is
extremely important, to avoid a decomposition of the soaps, and, further, the
various amounts of carbonic acid in the alkaline carbonate must be driven out, as
otherwise the resulting alkaline earth carbonates would hinder the whole process
in the washing. Whilst, however, very much depends on this addition of acid, it
is immaterial whether chloride of magnesium or sulphate of magnesium be
employed instead of chloride of calcium; as this is only a matter of price.
After the precipitation, the ordinary separation of the suint takes place, whilst
the surplus water may be run off. This separated suint is subjected to the working
process, and this latter takes place in iron boilers open at the top, 6 to 8 metres in
height, which must be at least metres in diameter. The speed of the flow during
the washing is regulated in such a way that it does not exceed 0-25 millimetres
per minute; a system of tubes is placed over the bottom of the boiler in order to
divide the flow over the whole section of the boiler. The alkaline earth soaps
and the specifically heavier constituents of the wool grease rise only a little during
the washing, whilst the specifically lighter wool grease, which is at the same time
the desired low melting grease, is finally entirely carried away by the water.
washing water contains only neutral grease free from soap, is almost white, and is
manufactured directly without any further chemical treatment into the neutral
low melting wool grease. It has further been found that the washing process may
This

page_text: be facilitated if the specific gravity of the washing water be so far raised by
dissolving therein any suitable indifferent salt, that the alkaline earth soaps remain
somewhat heavier than the saline solution of the washing water; this latter has
then about 1,025-1,040 specific gravity, but this figure varies according to the
kind and composition of the suint. Chloride of sodium, chloride of potassium,
chloride of magnesium or sulphate of magnesium may be named as suitable
indifferent salts, the action of all these salts enumerated takes place in a similar
manner and equally effectively.
The treatment of the above mentioned washing water, which contains the
neutral, low melting wool grease, may take place by filtering off the grease by
means of lime, sand, gypsum, or anhydrite-filters, or even by the direct extraction
from the water by means of a continuously acting extraction apparatus, preferably
by a column extracting apparatus of Mr. H. Hirzel's kind. The washing water
traverses this apparatus from above downwards, whilst the extracting substance,
benzine or ether, rises in a contrary direction. The supply may be easily so
arranged that the pure saline washing solution flows away from below, whilst a
saturated grease solution emerges from the top of the apparatus. This grease
solution is clarified, concentrated by means of distillation, and yields finally the
desired neutral low melting wool grease. The yield is small and is limited to a
small percentage of the total wool grease contained in the wool washing water.
This process is therefore characterised by an entirely novel separation of the
wool grease into an easily melting part and a more slowly melting part, this
separation having up to now been neither carried out technically, nor teated on a
small scale nor even proposed; in fact, the existence of such easily melting wool
grease was not even known. The washing process for the suint employed for this
separation is also a perfectly new mode of treatment in the wool grease industry,
more particularly the use of salts for increasing the specific gravity of the washing
water. The operations hitherto employed, such as centrifugalling, settling,
filtering injection of alkaline earth salt solutions are all of no value if a separation
of the wool grease itself is to be effected, that is to say, if a low melting part and
a high melting part are to be obtained. This is only possible by means of the
washing process hereinbefore described. The result of this washing is also an
entirely novel one, as, by its means, an entirely neutral, greasy water, free from
soap, is obtained, which renders superfluous any further chemical treatment of tho
grease, and allows of an extremely simple extraction with any suitable grease
solvent.
Dated this 26th day of September 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Production of Neutral Wool
.Grease from Suint or Wool Washings.
I, JOHANN CARL LAHUSEN Manager of The North German Wool Carding and
Worsted Yarn Spinning Factory of 39, Georgstrasse, Bremen in the Empire of
Germany, 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 :-
The neutral wool grease found in commerce hitherto only reached a melting
point at above 45 degrees centigrade, which not infrequently rose to 60 degrees or
even 65 degrees centigrade. Such fats were at all ordinary temperatures much
too solid to allow of their being rubbed down like ointment, and therefore the most
varied additions, such as water, lard and oils, were necessary in order to render
them sufficiently ductile; such additions, however, damaged the known valuable
properties of pure unmixed wool grease.

page_text: By this invention, there is obtained directly from the suint separated out of the
water from wool washing, a neutral wool grease, which has, in addition to other
prominent advantages, an extremely low melting point, so that the grease at the
ordinary temperature of a room has a thick oily or ointment-like consistency. The
fixing of the melting point is also so far under control that it may stop at any
degree between 25 and 36 degrees centigrade.
This result is attained by means of a washing process to which the suint is
subjected. It has been found that the low melting wool grease is comparatively
easily removed by washing, whilst the alkaline earth soaps remain behiud, and
these latter retain the less easily melted constituents of the wool grease which have
also a higher specific gravity.
The process is practically carried out in the following manner :-
The water running away from the washing machines is conducted into large
réceptacles after having been freed from clay, sand and wool fibres, and is pre-
cipitated in these vessels by means of an acid solution of chloride of calcium. In
doing this, it is necessary that the quantity of alkaline carbonate contained in the
water must be exactly determined by analysis for each vessel, in order to afterwards
allow of the amount of acid which is to be added to be calculated: this is extremely
important, to avoid a decomposition of the soaps, and, further, the various amounts
of carbonic acid in the alkaline carbonate must be driven out, as, otherwise, the
resulting alkaline earth carbonates would hinder the whole process in the washing.
Whilst, however, very much depends on this addition of acid, it is immaterial
whether chloride of magnesium or sulphate of magnesium be employed instead of
chloride of calcium; as this is only a matter of price.
After the precipitation, the ordinary separation of the suint takes place, whilst
the surplus. water may be run off. This separated suint is subjected to the
working process, and this latter takes place in iron boilers open at the top,
6 to 8 metres in height, which must be at least 5 metres in diameter. The speed
of the flow during the washing is regulated in such a way that it does not exceed
0.25 millimetres per minute; a system of tubes is placed over the bottom of the
boiler in order to divide the flow over the whole section of the boiler. The
alkaline earth soaps and the specifically heavier constituents of the wool grease rise
only a little during the washing, whilst the specifically lighter wool grease, which
is at the same time the desired low melting grease, is finally entirely carried Bway
by the water. This washing water contains only neutral grease free from soap, is
almost white, and is manufactured directly without any further chemical treatment
into the neutral low melting wool grease. It has further been found that the
washing process may be facilitated if the specific gravity of the washing water be
so far raised, by dissolving therein any suitable indifferent salt, that the alkaline
earth soaps remain somewhat heavier than the saline solution of the washing water;
this latter has then about 1,025 -1,040 specific gravity, but this figure varies
according to the kind and composition of the suint. Chloride of sodium, chloride
of potassium, chloride of magnesium or sulphate of magnesium may be named as
suitable indifferent salts, the action of all these salts enumerated takes place in a
similar manner and equally effectively.
The treatment of the above mentioned washing water, which contains the neutral,
low melting wool grease, may take place by filtering off the grease by means of
lime, sand, gypsum, or anhydrite-filters, or even by the direct extraction from the
water by means of a continuously acting extraction apparatus, preferably by a
column extracting apparatus of Mr. H. Hirzel's kind. The washing water traverses
this apparatus from above downwards, whilst the extracting substance, benzine, or
ether, rises in a contrary direction. The supply may be easily so arranged that the
pure saline washing solution flows away from below, whilst a saturated grease
solution emerges from the top of the apparatus. This grease solution is clarified,
concentrated by means of distillation, and yields finally the desired neutral low
melting wool grease. The yield is small and is limited to a small percentage of
the total wool grease contained in the wool washing water.

page_text: This process is therefore characterised by an entirely novel separation of the
wool grease into an easily melting part and a more slowly melting part, this separa-
tion having up to now been neither carried out technically, nor tested on a small
scale, nor even proposed; in fact, the existence of such easily melting wool grease
was not even known. The washing process for the suint employed for this separa-
tion is also a perfectly new mode of treatment in the wool grease industry, more
particularly the use of salts for increasing the specific gravity of the washing water.
The operations hitherto employed, such as centrifugalling, settling, filtering,
injection of alkaline earth salt solutions, are all of no value if a separation of the
wool grease itself is to be effected, that is to say, if a low melting part and a high
melting part are to be obtained. This is only possible by means of the washing
process herein before described. The result of this washing is also an entirely novel
one, as, by its means, an entirely neutral, greasy water, free from soap, is obtained,
which renders superfluous any further chemical treatment of the grease, and allows
of an extremely simple extraction with
any suitable grease solvent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The improvements in or relating to the production of neutral wool grease
from suint or wool washings, which consist in separating the suint into a neutral
wool grease, melting under 40 degrees centigrade, on the one hand, and, on the
other hand, into a mixture of alkaline earth soaps and a wool grease melting at a
higher degree, by washing the suint with water or a watery solution of salts, in
particular alkali or alkaline earth salts, substantially as described.
2. The improved wool grease consisting of a neutral wool grease melting under
40 degrees centigrade, and having at ordinary temperatures a thick oily or
ointment-like consistency as set forth.
Dated this 8th day of June 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.