Im- PROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING SULPHATE OF SODA OR OF POTASH AND HYDRO- CHLORIC ACID OR CHLORINE
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Emil Königs, of Irvine, in the County of Ayr,
North Britain, Manufacturing Chemist, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING SULPHATE OF SODA OR OF POTASH AND HYDRO-
CHLORIC ACID OR CHLORINE."
Sealed the 24th May 1872, and dated the 22nd February 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Emil Königs at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd February 1872.
I, EMIL KÖNIGS, of Irvine, in the County of Ayr, North Britain,
Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING SULPHATE OF SODA OR OF POTASH AND
HYDROCHLORIC ACID OR CHLORINE," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates principally to modifications of the processes
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to the present
applicant and James Henderson, and dated 22 June 1871 (No. 1642).
The present Invention consists partly in using any less proportion of
iron peroxide than what is named in the said carlier Specification, the

page_text: actions of sulphurous acid and of air being alternated. Thus two parts:
of sodium chloride or potassium chloride may be mixed with one part
of iron peroxide, and the mixture, prepared and placed in kilns or
furnaces as described in the earlier Specification, is to be subjected
to the action of hot sulphurous acid (along with some air) until
traces of sulphurous acid are found to be passing into the regenerative
chambers.
The sulphurous acid is then to be turned into another kiln or chamber,
and heated air is to be directed into that from which the sulphurous
acid is turned, whereupon chlorine will be given off and may be utilised
as desired. On the evolution of chlorine becoming feeble or ceasing
sulphurous acid (with some air) is again made to act on the materials,
and is afterwards turned off and hot air in its turn again admitted,
and so on, the alternated processes being repeated until the sodium
chloride or potassium chloride is completely decomposed. The alternate
doses of sulphurous acid and air will require to be smaller and oftener
repeated the smaller the proportion of iron peroxide is in the mixture
treated.
The treatment of the materials subsequent to the processes herein-
before referred to may be the same as when a larger proportion of iron
peroxide is used, or it may be as herein-after described. The materials
may be taken before the final portions of chlorine are driven off, and
with the iron as chloride, and this iron chloride may be separated from
the sulphate of soda or of potash by dissolving it out with a small
quantity of water. The solution of iron chloride may be added to fresh
charges of salt, thereby supplying wholly or in part the requisite iron,
which will be converted into peroxide by the hot air, the presence of
a little sulphate being of no importance. When the decomposition of
the iron has been carried so far that all or some of the iron remains as
peroxide, this peroxide may be converted into chloride by moistening
with aqueous hydrochloric acid or by passing hydrochloric acid gas
through the kiln or furnace when it is sufficiently cool.
Any iron salt that is convertible into peroxide by the action of hot
air may be used instead of peroxide for mixing with the chloride of
sodium or potassium.
When hydrochloric acid is required steam instead of air is made to act
on the materials alternately with the sulphurous acid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Emil Königs in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st August 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EMIL
KÖNIGS, of Irvine, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Manufacturing
Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Emil Königs, Her special licence that
I, the said Emil Königs, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Emil Königs, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING SULPHATE
OF SODA OR OF POTASH AND HYDROCHLORIC ACID OR CHLORINE," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Emil Königs, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Emil Königs, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, that is to say :---
My said Invention relates principally to modifications of processes
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me and James
Henderson, and dated 22 June 1871 (No. 1642).
My present Invention consists partly in using any less proportion
of iron peroxide than what is named in the said earlier Specification,
the actions of sulphurous acid and of air being alternated. Thus two
parts of sodium chloride or potassium chloride may be mixed with one

page_text: part of iron peroxide, and the mixture, prepared and placed in kilns or
furnaces as described in the earlier Specification, is to be subjected to the
action of hot sulphurous acid until traces of sulphurous acid are found
to be passing into the regenerative chambers.
The sulphurous acid is next to be turned into another kiln or chamber,
and heated air is to be directed into that from which the sulphurous
acid is turned, whereupon chlorine will be given off, and may be utilised
as desired. On the evolution of chlorine becoming feeble or ceasing
sulphurous acid is again made to act on the materials, and is afterwards
turned off, and hot air in its turn again admitted, and so on, the alter-
nated processes being repeated until the sodium chloride or potassium
chloride is completely decomposed. The alternate doses of sulphurous
acid and air will require to be smaller and oftener repeated the smaller
the proportion of iron peroxide is in the mixture treated.
The treatment of the materials subsequent to the processes herein-
before referred to may be the same as when a larger proportion of iron
peroxide is used, or it may be as herein-after described. The materials
may be taken before the final portions of chlorine are driven off, and
with the iron as chloride, and this iron chloride may be separated from
the sulphate of soda or of potash by dissolving it out with a small
quantity of water. The solution of iron chloride obtained in this way
or otherwise may be added to fresh charges of sodium chloride or
potassium chloride, thereby supplying wholly or in part the requisite
iron, which will be converted into peroxide by the hot air, the presence
of a little sulphate being of no importance. When the decomposition
of the iron has been carried so far that all or some of the iron remains
as peroxide this peroxide may be converted into chloride by moistening
with aqueous hydrochloric acid or by passing hydrochloric acid gas
through the kiln or furnace when it is sufficiently cool.
Any iron salt that is convertible into peroxide by the action of hot
air may be used instead of peroxide for mixing with the chloride of
sodium or chloride of potassium.
When hydrochloric acid is required steam instead of air is made to act
on the materials alternately with the sulphurous acid.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I have to state that I do not
restrict myself to the precise details herein described; but that what I

page_text: believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1. The carrying out of the processes described in the earlier Specifi-
cation herein-before referred to (No. 1642 of 1871) with a smaller
proportion of iron peroxide than that named in such carlier Specification,
the actions of sulphurous acid and of air being alternated as herein-
before described.
2. The separating of the iron as chloride from the sulphate of soda or
of potash and the using of the iron chloride to supply iron to fresh
charges, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Emil Königs, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
EMIL KONIGS. (L.S.)