IMPROVMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF AERATED WATERS
Year: 1884

page_text: We ALEXANDER ESILMAN of Gibbon Street Bradford near Manchester in the
County of Lancaster Chemist and ABNER HASSALL of No 1 Warehouse Great
Northern Railway Goods Depot Kings Cross in the County of Middlesex Chemical
Agent do hereby declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF AERATED WATERS, to be as follows:--
The object of the invention is to produce aerated waters of improved quality
and to economise the cost of such production.
For this purpose we either dispense with the use of the Tartaric acid or citric
acid wholly, or we employ such acid or acids only in a very limited proportion in
admixture with our improved substitute therefor.
In place of these acids as generally employed as the acidifying principle in the
manufacture of aerated waters we substitute phosphoric acid or phosphoric acid
admixed with a small proportion of tartaric or citric acid.
This phosphoric acid may be prepared by any of the known methods now in use
in commerce for the preparation thereof but we subject a solution of phosphoric
acid, before employment as described, to the action of sulphuretted hydrogen or
some other suitable sulphide or other suitable re-agent, adapted to eliminate such
lead as may be present in such phosphoric acid or other impurities present
therein.
We have found that an admixture of phosphoric acid and either tartaric acid,
or citric acid, dissolved together in the proportion of from (say) 2 to 4 per centum
of tartaric acid or citric acid to 98 to 96 per centum of phosphoric acid solution of
a strength of, say, 75° Twaddell respectively gives a good commercial result but we
do not confine ourselves to this exact proportion or strength of solution of phosphoric
acid.
The employment of the citric acid or the tartaric acid in admixture with the
phosphoric acid and the proportion thereof employed, if any, will be dependent
upon the character of the aerated water desired to be produced.
The proportion of the phosphoric acid or admixture of phosphoric acid and
tartaric acid or citric acid, employed in the manufacture of the aerated waters
will be generally the same or about the same as the proportion of acidifying
principle now used.

page_text: We ALEXANDER ESILMAN of Gibbon Street Bradford near Manchester in the
County of Lancaster Chemist and ABNER HASSALL of No 1 Warehouse Great
Northern Railway Goods Depôt Kings Cross in the County of Middlesex Chemical
Agent do hereby declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF AERATED WATERS and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of the invention is to produce aerated waters of improved quality and
to economise the cost of such production.
For this purpose we either dispense with the use of the tartaric acid or citric
acid wholly, or we employ such acid or acids only in a very limited proportion in
admixture with our improved substitute therefor.
In place of these acids generally employed as the acidifying principle in the
manufacture of aerated waters we substitute phosphoric acid or phosphoric acid
admixed with a small proportion of tartaric or citric acid or phosphoric acid with
admixture of these latter acids as such acidifying principle.
This phosphoric acid to be employed may be prepared substantially according to
any of the well known methods now in use in commerce-from phosphate of lime-but
when preparing phosphoric acid, we find it highly advantageous to carefully observe
several precautions-thus, we select the finest quality of bone-ash or other phosphate
of lime as free as possible from iron and alumina, preferring bone ash as being pure
and uniform in composition.
Before subjecting the phosphate of lime to treatment with acid, we ascertain if
it be free from organic matter which would injure the colour and appearance of the
product. We test this by heating a small portion thereof to redness and by
observing if there be any animal odour evolved, or charring taking place. If
either of these effects be noticeable we carefully heat the whole to redness in a
reverberatory or other furnace. On cooling, the ash is ground to a fine powder
and its components of phosphate and carbonate of line are accurately determined.
For each per centum of phosphate of lime we employ 94 parts of sulphuric acid,
and for each per centum of carbonate of lime we use 98 parts of sulphuric acid.
For instance a bone ash found to contain 85 per cent of phosphate and 7 per cent
of carbonate of lime would require 87.5 lbs of sulphuric acid for every 100 lbs of
the bone ash, but the proper proportions for any sample can be readily calculated
when the composition has been revealed by analysis: The sulphuric acid employed
should be of the purest description that may be had or should be rendered pure
accordingly in manner well understood by chemists.
The proper quantities having been weighed off, the sulphuric acid is diluted with
water or weak washings from a previous operation in a lead lined or other suitable
vessel to a strength of about 30 degrees Twaddell and heated to boiling. The ash
is now slowly added with constant stirring and when thoroughly mixed it is allowed
to stand for several days. It will generally be found sufficient if it be allowed to
stand for from four to five days before being further treated. This mixture is

page_text: then transferred to a lead lined drainer provided with a false bottom covered with
suitable cloths or to other suitable straining apparatus wherein the strong liquid is
allowed to run through clear or approximately clear and is collected in a lead lined
or other suitable receiver.
The insoluble sulphate of lime remaining behind is washed by treatment with
successive additions of weaker liquor then with water until eventually the last
drainings are nearly tasteless.
The liquor and washings are now transferred to a lead lined evaporator heated
by high pressure steam passing through a suitable leaden coil or by other suitable
concentrating means, and this liquor is evaporated until it has assumed a density
of (say) about 66 degress Twaddell hot. The weight of the liquor at this strength
is now ascertained by measuring its cubical contents, and in cases where such
addition is desired, for every cubic foot or 83 lbs weight we add, about 5 lbs of
tartaric acid or of citric acid preferably the latter, or where an admixture of these
two acids is employed an equivalent proportion would be used.
At this stage may be added to the phosphoric acid a small quantity of acetic acid
or other matter which it may be desired so to add.
When the mixture has become dissolved, we shut off the steam or discontinue the
evaporation and allow the matters to cool.
We now shall have obtained a strong solution of phosphoric and citric or tartaric
acids, or phosphoric acid and citric and tartaric acids.
Somewhat turbid from the presence of precipitated sulphate of lime, and
containing about two per cent of sulphates of magnesia and potash (derived from
the bone ash) but no free sulphuric acid or vitriol. The mixture also may contain
a little lead derived from the leaden vessels if such have been used or contained in
the citric or tartaric acid added.
This we now proceed to remove by the use of sulphide of sodium an article
manufactured and sold commercially, but which article may be readily made by
passing an excess of sulphuretted bydrogen (obtained by treating protosulphide of
iron, or soda waste by dilute sulphuric acid, in the well known way) into a strong
solution of caustic soda, or as long as it is absorbed. A solution of this sulphide
of sodium is allowed to run slowly down a tube passed to the bottom of the leaden
vessel containing the phosphoric acid solution while the latter is in a state of
violent agitation so as thereby to promote the absorption of the evolved gas.
We make no claim to the said preparation or to use of the gas or to the
employment of the vessels employed separately considered but as it is essential to
separate and remove any lead which may be present and obtain a pure product we
find this a convenient method of effecting that end. When the solution has a
decided odour of the gas the addition of the sulphide is discontinued, and the
mixture is allowed to settle for some hours. It is then run on to a woollen or
other suitable filter where the salts of lime and lead are retained and the clear
liquor passes through into a stoneware, slate or other suitable non-corrodible tank.
At and from this point in the operation no metal vessels, pipes, taps, or other
parts, must be used that are liable to be attacked by the matters treated, as the
purity of the solution must be conserved.
The clear solution, smelling of the sulphuretted hydrogen is now deodorised by
forcing air, by means of a hand or steain pump or other suitable force, into it
through a perforated pipe or distributor passing to or near the bottom.
When the odour has been removed, or approximately so, the aeration is dis-
continued, and a mere trace of added peroxide of hydrogen completes the removal
of any undesirable odour or discoloration. It is simply necessary now to permit
the solution to settle or to filter it again through a woollen cloth or other filter so
as to ensure clearness and brilliancy.
At no stage of the process should the materials come into contact with iron.
We do not confine ourselves to these exact proportions or strengths of solution
of phosphoric acid and further the employment of the citric acid, or the taitaric
acid or admixtures thereof or other matters in admixture with the phosphoric acid,

page_text: and the proportions thereof employed, if any, will be dependent upon the characters
of the aerated waters desired to be produced.
The proportion of the phosphoric acid, or admixture of phosphoric acid and
tartaric acid or citric acid or admixtures of tartaric acid and citric acid with the
phosphoric acid, employed in the manufacture of the aerated waters will generally
be approximately the same or about the same as the proportion of acidifying
principle now used.
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
The employment of phosphoric acid, or phosphoric acid mixed with a small
quantity of citric acid, or of tartaric acid or admixtures of phosphoric acid with
citric and tartaric acid, as the acidifying principle or agent in the manufacture of
mineral or aerated waters substantially as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of February 1885.
WM BROOKES & SON,
55, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the said Alexander Esilman
and Abner Hassall.