IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING HYDROCARBONS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Young, of Kelly, in the County of Renfrew,
י
North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING
HYDROCARBONS."
Sealed the 2nd July 1872, and dated the 28th February 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Young at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th February 1872.
I, JAMES YOUNG, of Kelly, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TREATING HYDROCARBONS," to be as follows, that is to say:—
The improvements constituting this Invention consist in treating
that class of hydrocarbons which are distilled from shale, coal, or other
similar substances known as paraffin oils with muriatic acid.
In putting the Invention into practice it is preferred to heat the paraffin
oils above the atmospheric temperature, and liquid muriatic acid is
brought into contact with them either by passing it through a pipe or

page_text: otherwise, during which the paraffin oils are agitated with the muriatic
acid in vessels formed of stone or other material which will resist the
action of the acid.
In place of using liquid muriatic acid alone it may be used jointly
with gaseous muriatic acid.
The agitation is effected by means of revolving or reciprocating
agitators or dashers, the object of so treating the oils being the removal
of impurities.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Young in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 27th August 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
YOUNG, of Kelly, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
35th year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said James Young, Her special license that
I, the said James Young, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said James Young, my executors, administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agrec with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, excrcise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands and
Isle of Mam, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING HYDROCARBONS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Young, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 James Young, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
The improvements constituting this Invention consist in treating that
class of hydrocarbons which are distilled from shale, coal, or other
similar substances known as paraffin oils with liquid muriatic acid.
In putting the Invention into practice the paraffin oils are heated
above the atmospheric temperature, and the liquid muriatic acid is
brought into contact with them either by passing it through a pipe or
otherwise, during which the paraffin oils are agitated with the muriatic
acid in vessels formed of stone or other material which will resist the
action of the acid.
The agitation is effected by micans of revolving or reciprocating
agitators or dashers, the object of so treating the oils being the removal
of impurities.
The said hydrocarbons are subjected to the treatment hercin-after
described either in the crude state or partly refined by distillation, or
otherwise partly refined.
In practising my Invention the liquid muriatic acid and hydrocarbons
are heated sufficiently to eliminate the acid gas from the liquid acid.
In operating with the liquid muriatic or hydrochloric acid it may
be passed through a pipe which dips into the hydrocarbons, or it may
be otherwise admitted thereto, and the said hydrocarbons are contained
in a vessel provided with agitating and heating apparatus such as that
set forth in the Specification and illustrated in the Drawings filed under
Letters Patent granted to me, the said James Young, No. 413, and dated
February 8th, A.D. 1872. It is however to be understood that as this
apparatus forms no part of my present Invention I do not necessarily
employ it for the purposes of carrying out my Invention, as other
agitating and heating apparatus may be adopted.
The effect of passing liquid muriatic or hydrochloric acid into the
hydrocarbons and agitating them therewith when heated sufficiently
to eliminate the acid gas is to combine the acid gas with impurities
contained in them, which being thus separated are precipitated. The
quantity of liquid muriatic or hydrochloric acid used is such as will
give off acid gas sufficient to saturate the said hydrocarbons therewith.
The point of saturation being ascertained by the acid ceasing to be
absorbed, then after being allowed to settle the hydrocarbons may
be drawn off from the compound which has been formed by the muriatic

page_text: or hydrochloric acid. The said hydrocarbons in this state are washed
by agitating them with water, after which it will be found that a great
part of the impurities are removed, and if required the said hydrocarbons
may be distilled or otherwise treated, such other treatment forming no
part of my present Invention.
The said hydrocarbons may be treated by the liquid muriatic or hydro-
chloric acid in the manner herein-before described one or more times in
the course of being refined.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
samo is or may be used or carried into effect, I desire to observe that
I am aware that the application of undiluted strong muriatic or hydro-
chloric acid of commerce for treating Burmese naptha or petroleum is
mentioned in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to Mr. Warren
De la Ruc, No. 2002, A.D. 1855; such application of muriatic or hydro-
chloric acid as therein mentioned is however essentially different from
my said Invention.
I also desire to observe that whereas in the Specification filed under
Letters Patent granted to me, the said James Young, No. 2123, A.D. 1871,
the refining of oils obtained by the distillation of shale and coal by
muriatic or hydrochloric acid in the gaseous state is described, also
that in the Specification filed under Letters Patent granted to me, the
said James Young, No. 413, A.D. 1872, and herein-before referred to,
the treatment of natural petroleums with liquid or gascous muriatic
or hydrochloric acid is set forth, that my present Invention essentially
differs therefrom, and that what I consider to be novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is, the treatment of hydrocarbons obtained
from the distillation of coal or shale with liquid muriatic or hydrochloric
acid heated so as to eliminate the acid gas as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Young, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of June One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-two.
JAMES YOUNG. (L.S.)