IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHLORATE OF POTASH
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Knowles Muspratt of Seaforth Hall near
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and Georgo Eschellmann. Ph.D. of
Widnes also in the County of Lancaster for an Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHLORATE OF POTASH"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Knowles Muspratt
and George Eschellmann at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 15th August 1883.
EDMUND KNOWLES MUSPRATT of Seaforth Hall near Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster and GEORGE ESCHELLMANN Ph.D of Widnes also in the County of
Lancaster "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHLORATE OF POTASH."
16
33
The manufacture of Chlorate of Potash is at present carried on in the following
manner-Chlorine gas is brought into contact with milk of Lime, which is kept
in a state of agitation in vessels, technically known as
The Chlorine
octagons
gas is absorbed by the Milk of Lime, resulting in a solution of Calcium Chlorato
and Calcium Chloride, which solution is generally called "octagon liquor." This
"octagon liquor" is decomposed by heating with Potassium Chloride into
Potassium Chlorate, and Calcium Chloride and concentrated, after which the
Potassium Chlorate is as far as possible separated from the Calcium Chloride by
crystallization In this process, it is however impossible to separate the whole of
the Potassium Chlorate, as a quantity (usually varying from about 25% to
about 30%) still remains in the Mother liquor and is lost. In addition to this
loss of Potassium Chlorate the whole of the lime employed and the Chlorine not
converted into Chlorate is run to waste in the Mother Liquor.
Our Invention has for its object the prevention of all of theso losses, and
consists-In the substitution of Magnesia for the Lime for the absorption of tho
Chlorine Gas. The Magnesia is mixed with water and kept in suspension therein
by agitation and treated with Chlorine Cas, as in the case of Milk of Lime The
produce is liquor containing Magnesium Chlorate and Magnesium Chloride. This
Magnesium liquor is decomposed by heating with Potassium Chloride into

page_text: Potassium Chlorate and Magnesium Chloride, after which Potassium Chlorate is
separated from the Magnesium Chloride by crystallization leaving behind a
Mother Liquor still containing Potassium Chlorate with the Magnesium Chloride
This Mother Liquor is further heated, by which treatment the remaining
Potassium Chlorate is rendered insoluble, and falls as salts which can be extracted
by any known method. The remaining liquor which is Magnesium Chloride, can
be made available for further use as Magnesia by allowing it to cool and solidify
and afterwards by reheating in any known way converting into Magnesia
contaminated with a small quantity of Magnesium Chloride which contamination
will not prevent our using the Magnesium over again in our process.
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edmund Knowles Muspratt and George Eschellmann in the
Patent Office on the 15th February 1884.
EDMUND KNOWLES MUSPRATT of Seaforth Hall near Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster and GEORGE ESCHELLMANN Ph: D of Widnes also in the County of
Lancaster "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHLORATE OF POTASH "
The manufacture of chlorate of Potash is at present carried on in the following
manner. Chlorine gas is brought into contact with milk of lime which is kept in
a state of agitation in vessels technically known as "octagons." The chlorine gas
is absorbed by the milk of lime resulting in a solution of Calcium Chlorate and
Calcium Chloride which solution is generally called "octagon liquor." This
octagon liquor" is decomposed by heating with Potassium Chlorido into
Potassium Chlorate and Calcium Chloride and concentrated after which the
Potassium Chlorate is as far as possible separated from the calcium Chloride by
crystallization. In this process it is however impossible to separate the whole of
the Potassium Chlorate as a quantity (usually varying from about 25% to about
30%) still remains in the mother liquor and is lost. In addition to this loss of
Potassium Chlorate the whole of the lime employed and the chlorine not converted
into chlorate is run to waste in the mother liquor.
Our Invention has for its object the prevention of all these losses and consists in
the substitution of Magnesia for Lime for the absorption of the Chlorine Gas. The
Magnesia is mixed with water and kept in suspension therein by agitation and
treated with Chlorine gas as in the case of milk of Lime. The produce is liquor
containing Magnesium Chlorate and Magnesium chloride. This Magnesian liquor
is decomposed, by heating with Potassium Chloride, into Potassium Chlorate and
Magnesium Chloride, after which the Potassium Chlorate is separated from the
Magnesium Chloride by crystallization leaving behind a Mother liquor still
containing Potassium Chlorate with the Magnesium Chloride.
This Mother liquor is evaporated by which treatment the remaining Potassium
Chlorate is rendered insoluble and falls as salts which can be extracted by any
known method. The remaining liquor which is Magnesium Chloride can be made
available for further use as Magnesia by allowing it to cool and to solidify and

page_text: afterwards by reheating in any known way converting it into Magnesia
contaminated with a small quantity of Magnesium Chloride which contamination
will not prevent our using the Magnesia over again in our process.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect we would observe in conclusion that what we consider to be novel and
original and therefore claim as the Invention securod to us by the hereinbeforo
in part recited Letters Patent is :-
The Manufacture of Chlorate of Potash by the employment of Magnesia in
conjunction with Chlorine in the manner and by the process substantially as
bereinbefore described.
In witness whereof I the said Edmund Knowles Muspratt on behalf of myself
and the said George Eschellmann have to this our Specification set my hand and
seal this ninth day of February One thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
EDMUND KNOWLES MUSPRATT (L.S.)
Signed by the within E K Muspratt
in my presence WN OULTON. 9/2/84
Justice of the Peace for the City of Liverpool