IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF NATURAL PETROLEUMS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Young, of Kelly, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT OF NATURAL PETROLEUMS."
Sealed the 2nd July 1872, and dated the 8th February 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Young at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th 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 THE TREATMENT OF NATURAL PETROLEUMS," to be as follows, that is to
say: :-
The improvements constituting this Invention consist in treating
that class of hydrocarbon oils known as natural petroleums with
muriatic acid.
In putting the Invention into practice, either liquid or gaseous
muriatic acid is used, and the petroleum's may be heated above the

page_text: .
atmospheric temperature or not. When liquid muriatic acid is employed
it is preferred to have the petroleums heated, and when gaseous muriatic
acid is employed the petroleums may also be heated. The petroleums
are agitated with the said acid in suitable vessels, the object being the
removal of impurites. The agitation is effected by means of ordinary
or reciprocating agitators or dashers, and the vessels are of stone ware or
other material which will resist the action of the acid.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Young in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th 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 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, adminis-
trators, or 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 THE
TREATMENT OF NATURAL PETROLEUMS," 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 be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-,
The improvements constituting this Invention consist in treating that
class of hydrocarbon oils known as natural petroleums with muriatic
acid.
In putting the Invention into practice, either liquid or gaseous
muriatic acid is used, and the petroleums may be heated above the
atmospheric temperature or not. When liquid muriatic acid is
employed the petroleums are heated, and when gaseous muriatic acid is
employed the petroleums may also be heated. The petroleums are
agitated with the said acid in suitable vessels, the object being the
removal of impurities. The agitation is effected by means of ordinary
or reciprocating agitators or dashers, and the vessels are of stone ware
or other material which will resist the action of the acid.
The natural petroleums are subjected to the treatment herein-after
described, either in the crude state or partly refined by distillation, or
otherwise partly refined. As some of the natural petroleums are
imperfectly fluid at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere, they
are liquefied by heat before subjecting them to the treatment by
gaseous muriatic acid, and when using liquid muriatic acid the
petroleums and acid are heated sufficiently to eliminate the acid gas
from the sad liquid acid.
In operating with liquid muriatic or hydrochloric acid it may be
passed through a pipe which dips into the natural petroleums, or it may
be otherwise admitted thereto. When using liquid muriatic or hydro-
chloric acid the petroleums to be acted upon by it are contained in an
agitating apparatus such as that set forth in the Specification filed under
Letters Patent, granted to me, the said James Young, No. 2123, and
dated August 11th, A.D. 1871, and which apparatus I have further
shown on the Sheet of Drawings appended hereto, modified in the
manner required to effect the heating of the petroleums and liquid acid
in order to eliminate the acid gas. It is however to be understood that
as the 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.

page_text: observe that I am aware that the application of undiluted strong
muriatic or hydrochloric acid of commerce for treating Burmese naptha
or petroleum is mentioned in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to Mr. Warren De la Rue, No. 2002, A.D. 1855, such
application of muriatic or hydochloric 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, and herein-before referred to, the refining of oils obtained by
the distillation of shale and coal, or other such like substances by
muriatic or hydrochloric acid in the gaseous state is described, that my
present Invention does not relate to the treatment of oils artificially
obtained, but 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 natural petroleums with liquid.
muriatic or hydrochloric acid heated so as to eliminate the acid gas, or
with muriatic or hydrochloric acid in the gaseous state, substantially 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
JAMES YOUNG. (L.S.)