THE UTILIZATION OF GALVANIZERS' LIQUORS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lorberg, of Cricklewood, in the County
of Middlesex, Chemist, for the Invention of "THE UTILIZATION OF
GALVANIZERS' LIQUORS."
Sealed the 28th July 1871, and dated the 30th January 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lorberg at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th January 1871.
I, WILLIAM LORBERG, of Cricklewood, in the County of Middlesex,
5 Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "THE
UTILIZATION OF GALVANIZERS' LIQUORS," to be as follows:-
The liquors to which my improvements apply are the sulphate of
iron liquor and the chloride of iron liquor produced as waste liquors by
galvanized iron manufacturers. I utilize these liquors in the following
O manner, viz :-
First. The sulphate of iron liquor being acid I neutralize it with
iron filings, borings, or scraps, evaporate and crystalize, thus producing

page_text: crystalized sulphate of iron or green copperas which is an article of
trade.
Second. I subject the crystals of sulphate of iron to the process of
roasting or dry distillation as practised by the German method, and
thus obtain sulphuric acid and oxide or sesqui-oxide of iron.
Third. I make a mixture in the proper chemical proportions of
crystalized sulphate of iron and common salt, or chloride of sodium,
calcine and elutriate the mass with water. By this process I obtain
oxides and sesqui-oxides of iron and sulphate of soda, the latter being
contained in the washings. I filter, boil down to the proper consistency
and crystalize.
Fourth. To the acid sulphate of iron liquor I add caustic magnesia
derived from magnesian limestone, dolomite of magnesite, the so-called
whitestone of trade, agitate and boil if necessary until all the iron is
decomposed, filter or decant and crystalize. By this process I obtain
oxides and sesqui-oxides of iron and sulphate of magnesia or Epsom
salt.
T
Fifth. For the production of a finer description of oxides and sesqui-
oxides of iron, I decompose the sulphate of iron liquor or the chloride
of iron liquor by ammonia or carbonate of ammonia, by which means I
also obtain as secondary products sulphate of ammonia and chloride of
ammonium, the latter being contained in the liquid and washings are
boiled down and crystalized in the ordinary manner.
Sixth. From the various oxides or sesqui-oxides of iron I produce by
well-known processes of calcination and elutriation the red pigment
known as red ochre and crocus or polishing rouge used for polishing
glass, metals, and jewelry.

page_text: Second. I subject the crystals of sulphate of iron obtained in the way
described to the process of roasting and dry distillation, and I thus obtain
from them sulphuric acid and oxides of iron.
Third. I make a mixture of 100 parts (by weight) of the sulphate
of iron obtained in the way first described, and 42 to 45 parts (by
weight) of chloride of sodium (or common salt), using a greater or less
proportion of chloride of sodium according to its condition, whether dry
or comparatively moist. And I calcine the resulting mass, and then
wash or elutriate it with water. In this way I obtain oxides of iron
and sulphate of soda. The sulphate of soda thus obtained I filter and
crystallize in the usual manner.
Fourth. Instead of neutralizing the acid sulphate of iron liquor in the
manner first described, I ascertain by experiment in the usual manner
the amount of acid contained in a given quantity of the sulphate of
iron liquor, and I add to it gradually and with considerable agitation
caustic magnesia in fine powder. I prefer to obtain the caustic
magnesia for this purpose from magnesian limestone, dolomite, or
magnesite, the so called whitestone of commerce.
The best propor-
tion chemically is one part of magnesia to two parts of acid, but in
practice I prefer to have the magnesia slightly in excess, and the 1
sulphate of iron liquor diluted, and sometimes I boil the sulphate of
iron liquor and the magnesia together. In this way I obtain oxides of
iron and sulphate of magnesia (or Epsom salts). I separate the sulphate
of magnesia from the oxides of iron by filtering or decanting, and I
crystallize the sulphate of magnesia in the ordinary way.
Fifth. In order to obtain a finer description of oxides of iron than
those obtained in the methods already described, I take the sulphate of
iron liquor or the chloride of iron liquor produced as waste liquors
by galvanized iron manufacturers, and I saturate it with ammonia or
carbonate of ammonia. I then boil the liquor and filter or decant it. 3
By this means I obtain, as well as oxides of iron, sulphate of ammonia
(if sulphate of iron liquor is used) or chloride of ammonium (if chloride
of iron liquor is used), which I crystallize or sublime in the ordinary
way.
Sixth. From the various oxides (or sesqui-oxides) of iron obtained by 3
the processes above described I produce br calcination and elutriation or

page_text: washing, the red pigment known as red ochre and crocus or polishing
rouge which is used for polishing glass, metals, and jewelry.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lorberg, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
WILLIAM LORBERG. (L.S.)