IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN KINDS OF SOAP AND OTHER DETERGENT COMPOUNDS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Gossage, of Widnes, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN KINDS OF SOAP AND OTHER DETERGENT
COMPOUNDS."
Sealed the 29th December 1854, and dated the 3rd August 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Gossage at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 3rd
August 1854.
I, WILLIAM GOSSAGE, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Manufac-
turing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN KINDS OF SOAP AND OTHER
DETERGENT COMPOUNDS" to be as follows:-
My improvements in the manufacture of certain kinds of soap and other
detergent compounds are applicable, firstly, to the production of those kinds of
soap which are manufactured by adding other substances to the true soaps,
which are prepared by the combination of alkalies with tallow, rosin, oil, or
other such substances; and, secondly, to the production of certain other
detergent compounds, herein-after described.
In the Provisional Specification of a Patent for
Improvements in the

page_text: Manufacture of certain Kinds of Soap," which has been granted to me, and
bears date the Third of April in the present year, I have stated as my Inven-
tion the application of "soluble glass" (previously dissolved in water, and the
solution concentrated, so as to form a thick viscous compound,) to the produc-
tion of certain kinds of soap as therein described.
In perfecting my said Invention, I have found that when I mix such com-
pound obtained from soluble glass with truc soaps, I am enabled to use a
much larger proportion of rosin in the manufacture of the true soaps used for
such purpose than has hitherto been employed in such manufacture, and yet
obtain a compound soap of sufficient hardness, and possessing such valuable
detergent properties, as render it very serviceable; and as rosin is a material
obtainable at a very low cost as compared with tallow or oil, which are usually
employed in the manufacturo of soap, I am enabled to produce a soap of good
quality, which can be supplied to the public at a very low price. I have also
found that I can use such extra proportion of rosin in the manufacture of true
soap, when I use such true soap for the production of compound soap, by
mixing the same with silicate of soda, obtained by boiling ground flints with
solution of caustic soda, or by mixing the same with aluminate of soda,
obtained by boiling china clay or some other compound of alumina with
solution of caustic soda.
My improvements also apply to certain mechanical arrangements which I
employ for effecting the mixture of true soaps with pasty silicate of soda,
obtained from "soluble glass," or obtained by boiling together ground flints and
solution of caustic soda, or with pasty aluminate of soda, obtained by boiling
together china clay or other aluminous compound and solution of caustic soda.
For the purpose of such mixing I prefer to use an open conical tub or vessel,
closed at the bottom, and I adapt a vertical shaft to this, which shaft revolves in
a bearing or foot-step on the bottom of the tub or vessel. I adapt to this shaft,
and surrounding the same, another conical tub or vessel, closed at both ends in
such manner, that when the shaft, with the conical tub or vessel surrounding it,
are introduced into the first-named conical tub or vessel, the interior vessel at
its lower part comes nearly in contact with the exterior vessel, whilst there is a
considerable space between the two vessels at their upper part. I adapt project-
ing pieces to the periphery of the inner vessel of such length as not to come in
contact with the outer vessel. I provide suitable means to cause the shaft
with its surrounding vessel to revolve at a high velocity. 1 introduce the true
soap in a melted state, which I propose to mix with any of the compounds
before mentioned into the said tub or vessel, and I add such proportion of the
compound as I deem suitable, and by means of high velocity given to the

page_text: shaft and its surrounding vessel, I effect a perfect mixing of the same. This
mechanical arrangement may be modified to a considerable extent, the prin-
ciple being to give high velocity by mechanical means to a mixture of true
soap in a melted state and pasty compounds of silica or alumina with soda, in
order to produce a well-mixed compound soap.
As regards the second part of my improvements, or that which applies to
the production of "certain other detergent compounds," I prepare "soluble
glass" by the means described in my Provisional Specification, herein-before
referred to, either by the use of soda or potash, and having dissolved this in
water, or having prepared a similar solution, by boiling ground flints with
caustic soda or potash. I concentrate the solution by evaporation of water
therefrom until I obtain a viscous paste, which is highly valuable as a "deter-
gent compound," and can be beneficially used for detergent purposes without
being previously mixed with soap; or I evaporate water from the concentrated
solution until I obtain a dry silicate of soda, which I grind to powder, in which
state it is very serviceable as a detergent compound.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Gossage in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd February 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
GOSSAGE, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Gossage, Her special license that I, the said William Gossage, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Gossage, my executors, administrators, and 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 MANU-
FACTURE OF CERTAIN KINDS OF SOAP AND OTHER DETERGENT COMPOUNDS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Gossage, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and

page_text: 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 William Gossage, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My "Improvements in the Manufacture of certain Kinds of Soap and other
Detergent Compounds" are applicable, firstly, to the production of those kinds
of soap which are manufactured by adding other substances to genuine soaps
prepared by combining alkali with tallow, rosin, oil, or other such materials;
and, secondly, to the production of certain other detergent compounds, herein-
after described.
In the Specification of my Invention of "Improvements in the Manufacture
of certain Kinds of Soap," for which Invention I obtained Letters Patent,
bearing date the Third day of April, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four,
I have claimed as my Invention "the useful application of viscous solution of
soluble glass to the manufacture of certain kinds of soap, by mixing such
viscous solution with genuine soap (made from tallow, rosin, oil, or other such
materials), and thereby producing compound soaps." Subsequently to the
grant to me of the said Letters Patent, dated the Third day of April aforesaid,
I have found that when such viscous solution of soluble glass is mixed with
genuine soaps I am enabled to use a much larger proportion of rosin in the
manufacture of the genuine soaps used for such purpose than has hitherto
been employed in the manufacture of hard soaps, and yet the product obtained
is a compound soap of sufficient hardness to render it suitable for washing
purposes, and possessing valuable detergent properties; and as rosin is a ma-
terial obtainable at a very low cost, as compared with tallow or oil, which
are usually employed in the manufacture of hard soap, I am enabled by means
of this part of my Invention to produce a soap of good serviceable quality,
which can be sold to the public at a low price. In effecting this part of my
Invention, I prepare (by the means commonly employed by soap manufacturers
in the production of hard soaps), a genuine soap, in the manufacture of which
I use not less than one part of rosin for each two parts of tallow or of oil,
or of a mixture of tallow and oil employed, and when such soap has been
"fitted," and is in a condition suitable to be "cleansed," (both which technical
terms are well understood by soap manufacturers,) I mix therewith certain

page_text: proportions of "viscous solution of soluble glass," and thereby produce com-
pound soap.
I effect such mixing either by the means described in the Specification of
my said Invention, for which I obtained Letters Patent, bearing date the
Third day of April aforesaid, or, by preference, by the use of certain apparatus,
herein-after described, as suitable for such purpose. When I use for the
manufacture of genuine soap, to be applied to the production of compound soap,
á larger proportion of rosiu than six parts for each ten parts of tallow or of
oil, or of a mixture of tallow and oil, I prefer to "finish" the soap as a "stiff
curd," (terms well known to soap manufacturers,) and to use such soap in
the state of "stiff curd" for mixing with viscous solution of soluble glass to
produce "compound soap."
When I use for the manufacture of genuine soap, to be employed for the
production of compound soap, one part of rosin for each two parts of tallow or
of oil, or of a mixture of tallow and oil, I prefer to mix therewith "viscous
solution of soluble glass," having an average specific gravity of about one
thousand five hundred, (water being considered as one thousand,) which mix-
ture produces a compound soap of sufficient hardness; and I find it needful
to use such viscous solutions of higher gravity, according to the greater pro-
portion of rosin employed in the manufacture of the genuine soap used, in
order to obtain compound soaps of the requisite hardness.
The first part of my said "improvements" also applies to the use of certain
apparatus for effectually mixing genuine soaps with "viscous solution of soluble
glass," so as to produce well mixed compound soap containing such viscous
solution. This apparatus consists of a circular tub or vessel, marked A in the
Drawings hereunto annexed, having the shape of an inverted cone, and having
an internal diameter of about two feet and two inches at its lower part, and
three feet and six inches at its upper part, and a depth of about six feet. I
adapt to this vessel a central upright shaft, marked B in the Drawings here-
unto annexed, supported by a footstep C, fixed to the bottom of the tub or
vessel, and by a journal D, adapted to a metallic bridge piece E, which is fixed
over the tub or vessel, and secured by screw bolts to the sides thereof. I
adapt a bevilled cog wheel to the upper part of the said upright shaft, and I
provide a horizontal shaft, supported by suitable bearings, attached to the said
tub or vessel, and on such horizontal shaft I adapt another bevilled cog wheel
in such manner that its cogs will work in gear with the cogs of the bevilled
wheel on the said upright shaft. I also. fix a driving pulley on the said
horizontal shaft, and by means of a band passing round such driving pulley,
also round another driving pulley, which is caused to revolve by some.

page_text: mechanical power, I communicate revolving motion to the driving pulley on
the said horizontal shaft, and through this to the bevilled wheels and upright
shaft. I prefer to arrange the speeds and diameters of the pulleys and wheels
employed, so that the said upright shaft may be caused to make from sixty to
eighty revolutions per minute. I fix on the said upright shaft a closed tub or
vessel (marked F in Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed), which said
tub or vessel is of such diameter as to admit of its being placed in the larger
tub or vessel A, and to leave a space of about two inches between the said
two vessels at their lower part, and a space of about six inches at their upper
part. I attach to the outside of such inner tub or vessel (by means of screws
or otherwise) a number of projecting blades, marked I, I, (made by preference
of sheet iron) of such length as to approach within about half an inch of the
inside of the larger tub or vessel A. I attach a spout G, having a moveable
stopper H, to the lower part of the vessel A, through which I can run off the
contents of such vessel. In place of fixing a smaller tub or vessel on the
upright shaft B, on which to attach projecting blades, I can attach projecting
blades to the said shaft, as shewn in Figure 2. When this arrangement is
adopted, I prefer to adapt other projecting blades, marked K, K, to the inside
of the vessel A, which projecting blades K, K, are so placed as to admit of the
blades I, I, revolving between them, as shewn in Figure 2 of the Drawings
hereunto annexed. When I am about to use my improved apparatus for the
production of compound soap, by mixing genuine soap with viscous solution of
soluble glass, I ascertain previously the bighest temperature at which the
mixture of such genuine soap, with the proportion of the viscous solution
employed, will become too thick to admit of its flowing from such mixing
apparatus. I then prefer to make a preparatory mixing by means of paddles
or crutches of the genuine soap with the viscous solution employed, in such a
tub or vessel as will contain about half a ton of soap; adding the soap
and viscous solution at such temperatures as will yield a mixture, having a
mean temperature about ten degrees higher than the previously ascertained
I then transfer the contents of such
temperature herein-before referred to.
preparatory mixing vessel into my improved mixing apparatus, and cause
rapid revolving motion to be given to its vertical shaft, which communicates
corresponding motion to its projecting arms or blades. I then withdraw the
sliding stopper of the said spout to such extent as to allow compound soap in
the state of perfect mixture to flow from such mixing apparatus, and I supply
further quantities of genuine soap and viscous solution of soluble glass, which
have undergone a preparatory mixing, as herein-before described, into the said
mixing apparatus. The mixed compound soap produced is conveyed to the

page_text: ordinary "frames," in which it becomes solid by cooling. In mixing viscous
solution of soluble glass with genuine soap (whether such mixing may be
subsequently completed by "crutching" in frames, or by means of my improved
mixing apparatus), I prefer to commence such mixing by adding a portion of
such solution at a specific gravity of about one thousand three hundred, and
to add the remaining portions required for the mixing at increasing specific
gravities, so that the average specific gravity of the whole solution used may
be equal to that which I have found (by previous trials) to be suitable to yield
a compound soap of proper hardness when using a genuine soap of the compo-
sition employed. When I am desirous to produce a compound soap, having
less detergent power than the compound soaps obtained by mixing genuine
soaps of ordinary quality with solution of soluble glass, I cause. a portion of the
alkali contained in such solution to be combined with rosin, or with fatty or
oily acids obtained from tallow or oil, by well-known processes. I effect such
combination by boiling rosin or fatty or oily acids with solution of soluble glass,
in the same manner as rosin and other soap-making materials are combined
with alkali in the ordinary process of soap making, and I use the product thus
obtained to mix with genuine soap, and thus produce less detergent compound-
soap containing solution of soluble glass. In effecting that part of my Inven-
tion which relates to the manufacture of certain detergent compounds, I
prepare "soluble glass," either by the use of soda or of potash, as described in
the Specification of iny Invention, for which I obtained Royal Letters Patent,
bearing date the Third day of April, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
four, and having dissolved such soluble glass in water, I concentrate the solu-
tion by evaporation of water therefrom until a thick viscous paste is produced,
which can be beneficially used for detergent purposes without being previously
mixed with soap; or the same may be used in mixture with soap, producing.
a saponaceous washing paste; or I evaporate water from such concentrated
solution of soluble glass until I obtain dry silicate of soda, which I grind to
powder, in which state it is very serviceable as a detergent compound, to be
used either alone or together with ordinary soap. .
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, by the
particulars thereof herein-before contained, I would have it understood that
in performing my Invention I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein-before set forth, as these may be modified to some extent without
departing from the nature of my said Invention.
I claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent,-

page_text: Firstly, the useful application of solution of soluble glass to the production
of compound soap, by mixing such solution with genuine soap made from rosin
combined with tallow or oil, or with a mixture of tallow and oil, in the manu-
facture of which genuine soap the proportion of rosin used is not less than one
half of the tallow or oil; or of the mixture of tallow and oil, employed.
Secondly, the useful application of such an apparatus or machine as I have
herein-before described, for effecting the mixture of solution of soluble glass
with genuine soap for the production of compound soap.
Thirdly, the manufacture of such detergent compounds as I have herein-
before described from solution of soluble glass.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Gossage, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the First day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness, <
JOHN MOORE,
of Widnes.
WILL GOSSAGE. (L.S.)