Year: 1888

page_text: A communication from abroad by CHARLES CHAUNCEY PARSONS of Brooklyn, King's
County, State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturing Chemist.
I WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street Manchester both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Mr. Parsons about six years ago discovered that if a stable salt of ammonia was
mixed with a perfectly dry caustic or alkali or alkaline earth, or carbonate of soda
or of potash, it remained fixed so long as the mixture was kept dry, but by the
addition of water, ammonia was liberated and could be used in this way industrially
as a detergent or soap. This discovery or invention was very valuable for certain
purposes, but there were two limitations to its general employment.
First That one was obliged to use such soap ingredients as could be readily.
dehydrated prior to mixing, and which were not deliquescent, and such ingredients
were found too expensive for ordinary household or laundry use, and
Second-That if the packages containing the mixture were left open, or exposed
to a damp atmosphere, such as in a laundry, for any considerable time, à de-
composition of the ammonical salt resulting in a loss of ammonia was apt to take
place.
The present invention obviates the said objections or limitations, and enables one to
compound an ammoniacal salt with other ingredients without the necessity for the

page_text: previous dehydration of any of the other ingredients, and without danger of loss of
ammonia, either in process of manufacture or subsequently.
The present invention more specifically stated, consists in interposing between the
grains or particles of the ammoniacal salt and the alkaline or equivalent substance in
the compound as might decompose it, some material which will prevent, or lessen
contact between these substances, thus preventing or lessening the chemical action and
decomposition, which would cause loss or waste of the ammonia.
And this protecting substance may be applied as a coating directly upon the particles
of the ammonical salt itself or, inasmuch as its interposition between the ammonical
salt and the decomposing ingredient or ingredients, is the essential feature, it is
obvious that the protecting substance may be applied to them, instead of the ammonia;
contact and chemical action between these two bodies being prevented in either case;
and if the detergent compound is to be exposed to excessive moisture, such for
instance as for marine use, the coating of protecting material may be applied to the
particles of the ammoniacal salt and also to the alkaline or equivalent bodies in the
mixture as might cause decomposition in the presence of moisture.
The protecting material, however, must be of such a nature and so applied that
while it will protect the ammoniacal salt during ordinary exposure, it will not prevent
the development of the detergent qualities of the ammonia when the whole mixture is
immersed in water or other solvent, as during use.
There are quite a number of substances, which can be beneficially employed as
the protecting medium, among them are a heavy bodied paraffine oil, resin oil,
resinous varnish, (as for example, one composed of ten parts of common resin, and
one part of resin oil, dissolved in twenty parts of naphtha), or a glue, or a size, or
paraffin wax may be employed. A very satisfactory way of applying these protecting
materials to the particles of the ammoniacal salt, or to the decomposing bodies, as the
case may be, is to reduce the protecting material to a liquid form and then by
suitable mechanical means, and with or without heat, depending on the nature of the
protecting material used, stir the ammoniacal salt, or the decomposing body or bodies
into the protecting liquid until it is thoroughly coated. It is then taken out and
dried in any convenient manner.
This invention may be employed advantageously in three distinct classes of
detergents.
First A detergent mixture, such as above described, in which the ammoniacal
salt and decomposing bodies are mixed together, subsequent to the application of the
protecting material, without the presence of any saponaceous compound or any other
ingredients; as an example of such a detergent, excellent results have been obtained
froin the following, to wit: 66 parts of a granulated sulphate of ammonia, or other
ammoniacal salt in equivalent proportions and 60 parts of a good grade of soda ash,
also granulated, mixed together, protected as above stated.
Instead of the soda ash, however, any caustic or carbonated alkali, alkaline earth,
or equivalent body which will react on the ammoniacal salt and free the ammonia,
may be used in suitable proportions.
:
Second For the production of a saponaceous detergent especially applicable to
household purposes, the above described mixture of soda ash and protected ammoniacal
salt is combined with soap powder in any desired proportion, equal parts will give
good results. If a small proportion of ammoniacal salt is used, the alkali in the soap
will serve to decompose the ammoniacal salt and liberate the ammonia; and the
amount of soda ash may be proportionately diminished. For convenience of use the
resulting mixture of soap powder and ammoniacal compound may be packed in any
convenient receptacle of wood, paper, or other suitable material, but, for many
purposes the mixture is preferably formed by suitable pressing apparatus, into cakes
of any desired shape or size. The cake thus produced being, in all probability, the
first instance ever known in which an ammoniacal salt has been uniformly distributed.
throughout the cake, and at the same time protected from such decomposition as
would occasion loss, or waste of the ammonia.

page_text: Third The protected ammoniacal salt may be used in a detergent mixture,
saponaceous or otherwise, in which there are mixed one or more insoluble bodies,
which clean mechanically and not chemically, such, for instance as pumice stone,
meal, fine sand, and the like.
All the ingredients are preferably used in a granular or powdered condition, because
the application of the protecting material is thereby rendered more perfect and the
mixture more uniform, but, for cheap detergents to be used in large quantities, lumps
of considerable size, both of the ammoniacal salts and also of the alkaline or equivalent
decomposing bodies may be used.

page_text: Ammonia is Employed as one of the ingredients.
A communication from abroad by CHARLES CHAUNCEY PARSONS, of Brooklyn,
King's County, State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturing
Chemist.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool and 6 Bank Street Manchester both in the
County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
Mr. Parsons about six years ago discovered that if a stable salt of ammonia was
mixed with a perfectly dry caustic of alkali or alkaline earth, or carbonate of soda,
or of potash, it remained fixed so long as the mixture was kept dry, but by the
addition of water, ammonia was liberated and could be used in this way industrially
as a detergent or soap. This discovery or invention was very valuable for certain
purposes; but there were two limitations to its general employment.
First That one was obliged to use such soap ingredients as could he readily
dehydrated prior to mixing, and which were not deliquescent, and such ingredients
were found too expensive for ordinary household or laundry use, and
Second-That if the packages containing the mixture were left open, or exposed
to a damp atmosphere, such as in a laundry, for any considerable time, a decomposition
of the ammoniacal salt resulting in a loss of ammonia, was apt to take place.
The present invention obviates the said objections or limitations, and enables one
to compound an ammoniacal salt with other ingredients without the necessity for the
previous dehydration of any of the other ingredients, and without danger of loss of
ammonia, either in process of manufacture or subsequently.
The present invention more specifically stated, consists in interposing between the
grains or particles of the ammoniacal salt and the alkaline or equivalent substance in
the compound as might decompose it, some material which will prevent, or lessen
contact between these substances, thus preventing or lessening the chemical action and
decomposition, which would cause loss or waste of the ammonia.
And this protecting substance may be applied as a coating directly upon the particles
of the ammoniacal salt itself or, inasmuch as its interposition between the ammoniacal
salt and the decomposing ingredient or ingredients, is the essential feature, it is
obvious that the protecting substance may be applied to them, instead of the ammonia;
contact and chemical action between these two bodies being prevented in either case,
and if the detergent compound is to be exposed to excessive moisture, such for
instance as for marine use, the coating of protecting material may be applied to the

page_text: particles of the ammoniacal salt and also to the alkaline or equivalent bodies in the
mixture as might cause decomposition in the presence of moisture.
The protecting material, however, must be of such a nature and so applied that
while it will protect the ammoniacal salt during ordinary exposure, it will not prevent
the development of the detergent qualities of the ammonia when the whole mixture
is immersed in water or other solvent, as during use.
There are quite a number of substances, which can be beneficially employed as the
protecting medium, among them are a heavy bodied paraffin oil, resin oil, resinous
varnish (as for example, one composed of ten parts of common resin, and one part of
resin oil, dissolved in twenty parts of naphtha), or a glue, or a size, or paraffin wax
may be employed. A very satisfactory way of applying these protecting materials
to the particles of the ammoniacal salt, or to the decomposing bodies, as the case may
be, is to reduce the protecting material to a liquid form and then by suitable
mechanical means, and with or without heat, depending on the nature of the
protecting material used, stir the ammoniacal salt, or the decomposing body or bodies
into the protecting liquid until it is thoroughly coated. It is then taken out and
dried in any convenient manner.
This invention may be employed advantageously in three distinct classes of
detergents.
First A detergent mixture, such as above described, in which the ammoniacal
salt and decomposing bodies are mixed together, subsequent to the application of the
protecting material, without the presence of any saponaceous compound or any other
ingredients; as an example of such a detergent, excellent results have boen obtained
from the following, to wit: 66 parts of a granulated sulphate of ammonia, or other
ammoniacal salt in equivalent proportions, and 60 parts of a good grade of soda ash,
also granulated, mixed together, protected as above stated.
Instead of the soda ash, however, any caustic or carbonated alkali, alkaline earth,
or equivalent body which will react on the ammoniacal salt and free the ammonia, may
be used in suitable proportions.
Second-For the production of a saponaceous detergent especially applicable to
household purposes, the above described mixture of soda ash and protected ainmoniacal
salt is combined with soap powder in any desired proportion, equal parts will give
good results. If a small proportion of ammoniacal salt is used, the alkali in the soap
will serve to decompose the ammoniacal salt and liberate the ammonia; and the
amount of soda ash may be proportionately diminished. For convenience of use the
resulting mixture of soap powder and ammoniacal compound may be packed in any
convenient receptacle of wood, paper, or other suitable material, but, for many
purposes the mixture is preferably formed by suitable pressing apparatus, into cakes
of any desired shape or size. The cake thus produced being, in all probability, the
first instance ever known in which an ammoniacal salt has been uniformly distributed
throughout the cake, and at the same time protected from such decomposition as
would occasion loss, or waste of the ammonia.
Third The protected ammoniacal salt may be used in a detergent mixture
saponaceous or otherwise, in which there are mixed one or more insoluble bodies,
which clean mechanically and not chemically, such, for instance as pumice stone, meal,
fine sand, and the like.
All the ingredients are preferably used in a granular or powdered condition,
because the application of the protecting material is thereby rendered more perfect
and the mixture more uniform, but, for cheap detergents to be used in large quantities,
lamps of considerable size, both of the ammoniacal salts and also of the alkaline or
equivalent decomposing bodies may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :'
1. A detergent compound containing an ainmoniacal salt and one or more alkaline
or equivalent substances to set free the ammonia, in which compound the loss or waste

page_text: of ammonia is prevented during manufacture and until use by a coating of protecting
material placed between the granules or particles of the ammoniacal salt and the
alkaline or other ingredients of the compound which might cause decomposition of
said salt, substantially as set forth.
2. A detergent compound containing an ammoniacal salt, one or more saponaceous
bodies, and sufficient additional alkaline or equivalent substance or substances to set
free the ammonia, in which compound the loss or waste of ammonia is prevented
during manufacture and until use by a coating of protecting material placed between
the granules or particles of the ammoniacal salt and the alkaline or other ingredients
of the compound which might cause decomposition of said salt, substantially as set
forth.
3. A cake of ammoniacal soap containing a soap-powder, a granulated or powdered
ammoniacal salt, and sufficient additional alkaline or equivalent substance or
substances to set free the ammonia, and a protecting compound to prevent loss of
ammonia during manufacture and until use, the whole mixed together and then formed
into a cake or block, substantially as set forth.
4. A detergent compound containing a soap-powder and ammoniacal salt and
sufficient additional alkaline or equivalent substance or substances to set free the
ammonia in which compound the loss of ammonia is prevented during manufacture
and until use by a coating of protecting material placed between the granules or
particles of the ammoniacal salt and the alkaline or other ingredient of the compound
which might cause decomposition of said salt, substantially as set forth.
5. A detergent compound containing an ammoniacal salt and one or more
saponaceous bodies, in which compound the loss of ammonia is prevented during
manufacture and until use by a coating of protecting material placed between the
granules or particles of the ammoniacal salt and the saponaceous bodies, substantially
as set forth.
6. A cake of ammoniacal soap containing a soap, a granulated or powdered
ammoniacal salt, and a coating of protecting material placed between the granules
or particles of the ammoniacal salt and the soap to prevent loss thereof during manu-
facture and until use, the whole mixed together and then formed into a cake or
block, substantially as set forth.
7. A detergent compound containing a soap powder and an ammoniacal salt, in
which compound the loss of ammonia is prevented during manufacture and until use
by a coating of protecting material placed between the granules or particles of the
ammoniacal salt and the alkaline or other ingredients of the compound, which might
cause decomposition of said salt, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 11th day of February 1889.