IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hargreaves, of Appleton-within- Widnes,
in the County of Lancaster, Chemist, and Thomas Robinson, of
Widnes, in the same County, Ironfounder, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES, AND IN APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN.
"
Scaled the 17th November 1871, and dated the 4th July 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hargreaves and
Thomas Robinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 4th July 1871.
We, JAMES HARGREAVES, of Appleton-within-Widnes, in the County
of Lancaster, Chemist, and THOMAS ROBINSON, of Widnes, in the same
County, Ironfounder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFacture OF SULPHATES, AND
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN, to be as follows:-
"
IN
Our Invention consists in improvements in the manufacture of
sulphates of soda and potassa by the direct action of sulphurous acid

page_text: together with atmospheric air and water vapour upon chlorides of
sodium and potassium, or cither of them, and in improved and novel
apparatus employed in the said manufacture.
First. Instead of the sulphurous acid, atmospheric air, and water
vapour passing in an upward direction through or amongst the chlorides
aforesaid, or either of them, we cause them to pass in a downward
direction through or amongst the said chlorides or either of them. By
so doing the said chlorides, or either of are or is more uniformly heated
and acted upon.
Second. Instead of using chambers built of brick to contain the said
chlorides, or either of them, while being acted upon by sulphurous
acid, atmospheric air, and water vapour, we use chambers made of
metal.
Third. The gas flues and the passages connecting the chambers are
made of metal, and are so arranged that they conduct the sulphurous
acid, atmospheric air, and water vapour into the chamber at the top
thereof. The hydrochloric acid produced by passing the sulphurous
acid, atmospheric air, and water vapour through or amongst the afore-
said chlorides, or cither of them, together with any nitrogen and other
remaining gases are made to flow out at the bottom of the chamber.
Where a series of two or more chambers is used the sulphurous acid,
atmospheric air, and water vapour, together with any hydrochloric acid
which may be evolved from the first chamber in the series is conducted
to the top of a second succeeding chamber by suitable metal flues, and
then passed through the second chamber filled or packed with the said
chlorides, or either of them. The gas may thus be passed through a
series of any desired number of chambers containing chlorides so as to
secure entire absorption of the sulphurous acid. The said connecting
passages are fitted with suitable dampers so as to make any chamber
in its turn the first, intermediate, and last of the series through which
the mixture of sulphurous acid, atmospheric air, and water vapour is
made to pass.
Fourth. After the gases have passed through the said chamber or series
of chambers the evolved hydrochloric acid, together with nitrogen or
other gases, are conducted to the flues leading to the condensers by
means of a movable flue which can be made at pleasure to connect

page_text: the opening at the bottom of the said chamber, or the chamber which
is the last of the series where a series of chambers is used, to the
permanent or stationary flue leading to the condensers or elsewhere.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson in the
Great Scal Patent Office on the 4th January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, JAMES
HARGREAVES, of Appleton-within-Widnes, in the County of Lancaster,
Chemist, and THOMAS ROBINSON, of Widnes, in the same County,
Ironfounder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson,
Her special licence that we, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas
Robinson, our exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should in 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, usc, 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
MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon
the condition (amongst others). that we, the said James Hargreaves
and Thomas Robinson, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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.

page_text: -
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement (that is
to say):
:-
Our Invention consists in improvements in the manufacture of
sulphates of soda and potassa by the direct action of sulphurous acid,
together with atmospheric air and water vapour upon chlorides of sodium
and potassium, or either of them, and in improved and novel apparatus
employed in the said manufacture.
First. Instead of the sulphurous acid, atmospheric air, and water
vapour passing in an upward direction through or amongst the chlorides
aforesaid, or either of them, we cause them to pass in a downward
direction through or amongst the said chlorides, or cither of them. By
so doing the said chlorides, or either of them, are or is more uniformly
heated and acted upon.
Second. Instead of using chambers built of brick to contain the said
chlorides, or either of them, while being acted upon by sulphurous acid,
atmospheric air, and water vapour, we use chambers made of metal,
preferably of cast iron.
Third. The gas flues and the passages connecting the chambers are
made of metal, preferably of cast iron, and are so arranged that they
conduct the sulphurous acid, atmospheric air, and water vapour into
the chambers at the top thereof. The hydrochloric acid produced by
passing the sulphurous acid, atmospheric air, and water vapour through
or amongst the aforesaid chlorides, or either of them, together with any
nitrogen and other remaining gases when a single chamber is used are
made to flow out at the bottom of the chamber. Where a series of two
or more chambers is used the sulphurous acid, atmospheric air, and
water vapour, together with any hydrochloric acid which may be evolved
from the first chamber in the series, is conducted to the top of a second
succeeding chamber by the metal connecting passage aforesaid, and 3
then down through the second chamber filled or packed with the said
chlorides, or either of them. The gas may thus be passed through a
series of any desired number of chambers containing chlorides so as to
secure entire absorption of the sulphurous acid. The said connecting
passages are fitted with suitable dampers so as to make any chamber in a
its turn the first, intermediate, and last of the series through which the

page_text: mixture of sulphurous acid, atmospheric air, and water vapour is made
to pass.
Fourth. After the gases have passed through the said chamber or
series of chambers the evolved hydrochloric acid, together with nitrogen
or other gases, are conducted to the flues leading to the condensers by
means of a moveable flue, which can be made at pleasure to connect
the opening at the bottom of the said chamber, or the chamber
which is the last of the series where a series of chambers is used,
to the permanent or stationary flue leading to the condensers or

page_text: within the chambers should be maintained at a temperature of from
800° to 1,000° Fahrenheit.
i is the flue or pipe for conducting sulphurous acid gas, air, and water
vapour to the chambers B through the short branches . Each of these
branches is provided with a damper j, best shown on Figs. 4 and 5, for
shutting off communication from i at all times except during the time
a chamber B is the first of the series. When a chamber is the first of
the series the damper j is removed through the passage or way k; I are
supplementary charging ways placed near the sides of the chambers for
the purpose of ensuring that the chlorides are evenly packed as regards
spaces for passage of the converting gases; m are connecting passages
leading from the bottom of one chamber B to the top of the next one
of the series; n, closing dampers for isolating any chamber during the
time it is being charged or emptied, and also for preventing the con-
verting gases from flowing from the inlet of the first chamber into the
exit flue without passing through the whole of the series; o is the
moveable flue, which is in all cases affixed to the outlet from the chamber
forming the last of the series. The hydrochloric or other gases evolved
pass through the said moveable flue o into the flue p leading to con-
densers or elsewhere. The course of the mixed sulphurous acid gas,
air, and water vapour, sometimes called converting gases herein, and of
the gases given off during conversion of the said chlorides, or either of
1

page_text: Second. The apparatus constructed and combined substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas
Robinson, have hereunto set onr hands and seals, the First day of
January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-two.
In the presence of
J. T. KING,
Solicitor of Patents,
Liverpool.
JAMES HARGREAVES. (L.S.)
THOMAS ROBINSON.
(L.S.)