Improvements in Bleaching, Disinfecting, Purifying and Preserving Substances, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 12th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 17th May, 1830-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bleaching, Disinfecting, Purifying and
Preserving Substances, and Apparatus therefor.
We, GEORGE BROWNEN of 15 Althorpe Road, Upper Tooting in the County of Surrey,
Analytical Chemist, and Joux GAMGEE, of 6, Lingfield Road, Wimbledon, in the same
County, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the use of lamps burning volatile liquids for bleaching and
disinfecting clothes and other fabrics, more especially vegetable tissues and wools,
for preserving articles of food and other substances of a perishable nature and for
other purposes as hereinafter explained.
There are several methods in use for producing antiseptic and bleaching vapors to
displace atmospheric air in vessels and chambers, but they are all more or less
objectionable, the burning of sulphur, for instance, in large spaces or rooms is a
clumsy and uncertain process, and the liquefied acid obtained by reducing sulphuric
acid by carbon often contains some re-formed sulphuric acid, which is obviously
corrosive and objectionable.
Now these and other difficulties and dangers are obviated according to the present
invention by producing sulphurous acid in combination with carbonic anhydride at
the time required and in definite quantitybythe combustion of carbon disulphide (CS2).
The following equation represents the results obtained by the combination with
atmospheric oxygen:
CS, +60-00₁+2 $0,.
The combustion of the carbon disulphide may be effected in any suitable lamp or
burner; it may be a burner having a wick or capillary tube dipping into a small
reservoir which is kept supplied with liquid from a larger reservoir. This latter is
provided with a suitable non-return valve or other device allowing of air or water to
enter the reservoir to follow up the carbon disulphide as it is being gradually drawn
off for consumption.
The gases (sulphurous anhydride &c.) formed by the combustion are conducted
into a box, room or other receptacle fitted with shelves, trays or hurdles or the like,
upon. which are spread out or from which are suspended the fabrics to be treated.
The said fabrics are preferably moistened in whole or in part. The shelves, baffle-
plates &c. are arranged in such manuer as to cause the sulphurous anhydride to take
à zig-zag course over, through and between the articles to be treated. The moistened
material or portions of material absorb the sulphurous anhydride which is thereby
converted into sulphurous acid; bleaching and disinfection then commence.. Any
surplus gas is allowed to escape from the chamber through suitable apertures or pipes
which may be in the form of or fitted with traps containing charcoal or any suitable
substance capable of effecting a slow and harmless diffusion of the gases into the
atmosphere. Iron-moulds (such as ink-stains) and other metallic marks and stains
may be bleached or removed at the same time by this process.
The bleached and disinfected material may with advantage be washed with soap and
water in the usual way, the alkali of the soap serving to remove the sulphurated com-
pounds from the fabrics. Meat and other articles of food and most substances of a
perishable nature may be preserved or fermentation and decomposition checked by
substantially the same process as is above described. It will, however, be found
desirable in many cases to cool the gases of combustion before allowing them to enter
the chamber of treatment. This cooling may be effected by causing the said gases
to pass through a suitable condenser such as a Liebig's Condenser or the pipes
through which the gases pass may be enclosed in water pipes or tanks upon a similar
nrincinle

page_text: It is obvious that the process above described can be modified in various ways.
Such parts of the apparatus as would be liable to corrosion or chemical action of the
carbon disulphide or resulting gases may be constructed of any suitable resisting
material such as glass, porcelain, earthenware, lead, steatite, carbon &c.
We prefer,
but do not bind ourselves always to use an asbestos wick for the lamp.
A side, or portion of one of the sides or walls, of the chamber may be made of
glass, mica or other transparent material so as to permit observation of the bleaching
&c., operations.
In order to increase the amount of nascent sulphurous anhydride, sulphur may also
be dissolved in the carbon disulphide.
The invention is also applicable to and of great advantage in the treatment of
sewage by the precipitation processes;-for instance, after the precipitation by
alumina sulphate and lime, the effluent waters may have their alkalinity removed
and their fermentative soluble matters destroyed and converted into harmless sulphates
of ammonia, lime &c., before such objectionable effluents are permitted to enter fresh
or running waters &c.
The invention is also applicable to the sterilization and bleaching of hops and the
like.
Dated this 13th day of June 1880
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bleaching, Disinfecting, Purifying and
Preserving Substances, and Apparatus therefor.
We, GEORGE BROWNEN, of 15, Althorpe Road, Upper Tooting, in the County of
Surrey, Analytical Chemist, and Jonx GAMGEE, of 6, Lingfield Road, Wimbledon, in
the same county, Gentleman, 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:-
This invention relates to the use of lamps burning volatile liquids for bleaching and
disinfecting clothes and other fabrics, more especially vegetable tissues and wools, for
preserving articles of food and other substances of a perishable nature and for other
purposes as hereinafter explained.
There are several methods in use for producing antiseptic and bleaching vapors in
displace atmospheric air in vessels and chambers, but they are all more or less
objectionable; the burning of sulphur for instance in large spaces or rooms is a
clumsy and uncertain process, and the liquefied acid obtained by reducing sulphuric
acid by carbon often contains some re-formed sulphuric acid, which is obviously
corrosive and objectionable.
Now these and other difficulties and dangers are obviated according to the present
invention by producing sulphurous acid in combination with carbonic anhydride at
the time required and in definite quantity bythe combustion of carbon disulphide (CS,).
The following equation represents the results obtained by the combination with
atmospheric oxygen:
CS,+60=CO₂+2 SO,.
The combustion of the carbon disulphide may be effected in any suitable lamp or
burner; it may for example be a burner having a wick or capillary tube dipping
into a small reservoir which is kept supplied with liquid from a larger reservoir.
This latter is provided with a suitable non-return valve or other device allowing of
air or water to enter the reservoir to follow up the carbon disulphide as it is being
gradually drawn off for consumption.
The gases (sulphurous anhydride &c.) formed by the combustion are conducted
into a box, room or other receptacle fitted with shelves, trays or hurdles or the like,

page_text: upon which are spread out or from which are suspended the fabrics to be treated.
The said fabrics are preferably moistened in whole or in part. The shelves, baffle
plates &c. are arranged in such manner as to cause the sulphurous anhydride to take
a zig-zag course over, through and between the articles to be treated. The moistened
material or portions of material absorb the sulphurous anhydride which is thereby
converted into sulphurous acid; bleaching and disinfection then commence. Any
surplus gas is allowed to escape from the chamber through suitable apertures or
pipes which may be in the form of or fitted with traps containing charcoal or any
suitable substance capable of effecting a slow and harmless diffusion of the gases
into the atmosphere &c.
The accompanying drawings represent an apparatus suitable for carrying out the
method or process above described, when for example fabrics are required to be
bleached. Figure 1 is a front elevation, Figure 2 an end elevation, Figures
and 4 vertical sections at right angles to each other, Figure 5 a plan and Figure 6
a horizontal section. a, a is a box or chamber fitted with shelves, trays or hurdles b. b
upon which the fabrics to be treated are spread out, these shelves being arranged
so as to cause the sulphurous anhydride to take a zig-zag course; they are supported
at one end by the side of the box and at the other end by upright pieces b¹. c is
a lamp for burning the carbon disulphide; this lamp has preferably a wick or
capillary tube dipping into a small reservoir which is kept supplied with the carbon
disulphide from a larger reservoir fitted with a suitable non-return valve or other
device allowing of air or water to enter the reservoir and follow up the carbon
disulphide as this is gradually drawn off for consumption. d is a pipe preferably of
lead for conducting the products of combustion (sulphurous anhydride &c.) into the
box or chamber a. c is an outlet for atmospheric nitrogen and carbonic acid from
the box a; this outlet which is fitted with a baffle plate f leads to a chamber or trap g
above filled with charcoal or other suitable substance. is an outlet from the
chamber g through which the gases escape into the atmosphere after filtering
through the charcoal. i, are openings in the box a filled in with glass, mica
or other transparent material so as to allow of observation of the bleaching
operation.
Iron moulds (such as ink stains) and other metallic marks and stains may be
bleached or removed at the same time by this process. The bleached and disinfected
material may with advantage be washed with soap and water in the usual way,
the alkali of the soap serving to remove the sulphurated compounds from the
fabrics.
Meat and other articles of food and most substances of a perishable nature may
be preserved from fermentation by substantially the same process as is above described.
It will, however, be found desirable in many cases to cool the gases of combustion.
before allowing them to enter the chamber of treatment where such articles of food
&c. in bottles or cans are placed on the racks or trays before mentioned. This cooling
may be effected by causing the said gases to pass through a suitable condenser such
as a Liebig's condenser, or the pipes through which the gases pass may be enclosed
in water pipes or tanks upon a similar principle.
It is obvious that the process above described can be modified in various ways.
Such parts of the apparatus as would be liable to corrosion or chemical action of
the carbon disulphide or resulting gases may be constructed of any suitable resisting
material, such as glass porcelain, earthenware, lead, steatite, carbon &c.
We prefer
but do not bind ourselves always to use an asbestos wick for the lamp.
In order to increase the amount of nascent sulphurous anhydride, sulphur may also
he dissolved in the carbon disulphide.
The invention is, also applicable to and of great advantage in the treatment of
sewage by the precipitation processes; for instance after the precipitation by alumina
sulphate, and lime, the effluent waters may have their alkalinity removed and their
fermentative soluble matters destroyed and converted into harmless substances such
as sulphates of ammonia, lime &c. before such objectionable effluents are permitted to
enter fresh or running waters &c. With this object the effluent waters are run into

page_text: a tank into which the sulphurous anhydride from one or more lamps or burners is
conducted by a pipe and discharged below the surface of the water. The sulphurous
anhydride is dissolved and retained by the water: the time required for its complete
action varying with different sewages from a few minutes to a few hours. The tank
need not be covered during the operation. When the tankful has been treated and
the full value of the sulphurous acid obtained the liquid may be treated as an ordinary
sewage effluent and discharged by the usual outlet.
The invention is also applicable to the sterilization and bleaching of hops and
the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. The bleaching, disinfection, purification or preservation of substances by burning
carbon disulphide in definite quantities and conducting the resulting gases (sulphurous
anhydride &c.) into a box or chamber containing the fabrics or substances to be
treated substantially as herein before described.
2. The bleaching, disinfection, purification or preservation of substances by burning
in definite quantities carbon disulphide in which sulphur has been dissolved and
conducting the resulting gases (sulphurous anhydride &c.) into a box or chamber
containing the fabrics or substances to be treated substantially as hereinbefore
described.
3. The apparatus hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 12th day of April. 1890.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.