IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING RESIN AND RESINOUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Johnson and Thomas Johnson, both of:
Runcorn, in the County of Chester, Soap and Alkali Manufacturers, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING RESIN AND RESINOUS
SUBSTANCES."
Runcorn, in the County of Chester, Soap and Alkali Manufacturers, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING RESIN AND RESINOUS
SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 16th December 1865, and dated the 4th October 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Johnson. and Thomas
Johnson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 4th October 1864.
We, JOHN JOHNSON and THOMAS JOHNSON, both of Runcorn, in the County
of Chester, Soap and Alkali Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING RESIN AND RESINOUS SUB-
STANCES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in purifying resin and
resinous substances. In purifying resin and resinous substances according to
this Invention, the impure resin to be refined is distilled by means of super--
beated steam. For this purpose the resin in its unrefined state is broken up
and placed in a still, superheated steam at a temperature of about 750° to 800°
Fahrenheit is then blown into the resinous material until the resin is melted;
the temperature of the steam may then be raised to about 1100° or 1200°,"

page_text: and by continuing to blow the steam into the resin, the resin is vaporized and
passes off together with the superheated steam into a condenser where it is
condensed in a purified state.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Johnson and Thomas Johnson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 3rd April 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,-JOHN
JOHNSON and THOMAS JOHNSON, both of Runcorn, in the County of Chester,
Soap and Alkali Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said John Johnson and Thomas Johnson, Her special
licence that we, the said John Johnson and Thomas Johnson; our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Johnson and
Thomas Johnson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PURIFYING RESIN AND RESINOUS SUBSTANCES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said John Johnson and Thomas Johnson, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should
particularly describe and 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
. NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Johnson and Thomas Johnson,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
"This Invention has for its object improvements in purifying resin and
resinous substances. In purifying resin and resinous substances according to
this Invention, the impure resin to be refined is distilled by means of super-

page_text: heated steam.
For this purpose the resin in its unrefined state is broken up
and placed in a still, superheated steam at a temperature of about 750° to 800°
Fahrenheit is then blown into the resinous material until the resin is melted;
the temperature of the steam may then be raised to about 1100° or 1200°,
and by continuing to blow the steam into the resin the resin is vaporized and
passes off together with the superheated steam into a condenser, where it is
condensed in a purified state.
Having thus stated the nature of this Invention, I will proceed more fully.
to describe the manner of performing the same.
The rosin is put in a crude state into stills, which are preferred to be of a
size equal to receiving quantities of from 50 to 60 cwt., superheated steam is.
then applied to it at a heat of 800° Fahrenheit, with a pressure in the steam,
boiler of from 25 to 30 lbs. on the square inch. The heat is gradually
increased to 1200° Fahrenheit. To obtain the above heat the steam is con-
veyed by a 6-in. main pipe from. the boilers to coils of 5-in. pipes built in a
furnace. The steam goes in at the bottom of the coil and emerges from the
top at the degrees of heat above mentioned into a main pipe, to which the
rosin stills are connected by 2-in. pipes with taps or valves to regulate the
quantity of steam used. The 2-in. pipe is fixed perpendicularly through the
still to a centre or boss, to which are attached four perforated arms which
communicate with a perforated ring at the bottom of the still, thus the steam
is divided equally. The crude rosin becomes melted and is converted into
vapour, which passes through an issue pipe of copper fixed at the head of the
still. This issue or outlet pipe conveys the vapour to copper condensers. It
is preferred to employ four condensers connected with each other by copper
bends on the tops of the condensers. The condensers have each a blank
division down the centre to within a short distance from the bottom, and
perforated sieves up one side. The lighter portion of vapour passes through
these condensers to large towers, such as are used in alkali works, leaving the
hard and pure rosin in the condensers. The first condenser yields the darkest
rosin, the second condenser yields rosin with less color, and the third and
fourth condensers yield rosin very light in colour. To obtain an uniform
quality from these different yields, the rosin is drawn off in copper buckets
and carried to a large copper tank, and is mixed therein. It is then splashed in
casks in layers of about in. in thickness at one time. The rosin in the casks
is to be perfectly cold before re-splashing, otherwise it will crystallize and injure
its appearance. Connected with the last of the four condensers and between
it and the pipes which convey the lighter vapour to the large towers, are fixed
4 or 6 down pipes open at the bottom; from these a rosin of a soft nature

page_text: is obtained, which is, however, sufficiently hard for re-distilling, and such is the
case in respect to the rosin of the latter part of the distillation, which is of a
dark colour.
The residuum is drawn off from the still by a large tap at the bottom of the
still: It is very black and contains the dirt from the original charge. It is
used for oil making.
The lighter portions of vapour conveyed to the towers before mentioned are
condensed by constant currents of water passing through the tower from the
top downwards. Underneath the tower is a large tank with an overflow to
convey the water away. The rosin thus obtained is distilled into oil. The
time to melt and work off a charge with the foregoing heat and pressure and
other particulars varies from 18 to 20 hours:
In witness whereof, we, the said John Johnson and Thomas Johnson,.
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirtieth day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Signed by the within-named John
L
Johnson and Thomas Johnson in
the presence of,
JAMES MCMILLAN,
Runcorn,
THOMAS JOHNSON. (L.S.)
Accountant.