TENDANTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BORAX
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Bell, of Don Alkali Works, South Shields,
and Henry Scholefield, also of South Shields, for the Invention of
TENDANTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BORAX."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Bell and Henry
Scholefield at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 25th July 1854.
We, THOMAS BELL, of Don Alkali Works, South Shields, and HENRY
SCHOLEFIELD, also of South Shields, do hereby declare the nature of the
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BORAX" to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object the employment of borate of lime (which
is a natural product now brought from South America, and may probably here-
after be discovered in other parts of the world,) in the manufacture of borax.
This product does not consist simply of boracic acid and lime, but it is believed
to be generally combined with other matters or impurities. And our Invention
consists of combining the boracic acid contained in borate of lime with soda,
and getting rid of the lime and other matters; for which purpose the borate
of lime is treated with acid (sulphuric or muriatic), and by boiling with a salt
of soda. It is, however, preferred to neutralize the alkaline and earthy matters

page_text: by sulphuric or muriatic acid, and then to boil in a solution of a carbonate of
soda, dry carbonate of soda being considered the cheapest for the purpose),
and then crystallizing the borax; but the crude borate of lime may be dissolved
in muriatic acid, and then treated with a salt of soda or with caustic soda,
preferring, however, a carbonate of soda. The crude borate of lime may at
once be boiled with a solution of a carbonate of soda, and the residue treated
with acid. In place of sulphuric and muriatic acid, other acid may be used
to obtain the boracic acid in a condition to combine with soda in the produc-
tion of borax from the natural borate of lime, but it is believed not so cheaply
or advantageously as by the acids above mentioned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Bell and IIenry Scholefield in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 24th January 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wе, TноMAS
BELL, of Don Alkali Works, South Shields, and HENRY SCHOLEFIELD, also of
South Shields, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of July, 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 us, the said
Thomas Bell and Henry Scholefield, Her special licence that we, the said
Thomas Bell and Henry Scholefield, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Bell and Henry Scholefield,
our 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, 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 MANUFAC-
TURE OF BORAX," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas
Bell and Henry Scholefield, by an instrument in writing under our hands and
scals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, 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 immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Thomas Bell and Henry Scholefield,
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 the employment of borate of lime (which is
a natural product now brought from South America, and may, probably, here-
after be discovered in other parts of the world,) in the manufacture of borax.
This product does not consist simply of boracic acid and lime, but it is believed
to be generally combined with other matters or impurities. And our Invention
consists of combining the boracic acid contained in borate of lime with soda,
and getting rid of the lime and other matters; for which purpose the borate
of lime is treated with acid (sulphuric or muriatic), and by boiling with a salt
of soda. It is, however, preferred to neutralize the alkaline and earthy matters
by sulphuric or muriatic acid, and then to boil in a solution of a carbonate of
soda (dry carbonate of soda being considered the cheapest for the purpose).
and then crystallizing the borax; but the crude borate of lime may be dissolved
in muriatic acid, and then treated with a salt of soda or with caustic soda,
preferring, however, a carbonate of soda. The crude borate of lime may at
once be boiled with a solution of a carbonate of soda, and the residue treated
with acid. In place of sulphuric and muriatic acid, other acid may be used to
obtain tho boracic acid in a condition to combine with soda in the production
of borax from the natural borate of lime, but it is believed not so cheaply or
advantageously as by the acids above mentioned.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, we will proceed to <lescribe
the manner of performing the same.
We take, by preference, at the rate of about five hundred pounds of the
mineral borate of lime in a powdered state, and we boil it in as much water
as will cover it, adding by degrees about one hundred and forty-five pounds of
oil of vitriol of commerce, and the boiling is continued for about an hour. The
liquor thus obtained is then allowed to stand to settle, and the clear liquor is
drawn off, or the liquor may be filtered; the residue is to be washed, and
clear liquor mixed with the previous liquor, and in this state the liquor may
be evaporated, and the boracic acid crystallized out, as is well understood;
but it is preferred to add a saturated solution, containing about five hundred
pounds of crystals of carbonate of soda (or the equivalent quantity of dry
carbonate of soda) to the clear liquor, and boil it for about an hour. The
liquor thus prepared is to be allowed to stand to settle, and the clear liquor
is to be drawn off, or the liquor may be filtered; in either case the deposit or
residue is to be well washed, and the clear liquor obtained added to the other

page_text: clear liquor. The liquid or solution thus produced is then to be evaporated
till a pellicle forms, when the borax or borate of soda is to be crystallized out
in the usual way, and as is well understood. In place of sulphuric acid being
used to neutralize the alkaline and earthy matters, muriatic acid or oxalic acid
in equivalent quantities may be employed, and the process conducted as above
described, but it is preferred to use sulphuric acid, as above explained.
The mineral borate of lime may be treated direct, by boiling in water with
the crystals or dry carbonate of soda, as above explained, without first neutral-
izing by acid; but such process is not, we believe, so advantageous as that first
described.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that although we have been
particular in describing the means pursued by us, and which we believe to be
the best for the purpose, we do not confine ourselves to the proportions given,
or to the details of the processes described; but what we claim is, the treating
of the mineral borate of lime in such manner as to separate the lime and other
matters therefrom, and the combining the boracic acid of such mineral with
soda.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Bell and Henry Scholefield,
have hereunto set our hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
JOHN S. THOMPSON,
East Jarrow.
THOMAS GRIEVE,
Jarrow, South Shields.
THOMAS
(10.)
HENRY SCHOLEFIELD. (L.S.)