IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAUSTIC ALKALIES, AND IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward William Parnell and James Simpson, of Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemists, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAUSTIC ALKALIES, AND IN
APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES EMPLOYED THEREIN.'
Sealed the 29th November 1878, and dated the 1st June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Willian Parnell and
James Simpson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st June
1878.
$6
EDWARD WILLIAM PARNELL and JAMES SIMPSON, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
CAUSTIC ALKALIES, AND IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES EMPLOYED THEREIN.'
"
The main object of our Invention is to reduce the cost of manufacturing caustic
soda and potassa from their carbonates. Said Invention consists principally of
improvements in, and in connection with an Invention, for which British Letters
Patent, No. 4144, of the year 1877, were granted to the said Edward William
Parnell, for the manufacture of caustic alkalies under steam pressure and high
temperatures in a vessel closed from the atmosphere.
Since filing the Specification to the said British Letters Patent, No. 4144, of the
year 1877, we have ascertained by experiment and test that a considerable economy
in fuel can be attained by the use of a closed vessel or agitator fitted with
mechanical means of agitation, and supplied with steam from a boiler, even if the
liquor operated upon be comparatively dilute, say 15° to 20° Twaddle. As by this
means the heat necessary for the re-action of the caustic lime and alkaline car-
bonate is attained and maintained during the agitation of the mixture, without the
loss caused by conduction of the air, and escaping steam carrying, heat off in the
latent form, as in the case of open causticizers.
Under the first part, we heat the fresh charge of vat liquor or alkaline carbonate
and lime by the surplus heat contained in the finished charge of caustic alkali and

page_text: carbonate of lime, until the temperature of such charge is reduced to 212° Fahren-
heit or thereabouts, and in this way we utilize what would otherwise be waste
heat, economize fuel, and prevent inconvenience to workmen from the presence of
escaping steam.
Under the second part, when the liquor operated upon is not of such density as
to render the danger of back or reverse action between the carbonate of lime and
caustic soda of serious consequence, we run the finished charge of caustic alkali and
carbonate of lime from the vessel in which they are treated on to a filter or
separator where the caustic alkali and carbonate of lime are separated one from each
other, and we are thereby enabled to work off a greater number of charges from
the one vessel or causticizer.
Under the third part, we feed a solution of the alkaline carbonate of suitable
density or milk of lime, or both, into the closed vessel by means of a pump, injector,
hydrotrophe, or like appliances; we thereby facilitate the charging of the closed
vessel, avoid opening the same, and are enabled to adjust the proportions of the
materials or re-agents employed at pleasure during treatment, so that only the
necessary respective amounts of materials for complete re-action are heated, whereby
loss of time is avoided and fuel economized.
Under the fourth part, we provide the closed vessel with two or more revolving
or rotating shafts fitted with arms or agitators, so as to thoroughly agitate the
contents of the said vessel during their treatment. The said shafts are geared or
connected to each other in any suitable way and receive motion from any desired
power.
Under the fifth part, when the caustic lime in a solid state is suspended in a
cage or cages in the vessel, as described in the said British Letters Patent, No.
41447, we provide the vessel with a steam pipe or pipes opening into the said
cage or cages, through which steam may be injected into such cage, so as to act on
and agitate the pieces of caustic lime contained therein. The pipes may be fitted
with valves to prevent them from choking with lime mud.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward William Parnell and James Simpson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th November 1878.
EDWARD WILLIAM PARNELI. and JAMES SIMPSON, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemists. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
CAUSTIC ALKALIES, AND IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES EMPLOYED THEREIN."
The main object of our Invention is to reduce the cost of manufacturing caustic
soda and potassa from their carbonates. Said Invention consists principally of
improvements in, and in connection with, an Invention for which British Letters
Patent, No. 4144, of the year 1877 were granted to the said Edward William
Parnell for the manufacture of caustic alkalies under steam pressure and high tem-
peratures in a vessel closed from the atmosphere.
Since filing the Specification to the said British Letters Patent, No 4144, of the
year 1877, we have ascertained by experiment and test that a considerable economy
in fuel can be attained by the use of a closed vessel or agitator fitted with
mechanical means of agitation, and supplied with steam from a boiler, even if the
liquor operated upon be comparatively dilute, say 15° to 20° Twaddle, as by this
means the heat necessary for the re-action of the caustic lime and alkaline carbonate
is attained, and maintained during the agitation of the mixture, without the loss
caused by the conduction of the air, and escaping steam, carrying heat off in the
latent form, as in the case of open causticizers.
Under the first part, we heat the fresh charge of vat liquor or alkaline car-
bonate and lime by the surplus heat contained in the finished charge of caustic
alkali and carbonate of lime, until the temperature of such charge is reduced to
212° Fahrenheit or thereabouts, and in this way we utilize what would otherwise
be waste heat, economize fuel, and prevent inconvenience to workmen from the
presence of escaping steam.
Under the second part, when the liquor operated upon is not of such density as
to render the danger of back or reverse action between the carbonate of lime and
caustic soda of serious consequence, we run the finished charge of caustic alkali and
carbonate of lime from the vessel in which they are treated, on to a filter or
separator where the caustic alkali and carbonate of lime are separated from each
other, and we are thereby enabled to work off a greater number of charges from
the one vessel or causticizer.
Under the third part, we feed a solution of the alkaline carbonate of suitable
density or milk of lime, or both, into the closed vessel by means of a pump,
injector, hydrotrophe, or like appliances. We thereby facilitate the charging of the
closed vessel, avoid opening the same, and are enabled to adjust the proportions of
the materials or re-agents employed at pleasure during treatment, so that only the
necessary respective amounts of materials for complete re-action are heated, whereby
loss of time is avoided and fuel economized.
Under the fourth part, we provide the closed vessel with two or more revolving
or rotating shafts fitted with arms or agitators, so as to thoroughly agitate the
contents of the said vessel during their treatment. The said shafts are geared or
connected to each other in any suitable way, and receive motion from any desired
power.
Under the fifth part, when the caustic lime in a solid state is suspended in a
cage or cages in the vessel, as described in the said British Letters Patent, N° 4144,
of the year 1877, we provide the vessel with a steam pipe or pipes opening into
the said cage or cages, through which steam may be injected into such cage so as
to act on and agitate the pieces of caustic lime contained therein. The pipes may
be fitted with valves to prevent them from choking with lime mud.
The Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended are illustrative of the fourth and fifth
parts of our Invention, the first, second, and third parts thereof being easily under-
stood from the descriptive matter only.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section; Fig. 2, a transverse section at the line A, A;
and Fig. 3, an end view of apparatus or appliances illustrative of parts 4 and 5 of
our Invention.
a is the closed vessel or causticizer; b, two revolving shafts fitted with arms or
agitators c; d, gearing; e, pulley for receiving motion from any desired power;
f, steam pipes opening into the cages g through which steam may be admitted to
agitate and act on the pieces of caustic lime contained therein; h, opening through
which fluid caustic lime and carbonates may be fed into the closed vessel or
causticizer as described under part three.
There are numerous ways of carrying out the first, second, and third parts of our
Invention, which will readily suggest themselves to engineers and manufacturers.
Having now described and illustrated our Invention so that others will bo
enabled to carry our improvements into effect, we would have it understood that
we do not confine ourselves to detail, but what we claim is,―
First. In the manufacture of alkalies substantially as set forth herein, and in the
Specification to British Letters Patent, No 4144, of the year 1877, heating the fresh
charge of vat liquor or alkaline carbonate and lime by the surplus heat contained
in the finished charge of caustic alkali and carbonate of lime.
Second. In the manufacture of alkalies substantially as set forth herein, and in
the Specification to British Letters Patent, No 4144, of the year 1877, filtering or
separating the finished charge of caustic alkali and carbonate of lime from each
other, substantially as set forth.
Third. In the manufacture of alkalies substantially as set forth herein, and in the
Specification to British Letters Patent, No. 4144, of the year 1877, feeding a solu-
tion of alkaline carbonate and milk of lime into the closed vessel or causticizer, for
the purposes set forth.
Fourth. The improvements in agitators, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth, under the fourth part.
Fifth. The improvement in agitators, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth, under the fifth part.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Simpson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty-eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
TAMBO CIMDSON
JAMES SIMPSON.
PSON. (L.)