IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHURIC ACID
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hargreaves, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster,
Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES, PARTS OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHURIC
ACID."
SAID
Scaled the 21st October 1876, and dated the 27th April 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hargreaves at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th April 1876.
JAMES HARGREAVES, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES,
PARTS OF WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SULPHURIC ACID."
First. As means whereby chloride of sodium and chloride of potassium may be
suitably brought into direct contact with sulphurous acid air and water vapour in
the manufacture of sulphates I place the said chlorides or either of them on the
the top shelf of an apparatus containing a series of shelves one above the other,
allow sulphurous acid, air, and water vapour to pass in an upward direction through
the said apparatus, and cause by means of scrapers or their equivalents the said
chlorides or either of them to fall in a shower from shelf to shelf downwards until
delivered at the bottom in the form of sulphates. Instead of scraping or removing
the said chloride from one shelf to another, a series of the said apparatus with shelves
may be so arranged as to conduct the said sulphurous acid, air, and water vapour
from one to the other until it is exhausted and replaced with hydrochloric acid or
chlorine.
Second. As means for increasing with safety. the quantity of sulphates manufac-
tured in converting chambers or cylinders of given size, I fill the said chambers or
cylinders with a mixture of pieces of rock salt in its crude natural state and pieces
of salt prepared by moistening and drying. The crude or natural rock salt increases
in bulk when converted into sulphate whilst the bulk of the prepared salt diminishes,
I thereby prevent any settling or expansion of the material in the chambers during
conversion.
Third. As means for more effectually retaining heat in the chambers or cylinders
used in direct action sulphate plant as well as for preventing leakage of air into
•

page_text: the said cylinders or chambers, I employ a lid or cover at the bottom of each feed
neck and gas passage or way on the top of the said chambers or cylinders, and I
place a little finely powdered sulphate round the side of the said lid or cover to make
the joint tight.
Fourth. As means for preventing loss of heat from the circulating pipes conveying
the converting gases from one row or series of cylinders to another, I employ as a
circulating pipe a long connecting neck under the surface of the brickwork, preferably
on a level with the bottom of the said chambers or cylinders.
Fifth. As means for preventing loss of heat in the sulphurous acid flues, I place
the said sulphurous acid flues below the level of the top of the said chambers or
cylinders, and by means of vertical branches conduct the said sulphurous acid to
the level of the top of the said chambers or cylinders. At the bottom of cach
of the said branches I place a cover to prevent, when desired, the sulphurous acid
from rising in the said branches.
Sixth. As means for regulating the temperature of the sulphurous acid burners,
and for obtaining a mixture of sulphurous acid and steam at a higher temperature
than heretofore, I regulate the entrance of steam to each of the burners by a conical
plug inserted in the branch of a steam pipe placed on the top of the burners.
The steam is admitted to each burner in any desired quantity, and any steam in
excess of what is required in each burner is allowed to pass through a relief
valve into the main sulphurous acid flue, or where it may be allowed to mix with
the said sulphurous acid. The said steam before being admitted into the burner or
burners is preferably first allowed to enter a steam chest on the top of the said
burner or burners, so as to be superheated and thereby prevent local cooling when
admitted into the said burner or burners.
Seventh. As means for preventing, annoyance by the escape of gases whilst the
said chambers or cylinders are being disconnected from the sulphurous acid flue
or from each other, I employ a syphon having a bar or rod at each end by means
of which plates or dampers may be moved so as to open and close the passages
before the said syphon is taken off, removed, or disconnected. I prefer to use as
the said plates or dampers the lower lids described under the above third and
fifth heads.
I
Eighth. As means for facilitating the connection with and disconnection from
each other of the various chambers or cylinders without interrupting the work,
I place dampers in each of the exit flues which allow the passage of hydrochloric
acid from the sulphate chambers to the condensers, and for the same purpose
attach to the inner door of each of the said cylinders or chambers a hinge preferably
on the top of the said door, and allow the said inner door to fall down by any
suitable means before the outer door is taken away.
Ninth. As means for reducing the amount of brickwork I carry the main smoke
flue between the two rows of chambers or cylinders above the level of the ground,
and I conduct the smoke from each chamber or cylinder to the said main smoke
flue by horizontal branch flues.
Tenth. As means for reducing the length of the hydrochloric acid flue, I place
the said hydrochloric acid flue along the top of the chambers or cylinders between
the two rows and convey the exit gases into it by the upcast flues which convey the
converting gases from one cylinder to the other.
Eleventh. As means for more equally distributing heat to the chambers o
cylinders, I place the fire-places under the middle of the front of the said chambers
or cylinders, preferably under the drawing door, and conduct the products laterally
by flues to the right and left of the fire-places.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Hargreaves in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th October
1876.
+
"IM-
JAMES HARGREAVES, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist.
PROVEMENTS IN MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SULPHATES, PARTS OF WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF SULPHURIC ACID."
First. As means whereby chloride of sodium and chloride of potassium may be
suitably brought into direct contact with sulphurous acid, air, and water vapour in
the manufacture of sulphates, I place the said chlorides or either of them on the top
shelf of an apparatus containing a series of shelves one above the other, allow sul-
phurous acid, air, and water vapour to pass in an upward direction through the
said apparatus, and cause by means of scrapers or their equivalents the said chlorides
or either of them to fall in a shower froin shelf to shelf downwards until delivered
at the bottom in the form of sulphates. Instead of scraping or removing the said
chloride from one shelf to another a series of the said apparatus with shelves may
be so arranged as to conduct the said sulphurous acid, air, and water vapour from
one to the other until it is exhausted and replaced with hydrochloric acid or
chlorine.
Second. As means for increasing with safety the quantity of sulphates manu-
factured in converting chambers or cylinders of given size, I fill the said chambers
or cylinders with a mixture in about equal parts of pieces of rock salt in its crude
or natural state and pieces of salt prepared by moistening and drying. The crude
or natural rock salt increase in bulk when converted into sulphate whilst the bulk
of the prepared salt diminishes, I thereby prevent any settling or expansion of the
material in the chambers during conversion.
Third. As means for more effectually retaining heat in the converting chambers
or cylinders used in direct action sulphate plant as well as for preventing leakage of
air into the said cylinders or chambers, I employ in addition to the lid or cover as
now used a second lid or cover at the bottom of each feed neck and gas passage or
way on the top of the said chambers or cylinders, and I place a little finely
powdered sulphate round the side of the said lid or cover to make the joint tight.
Fourth. As means for preventing loss of heat from the circulating pipes conveying
the converting gases from one row or series of cylinders to another, I employ as a
circulating pipe a long connecting neck under the surface of the brickwork,
preferably on a level with the bottom of the said chambers or cylinders.
Fifth. As means for preventing loss of heat in the sulphurous acid flues I place
the said sulphurous acid flues below the level of the top of the said converting
chambers or cylinders, and by means of vertical branches conduct the said sulphu-
rous acid to the level of the top of the said chambers or cylinders. At the bottom of
each of the said chambers I place a cover to prevent, when desired, the sulphurous
acid from rising in the said branches.
Sixth. As means for regulating the temperature of the sulphurous acid burners
or producers, and for obtaining a mixture of sulphurous acid and steam at a higher
temperature than heretofore, I regulate the entrance of steam to each of the
burners by a conical plug inserted in the branch of a steam pipe placed on the top
of the burners. The steam is admitted to each burner in any desired quantity,
and any steam in excess of what is required in each burner is allowed to pass
through a relief valve into the main sulphurous acid flue, or where it may be
allowed to mix with the said sulphurous acid. The said steam before being admitted
into the burner or burners is preferably first allowed to enter a steam chest on the
top of the said burner or burners, so as to be superheated and thereby prevent
local cooling when admitted into the said burner or burners.
Seventh. As means for preventing annoyance by the escape of gases whilst the
converting chambers or cylinders are being disconnected from the sulphurous acid
flue or from each other, I employ a syphon having a bar or rod at each end by

page_text: means of which plates or dampers may be moved so as to open and close the pas-
sages before the said syphon is taken off, removed, or disconnected. I prefer to use
as the said plates or dampers the lower lids described under the above third and
fifth heads.
Eighth. As means for facilitating the connection with and disconnection from
each other of the various chambers or cylinders without interrupting the work, I
place dampers in each of the exit flues, which allows the passage of hydrochloric
acid from the sulphate chambers to the condensers, and for the same purpose
attach to the inner door of each of the said cylinders or chambers a hinge, preferably
on the top of the said door, and allow the said inner door to fall down by any
suitable means before the outer door is taken away.
Ninth. As means for reducing the amount of brickwork I carry the main smoke
flue between the two rows of chambers or cylinders above the level of the ground,
and I conduct the smoke from each chamber or cylinder to the said main smoke
flue by horizontal branch flues.
Tenth. As means for reducing the length of the hydrochloric acid flue I place the
said hydrochloric acid flue along the top of the chambers or cylinders between the
two rows, and convey the exit gases into it by the upcast flues which convey the
converting gases from one cylinder to the other."
Eleventh. As means for more equally distributing heat to the chambers or cylin-
ders, I place the fire-places under the middle of the front of the said chambers or
cylinders, preferably under the drawing door, and conduct the products laterally by
flues to the right and left of the fire-places.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. is a sectional elevation through the line A, A, and Fig. 2 a sectional plan
through the line B, B, of apparatus illustrative of the first part of my Invention.
I are chambers supplied with a series of shelves; 2, 3, are openings through which
the chlorides to be converted are filled into the said chambers; 4 are doors through
which to stir and move the chlorides from a higher to a lower shelf; 5, entrance
for mixture of sulphurous acid gas, air, and water vapour; 6, exit for product gases;
7, doors for removing sulphates; 8, fire-place; 9, heating flues.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the line C, C; Fig. 4 a horizontal section
through the line D, D, of a further modification of apparatus illustrative of the first
part of my Invention. Here the converting gases pass from chamber to chamber,
each chamber becoming in turn the first, intermediate, and last of the series.
letters denote the same parts in these views as in Figs. 1 and 2.
Like
vertical
The sixth part of my Invention is illustrated by Fig. 5, which is a
section of a sulphur or pyrites burner. 10 is the conical valve in the steam pipe;
11, 12, steam chest on the top of the burners 13; 14, passage for the converting gases.
This part of my Invention, as will be obvious may be used in the manufacture of
sulphuric acid. The steam passes from the chest 12 through the pipe 11 into the
burners 13, where it mixes with the sulphurous acid and air, and passes into the fluc
leading to the converting chambers; when necessary a valve is provided by which
steam can pass into the flue leading to the converting chambers without passing
through the burners.
Sheet II., Figs. 0 and 7, are vertical sections, and Figs. 8 and 9 plan views partly
in section of modifications of sulphate apparatus illustrative of the third, fourth,
fifth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh parts of my Invention. Like
letters denote the same parts in all the views.
The third part is illustrated by the covers 15 at the bottom of the feed necks 16
and gas passages 17; a little powdered sulphate is then usually placed around the
said covers 15 to make a tight joint, after which the ordinary cover 18 is placed
in position.
The fourth part is illustrated by the circulating pipe or connecting neck 19, which
is placed beneath the surface of the brickwork near to the bottom of the chambers.
The said pipe or connecting neck 19 serves to convey the converting gases from
one row or series of chambers to another.

page_text: The fifth part is illustrated by the flue 20 for conveying sulphurous acid gas, air,
and water vapour, which is placed in the brickwork below the level of the top of
the converting chambers, and is provided with the branches 21 and connecting
piece or syphon 22 for conveying the said gases to the converting chambers.
Seatings 23 and covers 24 are provided so that the converting gases may be shut
off from the branches when desired.
The seventh part is illustrated by the syphon and connecting piece 22, provided
at each end with the bars or rods 25 for raising and lowering the valves or covers 24,
so that the gas ways may be opened and shut whilst the syphon 22 is in position.
The eighth part is illustrated by the dampers 26 in hydrochloric acid gas flue 27
leading to the condensers and by the doors 28 for closing the opening 281 before the
door 29 is opened.
The ninth part is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 9, where the main smoke flue 30 is
carried between the chambers from end to end of the series, and connected by
branch flues 31 to the heating flues of each chamber.
The tenth part is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 9 by the hydrochloric and waste gas
flue 27 being placed along the top of the chambers, and connecting and connected
to the upcast flue of the last chainber by the movable flue 32.
The eleventh part is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 9 by the fire-places 33 placed under
the front of the chambers at the centre, and by the disposition of the side flues 34
to the right and left of the said fire-place.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and particularized the
same so that others will be enabled to carry my present improvements into effect,
I claim the several improved means and appliances herein described for the purposes
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hargreaves, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six
30 In the presence of
J. T. KING,
Patent Office,
Liverpool.
JAMES HARGREAVES. (LS.)