IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF OIL FROM SHALE AND OTHER BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Brash, of Leith, in the County of Mid
Lothian, Soap, Candle, and Oil Manufacturer, and William Young,
Manager of the Oil Works, Straiton, in the same County, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF OIL FROM SHALE AND
OTHER BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 8th March 1867, and dated the 17th September 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Brash and William
Young at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 17th September 1866.
We, PETER BRASH, of Leith, in the County of Mid Lothian, Soap, Candle,
and Oil Manufacturer, and WILLIAM YOUNG, Manager of the Oil Works,
Straiton, in the same County, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF OIL FROM SHALE AND
OTHER BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of oil
from shale and other bituminous substances. The crude oil obtained by
distillation from shale or other bituminous substances is commonly treated
with sulphuric acid, and the acid separates a tarry matter therefrom. This
matter has little or no commercial value. According to our Invention we
redistil this tar after the acid has been separated from it together with the
sbale or bituminous matter, the distillation being conducted at the temperature
and with the precautions which are usual when shale or bituminous matter is

page_text: treated for oil, and by preference in the manner described in the Provisional
Specification filed by us on the 4th day of May in the present year (No.
1278). We prepare the tar for use either by neutralizing the acid with lime
or other base, or by blowing steam into it; in this way the acid is washed out
and separated from the tarry matter; the separation may be rendered more
complete by the addition of salt. The purified tar thus obtained we cause to
be absorbed by ashes or other absorbent material which will hold the tar
and allow of its being charged into the retort in a solid form together with
the shale or bituminous matter. On distillation the mixture produces more
oil of valuable quality than the shale or bituminous matter and tar would
produce if distilled separately, probably in consequence of a chemical change
taking place when the heated vapours from the tar come in contact with those
from the shale or bituminous matter. The acid tar obtained in the purification
of natural paraffin or earth oil may be utilized in a similar manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Peter Brash and William Young in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th March 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, PETER
BRASH, of Leith, in the County of Mid Lothian, Soap, Candle, and Oil
Manufacturer, and WILLIAM YOUNG, Manager of the Oil Works, Straiton, in
the same County, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Peter Brash and William Young, Her special license that we, the said Peter
Brash and William Young, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Peter Brash and William Young, 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 ex-
pressed, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF OIL FROM
SHALE AND OTHER. BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said Peter Brash and William Young, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands, and seals, or.

page_text: 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 immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Peter Brash and William Young, 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 the manufacture of oil
from shale and other. bituminous substances. The crude oil obtained by
distillation from shale or other bituminous substances is commonly treated
with sulphuric acid, and the acid separates a tarry matter therefrom. This
matter has little or no commercial value. According to our Invention we
redistil this tar after the acid has been separated from it together with the
shale or bituminous matter, the distillation being conducted at the temperature
and with the precautions which are usual when shale or bituminous matter is
treated for oil, and by preference in the manner described in the Specification
of the Patent granted to us, and dated the 4th day of May 1866 (No. 1278).
We prepare the tar for use either by neutralizing the acid with lime or
other base, or by blowing steam into it; in this way the acid is washed out
and separated from the tarry matter; the separation may be rendered more
complete by the addition of salt. The purified tar thus obtained we cause to
be absorbed by ashes or other absorbent material which will hold the tar and
allow of its being charged into the retort in a solid form together with the
shale or bituminous matter. Or we may take the tar so far purified as above
described, and having mixed it with lime or other alkaline matter subject it to
distillation along with the shale or bituminous matter; or we may take the
shale or other bituminous matter and having mixed it with lime or other
alkaline matter subject it to distillation along with the tar, which is allowed to
flow over and through the shale and lime during the distillation. The acid
tar obtained in the purification of natural paraffin or earth oil may be utilized
in a similar manner.
The proportions of the bituminous matter and of the tar introduced into a
retort may be varied, but we usually employ these matters in the proportions
of five parts by weight of bituminous matter and one part by weight of
the tar.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect,

page_text: 'we would observe in conclusion that what we consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the distillation of shale or other bituminous matter
in combination with the tar, as above described, in order to obtain oil in
greater quantity than the shale or other bituminous matter would produce
separately.
In witness whereof, we, the said Peter Brash and William Young, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eleventh day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
PETER BRASH. (L.S.)
(L.B.)
Wч. YOUNG.