AN IMPROVEMENT IN TREATING BONES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE PRODUCTS THEREOF
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cowdery Martin, of High Street, Barnes,
in the County of Surrey, Gelatine Manufacturer, for. the Invention of
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN TREATING BONES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE
PRODUCTS THEREOF."
Sealed the 22nd September 1866, and dated the 29th March 1866.
'PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Cowdery Martin
. at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 29th March 1866.
I, JOHN COWDERY MARTIN, of High Street, Barnes, in the County of
Surrey, Gelatine Manufacturer, do hereby declare, the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN TREATING BONES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE
THE PRODUCTS THEREOF," to be as follows:-
OF
My Invention consists' in treating bones with a mixed solution of muriatic
and phosphoric acids for the purpose of more economically separating the
earthy matters from the animal portions of the bone, such mixed solution
being obtained. as follows:-Muriatic acid diluted with water is poured upon
the bones, and when it has become sufficiently charged with the earthy
phosphates, and the acid as nearly saturated as possible, the solution is run off
the bones into a separate vessel, and is then treated with as much sulphuric
acid as will convert the whole of the lime or nearly so held in solution into

page_text: sulphate of lime, which produces a bulky precipitate; this is separated from
the solution by filtering through woollen cloths, and being thus deprived of the
lime is then practically a solution of muriatic and phosphoric acids, and is ready
to act on bones and become charged with their earthy constituents and phosphoric
acid. As the process is repeated and successive quantities of bone are acted
upon the quantity of phosphoric acid in the solution becomes greater and more
concentrated, and each time the precipitated sulphate of lime is filtered from it
some muriatic acid and a large quantity of phosphoric acid is left entangled
with the sulphate so filtered, and as the operation is repeated as much
phosphoric acid or thereabouts is left in the filtrate as it has taken from the
preceding quantity of bones, and all that is necessary to keep the solution in
continuous activity is to supply to it the water and an equivalent of the
quantity of muriatic acid taken from it; the phosphoric acid is furnished to.
it by the succeeding quantity of bones. The filtrate is then superphosphate of
lime, requiring about five per cent. of its weight of lime to assist in drying it,
and form with the free phosphoric acid soluble phosphate of lime. After the
earthy constituents are dissolved out of the bones the cartilaginous or animal
portions of the bones are thoroughly washed' and' may be manufactured into
the various forms of gelatine by any of the known processes. From the
phosphoric acid so produced phosphates and phosphorus may be obtained in
the usual manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters. Patent, filed
by the said John Cowdery Martin in the Great Seal Patent. Office
on the 28th September 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
COWDERY MARTIN, of High Street, Barnes, in the County of Surrey, Gelatine..
Manufacturer, send greeting.
i
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Cowdery Martin, Her special licence that I, the said John
Cowdery Martin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Cowdery Martin, my 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

page_text: 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT IN TREATING BONES, AND IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF THE PRODUCTS THEREOF, " upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John, Cowdery Martin, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 I, the said John Cowdery Martin, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say :-;
.
My Invention consists in treating bones with a mixed solution of muriatic
and phosphoric acids for the purpose of more economically separating the
earthy matters from the animal portions of the bone, such mixed solution
being obtained as follows:-Muriatic acid diluted with water is poured upon
bones; and when it has become sufficiently charged with the earthy phosphates
and the acid as nearly saturated as possible the solution is run off the bones
into a separate vessel, and is then treated with as much sulphuric acid as
will convert the whole of the lime, or nearly so, held in solution into
sulphate of lime, which produces a bulky precipitate; this is separated from
the solution by filtering through woollen cloths, which being thus deprived of
the lime is then practically a solution of muriatic and phosphoric acids, and is
ready to act on bones and become charged with their earthy constituents and
phosphoric acid. As the process is repeated and successive quantities of bono
are acted upon, the quantity of phosphoric acid in the solution becomes greater
and more concentrated, and, each time the precipitated sulphate of lime
filtered from it some muriatic acid and a large quantity of phosphoric acid is
left entangled with the sulphate so filtered, and as the operation is repeated
as much phosphoric acid, or thereabouts is left in the filtrate or solid residue
as it bas taken from the preceding quantity of bones, and all that is necessary
to keep the solution in continuous activity is to supply to it the water, and an
equivalent of the quantity of muriatic acid taken from it; the phosphoric
acid is furnished to it by the succeeding quantity of bones. The filtrate or
solid residue is then superphosphate of lime, to which may be added about
five per cent. of its weight of lime to assist in drying it, and forms with the
free phosphoric acid soluble phosphate of lime.

page_text: In carrying out my Invention I select and prefer to use well developed and
solid bone boiled or cleaned as free from extraneous substances as possible,
and at the same time in as small pieces as are readily obtainable; these
pieces are placed in covered vats constructed of or lined with lead or other.
n.aterial not readily acted upon by the acid, each containing about one ton
of bones, and on which are poured about ten or twelve hundredweight of
muriatic acid of the strength of about thirty-four degrees of Twaddle's
hydrometer previously diluted with water to the strength of about seven
degrees Twaddle. When the solution has remained on the bones about forty-
eight hours it is removed to a separate vat or vessel, and as 'much sulphuric
acid added to it as will precipitate the greater part of the lime in the solution
derived from the bones, the exact amount of such acid depending upon the
degree of saturation of the solution with the earthy phosphates of the bone,
and is best determined by experience, generally from two to two and a half.
hundredweight of sulphuric acid of the specific gravity of about 1-800′ is
found to answer well to the quantity given, but if' an undue quantity is used
1.freo sulphuric acid will be found, in the solution. On the addition of the
sulphuric acid a bulky precipitate of sulphate of lime is formed; this is
separated from the solution by filtering through woollen cloths by means of
any of the well-known filter presses, or in any other convenient manner, but.
in using the woollen cloths it is desirable they should be kept continually wet
or moist. The solution thus wholly or in part deprived of its lime is
practically a solution of muriatic and phosphoric acids, having "lime and
occasionally free sulphuric acid amongst its impurities, and is ready to act on
lones and become charged with their earthy constituents and phosphoric acid.
'The solution from which the lime has been precipitated is poured upon
bones, using, by preference, a similar kind to those above described, as being
acted upon with the muriatic acid solution, and after remaining for about
twenty-four hours is poured or pumped into a vat containing fresh bones or
bones from which the earthy phosphates have not been so much dissolved
out as those in the vat it has left, where it remains another twenty-four hours;
and if the solution is not sufficiently saturated with the earthy phosphates it is
pumped or poured into a third vat containing bones more highly charged with
phosphates than the last, in order that it may more rapidly become so.
the process of precipitating the lime with sulphuric acid and removing it from
the solution is repeated, and successive quantities of bone are acted upon,
the quantity of phosphoric acid in the solution becomes greater and more
concentrated, and each time the precipitated sulphate of lime is filtered from
it some muriatic acid and a large quantity of phosphoric acid is left entangled
1
As

page_text: with the sulphate or solid residue so filtered, and as the operation is repeated:
as much phosphoric acid or thereabouts is left in such residue as it has taken:
from the preceding-quantity of bones.
:
In treating bones with either the solution of muriatic acid or the mixed:
solution of muriatic and phosphoric acids above described, the sulphuric.
acid- used for the purpose of precipitating, the lime may be added to it in the>
same vat with the bones, and without removal to a separate vessel, and this
manner of working is advantageous as it admits of a part of the sulphuric
acid used to precipitate the lime being added to the solution immediately.after >
pouring it on the bones, and effects a saving of time, the solution being kept
in a continually active state for attacking the earthy matters. So soon as
the acid of the solutions becomes at all charged with such earthy matters, the
lime or alkaline principle combines with the sulphuric acid, and forming an
insoluble sulphate is precipitated, leaving the acid of the solution in a con-
stantly active state. The quantity of sulphuric acid to be used 'should be
sufficient to precipitate the whole or greater part of the lime, generally about
one-third or rather more of the weight of the bone of the specific gravity of
about 1-800. On adding the sulphuric acid to the solution it should be diluted:
with about twice its weight of water, or that quantity of water should-be
immedietely..poured in, or the cartilage of the bone may be injured. The
sulphuric acid, to be used to a given weight of bone is best divided into four
portions, one to be added to the solution immediately on its being poured upon
the bone, the others every succeeding twenty-four hours after. Between the
time of adding the second and third quantities of sulphuric acid it is desirable
the solution should be removed from the vat, or the precipitate of sulphate of
lime being, mixed with the cartilage of the bone would become inconveniently
large, and previously to doing so the bones should be well stirred in order
that the precipitate may be held in mechanical suspension and leave the vat
with the solution, which on being freed from the precipitate is again poured
on the bones, and the remaining sulphuric acid added. On returning the
solution to the vat it will be found to have lost in bulk, owing to a portion
being left in combination with the precipitate, and the loss should be restored
by adding to it as much muriatic acid diluted with water to about six degrees
Twaddle. as will raise it to the height it stood in the vat previous to removal.
When the earthy constituents of the bone are wholly dissolved out and the
solution removed, should any of the precipitate remain the cartilage of the
bone may be again washed with the solution until quite free from it. The
precipitate or solid residue baving entangled with it a large per-centage of
phosphoric acid (and as the process is repeated the whole of the phosphoric
13

page_text: acid of the bone) is superphosphate of lime, and is valuable as a concentrated
manure.
The cartilage or animal portions of the bone after being thoroughly washed;
to free: them from the acid may be manufactured into the various forms of
glue, gelatine, or size by boiling or heating in water, as: is well understood-in
the manufacture of size and gelatine, and yielding a strong and tenacious, jelly
or size; they are well adapted för. producing the finest description of gelatine
by most of the processes well known and practiced in the manufacture of
those articles from skins..
1
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, 1
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I would have it under-'
stood, that I do not confine myself to the precise details above set forth; and I
do not claim as my Invention separately the decomposition of bone by the
muriatic, acid solution'; but what I claim as the Invention for which the said
Letters Patent are granted is, the separation or precipitation of the lime by 1
means of sulphuric acid from the solutions of muriatic acid, and from the.
solutions of muriatic and phosphoric acid and the manufacture of gelatine:
and superphosphate of lime from the bones' treated in the manner above;
described...
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cowdery Martin, have 'hereunto set 2
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of September, in the year.
•
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
j
JOHN C. MARTIN. (L.A.)
JOHN C. MARTIN (LA)