IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SODA AND POTASH
Year: 1858

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Gossage at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
September 1858.
I, WILLIAM GOSSAGE, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF SODA AND POTASH," to be as follows:-
The Invention for which I am now soliciting the grant of Letters Patent
comprises further developments of the improvements for which I obtained
Letters Patent, bearing date the 21st of February 1857, for my Invention of
Improvements in the Manufacture of Soda and Potash."
In the Specification which I filed in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st of August 1857, I have described the means by which sulphur contained
in alkali waste (which is a constant waste product in the manufacture of soda
and potash, and which sulphur is largely required in such manufacture) may
be extricated from such waste in the state of sulphuretted hydrogen gas, by tho
action of carbonic acid gas thereon, also the means by which carbonic acid gas
may be obtained for such purpose.
My present Invention comprises the obtainment of carbonic acid gas of
suitable quality for effecting such extrication during that part of the operations
of manufacturing soda or potash, which consists of the decomposition of
sulphate of soda or sulphate of potash, by means of carbon and lime at a
red heat, by which decomposition a large quantity of carbonic acid gas is
produced, also the application of such gas to the decomposition of sulphuret of

page_text: calcium contained in alkali waste, and consequent extrication of sulphur
therefrom.
My present Invention also comprises the use of carbonate of lime (produced
by the decomposition of alkali waste by means of carbonic acid gas) for the
production of a further quantity of carbonic acid gas; also the use of car-
bonate of lime so produced, or of lime obtained from such carbonate of lime
for effecting the decomposition of sulphate of soda or sulphate of potash in
the manufacture of soda or potash.
In the said Specification I have also described the means by which I effect
the decomposition of sulphuretted hydrogen gas obtained as therein described,
and consequent extrication of free sulphur therefrom (in a state suitable to be
used in the manufacture of soda or potash) by the action of sulphurous acid
gas on such sulphuretted hydrogen gas at certain high temperatures therein
defined.
My present Invention comprises the effecting such decomposition of
sulphuretted hydrogen gas by means of sulphurous acid gas at lower tempera-
tures than are indicated in my said Specification for such purpose, and the
simultaneous production of other compounds of sulphur by such decomposition,
which compounds of sulphur are applicable in the manufacture of soda and
potash; also the use of aqueous solutions containing certain salts of soda, or of
potash, and the use of steam for assisting to effect the decomposition of
sulphuretted hydrogen gas by the action of sulphurous acid gas, and for
assisting to effect the separation of sulphur after such decomposition has
been completed.
My present Invention also comprises the use of compounds of nitrogen
with oxygen for effecting the decomposition of sulphuretted hydrogen obtained
from alkali waste, and consequent production of free sulphur in a state suitable
to be used in the manufacture of soda and potash.