AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF TREATING ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FATS OR GREASES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING STRARINE AND OLEINE THEREFROM
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF TREATING ANIMAL AND
VEGETABLE FATS OR GREASES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING STRARINE AND
OLEINE THEREFROM."-A communication from abroad by Alexander
Grell, of Odessa, Russia.
Sealed the 9th July 1872, and dated the 19th April 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th April 1872.
Į, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF TREATING
ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FATS OR GREASES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING
STEARING AND OLEINE THEREFROM,” a communication, to be as follows :—
The nature of this Invention consists in treating animal and vegetable
fats or greases in combination with the products of distillation of

page_text: naphtha for the purpose of obtaining stearine and oleine from the said
fats or greases in a more efficacious and economical manner than has
heretofore been practicable.
The means by which the above results are attained are mainly as
follows:-The fats or greases are dissolved in the products of distillation
of naphtha. For this purpose the fat or grease employed is mixed in a
heated kettle with the products of distillation of naphtha in about the
following proportions:-On one (1) volume of fat or grease I take,
according to the nature of the materials, from two to three (2-3)
volumes of the products of distillation of naphtha of a specific gravity
not exceeding 0.820. The solution is then filtered for the purpose of
removing the undissolved albuminous and azotic substances; the filtered
liquid is then allowed to descend into another vessel for settling; the
liquid solution of oleine in the products of distillation of naphtha,
which accumulates in the upper part of this vessel, is then conducted into
a reservoir, and the semi-fluid sediment which remains in the under
portion of the same vessel, representing an impure mass of stearine, is
again filtered for the purpose of cleaning it more thoroughly from the
solution of oleine in the products of distillation of naphtha. This
filtered solution then passes down into the above-mentioned reservoir;
the mass of stearine which remains in the filter is then put into a centri-
fugal apparatus of the ordinary construction and worked therein, by
which operation the said mass is once more liberated from the fluid
parts contained in the same, and becomes sufficiently compact to be
submitted to the action of a hydraulic press, by which the remaining
parts of the fluid are removed, leaving a solid mass of stearine of a
whitish colour in the press. The stearine thus obtained is not sufficiently
pure for practical use, and is therefore once more dissolved in the pro-
ducts of distillation of naphtha and again submitted to the whole range
of the aforesaid operations, and on this being effected the stearine which
is obtained represents a hard and thoroughly white mass, which may
then be used for the manufacture of candles. The liquid part, that is,
the solution of oleine in the products of distillation of naphtha which
had been conveyed into a reservoir, is then pumped into a still and
submitted to the process of distillation, by which the products of distil-
lation of naphtha and the water vapours are distilled into a recipient,
leaving the olcine in the still, from which it is conducted into suitablo
barrels.

page_text: The products of distillation of naphtha easily separate from the water,
and may therefore be used again for dissolving fats or greases. I use a
metallic kettle with double side walls and a double bottom, leaving a
space for the entrance of steam, which is obtained from a steam boiler.
As soon as the kettle is filled and closed steam is admitted into the
space to melt the fat or grease. The steam after having surrounded
the kettle escapes through a suitable pipe.
The melted fat or grease is kept during the whole operation at a
temperature of about 122° F. The fat or grease being melted the
products of distillation of naphtha are admitted into the kettle, where
they are well mixed with the fat or grease by stirring. Before
admitting the products of distillation of naphtha a cock is opened to
allow the escape of air, which cock after the filling of the kettle is closed.
During the process of mixing by the stirring apparatus, and by the
continual heating of the kettle to about 122° F. in the manner before
stated, the fat or grease will entirely dissolve in the said products.
of distillation of naphtha, leaving only the albuminous and azotic sub-
stances undissolved. When the fat or grease is thus dissolved tho
solution is conducted from the kettle. This filter consists in a metallio
filter with double side walls and a double bottom leaving a space for
the entrance of steam. During the whole operation the filter is heated
by steam, keeping the solution at about 122° F. The solution passing
through the filtering material is thus cleaned and separated from the
undissolved albuminous and azotic substances which remain in the upper.
part of the filter, whilst the filtered solution passes down into a metallio
vessel placed in a cellar, or any other place where the temperature does.
not exceed.c* 59° F. In this vessel the solution is left for about twenty-
four hours, when the stearine contained in the solution will settle down
on the bottom of the vessel, leaving above this sediment a liquid
consisting of a solution of oleine in the products of distillation of
naphtha. This fluid solution when quite clear and free from mud is.
let out into a reservoir. The semi-fluid sediment of stearine is then
brought out of the said settling vessel into a second filter. The semi-
fluid impure stearine mass. is brought into this filter for cleaning it
more thoroughly from the fluid solution of oleine in the products of
distillation of naphtha, which solution after passing through the filtering
material is carried away into the aforesaid reservoir. After this opera-
tion the impure stearine mass which remains. in the upper part of the

page_text: filter is taken to a centrifugal apparatus of the ordinary construction
and worked therein in the usual manner in order to liberate the mass
more effectually from the fluid therein contained, after which operation
the mass of stearine becomes sufficiently compact to be submitted to
the action of a cold hydraulic press of the ordinary construction. By
the action of this hydraulic press the last liquid parts are pressed out,
leaving in the press a solid mass of stearine of a whitish colour. But
the stearine thus obtained is not sufficiently pure for practical use, and
has therefore to be worked over again. For this purpose the stearine
is once more dissolved in the products of distillation of naphtha, and then
submitted again to all of the above-described operations in the same
vessels and apparatus and in the same manner as above set forth.
After the mass of stearine has been worked a second time by the
centrifugal apparatus and the cold hydraulic press, it is a hard and
thoroughly white mass ready to be used for the manufacture of candles.
The melting point of the stearine thus obtained is 143°O F. The liquid
part, that is, the fluid solution of the oleine in the products of distillation
of naphtha which passed out of the settling vessel and the filter into ą
reservoir is pumped into a still of the ordinary construction, and sub-
mitted to the process of distillation by steam. By this process the
products of distillation of naphtha and the water vapours are distilled
into a cistern leaving only the oleine in the still, which liquid is then
passed into barrels. The products of distillation of naphtha easily
separate from the water, and may therefore be used again for dissolving
fats or greases for further treating by this process, for the purposes
herein set forth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 18th October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of April, in the year of
pur Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty- 3

page_text: fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lakė, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 time therein
expressed, 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. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF
) TREATING ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FATS OR GREASES FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAIN
ING STEARINE AND OLEINE THEREFROM," a communication to me from abroad
by Alexander Grell, of Odessa, Russia, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
5 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 William Robert Lake, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification :-
'The nature of this Invention consists in treating animal and vegetablė
fats or greases in combination with the products of distillation of naptha
for the purpose of obtaining stearine and oleine from the said fats or
greases in a more efficacious and economical manner than has heretofore
been practicable.
1 The means by which the above results are attained are mainly as
follows:-The fats or greases are dissolved in the products of distilla-
tion of naphtha. For this purpose the fat or grease employed is mixed
in a heated kettle with the products of distillation of naphtha in about
the following proportions:-To one (1) volume of fat or grease I take
according to the nature of the materials from two to three.(2-3) volumes
of the products of distillation of naphtha of a specific gravity not
exceeding 0.820. The fats or greases are dissolved in the products of

page_text: distillation of naphtha, the solution is then filtered for the purpose of
removing the undissolved albuminous and azotic substances; the filtered
liquid is then allowed to descend into another vessel for settling; the
liquid solution of oleine in the products of distillation of naphtha which
accumulates in the upper part of this vessel is then conducted into a {
reservoir, and the semi-fluid sediment which remains in the under
portion of the samo vessel, representing an impure mass of stearine, is
again filtered for the purpose of cleaning it more thoroughly from the
solution of oleine in the products of distillation of naphtha. This
filtered solution then passes down into the above-mentioned reservoir;
the mass of stearine which remains in the filter is then put into a
centrifugal apparatus and worked therein, by which operation the said
mass is once more liberated from the fluid parts contained in the same
and becomes sufficiently compact to be submitted to the action of a
hydraulic press by which the remaining parts of the fluid are removed,
leaving a solid mass of stearine of a whitish color in the press. Tho
stearine thus obtained is not sufficiently pure for practical use, and is
therefore once more dissolved in the products of distillation of naphtha,
and again submitted to the whole range of the aforesaid operations, and
on this being effected the stearine which is obtained represents a hard :
and thoroughly white mass which may then be used for the manufacturo
of candles. The liquid part, that is, the solution of oleine in the products
of distillation of naphtha which had been conveyed into a reservoir is
then pumped into a still and submitted to the process of distillation, by
which the products of distillation of naphtha and the water vapours aro
distilled into a recipient, leaving the oleine in the still, from which it is
conducted into suitable barrels. The products of distillation of naphtha
easily separate from the water, and may therefore be used again for
dissolvino fate of R

page_text: Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section of a second filter serving. to
separate more effectually the liquid parts from the impure mass of.
stearine.
A is a metallic kettle with double side walls a, a, and a double
bottom b, b, leaving a space c, c, for the entrance of steam, which is
obtained from a steam boiler, (not shewn in the Drawing) by the pipe d
provided with a cock e; f is an aperture or man-hole through which
the kettle A. is filled with fat or grease. As soon as the kettle is filled
and the man-hole closed, the cock e is opened and steam is admitted
into the space c, c, in order to melt the fat or grease. The steam after
having surrounded the kettle escapes through the pipe 9 provided with
a cock h. The two cocks e and regulate the entrance and escape of
the steam in such a manner as to keep the melted fat or grease during
the whole operation at a temperature of about 122% F. The fat or grease
being melted the cock in the tube k which communicates with a
reservoir (not shewn in the Drawing) containing the products of dis-,
tillation of naphtha is opened and the said products are admitted into the
kettle, where they are well mixed with the fat or grease by the stirring
Before admitting
apparatus 1, 1, put in motion by any suitable means.
the products of distillation of naphtha into the kettle 'the cock m in the
air pipe n, is opened to permit the escape of air, the said cock being
closed after the filling of the kettle; o is a pipe provided with a cock
for discharging the condensed water; p, a similar pipe discharging
the water and impurities during the process of cleaning the kettle:
5 The fat or grease is mixed with the products of distillation of naphtha
in about the following proportions:-To one (1) volume of fat or grease
I take, according to the nature of the materials, from two to three
(2-8) volumes of the products of distillation of naphtha of a specific
gravity not exceeding 0.820.
o During the process of mixing by the stirring apparatus and by the
continual heating of the kettle to about 122% F., in the manner before
stated the fat or grease will entirely dissolve in the said products of
distillation of naphtha, leaving only the albuminous and azotic sub-
stances undissolved. When the fat or grease is thus dissolved the
5 solution is conducted out of the kettle A through the pipe 2 provided
with a-cock into the filter B shewn in Figure 2. This filter consists of
a metallic vessel with double sido walls a³, a', and a double bottom b³, b¹,
leaving a space c', c, for the entrance of steam, which is conducted by
T
"

page_text: the steam pipe & provided with a cock e¹, and escapes by the outlet
pipe g¹ provided with a cock h¹; S and S¹ are perforated iron sheets or
plates, between which a sheet of felt or some other filtring material is
placed; n is an air pipe provided with a cock m³, and is the pipe
or tube through which the solution from the kettle A is conducted into
the filter B; is a man-hole for cleaning the filter. During the whole
operation the filter is heated by steam, keeping the solution at about
122% F. The solution passing through the filtring material enclosed
between the plates or sheets S and S' is thus cleaned and separated from
the undissolved albuminous and azotic substances which remain in the
upper part of the filter, whilst the filtered solution passes down through
the pipe q' provided with a cock into the metallic vessel C shown in
Figure 3 for the purpose of settling; f' is a man-hole; n³, the air pipc;
and the tube through which the solution passes into the vessel C.
This vessel must be placed in a cellar or any other place where the tem-
perature does not exceed 59% F. In this vessel the solution is left for
about twenty-four hours, when the stearine contained in the solution will
settle down on the bottom of the vessel, leaving above this sediment a
liquid consisting of a solution of oleine in the products of distillation of
naphtha. This fluid solution is then discharged by opening the cocks t, /,
of the side tubes v, v, successively, and passes through the the tube u
into a reservoir (not shewn in the Drawing). The said solution is not
discharged until it is quite clear and free from mud. The main tube u
is provided with short curved tubes w, w, the apertures of the tubes v, v,
for the purpose of receiving and conducting the solution into the tube u.
The semi-fluid sediment of stearine is then brought out of the said
settling vessel O through the large tube x into the second filter D, shewn
in Figure 4. The construction of this metallic filter is similar to that
represented in Figure 2, with the distinction however that the walls a'
and the bottom 6* are single instead of double, this filter not being
heated. The perforated iron sheets or plates 8' and 8' and the sheet of
felt or other filtring material enclosed between them are arranged in
the same way as those in the filter B. y, y, y, are covers which move
on hinges z, z, z, through the openings which are closed by these covers;
the semi-fluid impure stearine mass is brought into the filter for cleaning
it more thoroughly from the fluid solution of oleine in the products of
distillation of naphtha, which solution after passing through the filtring
material enclosed between the plates S³ and S³ is carried away through
the pipe q' into the same reservoir (not shown in the Drawing), into

page_text: which the fluid solution.out of the vessel C was conducted. After
this operation the impure stearine mass which remains in the upper
part of the filter D is taken out through the openings closed by
the covers y or through the man-hole ƒ and conducted to a centri-
fugal apparatus (not shewn in the Drawing) of the ordinary con-
struction, and worked therein in the usual manner in order to liberate
the mass more effectually from the fluid therein contained; after this
operation the mass of stearine becomes, sufficiently compact to be
submitted to the action of a cold hydraulic press (not shewn in the
Drawing) of the ordinary construction. By the action of this hydraulic
press the last liquid parts are pressed out, leaving in the press a solid
mass of stearine of a whitish color. But the stearine thus obtained is
not sufficiently pure for practical use, and has therefore to be worked
over again. For this purpose the stearine is once more dissolved in the
products of distillation of naphtha, and then submitted again to' all of
the above-described operations in the same vessels and apparatus and in
the same manner as above set forth. After the mass of stearine has
been worked a second time by the centrifugal apparatus and the cold
hydraulic press, it is a hard and thoroughly white mass, ready to be used
for the manufacture of candles. The melting point of the stearine thus
obtained is 143% F. The liquid part, that is, the fluid solution of the
qleine in the products of distillation of naphtha which has passed out
of the vessel C and the filter D into a reservoir is pumped into a still of
the ordinary construction (as, for instance, a still used for the distillation
of water), and submitted to the process of distillation by steam. By this
process the products of distillation of naphtha and the aqueous vapours
are distilled into a cistern, leaving only the olcine in the still; the liquid
is then passed into barrels. The products of distillation of naphtha
easily separate from the water, and may therefore be used again for
dissolving fats or greases for further treatment by this process for the
purposes herein set forth.
Having thus described the said Invention as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, I wish it understood that although the proportions and
treatment of the materials as given above will produce good results, I do
not limit myself strictly to such proportions or treatment, but may vary
either to such an extent as will not involve a departure from the

page_text: am aware of the existence of apparatus or vessels as shewn in the
Drawings, the construction of which may be moreover modified, and Į
do not claim the said apparatus; but I claim the treatment of animal
and vegetable fats or greases in combination with the products of dis-
tillation of naphtha, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before 5
set forth.
י.
In witness whercof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here.
unto set my hand and scal, this Eighteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
W. J. LOWE.
W”, RQB³, LAKE. (L.8.)