Im- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BI-CARBONATE OF Soda.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Richards, of Clifton Lodge, near Preston,
in the County of Lancaster, Chemist, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BI-CARBONATE OF Soda.
Scaled the 19th June 1874, and dated the 29th January 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Richards at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th January 1874.
I, JAMES RICHARDS, of Clifton Lodge, near Preston, in the County of
Lancaster, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BI-CARBONATE OF SODA," to be as
follows:-
In the preparation of carbonate of soda or soda ash from brine by
means of ammonia and carbonic acid, bi-carbonate of soda is produced;
but owing to the difficulty of removing all the ammonia the bi-carbonate
of soda so produced has not been in a fit state for the market. Now my
Invention consists in treating this bi-carbonate of soda by a dilute

page_text: solution of caustic ammonia which decomposes the bi-carbonate of
ammonia, thus forming carbonate of ammonia, which is easily removed.
by washing. The proportions that I have found beneficial are three
parts of caustic ammonia mixed with one hundred and fifty parts of
water to one thousand parts of the bi-carbonate of soda, but these 5
proportions must be varied according to the amount of bi-carbonate of
ammonia present.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Richards in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
RICHARDS, of Clifton Lodge, near Preston, in the County of Lancaster,
Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Richards, Her special
License that I, the said James Richards, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Richards, 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 lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, tho
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BI-CARBONATE OF SODA," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Richards, my executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
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 James Richards, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say) :-
In the preparation of carbonate of soda or soda ash from brine by
means of ammonia and carbonic acid bi-carbonate of soda is produced;
but owing to the difficulty of removing all the ammonia the bi-carbonate
of soda so produced has not been in a fit state for the market. Now
my Invention consists in treating this bi-carbonate of soda by a dilute
solution of caustic ammonia which decomposes the bi-carbonate of
ammonia, thus forming carbonate of ammonia, which is easily removed
by washing. The proportions that I have found beneficial are three
parts of caustic ammonia mixed with one hundred and fifty parts of
water to one thousand parts of the bi-carbonate of soda, but these
proportions must be varied according to the amount of bi-carbonate of
ammonia present.
In performing my Invention I apply the dilute solution of caustic
ammonia prepared as above described to the bi-carbonate of soda after
the brine and chloride of ammonium have been removed, or to a great
extent removed by washing, which is at present effected either on filters
or in a centrifugal machine, the carbonate of ammonia thus formed by
the action of the caustic ammonia on the bi-carbonate of ammonia is
removed by washing with pure water, the bi-carbonate of soda thus
purified is then to be carefully dried in any convenient manner.
Having thus stated the nature and particulars of my Invention, I
wish to remark that I do not intend to limit myself to the details given,
and that what I claim as my Invention in the manufacture of bi-car-
bonate of soda prepared from brine is the application of caustic ammonia
to the purification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Richards, have hereto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of July, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
JAMES RICHARDS. (L.S.)