AN IMPROVEMENT. IN TREATING SOAP-SUDS AND WASH-WATERS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Charles Theodore Schaeffer, of Bradford,
in the County of York, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT. IN
TREATING SOAP-SUDS AND WASH-WATERS."
Sealed the 12th September 1856, and dated the 20th March 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICTION left by the said William Charles Theodore
Schaeffer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th March 1856.
I, WILLIAM CHARLES THEODORE SCHAEFFER, of Bradford, in the County of
York, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN
TREATING. SOAP-SUDS AND WASH-WATERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object an improvement in treating soap-suds and
wash-waters, and consists of applying clay or aluminous earth and sulphuric
acid for precipitating or separating the oily and fatty matters from such waters
in place of using alum for such purposes, by which a considerable saving in
cost will result.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Charles Theodore Schaeffer in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th September. 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CHARLES THEODORE SCHAEFFER, of Bradford, in the County of York, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date. the Twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Charles Theodore Schaeffer, Her special licence that I, the
said William Charles Theodore Schaeffer, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Charles Theodore Schaeffer,
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, usé, 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
SOAP-SUDS AND
WASH-WATERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Charles Theodore Schaeffer, 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 William Charles: Theodore. Schaeffer,
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 an improvement in treating soap-suds, and
wash waters, and, consists of, applying.clay, or aluminous earth and sulphuric
acid, for,precipitating or separating the oily and fatty matters from such waters
in place, of, using alum, for such purposes, by which a considerable, saying in,
cost will result.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
The clay or aluminous earth which I prefer is that which contains the largest

page_text: quantity of alumina, and I prefer for this purpose to use pipe clay, which I
reduce to powder, and place it in a suitable tray or vessel lined with lead. To
each ton of the clay I apply about 12 cwt. of brown sulphuric acid of commerce,
and I find it advanageous to heat the mixture from 200° to 212° of Fahrenheit
for about two hours, and then for use I mix the clay and acid with hot water,
at the rate of one part by measure of the mixture to three measures of water;
soap-suds, and wash-waters differ in the quantity of fatty and soapy matters
contained therein, they consequently require that the quantity of clay and acid
should be varied also. I have, however, found that for each five thousand
gallons of such soap-suds or wash-waters three or four pails full of the solution
above mentioned are sufficient; but the best means is to continue to stir in
additional quantities from time to time till the water becomes clear, allowing
time for subsidence after each additional quantity has been well stirred in. A
little practice will enable a workman readily to judge in each case of the
quantity necessary. When the soapy and greasy matters have been pre-
cipitated, the clear water is to be run off by a syphon or otherwise, and the
precipitated matters are to be filtered.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the
combined use of clay and sulphuric acid for separating the soapy and greasy or
oily matters from soap-suds and wash-waters.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Charles Theodore Schaeffer,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
WILLIAM CHARLES THEODORE SCHAEFFER. (L.S.)
PHILIP WRIGHT,
3, Grt Winchester St.
London.