Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 26th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 29th Nov., 1887
I NORMAN MACFARLANE HENDERSON, of Broxburn, in the County of Linlithgow,
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to construct and combine or arrange apparatus
in an improved manner for treating or purifying paraffin wax, and so that labor and
handling of the paraffin may be diminished, and plant of moderate extent may be
capable of dealing with large quantities.
In carrying out my Invention I use an improved "sweating" process in which the
paraffin in a melted state is run into a series of horizontal trays each provided with a
horizontal diaphragm or strainer of wire gauze or perforated sheet metal covered with
a suitable woven fabric or felt. Whilst the melted paraffin is being run into the trays
the strainers and spaces beneath are filled with water which prevents the paraffin from
passing through them. After the paraffin has been run into the trays it is cooled to
solidy it; the water is next run off from beneath the strainers; and then the paraffin
is subjected to the sweating heat which causes the liquefied impurities to drain through
the strainers and pass off by the outlets from the spaces beneath the strainers. Each
charge of paraffin may be subjected to one or more sweating operations before being
removed from the trays, the paraffin being remelted by the application of sufficient
heat previously to each second or later sweating operation. Whilst being thus
remelted the paraffin is prevented from running through the strainers by filling them
and the spaces beneath with water. When the paraffin has been sufficiently treated
in the trays it is melted and run off through the strainers and through the outlets
from the spaces beneath the strainers.
The trays are arranged in vertical sets in a stove or chamber provided with any
suitable known means for heating it; and also having doors or other arrangements
for the passage through it of cool currents of air when required for cooling and
solidifying the paraffin. The trays are supported in any convenient way one above

page_text: the other, and the trays are formed with overflow outlets which are alternately at
opposite ends in each vertical set of trays. The paraffin which is to be treated or
refined is melted in a tank placed at a higher level than the top trays, the heat being
by preference applied by means of open steam; and the melted paraffin is run from
the tank through pipes or channels provided with valves into the top tray of each set.
and overflows from each tray into the next lower one until all of a set are filled. The
trays are by preference supported on horizontal pipes fixed in vertical pipes which are
themselves fixed in horizontal pipes laid along the floor of the stove, and these pipes
whilst supporting the trays are used for applying the extra heat required when melting
the paraffin in the trays, steam of suitable temperature being then passed through the
pipes for the purpose.
For the management of the water beneath the strainers and of the discharge of the oil
or liquefied impurities and of the purified paraffin any suitable arrangement of discharge
pipes and stopcocks may be used; but in a convenient arrangement which I prefer,
cach horizontal set of two or more trays which are side by side havo, their bottom
outlets connected by pipes to one side of a trough which has similarly connected to
its other side two or more trays of the next vertical set. At the end of each trough
there is fitted a tubular elbow discharge piece which can be turned into different
positions. When each elbow piece is turned with its radial part vertical the top of a
partition in it is high enough to prevent the overflow of water when the trays are
filled with paraffin to their proper levels. When filling the strainers and the spaces
beneath with water the elbow piece is turned partly down with its overflow point
corresponding to the intended level of the water; and then when water is supplied to
the uppermost troughs it fills the top trays to the intended level and then overflows
through the elbow piece to the next lower trough, and so on through the series.
When discharging water, or oil, or melted paraffin from the trays the elbow pieces
are turned into a still lower position so as to allow the contents of the trays to flow
completely off. The elbow pieces may be turned or adjusted separately, 1 however
prefer to connect all those of one set of troughs to the same adjusting gear, and the
same adjusting gear may when convenient be arranged to act on the elbow pieces of
two or more sets of troughs.
Dated this Twenty sixth day of January 1887

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Treating or Purifying Paraffin Wax.
I, NORMAN, MACFARLANE HENDERSON, of Broxburn, in the County of Linlithgow,
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this 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 said Invention has for its object to construct and combine or arrange apparatus
in an improved manner for treating or purifying paraffin wax, and so that labor and
handling of the paraffin may be diminished and plant of moderate extent may be
capable of dealing with large quantities..
:
In carrying out my Invention. I use an Improved "sweating" process in which the
paraffin in a melted state is run into a series of horizontal trays each provided with a
horizontal diaphragm or strainer of wire gauze or perforated sheet metal covered with
a suitable woven fabric or felt. Whilst the melted paraffin is being run into the trays
the strainers and spaces beneath are filled with water which prevents the paraffin from
passing through them. After the paraffin has been run into the trays it is cooled to
solidify it: the water is next run off from beneath the strainers and then the paraffin
is subjected to the sweating heat which causes the liquefied impurities to drain through
the strainers and pass off by the outlets from the spaces beneath the strainers. Each
charge of paraffin may be subjected to one or more sweating operations before being
removed from the trays, the paraffin being remelted by the application of sufficient
heat previously to each second or later sweating operation. Whilst being thus
remelted the paraffin is prevented from running through the strainers by filling them
and the spaces beneath with water. When the paraffin has been sufficiently treated
in the trays it is melted and run off through the strainers and through the outlets
from the spaces beneath the strainers.
The trays are arranged in vertical sets in a stove or chamber provided with any
suitable known means for heating it; and also having doors or other arrangements
for the passage through it of cool currents of air when required for cooling and
solidifying the paraffin.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append three sheets of explanatory drawings
to be hereinafter referred to and representing a modification of my improved
apparatus.
Figures, 1, and 2, on sheet, 1, of the drawings are a plan and an elevation of the
apparatus. Figures, 3, and 4, on sheet 2, are sectional elevations as at right angles
to figure, 2. Figure, 5, on sheet, 3, is an enlarged sectional plan of certain parts,

page_text: and figure, 6, is a corresponding sectional elevation, whilst figure, 7, is a vertical
section as at right angles to figure, 6, of one of the outlets from the trays. In
these drawings the same reference numerals are use to mark the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated.
Figures 1, and 2, represent about one half of a bench or combination of paraffin
sweating trays, 10, arranged to be worked together and comprising eight vertical
sets of nine trays in each set. The trays, 10, are represented as carried on horizontal
pipes, 11, fixed to vertical frame pieces, 12, the corresponding trays of the several
vertical sets being all at the same level. The paraffin which is to be treated on
refined is melted in a tank placed at a higher level than the uppermost trays, 10, the
heat being by preference applied by means of open steam; and the melted paraffin is
run from the tank (which is not shown) through a pipe, 13, which is provided with
stopcocks and branches, 14, for each set of trays, 10. There is also a pipe 15, with
stopcocks and branches, 16, for supplying water to the trays, 10. The trays, 10, are
formed with overflow outlets, 17, which are alternately at opposite ends of the several
trays of each vertical set, and when the melted paraffin is run into the top trays it
overflows from each tray to the next lower one and rapidly fills all the trays.
Each tray, 10, is provided with a horizontal strainer, 18, of wire gauze or perforated
sheet metal covered with a woven fabric or felt. For the management of the water
beneath and slightly above the strainers, 18, and of the discharge of the oil or liquefied
impurities and of the purified paraffin any suitable arrangement of discharge pipes
and stopcocks may be used but a convenient arrangement is shown in the accompanying
drawings. Each horizontal series of two or more trays, 10, which are side by side
have their bottom outlets, 19, connected to a pipe, 20, (substituted for a trough which
I originally proposed to use) and each pipe, 20, which is made with a slight inclina-
tion from its ends downwards to its middle, is at its middle fitted with a stopcock, 21,
delivering into a funnel, 22, formed on or fixed to a vertical pipe, 23. This vertical
pipe, 23, serves for leading off the paraffin after it has been sweated, and it may also
be used for leading off the melted impurities or the paraffin of lower melting point
separated by the sweating process.
Near its higher end each pipe, 20, is fitted with a tubular elbow discharge piece or
valve, 24, which can be turned into different positions as indicated in figure, 6.
When the valve, 24, is turned into about its highest position its discharging end
will be high enough to prevent the overflow or discharge of water when the trays, 10,
are being filled with paraffin to their proper levels. When filling the spaces beneath
the strainers and a shallow space above the strainers with water so that the strainers
may be completely immersed in water when the melted paraffin is being filled in,
each valve, 24, is placed in the position indicated by dotted lines, 25, in figure, 6,
with its discharging lip at the intended level of the water in the trays, 10. Then on
the water being filled in and when it reaches the intended level in the uppermost
trays, 10, as all the trays in that horizontal series are in communication with the one
pipe, 20, the water then overflows through the elbow valve piece, 24, of that pipe.
Beneath each elbow valve piece, 24, there is a small trough or funnel, 26, communicat
ing with the next lower pipe, 20, and through it with the next lower horizontal series
of trays, 10. The water will thus be supplied in succession to the several horizontal
series of trays, 10, filling each higher series but only up the proper level and then
overflowing by the respective elbow valve pieces to the next lower series. The over-
flow from the lowermost pipe, 20, is into a pipe, 27, leading to a tank or sump from
which it can be pumped up again as required.
When the melted paraffin has been run in upon the top of the water in the trays,
it is cooled and allowed to solidify and then the elbow valve pieces, 24, are turned
down into the position in which they are shown in full lines in figures 2 and 6, to
allow the water to drain off from under the paraffin. Afterwards the sweating heat
is applied and the liquefied impurities may be drained off through the elbow valvo
pieces, 24, or these may be turned up and the liquefied impurities be led off by the
pipe, 23, as herein before mentioned. The elbow valve pieces, 24, are made with lever
arins, 28, and they may be arranged in vertical rows as shown in figure, 2, those o

page_text: each vertical row being jointed to one rod, 29, by means of which they can be adjusted
simultaneously.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
Improved apparatus for treating or purifying paraffin wax, and consisting of
horizontal trays provided with horizontal strainers, and with pipe connections and
valves, constructed and arranged so that the paraffin may be run in in a melted state
and be kept above the strainers by water which is withdrawn on the paraffin becoming
solid the paraffin being sweated in the trays in which it has solidified, all substantially
as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Twenty fifth day of October 1887.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.