IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PURIFICATION OF PARAFFINE OILS AND PARAFFINE
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Meldrum, of Dechmont, in the County
of Linlithgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PURIFICATION OF PARAFFINE OILS AND PARAFFINE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Meldrum at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th March 1872.
I, EDWARD MELDRUM, of Dechmont, in the County of Linlithgow,
North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PURIFICATION OF PARAFFINE OILS AND
PARAFFINE," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention consists essentially in the purification of paraffine
oils by passing sulphurous acid in the state of vapour or gas through
or amongst paraffine oils, and in the purification of paraffine by passing
through or amongst scale or crystals of paraffine in the state of powder
a saturated solution of paraffine in naptha.

page_text: In carrying out my said Invention I pass the sulphurous acid
obtained from burning sulphur or pyrites through or amongst the
paraffine oil, and allow the impurities to separate by subsidence, and I
pass the solution of paraffine, and naptha through the powder or crystals
of paraffine in a series of close iron or other vessels, thus washing out
the impurities without dissolving the paraffine or allowing the naptha
to evaporate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Meldrum in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th September 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
MELDRUM, of Dechmont, in the County of Linlithgow, North Britain,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
35th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Edward Meldrum, Her special license
that I, the said Edward Meldrum, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Meldrum, my executors,
administrators, or 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, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PURIFICATION OF PARAFFINE OILS AND PARAFFINE," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Meldrum, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Edward Meldrum, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
My said Invention consists essentially in the purification of paraffine
oils by passing sulphurous acid in the state of vapour or gas through
or amongst paraffine oils, and in the purification of paraffine by passing
through or amongst scale or crystals of paraffine in the state of powder
a saturated solution of paraffine in naptha.
In carrying out my said Invention I pass sulphurous acid obtained
from burning sulphur or pyrites through or amongst paraffine oils, and
allow the impurities to separate by subsidence, and I pass solution of
paraffine in naptha through or amongst powder or crystals of paraffine
in a series of close iron or other vessels, thus. washing out the impurities
without dissolving the paraffine or allowing the naptha to evaporate.
In carrying into practical effect that part of my said Invention
relating to the purification of paraffine oils, by passing sulphurous acid
through or amongst the paraffine oils, many different arrangements of
apparatus may be employed by which to cause the sulphurous acid to
pass through or come in contact with the impure paraffine oils, it being
here explained that I do not claim any particular arrangement or con-
struction of apparatus for effecting this object, but in order that my said
Invention may be more clearly understood I have hereunto appended a
Sheet of Drawings, on which Figure 1 illustrates in vertical section one
arrangement of apparatus which may be advantageously employed in
the purifying of the said oils according to this Invention.
:
According to the arrangement shewn on the Drawings the impure
paraffine oil is pumped into a vessel or tank A. by means of a pump B,
which communicates with the tank or vessel by a pipe C. Beneath the
tank A an upright shaft D is placed, in the interior of which a series
of shelves or plates E are arranged so as to constitute a winding passage
throughout the shaft as shewn. At the lower end of the shaft D a
tank or vessel F is situate to receive the oil, and communication is
effected between the lower part of the shaft D and a pyrites kiln G
(or an ordinary sulphur burner) by means of the tube or passage H.
The paraffine oil to be treated is allowed to run from the tank A in
at the top of the shaft D, and trickle down from one shelf to another

page_text: therein, and at last run into the vessel F at the bottom. The shaft D
with its chimney H¹ causes a current of air to pass through the burner
in sufficient quantity to keep up. combustion of the pyrites or sulphur
and form sulphurous acid. The supply of sulphurous acid and paraffine
oil are regulated toward each other, in working economically, so that
little or no. acid vapour escapes at the top of the shaft, and that the
impurities capable of combining with sulphurous acid are saturated
when the oil reaches the bottom. The tarry matters formed by the
combination of sulphurous acid with impurities in the oil separate by
subsidence in the vessel F, and are drawn off by the stop-cocks K. The
oil is drawn off through the stop-cock J, and is further purified by well
known methods now in use.
In the purification according to this Invention of paraffine in a
state of scale, crystals, or powder, by washing it with a solution of
paraffine in naptha, I prefer to employ a number of close vessels
connected together by tubes B, similar to that shewn in vertical section
at A, Figure 2, on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended. A per-
forated bottom D to support a filter formed. of a few sheets of cloth or
other suitable material is situate at the lower part of each such vessel A,
and on this filter a quantity of scales or crystals of paraffine or paraffine
in a state of powder sufficient to fill each vessel is laid. The paraffine
is introduced into the vessel A at its upper end, the cover C of which
may be made moveable, or have a door formed therein for that purpose.
A saturated solution of paraffine in naptha is then slowly pumped or
forced through the vessel or series of vessels by one of the pipes B, so
that it passes downwards or upwards through the paraffine and washes
it, which has the effect of separating all or nearly all the oily matter
contained in the scale, crystal, or powdered paraffine, and this without
exposing the naptha to evaporation or the paraffine to solution. After
a sufficient quantity of solution of paraffine in naptha to wash or
purify the scale, crystal, or powdered paraffine in the first vessel A
(when more than one such vessel is employed, and there should always
be several of them) has been pumped or forced through the said vessel,
it may be disconnected from the succeeding vessel in the series, and
removed and another similar vessel filled with impure scale, crystal, or
powdered paraffine substituted. This vessel is made to constitute the
last of the series by being connected to the vessel which was the last
previously to the vessel containing the purified paraffine, and which
1

page_text: It is evident
was the first in the series being removed. Under this arrangement
when one vessel is removed from the series the pump by which the
solution of paraffine in naptha is sent through the apparatus is connected
to the pipe B of the succeeding vessel in the series.
when the apparatus has been brought into working rotation of the
vessels it is immaterial what quantity of solution of paraffine in naptha
is passed through the vessels, provided that it is sufficiently in excess to
remove the oily matter.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which
the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that I make no claim to the arrangement of
apparatus which I have had occasion to describe or refer to; but what
I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, -
First. The purification of paraffine oils by passing sulphurous acid
gas through or amongst the said oils, as herein-before described.
Second. The purification of scales or crystals of paraffine by washing
the paraffine in a state of powder in one or more close vessels with a
solution of paraffine in naptha, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Meldrum, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of September One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
EDWARD MELDRUM. (L.S.)