IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHURIC ACID
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Leyland, of Saint Helens, in the
County of Lancashire, Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Leyland
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th September 1858.
I, EDMUND LEYLAND, of Saint Helens, in the County of Lancashire,
Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHURIC ACID"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction and application of brick
chambers or vessels, instead of similar erections in lead, for the manu-
facture of sulphuric acid or the vitriol of commerce. Such chambers
are built up after the manner of fire-proof buildings, with arched
ceilings and floors, all in brickwork. The materials out of which the
bricks are made are of such a class as will withstand the effect of

page_text: sulphuric acid, there being already in existence bricks which will do
this. Or hollow bricks made of the clay ordinarily employed for glazed
stoneware pipes may also be used. The component parts of which
such brick chambers are erected are put together by means of any
suitable cement, the bottoms of the chambers being either of brick like
the sides or of lead, and the flues and other details may also be of
metal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edmund Leyland in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th March 185 1.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
EDMUND LEYLAND. of Saint Helens, in the County of Lancashire,
Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edmund Leyland, Her special licence
that I, the said Edmund Leyland, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the Edmund Leyland. my executors, ad-
ministrators, 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 Chan-
nel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHURIC ACID," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edmund Leyland. 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
-ame 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edmund Leyland, do hereby de-
clare the nature of my said 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 consists in the construction and application of
chambers or vessels of brick, instead of similar erections of Icad, in
the manufacture of sulphuric acid or the vitriol of commerce. The
bricks which I employ for this purposo are moulded or made of any
convenient shape or dimensions, and they are composed of such inate-
rials as will effectually resist the action of the acids and gases which
are incidental to the manufacture of sulphuric acid; but the materials
of which I prefer to make such bricks are of the same class, or similar
to those employed in the manufacture of glazed stoneware pipes and
other articles which are well known to be capable of resisting the
acidulous and gaseous effects herein-before referred to. I also find it
advantageous so to burn such bricks, and so to form them, either as
hollow or perforated or cellular masses, that they shall be thoroughly
vitrified; and, provided the shape is not materially injured, the vitrifying
process cannot be carried too far, as thorough vitrification is essentially
necessary. If glass bricks of good form possessing the necessary
resisting powers could be economically obtained I should prefer to use
them; but any bricks, of whatever mineral substances they may be
composed, whether vitrified or not, are suited and applicable to my
improved sulphuric acid apparatus in proportion to their power of
resistance hercin-before referred to, and in proportion also to their
fitness as building materials. In building up such materials into
sulphuric acid chambers I effect the necessary junctions or joint
surfaces by the aid of any suitable and convenient materials or cement
which are capable of the same resistance as the bricks themselves.
And I prefer to construct the chambers of a conical shape, nearly
resembling the form of circular pottery ovens; that is to say, with a
circular plan, and with a curve, slightly within a catenary curve in mid-
sectional elevation, making the height equal to about one and a half
times the greatest diameter. Such erections are fairly equilibrated,
and require little or no staying or binding; but where it is necessary

page_text: to stay such chambers I prefer to use iron stays or binders, with a
leaden covering over such metallic details. I also prefer to use a
leaden bottom in in such chambers, carrying the lead under the walls,
and raising the lead up outside so that the walls may virtually stand in a
large leaden cup; and any liquid coming down the inside wall surfaces,
or down the body of the walls, may be all caught by this bottom cup.
Outside the chamber and round the bottom thereof is placed a projec-
tion somewhat higher than the turned-up edge of the leaden bottom,
with gutters formed under such projection to convey the rain falling
upon the building clear away from the leaden cup.
To prevent the weight of the walls from squeezing out the leaden
bottom on which they rest very wide footings are set upon the lead, so
as to distribute the weight over a superior surface. The leaden bottom
may be dispensed with if very good bricks and cement are used. The
gases and vapours are admitted and withdrawn at suitable places, as
must be obvious to the practical man; and the chambers are connected
with each other and with any other apparatus by pipes or ducts of
brick, stoneware, or lead. Provision is made at the bottom of these
chambers for the withdrawal of the sulphuric acid, and lutes or other
openings, or whatever other adjuncts may be necessary, must be made
of lead or stoneware.
Bricks of various kinds have heretofore been used in and about
many minor parts and adjuncts of sulphuric acid chambers; and it has
also been proposed to employ chambers of bricks or of iron to collect
and condense any volatile metallic oxides or other compounds or dust
from the burner gases before their admission into the sulphuric acid
chambers; and it is to be understood that I do not claim the use of
bricks or similar materials for such minor purposes.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not
confine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which
I have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features
Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and
of
my

page_text: therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general system of arrangement and construction of appa-
ratus for the manufacture of sulphuric acid, as herein-before described.
Second, the application and use of brick chambers for the formation
and condensation or the actual manufacture of sulphuric acid.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Leyland, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Third day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
EDMOND LEYLAND. (L.S.)