IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MINERAL OILS IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER MATTERS AND PRODUCING THEREFROM SOAP CANDLES AND OTHER ARTICLES"
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Green of Florence Terrace St Lawrence Thanet
in the County of Kent for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
OF MINERAL OILS IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER MATTERS AND PRODUCING
THEREFROM SOAP CANDLES AND OTHER ARTICLES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Green at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st December 1883.
"
WILLIAM GREEN of Florence Terrace St Lawrence Thanet in the County of
Kent IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MINERAL OILS IN COMBINATION
WITH OTHER MATTERS AND PRODUCING THEREFROM SOAP CANDLES AND OTHER
RTICLES
و"
This invention relates to two others for which I obtained Letters Patent dated
espectively 18th June 1881 N° 2682 and 5th September 1882 N° 4226. Among
ther things the above Letters Patent claimed
"The treatment of petroleum shale oil or other mineral oil grease or fat
with an alcoholic solution of submuriate of potash and caustic soda and also
combining therewith animal or vegetable oil grease or fat or resin and alkali
or lye whereby obtaining a saponaceous compound as also a soap suitable for
use as such and for admixture with ordinary soap and also a valuable oil
substantially as described."
Also in Patent No 4226 the following amongst other things were claimed:-
"
The treatment of mineral oils found native as petroleum as also those that-
are obtained from coal schist asphalt and other minerals as also the solid or
semi solid matters obtained therefrom as scales, paraffin wax grease or fat with
a spirit or a saturated alcoholic solution of submuriate of potash and caustic-
soda and recovering the spirit used or a part thereof by distillation substantially
as described."
By the present invention I recover the lighter portion of the mineral oil under
peration and saponify or combine with the soap being made the whole of the
maining portion so that 'on cooling no oil rises to the surface of the soap. I also

page_text: produce from mineral oil in combination with other matters a cheaper and better
soap than heretofore.
In carrying out my said invention various distinctive processes are to be adopted
according to the kind of soap required whereby the mineral oils are brought to a
state of fusion or semi fusion with an alkali as also with castor oil and other oils
and fats and with resinous gummy and other matters. Each of which will admit
of considerable modification without departing from the principle of the invention.
In a still, a vacuum pan or other vessel capable of receiving vapours thrown off in
boiling the matters therein put twenty hundred weight of mineral oil, one hundred
To these
weight of castor oil and six hundred weight of resin then slightly warm.
ingredients add a lye composed of two hundred weight of 98 per cent caustic soda
in sixteen hundred weight of water (or a lye of similar strength) then well boil till
nearly the whole of the water so used comes over from the still by evaporation as
also the lighter part of the oil. The other matters in the still will then soon begin
to fuse and rise in the pan when steam is to be blown in to prevent them
solidifying. The water which came over from the still is also to be forced back
and the boiling continued a short time. The light oil which distils over is to be
separated. In another vessel.melt four hundred weight of cold process tallow soap
in sixteen hundredweight of water then mix the two boilings either by adding
the latter to that in the still or by running that in the still into the melted tallow
soap and well boil.
The saponaceous compound thus formed may be used in that state or be submitted
to a further process for the purpose of separating a portion of the spent lye. If the
latter course be adopted add to the whole of the combined boilings about four
hundred weight of salt dissolved in water and again well boil till it rises freely in
the pan. A strong soap will on cooling form on the top free from grease or oil and
the spent lye will go to the bottom from whence it can be removed in the usual
way. The soap so formed will constitute what is technically known in the trade
as "guts" but which I term "Vincent soap" and may be used in large proportions
for mixing with other soaps made by the usual processes. For example a class of
soaps containing but little body but having a good appearance and possessing high
lathering properties is made from cocoa nut oil and containing a large percentage of
silicate of soda water and sometimes salt. Equal parts of soap so made and
Vincent soap" will form a good marketable article possessing sufficient body or
guts" to make it serviceable in use and also for standing age during exportation
or otherwise. The "Vincent soap" may of course be combined with any other
kinds of soaps and particularly with Castile or Marseilles soap or they may be used
alone. To the cocoa nut oil or other soap to be combined with the "Vincent soap
I add a rather large proportion of borax or boracic acid.
"
"
Another process is as follows:-Put into the still twenty hundred weight of
mineral oil, six hundredweight of silicate of soda, six hundredweight of resin and
one hundredweight of castor oil. Slightly warm then add a lye composed of one
and a half hundredweight of 98 per cent caustic soda in six hundred weight of
water (or a lye of similar strength). Boil and treat these as described under the
first process and combine them with the same proportion of tallow soap. When
well boiled add thereto about eight hundred weight of salt dissolved in water and
again boil. When gluey in appearance add thereto about their own weight of
cocoa nut oil soap or a less proportion of soap of a better quality and boil till fit
for framing. A small percentage of borax will improve the quality of this soap as
will also a gummy matter as extract of seaweed, guin tragacanth or a larger
percentage of resinous matter either in the earlier or latter stages of the process.
In some cases borax may be used instead of salt but in very much smaller
proportions say one hundred weight melted in three to four times its weight of
water to the twenty hundred weight of mineral oil under operation.
Or put into still twenty hundred weight of mineral oil, one hundred weight of
castor oil, one hundred weight of tallow half hundred weight of gum Tragacanth
and warm.
To these add a half hundred weight of borax melted in about six

page_text: times its weight of water and boil: then add a lye composed of one hundred weight
of 98 per cent caustic soda in eight hundred weight of water. Well boil until the
stuff rises freely then run out into another vessel containing four hundred weight
of Marseilles (or other soap) melted in four times its weight of water. Again well
boil until oil ceases to come out on cooling. This soap may be used alone or be
combined with other soaps.
Or melt in about twenty hundred weight of water three hundred weight of
borax to this add forty hundred weight of mineral oil and a half hundred weight
of gum Tragacanth or a larger proportion of resin then well boil until the whole
becomes of a milky consistency. Then add about ten hundred weight of soap by
preference Castile and well boil until the whole combine. A little caustic soda lye
will promote the combination or saponification. More soap can be added to the
saponaceous compound thus formed according to the quality of the finished soap
required and the same may be added while the said compound is in the melted
state or after cooling.
When
The several processes herein before mentioned indicate the nature of my said
Invention and as before stated admit of considerable variation as to the particular
ingredients and proportions, and modifications as to modes of working.
petroleum or shale oil are used the lighter part thereof will come over from the still
with the water and are to be separated before the said water or liquid is returned
to the still. This light oil or benzol may be used for lighting or other purposes.
It has the usual solvent properties of hydrocarbon oils. In some cases it will
probably have to be rectified or redistilled from a little quicklime to separate
water and also to separate it into a small portion of mineral spirituous or very
volatile oil and a larger portion of ordinary burning lamp oil. Although by my
invention this product is recovered from certain mineral oils I would have it
understood that the whole of the mineral oil under operation and not so recovered
is combined with the soap made therefrom. When lubricating oil made from
mineral oil is used no light oil or benzol will go over with the water.
The
When so desired a rich oil may be obtained from the several matters treated as
herein before described by allowing them to cool before reaching their final state of
treatment. These oils may be used for mixing with scales, wax, gummy, resincus
and other hardening matters and used for candle making and other uses.
mineral oils are in some cases acted upon by air blown therein by a fan or other-
wise applied. This may be done either before the said oil is boiled as well as to
that taken off after the cooling of the soap.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
_the said William Green in the Patent Office on the 30th June 1884.
WILLIAM GREEN of Florence Terrace St Lawrence Thanet in the County of
Kent IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF MINERAL OILS IN COMBINATION
WITH OTHER MATTERS AND PRODUCING THEREFROM SOAP, CANDLES AND OTHER
ARTICLES
The invention relates to two others for which I obtained Letters Patent dated
respectively eighteenth June One thousand eight hundred and eighty one N° 2682
and fifth September One thousand eight hundred and eighty two N° 4226.
Among other things the above Letters Patent claimed.
"The treatment of petroleum shale oil or other mineral oil grease or fat with an
alcoholic solution of submuriate of potash and caustic soda and also combining
therewith animal or vegetable oil grease or fat or resin and alkali or lye whereby
obtaining a saponaceous compound as also a soap suitable for use as such and for
admixture with ordinary soap and also a valuable oil substantially as described."
Also in Patent N° 4226 the following amongst other things were claimed.
"The treatment of mineral oils found native as petroleum as also those that are
obtained from coal schist asphalte and other minerals as also the solid or semi-solid
matters obtained therefroin as scales paraffin wax grease or fat with a spirit or a
saturated alcoholic solution of submuriate of potash and caustic soda and recovering
the spirit used or a part thereof by distillation substantially as described "
By the present invention the above processes are employed in addition to which
I also recover the lighter part of the mineral oil under operation and saponify
combine or fuse with the soap being made the whole or nearly the whole of the
remaining portion so that on cooling little or no oil rises to the surface of the soap.
I also produce from mineral oil in combination with other matters a cheaper and
better soap than heretofore.
In carrying out my said Invention various distinctive processes are to be adopted
according to the soap required. The minerals oils are in the first place acted on
either alone or combined with an alkali or lye and in some cases with animal
vegetable fatty resinous or gummy matters with a blast of hot or cold air. The
mineral oils with the other matters so treated are then brought to a state of fusion
or semi-fusion in a suitable vessel until the aqueous portion or a large part thereof
is thrown off. When this is effected the saturated alcoholic solution of submuriate
of potash and caustic soda as above described is added either by grinding or
otherwise and the spirit or part thereof then recovered. The mineral oil soap or
saponaceous mixture thus produced is then in a state to be further treated by
admixture with certain soap making ingredients or with soap so as to produce a
marketable or commercial soap. A curdy solid soap as before mentioned may also
be salted out from the fused saponaceous mixture by means of submuriate of potash
and other matters as hereinafter described.
In carrying out the Invention the operation must proceed thus-In a Still or
Vaccuum pan or other vessel capable of receiving vapours thrown off in boiling the
matters therein put twenty hundred weight of mineral oil grease or fat treated
with a blast of air as hereinbefore described one hundred weight of Castor oil and
one hundred weight of vegetable or animal oil or fat and from one to six hundred
weight of resin and slightly warm. If not previously treated with lye in connection
with the blast operation to this add a lye composed of two hundred weight of
98 per cent caustic soda in sixteen hundred weight of water (or a lye of similar
strength) then well boil till nearly the whole of the water so used comes over from
the still by evaporation as also the lighter part of the oil. The other matters in
the still will then soon begin to fuse and rise in the pan. To prevent burning the
mineral oil and other ingredients the top of the pan or a portion thereof should

page_text: then be removed so as to permit of the person in charge seeing the further progress
of the operation. When the stuffs in the pan become stiff and of a gluey consistency
the heat is to be partially shut off and after standing a few hours the saponaceous
compound thus formed be removed for further treatment. In some cases however
the said compound may be further treated in the same Vessel. In such case the
top of the Vessel is to be replaced and the saturated alcoholic solution as herein-
before described and in the proportions mentioned is to be added and the spirit
recovered in the same manner as the lighter portion of the mineral oil. The
thorough admixture of the alcoholic solution and the recovery of the spirit
therefrom may be facilitated by crushing and stirring during the boiling. This
may be effected by means of suitable crushing appliances and agitators supplied to
the pan. I prefer however to carry out the operation of recovering the spirit in a
separate vessel in which case the alcoholic solution should in the first place be
intimately combined with the saponaceous compound by grinding and after standing
a. sufficient time to act on the said compound be further boiled in a still to recover
the spirit. This may be facilitated by blowing steam into the pan or by the
addition of suitable fluid or other matters which will go over in the form of fumes
or vapours with the spirit and be afterwards separated therefrom. I would have
it understood however that although I prefer to recover the lighter portion of the
mineral oil under operation before adding the alcoholic solution of submuriate of
potash and caustic soda the said alcoholic solution or a simple solution thereof may
when so desired be added with the other ingredients and the spirit thereof be
recovered in connection with the lighter part of oil in which case they may easily
be separated after distillation.
The saponaceous mixture thus produced may-by preference—then be soaked in
a large proportion of water, say two or three to one by weight whereby a curdy
solid with a fluid will be obtained. The curdy solid thus obtained is soap salted
out by the submuriate of potash. The fluid is a methylated spirit of free alkali
with a small proportion of oil and soap which may be separately treated.
Another mode of producing a saponaceous mixture from mineral oil and other
ingredients by fusion as hereinbefore described is as follows. Melt in a separate
pan four hundred weight of cold process tallow soap with sixteen hundred weight
of water. To this add from twenty five to thirty hundred weight of saponaceous
mixture made from mineral oil and other matters as hereinbefore described but
without the alcoholic solution there mentioned. The mixing of the two separate
boilings may be effected by adding the melted tallow soap to that in the still or by
running that in the still into the tallow soap. Add to these combined boilings
about four hundred weight of salt dissolved (by preference) in water and well boil
until it rises freely in the pan. A strong soap will on cooling form on the surface
leaving the spent lye at the bottom. The soap so formed is then to be soaked in
about its own weight of cold water. After soaking with occasional stirring for a
day or more the fluid portion will go to the bottom from whence it can be removed
in the usual way and be separately treated. The curdy solid soap so formed by
either of the above processes constitutes what is known in the trade as
guts" but
which I term "Vincent soap" and may be used in large proportions with soaps.
made by the ordinary processes. The curdy solid soap may, when so desired, be
further treated with an Alcoholic solution of submuriate of Potash and caustic soda
or with a simple non-alcoholic solution thereof as herein before described.
In some cases borax may be used instead of common salt but in much smaller
proportions say for example One hundred weight melted in three to four hundred
weight of water to the twenty hundred weight of mineral oil under operation.
Submuriate of Potash or any other matter whereby a curdy solid soap can be:
salted out from fused mineral oil soap may also be employed.
Having produced the curdy solid soap as herein before described its further
treatment will much depend upon the purposes to which it is to be applied. Its
admixture with a small percentage of animal or vegetable oil or fat and lye will
render it suitable for use in Cloth and Silk manufacture and certain other

page_text: purposes. If a hard soap is required for household or domestic purposes, I prefer
to treat the the curdy solid or "Vincent Soap" thus:-Put in a copper seven
hundred weight of cocoa nut oil, twelve hundred weight of Silicate of Soda, twelve
hundred of water and about twenty seven hundred weight of caustic soda
lye of from 8 to 15 degrees Beaum-This will produce fifty seven hundred weight
of silicate soap. In another pan melt ten hundred weight of cold process tallow
soap with its own weight of water. When in a thick pasty state add thereto
while in the hot liquid state twenty hundred weight of the silicate soap just
described and stir until combined. When the combined boilings are in a thick
gluey state add thereto from 15 to 20 hundred weight of "Vincent Soap " made as
above described and gently stir still combined when it will be fit for framing. In
some cases it is better to run the soap so made into large shallow tanks instead of
the ordinary frames The combination of "Vincent Soap" with other soaps will
admit of very considerable modifications according to the quality or class of finished
soap required.
In order to produce finished soaps at one operation while using mineral oils
I prefer to treat the several matters as follows: Put into the still or pan 20 Cwt
of Mineral oil 6 Cwt of Silicate of soda from 1 to 6 Cwt of resin and 1 Cwt of
Castor oil or other vegetable or animal oil or fat. Slightly warm, then add a lye
composed of about 1Cwt of 98 per cent Caustic soda in from 6 to 10 Cwt of
Water, boil and treat these until fused then while still warm add from another
pan 4 Cwt of cold process tallow soap melted in 8 Cwt of water and boil till
combined. Next add from 4 to 6 Cwt of salt and again boil until combined
and gluey in appearance Then add in the melted state forty hundred weight of
low quality silicate Soap made as herein before described A small per centage of
borax as also of Jelly from Sea weed or Gum tragacanth will improve these Soaps
and for some purposes a larger proportion of Resin may be used
and warm
Another process is as follows: Put into Pan or Still twenty hundred weight of
mineral oil, one hundred weight of castor oil or other vegetable or animal oil or fat,
about one hundred weight of tallow half hundred weight of gum tragacanth jelly
To these ingredients add about half a hundredweight of borax melted
in about six times its weight of water and boil Then add a lye composed of one
hundred weight of Ninety eight per Cent Caustic Soda in eight hundred weight of
water and well boil until the whole rises freely in the pan and then becomes fused
In another Vessel melt four hundred weight of Marseilles or other good quality
Soap and mix the above "Vincent Soap" therewith then boil.
Another process is as follows:-Melt in about twenty hundred weight of water
three hundred weight of borax To this add forty hundred weight of mineral Oil
and a half hundred weight of gum tragacanth jelly or a large proportion of resin
and boil until the whole becomes of a milky or creamy consistency Then add
about ten hundred weight of Castile or other Soap and a sufficient quantity of lye
to saponify or combine the whole More Soap may be added to the saponaceous
mixture if so desired according to the quality of the finished Soap required and the
same may be added while the said mixture is in the melted state or by grinding or
otherwise after the same has cooled. The soap I prefer for this latter purpose is
the low quality silicate soap made as herein before described
The several processes hereinbefore mentioned indicate the nature of my said
Invention and as before stated admit of considerable variation as to the particular
ingredients and proportions and modifications as to modes of working When
petroleum or shale oil are used the lighter part thereof will come over from the
Still with the water and is to be separated before the said water or soapy fluid is
returned to the Still This light oil or benzol may be used for lighting or other
purposes It has the usual solvent properties of hydrocarbon oils. In some cases it
will probably have to be rectified or redistilled from a little quicklime to separate
water and also to separate it into a small portion of mineral spirituous or very
volatile and a large portion of ordinary burning lamp oil. Although by my
invention this product is recovered from petroleum and certain other mineral oils I

page_text: would have it understood that the whole or nearly the whole of the mineral oil
under operation and not so recovered is fused into or combined with the Soap made
therefrom When lubricating oil made from mineral oil is used no light oil or benzol
will go over with the water.
When however it is so desired a rich oil may be obtained from the several
matters treated as hereinbefore described by allowing the Soap to cool before
reaching its final state of treatment. These oils may be used for mixing with scales,
wax, paraffin, gum euphorbia or other gummy matters and with Turpentine
resinous drying and hardening matters and used for candle making varnish paints
and other uses. For these purposes as well as those herein before mentioned the
said mineral or compound oils are in some cases acted upon by a blast of hot or
cold air by means of a fan or otherwise This may be done either before the said
Oil is boiled as well as to that taken off after the cooling of the Soap.
By the term "mineral oil" I mean those found native as petroleum and also
those that are obtained from schist, coal, asphalt and other minerals.
The various proportions and modes of treatment herein before described will
admit of considerable modification without departing from the principle or main
features of the Invention.
Having now setforth the nature and object of my said Invention and explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect I wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim.
First. The treatment of Petroleum schale oil or other mineral oils and the solid or
semi-solid matters as scales, paraffin, wax, grease or fat obtained therefrom with an
alkali or ly, with a blast of air with castor oil or other vegetable or animal oil or
fat with a resinous or gummy matter with heat sufficient to fuse the said ingredient,
with a solution of submuriate of potash and caustic soda, or an alcoholic solution
thereof, or with borax, or with common salt or any other matters whereby a curdy
solid soap can be salted out from a fused mineral oil soap substantially as
described.
Second. The treatment of Petroleum schale oil or other mineral oils grease fat or
other solid or semi-solid matter obtained therefrom with an alkali or lye, with
castor oil or other vegetable or animal oil or fat with resinous and gummy matters
or with other soap making materials and recovering the lighter parts of such
mineral oils or other matters by distillation substantially as described.
Third. The treatment of Petroleum shale oil or other mineral Oils and the solid or
semi-solid matters obtained therefrom either separately or combined with an alkali
or lye and forcing therein a blast of hot or cold air substantially as described.
Fourth. The treatment of Petroleum schale oil or other mineral oils and the solid
or semi-solid matters obtained therefrom with an alkali or lye with or without
animal or vegetable oils or fats or resinous or other matters, by submitting the
same to the action by heat until the aqueous part is thrown off and they become
fused substantially as described
Fifth The treatment of Petroleum shale oil or other mineral oils and the solid or
semi-solid matters obtained therefrom with animal or vegetable oil or fat and with
other Soup making ingredients allowing the same to cool before reaching its final
state of treatment as a Soap taking from the surface the oily matters which rise,
acting on them with gummy resinous drying and hardening inatters and with hot
or cold air substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said William Green have hereunto set my hand and
seal this thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord 1884.