Improvements in the Treatment of Fatty and Oily Matters for the Production of Glycerine, Lead Compounds, and Soap.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 22nd Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 23rd Dec.. 1887
Improvements in the Treatment of Fatty and Oily Matters for the
Production of Glycerine, Lead Compounds, and Soap.
1, SELWYN SCHOFIELD SUGDEN of Little Monkhams, Woodford, Essex, a retired
Lieutenant in Her Majesty's Royal Navy, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists in taking fatty or oily matters and treating them with an
equivalent or moderate excess of Litharge or Oxide of Lead and Water, so as to
produce in the well known way, a soap, having lead for its base. So soon as soponifica-
tion by the Lead body is complete with the elmination of the Glycerine, I remove
this latter as completely as possible by hot water, and run upon the Lead Soap suffi-
cient ordinary Soda Ley, commonly used by soap makers. By the application of heat
rapid decomposition then takes place, that is to say, the fatty acids almost immediately
relinquish union with the Lead Base and combine with the Soda Base by which a
soponaceous paste is formed which floats upon the surface (I may add a little salt to
promote this effect) Oxide of Lead containing some Carbonate of Lead at the same
time rapidly subsides at the bottom of the vessel. Or I may use a mixture of
Litharge with a portion of metallic Lead, in a granulated state for the lead soponifica-
tion but I give preference to the first named mode of proceeding, I well wash the
precipitated lead compound with hot water, after which it is dried and next ground
in the usual manner with Oil when it constitutes a very suitable paint-The Glycerine
1 decolourise with animal charcoal or purifiy as may be needed. The saponified or
partly saponified Fatty or Oily matters resulting from the treatment of Soda Ley I
convert into soap according to the methods followed by soap makers-Should soft
soap be required, instead of hard soap 1 substitute Potash Ley for Soda Ley.
01
Ր January 1987

page_text: Production of Glycerine, Lead Compounds, and Soap.
1. SELWYN SCHOFIELD SUGDEN of the Poplars, Buckhurst Hill, Essex, a Navigating
Lieutenant in Her Majestys Royal Navy, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention consists in subjecting Fats or Oils to certain treatment by which I
obtain Glycerine; a Saponaceous Material that is a more or less saponified Fatty or
Oily Matter, in a condition very ready for after entire conversion into Soap: Oxide,
or Oxides of Lead, containing more or less of Carbonate of Lead, bearing considerable
similarity to the White Lead of commerce and from this last named mixture of
Carbonate and Oxide, or Oxides, of Lead, Oxide, or Oxides of Lead.
My plan at the outset is to produce a Lead Soap by digesting or boiling together
Oxide of Lead, generally using for this purpose the well known commercial substance
called Litharge, with such Fatty or Oily Material as may be suitable for the after
production of any special kind of Soap: The course I take in this part of the
processes is well known and understood: it has been long practised for the making
from Olive Oil of that known as "Lead Plaster," or Oleate of Lend. I am careful
to select Litharge free from reddish tinge, which may denote the presence of Red
Lead therein, or it may be Peroxide of Lead, both of which are, it would seem, more
or less saponifiable by Fatty or Oily Acids. The Litharge must contain Oxide, or
Protoxide of Lead only; the presence of the other oxides is apt to impart some
colour to Fats. But in the case of dark Fats being taken, this point is not a material
one. A soap pan adapted for boiling by a fire may be used for this Lead Oxide
Saponification. It allows of active stirring by workmen or better: a Soap Pan
furnished with "Turn-Table Arms," similar to pans fitted upon the principle used
in some Soap Manufactories. Pharmaceutical Chemists mention that Oxide of Lead
to the amount of about one-half by weight of the Oil should be taken, and with ten
times, or thereabouts, as much water. The water should be as pure as possible.
"Condensed" Water, for instance; often available in manufactories, as pure as
Distilled Water: I consider that something approaching two-fifths of the Oxide
answers the purpose. The presence of a little excess of it must however, always be
observed. Even a notable excess may be employed, as will be seen further on.-
With thourough, steady, boiling, and careful, often employed stirring, the formation
of the Lead Soap is not long in being completely brought about. The time occupied
is necessarily dependent on the quantities taken also in some degree upon the nature
of the Fats or Oils operated with. Three tons of Fat, and the requisite proportions
of oxide and water mentioned may thus occupy about five or six hours. The "Slimy-
Magma of Lead Soap should be seen floating, or in even intermixture, with the
watery Glycerine Liquor. With the completion of the operation the Pan's contents are
33

page_text: allowed to cool. Then the water containing the Glycerine is removed, and
replaced by a like quantity of fresh water. It is convenient to hasten the boiling
of the Lead Soap with this water. for the quickest extraction of the Glycerine, by
admitting "Open Steam" amongst the Pan's contents, which must be well intermixed
with the water. I may observe that I sometimes also employ Open Steam" in the
Lead Saponification Process, taking care to provide for the increase in bulk of the
Glycerine liquid, through condensation of the Steam-A third similar treatment with
more water usually suffices to bring away all the Glycerine worth removal, but when
time allows it is well to repeat the washing once--or even twice-in addition. The
mingled Glycerine fluids are boiled down evaporated in a clean Iron Pan to such
a bulk that a little sulphuretted Hydrogen Gas passed into a test specimen is seen to
be effectual in producing a satisfactory precipitation, as Lead Sulphide, of any Lead
that may be present therein. The concentrated Glycerine fluid is then submitted, in
a well seasoned wooden vat, to the transmission through it of a sufficiency of the
Sulphuretted Hydrogen Gas to entirely separate the Lead. After this a good boiling
by Free (open) steam is administered. With cooling and thorough subsidence
the liquid is drawn off from above the precipitate, or filtered from it: agitated well
with the purest Animal Charcoal: again filtered: concentrated by heat if necessary:
and further purified, if need be, by such methods-now well understood as are found
expedient for the most complete purification of Glycerine. The next Process which
has to be described, and which, of course, is a contemporary undertaking with that
last given, is the decomposition of the Lead Soap by Soda, or Potash Solution: the
last being used in the case of Soft Soap being required instead of Hard Soap. I
have mentioned that I have some preference for employing a notable excess of Oxide
of Lead or Litharge in the Lead Saponification of the Fat or Oil. When I act thus,
after the satisfactory removal of the Glycerine fluids, I well agitate the Lead Soap
with hot water so as to produce a completely mixed fluid magma.
I leave the con-
i
tents of the Pan at rest for say a quarter of an hour; then I draw a plug, which is
placed at a level in the Pan's side just above the deposited excess of oxide, when the
whole of the lead soap flows quietly into another Pan placed at a proper level for its
reception. The excess of Oxide of Lead, or Litharge, thus remains upon the bottom
of the Pan, where it is allowed for and used in the next Lead Saponification. Warm
Soda, or Potash, Ley, (I am careful to ascertain that no Sulphides, which would
darken the Lead Soup, are present in these alkalies Leys) of 12° to 1.5° B.-some-
times may use it stronger-is, in the next place cautiously run upon the Lead Soap,
for the decomposition that ensues usually gives rise to the production of considerabe
heat Again care has to be exercised that no more than the faintest possible taste is
perceptible to the tongue in the Pan's Materials or Ley throughout the entire conduct-
ing of the operation. Oxide of Lead being soluble to some extent in Potash and
Soda solution. An hour or so of boiling usually sufficies to bring the soapy paste to
the condition of a smooth burd which floats upon the surface, with a satisfactory
separation of Ley. If not a little common salt thrown in promotes the necessary
effect. Next Steam is shut off, and the Pan left at rest for a few hours. Then the
soap is run, or ladled, off, and conveyed to such pan as may be prepared for its final
conversion into the desired form of soap. The Lead Compound underlying the Ley is
next freed
as much as possible-by ample washing with hot water from the caustic
Soda or Potash Solution, I may treat it with a little very weak (much diluted) Muriatic
or Hydrochloric, Acid, to remove the last traces of these Alkalies from it. When dried
it is fit for grinding with oil. It usually contains some Carbonate of Lead, in part
derived from the Leys employed, these not unfrequently being in a state of imper-
fect causticity Or: instead of applying this Lead Body as a Pigment, I may place it
upon the Hearth of a suitable Reverberatory Furnace, and bring it back to the
condition of Yellow Oxide of Lead in analogy with the Litharge, or oxide, state:
for re-employment in the above described Lead Saponification. To prepare for this I
may wash it levigate it and treat it with weak acid. And so on: over and over
again. If by repeated use in this way it shows evidence of becoming spent ' I
employ a fresh batch of Oxide, and sell the exhausted material. In saponifying

page_text: with a mixture of oxide of Lead and Metallic Lead in a granulated state, if the
mixture lies together for a considerable interval, and heated occasionally, the metallic
Lead may be acted upon in a more or less degree.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that ]
do not confine myself to the exact details, which may be varied to suit requirements, so
long as the principle is preserved. What I claim is :-
-
1st The decomposition of a Soap having Lead for its Base by Caustic Alkalies as
above described.
2nd The production of the Lead Compound, or Compounds, resulting from the
working of that Process, and its application for Pigment purposes.
3rd The Revivication, or restoration of this Lead Compound to the condition of
Lead Oxide for repeated use in the Lead Saponification as also above described.
Dated this 21st day of November 1887.
SELWYN SCHOFIELD SUGDEN.