Improvements in Recovering Grease from Waste Suds which have been Used in Washing Wool, Hair, or other Fibre.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 25th July, 1895-Accepted, 31st Aug., 1995
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Recovering Grease from Waste Suds which have
been Used in Washing Wool, Hair, or other Fibre.
I, ARTHUR JAMES INSTON of Oxford Street, Kidderminster in the County of
Worcester, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to recover in an economical manner the grease
contained in the waste suds which are usually run off after the completion of the
washing of wool, hair or other fibre. The suds are composed of water, soap, alkali
and the natural oils which have become separated from the fibre in the washing
process.
According to a mode which is frequently adopted for recovering the grease the
waste suds are run into tanks and sulphuric acid is mixed with them. The acid
collects the fatty or oily portion and the rest is run off to waste. The fatty or oily
portion is then pressed and the solid grease eventually obtained is known on the
market as
recovered grease." This mode of recovering the grease is, however, of
little commercial value because of the use of sulphuric acid, and I have in the
Specification to Letters Patent No. 17,309 of 1893 described means for recovering
grease from waste suds without the use of acids.
By my present invention I also am enabled to recover the grease from waste suds
without the use of sulphuric or other acid.
According to one method of carrying out this invention I take the suds as they
come from the wool or yarn washings and after separating as far as practicable the
dirt and impurities therefrom by straining or filtration I place them in tanks
or other suitable receptacles and add in solid or liquid form an alkali or alkalies
such for example as caustic or carbonate soda, caustic or carbonate potash, salt or
the like. The liquor is then agitated without heat for about an hour or more and
then allowed to settle and in the course of a few hours the grease and sediment will
be found at the bottom and clear water above; the clear water can then be run off
and the thick liquor remaining is treated with a further quantity of alkali and again
agitated cold (or boiling) for a similar time and then allowed sufficient time for the
grease to settle at the top where it will be found in a solid or viscous mass and when
the operation is completed the waste liquor together with any sediment can be run
off. The grease thus obtained can be dried, pressed or otherwise dealt with in the
ordinary way. The clear water run off in the first place will be a nice soft water
suitable for using again for wool or hair washing in place of ordinary water.
Filtering would improve the water but it would not be found necessary in many
cases.
The required agitation may be imparted to the liquor by hand or power or the
liquor may be run into a centrifugal machine of any suitable kind.
According to another way of carrying my invention into effect I recover the
grease without the use of alkali or other substance by evaporation. In carrying
out this part of my invention I take the waste suds preferably strained or filtered
and place them in a suitable boiler where they are boiled and also by preference
submitted to mechanical agitation. When the boiling operation has been carried
to a suitable point the liquid is led from the boiler to cooling tanks where it may be
allowed to settle and may be submitted to further agitation. The grease rises to

page_text: the top and the waste liquor and sediment can be run off as before. The recovery
of the grease is facilitated by further agitation during the cooling; and the liquor
may be run into suitable centrifugal machines for this purpose.
The grease thus obtained can be dried or pressed in the ordinary way.
Dated this 25th day of September 1894.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
Improvements in Recovering Grease from Waste Suds which have
been Used in Washing Wool, Hair, or other Fibre.
I, ARTHUR JAMES INSTON of Oxford Street, Kidderminster in the County of
Worcester, Merchant, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to recover in an economical manner the grease
contained in the waste suds which are usually run off after the completion of the
washing of wool, hair or other fibre. The suds are composed of water, soap,
alkali and the natural oils which have become separated from the fibre in the
washing process.
According to a mode which is frequently adopted for recovering the grease the
waste suds are run into tanks and sulphuric acid is mixed with them. The acid
collects the fatty or oily portion and the rest is run off to waste. The fatty or oily
portion is then pressed and the solid grease eventually obtained is known on the
market as "recovered grease." This mode of recovering the grease is, however,
of little commercial value because of the use of sulphuric acid and I have in the
Specification to Letters Patent No. 17309 of 1893 described means for recovering
grease from waste suds without the use of acids.
By my present invention I am also enabled to recover the grease from waste
suds without the use of sulphuric or other acid.
According to one method of carrying out this invention I take the suds as they
come from the wool or yarn washings and convey them into tanks for settling,
straining or filtering, and after separating as far as practicable the dirt and
impurities therefrom the liquor is conveyed to another tank in which a mechanical
agitator is fixed. Common salt is then added. The quantity of salt employed will
vary according to the amount of grease and dirt contained in the suds, but usually
from half a ton to one ton of salt to ten tons of suds will be sufficient. The liquor
is agitated, with or without heat, for one hour or so and the liquor is then left to
settle.
If the liquor is charged with a quantity of dirt the grease and dirt will settle at
the bottom and clear water will be at the top, but if previously freed from dirt the
grease will come to the top the clear water being below.
The water should then be run off and the remaining thick liquor, after
washing in fresh water if desired, is conveyed to another tank containing an
agitator.
Liquor composed of caustic or carbonate of potash or soda, or of both caustic
and carbonate of potash or soda (of the usual soap making strength) is then added
in the proportion of about 50 pounds each or 100 pounds both to 10 tons of suds
treated and the whole is agitated for one hour or so with or without heat and then
left to settle.
The clear water is run off as before and the remainder may be further washed in
fresh water if desired and the thick liquor or grease which will keep separate from
the water can be removed into barrels and put on the market in this form or it cau

page_text: be conveyed straight into an ordinary soap boiler with or without other saponi-
fiable oils or fats and a further quantity of liquor composed of caustic or carbonate
of soda or potash or both caustic and carbonate of soda or potash added and the
whole of it should then be boiled for from one to four hours to convert into soap-
stock or soap as required.
The required agitation may be imparted to the liquor by hand or power or the
liquor may be run into a centrifugal machine of any suitable kind.
According to another way of carrying my invention into effect I recover the
grease without the use of alkali or other substance by evaporation. In carrying
out this part of my invention I take the waste suds preferably strained or filtered
and place them in a suitable boiler where they are boiled and also by preference
submitted to mechanical agitation. When the boiling operation has been carried
to a suitable point the liquid is led from the boiler to cooling tanks where
it may be allowed to settle and may be submitted to further agitation. The
grease rises to the top and the waste liquor and sediment can be run off as
before. The recovery of the grease is facilitated by further agitation during the
cooling; and the liquor may be run into suitable centrifugal machines for this
purpose.
The grease thus obtained can be dried or pressed in the ordinary way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The method of recovering grease from waste suds without the use of acid
which consists in adding common salt to the suds, then agitating them with or
without heat, then after allowing them to settle running off the clear liquor, then
adding caustic or carbonate or both caustic and carbonate of potash or soda to the
thick liquor then agitating them with or without heat and then after leaving them
to settle running off the clear liquor whereby a thick liquor or grease is obtained
which can either be put on the market or be utilized in the manufacture of soap-
stock or soap substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The method of recovering grease from waste suds without the use of acid
which consists in partially evaporating the suds by boiling them with or without
agitation, then running them into cooling tanks and allowing them to settle with
or without previous agitation, and then running off the waste liquor and sediment,
whereby a thick liquor or grease is obtained, substantially as herein before
described.
3. The treatment of waste suds as hereinbefore described in order to recover
grease therefrom.
Dated this 25th day of July 1895.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.