A Process for the Preparation of Camphor in the Condition of Powder.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Process for the Preparation of Camphor in the Condition of
Powder.
I WILHELM SCHMIDT late of New York now of 254 South 4th Street,
Philadelphia, both in the United States of America Chemist do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It has not been practicable hitherto to obtain camphor in the form of a dry
powder incapable of caking which form is most desirable for certain purposes such
for instance as for use in the manufacture of celluloid..
The object of my invention is to enable camphor to be obtained in the form of a
powder which is fine and dry and being also pure it is eminently suited to the
purposes of the celluloid manufacture for example.
The process is carried out in the following manner.
Raw camphor is dissolved in petroleum ether, naphtha, benzine, benzol, or any
other suitable solvent, which, in the process of distillation, will boil at a tem-
perature varying between 60 and 100 Centigrade, and the solution is conveyed
into a vessel or chamber provided with a tap, a short distance above its bottom.
After allowing the solution to rest for a short time it will be found that the
water contained in the camphor, together with all the impurities, will have settled
in the portion of the vessel situated between the bottom thereof and the tap.
The solution remaining above such sediment is then drawn off by opening the tap
and with a view to removing any impurities that may still be left behind therein,
it is caused to pass through a canvas or other suitable filter.
The filtered solution is next conducted into a still wherein it is heated for
instance by steam. Part of the solvent is here readily and rapidly distilled off and
may be used afresh for a further operation.
The whole of the solvent cannot however be distilled off and there remains in
the apparatus a hot saturated solution.
After cooling the greater part of the camphor will have separated as a
precipitate. This precipitate together with the liquid, is then poured over a filter
which may consist of canvas or linen suspended within boxes closed on all sides;
by which means the precipitated camphor is finally freed from any liquid adhering
to it.
As this liquid still contains a portion of the camphor in solution it can be
advantageously used over again in subsequent distillations.
On the filter the camphor remains in the condition of a fine pure and dry
powder snow white in appearance and having no tendency to cake.
Dated this 17th day of September 1895.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: A. Process for the Preparation of Camphor in the Condition of
Powder.
I, WILHELM SCHMIDT late of New York now of 254 South 4th Street,
Philadelphia both in the United States of America, Chemist, 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 :-
It has not been practicable hitherto to obtain camphor in the form of a dry
powder, incapable of caking which form is most desirable for certain purposes
such for instance as for use in the manufacture of celluloid.
The object of my invention is to enable camphor to be obtained in the form of
a powder, which is fine and dry, and being also pure is eminently suited for use in
the manufacture of celluloid for example.
The process according to my invention is carried out in the following
manner:
Raw camphor is dissolved in petroleum ether, naphtha, benzine, benzol, or any
other suitable solvent, which, in the process of distillation, will boil at a tem-
perature varying between 60° and 100° Centigrade, and the solution is convoyel
into a vessel, or chamber, provided with a tap, a short distance above its bottom.
After allowing the solution to rest for a short time it will be found that the water
contained in the camphor together with all the impurities, will have settled in the
portion of the vessel situated between the bottom thereof and the tap. The
solution remaining above such sediment is then drawn off by opening the tap and,
with a view to removing any impurities, that may still be left behind therein, it is
caused to pass through a canvas or other suitable filter.
The filtered solution is next conducted into a still, wherein it is heated for
instance by steam. Part of the solvent is here readily and rapidly distilled off
and may be used afresh for a further operation.
The whole of the solvent cannot, however, be distilled off and there remains in
the apparatus a hot saturated solution.
After cooling, the greater part of the camphor will have separated as a
precipitate. This precipitate, together with the liquid, is then poured over a
filter which may consist of canvas, or linen, suspended within boxes closed on all
sides, by which means the precipitated camphor is finally freed from any liquid
adhering to it. As this liquid still contains a portion of the camphor in solution
it can be advantageously used over again in subsequent distillations.
On the filter, the camphor remains in the condition of a fine pure and dry
powder, snow white in appearance and having no tendency to cake.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. The process of producing refined pulverulent camphor by dissolving camphor
in a menstruum of sufficiently low boiling point not miscible with water and
subsequent removal of the excess of solvent by distillation, after previous filtration,
if necessary.
2. As a new article of manufacture pulverulent camphor that will not cake
being the product of a refining process consisting in dissolving camphor in a
menstruum of a sufficiently low boiling point not miscible with water and

page_text: subsequent removal of the excess of solvent by distillation, after previous filtration,
if necessary.
Dated this 1st day of June 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.