IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF THE LIQUORS USED IN SCOURING OR CLEANING WOOL
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Thomas Hughes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th March 1873 :- A communication from abroad by Louis
Gustave Ghilain Daudenart and Edmond Verbert, of 34, Rue du
Progrès, Schaerbeek, Brussels.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son,
Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE TREATMENT OF THE LIQUORS USED IN SCOURING OR CLEANING WOOL," a
communication to me from abroad by Louis Gustave Ghilain Daudenart
and Edmond Verbert, of 34, Rue du Progrès, Schaerbeek, Brussels, (to be
as follows) :-
The object of this Invention is first to extract the potash in a state of
carbonate, which is its most valuable condition, by a process which is at
once economical and expeditious, and secondly to completely extract the
greasy matters which separate from the washing liquors.
The process consists in the employment either of caustic baryta or
strontia, the essential characters of which are, first, to effect the entire
separation of the greasy matter, secondly, to extract the carbonate of

page_text: potash contained in the washing liquors, and thirdly, to effect the
continuous revivification of the baryta and strontia employed.
The process comprises the following operations:-First, the treatment
of the washing liquors with baryta or strontia. The water for washing
wool at a temperature of about 80 degrees Centigrade is mixed with a
solution of baryta or strontia at a temperature of about 60 degrees
Centigrade dissolved in water previously treated, and the possibility of
dissolving the oxide of the alkaline earth in water, in which a previous
operation has been performed, has the advantage of not augmenting the
cost of the evaporation of the liquids employed, and avoids the great
inconvenience which on account of the slight solubility of these oxides
would occur if at each time they were dissolved in fresh water. The
quantity of the water of baryta or strontia to be employed it is evident
must vary according to the density of the washing liquor, but in any case
it is easy to be determined by experiment. After the temperature has
been maintained for about an hour and stirred from time to time the
mixture is allowed to settle and the separation of the precipitate is rapid
and complete, and if the liquid is a clear yellow colour it is certain that if
not an excess at least enough of the solution of the baryta or strontia has
been employed; for if a sufficient quantity had not been used the liquid
would remain unsettled and greasy, and thus it is easy to regulate by
these appearances and also by a few essays the required quantity
of baryta or strontia that ought to be used for each operation.
By representing the greasy matter by the symbol G and supposing
that strontia is used, the reaction can be traced or followed out by the
following equation G :- KO³+SrO, HO+Aq=KO, HO+G, SrO+Aq.
The liquor separated from the precipitate is evaporated and calcined and
the product obtained consists of carbonate of potash with a small
quantity of chloride of potassium mixed with insoluble matters, and in
order to procure a pure potash, capable of being used in the manufacture
of glass or crystal, it is only necessary to submit this matter to a refining
process similar to that employed for purifying the rough potash of
commerce.

page_text: subjected to two series of washings, the first in a hot solution of
hydrochloric acid of from 4 to 5 degrees Baumé, and the second in pure
water, and by these means the greasy matters are removed and the
baryta or strontia is dissolved and become chlorides of barium or
strontium, which are afterwards transformed into carbonates and then
into caustic baryta or strontia. The reaction which takes place between
the alkaline earthy soaps and the hydrochloric acid is shewn by the
following equation supposing it to be made with a soap having strontia
for its base:-G. SrO+CIH+Aq.=CISr+G+Aq. After each washing
the separation of insoluble residue is effected and the greasy matter
removed is first pressed in its cold state, then in a heated one, and
afterwards subjected to the cleaning or purifying operations.
Besides the treatment of the wools by caustic baryta and strontia I
can give them a simple ordinary washing, and evaporate the water and
then extract the grease and potash remaining in the grease from the
wool after the evaporation by benzine and sulphuret of carbon. Or I
treat the wool direct by benzine and sulphuric ether, and remove the
grease still adhering to the wool by by any materials or means which
spring from the fact discovered by us (that is to say) the chemical
state of freedom or liberty of the greasy matter in the presence of
albumen in the grease of wools.