Improvements in the Manufacture of Detergent Powder.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 25th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Feb., 1892-Accepted, 26th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Detergent Powder.
I RICHARD ARMSTRONG of Great Avenham Street Preston in the County of
Lancaster do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of detergent powder
for use in washing. I mix in suitable quantities and condition salts of ammonia
with carbonate of soda in which soap may also be incorporated, and avoid chemical
contact of ammonia salt and alkali, decomposition of ammonia salt and loss of
ammonia previous to dissolving the mixture in water, by mixing together the
materials composing the detergent or washing powder in a sufficiently anhydrous
condition. When it is desired to mix together the materials in a hydrated condition
I previously coat or envelope the ammonia salt with fat or its equivalent to prevent
chemical contact. The detergent powder may be perfumed, preferably with
perfume obtained from aniline or coal tar.
Dated this 23rd der of Nov 1891
RICHARD ARMSTRONG.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Detergent Powder.
1, RICHARD ARMSTRONG of Great Avenham Street, Preston, Drysalter, in
the County of Lancaster, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of detergent powder.
for use in washing. The object is to manufacture suitable detergent powder and
incorporate therewith salts of ammonia in proportion suitable for purposes required
and in manner to avoid decomposition of salts of ammonia and material loss of
free ammonia from detergent powder. To more clearly describe my invention I do
so under seperate heads.
First. I make suitable detergent powder by intimately mixing soap, grease or
other equivalent soap forming material, with carbonate of soda in any desired relative
proportions which after incorporation shall yield a detergent powder containing
less than fifty, and by preferance the smallest convenient percentage of hydration.
With each one hundred parts of such detergent powder 1 mix about eight parts,
more or less according to amount of free ammonia desired in water to be used in
washing, of sulphate or other salt of ammonia sufficiently purified from tarry or
other objectionable impurities.
When employing unprotected salts of ammonia under this head I prefer to use
such salts in form of crystals or other small convenient sized pieces exposing a
minumum of surface to the akaline detergent powder, I find loss of free ammonia
from unprotected salts of ammonia contained in detergent powder to be greater in
proportion as surface of pieces of salts of ammonia are exposed to akaline
detergent powder and also as amount of hydration is increased. In practice I
find it to be much preferable to employ salts of ammonia protected as described
under following second head.
Second. In manufacture of detergent powder containing salts of ammonia I avoid
material loss of ammonia by coating or protecting salts of ammonia with fat,
stearine, paraffin wax or their equivalents to prevent chemical contact with alkali
of detergent powder, I find one part of covering material to be a convenient

page_text: quantity for use in protecting two parts of salt of ammonia and that when so
protected powdered hydrated carbonate of soda can if desired be used in manu-
facture of detergent powder without causing material loss of ammonia.
Third. To manufacture ammonical detergent powder, with or without admixture
of soap, suitable for washing woolen or other materials where presence of fixed akalies
in any considerable quantity is objectionable, I mix together in quantities of about
their chemical equivalents in which a slight excess of soda is by preference added,
to fully decompose the ammonia salt. When sulphate of ammonia is employed I
find that about equal parts of sulphate of ammonia and carbonate of soda
(estimated as anhydrous) are suitable proportions. Means described under first
head (in which under this third head I prefer to use anhydrous, or nearly
anhydrous carbonate of soda) or, and by preference the means as described under
second head may be used to prevent loss of ammonia from detergent powder.
Fourth. I perfume ammoniacal detergent powder manufactured as described
under the several heads and for this purpose I preferably employ artificial
perfumes such as are obtained from coal tar or the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is
1st. Manufacture of detergent powder sufficiently free-from hydration as set
forth, mixing therewith salts of ammonia in manner and for purpose substantially
as described under first head.
2nd. Diminishing loss of ammonia from detergent powder containing unprotected
salts of ammonia by use of said salts in form offering minumum of surface
substantially in manner and for purpose described under first head.
3rd. Protecting salts of ammonia substantially as described under second head
for purpose set forth.
4th. Materials substantially as described under second head for use in protecting
salts of ammonia for purpose set forth.
5th. Manufacture of ammonia detergent powder in manner and for purpose
substantially as described under third head.
6th. Perfuming detergent powder containing salts of ammonia substantially as
described under fourth head.
7th. Proportions of materials substantially as described under the several heads
for use in manufacture of detergent powder containing salts of ammonia for
purpose set forth.
Sth. Manufacture of detergent powder containing salts of ammonia in manner
and for purpose substantially as described under the several heads.
Dated this Twentieth day of February 1892.
RICHARD ARMSTRONG,
Great Avenham Street, Preston.