A CERTAIN MIXTURE OR COMPOSITION OF CHEMICAL AGENTS FOR RENDERING SEA WATER FIT FOR WASHING, AND FOR SOFTENING HARD WATER
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Heard, of Regent Street, Lambeth,
in the County of Surrey, Chemist, for the Invention of "A
CERTAIN MIXTURE OR COMPOSITION OF CHEMICAL AGENTS FOR RENDERING
SEA WATER FIT FOR WASHING, AND FOR SOFTENING HARD WATER FOR
Sealed the 3rd November 1853, and dated the 24th August 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Heard
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 24th August 1858.
I, EDWARD HEARD, of Regent Street, Lambeth, in the County
of Surrey, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
of "A CERTAIN MIXTURE OR COMPOSITION. OF CHEMICAL AGENTS. FOR
RENDERING SEA WATER FIT FOR WASHING, AND FOR SOFTENING HARD
WATER FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
As sea water on analysis is found to contain and hold in solution
certain neutral salts with the earthy bases of magnesia and lime (their
constituent acids decompose the common soaps of commerce whenever
Sp

page_text: they are used for washing in sea water), unite with their alkalies, and
separate the sebaceous matter or fat, which prevents the perfect deter-
gency or cleansing of garments, and causes a minute deposition of those
earths on the surface and interstices of the articles intended to be
washed which no subsequent rinsing in sea water can effectually or
entirely remove, and it is owing to their presence that the dampness
felt by those who wear them may be chiefly attributed. Now in order
to prevent such disagreeable effects, and render fit or adapt sea water
for washing with any of the common soaps of commerce, I
prepare and
combine the following chemical agents as the most safe and economical
preparative for that purpose:-I therefore take the common soda of
commerce as being the cheapest of the two alkalies of soda and potash
(though either of them will do), and boil or evaporate its water of
crystallization in an iron or other suitable vessel, applying steam heat
or naked fire, as may be most convenient, and reduce the salt to a dry
powder, stirring it constantly during the operation to prevent incrus-
tation or adhesion of the salt to the bottom or sides of the evaporating
vessel. When brought to this state of desiccation it is mixed with
fresh slaked or hydrate of lime (previously prepared); the proportions
used of this latter earth to a given weight of the alkali may range from
one fourth to one half of its weight, but I have generally found one
fourth part ample for the purpose. The quantity or weight required of
this preparative (for each gallon of sea water is about a quarter of a
pound avoirdupois in order to decompose the whole of the earthy salts,
and render it quite soft and fit for washing; but this proportion may
be varied according to the quality or strength of sea water in different
latitudes, as experience will best determine. I also apply or use the
above composition for softening hard water (so called from its holding
in solution chalk or other extraneous stibstances) as found in different
listricts of this country, with the view of economising and lessening the
consumption of soap, and adapting such hard water for domestic
washing purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Heard in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
EDWARD HEARD, of Regent's Street, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey,
Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the
year of our Lord Oue thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reigu, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Heard, Her special licence
that I, the said Edward Heard, my executors, administrators, and.
assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Heard, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for A CERTAIN
MIXTURE OR COMPOSITION OF CHEMICAL AGENTS FOR RENDERING SEA WATER
FIT FOR WASHING, AND FOR SOFTENING HARD WATER FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Heard, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and scal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
. NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Heard, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof (that is to say):
As sea water on analysis is found to contain and hold in solution
certain neutral salts with the carthy bases of magnesia and lime, their
constituents acids decompose the common soaps of commerce whenever

page_text: they are used for washing in sea water, unite with their alkalies, and
separate the sebaceous matter or fat which prevents the perfect detergency
or cleansing of garments, leaving a minute deposition of those earths
on the surface and interstices of the articles intended to be washed
which no subsequent rinsing in sea water can entirely. remove, and
thus from their deliquescent property occasion the dampness felt by
those who wear them. Now in order to prevent such disagreeable
effects, and adapt sea water for washing with any of the common soaps
in use, I employ the following composition or mixture for that purpose:-
I take the common soda of commerce as being the cheapest of the
two alkalies of soda and potash (although either will do), and boil or
evaporate its water of crystallization in an iron pan or other suitable
vessel, applying either steam heat or that of a naked fire, as may be
most convenient), and reduce the salt to dryness, keeping it constantly
stirred during the operation to prevent incrustation or adhesion of the
salt-to the bottom or sides of the evaporating vessel. When brought
to this state of desiccation it is ground in a mill similar to what is used
for paints. or colors, and thus reduced to a fine powder. It is then
mixed with fresh slaked or hydrate of lime, previously prepared, by
passing it through a fine wire sieve; the proportions used of this earth
to a given weight of the alkali may range from one fourth to one half
of its weight, but I have found one fourth part generally sufficient for
the purpose. These ingredients are next to be well mixed together by
passing them again through the above-mentioned mill, or by any other
mechanical means best adapted for effecting the most perfect and uniform
combination. The quantity or weight required of this preparation to a
given measure of sea water may be in the proportion of one pound
(avoirdupois) to three gallons of sea water, but as this latter may differ in
strength or quality in different latitudes more of the composition may
be added until the water feels quite slippery. and soft to the hand.
It is essentially requisite that it be well mixed or stirred together
for at least half an hour, in order to effect a perfect decomposition of the
earthy salts; it is then suffered to subsibe, and when the supernatant
water is quite clear it must be drawn off carefully from the precipitate,

page_text: either by pouring, decantation, filtration, or syphon, or any other
mechanical means best adapted for the purpose. The clear prepared
sea water is then fit for washing.
I claim therefore the composition above described for rendering sea
water fit for washing, as well as softening hard or spring water for the
same purpose, according to the direction given.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Heard, have hereunto set
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
my
Witness,
JNO. ALCOCK.
E. HEARD. (L.S.)