IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF CERTAIN KINDS OF SOAP."
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Gossage, of Widnes, in the County of
Lancaster, Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF CERTAIN KINDS OF SOAP."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Gossage at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
April 1855.
I, WILLIAM GOSSAGE, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF CERTAIN KINDS OF SOAP "to be as follows:-
My Invention applies to the production of those kinds of soap which are or
may be manufactured by adding other substances to true soaps, which are
prepared by the combination of alkali with tallow, resin, oil, or other such
substances.
In the Specifications of two several Letters Patent granted to me for my
inventions connected with the manufacture of soap, the one of which Letters
Patent bears date the 3rd of April 1854, and the other the 3rd of August
1854, I have stated as being of my Invention the application of "soluble
glass" (previously dissolved in water, and the solution concentrated so as to

page_text: form a thick viscous compound,) to the production of compound soaps as
therein described, by mixing such viscous compound or solution of soluble
glass with true soaps, produced by previously combining tallow, resin, oil, or
other such substances with alkali by the ordinary method of working, in which
ordinary method of working, the lyes (alkaline solutions) are added at successive
operations to the fatty or resinous matters employed, and the exhausted lycs,
being deprived of alkali, are withdrawn from the soap coppers previously to
the addition of such further quantity of lyes as may be requisite to complete
the manufacture of the soap. In carrying out my said Inventions I have
found that compound soaps, more suited for some purposes than those produced
according to my said Specifications, can be obtained when the said viscous
solution of soluble glass is mixed with soap made by combining fatty or
resinous matters with lyes containing such a proportion of alkali in solution as
is sufficient to perfect the conversion of such fatty or resinous matters into
soap by one operation, without requiring the abstraction of exhausted lyes
.therefrom, and the addition of a further quantity of lye containing alkali to
complete such conversion.
:
In effecting this part of my Invention, I cause the fatty or resinous matters
employed to be converted into soap, either by boiling these matters with a
suitable quantity of alkaline lyes of the required strength, or I effect this
conversion by mixing the said matters and lyes together without boiling, and I
cause the soap produced by either of these methods to be nixed with viscous
solution of soluble glass, or with solution of silicate of soda or of potash, in
such proportions as may be suitable for the production of the compound soap
required.
My Invention also applies to the production of compound soap, by causing
resin or such acid compounds as are contained in or may be obtained from fats
or oils to become combined with viscous solution of soluble glass, or with
solution of silicate of soda or of potash, without requiring that such resin or
such acid compounds shall be previously in the state of combination with
alkali. I effect such combination of resin, or of such acid compounds con-
tained in or obtained from fats or oils, with viscous solution of soluble glass, or
with solution of silicate of soda or of potash, by boiling together the required
materials in suitable proportions for the production of the compound soaps
required, or by mixing. the required materials in a fluid state' in suitable
proportions without boiling.
My Invention also applies to the production of compound soap, by causing
resin to become combined with alkali in solution, and adding to the product
such a proportion of wheaten flour or other farinaceous substance, or of somo

page_text: finely-divided argillaceous or siliceous substance (such as china clay or ground
flints) as may be sufficient to give such a degree of firmness to the compound
soap produced as to render it suitable to be used for detergent purposes.
My Invention also applies to the use of farinaceous, aluminous, or siliceous
substances in a state of fine division for mixing with compound soaps containing
solution of soluble glass or solution of silicate of soda or of potash, to give such
a degree of firmness to such compound soaps as to render them more suitable
to be used for detergent purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Gossage in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd October 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
GOSSAGE, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Gossage, Her special licence that I, the said William Gossage, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Gossage, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF CERTAIN KINDS OF SOAP," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Gossage, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 William Gossage, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
My Invention of "Improvements in the Manufacture of certain Kinds of

page_text: Soap" applies, firstly, to the production of compound soap, by causing solution
of soluble glass or solution of silicate of soda to become combined with soap
produced by the union of tallow, resin, oil, or other such substances with soda,
either by the process known to soap manufacturers as "close boiling without
separation of lyes," or by the method of working known as "the cold process."
My Invention applies, secondly, to the production of compound soap, by
causing resin or such acid compounds as may be obtained from fats or oils to
become combined with solution of soluble glass, or with solution of silicate of
soda, without requiring that such resin or such acid compounds shall be
previously in the state of combination with alkali.
My Invention applies, thirdly, to the production of compound soap, by
causing resin to become combined with soda, and adding to the product such
a proportion of wheaten flour or other farinaceous substance, or of some finely-
divided argillaceous or silicious substance (such as china clay or ground flints),
as may be sufficient to give such a degree of firmness to the compound soap
produced as to render it suitable to be used as a hard soap for ordinary
detergent purposes.
In the Specifications duly filed in pursuance of the conditions of two several
Letters Patent granted to me for my inventions connected with the manu-
facture of soap, the one of which grants of Letters Patent bears date the
Third day of April 1854, and the other the Third day of August 1854, I have
stated as being of my Invention the application of "soluble glass" (previously
dissolved in water, and the solution concentrated so as to form a thick viscous
compound,) to the production of compound soaps as therein described, by
mixing such viscous compound or solution of "soluble glass" with true soaps
produced by previously combining tallow, rosin, oil, or other such substances
with alkali by the most usual method of manufacturing soap, in which method
the lyes (alkaline solutions) are added by successive operations to the fatty or
resinous matters employed and boiled therewith, and the exhausted lyes being
deprived of alkali are withdrawn from the soap coppers previously to the
addition of such further quantity of lyes or of water as may be required to
complete the manufacture of the soap. This method of working is known
to soap manufacturers as "open boiling with separation of lyes," and according
to the particulars contained in the Specifications of my said Inventions such
completely manufactured soap was transferred from the vessel or soap copper
in which the same had been produced and then mixed with the said solution of
soluble glass. Subsequently to the grant of the said two several Letters
Patent I have found that compound soaps, more suitable for some purposes
than those produced in accordance with the particulars indicated in my said

page_text: Specifications, can be obtained when the said solution of soluble glass is united
with soap produced by combining fatty, oily, or resinous matters or mixtures
of all or some of such matters with lyes containing such a proportion of alkali
in solution as is sufficient to effect the conversion of such fatty, oily, or resinous
matters into soap by one operation, without requiring the abstraction of
exhausted lyes therefrom, or the addition of a further quantity of lye con-
taining alkali to complete such conversion, this mode of producing soap being
known to soap manufacturers as the method of "close boiling without sepa-
ration of lyes." It is a method which is but rarely used in this country.
In effecting the first part of my Invention, I cause the fatty, oily, or resinous
matters employed to be converted into soap either by boiling these matters with
a suitable quantity of alkaline lyes of the required strength, or I effect this
conversion by mixing such matters and lyes together without boiling, and I
combine with the soap (produced either of these methods) solution of soluble
glass, or solution of silicate of soda, adding the solution employed in such pro-
portion as may be suitable for the production of the compound soap required.
I have found the following proportions of materials and mode of working
to be well suited for effecting this first part of my Invention, as applied to the
production of compound soaps by boiling:-I take 60 cwts. of palm oil or
tallow and 20 cwts. of resin, and melt them together in a proper vessel; I
introduce into an ordinary soap copper 20 cwts. of lye, consisting of solution of
caustic soda, having a specific gravity of 1,300, and 40 cwts. of water, also
25 cwts. solution of soluble glass, having a specific gravity of 1,450. I cause
this mixture to boil, and I add thereto by degrees the aforesaid mixture of
palm oil or tallow and resin, the boiling being continued; and I add gradually
a further quantity of 10 cwts. of the same lye mixed with 10 cwts. of water;
I then add gradually 50 cwts. of solution of soluble glass, having a specific
gravity of 1,450, previously mixed with 20 cwts. of water; I continue boiling
the mixture until I judge that the quantity of this has become reduced by
evaporation of water therefrom to 10 tons, when I draw the fire, and allow the
soap produced to cool to a temperature of about 160 degrees (Fahrenheit);
I then cleanse the whole quantity into ordinary soap frames. Or, to make
another quality of compound soap by boiling, I take 30 cwts. of palm oil or
tallow and 20 cwts. of cocoa-nut oil, and melt these together. I introduce into
an ordinary soap copper 25 cwts. of lye, consisting of solution of caustic soda,
having a specific gravity of 1,300, and 40 cwts. of water, also 20 cwts. of
solution of soluble glass, having a specific gravity of 1,300; I cause this
mixture to boil, and I add thereto the said mixture of palm oil or tallow
and cocoa-nut oil; the boiling being continued, I add gradually a further

page_text: quantity of 12 cwts. of the said lye mixed with 10 cwts. of water; I then
add gradually 40 cwts. of solution of soluble glass, having a specific gravity
of 1,300, and afterwards 25 cwts. of a saturated solution of common salt;
I continue boiling the mixture until I judge that the quantity of this has
become reduced by evaporation of water therefrom to 10 tons, when I draw
the fire, and allow tho soap produced to cool to a temperature of about
160 degrees (Fahrenheit); I then cleanse the whole quantity into ordinary
soap frames. I have found the following proportions of materials and mode of
working to be well suited for effecting this first part of my Invention, as applied
to the production of compound soaps without boiling :-I take 9 cwts. palm
oil, tallow, or cocoa-nut oil, or of a mixture of these matters, or I take 7 cwts.
of palm oil or tallow and 2 cwts. of resin, which I melt together; I cause the
said matter or matters (which I employ) to become heated to a temperature
of 130 degrees (Fahrenheit), and I add thereto a mixture of 5 cwts. of lye,
consisting of a solution of caustic soda, having a specific gravity of 1,300, and
6 cwts. solution of soluble glass, having a specific gravity of 1,450. The said
solutions should have a temperature of about 100 degrees (Fahrenheit), and
as these are added to the said fatty matters I cause the mixture to be properly
stirred so as to effect a perfect amalgamation, and when I observe that the
mixture has become smooth and well amalgamated, I transfer the soap
produced into soap frames.
In effecting the second part of my Invention, I produce compound soaps by
causing resin, or such fatty or oily acids as may be obtained from fats or oils
by well-known processes, to become combined with solution of soluble glass. I
have found the following proportions of materials and mode of working to be
well suited for effecting this second part of my Invention:-I take 14 cwts.
of resin, or of such fatty or oily acid, and melt this in a wide shallow iron
pan having a spherical bottom, and I add thereto 14 cwts. of boiling hot
solution of soluble glass, having a specific gravity of 1,450, and I boil these
together about half an hour, and I then add 14 cwts. of boiling hot solution
of soluble glass, having a specific gravity of 1,600, and mix the whole together
by stirring with strong iron paddles or spatulas; I then transfer the soap
produced into shallow moulds to cool and become hard.
In effecting the third part of my Invention, I produce compound soap by
causing resin to become combined with soda contained in solution of caustic
soda or solution of carbonate of soda, and mixing the product obtained with
such a proportion of wheaten flour or other farinaceous substance, or of some
finely-divided argillaceous or silicious substance (such as china clay or ground
flints), as may be sufficient to give. such a degree of firmness to the com-

page_text: pound soap produced as to render it suitable to be used as a hard soap for
ordinary detergent purposes. I have found the following proportions of
materials and mode of working to be well suited for effecting this third part
of
my Invention I take 14 cwts. of rosin and melt this in a wide shallow
iron pan having a spherical bottom, and I add thereto 10 cwts. of solution of
caustic soda, having a specific gravity of 1,300, or 12 cwts. of a solution
containing 3 cwts. of carbonate of soda dissolved in or mixed with 8 cwts. of
water, and I boil these together. I then add 5 cwts. of wheaten flour or
other farinaceous substance, or the same quantity of china clay or finely-
ground flints, previously mixed with 12 cwts. of water; I mix the whole
together by stirring with strong iron paddles or spatulas, and I continue the
boiling till I find by taking out a sample. and cooling it that the compound
soap produced has become sufficiently hard to be suitable for ordinary
detergent purposes; I then transfer the product into soap frames to become
cool and solidify. In all cases wherein I have herein-before directed the
use of solution of soluble glass for the manufacture of compound soap, I
can substitute for such solution a solution of silicate of soda (of the same
specific gravity), made by boiling finely-ground flints or other kinds of silica in
a state of fine division with liquid caustic soda, but I much prefer to use solu-
tion of soluble glass prepared by the means described in the Specification
of my Invention, for which I obtained Letters Patent, dated the Third day
of April 1854.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention of "Improvements in the Manufacture of certain Kinds of Soap,"
and the manner in which the same is to be performed by the particulars
thereof herein-before contained, I would have it understood that in performing
my Invention I do not confine myself to the precise details herein-before set
forth, as these may be modified to some extent without departing from the
nature of my said Invention.
I claim as my Invention, secured to me by the Royal Letters Patent herein-
before partly recited, for my "Improvements in the Manufacture of certain
Kinds of Soap,"
Firstly, the manufacture of compound soap, by causing solution of soluble
glass or solution of silicate of soda to be combined with soap produced by the
union of tallow, rosin, oil, or other such substances with soda, either by the
method of working known to soap manufacturers as "close boiling without
separation of lyes," or by the method of working known as the "cold
process.
"5
Secondly, the manufacture of compound soap, by causing resin, or such acid

page_text: compounds as may be obtained from fats or oils by well-known means, to
become combined with solution of soluble glass, or with solution of silicate of
soda, without requiring that such resin or such acid compounds shall be pre-
viously in the state of combination with alkali.
Thirdly, the manufacture of compound soap, by causing resin to become
combined with soda, and adding to the product such a proportion of wheaten
flour or other farinaceous substance, or of some finely-divided argillaceous or
silicious substance (such as china clay or ground flints), as will be sufficient to
give such a degree of firmness to the compound soap produced as to render it
suitable to be used as a hard soap for ordinary detergent purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Gossage, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
WILLIAM (L.B.) GOSSAGE.