MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES OF SODA AND POTASSA, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Robinson, of Widnes, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer & Ironfounder, for the Invention of "IM-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES OF SODA AND POTASSA, AND IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
"
Sealed the 15th December 1874, and dated the 20th June 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Robinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th June 1874.
I, THOMAS ROBINSON, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer
& Ironfounder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES OF SODA AND POTASSA,
AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in and in connection with the
well known Hargreaves and Robinson direct action method of manufac.
turing sulphates of soda and potassa, and consists,-
-
First. As means for preventing escape of gas into the atmosphere,
and for facilitating the cooling of sulphate, I connect the chamber con-

page_text: :
taining finished chloride to the condensing tower. Any gas contained
in the chamber is thereby drawn into the said condensing tower.
Second. As means for ensuring durability of fan bearings when a fan
is used to draw the gases through the chambers I employ bearings at a
distance from the fan chamber, and keep the said bearings cool by water
or other liquid, and by preference admit the gases to the fan at one eye
only.
Third. As means for cooling a charge during conversion into sulphate;
should the temperature rise too high and thereby hastening conversion
into sulphate, I construct the converting chambers with an internal pipe
for the passage therethrough or circulation therein of air.
Fourth. As further means for cooling and hastening conversion I
enclose the internal pipe mentioned under the above third head in a
second pipe or structure so as to surround it by an annular space. Air
enters and escapes in this modification at the same end of the pipe.
Fifth. As means for causing a draft of air to pass first through the
annulus and then through the internal pipe, or vice versa, I connect the
said internal pipe or the annular passage to a chimney or artificial draft
producer.
Sixth. As means for regulating the temperature around the converting
chamber I connect the internal pipe mentioned in the above third and
fourth heads with the space in or over the cylinders and flue covers.
Seventh. As means for facilitating discharge of sulphate from the
converting chambers I connect the carrying grids by hinge-like catches
to the internal pipe mentioned under the above third and fourth heads,
and support the outer ends of the said grids by props. When it is
desired to withdraw a charge the side props are removed and the grids
allowed to fall into an angular position, thereby allowing quick discharge
of sulphate. To reinstate the grids in position it is simply necessary to
raise and prop them at the sides.
Eighth. As means for supporting the cylinder and flue covers I form
the internal pipe mentioned under the third and fourth heads with
flanges at or near its top. The cylinder and flue covers are caused to
rest on the said flanges.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters. Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Robinson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ROBINSON, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer and Iron-
founder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Robinson, Her
special licence that I, the said Thomas Robinson, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Robinson, 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 SULPHATES OF SODA AND POTASSA, AND
IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Thomas Robinson, my executors or administrators, by
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 Thomas Robinson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompany Sheet of
illustrative Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:-
My Invention relates to improvements in and in connection with the
well known Hargreaves and Robinson direct action method of manufac-

page_text: First. As means for preventing escape of gas into the atmosphere, and
for facilitating the cooling of sulphate, I connect the chamber containing
finished chloride to the condensing tower. Any gas contained in the
chamber is thereby drawn into the said condensing tower.
Second. As means for ensuring durability of fan bearings when a fan
is used to draw the gases through the chambers I employ bearings at a
distance from the fan chambers, and keep the said bearings cool by
water or other liquid, and by preference admit the gases to the fan at
one eye only.
Third. As means for cooling a charge during conversion into sulphate,
should the temperature rise too high and thereby hastening conversion.
into sulphate, I construct the converting chambers with an internal pipe
for the passage therethrough or circulation therein of air.
Fourth. As further means for cooling and hastening conversion I
enclose the internal pipe mentioned under the above third head in ä
second pipe or structure so as to surround it by an annular space. Air
enters and escapes in this modification at the same end of the pipe.
Fifth. As means for causing a draft of air to pass first through the
annulus and then through the internal pipe, or vice versa, I connect the
said internal pipe or the annular passage to a chimney or artificial draft
producer.
Sixth. As means for regulating the temperature around the converting
chamber I connect the internal pipe mentioned in the above third and
fourth heads with the space in or over the cylinders and flue covers.
Seventh. As means for facilitating discharge of sulphate from the
converting chamber I connect the carrying grids by hinge-like catches
to the internal pipe mentioned under the above third and fourth heads,
and support the outer ends of the said grids by props. When it is desired
to withdraw a charge the side props are removed and the grids allowed to
fall into an angular position, thereby allowing quick discharge of sulphate.
To reinstate the grids in position it is simply necessary to raise and prop
them at the sides.
Eighth. As means for supporting the cylinder and fluc covers I form
the internal pipe mentioned under the third and fourth heads with flanges
at or near its top. The cylinder and fluc covers are caused to rest on the
said flanges.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrative of the first part of my Invention.
a, scries of chambers; b, condensing tower and tubes; c, pipe leading
from the converting chamber a¹ to the condensing tower. The pipe c
serves to convey away waste gases before discharging a', and facilitates
the cooling of the finished sulphate.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation illustrative of the second part of my
Invention. d, pipe through which the waste gases from the converting
chambers enter the fan chamber e by the eye f; g, fan shaft; h, bearings
at a distance from the fan chamber; i, disc dipping into the trough of
water to keep the shaft h cool.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrative of the third, sixth, seventh, and
eighth heads of my Invention. a, converting chamber; k, internal
pipe resting on the bottom of a, and supporting the covers thereof by
means of the flanges 7. The pipe serves as means for cooling the
charge of sulphate should the temperature rise too high; this is done
by raising the valves m, and allowing a current of cold air to flow through
k. n, baffle plates to prevent the air from descending through the centre
of ; o, valves to connect the space p between the cylinder covers with
kso as to heat when necessary the internal pipe, and with it the charge;
q, hinges for the grids r. When the props & are removed. the grids fall
towards the doors t, and allow of easy removal of the charge.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrative of the fourth and fifth parts of
my Invention. a, chamber; k, internal pipe containing the pipe u;
v, pipe connecting a to a chimney or artificial draught producer. By
means of the pipe va current of hot or cold air can be caused to pass
down through and up through k, or vice versa. k may, as described
under head six, be connected to the space p by valves."
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and particu.
larized the same, I claim,-
First. Connecting a chamber with condensing apparatus, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. Constructing fan apparatus, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.

page_text: In the presence of
JAMES JOHNSON,
4, Clayton Square,
°
Liverpool.
THOMAS ROBINSON. (L.S.)