IMPROVED COMPOUND LUBRICATING OILS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Miles Williams and John Lamb, both of Wigan,
in the County of Lancaster, Oil Refiners, for the Invention of
"IMPROVED COMPOUND LUBRICATING OILS."
Sealed the 31st January 1871, and dated the 12th November 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Miles Williams and
John Lamb at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 12th November 1870.
We, MILES WILLIAMS and JOHN LAMB, both of Wigan, in the County
of Lancaster, Oil Refiners, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVED COMPOUND LUBRICATING OILS," to be as follows:-
Our improved compound lubricating oils consist of mixtures of
oleaginous substances, more particularly oils, with alkalies or with soap
(especially soft soap), or soap and water, the effect being to neutralize
the acids of the oils, or any free acid held by the oils after having
undergone the process of refining. The above-named materials when.

page_text: mixed in their proper proportions are thoroughly incorporated in a
suitable vessel, the incorporation of the materials being assisted when
necessary by the addition of hot water and by the application of heat or
the injection of steam. A large or small proportion of water may be
used, but the oleajinous matter should always predominate. The pro-
portion of oloajinous matter may be varied according to the consistency
required and to suit the cost.
We believe the best and simplest form of the compound to be when
mixed in the following proportions:-120 gallons of rape oil, 30 pounds
of soft soap. Or, 120 gallons of sperm oil, 28 pounds of soft soap. To
either of which should be added a small quantity of tallow to give
consistency. Or, 350 gallons of sperm or rape oil, 112 pounds of tallow,
112 pounds of soft soap dissolved in 112 gallons of hot water. Or,
100 gallons of sperm, rape, or other oil separately or intermixed,
10 gallons (or 100 pounds) of potass.
The whole process is a saponification of oil or oleajinous matter, but
differs from the process of hard soap making from the fact that the
alkali lies are not withdrawn during the process of manufacture, and
from soft soap making from the fact that the water in the compound is
not evaporated, and that the compound contains a smaller proportion
of alkali, whilst soft soap contain an excess of alkali and little or no
water.
Our compounds have the appearance of a creamy unbroken emulsion,
the consistency whereof may be varied by using different proportions of
the materials, but the compounds are always in a liquid state, however
long kept, varying in consistency from the most fluid to the least fluid
of oils, so that they can be used for all purposes of lubricating with the
same facility and in the same manner as ordinary oils, but with greater
economy and cleanliness. All oils and fats may be treated by this process,
after which they afford much greater advantages as lubricants.
The special features of our compounds are that they do not become
dry, gummy, semi-solid, or solid, even after much exposure to the
atmosphere; that they are intended expressly to be used for lubricating
machinery, especially steam and air cylinders; and that they prevent
corrosion and oxidising, and are cooling to the bearings of machinery,
whilst other lubricating compounds (such as locomotive grease). are
made in a solid or semi-solid state at the temperature of the atmosphere,

page_text: are corrosive and heating to bearings, are fluid only when combined
or mixed with a very large proportion of water, and become dry from
evaporation or by exposure to the atmosphere.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Miles Williams and John Lamb in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 3rd February 1871..
☐
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, MILES
WILLIAMS and JOHN LAMB, both of Wigan, in the County of Lancaster,
Oil Refiners, and Distillers, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the
day of
3.
'
in the
in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs. and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Miles Williams and John Lamb, Her special
licence that we, the said Miles Williams and John Lamb, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Miles Williams
and John Lamb, our exccutors, 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 Inven-.
tion for "IMPROVED COMPOUND LUBRICATING OILS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Miles Williams and John Lamb, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly describo
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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Miles Williams and John Lamb,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our improved compound lubricating oils consist of mixtures of
olcajinous substances, more particularly oil, with alkalies or with soap

page_text: (especially soft soap), or soap and water, the effect being to neutralize
the acids of the oils, or any free acids held by the oils after having
undergone the process of refining. The above-named materials, when
mixed in their proper proportions, are thoroughly incorporated in a
suitable vessel, the incorporation of the materials being assisted when
necessary by the addition of hot water and by the application of heat or
the injection of steam. A large or small proportion of water may be
used, but the oleajinous matter should always predominate. The pro-
portion of oleajinous matter may be varied according to the consistency
required and to suit the cost.
We believe the best and simplest form of the compound to be when
mixed in the following proportions:-120 gallons of rape oil, 30 pounds
of soft soap. Or, 120 gallons of sperm oil, 28 pounds of soft soap. To
either of which should be added a small quantity of tallow to give
consistency. Or, 350 gallons of sperm or rape oil, 112 pounds of tallow,
112 pounds of soft soap dissolved in 112 gallons of hot water. Or,
100 gallons of sperm, rape, or other oil separately or intermixed,
10 gallons (or 100 pounds) of potass.
The whole process is a saponification of oil or oleajinous matter, but
differs from the process of hard soap making from the fact that the
alkali lies are not withdrawn during the process of manufacture, and
from soft soap making from the fact that the water in the compound is
not evaporated, and that the compound contains a smaller proportion
of alkali, whilst soft soap contains an excess of alkali and little or no
water.
Our compounds have the appearance of a creamy unbroken emulsion,
the consistency whereof may be varied by using different proportions of
the materials, but the compounds are always in a liquid state, however
long kept, varying in consistency from the most fluid to the least fluid
of oils, so that they can be used for all purposes of lubricating with the
same facility and in the same manner as ordinary oils, but with greater
economy and cleanliness. All oils and fats may be treated by this process,
after which they afford much greater advantages as lubricants.
The special features of our compounds are that they do not burn or
become dry, gummy, semi-solid, or solid, even after much exposure to a
the atmosphere; that they are intended expressly to be used for lubri-
cating machinery, especially steam and air cylinders; and that they
prevent corrosion and oxidising, and are cooling to the bearings of

page_text: machinery, whilst other lubricating compounds (such as locomotive
grease) are made in a solid or semi-solid state at the temperature of the
atmosphere, are corrosive and heating to bearings, are fluid only when
combined or mixed with a very large proportion of water, and become
dry from evaporation or by exposure to the atmosphere.
In witness whereof, the said Miles Williams and John Lamb have
hereunto set their hands and scals, this Twenty-third day of
January One thousand cight hundred and seventy-one.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
above-named Miles Williams and
John Lamb, in the presence of
WILLIAM LEADER,.
Solicitor,
23, King St.,
Wigan.
MILES WILLIAMS. (L.S.)
JOHN LAMB.
(L.S.)