AN IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING AND WORKING SOAPY OR GREASY WATERS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE GREASY SUB- STANCES THEREFROM
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Teall, of Wakefield, in the County of York,
Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING AND
WORKING SOAPY OR GREASY WATERS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE GREASY SUB-
STANCES THEREFROM."
Sealed the 4th September 1855, and dated the 22nd June 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Teall, at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
June 1855.
I, WILLIAM TEALL, of Wakefield, in the County of York, Engineer, do..
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OF TREATING AND WORKING SOAPY OR GREASY WATERS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE
GREASY SUBSTANCES THEREPROM " to be as follows:-
First, the application of artificial heat to the soapy or greasy waters, in order
to assist and accelerate the action of the chemicals used for decomposing the
It is well known that the suds, or soapy or greasy waters, are received'
into proper cisterns, and in order to prepare them to be acted upon by the
chemicals employed they are to be left for several days. In order to avoid this

page_text: delay, steam is introduced into the suds, or soapy or greasy waters, while the
cisterns are being filled, and acid is added gradually, so that the decomposition
will be perfect by the time the cisterns are filled. Artificial heat may be
applied in any convenient way, so long as the principle of applying artificial
heat is adhered to.
Second, another mode of preparing the soapy or greasy waters for being
acted upon by the chemicals and avoiding the delay of several days is by
passing a current of air through them by the well-known means of an air
pump, or other convenient apparatus, which will in, a few hours produce the
same effect as the natural action of the atmospheric air would in several days.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Teall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
December 1855. -
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TEALL, of Wakefield, in the County of York, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second, day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Teall, Her special licence that. I, the said William Teall, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Teall, 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-" AN IMPROVED METHOD OF TREATING AND
WORKING SOAPY OR GREASY WATERS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE GREASY SUBSTANCES
THEREPROM," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Teall, 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 Teall, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
My Invention consists in subjecting the suds, soapy or greasy waters result-
ing from the washing of woollen and other textile fabrics, to a certain treatment
in order to assist and accelerate the action of the chemicals used for decom-
posing the same. It has been the practice in some manufactories to receive
the suds, or soapy or greasy waters of such washings, into proper cisterns, in
which, after being treated with sulphuric and other acids and chemicals, and
left for several days, they are subjected to evaporation. Now, my Invention
consists in subjecting such suds, or soapy or greasy waters, to the action of
artificial heat, as by the introduction of steam or hot air while the cisterns are
being filled, and acid or other chemicals are added gradually, so that the
decomposition will have taken place by the time the cisterns are filled. The
steam or hot air is introduced at such a temperature and in such manner as to
maintain the water and acid or other chemicals during the process of running
and filling the cistern at a temperature of from one hundred and fifty degrees
to one hundred and eighty degrees of Farenheit, which temperature I find well
suited for the purpose. The decomposition having taken place, the more
watery portion of the mixture is drawn off, and the other part placed into bags,
allowed to drain, and subjected to pressure for the separation of the soapy and
fatty matter, as heretofore.
It has been the practice in some manufactories to allow the suds, or soapy
or greasy waters from the washings of woollen and other textile fabrics, to
remain in cisterns or other suitable vessels, until by the action of the atmo-
sphere, either with or without the addition of acids, a decomposition and sepa-
Iration of the matters: take place. Now, my Invention also consists in subjecting
such suds, or soapy or greasy waters, to the action of a current or currents of
atmospheric air, forced in by an air pump, pan, or vane, with suitable distri-
buting apparatus, which will have the effect of preparing the waters for
decomposition and separation of the soapy and fatty matters contained therein
in a few hours, instead of requiring several days, as is necessary when the
The soapy
waters are exposed simply to atmospheric air, as heretofore.
and fatty matter of the water so treated may be separated by the same pro-
cesses as have heretofore been practised for such waters exposed simply to
atmospheric air.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I hereby declare the same to consist. first, in the
treatment of suds, soapy or fatty waters, by artificial heat, as above described.

page_text: Secondly, in subjecting suds, soapy or fatty waters, to currents of atmo-
spheric air as preparatory to the decomposition and separation of the soapy or
fatty matters, as above described.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal,
this Twenty-second day of December, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-five
WILLIAM TEALL. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the above-named
William Teall, in the presence of
JAMES ROBINSON, Chemist,
Wakefield.