IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FATS AND OILS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE of SOAP THEREFROM."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Anthony Burghardt, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Doctor of Philosophy, Analytical and Consulting
Chemist, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF
ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FATS AND OILS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE of
SOAP THEREFROM."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Anthony Burghardt
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th December 1880.
CHARLES ANTHONY BURGHARDT, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
Doctor of Philosophy, Analytical and Consulting Chemist.
THE TREATMENT OF ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FATS AND OILS, AND IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SOAP THEREFROM."
My said Invention relates to a novel method of treating animal and vegetable
fats and oils, and is carried into effect in the following manner :-
The raw material, either a fat such as raw mutton, or beef tallow, or palm oil,
or other vegetable or animal oil, is placed in a jacketted retort which is treated by
high pressure steam or other source of heat to about 260° to 360° Fahrenheit.
When the fat or oil begins to volatilize, air either cold or heated is blown into the
retort above the level of the liquid oil or fat, and into the vapour arising therefrom,
so that the current of air carries along with it the fatty acids and oils which are
condensed by suitable condensing apparatus and collected. Gaseous carbonic acid
or other gas which does not exert an injurious effect upon the fats may also be used
for carrying away the fatty acids and oil, but I prefer to use cold air. The fatty
acids when solid are collected over water, melted, and then pressed, when the solid
or hard fatty acids remain behind and the oil passes through.
In the manufacture of soap I pass the vapour of the fatty acids and oils directly
into the caustic lye, which may be either hot or cold. The current of air containing
the oils and fatty acids passes through a suitable vessel or series of vessels
containing the caustic lye (made either from caustic soda, caustic potash, ammonia
liquor, caustic lime, or other alkali or alkaline earth) until all the fat or oil
originally taken is used up. The emulsion thus obtained is then boiled or treated
in the usual way for soap making. The current of air in all the operations may
be obtained from a fan or other suitable blowing apparatus.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Anthony Burghardt in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th June 1881.
CHARLES ANTHONY BURGHARDT, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Doctor of Philosophy, Analytical and Consulting Chemist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT OF ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FATS AND OILS, AND IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SOAP THEREFROM."
My said Invention relates to a novel method of treating animal and vegetable
fats and oils, and is carried into effect in the following manner :-
The raw material, either a fat such as raw mutton or beef tallow, or palm oil, or
other vegetable or animal oil or greasy matter, is placed in a jacketted retort which
is heated by high pressure steam, or in a retort otherwise heated to a temperature
which will volatilize the fat or oil without charring it. When the fat or oil begins
to volatilize air is blown into the retort and carries over the fatty acids and oils
which are condensed by suitable condensing apparatus and are collected. Gaseous
carbonic acid, or other gas which does not exert an injurious effect upon the fats,
may also be used for carrying away the fatty acids and oil, but I prefer to use
atmospheric air, either alone or in combination or conjunction with superheated
steam. In some cases it is only necessary to blow the air or the mixed air and
steam into the space above the liquid fat or oil, and in other cases it is advisable
to discharge the air or air and steam into the body of the liquid. The current of
air, or of air and steam issuing from the retort carries over the fatty acids and oils
in a more or less solid and finely divided condition. I conduct the said current
carrying the fatty acids and oils into a chamber or into chambers which is or are
fitted with baffle plates or partitions in such a suitable manner as that the current.
in passing through the chamber or chambers deposits therein the solid fatty acids
which are removed at suitable intervals, and if necessary are pressed and purified
in the ordinary or in a suitable manner. When treating fat or greasy matter, or
$5 printers' grease," which contains alizarine or other colouring matters, the fatty
acids are carried over from the retort and the alizarine or colouring matter is left in
the residue in the retort, and when the said residue is withdrawn and is treated to
separate the small proportion of fat still remaining, the alizarine or colouring matter
is recovered. In such cases care must be taken that the temperature shall not be so
high as to char or decompose the alizarine. In the manufacture of soap I pass the
vapour of the fatty acids and oils, that is to say, the current carrying the said
fatty acids and oils directly into the lye, which may be made either of caustic soda,
caustic potash, carbonate of sodium, or carbonate of potassium, or other alkali, the
strength of the lyes depending on the quality of the fat or oil under treatment. If
a slight excess of alkali is used the ordinary so termed "salting-up," that is to say,
the addition to the lye of sodium chloride to bring up the soap is not usually
required. The fatty acids are "blown" into the lye until the alkali is nearly or
about neutralized. The lye is by preference contained in a closed tank or in
closed tanks, which is or are directly connected with the outlet pipe of the retort.
A series of tanks may be used, the tanks being so connected together as that the
vapours issuing from the lye in one tank are conveyed into the lye in the next
tank, whereby the escape of fatty acids is prevented or checked. I may convey
the said current into a small tank or chamber containing water to act as a washer
before passing the said current into the first lye tank. I prefer to employ hot air
and superheated steam in combination to carry over the fatty acids into the lye, and
and when so used the hot air and steam act to boil up the soap during its formation,
so that a saving of time is effected. The air has an important effect in aiding the

page_text: chemical re-action apart from its use as a vehicle to carry over the fatty acids.
The steam is used principally to prevent the charring of the matters and in the
making of soap to assist in the boiling of the same. By the employment of the
high temperature the fatty acids are separated from the glyceryl compounds
without the aid of sulphuric acid or of saponification.
Any suitable form of apparatus may be employed, but in order that the manner
in which I carry my Invention into effect may be well understood, I have attached
hereunto a Drawing which represents partly in section a suitable form of apparatus.
In the said Drawing, a is the retort which is heated by means of a furnace b. A
second furnace g is employed to heat a fire-clay chamber or heater c into which a
mixture of air and steam is forced. The air and steam are conveyed through the
pipe and superbeating coil d into the retort, and are discharged into the space
above the heated fatty matters. The current of steam and air carrying over the
fatty acids is conveyed by the outlet pipe e into the condensing chamber or the
lye tank, as the case may be, which chamber or tank is indicated by f.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my Invention and
the manner in which I carry the same into practical effect, I would have it
to be understood that I claim,―
First. The separation of fatty acids from fats or fatty matters and oils by the
employment of a high temperature for the purposes, and substantially as set forth
and indicated.
Secondly. The employment of air or of air and steam, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth and indicated.
And, Lastly, Blowing, discharging, or directing the vapours or fatty acids or
currents carrying over fatty acids directly into alkaline lyes, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Anthony Burghardt, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Signed, sealed, and delivered in
the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
41, John Dalton St.,
Manchester.
CHARLES A. BURGHARDT, (L.S.)
(Agent for the Patentee).