IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES OF SODA AND OF POTASSA, AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF CHLORINE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hargreaves, of Widnes, in the County
of Lancaster, Ohemist, and Thomas Robinson, of the same Place,
Ironfounder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF SULPHATES OF SODA AND OF POTASSA, AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF
CHLORINE."
Scaled the 5th September 1873, and dated the 7th March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hargreaves
and Thomas Robinson at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 7th March 1873.
Wo, JAMES HARGREAVES, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster,
Chemist, and THOMAS ROBINSON, of the same Place, Ironfounder, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES OF SODA AND OF POTASSA, AND IN THE PRO-
DUCTION OF CHLORINE,” to bo as follows :—
Our said Invention consists of a novel method of manufacturing
sulphate of soda or sulphate of potassa, and at the same time producing
chlorine. We avail ourselves of the same reactions which occur in the

page_text: furnace when cupreous pyrites is roasted with common salt preparatory
to separating the copper by the well-known wet process; we do so
however without the presence of large quantities of oxide of iron, and
in such manner that the said sulphates or either of them and the
chlorine produced are more readily and practically available for ordinary
uses.
In carrying our improvements into practice we add copper or a salt
thereof to chloride of sodium or chloride of potassium or either of them
in any desired quantity, but preferably in such proportion as will be
equivalent to one pound of copper to each ton of chloride, and afterwards
expose the mixed mass in a chamber to the action of sulphurous acid
and atmospheric air preferably by causing them to flow or filter through
amongst the mass of chloride. If desired the chlorides aforesaid or
cither of them may be moulded or broken into piecos of suitable
size. Manganese or chromium, or the salts thereof, may be substituted
for copper.
The apparatus which we use are those described in the Specifications
of Inventions for which we obtained Her Majesty's Letters Patent
No. 3015 of the year 1870, No. 3047 of the year 1870, No. 1733 of the
year 1871, No. 1854 of the year 1871, No. 1920 of the year 1871, and
No. 3052 of the year 1872.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES 2
HARGREAVES, of Widnes, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist, and
THOMAS ROBINSON, of the same Place, Ironfounder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the 3
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robin-
son, Iler special licence that we, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas
Robinson, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as

page_text: we, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson, our 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
3 vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, tho
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATES OF SODA AND OF POTASSA, AND IN THE PRO-
DUCTION OF CHLORINE," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said James Hargreaves and Thomas Robinson, our executors or admi-
nistrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 bo
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 we, the said James Hargreaves and Thomas
Robinson, 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 Invention consists of a novel method of manufacturing sulphato
of soda, or sulphate of potassa, and at the same time producing chlorine.
Wo avail ourselves of the same reactions which occur in the furnace
where cupreous pyrites is roasted with common salt preparatory to
separating the copper by the well-known wet process; we do so, how-
ever, without the presence of large quantities of oxide of iron, and
in such manner that the said sulphates, or either of them, and the
chlorine produced aro more readily and practically available for ordinary
uscs.
In carrying our improvements into practice we add copper or a
salt thereof, to chloride of sodium, or chloride of potassium or either
of them in any desired quantity, but preferably in such proportion
as will be equivalent to one pound of copper to each ton of chloride,
and afterwards expose the mixed mass in a chamber to the action of
sulphurous acid and atmospheric air preferably by causing them to flow
or filter through amongst the mass. If desired the chlorides aforesaid
or either of them may be moulded or broken into pieces of suitable
size, manganese or chromium, or the salts thereof may be substituted for
copper.
•

page_text: The means and apparatus which we use are those described in the
Specifications of Inventions for which we obtained Her Majesty's
Letters Patent, No. 3045 of the year 1870, No. 3047 of the year 1870,
No. 1733 of the year 1871, No. 1854 of the year 1871, No. 1920 of the
year 1871, and No. 3052 of the year 1872.
}
I
Having now described the nature of our said Invention and par-
ticularized the same in such manner that others will be enabled to carry
our improvements into effect, we claim, adding copper, manganese, and
chromium or the salts thereof to chloride of sodium or chloride of
potassium, previous to reacting thereon with sulphurous acid, sub- 1
stantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hargreaves, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three. .
In the presence of,
JAMES JOHNSON,
Clerk to J. T. King,
Liverpool.
JAMES HARGREAVES. (L.B.)
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