IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLEACHED OZOKERITE AND APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Lloyd Wise at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th January 1876.
A communication
-
from abroad by Simon Rössler, Civil Engineer, of Vienna, Austria.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi, in the County of
Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLEACHED OZOKERITE AND
APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE." (A communication to me from abroad by Simon
Rössler, Civil Engineer, of Vienna, Austria.)
This Invention of improvements in the manufacture of bleached ozokerite is
described as follows by my foreign correspondent:-
This new method includes the following manipulations :-
1. Evaporation of the volatile matters by heating the ozokerite in an iron vessel
Fig. 1, until it is entirely melted, and afterwards by the passage of dry or super-
heated steam by means of the steam distributor, Fig. 2. The vessel is made of sheet
iron and furnished with a rim B. In a corner of the vessel is a discharging hole C
which may be easily closed and opened by means of a conical plug valve D; it is
set in such a manner that the corner is slightly inclined in order to obtain a
complete discharge of the ozokerite. The introduction of steam to the melted
ozokerite is effected by means of pipes at the bottom of the vessel Fig. 2 (distributor
of steam). The steam enters by a main conducting pipe a into the bifurcated pipe
b, b, and thence into the horizontal pipes c, c, connected with the proper steami
distributors d, d. The whole system of pipes is made of iron and connected by
screws, and at the ends of the pipes are clearing. holes closed by screw plugs. The
steam introduced into the melted ozokerite as through a rose expels the volatile
parts remaining in the ozokerite at a temperature of 100° C. The passage of steam
is continued as long as the escape of volatile matters is perceptible. The steam
must not have a less pressure than 20 kilos. on the square inch.
2. Carbonization by sulphuric acid of the fusible matters (impurities) in the
ozokerite. The melted ozokerite from which the volatile portions have been
-evaporated, is emptied into buckets and poured into the carbonizing pan a, Fig. 3.
This pan or vessel is also- made of sheet iron, but lined with lead in order to
prevent its destruction by the sulphuric acid. The melted ozokerite is heated
directly to 130° - 150° C. and dissolved (treated) by sulphuric acid (of 6°) which
has been previously heated to 130° - 150° C. The mass is to be continually
stirred up.
In order to obtain a slow and regular admission of the acid into the

page_text: mass of melted ozokerite, I employ the distributor of acid b formed of lead pipes
and arranged in the same manner as the steam distributor, but it is moveable so
that it can be removed behind the pan upon rollers f running upon rails. The lead
pipes & have on their under side a large number of outlet holes through which the
acid falls in small drops into the pan. The acid is introduced by means of the
funnel a, Fig. 6, and to facilitate pouring I employ a lead syphon, Fig. 5, provided
with a cock and adapted at a proper height in the centre of the carbonizing pan.
The syphon has a funnel with a plug, by which funnel the syphon is filled.
the introduction of the acid I maintain the melted and acidified mass, during two
hours at a temperature of 130° - 150° C., and continuous stirring is necessary to
effect a secretion of the carbonized particles, and prevent their agglomeration.
After two hours the mass is drawn out and poured into a vessel similar to the first
one.
3. Bleaching of the ozokerite, and elimination of the acid.
After
I employ in closed receivers a mixture in equal parts of a pulverized substance
composed of,-
1. Bituminous slate and marl made red hot and afterwards well pulverized,
which, by their carbonaceous qualities bleach the mass and neutralize the acid.
2. Animal charcoal produced. by heating to redness in closed vessels, the waste
portions of animals' bones excepted.
I pour 5 or 0% of this powder into the melted mass which is to be continually
stirred up, and kept during two hours at 150° C. Afterwards and before it begins
'to congeal, I withdraw it by buckets, and after complete hardening I subject it
between jute or silk envelopes or mats to a pressure of 2000 kilos. per square inch,
by means of an hydraulic hot press. This product being still yellow is again
thrown into the carbonizing vessel and heated to 150° C., while 50% of sulphuric
acid is added. After the conclusion of the second process of carbonization I add
again 5 to 6% of the above bleaching powder, and I keep the mass during two or
three hours at 150° C. Afterwards I pour the melted mass into tins of a size
proportioned to the dimensions of the plates of the hot press. After complete
congealing, the cakes are carefully pressed; however as the pressed product still
contains a small quantity of impalpable carbon, I pass it through a silk or jute
filter (very strong and bleached tissue) in a warm filtering apparatus, Fig. 7. This
apparatus is composed of a sheet iron cylinder with double plates a, perforated false
bottom b, and conical discharging hole c. Cocks are placed at g and h for regulating
the admission and discharge of steam for heating the filter. The melted and
filtered mass is finally poured into forms.