IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND TREATMENT OF HYDROCHLORIC AND NITRIC ACIDS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isham Baggs, of High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Practical Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE AND TREATMENT OF HYDROCHLORIC AND NITRIC ACIDS"
Sealed the 11th June 1867, and dated the 13th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isham Baggs at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
December 1866.
I, ISHAM BAGGS, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Practical
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND TREATMENT OF HYDROCHLORIC AND NITRIC ACIDS,"
to be as follows:--
This Invention consists in certain improved processes whereby the water
combined with the crude hydrochloric and nitric acids of commerce, or a
portion thereof, together with the various impurities which commonly exist
therein, are separated from the acid by pouring thereon, or bringing in contact
therewith, cold or hot sulphuric acid with or without the aid of supplementary
heat; the vaporization thus effected may be conveniently conducted in a series
of Woolff's bottles made of earthenware, stoneware, glass, or other suitable
material. The acid to be vaporized or rectified is placed in the first vessel,
and water in the second, or second and third; sulphuric acid is then poured
into the first vessel, with or without the assistance of heat, and as the acid
passes over it is absorbed by the water in the second vessel until the water is
[Price 8d.]

page_text: saturated, any escape of acid being taken up by the water in the third vessel.
When the water in the respective vessels is saturated it is drawn off, and the
sulphuric acid, the heat giving and evaporative power of which is thus for the
time exhausted, is then also drawn off and again concentrated by the appli-
cation of heat, as well known, by which means it may be used again and
again for the same purpose as often as desired. The vessels intended for
condensation should be kept as cool as possible by surrounding them with
water or by other convenient means. Additional heat may be applied to the
first vessel or retort when necessary. The sulphuric acid instead of being
concentrated may be applied in a direct manner to various useful purposes, as,
for instance, to the manufacture of salt cake. Where strength and not purity
is the result sought for the second or second and third vessels may contain the
crude acid to be strengthened in place of water.
Although an arrangement of Woolff's bottles is herein-before mentioned as
being employed for the purposes of this Invention any analogous and suitable
arrangement may be adopted in which contact can be effected between the
hydrochloric acid, whether in the liquid or gaseous form, and the sulphuric
acid in order to secure the absorption of the water by the latter.
This Invention is especially applicable to hydrochloric acid, but may with
equal advantage be applied to nitric
1
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Isham Baggs in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISHAM
BAGGS, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Practical Chemist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Isham Baggs, Her special license that I, the said Isham Baggs, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Isham Baggs, 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

page_text: Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND
TREATMENT OF HYDROCHLORIC AND NITRIC ACIDS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Isham Baggs, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, 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 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 Isham Baggs, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say:-
My said Invention consists in certain improved processes whereby the
water combined with the crude hydrochloric and nitric acids of commerce, or
a portion thereof, together with various impurities which commonly exist
therein, are separated from the acid by pouring thereon, or bringing in contact
therewith, cold or hot sulphuric acid, with or without the aid of supplementary
heat. The separation thus effected may be conveniently conducted in a series
of Woolff's bottles made of earthenware, stoneware, glass, or other suitable
material. The acid or gas to be treated in accordance with my said Invention
is placed in the first vessel, and water in the second, or second and third;
sulphuric acid is then poured into the first vessel, with or without the
assistance of heat, and as the acid passes over it is absorbed by the water in
the second vessel, until the water is saturated, any escape of acid being taken
up by the water in the third vessel. When the water in the respective vessels
is saturated it is drawn off, and the sulphuric acid, the heat giving and
evaporative power of which is thus for the time exhausted, is then also drawn
off and again concentrated by the application of heat, as well known, by which
means it may be used over and over again for the same purpose as often as
desired.
The vessels intended for condensation should be kept as cool as possible by
surrounding them with water, or by other convenient and analogous means.
Additional heat may be applied to the first vessel or retort when necessary.
The sulphuric acid instead of being afterwards concentrated as before
mentioned may be applied in a direct manner to various useful purposes, as,
for instance, to the manufacture of salt cake. In cases in which strength
and not purity is the result desired, the second and third vessels may contain
the crude acid to be strengthened in place of water.
Although an arrangement of Woolff's bottles is herein-before mentioned as

page_text: being employed for the purposes of this Invention, any analogous and suitable
arrangement may be adopted in which contact can be effected between the
hydrochloric acid, whether in the liquid or gaseous state, and the sulphuric
acid, in order to secure the absorption of the water by the latter.
I should here observe that the principles of this Invention may be applied
for the purification of hydrochloric acid or gas in the process of manufacture,
as will be well understood by persons conversant with such operations.
In the preceding observations I have spoken of the treatment of hydro-
chloric acid to which my said Invention is especially applicable, but it may
with equal advantage be applied to nitric acid when the latter is weak or
impure.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion,
that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting
the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent are,
First. the application of direct and supplementary heat in the processes
before mentioned, and also the application of refrigeratory means for the rapid
and effectual condensation of the acid gases.
Secondly, the recovery and direct utilization of the sulphuric acid employed
in the before-mentioned processes.
And, thirdly, the general arrangement and combination of the methods and
processes herein-before mentioned for effecting the purposes aforesaid, or any
mre modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isham Baggs, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
E. P. H. VAUGHAN,
54, Chancery Lane.
ISHAM BAGGs. (L.S.)