IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING A CERTAIN COMPOUND OF SODA BY THE DECOMPOSITION OF SULPHATE OF SODA, AND A CERTAIN COMPOUND OF POTASSA BY THE DECOMPO- SITION OF SULPHATE OF POTASSA; ALSO IN OBTAINING SULPHUR EITHER PREE OR COMBINED FROM THE GASEOUS PRODUCTS OF SUCH DECOMPOSITIONS
Year: 1869

page_text: LEITERS PATENT to William Gossage, of Widnes, in the County
Palatine of Lancaster, Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN OBTAINING A CERTAIN COMPOUND OF SODA BY THE DECOMPOSITION OF
SULPHATE OF SODA, AND A CERTAIN COMPOUND OF POTASSA BY THE DECOMPO-
SITION OF SULPHATE OF POTASSA; ALSO IN OBTAINING SULPHUR EITHER PREE
OR COMBINED FROM THE GASEOUS PRODUCTS OF SUCH DECOMPOSITIONS."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Gossage at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th November 1869.
I, WILLIAM GOSSAGE, of Widnes, in the County Palatine of
Lancaster, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING A CERTAIN COMPOUND OF SODA BY THE
DECOMPOSITION OF SULPHATE OF SODA, AND A CERTAIN COMPOUND OF POTASSA BY
THE DECOMPOSITION OF SULPHATE OF POTASSA ; ALSO IN OBTAINING SULPHUR EITHER
FREE OR COMBINED FROM THE GASEOUS PRODUCTS OF SUCH DECOMPOSITIONS," to be
as follows:-
The objects of my Invention are to obtain hydrate of soda by
decomposing sulphate of soda by the joint action of carbon and vapour

page_text: of water at a high temperature, and to obtain hydrate of potassa by
decomposing sulphate of potassa by the joint action of carbon and
vapour of water at a high temperature; also to obtain sulphur cither
uncombined or in a state of useful combination from the gascous
products of such decomposition of sulphate of soda or of sulphate of
potassa.
a gas
I will describe in the first instance my Invention as applied to the
decomposition of sulphate of sota. I provide an apparatus consisting
of a vertical hollow tower constructed of fire-bricks or other suitable
material properly bound together, and I nearly fill such tower with
pieces of coke or of other suitable carbonaceous material. I also
provide a heating apparatus such as is commonly known as
furnace; and I connect this furnace with the tower containing pieces of
coke or of other suitable carbonaceous material in such manner that the
inflammable gases proceeding from the gas furnace can be caused to
pass through the said tower, percolating through the interstices existing
between the pieces of coke or other suitable carbonaceous material con-
tained therein. I prefer that this current of gases should be from the
upper part of the tower downwards, and afterwards pass through
apertures provided at the lower part of the tower. I provide for a
regulated supply of atmospherical air and of water in the state of
vapour being admitted into the tower, together with the inflammable
gases proceeding from the gas furnace, and thus to cause combustion of
such gases in the said tower. By these means a very high temperature
is produced in the tower, and the coke or other carbonaceous material
contained therein becomes highly heated. I then cause sulphate of soda
to be introduced into the upper part of the tower, and this becoming:
fused by the action of heat therein flows downwards over the heated
picces of coke or other carbonaceous material. As the fused sulphate
comes into contact with the highly heated carbon it undergoes decom-
position, yielding sulphide of sodium and carbonic acid gas. As this
action takes place in an atmosphere containing vapour of water the
sulphide of sodium becomes decomposed by such vapour of water,
yielding hydrate of soda and sulphide of hydrogen, and the sulphide of
hydrogen becomes wholly or partially decomposed by carbonic acid
present, yielding free sulphur in the state of vapour and sulphide of
carbon, and in the event of the sulphide of hydrogen not being entirely
decomposed the undecomposed portion of this gas remains in mixture
with the other gaseous products of the operation. All these products flow

page_text: downwards through the tower. The hydrate of soda being in a state of
fusion is allowed to flow out from the lower part of the tower, and the
gaseous products are conducted into other apparatus. to be subjected to
other operations for obtaining sulphur either uncombined or in a state of
useful combination therefrom.
The foregoing description of my Invention, as this applics to the
treatment of sulphate of soda, also applies to the treatment of sulphate
of potassa for the production of similar results.
The gaseous products, which I have referred to as being conducted
from the tower into other apparatus to be subjected to operations for
obtaining sulphur cither uncombined or in a state of useful combination
therefrom, contain free sulphur in the state of vapour and sulphur
combined with carbon. Both these products are readily obtained by
cooling and condensation by well-known means. In the event of some
sulphide of hydrogen having escaped decomposition in the tower this
compound will form part of the mixed gaseous products which are being
conducted from the tower and will require to be subjected to operations
for obtaining sulphur therefrom. The free sulphur and sulphide of
carbon having been separated by condensation, as above mentioned,
sulphur in the state of sulphide of hydrogen forming part of the
residual gases can be extracted from such gases by firstly bringing these
into intimate contact with hydrated peroxide or sesqui oxide of
manganese; or, secondly, by effecting such contact with peroxide of
iron; or, thirdly, by causing the hydrogen of such sulphide of hydrogen
to undergo combustion with a regulated admixture of atmospherical air
and subsequent cooling and condensation of the vapour of sulphur
thereby produced.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Gossage in the Great Scal Patent Oflice on
the 14th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
GoSSAGE, of Widnes, in the County Palatine of Lancaster, Chemist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
5 Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of November, in the year

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
'third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Gossage, Her special licence
that I, the said William Gossage, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Gossage, 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, excrcise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ircland, the
..Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OBTAINING A CERTAIN COMPOUND OF SODA BY THE DECOMPOSITION OF SULPHATE OF
SODA, AND A CERTAIN COMPOUND OF POTASSA BY THE DECOMPOSITION OF SULPHATE
OF POTASSA; ALSO IN OBTAINING SULPHUR EITHER FREE OR COMBINED FROM THE
GASEOUS PRODUCTS OF SUCH DECOMPOSITIONS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Gossage, my executors or adminis-
.trators, 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 per-
formed, 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 Gossage, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked therean (that is to
say) :-
The objects of my Invention are to obtain hydrate of soda by
decomposing sulphate of soda by the joint action of carbon and vapor
of water at a high temperature, and to obtain hydrate of potassa by
decomposing sulphate of potassa by the joint action of carbon and
vapor of water at a high temperature; also to obtain sulphur cither
uncombined or in a state of useful combination from the gascous
products of such decomposition of sulphate of soda or of sulphate of
.potassa.
I will describe in the first instance my Invention as applied to the
decomposition of sulphate of soda. I provide an apparatus consisting
of a vertical hollow tower constructed of fire-bricks or other suitable

page_text: material properly bound together, and I nearly fill such tower with
pieces of coke or of other suitable carbonaceous material. I also provide
a heating apparatus, such as is commonly known as a gas furnace, and
.I connect this furnace with the tower containing pieces of coke or of other
suitable carbonaceous material in such manner that the inflammable gases
proceeding from the gas furnace can be caused to pass through the said
tower, percolating through the interstices existing between the pieces
of coke or of other suitable carbonaceous material contained therein.
I cause this current of gases to be from the upper part of the tower
downwards, and afterwards pass through apertures provided at the lower
part of the tower. I provide for a regulated supply of atmospherical
air and of water in the state of vapor being admitted into the tower
together with the inflammable gases proceeding from the gas furnace,
and thus to cause combustion of such gases in the said tower. By
these means a very high temperature is produced in the tower, and the
coke or other carbonaceous material contained therein becomes highly
heated. I then cause sulphate of soda (either in a solid state or in a
state of fusion) to be introduced into the upper part of the tower, and
.this becoming fused (if introduced in a solid state by tho action of licat
therein) flows downwards over the heated pieces of coke or of other
carbonaceous material. As the fused sulphate comes into contact with
the highly heated carbon it undergoes decomposition, yielding sulphide
of sodium and carbonic. acid gas. As this action takes place in an
atmosphere containing vapor of water the sulphide of sodium becomes
decomposed by such vapor of water, yielding hydrate of soda and
sulphide of hydrogen, and this last-named gas (or some portion of it)
becomes decomposed by carbonic acid present, yielding free sulphur in
the state of vapor and some sulphide of carbon, and in the event of
the sulphide of hydrogen produced not being entirely decomposed the
undecomposed portion of this gas remains in mixture with the other
gaseous products of the operation. All these products flow downwards
through the tower. The hydrate of soda being in a state of fusion is
allowed to flow out from the lower part of the tower, and the gascous
products are conducted into other apparatus to be subjected to
operations for obtaining sulphur (cither uncombined or in a state of
useful combination) therefrom.
The foregoing description of my improvements in treating sulphate
of soda for obtaining hydrate of soda and sulphur either free or
combined therefrom also applies to the treatment of sulphate of potassa

page_text: for obtaining hydrate of potassa and sulphur either free or combined
therefrom.
The
The gaseous products to which I have referred as being conducted
from the tower into other apparatus to be subjected to operations for
obtaining sulphur either uncombined or in a state of useful combination
therefrom contain free sulphur in the state of vapor and sulpbur
combined with carbon. Both these products are casily obtained by
cooling and condensation by well known means; also some sulphide of
hydrogen, which will form part of the mixed non-condensible gascous
products which are being conducted from the tower, and will require
to be subjected to operations for obtaining sulphur therefrom.
free sulphur and sulphide of carbon having been separated from the
gaseous mixture by cooling and condensation as above mentioned
sulphur can be extracted from such gases, firstly, by bringing these
gases into intimate contact with hydrated peroxide or hydrated sesqui-
oxide of manganese; or, secondly, by effecting such contact with
hydrated peroxide of iron; or, thirdly, by causing the hydrogen of such
sulphide of hydrogen to undergo combustion with a regulated admixture
of atmospherical air, and subsequent cooling and condensation of the
vapor of sulphur thereby produced.
I will now describe the apparatus which I have found suitable for
effecting the objects of my Invention, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed and the letters and figures marked thereon.
This apparatus comprises a square tower A containing a column of
coke or coal (when the latter material is used it is speedily converted
into coke, therefore the column may be regarded as the coke column).
This tower is formed of iron plates B lined with fire-bricks C. This
column of coke rests on a base B which is also coated with fire-
bricks C⚫. At a distance of about two fect from its base the internal
dimensions of the tower are contracted suddenly to one half as at E,
from which point the capacity of the tower is enlarged gradually until
its first dimensions are regained, so as to form a hopper. A similar
provision is made in the upper part of the tower at F.
These arrangements will be clearly understood by referring to the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
The object of these arrangements is to provide an unobstructed channel
or passage for gases or steam round the column of coke at each of the
positions marked E and F. At D there is provided an aperture capable

page_text: of being closed communicating with the interior of the tower A, through
which hydrate of soda or hydrate of potassa (as the case may be) in
a state of fusion by heat can be run off. G, G, are pipes furnished
with stop cocks communicating with the interior of the tower A below
the part F. These pipes serve for the admission of steam into the
channel or passage surrounding the column of coke below the part F;
His an opening provided with a door or stopper J for supplying coke or
coal into the tower A; P is an opening provided with a regulating
damper for the admission of air into the tower A; K is a fluc or passage
for the escape of gases from the tower A. These gases are conducted
under a cooling pan marked L, in which water is kept for the purpose of
cooling the gases as these pass from the tower A to the vessel V. Such
a quantity of cold water is supplied to the pan L as may be found
sufficient to reduce the heat of the gases passing into the vessel V to
a temperature between three hundred and four hundred degrees of
Fahrenheit's thermometer. At these temperatures sulphur in a state of
vapor becomes fluid. The vessel V is nearly filled with broken firc-
bricks supported on a grating near the bottom, which serve to present
condensing surfaces to vapors passing through the same; M is an
aperture (provided with a stopper) for running off fluid sulphur from the
vessel V; N is a pipe for conducting uncondensed vapors from the
vessel V to a centrifugal fan O. These vapors should not have been
cooled down below a temperature of two hundred and forty degrees of
Fahrenheit's thermometer, or something above the melting point of
sulphur. This temperature can be regulated by the greater or less
admission of cold water into the cooling pan L. The centrifugal fan O
should possess the needful draft power to determine a sufficient admission
of atmospherical air into the gas furnace, also into the aperture P and
to maintain the current of gases through the whole apparatus. The
centrifugal fan O delivers the vapors and gases passing through it into
a condensing apparatus similar to those used for the condensation of
vapors proceeding from distillation of alcohol, and the vapor of sulphide
of carbon becomes condensed into a fluid and may be collected for use.
The sulphide of hydrogen together with other non-condensible gases
remains uncondensed and is conducted to other apparatus to be subjected
to the treatment herein-before mentioned for obtaining free sulphur.
therefrom. The upper part of the tower A is surmounted by a flue Q,
on which is placed an iron hopper R into which is introduced sulphate
of soda or sulpliate of potassa (as the case may be); the lower part of

page_text: this hopper has a perforated plate, and this is covered with another
perforated plate attached to a vertical spindle on which is fixed a toothed
wheel, and this has another wheel geared into it by which rotary motion
can be given to the spindle and plate. When the openings in the two
plates correspond with each other sulphate of soda or sulphate of potassa
(as the case may be) passes from the hopper R through the flue Q into
the upper part of the tower A and falls on the column of highly heated
coke contained therein; the quantity so introduced can be regulated by
the speed at which the upper plate is made to rotate. S is the gas
furnace herein-before referred to. It is constructed of iron plates lined
with brickwork, and has an opening T covered with a plate at its upper
part, through which coal or coke can be introduced. Air enters through
the grating U. The carbonic oxide and other inflammable gases produced
pass through the fluc W into the tower A. A suitable quantity of air
for the combustion of these inflammable gases is admitted through the
aperture P.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements
in Obtaining a Certain Compound of Soda by the Decomposition of
Sulphate of Soda, and a Certain Compound of Potassa by the Decom-
position of Sulphate of Potassa, also in Obtaining Sulphur either Free
or Combined from the Gaseous Products of such Decompositions," and
having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish
it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent
I claim,
Firstly. The production of hydrate of soda and hydrate of potassa by
the decomposition of sulphate of soda or of sulphate of potassa, sub-
stantially in the manner herein-before described.
Secondly. Obtaining sulphur either free or combined in the manu-
facture of hydrate of soda or hydrate of potassa, substantially in the
manner herein-before described.
In witness whercof, I, the said William Gossage, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.