IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF LIGNITE OR WOOD COAL, AND IN OBTAINING VARIOUS USEFUL PRODUCTS THEREFROM
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edme Jules Maumené, of Reims, in France,
Professor of Chemistry, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT OF LIGNITE OR WOOD COAL, AND IN OBTAINING VARIOUS
USEFUL PRODUCTS THEREFROM."
Sealed the 11th April 1854, and dated the 12th October 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edme Jules Mau-
mené at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 12th October 1853.
I, EDME JULES MAUMENÉ, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF LIGNITE OR WOOD
COAL, AND IN OBTAINING VARIOUS USEFUL PRODUCTS THERFFROM," to be as
follows:-
I carbonize the lignite or wood coal in a retort, either with or with-
out the introduction of ordinary steam or over-heated steam, and I
collect the volatile products, containing a thick yellow tarry liquid and
ammonia and hydrocyanate and other salts of ammonia. A quantity.
of combustible gas is also given off, which may be burnt under the
retort, or used for heating other vessels, or for other purposes. The
carbonized lignite, which is generally reduced to powder by the car-

page_text: bonization, is washed in dilute muriatic acid, or other acid capable of
dissolving the oxide or sulphuret of iron or other impurities which are
contained in the lignite; it is afterwards washed with water to re-
move the acid, and dried and ground to a fine powder which forms
a black pigment, and may be used with oil or water or varnish, like
other pigments, and employed as a paint, or for making blacking or
printers' ink, or for other similar purposes. The colour of the pigment
may be varied by afterwards calcining it with an alkali or alkaline
salt, or by calcining the lignite in the first instance with alkali, and
washing with water or dilute acid. The substance thus obtained from
the lignite is applicable for decolorizing solutions of sugar or other
solutions, and its decolorizing power may be increased by calcining it
with other suitable materials, such as refuse, wool, tartar, sawdust, &c.
It may also be used for preparing an artificial fuel-by mixing it with the
tarry liquid above mentioned, or with other tar, and carbonizing it again.
The yellow tarry liquid. is distilled; and yields an oil, which, when
rectified, may be employed, either alone or mixed with turpentine, ben-
zole, alcohol, or other suitable liquids, for dissolving caoutchouc and
gutta percha, the resins, fatty matters, &c., and for cleaning cloth, and
also for burning in lamps, and for other purposes. This oil has not the
same disagreable smell as the oils obtained from coal tar. Napthaline,
paranapthaline, paraffine, cupion, leukol, phenol, and other similar pro-
ducts are also obtained from the above-mentioned liquid, and I employ
them or some of them in the manufacture of candles, and for other
purposes for which the same or similar products obtained from other
sources are applicable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edme Jules. Maumené in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th April.1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
EDME JULES MAUMENE, of Reims, in France, Professor of Chemistry,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of October, in the year

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edme Jules Maumené, Her special
licence that I, the said Edme Jules Maumené, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edme Jules Maumené,
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 Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF LIGNITE OR WOOD COAL, AND IN
OBTAINING VARIOUS USEPUL PRODUCTS THEREFROM," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edme Jules Maumené, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Edme Jules Maumené, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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):
་
I carbonize or distil the lignite or wood coal in a retort, and I collect
the volatile and condensible products, which consist principally of a
thick yellow tarry liquid and ammonia and hydrocyanate and other
salts of ammonia. A quantity of combustible gas is also given off, and
may be burnt under the retort, or used for heating other vessels, or for
other purposes. A current of ordinary steam, or of over-heated steam,"
may be introduced into the retort during the process of distillation or car-
bonization. The carbonized lignite is generally reduced to a friable or pow-
dery state by the carbonization, and it is then washed in dilute muriatic
acid, or other acid capable of dissolving the oxide or sulphuret of iron, or
other impurities contained in the lignite. It is afterwards washed with
water to remove the acid, and dried and ground to a fine powder. The
powder so prepared forms a black pigment, which may be used with oil

page_text: or varnish or water or other vehicle, like other pigments. It also serves
in lieu of ivory black or other black for the manufacture of printers'
ink and blacking, and for other similar puposes. Various shades of
black and brownish black may be obtained by 'calcining the above-
mentioned powder with potash or soda, or an alkaline salt, or by calcining
the lignite in the first instance with the alkali or alkaline salt, and after-
wards washing it with water or dilute acid, or with both in succession:
The substance thus obtained from the lignite is also applicable in lieu
of animal charcoal for decolorizing solutions of sugar or other solutions.
In some cases I calcine it with other suitable materials, such as refuse
wool, tartar, or sawdust, in order to increase or facilitate its decolorizing
effect. I prepare an artificial fuel by mixing the carbonized lignite
(either in its raw state or after purification by acid) with the tarry liquid
obtained in the distillation of the lignite or with other tar. The mixture
.is made into bricks or blocks, and again carbonized. I distil the yellow
tarry liquid herein-before mentioned, and I thus obtain an oil which is
again rectified by redistillation. This oil possesses some of the proper-
ties of the oils obtained from the distillation of coal tar, but it does not
possess the same disagreeable smell as those oils. It may be employed,
either alone or mixed with turpentine, benzole, alcohol, or other suitable
liquids, for dissolving caoutchouc or gutta percha, resins, fatty matters,
and many other suitable substances, or for cleaning cloth, or burning in
lamps, and for other purposes. Napthaline, paranapthaline, paraffine,
eupion, leukol, phenol, and other products similar to those obtained in
the distillation of coal tar are also obtained in the distillation of the
aforesaid tarry liquid, and are separated and collected by any of the known
processes for that purpose, and they or some of them may be employed
in the manufacture of candles, and for other purposes for which similar
products obtained from other sources are applicable. These products,
however, obtained from lignite have the advantage of not possessing
the same disagreeable odour as similar products obtained from coal,
tar.
Having now described the nature of the Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that
what I claim is,-

page_text: Firstly, the manufacture of a black pigment from lignite or wood
coal in manner herein-before described.
Secondly, the manufacture from lignite or wood coal of a substance
suitable for decolorizing solutions of sugar, and other solutions, in
manner herein-before described.
Thirdly, the manufacture of artificial fuel from lignite or wood coal
in manner herein-before described.
Fourthly, the manufacture of a volatile oil from lignite or wood
coal in manner herein-before described.
Fifthly, the manufacture of napthaline, parafline, and similar pro-
ducts from lignite or wood coal, whereby such products are obtained
without the peculiar disagreeable odour which is possessed by similar
products obtained from coal tar.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edme Jules Maumené, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
EDME JULES MAUMENÉ. (L.S.)
WERLE, MATH. EDOUARD,
Negt, Rheims.