IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING CERTAIN SOLUTIONS CONTAINING COMPOUNDS OF AMMONIA, IN ORDER TO OBTAIN USEFUL PRODUCTS THEREFROM
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander McDougall, of Penrith, in the County of
Cumberland, Esquire, for an Invention of. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING
CERTAIN SOLUTIONS CONTAINING COMPOUNDS OF AMMONIA, IN ORDER TO
OBTAIN USEFUL PRODUCTS THEREFROM."
66
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander McDougall at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th January 1882.
ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL of Penrith in the County of Cumberland Esquire
IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING CERTAIN SOLUTIONS CONTAINING COMPOUNDS OF
AMMONIA IN ORDER TO OBTAIN USEFUL PRODUCTS THEREFROM."
It is well known to chemists that the ammoniacal water of gas works urine and
other solutions contain compounds of ammonia such as ammonium carbonate in
variable quantities and the object of my Invention is to fix and to obtain in an
ascertainable and uniform manner the ammoniacal compounds contained therein.
In carrying out my Invention so as to obtain and utilize the ammoniacal
compounds or products contained in the before mentioned or other ammoniacal
solutions I prepare a mixture of a solution or otherwise of calcium or magnesian
sulphate or calcium or magnesian chloride together with saw or other similar
porous absorbent and friable substances such as bark peat &c. reduced to small
pieces in about equal quantities to the amount of the calcium or magnesian salts
employed.
Upon the mixture (which I use in quantities dependent on the strength and
quantity of the solution to be treated) I cause the solutions containing the
ammonium carbonate and the compound of ammonia to be brought in contact with
or to be sprinkled over the same whereupon a chemical decomposition takes place
and the soluble compounds become fixed.
As an example the case in which calcium or magnesian sulphate is used
ammonium sulphate and calcium or magnesian carbonate are obtained.
In the case in which calcium or magnesian chloride is used, ammonium chloride
and calcium or magnesian carbonate are obtained.
In either case a fixed or non volatile salt of ammonia is produced.

page_text: I prefer to employ the mixture or mixtures above described in large quantities
and add to it at convenient intervals the ammoniacal solutions to be treated so
that the mass may be exposed as much as practicable to currents of air in order
that the mass may be drying in the intervals of each successive addition of the
ammoniacal solution.
These additions may be continued until the whole or practically the whole of
the calcium or magnesian salt or salts are converted into the corresponding
ammoniacal salt.
The mass is then ready for use either by the ammonia manufacturer the manure
manufacturer or the farmer to whom it will prove a most valuable and stimulating
addition to any other manure, or it may be very advantageously used alone as a
top dressing on grass lands or for other crops.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander McDougall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th July 1882.
ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL of Penrith in the County of Cumberland Esquire.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING CERTAIN SOLUTIONS CONTAINING COMPOUNDS OF
AMMONIA IN ORDER TO OBTAIN USEFUL PRODUCTS THEREFROM."
It is well known to chemists that the ammoniacal water of gas works urine and
other similar solutions contain compounds of ammonia such as ammonium oar-
bonate in variable quantities and the object of my said Invention is to fix and
to obtain in an ascertainable and uniform manner the ammoniacal compounds
contained therein.
In carrying out my said Invention so as to obtain and utilize the ammoniacal
compounds or products contained in the before mentioned or other ammoniacal
solutions I prepare a mixture of a solution or otherwise of calcium or magnesium
or magnesian sulphate or calcium or magnesium or magnesian chloride together
with sawdust or other similar porous absorbent and friable substances such as
bark peat &c. reduced to small pieces in about equal quantities to the amount of
the calcium or magnesium or magnesian salts employed.
In preparing these materials for the reception of the ammoniacal solution I find
it advantageous to acidulate the organic portion thereof before mixing it with the
calcium or magnesium salts.
In cases where I use a sulphate I add to the organic parts or ingredients
sulphuric acid and in cases of using a chloride I add hydro chloric acid and
subsequently thoroughly incorporate the ingredients or materials by mixing or
other similar means.
Upon the mixture (which I use in quantities dependent in the strength and
quantity of the solution to be treated) I cause the solutions containing the
ammonium carbonate and the compound of ammonia to be brought in contact with
or to be sprinkled over the same whereupon a chemical decomposition takes place
and the soluble compounds become fixed.
I preferably use the mixture above described in large quantities in proportion
to the ammoniacal solutions added to it at any one time for this purpose I only
add sufficient of the solutions to just damp the said mixture or materials and as
this becomes absorbed or dried up I add small additional quantities thereto and
which process is repeated until the required chemical decomposition has attained
the degree desired.
As an example of a case in which calcium or magnesian sulphate is used as
above.referred to ammonium sulphate and calcium or magnesium carbonate are
obtained.
In the case in which calcium or magnesium chloride is used ammonium chloride
and calcium or magnesium carbonate are obtained.
In either case a fixed or non volatile salt of ammonia is produced.
In any case however I prefer to employ the mixture or mixtures above described
in large quantities and add to it at convenient intervals the ammoniacal solutions
to be treated so that the mass may be exposed as much as practicable to currents
of air in order that the mass may be drying in the intervals of each successive
addition of the ammoniacal solution.
These additions may be continued until the whole or practically the whole of
the calcium or magnesium salt or salts are converted into the corresponding
ammoniacal salt.

page_text: The mass is then ready for 'use either by the ammonia or the manure manu-
facturer or the farmer to whom it will prove a valuable stimulating addition to
any other manure to which it may be added. Further it may be very advan-
tageously used alone as a top dressing on grass lands or for other crops.
It may be observed that in cases in which the ammoniacal water of gas works
is operated upon a fixed salt of ammonia is obtained and in cases of treating liquid
manures such as urines the potash and phosphate salts are retained in the mass
and greatly add to the value of the product as a manure.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is.-
The production of ammoniacal compounds from ammoniacal solutions, urine, or
other analogous bye products excretions or liquids by treatment with a mixture of
saw dust, bark, peat or other similar organic matter in a divided state with calcium
or magnesium sulphate or chloride substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described.
In witness whereof I the said Alexander McDougall have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal this Eleventh day of July One.
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.