IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF OXIDE OF IRON WHICH HAS BEEN USED IN THE PURIFICATION OF ILLUMINATING GAS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AGAIN MAKING IT AVAILABLE FOR THAT PROCESS, AND ALSO FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATE AND MURIATE OF IRON
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Spence, of Newton Heath, Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF OXIDE OF IRON WHICH HAS BEEN
USED IN THE PURIFICATION OF ILLUMINATING GAS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AGAIN
MAKING IT AVAILABLE FOR THAT PROCESS, AND ALSO FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
SULPHATE AND MURIATE OF IRON."
Sealed the 22nd December 1871, and dated the 23rd October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Spence at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd October 1871.
I, PETER SPENCE, of Newton Heath, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF OXIDE OF IRON
WHICH HAS BEEN USED IN THE PURIFICATION OF ILLUMINATING GAS, FOR THE
PURPOSE OF AGAIN MAKING IT AVAILABLE FOR THAT PROCESS, AND ALSO FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATE AND MURIATE OF IRON," to be as follows:-
-
In the purification of gas it is well known that oxide of iron is used
for the abstraction of sulphur, the said oxide being sometimes derived

page_text: from the use of sulphate of iron. It is also known that after the oxide
has been used a certain number of times in the purifier, that it is burnt
for utilizing the combined sulphur in the manufacture of sulphuric acid,
and it is to the residue of this burning that my Invention refers. I take
the said residue and subject it, mixed with sawdust or similar substance,
in a suitable furnace to a red heat, and subsequently draw it out into a
vessel capable of being closed, so as to prevent the access of air. In
this vessel the material is allowed to cool, and I find that the iron is then
in a state of protoxide and again suitable for the purification of gas in
the ordinary manner. I also find that by my Invention the said
material has been rendered soluble in sulphuric and bydrochloric acids
and available for the manufacture of dry copperas or muriate of iron,
as described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me dated
September 26th, 1868, No. 2959.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Peter Spence in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 23rd April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
SPENCE, of Newton Heath, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Manufacturing Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the
ycar of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Peter Spence, Her special license
that I, the said Peter Spence, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Peter Spence, 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 TREAT-
MENT OP OXIDE OF IRON WHICH HAS BEEN USED IN THE PURIFICATION OF ILLU-
MINATING GAS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AGAIN MAKING IT AVAILABLE FOR THAT PROCESS,

page_text: AND ALSO FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATE AND MURIATE OF IRON," upon the
condition, amongst others, that I, the said Peter Spence, by an
instrument 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter Spence, 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, that is to say :-
In the purification of illuminating gas it is well known that oxide of
iron is used for the abstraction of sulphur, the said oxide being sometimes
supplied in that condition and sometimes in the combined condition of
the sulphate, or as it has been proposed in the muriate. It is also
known that after this oxide has been used a certain number of times in
the purifier that it is not commercially available for further purifying
purposes, on account of its having become impregnated with a large
amount of sulphur, and that it. is then burnt for the manufacture of
sulphuric acid; and it is to the residue of this burning that my
Invention refers, the object being to make it again available for the
purifying process or for the production of sulphate or muriato of iron.
To effect this I take the said residue and mix it with sawdust or other'
carbonaceous matter in proportions that are not material; but as a
general observation I may state that ten per cent. of the said carbonaceous
matter will be sufficient. This mixture I place in any ordinary suitablo
furnace which will bring it to a red heat, and while it is in that condition
I draw it out into a vessel capable of being closed as those are which are
employed in the manufacture of charcoal, so as to prevent the admission
of air. During this drawing out the vessel cannot of course be closed;
but as the mass of material continues in a burning state for some time
the air which enters during the time the operation is going on is not of
any moment. The vessel is now closed and the material allowed to cool,
after which I find that the iron is in a state of protoxide and again
suitable for the purification of gas in the ordinary manner. But I find
also that by my Invention the said material has been rendered soluble
in sulphuric and hydrochloric acids, and therefore available for the

page_text: manufacture of copperas or muriate of iron as described in the Speci-
fication of a Patent granted to me dated September Twenty-sixth, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, Number 2959.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I &
desire it to be understood that I claim as secured to me under the
above in part recited Letters Patent, and for the purposes above set
forth, submitting the aforesaid residuo of the manufacture of sulphuric
acid to heat in combination with carbonaceous matter, and allowing it
to cool in closed vessels.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Spence, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.