Improvements in Washing Wool and in Treating and Utilising the Washings.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Oct., 1889-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Washing Wool and in Treating and Utilising
the Washings.
I, HUGO WALDEMAR LANGBECK, of 2, Claremont Villas, Loughton, in the County
of Essex, Analytical and Consulting Chemist do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
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In order to prepare wool for the spindles, the dirt, fat, salts, soap etc., naturally
contained in wool, must be separated from it. This is generally done by washing
and scouring the wool with soap lyes, which are then commonly called: "wool-
washing water or liquor, and are of a dirty, greyish, milky appearance, of the
smell of ordinary soap suds, when fresh; of a putrid, aminoniacal smell after some
standing, and they consist chiefly of potash salts, naturally found in the flecce of
sheep, of woolfat, dirt and soap.
Formerly this liquor was wasted, in later years it was saturated by means of acids,
especially sulphuric acid, thereby recovering part of the fat.
By my process I recover all the fat as well as the potash salts, dirt and soap used in
washing wool.
In carrying out my invention I proceed as follows: The wool is twice soaked in.
warm water of a temperature not exceeding 110° Fahr. and, pressed. The thus
obtained water containing small quantities of soap and fat, the potash salts and dirt, is
allowed to settle and being separated from the sediment (dirt), is concentrated in a
suitable vacuum apparatus, then finally evaporated and dried, thereby obtaining the
potash salts in an alkaline but impure condition; or the thus obtained water is
saturated with hydrochloric, sulphuric or phosphoric acid, in order to more speedily
form a sediment, and concentrated as before, thereby obtaining the potash salts as
chlorides, sulphates or phosphates. The sediment is either dried by heat, filter press
or centrifugal apparatus; or the potash salts are dried together with the dirt and used
as manure. If it be desired to obtain the potash salts in a purer state, they have to
be calcined.
The alkaline potash salt which the wool contains, acts on the fatty matter, producing
a small amount of soap, which forms with a small part of the fat an emulsion, when
wool is treated with water. After concentration of the water and acidifying it the
emulsion is broken up and the fats together with the dirt separate and can be
recovered from the dirt by means of solvents such as carbon bisulphide or benzine for
instance. Or the water after concentration is allowed to cool when the soap and
fat, forming a cake, can be removed and worked up together with the concentrated
liquor of the washing with soap lye.
After the first treatment with water, the wool is washed and scoured with soap
lye, by which means all the fat, together with the remaining dirt, is removed from the
wool and forms with the lye an emulsion, the wool is then rinsed in water, pressed
and dried. The emulsion together with the rinsings are as far as possible concen-
trated in a suitable vacuum apparatus and treated repeatedly with a mixture of spirit
and water, for economy's sake methylated or otherwise denaturated spirit; I take for.
instance equal parts of spirit and water, but it may be varied to 3 parts of spirit and
2 parts of water, or 2 parts of spirit and 3 parts of water. By this treatment the
emulsion is broken up and all the soap is dissolved in the diluted spirit, leaving
behind the woolfat and dirt; the soap and spirit are separated and recovered by
distillation. The woolfat is then extracted from the dirt either by hot pressure or by
means of solvents, such as above mentioned, and the solvent recovered by distillation.
The woolfat is then practically free from soap and dirt, and being also free from fatty
acids forms a valuable lubricant or leather-grease, or it can be further purified by my
atented process described in natent No. 11192 of the year 1886.

page_text: Sometimes it may be desired not to recover the potash salts and dirt separately, in
that case the water in which the wool was soaked, is to be concentrated and dried
without allowing it to settle; or it may not be required to recover the soap, in
that case the preliminary soaking of the wool can be dispensed with, and the wool-
washing water is after concentration oversaturated with an acid, such as sulphuric acid
for instance, and heated, by which means the soap is decomposed and the so liberated
fatty acids of the soap, together with the woolfat and dirt, separated from. the water
and recovered either by hot pressure or by solvents as above stated.
Instead of concentrating the woolwashing water or liquor, common salt in sufficient
quantity may be added, in this way the woolfat, soap and dirt are also separated from
the water, which process is quickened by heating, preferably by steam. The amount
of salt required is about 12 to 15 p. c. of the woolwashing water and can be used
again when recovered by concentration.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1889.
HUGO WALDEMAR LANGBECK.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Washing Wool and in Treating and Utilizing
the Washings.
I, HUGO WALDEMAR LANGBECK, of 2 Claremont Villas, Loughton, in the County
of Essex, Analytical and Consulting Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In order to prepare wool for the spindles, dirt fat, salts, soaps etc., naturally
contained in wool, must be separated from it. This is generally done by washing and
scouring the wool with soap lyes, which are then commonly called wool-washing
water, or liquor, and are of a dirty, greyish, milky appearance of the smell of ordinary
soap suds, when fresh; of a putrid, ammoniacal smell, after standing some time, and
consist chiefly of potash salts, naturally found in the fleece of sheep, of wool fat,
dirt and soap.
Formerly this liquor was wasted, in later. years it was saturated by means of acids,
especially sulphuric acid, thereby recovering part of the fat.
By my present invention I recover all the fat as well as the potash salts, dirt and
soap, used in washing wool.
In carrying out my invention I proceed as follows:-
The wool is twice soaked in in warm water of a temperature not exceeding 110° Fahr.
and pressed. or dried by centrifugal action. The water thus obtained containing
small quantities of soap and fat, the potash salts, and dirt, is allowed to settle and
being separated from the sediment (dirt) is concentrated in a suitable vacuum
apparatus, then finally evaporated and dried, thereby obtaining the potash salts in
an alkaline but impure condition; or the water thus obtained is saturated with
hydrochloric, sulphuric or phosphoric acid, in order to more speedily form a sediment,
and concentrated as before, thereby obtaining the potash salts as chlorides, sulphates
or phosphates. The sediment is either dried by heat, filter press, or centrifugal
apparatus, or the potash salts are dried together with the dirt and used as manure.
If it be desired to obtain the potash salts in a purer state, they have to be calcined.
The alkaline potash salt which the wool contains acts on the fatty matter producing
a small amount of soap, which forms with a small part of the fat an emulsion, when
wool is treated with water.
After concentration of the water and acidifying it, the emulsion is broken up and
the fats together with the dirt separate and can be recovered from the dirt by means
of solvents, such as carbon bisulphide, or benzine, for instance. Or the water after
concentration is allowed to cool, when the soap and fat, forming a cake, can be
removed and worked up together with the concentrated liquor of the washing with
soap lye.

page_text: After the first treatment with water, the wool is washed and scoured with soap
ye by which means all the fat, together with the remaining dirt, is removed from
the wool and forms with the lye an emulsion; the wool is then rinsed in water
pressed and dried. The emulsion together with the rinsings are as far as possible
concentrated in a suitable vacunm apparatus and treated repeatedly with a mixture
of alcohol and water, for economy's sake methylated or otherwise denaturated spirits ;
I take, for instance, equal parts of spirits and water, but it may be varied to 3 parts
of spirits and two parts of water, or 2 parts of spirits and 3 parts of water.
By this treatment the emulsion is broken up and all the soap is dissolved in the
diluted spirit, leaving behind the wool fat and dirt; the soap and spirit are separated
and recovered by distillation.
The wool fat is then extracted from the dirt either by hot pressure or by means
of solvents such as above mentioned, and the solvent recovered by distillation.
The wool fat is then practically free from soap and dirt, and, being also free from
fatty acids, forms a valuable lubricant or leather grease, or it can be further purified
by my patented process described in Patent No. 11,192 of the year 1886.
Sometimes it may be desired not to recover the potash salts and dirt separately, in
that case the water in which the wool was soaked, is to be concentrated and dried
without allowing it to settle; or it may not be required to recover the soap, in that
case the preliminary soaking of the wool can be dispensed with, and the wool washing
water is, after concentration, over saturated with an acid, such as sulphuric acid for
instance and heated, by which means the soap is decomposed and the so liberated fatty
acids of the soap, together with the wool fat and dirt, separated from the water and
recovered either by hot pressure or solvents as above stated.
Instead of concentrating the wool washing water or liquor, common salt in sufficient
quantity may be added; in this way, the wool fat, soap and dirt, are also separated
from the water, which process is quickened by heating, preferably by steam.
The amount of salt required is about 12 to 15 per cent. of the wool washing water
and can be used again, when recovered by concentration.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The herein described process of washing wool and treating and utilising the
washings, wherein the wool is first soaked in water, so as to separate the potash
salts, and is then washed with soap lye, so as remove the fat, the solution of potash
salts obtained by the soaking being either concentrated or evaporated to dryness,
or first treated with acid and then concentrated, while the emulsion obtained from
the washing is treated with a mixture of alcohol and water to separate the soap
from the fat, the latter being eventually separated from the dirt by pressure or
solvents.
2. In the process referred to in the preceding claim, recovering the fat contained
in the solution of potash salts from the soaking process either by means of solvents
or by allowing the fat together withthe soapy constituents to form into a cake
cooling such cake being utilized in any desired manner substantially as herein
described.
on
3. The herein described process of washing the wool with soap lye without
previous soaking, the wool washing water being concentrated and then over saturated
with an acid and heated so as to liberate the fatty acids of the soap together with
the wool fat, these being separated by hot pressure or by solvents.
4. In the processes referred to in the preceding claims, effecting the separation
of the wool fat, and soap from the wool washing water by the addition of salt under
the action of heat, substantially as herein described.
D
11
1
1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.