IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SODA AND POTASH
Year: 1853

page_text: and Heilbronn, in the Grand Duchy of Baden and the Kingdom
of Wurtemberg, in Germany, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SODA AND POTASH."
-Sealed the 17th June 1853, and dated the 19th April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christian Böhringer
and Gustavus Clemm at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 19th April 1853.
We, CHRISTIAN BÖHRINGER and GUSTAVUS CLEMM, Directors of the
Chemical Works, Wohlgelegen, near Mannheim and Heilbronn, in the
Grand Duchy of Baden & the Kingdom of Wurtemburg, in Gerniany,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SODA AND POTASH " to be as follows:-

page_text: The general principle of this improvement in the manufacture of
carbonates of soda and potassa consists in converting the sulphates of
these bases into sulphurets, by the intervention of carbonaceous
substances. These sulphurets, when obtained, are treated and decom-
posed by their respective bicarbonates. The sulphuretted hydrogen gas
evolved during this process of decomposition is decomposed into sulphur
or sulphurous acid, and nearly all the sulphur originally contained in
the sulphuric acid of the sulphates employed is thus recovered.
Sulphurous acid gas, brought into contact with sulphuretted hydrogen,
promptly and effectively effects their reduction to sulphur. The bicarbo-
nates needed for the process are constantly reproduced, by exposing the
carbonates obtained to currents of gases resulting from the combustion
of fuel in the various furnaces employed in this manufacture, which
gases consist mostly of carbonic acid, and which are first deprived of
pernicious admixture of sulphurous or other acids (as wood, turf, or coal
may respectively be used as fuel), by passing them through proper
apparatuses arranged for that purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Christian Böhringer and Gustavus Clemm, in
the Great Seal Patent Office, on the 19th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
CHRISTIAN BÖHRINGER and GUSTAVUS CLEMM, Directors of the
Chemical Works, Wohlgelegn, near Mannheim. and Heilbronn, in
the Grand Duchy of Baden, and the Kingdom. of Wurtemberg, in
Germany, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Christian Böhringer and Gustavus
Clemm, Her special licence that we, the said Christian Böhringer
and Gustavus Clemm, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or

page_text: such others as we, the said Christian Böhringer and Gustavus Clemni,
our 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 MANUFACTURE OF SODA AND POTASH," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Christian Böhringer and
Gustavus Clemmm, by an instrument in writing under our hands and
seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, 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 we, the said Christian Böhringer and Gus-
tavus Clemm, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof (that is to say):
The general principle of this improvement in the manufacture of
carbonates of soda and potassa, consists in converting the sulphates of
these bases into sulphurets, by the intervention of carbonaceous
substances. These sulphurets, when obtained, are treated and decom-
posed by their respective bicarbonates. The sulphuretted hydrogen
gas evolved during this process or decomposition is decomposed into
sulphur or sulphurous acid, and nearly all the sulphur originally
contained in the sulphuric acid of the sulphates employed is thus
recovered. -Sulphurous acid gas, brought into contact with sulphuretted
hydrogen, promptly and effectively effects their reduction to sulphur.
The bi-carbonates needed for the process are constantly reproduced by
exposing the carbonates obtained to currents of gases resulting from the
combustion of fuel in the various furnaces employed in this manufacture,
which gases consist mostly of carbonic acid, and which are first deprived
of pernicious admixture of sulphurous or other acids (as wood, turf, or

page_text: coal may be respectively used as fuel), by passing them through proper
apparatus arranged for that purpose. And in order that our said
Invention may be more fully understood and readily carried into effect,
we will proceed to describe the means pursued by us.
The reduction of the sulphate of soda or potash is best effected in a
reverberatory furnace, the fire of which should be so conducted that the
flame thereof may act deoxidizingly on the mixture of either sulphate
and carbon properly proportioned, but to contain a small excess of the
latter placed on the bed of the furnace. The melt or reduction should be
made as quickly as possible, and they should be manipulated no more
than is found absolutely necessary, so as to obviate any prolonged
admission of air by the working door of the furnace, as the air entering
thereby exercises a reoxidizing influence on the materials undergoing
reduction; this reduction may, however, be effected by any other well
known method.
The sulphurets of sodium or potassium, thus or otherwise obtained,
are dissolved in a quantity of water sufficient for that purpose, and
bi-carbonate of the respective salt is to be added slightly in excess. This
mixture is to be made in a vessel to which fire can be applied, and is
to be constantly stirred until the mass has assumed the pulverulent
appearance of medium dryness. The vessel in which this decomposition
is effected is to be closely covered or domed, which dome is to have on
one side a working door, and also a convenient opening, with proper
conduits for conveying the evolved sulphuretted hydrogen gas into
apparatus, to effect its reduction into sulphur or its combustion into
sulphurous acid, for the manufacture of sulphuric acid, as is well under-
stood.
As soon as the pulverulent mass has almost ceased evolving sulphuretted
hydrogen, it is to be transferred into a reverberatory furnace and
quickly calcined; it is then to be dissolved in a sufficient quantity of
water for that purpose, and left to settle. The decanted liquid is to be
evaporated, and the salts or carbonates prepared in the ordinary manner
for the market.
We claim the conversion of sulphurets of sodium and potassium into

page_text: carbonates of the respective bases by treatment with bi-carbonates of
the respective bases, as herein described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Christian Böhringer and Gustavus
Clemm, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twentieth
day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-three.
CHRISTIAN BOHRINGER. (L.S.)
GUSTAVUS CLEMM.
(L.S.)
Witness,
F. ENGELHORN GASFABRIKANT,
Mannheim, Lst K 6, No. 1.
HUGO WOLFF KAUFMANN,
Mannheim, La. K 6, No. 1.