AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR EXTRACTING OIL AND PARAFFINE FROM BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES SUCH AS PEAT OR COAL
Year: 1866

page_text: Sealed the 26th February 1867, and dated the 26th November 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th November 1866.
1, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR EXTRACTING OIL AND
PARAFFINE FROM BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES SUCH AS PEAT OR COAL," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in exposing bituminous substances or other matter
capable of yielding hydrocarbon oils or paraffine in a close vessel or chamber
(at a temperature below that requisite to decompose the oily or hydrocarbon
vapours into permanent gas) to the action of the gaseous products resulting
from the decomposition of steam by passing it through carbon heated to
incandescence, and subsequently extracting the oil and paraffine therefrom
either by pressure or by displacement, by which means the oils and paraffine
are separated from the crude material at a lower temperature than heretofore,
and both a better quality and better yield of products is obtained. To this end
[Price Gd.]

page_text: a very small jet of steam is passed from a boiler under a pressure of about
one hundred pounds per square inch (although steam of a lower pressuré
may be used) into the upper end of a vertical retort charged with carbon or
charcoal heated to a bright red lieat by means of a tube. The gases evolved
by the action of the carbon upon the steam are conducted into a horizontal
retort containing a charge of the mineral or other hydrocarbon yielding
material, and, heated to a temperature below that at which gas is generated.
The gases are allowed to become absorbed by the material. After this action
has continued a suflicient time the fluid or dense vapourous matter contained
in the charge is extracted by pressure or by introducing a current or currents
of steam or aqueous vapour, the oily matter and paraffine in the charge is thus
displaced, and carried off to a suitable receiving and cooling vessel or vessels.
This process may be modified by continuing the flow of gases from the
generating or first retort into the second after the absorption or saturation of
the material in the second retort has been effected, and allowing the gases to
pass from the outlet of the second retort to the condensing or cooling
apparatus, the excess of gas thus used performing the functions of the steam
or aqueous vapour in displacing or carrying over the hydrocarbon vapours and
fluids already described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 25th May 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the
said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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,

page_text: and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR EXTRACTING
OIL AND PARAFFINE FROM BITUMINOUS SUзSTANCES SUCH AS PEAT OR COAL,"
being a communication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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 William Edward Newton, 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 (that is to say):-
This Invention consists in exposing bituminous substances or other matter
capable of yielding hydrocarbon oils or paraffine in a close vessel or chamber
(at a temperature below that requisite to decompose the oily or hydrocarbon
vapors into permanent gas) to the action of the gaseous products resulting
from the decomposition of steam by passing it through carbon heated to
incandescence, and subsequently extracting the oil and paraffine therefrom
either by pressure or by displacement, by which means the oils and paraffine
are separated from the crude material at a lower temperature than heretofore,
and both a better quality and better yield of products is obtained. To this
end a very small jet of steam is passed from a boiler under a pressure of
about one hundred pounds per square inch (although steam of a lower pressure
may be used) into the upper end of a vertical cylindrical retort of about ten
feet in length and ten inches internal diameter, charged with carbon (oak
charcoal being the most eligible form), and heated to a bright red heat.
From the lower portion of this retort by means of a tube the gases evolved
by the action of the carbon upon the steam are conducted into a second retort.
It is most convenient to place this retort horizontally, and form it with a flat
bottom. It should be heated to a temperature below that at which gas is
generated, and it must contain a charge of the mineral or other hydrocarbon
yielding material. The gases are allowed to become absorbed. by the material,
and after this action has continued a sufficient time the fluid or dense vapourous
matter contained in the charge is extracted by pressure or by introducing a
current or currents of steam or aqueous vapor. Very low pressure steam
surcharged with water in some instances has produced most satisfactory
results, and will displace and carry off the oily matter and paraffine in the
charge to a suitable receiving and cooling vessel or vessels.

page_text: This process may be modified by continuing the flow of gases from the
generating or first retort into the second after the absorption or saturation of
the material in the second retort has been effected, and allowing the gases
to pass from the outlet of the second retort to the condensing or cooling
apparatus, the excess of gas thus used performing the functions of the steam
or aqueous vapor in displacing or carrying over the hydrocarbon vapors and
fluids already described.
In conducting the process herein-before recited I do not wish to be under-
stood as restricting myself to any particular form of apparatus, but I regard
as new the mode or process herein set forth of first generating the oil at low
temperature, and afterwards separating it in the manner described.
I am
aware that distillations of paraffine and oil from coals have been conducted
where currents of superheated steam were circulated through the charge,
both in retorts heated externally, and by the steam only, and the vapours
carried off to a condenser; this I distinctly disclaim as any part of this
Invention, but that which I consider to be new, and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,-
First, the use of the products of the decomposition of steam produced by
means of incandescent carbon in the separation of hydrocarbon oils and
paraffine from peat or coal or other bituminous substances or other hydro-
carbon yielding materials, whether used by themselves or in combination with
superheated steam.
Second, the process of treating bituminous substances by means of the
gases herein-before described (or in any equivalent manner), and subse-
quently extracting the oil and paraffine by pressure or displacement in the
manner herein-before set forth and described irrespective of the particular
form of apparatus in which the operations may be conducted.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-fifth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)