A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS OF SOLIDIFYING LIQUID AND SEMI-LIQUID SUBSTANCES, APPLICABLE TO PETRO- LEUM, HEAVY OILS, MOLASSES, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lloyd Wise, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City
of Westminster, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS OF
SOLIDIFYING LIQUID AND SEMI-LIQUID SUBSTANCES, APPLICABLE TO PETRO-
LEUM, HEAVY OILS, MOLASSES, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES." A communication
from abroad by Messrs. Alphonse Jean Cazet, Jules Lafaurie, Charles Fossier,
and Albert Mathey of Paris, France.
Sealed the 30th April 1880, and dated the 13th November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lloyd Wise at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th November 1879.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS OF SOLIDIFYING LIQUID AND SEMI-LIQUID
SUBSTANCES, APPLICABLE TO PETROLEUM, HEAVY OILS, MOLASSES, AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES." (A communication from abroad by Messrs. Alphonse Jean Cazet,
Jules Lafaurie, Charles Fossier, and Albert Mathey, of Paris, France)
This Invention has for object the solidifying liquid or semi-liquid substances of
various kinds, and is applicable more especially to the solidification of petroleurn,
heavy oils, and molasses, which it may be advantageous to transport in this
form.
The Invention is based essentially on the employment of substances which
contain, as active principles, pectine and lichenin, either together or separately.
Amongst the substances which fulfil these conditions may be mentioned
especially lichens and extracts of lichens; but in practice, after having tried
different kinds of lichens, my foreign correspondents have found that those which
give the best results are Japan moss, China moss, or Corsican moss.
In order that the nature of the Invention may be the better understood, I will
describe, by way of example, the series of operations for solidifying petroleum or
heavy oils when using, for instance, Japan moss, an excellent material now
obtainable at moderate cost.

page_text: The Japan moss is dissolved by saturation in hot water, then the liquor obtained
is thoroughly mixed with the petroleum or other liquid to be solidified, employing
agitators driven mechanically or by hand so as to effect an intimate mixture of the
liquor with the liquid to be solidified.
The proportions employed may vary according to the bodies and strength of the
saturated pectine and lichenin liquor. I may however mention that in the case of
petroleum a good result is obtainable with twenty five per cent. of liquor.
After an agitation of some minutes' duration the petroleum solidifies by con-
gelation (par le refroidissement). To re-liquify the petroleum the solidified mass
may be heated, adding an alkali, such as lime, for example, or mechanical means
may be employed for dividing the solidified mass by pressing and filtering, or
distillation may be employed.
It is to be understood the means of liquifying will vary according to the
substance solidified by the above described processes, and may be mechanical,
physical, or chemical.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Lloyd Wise in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
May 1880.
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 7, Whitehall Place, in the City of Westminster.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS OF SOLIDIFYING LIQUID AND SEMI-LIQUID
SUBSTANCES, APPLICABLE TO PETROLEUM, HEAVY OILS, MOLASSES, AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES." (A communication from abroad by Messrs. Alphonse Jean Cazet,
Jules Lafaurie, Charles Fossier, and Albert Mathey, of Paris, France.)
This Invention has for object the solidifying liquid or semi-liquid substances of
various kinds, and is applicable more especially to the solidification of petroleum,
heavy oils, and molasses, which it may be advantageous to transport in this
form.
The Invention is based essentially on the employment of substances which
contain, as active principles, pectine and lichenin, either together or separately.
Amongst the substances which fulfil these conditions may be mentioned
especially lichens and extracts of lichens; but in practice, after having tried
different kinds of lichens my foreign correspondents have found that those which
give the best results are Japan moss, China moss, or Corsican moss.
In order that the nature of the Invention, and the manner of carrying it out,
may be the better understood, I will describe, by way of example, the series of
operations for solidifying petroleum or heavy oils when using, for instance, Japan
moss, an excellent material now obtainable at a moderate cost.
The Japan moss is dissolved to saturation in hot water, then the liquor obtained
is thoroughly mixed with the petroleum or other liquid to be solidified, employing
agitators driven mechanically or by hand so as to effect an intimate mixture of the
liquor with the liquid to be solidified.
The proportions employed may vary according to the substances employed and
the strength of the saturated pectine and lichenin liquor. I may however mention
that in the case of petroleum a good result is obtainable by using twenty five per
cent. of the liquor above referred to.
After an agitation of some minutes' duration the petroleum solidifies by con-
gelation (par le refroidissement). To re-liquify the petroleum the solidified mass
may be heated, adding an alkali, such as lime, for example, or mechanical means
may be employed for dividing the solidified mass, which is then pressed and
filtered, or distillation may be employed for effecting the same result.
It is to be understood the means of liquifying will vary according to the sub-
stance solidified by the above described processes, and may be mechanical, physical,
or chemical.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and explained in what
manner the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, as
communicated to me as aforesaid, I would have it understood that what I claim
as secured to me under the Letters Patent hereinbefore in part recited is,-
1. Solidifying liquid and semi-liquid bodies by means of substances containing
the active principles of lichenin and pectine, together or separately, and especially
of lichens, such as Japan moss, China moss, Corsican moss, and the like, sub-
stantially as described.
2. The method, substantially as described, of solidifying liquid and semi-liquid
bodies, especially petroleum, heavy oils, and molasses, et cetera, by adding thereto,
and mechanically mixing therewith (by agitation), a warm saturated lichen solution,

page_text: then allowing the mixture to cool so as to form a solidified mass, which may be
afterwards liquified when required by chemical, physical, or mechanical means to
effect separation, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lloyd Wise, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
T
W.
LLOYD WISE. (L.S.)