IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOAP
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
EMANUEL PERKINS, of Westow Hill, Norwood, in the County of Surrey,
Gentleman, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-first day of September, in the fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Emanuel Perkins, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said Edward Emanuel Perkins, my exors, admors;
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Emanuel Perkins, my
exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOAP;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso that I, the said Edward Emanuel Perkins, shall cause a par-
ticular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part. recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Edward Emanuel Perkins, do hereby declare that my said Invention consists

page_text: of a mode or modes of obtaining products from the refuse soap-suds or waters
obtained in various branches of the manufacture of silk, wool, cotton, and
linen, or from other sources where soap is used, and applying such products
to the purposes of manufacturing soap. And in order that my Invention
may be most fully understood I will proceed to explain the means pursued
by me:―
First, the refuse soap-suds of various branches of the woollen manufactures
and dyers of woollen goods are to be run into an open cask or vessel, and
kept in a covered building from the weather, and so to remain undisturbed
for a few days, till the fatty, oily, and soapy matters have subsided or
precipitated, when I then draw off by means of a cock all the supernatant
liquor; and it is better to have two or more cocks for this purpose, one above
the other, and to draw off the water from the one which is just above these
precipitated matters. The precipitated matters are then to be drawn off by
a cock to within half an inch of the bottom to avoid any dirty sediment, and
to every ten gallons of such substance is to be added about two gallons of
lime water to disengage the ammonia generally contained in the matters; after
these have been well stirred, the mixture is to remain undisturbed for an hour
or more; it is then to be strained through a sieve of stout calico, or other
convenient strainer, for about four or five hours, when the matters which
remain upon the filter are to be put into an open vessel, and dressed down
with caustic soda ley of about 19° to 20° specific gravity of Beaume's
hydrometer, in the proportion of about one and a half to two pints to each
gallon of the precipitated matters, one gallon of which compound will be
found equal in effect to from about one and a half to two pounds of soap
usually and heretofore used for scouring, cleansing, and such like purposes.
It should be stated, that care is to be observed in respect to the caustic soda
ley, so as to prevent its possessing any carbonic acid, and yet for it to be
the strongest caustic ley. The refuse soap-suds or wash waters made by the
manufacturers, washers, and dyers of cottons and linens are to be treated in the
same way, with these exceptions:-A seive made of horsehair or any other
convenient material is required at the top of the cask to prevent the refuse
matter contained in the suds, and which are unconvertible into soap, from
going into the cask.
The soap-suds or wash waters obtained from dyers
of silk are to be put into an open cask or vessel, no seive being required
before precitating the liquor; the suds are to stand as before described
undisturbed until the fatty and soapy substances are subsided or precipitated,
and become free and disengaged from the gum or resinous matters. When
they shall have so precipitated and have assumed a semi-solid consistency,

page_text: then draw off, by means of a cock, all the supernatant liquor, which should
be saved, since it is convertible and profitable, and of which notice will be
taken hereafter. When the supernatant liquor is removed there should be
added to the precipitate about half its quantity of clean water, and the softer
the better; the whole should be well stirred together, and then permitted to
remain undisturbed till the matters have again subsided, by which gentle
means the greater part of the gum remaining in the precipitate will be taken
up in the water, which is to be drawn off, leaving the substance very nearly
colorless. This latter part of the process is optional to the dyer, and is simply
to be followed for rendering the precipitate purer and fitter for the ungumming
of silk for lighter colors. This is then to be drawn off to within half an inch
of the bottom to avoid any dirty deposit, and to every ten gallons of such
substance is to be added about two gallons of lime water to disengage the
ammonia generally contained in the matter; after this has been well stirred
it is to remain undisturbed for an hour or so, when it should be strained
through stout calico, or any other convenient strainer, for about four or five
hours, when the products on the strainer are to be put into an open vessel;
and dressed down with the strongest, but pure, caustic soda ley, and in
the proportion of about one to two pints to each gallon, and one gallon of the
product thus obtained will be found equal in effect to about one and a half to
two pounds of soap heretofore used for scouring, cleansing, and ungumming
silk; like care in preparing the caustic alkali is to be observed as directed in
respect to the matters from woollens.
I will now describe the means pursued by me when making hard soap from
5 the precipitated products obtained from soap-suds or wash waters where soap
is used, in various departments of the manufacture of and in washing wool,
cotton, and linen. Supposing I wish to make common resin soap, I take the
precipitated matters after filtration, each gallon of which will be found about
equal to from one pound and three quarters to two pounds of fatty substances;
to such quantity should be added about one to two pints of caustic soda ley,
and the same strict attention to the quality of the alkali is particularly
required here, and even greater care should be paid in this case than when
treating for the making of the soft soap above explained. The mass is to be
gently melted with about one-eighth of its weight of melted resin, and when
5 perfectly combined the mixture is to be brought to strength by adding caustic
soda leys, and the soap finished to the kind of the resin soap the manufacturer
If better
may require, which process is well understood by soap makers.
soaps are required, then to the precipitated matters are to be added tallow
fats or oils, with or without resin, in any proportions according to the quality

page_text: of soap the manufacturer wishes to produce, and when the substances are
completely combined they are to be brought to strength and finished as is
well understood by soap makers.
In making hard soap from the precipitated matters of the suds of the
manufacturers and dyers of silk from yellow and white gum silk the process is
varied. The yellow gum refuse soap-suds can be converted into hard soap by
first separating the gum from the fatty, soapy, and oily substance, and which is
done as before shewn by simple precipitation. The precipitated mass is then
to be subjected to exactly the same processes, materials, and appliances as are
directed for the making of soap from the refuse soap-suds of woollens, linens,
and cottons. The supernatant liquor so separated is chiefly charged with a
substance closely resembling gum, resin, or wax, and it can be used either for
the purpose of being incorporated with soap, or separately used for making
candles or wax. The means I use for taking out the color of this material,
semi-solidifying it, and correcting its foetid smell are as follows:-First, to every
ten gallons of such liquor I add so much of a saturated solution of sub-
carbonate of soda, or a weak solution of caustic soda ley, till the color of the
liquid is slightly changed, which about a pint and a half or a quart to each gallon
will effect; then I add so much strong alum water in a warm state, con-
tinuing to do so till a perfect separation of the organic matters from the water
takes place; this should not be disturbed, but allowed to remain undisturbed
from about two to four hours; then pour off the clear liquor, and strain the
substance through strong calico, or other convenient strainer, after which it
is a material to be used for either of the purposes of soap, candles, or wax,
and for soap in any of the manners herein described. Second, the white
gum refuse soap-suds will not precipitate readily; I therefore add to them
so much of alum water as shall, during the operation of slowly pouring
in, produce a perfect separation between the organic, substances and the
water. It is then to be left undisturbed for three or four hours, then strained
through calico, and then treated as in every respect directed for precipi-
tating suds of woollens, linens, and cottons, and yellow gum silk; or I add
to the white gum suds pure strong caustic soda ley till the whole body assumes
a semi-gelatinous consistence. I then allow it to remain undisturbed for five
or six hours; then strain it through calico, or other convenient strainer, and
allow it to remain for about the same time; after which, for making hard soap,
I treat it in every respect as is directed for the précipitated suds of woollens,.
linens, and cottons, and yellow gum suds. Note, the process of precipi-
tation of the suds or wash waters of woollens, linens, and cottons may be
accelerated by the above two processes. Third, for making hard soap fiom

page_text: the yellow gum refuse soap-suds by instantly separating all the organic
substances from the water, and not separating the gum from the fatty, soapy,
or oily portions, but depriving it of its objectionable color and smell, I
pursue the following:-To yellow gum suds I add so much of a saturated
solution of soda or potash, or a weak solution of caustic soda ley in about the
same proportion as before described till the colour is slightly lightened; then
I add strong alum water, warm, continuing to do so till a perfect separation
takes place. I then allow it to remain undisturbed for about four or five
hours; then I pour off the water, strain as before, and then treat it for hard
soap, as is directed for the precipitated suds of woollens, linens, and cottons;
or I add to the yellow gum suds so much caustic soda ley till the whole body
assume a semi-gelatinous consistence of a brightish yellowish color. I then
allow it to remain undisturbed for five or six hours, when I add about two
gallons of lime water to each ten gallons of the precipitate till the substance
is reduced in color; I then strain it through calico for about four or five hours,
after which it is to be treated for making hard soap exactly as is directed for
the precipitated soap-suds of woollens, linens, and cottons, and yellow gum
silks previously mentioned in the first part of the Specification.
For a kind of soft soap I use caustic soda, but I can employ caustic
potash in its place, making an equally effective detergent for scouring and
cleansing woollens, linens, and cottons, and for ungumming and boiling
off silk, and for all purposes where soap is required, merely having regard
to the relative strength of the two alkalies; but for making the soft soap.
of commerce I employ all the precipitated and strained matters from suds
in a similar manner to that described for hard soaps, excepting that I
use potash alkaline leys, instead of those of soda, to the different fats and
oils employed, and finish the soap according to the usual manner of
making soft soaps. In some cases, in making hard soap by the aid
of the precipitated matters above mentioned, I take the products of soap-
suds, obtained as above described, whether from yellow and white
gum silk,
or from wool or cotton, or linen, and either separately or collectively; then,
having made, by the ordinary process with tallow fats or oils and alkalies, a
soap nearly fit to be turned into form, and while quite hot and heated by a
moderate fire or by steam, I add to one hundredweight of such soap any pro-
portion, say from half a hundredweight to one and a half hundredweight of the
precipitated matters obtained from soap-suds, combined with alkali as above
described. The heat is then to be gently moderated, and when the whole
mass is well mixed, which will be in a very few minutes, and it takes on a
gelatinous consistency similar to that of starch when boiled and fit for the

page_text: laundress, the process is complete, and the heat or fire must be instantly
removed. The soap is then formed, and is of a most novel and superior
kind.
Having thus described the Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I would remark, that although I have been particular in explaining
various means of producing soaps from the products obtained from soap-suds,
yet I do not confine myself to the precise details, provided the peculiar character
of my Invention be retained. And I would remark, that I am aware that it
has been before proposed to manufacture soap from materials contained in
soap-suds, and that process consisted in applying heat and alkalies to soap-
suds, and by constant boiling the water was proposed to be evaporated, and a
Patent was obtained for such process; I do not therefore claim the making
of soap from soap-suds generally. But what I claim is, the mode of manufac-
turing soap from soap-suds by means of obtaining precipitated and strained
matters from soap-suds, and converting them into soap as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Emanuel Perkins, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-two.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-first day of March, in
the year of our Lord 1842, the aforesaid Edward Emanuel Perkins came
before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-two.
INTRAVITY Y