Improvements in the Method of Purifying Quicksilver.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 3rd May., 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Purifying Quicksilver.
We, PAUL SCHROEDTER, Gentleman and AUGUST SCHROEDTER, Merchant, both of
1, Cottbuser Strasse, Berlin, German Empire do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
Our improvements in the method of purifying quicksilver consist in using dry cane
as an outflow pipe for the quicksilver which is to be purified.
The cane is so fixed into the apparatus, that the quicksilver is forced to flow through
it, the outer hard crust which forms the bark of the cane preventing the same from
flowing out through the sides.
The peculiar construction of cane which consists of numbers of capillary tubes
lying close together and surrounded by a vegetable fibre of such a spongy nature that
it has the power of sucking out and retaining all the impurities of the quicksilver so
that a complete purification of the same takes place, during its passage through the
cane. At the same time this fibrous substance is so fast interwoven in the cane that
the friction caused by the passing of the quicksilver through the same cannot tear the
fibres away and carry them with it, in which case of course the whole purifying process
would be useless.
In order to make the description of the apparatus more clear by means of which
we effect this new method of purification, we refer to the accompanying drawing,
which shows a vertical section through the middle of the apparatus.
Tho
a is a funnel made of glass or any other material which is not effected by quick-
silver. In the spout of the funnel a the piece of cane is fixed by means of the
indiarubber ring 9. The cane in this case is about one centimeter in diameter and
twelve centimeters long. On the top of the cane in the spout of the funnel is
placed a thin layer of cotton wool e from which the oil has previously been removed.
fis a receptacle for catching the purified quicksilver coming from the funnel a.
quicksilver is now poured into the funnel a, passes through the filter of cotton wool e
and then through the cane r, where it is thoroughly purified, into the receiver f. The
purification of quicksilver in this manner saves much time, as the operation takes place
very quickly. It further saves much expense owing to the simplicty of the apparatus
required, as the method of filtering quicksilver known up to the present, viz. by
treating it with alkalis and acids is much more expensive.
Although cane is most adapted for the filtration of quicksilver, it may also be
accomplished by using certain other sorts of vegetable stems of fibrous or capillary
tubulous construction, such for instance as grass stems, palmstems, etc. in a dry
state.
12
A 1000
Datel Des
PAUL SCHROEDTER.
AUGUST SCHROEDTER.
Rayner & Cassell,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Purifying Quicksilver.
We, PAUL SCHROEDTER, Gentleman and AUGUST SCHROEDTER, Merchant, both of
1, Cottbuser Strasse, Berlin, German Empire 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:-
Our improvements in the method of purifying quicksilver consist in using dry cane
as an out How pipe for the quicksilver which is to be purified.

page_text: The cane is so fixed into the apparatus that the quicksilver is forced to flow through
it, the outer hard crust which forms the bark of the cane preventing the same from
flowing out through the sides.
The peculiar construction of cane which consists of numbers of capillary tubes
lying close together and surrounded by a vegetable fibre of such a spongy nature that
it has the power of sucking out and retaining all the impurities of the quicksilver, so
that a complete purification of the same takes place during its passage through the
At the same time this fibrous substance is so fast interwoven in the cane that
the friction caused by the passing of the quicksilver through the same cannot tear the
fibres away and carry them with it, in which case of course the whole purifying process
would be useless.
cane.
In order to make the description of the apparatus more clear by means of which we
effect this new method of purification, we refer to the drawing which accompanied
our provisional application and which shows a vertical section through the middle of
the apparatus.
The
a is a funnel made of glass or any other material which is not affected by quick-
silver. In the spout of the funnel a the piece of cane rr is fixed by means of the
india, rubber ring g. The cane in this case is about one centimeter in diameter and
twelve centimeters long. On the top of the cane in the spout of the funnel is placed
a thin layer of cotton wool e from which the oil has previously been removed. is a
receptacle for catching the purified quicksilver coming from the funnel a.
quicksilver is now poured into the funnel a, passes through the filter of cotton wool.e
and then through the cane where it is thoroughly purified into the receiver f. The
purification of quicksilver in this manner saves much time, as the operation takes place
very quickly. It further saves much expense owing to the simplicity of the apparatus
required, as the method of filtering quicksilver known up to the present, viz. by treating
it with alkalis and acids is much more expensive.
Although cane is most adapted for the filtration of quicksilver, it may also .be
accomplished by using certain other sorts of vegetable stems of fibrous or capillary
tubulous construction, such for instance, as grass stems, palm stems etc. in a dry
.state.
Non-resinous wood may also be used for this purpose. Whether plant stems or wood
be used, they must be in a perfectly dry state-that is to say-at least air dry.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1.) The process of purifying quicksilver by means of passing the same longitudinally
in the direction of the fibre through a piece of cane in the manner, substantially and
for the purpose as described.
2.) The process of purifying quicksilver by means of passing the same through
dried cane or other sorts of air dried vegetable stems of fibrous or capillary tubulous
construction or through dry non-resinous wood, in the manner, substantially and for
the purpose as described.
3:) The process of purifying quicksilver by means of the apparatus consisting of
the combination of the funnel a, piece of cane rr, india rubber ring g, cotton wool e
and receptacle f, in the manner, substantially and for the purpose as described.
Datad Barlin this 30th day of Anril 1884
PAUL SCHROEDTER.
AUGUST SCHROEDTER.
By A. Kuhnt & R. Deissler,
38, Alexander Strasse, Berlin C., Germany, Agents for Applicants.