IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING SALTS OF AMMONIA
Year: 1884

page_text: We, WALTER ARROL, of 16 Dixon Street, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Manufacturing Chemist, and JAMES MEIKLE, Junior, of 10 Lorne'
Terrace, Maryhill, in the same County, Chemist and Engineer, do hereby declare the
naturo of our Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING SALTS OF
AMMONIA," 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 :-
-
Our said Invention relates to apparatus used in that part of the manufacture of
salts of ammonia in which the gascous ammonia distilled from byc products of gas
works or oil works or from other materials is combined with acid, and our objects
are to construct the apparatus so as to be more durable than heretofore and to
facilitate the fishing out or separation of the crystallised salt of ammonia formed in
the apparatus.
Our improved apparatus is shown on an accompanying Sheet of explanatory
Drawings, Figure, 1, being a plan, and Figures 2, and 3, vertical sections as at right
angles to each other. In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to
mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The combination of the ammonia and acid is effected in a vessel, 4, of peculiar
form and made of copper,
This vessel, 4, is rectangular in plan, and about one
half of it is permanently covered by a curved dome, 5, which, in transverse section
as seen in Figure, 3, is a continuation of one outer side of the vessel whilst it is at
its inner part continued downwards in a partition or curtain, 6, dipping down a
little below the surface of the acid, the dome and curtain thus enclosing a space
above one part of the acid. The bottom, 7, of the vessel is made with a deeper
part or recess, 8, which latter is at the part not covered by the dome, 5; and in
this recess, 8, there is placed a copper dish or tray, 9, to receive the crystallised
salt of ammonia. The acid is supplied by a pipe, 10, as required, and the gaseous
ammonia is conveyed from the still by a pipe, 11, connected to a horizontal pipe, 12,
placed on the higher part of the bottom, 7, and close to the vessel's side which is
furthest from the recess, 8. The horizontal pipe, 12, has perforations made in it on
the side facing towards the middle of the vessel, and the jets of vapor issuing from
these perforations produce currents in the liquid which carry the crystals as they
are formed into the tray, 9. When a quantity of crystals has accumulated in the
tray, 9, this tray is lifted out of the vessel, 4, and the crystals are emptied from it
into a receiver, 13, by apparatus specially designed so that the operation may be

page_text: performed expeditiously and with little labor. A framing, 14, is constructed over
the vessel, 4, and has fixed on it a pair of rails, 15, on which there runs a small
wheeled truck, 16, fitted with a pulley, 17. A chain, 18, from a winch, 19, passes
over a stationary guide pulley 20, and then over the truck pulley, 17, and down to
the tray, 9, and has a hook at its end to engago with slings or bent rods, 21, fixed
to the tray. The tray, 9, is by means of the winch, 19, first drawn up out of the
vessel, 4, and then a lever bolt, 22, fitted upon the truck, 16, is made to engage
with a link of the chain, 18, so as to secure it to the truck; after which the winch
is turned to unwind the chain, whereupon the truck moves down the rails, 15,
which are slightly, inclined, and carries the tray with it to a position over the
receiver, 13. Another chain, 23, is then hooked to the back of the tray, 9, and by
its means the tray is tilted so as to empty its contents into the receiver, 13. The
operations are afterwards reversed and the tray, 9, returned to its place in the
vessel, 4. A movable cover, 24, indicated by dotted lines in Figure, 3, is provided
for covering the open part of the vessel, 4, excepting when the tray, 9, is being
moved out or in. A pipe, 25, is connected to the dome, 5, to convey away from the
covered part of the vessel, 4, sulphureted hydrogen with other unabsorbed gas or
vapor which may enter with the ammonia, and a pipe, 26, is also connected to the
other part of the vessel to lead off any gas or vapor which may find its way into
that part of the vessel when the cover, 24, is in place.
We do not restrict ourselves to the precise details herein described or delineated
provided the distinctive features of our Invention are retained; these being, 1, the
construction of vessel having one part permanently covered and another part open
or with a movable cover, and also having in the bottom of the part not permanently
covered a recess for a tray for receiving and removing the crystals; 2, the making
the vessel and tray of copper; and 3, the combination with the vessel of hoisting
and traversing apparatus for lifting out the tray and moving it to a position over
the receiver.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. Constructing a vessel for forming a salt of ammonia with one part permanently
covered and another part open or with a movable cover, such vessel also having in
the bottom of the part not permanently covered a recess for a tray for receiving
and removing the crystals, substantially as herein before described.
2. Making the vessel and tray of copper as hereinbefore described.
3. Combining with the vessel hoisting and traversing apparatus for lifting out
the tray and moving it to a position over the receiver substantially as herein before
described.
Dated this Eighth day of September 1884.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.