IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE TREATMENT, APPLICATION, AND USE OF MINERAL TAR FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OLEAGINOUS AND LUBRICATING MATTER AND FUEL
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Perry, of Ballymoney, in the County of
Antrim, Ireland, Manufacturing Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE TREATMENT, APPLICATION, AND USE OF MINERAL TAR FOR THE
PRODUCTION OF OLEAGINOUS AND LUBRICATING MATTER AND FUEL."
Sealed the 3rd February 1857, and dated the 6th December 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Perry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th December 1856.
I, JAMES PERRY, of Ballymoney, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Manu-
facturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT, APPLICATION, AND USE OF MINERAL TAR FOR
THE PRODUCTION OF OLEAGINOUS AND LUBRICATING MATTER AND FUEL," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture or production of oleaginous and
lubricating matter and artificial fuel from mineral or coal tar by an improved
process, whereby superior economy is secured.
According to this improved process, common coal tar is distilled in a suitable
boiler or retort, and the resultant naptha and dead oil are condensed. These
products are mixed together, and they may be further purified or not by redistilla-
tion with manganese and sulphuric acid. The naptha and dead oil being mixed

page_text: together, a preparation of lime is added to the compound, the whole being well
agitated. This mixture changes in a short time into a soft yellow grease, which
may be made firmer if necessary by the addition of more lime. The addition
of the lime greatly increases the product of lubricating matter, and the employ-
ment of a higher temperature than is usual in this manufacture adds also to the
superiority of the result. Whilst the waste tar is in a soft condition, it is
utilized by adding to it a proportion of peat charcoal or carbonized peat.
This mixture produces an artificial fuel almost equal to the best coal, and
comparatively free from smoke when burnt. The refuse tar may be employed
alone as a fuel, but it is preferred to add carbonized peat to it for this
purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Perry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th June 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, JAMES
PERRY, of Ballymoney, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Chemist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Perry, Her special license that I, the said James Perry, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Perry, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agreo
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, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT,
APPLICATION, AND USE OF MINERAL TAR FOR THE PRODUCTION OF OLEAGINOUS AND
LUBRICATING MATTER AND FUEL," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said James Perry, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Perry, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
in writing, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to the manufacture or production of oleaginous
and lubricating matter and artificial fuel from mineral or coal tar by an
improved process, whereby superior economy is secured.
According to this improved process, common coal tar is distilled in a suitable
boiler or retort, and the resultant naptha and dead oil are condensed. These
products are mixed together, and they may bo further purified or not by redis-
tillation with manganese and sulphuric acid. The naptha and dead oil
being mixed together, a preparation of lime is added to the compound, the
whole being well agitated. This mixture changes in a short time into a soft
yellow grease, which may be made firmer, if necessary, by the addition of
more lime. The addition of the lime greatly increases the product of lubricat-
ing matter, and the employment of a higher temperature than is usual in
this manufacture adds also to the superiority of tho result. Whilst the waste
tar is in a soft condition, it is utilised by adding to it a proportion of peat
charcoal or carbonised peat. This mixture produces an artificial fuel
almost equal to the best coal, and comparatively free from smoke when
burnt. The refuse tar may be employed alone as a fuel, but it is preferred
to add carbonised peat to it for this purpose.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describo the details of one modification or mode of operation
under which my improvements may be judiciously carried out in practice.
The object of this my said Invention, then, is to obtain from mineral or or coal
tar a useful oleaginous matter, adapted for lubricating machinery, in order to
reduce the friction of the moving parts, or for other similar purposes where a
soft, unctuous, or emollient compound is required. A large quantity of a
liquid product known as mineral or coal tar is obtained by the distillation of
coal during the process of manufacturing gas. Hitherto the application of
coal tar to useful purposes in the arts has been exceedingly limited, and the
quantity produced is far in excess of the demand. Any process, therefore, by
means of which this comparatively waste product may be made to supersede
the costly palm and other oils now used for lubricating purposes must evidently
be attended with important commercial advantages. One of the modes of
preparing lubricating compounds from coal tar according to this Invention
consists in distilling coal tar in a suitable boiler or retort. The vessel used for
this
purpose may be made of iron or other suitable material. The boiler or

page_text: retort is set in brickwork, and a furnace of the ordinary kind is made beneath
it. The distilling vessel being charged with a suitable quantity of crude or
ordinary mineral or coal tar, the operation of distilling is proceeded with, the
beak of the retort or a pipe connected with the boiler being carried into a
suitable receiver or condensing vessel. Tho volatile matters which rise from
the coal tar and condense in the receiver consist of naphtha and dead oil.
The next operation is to add to the mixed naphtha and oil an aqueous solu-
tion of lime. The solution of lime requires to be strained before adding to it
the naphtha and tar oil, in order to prevent any lumps or undissolved particles
passing into the compound. The proportion of the added lime varios with the
character or nature of the coal tar, and tho greater or less firmness desired in
the grease. In some instances equal proportions of lime and tar are used.
The naphtha, tar oil, and the preparation or cream of lime, are thoroughly
agitated together, the result of which agitation or blending of the matters
together is the production of a soft unctuous compound, admirably adapted for
lubricating purposes. The consistency or firmness of this compound may be
increased or reduced by regulating the proportion of lime added to a given
quantity of naphtha and tar oil. In some instances it may be found necessary
to further purify the naphtha and tar oil after the first distillation, either by a
redistillation or by redistilling the products with manganese and sulphuric
acid. In order to improve the appearance of the lubricating compound, and
to take away any unpleasant odour it may have, it will be advantageous to
mix with the naphtha and tar oil a portion of resin oil. The resin oil is to
be added to and well incorporated with the naphtha and tar oil before adding
the preparation of lime to the distillatory products. In preparing the lubri-
cating compound as above described, it will be found that a higher temperaturo
than is ordinarily used in treating the products of coal tar adds greatly to the
superiority of the resulting product. The addition of a small proportion of
resin oil, as herein-before described, improves the appearance of the grease
and prevents any unpleasant smell arising from it; but if a larger proportion
of resin oil is added, the compound necessarily becomes more expensive, and
gives out a strong odour of the resinous matter.
The next part of my improvements has reference to utilising the tar left in
the boiler or retort after the process of distillation. The crude tar or pitchy
matter, whilst in a plastic or soft state, is removed from the distilling vessel,
and the proportion, about twenty-five per cent., more or less, of peat charccal
or carbonised peat is added thereto. This carbonaceous compound is sub-
sequently moulded into blocks, or otherwise formed into masses of a convenient
size, and when thus treated, the result is a fuel nearly equal to coal in its

page_text: combustible qualities, and burning with very little smoke. If preferred, the
refuse tar may be used as a fuel unmixed with any other ingredient, but a
much superior article is produced by combining it with peat, as before
described. By means of my improvements, mineral or coal tar is converted
into two highly useful products by an easy and expeditious process avoiding all
waste.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my Invention; but what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the system or mode of utilising mineral or coal tar and obtaining
useful products therefrom, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of manufacturing lubricating or oleaginous
compounds from the distillatory products of coal or mineral tar, such as
naphtha and dead oil, by adding lime to such products, as herein-before
described.
Third, the system or mode of manufacturing or producing fuel from refuse
or waste coal or mineral tar by adding thereto peat charcoal or carbonised
peat.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Perry, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty.seven
JAMES PERRY. (L.S.)