IMPROVE- MENTS IN PURIFYING NATURAL PHOSPHATES OF LIME
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer & Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PURIFYING NATURAL PHOSPHATES OF LIME."-A communication
from Emile Constant Martin, residing at Paris, in the Empire of France,
formerly Banker.
Sealed the 14th May 1859, and dated the 19th November 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th November 1858.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer & Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING NATURAL PHOSPHATES OF LIME," a communi-
cation, to be as follows:-
In a former application for a Patent under the number of 2157, and dated
25 Sept 1858, I have specified that the Invention consisted of purifying
lumps or nodules of natural phosphates of lime, which purification is intended
to eliminate the silica and carbonate of lime always contained in them (in.
various proportions, and hence to render natural phosphates of lime more
suitable for transport. For this purpose I specified in the Provisional Specifi-
cation, abové refered to, two methods as being employed:
1st, a method of preparation based on the difference of density of the

page_text: matters to be separate, eliminating the silica by simply washing and decanting
the liquid in a muddy state, which carries with it the phosphate of lime, which
latter is obtained by allowing it to deposit, and by drawing off the supernatant
liquid.
2ndly, a chemical method based on the affinity of the lime of the carbonate
of lime to acids, and particularly to hydrochloric acid. I have therein specified
and claimed treating phosphate of lime mixed with carbonate of lime (the
whole being pulverized) by means of hydrochloric acid, for the purpose of
obtaining a soluble chloride of calcium, which is separated from the phosphate
by means of a second clear decantation, the carbonic acid also leaving in a
gaseous state.
The principle feature of the present Invention is the chemical purification of
phosphates of lime, which I have improved for the purpose of quickening
the decomposition of the carbonate of lime. Instead of utilizing the action only
of but one chemical affinity, two chemical affinities are developed according to
this present Invention, which act in the same manner for producing a similar
decomposition, and for effecting the same results, viz., the decomposition of
carbonate of lime. For this purpose, instead of using hydrochloric acid only,
a salt is made use of having as its base hydrochloric or other acid.
The present Invention thus consists of the process herein-after described,
serving for the elimination of carbonate of lime from pieces or nodules of natural
phosphates of lime. A certain quantity of phosphate of lime in pieces or nodules
is taken for the purpose of determining the proportions of, 1st, the silica ;
2ndly, the carbonate of line; and, 3rdly, the phosphate of lime required to be
obtained. These nodules, after being pulverized, are treated with the quantity
of hydrochlorate of ammonia necessary for eliminating the carbonate of lime;
the mixture is then suitably heated in a furnace or other appropriate apparatus
for that purpose. By this method a double decomposition results, for by
reason of the double affinity the carbonic acid of the carbonate of lime com-
bines with the ammonia and forms volatile carbonate of ammonia, which
disengages itself and is condensed to be ultimately utilized in Wolf's appa-
ratus; the chloride of the hydrochloric acid also combines with the calcium
of the lime and forms soluble chloride of calcium, which is then removed
by the same washing that effects the separation of the silica; lastly, the
hydrogen of the hydrochloric acid combines with the oxygen of the lime and
forms water..
This chemical action is represented by the following formula :-CO³,
CaO+ClH, Az H³-CO, A z H³+C1 Ca+HO. Instead of the salt of
ammonia any other salt may be employed which would, according to the laws

page_text: of chemistry, after a double decomposition produce the result indicated in the
previous Patent, viz., the separation of the carbonate of lime by saturating the
lime with an acid. This double chemical action may be effected in ordinary.
apparatus, or in a particular arrangement of furnace. When the operation is.
completed the silica is removed by a decantation, if in sufficient quantity; I
then add soot, as in the former Specification, referred to in order to give
the manure to which the chemical matter is applied the black color so
sought after by farmers. The soot may be added fefore passing the matter
into the furnace for obtaining the double decomposition above indicated, thus
while in the former Patent for chemically purifying the pieces or nodules the
CO2 is eliminated by an affinity, that of hydrochloric acid for calcium, whereas
now in carrying out the same idea of a chemical purification two affinities are
put in action, for which purpose a salt containing an energetic acid is used for
producing a double decomposition, and which according to its nature will
furnish products more or less useful, which may or may not be recovered
at will. The operation may be assisted, if required, by heating in suitable
apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Clark, Her special licence that 1, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING NATURAL PHOSPHATES OF LIME," a communication from
Emile Constant Martin, residing at Paris, in the Empire of France, formerly

page_text: Banker, upon the condition (amongst others) that the said William Clark,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,.
or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 5
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following 1
statement (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists in purifying lumps or nodules of natural phosphates.
of lime, which purification is intended to eliminate the silica and carbonate of.
lime always contained in them (in various proportions), and hence to render.
natural phosphates of lime more suitable for transport. In a former Patent 1
granted to me, bearing dato 25th Sept. 1858, No. 2157, I have specified two.
methods as being employed for this purpose, viz.,―
First, a method of preparation based on the difference of density of the
matters to be separated, eliminating the silica by simply washing and decanting
the liquid in a muddy state, which carries with it the phosphate of lime, which 2
latter is obtained by allowing it to deposit, and by drawing off the supernatant
clear liquid.
Secondly, a chemical method based on the affinity of the lime of the
carbonate of line to acids, and particularly to hydrochloric acid.
I have therein specified and claimed treating phosphate of lime mixed with 2
carbonate of lime (the whole being pulverized) by means of hydrochloric acid,
for the purpose of obtaining a soluble chloride of calcium, which is separated
from the phosphate by means of a second clear decantation, the carbonic
acid also leaving in a gaseous state. For the purpose of quickening the de-
composition of the carbonate of lime, instead of utilizing the action only of but 3
one chemical affinity, two chemical affinities are developed according to the
present Invention, which act in the same manner for producing a similar
decomposition of carbonate of lime. For this purpose, instead of using hydro-
chloric acid only, a salt is made use of having as its base hydrochloric or other.
acid. A certain quantity of phosphates of lime in pieces or nodules is taken 3
for the purpose of determining the proportions of, firstly, the silica; secondly,
the carbonate of lime; and, thirdly, the phosphate of lime required to be.
obtained. These nodules, after being pulverized, are treated with the quantity
of hydrochlorate of ammonia necessary for completely eliminating. the carbonate

page_text: of lime; the mixture is then suitably heated in a furnace or other appropiate
apparatus for that purpose. By this method a double decomposition results,
for, by reason of the double affinity, the carbonic acid of the carbonate of lime
combines with the ammonia, and forms volatile carbonate of ammonia, which
disengages itself, and is condensed to be ultimately utilized in Wolf's appa-
ratus; the chlorine of the hydrochloric acid also combines with the calcium of
the lime, and forms soluble chloride of calcium, which is then removed by the
same washing that effects the separation of the silica; lastly, the hydrogen of
the hydrochloric acid combines with the oxygen of the lime, and forms water.
This chemical action is represented by the following formula:-CO³,
CaO+CH, Az H³=CO, Az H³+ClСa+HO.. Instead of the salt
of ammonia any other salt may be employed, which would, according to the
laws of chemistry, after a double decomposition, produce the result indicated
in the previous Patent, viz., the separation of the carbonate of lime by
saturating the lime with a acid. This double chemical action may be effected
in ordinary apparatus or furnace. When the operation is completed the silica
is removed by a decantation, if in sufficient quantity; I then add soot, as in
the former Specification referred to, in order to give the manure to which the
chemical matter is applied the black color so sought after by farmers; the
soot may be added before passing the matter into the furnace for obtaining
the double decomposition; I use two methods for purifying the lumps: the
first consists in chemically eliminating the CO2 (carbonic acid) by the affinity
of an acid such as CH (hydrochloric acid) for calcium. The second method
consists in putting two affinities in action, for which purpose I employ a salt
containing an energetic acid for producing a double decomposition of the CO³,
CaO (carbonate of lime) of the nodules, and which according to its nature
will furnish products more or less useful, which may or may not be recovered
at will. The operation may be assisted, if required, by heating in suitable
apparatus. I then regenerate the carbonate of ammonia (Az H³) obtained
by treating it with CH (bydrochloric acid.)
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, treating the lumps or nodules
of phosphate of lime containing silica and carbonate of lime. By a process
eliminating the silica by reason of the difference of density (and by means of
an acid or a salt.) In the first place, by using hydrochloric acid, for example,
for the purpose of decomposing the carbonates, and forming soluble chloride
of calcium and carbonic acid, which disengages itself; and in the second place,
by means of a salt, hydrochlorate of ammonia, for example, for the purpose of

page_text: producing a double decomposition, and to eliminate the carbonate of lime,
which is still in the state of chloride of calcium, and of (CO³, Az EI) carbonate
of ammonia.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
W. G. E. SWINNOCK,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (LS.)