IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING SULPHURIC ACID FROM THE REFUSE PICKLE' USED IN TIN-PLATE WORKS AND ALSO FROM SULPHATE OF IRON OR 'GREEN COPPERAS."
Year: 1864

page_text: church, in the County of Monmouth, Manufacturing Chemist, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING SULPHURIC ACID FROM THE
REFUSE PICKLE' USED IN TIN-PLATE WORKS AND ALSO FROM SULPHATE OF
IRON OR 'GREEN COPPERAS.""
Sealed the 13th December 1864, and dated the 21st June 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William John Pughsley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st June 1864.
I, WILLIAM JOHN PUGHSLEY, of the Parish of Christchurch, County of
Monmouth, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING SULPHURIC ACID FROM THE
REFUSE PICKLE' USED IN TIN-PLATE WORKS AND ALSO FROM SULPHATE OF IRON
OR GREEN COPPERAS," " to be as follows:-
The principal object of this Invention is the separation of the oxyde of
iron and the water and other extraneous matters from the mixture of sul-
phuric acid or oil of vitrol and water commonly called "pickle," used at tin-
plate works for the purpose of preparing the black plate or sheet of iron for
the process of tinning after the said mixture or "pickle" has been used in
such process, and has become charged with oxyde of iron and other matters,
thereby converting such used or refuse "pickle" into sulphuric acid of
sufficient strength to be used again for the same purpose of preparing sheet
iron or black plate for tinning.

page_text: In carrying out this Invention I proceed as follows:--I place the used or
refuse "pickle" in a suitable vessel and allow it to remain therein a sufficiently
long time to crystallize. These crystals are, sulphate of iron (commonly
called "green copperas") and the remaining liquid is generally termed
"mother water." I remove the crystals and put the "mother water" into a
pan and evaporate it down to a suitable strength, and I then place it in
another vessel and allow it to crystallize as before. After this I take the
refuse liquor from these crystals and again evaporate it down to a sufficient
strength to be used as "pickle" for cleaning the iron plate for the process of
tinning, which it does as effectually as the ordinary mixture of oil of vitriol
and water. For extracting the sulphur from the crystals of sulphate of iron
or "green copperas" and converting the same into sulphuric acid or oil of
vitriol, I place the "copperas" in a retort, and on the application of heat
the sulphur escapes into a leaden chamber or condenser in communication
with the retort, where it condenses, and I then proceed to convert the same
into sulphuric acid or oil of vitriol in the usual manner. The refuse left in
the retort is pure oxyde of iron.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William John Pughsley in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th December 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JOHN PUGHSLEY, of the Parish of Christchurch, County of Monmouth, Manu-
facturing Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the 28th year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William John Pughsley, Her special license that I, the said William John
Pughsley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William John Pughsley, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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
OBTAINING SULPHURIC ACID FROM THE REFUSE PICKLE USED IN TIN-PLATE WORKS
AND ALSO FROM SULPHATE OF IRON OR 'GREEN COPPERAS,"" upon the condition

page_text: (amongst others) that I, the said William John Pughsley, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or
under the hand and seal of one of them, 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.
12
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William John Pughsley, 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 fol-
lowing statement in writing, that is to say:
The principal object of this Invention is the separation of the oxide of iron
and the water and other extraneous matters from the mixture of sulphuric acid
(or oil of vitriol) and water commonly called "pickle" used in tin plate works
for the purpose of preparing the black plate or sheet of iron for the process
of tinning, after the said mixture or pickle has been used in such process
and has become charged with oxide of iron and other matters, thereby con-
verting such used or refuse "pickle" into sulphuric acid of sufficient strength
to be used again for the same purpose of preparing sheet iron or black plate
for tinning.
In carrying out this Invention I proceed as follows:-I place the used or
refuse "pickle" in a suitable vessel and allow it to remain therein a sufficiently
long time to crystallize. These crystals are sulphate of iron (commonly
called " green copperas") and the remaining liquid is generally termed
"mother water." I remove the crystals and put the "mother water" into a
pan and concentrate it down to a suitable strength, and I then place it in
another vessel and allow it to crystallize as before. After this I take the
refuse liquor from these crystals and again concentrate it down to a sufficient
strength to be used as "pickle" for cleaning the iron plate for the process of
tinning, which it does as effectually as the ordinary mixture of oil of vitriol and
water. For extracting the sulphur from the crystals of sulphate of iron or
" green copperas "and converting the same into sulphuric acid or oil of vitriol
I place the "copperas" in a retort, and on the application of heat the sulphur
escapes into a leaden chamber or condenser in communication with the retort,
where it condenses, and I then proceed to convert the same into sulphuric acid
or oil of vitriol in the usual manner. The refuse left in the retort is pure
oxide of iron.
Having now particularly described the nature and
tion for "Improvements in Obtaining Sulphuric
object of my said Inven-
Acid from the Refuse

page_text: 'Pickle' used in Tin-plate. Works, and also from Sulphate of Iron or 'Green
Copperas'"
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that
I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, obtaining sulphuric acid from the refuse "pickle" used in tin-plate
works by allowing the same to crystallize, and after removing the crystals
(sulphate of iron) concentrating or evaporating the "mother water" down to
the required strength as before described.
And, secondly, extracting the sulphur from the crystals of sulphate of iron
"
green copperas" and converting the same into sulphuric acid by placing
the crystals in a retort and applying heat so as to drive off the sulphur into a
leaden chamber where it is condensed and is then converted into sulphuric
acid in the usual manner as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I. the said William John Pughsley, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
W. J. PUGHSLEY. (L.S.)