IMPROVE-. MENTS IN SUBSTANCES USED FOR THE PURIFICATION OF ILLUMINATING GASSTE PRODUCT ARISING THEREFROM
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Berger Spence, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-.
MENTS IN SUBSTANCES USED FOR THE PURIFICATION OF ILLUMINATING GAS,.
Sealed the 31st August 1869, and dated the 4th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Berger Spence
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th March 1869.
I, JOHN BERGER SPENCE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
5 Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SUBSTANCES USED FOR THE PURIFICATION OF ILLUMINATING
GAS, AND IN THE RECOVERY OF A WASTE PRODUCT ARISING THEREFROM," to be
as follows:-
My Invention consists in manufacturing muriate of iron from certain
substances, whereby the said muriate is produced economically and in

page_text: a suitable condition for the purification of gas, and whereby I am
enabled to extract the ammonia and the sulphur at one operation. To
effect this I take compounds of iron and act upon them with muriatic
acid, and thus obtain muriate of iron in a disintegrated state. The
compound of iron I prefer is slag derived from the manufacture of
metallic iron, or from the smelting of copper; but such compounds as
aforesaid found in a native state may be used. The muriate thus
formed and in its crude state I transfer to the purifiers, or it may
previously be crystallized; the effect is that the ammonia in the gas
is in the first place taken up, and then oxide of iron remains in a
suitable condition for abstracting the sulphur. After the purifying
process the remaining mass contains muriate of ammonia, which I wash
out and apply it to any known purpose. The sulphur may be disposed
of as usual.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Berger Spence in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BERGER SPENCE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Merchant,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Berger Spence, Her
special license that I, the said John Berger Spence, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Berger
Spence, my executors, administrators, and 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 SUBSTANCES USED IN THE PURIFICATION OF ILLUMINATING
GAS, AND IN THE RECOVERY OF A WASTE PRODUCT ARISING THEREPROM," upon the

page_text: condition, amongst others, that I, the said John Berger Spence, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of my 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.
NOW KNOW.YE, that I, the said John Berger Spence, 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, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in manufacturing muriate of iron from certain
substances, whereby the said muriate is produced economically and in a
suitable condition for the purification of gas, and whereby I am enabled
to extract the ammonia and sulphur at one operation.
In carrying out my Invention I take slag derived from the puddling
furnace in the manufacture of iron, or from the smelting of copper, and
which substances are in a proto state, and grind them by any ordinary
means. These I treat with muriatic acid in a suitable vessel, using
sufficient acid to take up the iron contained in the said substances, and
I thus obtain muriate of iron suitable for being transferred to the gas
purifiers in its crude state, or it may be previously crystalised; the
effect is that the ammonia in the gas is in the first place taken up, and
then oxide of iron remains in a suitable condition for abstracting the
sulphur. After the purifying process the remaining mass contains
muriate, of ammonia, which I wash out and apply to any known
purpose. The sulphur may be disposed of as usual.
I have above particularly mentioned slags from the iron or copper
manufactures, but I can in like manner use other compounds as aforesaid
and which are in a proto condition, derived from manufactures, or from
a native state, as in the cases of the Cleveland and black band iron-
stones.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it
to be understood that I claim as secured to me under the above in part
recited Letters Patent, and for the purposes above set forth,-

page_text: Firstly. The manufacture of muriate of iron from slags or other
substances, as aforesaid.
Secondly. The recovery of muriate of ammonia, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Berger Spence, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine."
JOHN BERGER SPENCE. (L.S.)