Improvements in the Manufacture of Cyanides and Cyanogen Compounds.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Sept., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Cyanides and Cyanogen
Compounds.
I, JAMES DICK GILMOUR of 14, Aitkenhead Road, Glasgow in the County of
Lanark. North Britain, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of cyanides & cyanogen
compounds.
In carrying out my invention I make a mixture of about equal parts of carbon,
alkali, alkaline oxide or earth preferably potash but the quantities may be varied.
This mixture is heated in suitable vessels to about 1000 degrees centigrade but this
may vary and a current of atmospheric nitrogen passed over more or less deprived
of free and combined oxygen until the mixture is more or less converted into
cyanide.
The vessel is emptied and the contents lixiviated with water when the cyanide
comes into solution a current of CO, is thus passed through the solution preferably
at a boiling temperature when hydrocyanic acid passes over and is condensed and
added to a strong solution of caustic soda when sodium cyanide separates out.
The carbonic acid for the distillation is obtained by the combustion of the
atmosphere with carbon previous to its entering the vessel containing the mixture
of alkali and carbon. This serves three purposes first the deoxidation of the air
for the retort; second displacement of HCN; third, regeneration of the alkali.
Instead of distilling I may form prussiate of potash by passing a current of
electricity through the solution using iron electrode.
Dated this 30th day of December 1802
J. Y. JOHNSON,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Petitioner's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Cyanides and Cyanogen
Compounds.
I, JAMES DICK GILMOUR of 142, Aitkenhead Road, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of cyanides and
cyanogen compounds.
In carrying out my invention I make a mixture of about equal parts of carbon,
alkali, alkaline oxide or carbonate or alkaline earth, preferably potash, but the
quantities may be varied. This mixture is heated in suitable vessels to about
1000 degrees centigrade, (but this may vary) and a current of atmospheric nitrogen
passed over the mixture more or less deprived of free and combined oxygen, until
the mixture is more or less converted into cyanide.
The vessel is emptied and the contents lixiviated with water, when the cyanide
comes into solution; a current of carbonic acid gas is then passed through the
solution preferably at a boiling temperature and at atmospheric pressure, (but I
may use any temperature or pressure), when hydrocyanic acid passes over and is
condensed and added to a strong solution of caustic soda, when sodium cyanide
separates out.

page_text: The carbonic acid for the displacement of the HCN is obtained by the com-
bustion of carbon with the atmosphere and then the nitrogen passes on to the retort
to form cyanide with a fresh quantity of the mixture. This serves three purposes,
first, the deoxidation of the air for the retort; second, the displacement of HCN;
third, the regeneration of the alkali. The solution of potassium carbonate is then
evaporated to dryness and used in a fresh operation.
Instead of distilling I may form prussiate of potash by passing a current of
electricity through the solution using iron electrodes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The application of carbonic acid gas for the purpose of displacing HCN from the
liquors resulting from the lixiviation of the contents of the retort, and thereby
obtaining nitrogen more or less deprived of free and combined oxygen for a
subsequent operation, in the retort, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 21st day of September 1893.
J. Y. JOHNSON,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agent.