A NEW PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT OF FATTY SUBSTANCES FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUBDIVIDING THE SAME
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Raphael Hunter Brandon of No 1 rue Laffitte Paris,
France, engineer and patent agent for an invention of A NEW PROCESS FOR
THE TREATMENT OF FATTY SUBSTANCES FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUBDIVIDING
THE SAME
Communicated to him by Arthur Marix of Paris
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Raphael Hunter Brandon
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st May 1882.
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON of No. 1 rue Laffitte Paris France engineer and
patent agent A NEW PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT OF FATTY SUBSTANCES FOR
THE PURPOSE OF SUBDIVIDING THE SAME a communication to him by Arthur
Marix of Paris France
As long ago as 1825, Faraday, the eminent chemist hinted that all animal fats
might be separated from their base glyceric oxide, if any means could be devised
to separate the molecules from their albuminous covering. But he went no
further and never solved the problem. Schelle & Gay-Lussac and also Chevreuil
attempted to solve this problem; but their efforts were fruitless and only resulted
in obtaining stearine and liberating the glyceric oxide by saponification with
alcalis and then reducing by acids. De Milly went further and by adding 3% of
caustic lime, obtained a lime soap free from glycerine. Tilgmann and Winthop
have also attempted to obtain practical results but so far nothing of any cominercial
value has resulted from their efforts. The reason thereof is that all eminent
chemists overlooked one great material fact necessary to obtain practical results,
viz: firstly, the subdivision of the molecules and the coagulation of the albuminous
substance surrounding them, this operation being necessary for obtaining glyceric
oxide and combining the same with the material forming commercial glycerine
and secondly, liberating the acid fats. The object of this invention is to obtain
stearine and glyceric oxide from tallow and other fatty or oily substances.
It is a well known fact in chemistry that all fats of animal origin are covered by
a thin coating of albuminous substance on the outside of the molecules which for.u

page_text: the fatty substance. It is the object of this invention to separate the said coating
from the molecules. According to this process, I make use of a material which
subdivises these molecules, this material being carbonate of magnesia or its
equivalent.
The fatty substances to be treated are introduced into a digester where they are
heated by steam to a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit or thereabouts;
thereupon I introduce from one tenth to one per cent of calcined carbonate of
magnesia which has been previously dissolved in water sufficiently to form a milky
mixture. Free steam is then allowed into the digester and after it has acted for
about 10 minutes, I introduce water in the proportion of about twenty per cent by
weight of the fat. Live steam is then admitted into the digester until a pressure
of four atmospheres or thereabouts is attained; a gentle fire is also maintained
under the digester.
After a treatment of say five hours, the steam is shut off and cold water is run
into a jacket surrounding the upper part of the digester, whereby a rapid con-
densation of the steam takes place. The fats collect at the top and each product
assumes a position according to its density. The products are then drawn off and
are treated according to any suitable process.
If required, the material may, while under treatment, be stirred by an agitator
of any desired description.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Raphael Hunter Brandon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th November 1882.
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON of No 1 Rue Laffitte Paris in the Republic of
France Engineer and Patent Agent
" A NEW PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT OF
FATTY SUBSTANCES FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUBDIVIDING THE SAME "
cation to me from Arthur Marix of Paris aforesaid
A communi-
As long ago as 1825, Faraday, the eminent chemist hinted that all animal fats
might be separated from their base glyceric oxyd, if any means could be devised
to separate the molecules from their albuminous covering. But he went no further
and never solved the problem.-Scheele & Gay Lussac and also Chevreul the most
competent authorities on fatty substances and oils attempted to solve the problem :
but their efforts were fruitless and only resulted in obtaining stearine and liberating
the glyceric oxyd by saponification with alcalis and then reducing by acids.
De Milly went further, and by adding 3 per cent of caustic lime, obtained, a lime soap
free from glycerine. Tilgmann, Jones and Wintrop have also attempted to obtain
practical results, but so far nothing of any commercial value has resulted from their
efforts. The reason thereof is that all the eminent chemists have overlooked an
indispensible method for obtaining practical results, that is to say, first, the
subdivision of the molecules & the coagulation of the aluminous substance
surronding them, this operation being necessary for obtaining glyceric oxyd &
combining the same with the material forming the glycerine of commerce and
second, liberating the acid fats.
The object of these researches has been to obtain stearic acid & glyceric oxyd
from tallow and other fatty or oily substances. It is a well known chemical fact
that all animal fats are covered by a thin coating of aluminous substance, at the
exterior of all the molecules forming the fatty substance; to sever this is very
difficult and this constitutes precisely the object of my researches-By the new
process, I subdivide or separate these molecules & make use of a product which
attacks and absorbs the albumine, liberating the acid fats and the glyceric oxyd
which together with water, form the glycerine of commerce. These acid fats are
separated by mechanical means, into oleic and stearic acid, which can be at once
molded into candles after a suitable washing without saponification nor introduction
of any alcali or acid. I thus obtain glycerine which is purer than that obtained by
other processes where saponification is used for obtaining glycerine. The glycerine
thus obtained is free from all chemical reaction which is a very important fact,
when the glycerine is to be employed as nytro-glycerine or dynamite, or for any
other use in laboratories. For such preparations, the use of glycerine produced by
the ordinary processes may be dangerous on account of the presence of the traces
of acids which cannot be avoided, unless purified by distillation-This latter
operation is expensive and is obviated by my invention.
I produce directly glycerine which is absolutely pure. The fusing point of this
stearic acid is two degrees centigrade higher than that produced by means of alkalis
and acids, whilst the oleic acid, also obtained by my process, is solid or semi-solid,
capable of being molded without necessitating any addition of large quantities of
products for hardening the same, as practised hitherto-By my process of emulsion,
I effect a minute subdivision of the fatty substances under treatment, by subdividing
the molecules & allowing the water to act more intimately upon the fats at much
less pressure than the pressures usually employed & this by introducing one tenth
per cent of calcined carbonate of magnesia.

page_text: When the fatty substances have been separated, they remain in suspension &
each product assumes a position which varies according to its specific gravity.
The water and the glycerine fall to the bottom, whilst the stearic & oleic acids float
above & are decanted into pans where they crystallize and afterwards undergo the
ordinary treatment of separation by pressure. The stearic acid being of a yellowish
colour, is bleached by means of a solution of oxalic acid marking 9° Beaumé or any
other eqivalent product. I then admit free steam, whereby the stearic acid is caused
to separate from this solution, after which it is drawn off into large pans-After
a suitable washing, it has a beautiful appearance like wax & the process is
completed
According to this process. 1 nrst neat the rats under treatment, to ov degrees
centigrade & I then introduce about one tenth per cent of calcined carbonate of
magnesia, which has been previously dissolved in a sufficient quantity of water to
form a milky mixture. After having admitted free steam & having caused it to
act for about 10 minutes, I introduce water in the proportion of say 20 per cent
by weight of the fats. I then admit steam until a pressure of 4 atmospheres is
attained, after which the fire is applied under the apparatus, as shown in the
drawing. Then a chemical reaction takes place. Upon beginning operations,
steam and air are caused to escape, which carry off all the carbonic acid gas set free
After a treatment of
by the water & the magnesia & that contained in the air.
say five hours, the steam cock is closed, the steam having produced an emulsion
and liberated the gasses.
I continue to heat for 6 & a half hours at a temperature
of from 150 to 175 degrees centigrade & during this time, I cause, by means of an
agitator, the mixture of fats & water to be stirred & I keep the contents of the
apparatus continually in motion; but from experience, I find that it is not even
necessary to make use of any agitator, the steam & the heat producing about the
same result. At the expiration of 6 hours & a half, I let cold water into the
jacket surrounding the apparatus for condensing the steam contained in the digestor.
This condensation completes the separation of all molecules which might still
exist; it causes them to abandon the glyceric oxeyd to the water, and they separate
according to their respective gravity. The material is then allowed to stand until
it is sufficiently cooled; it is afterwards drawn off into pans to be bleached. It
is afterwards melted a second time & it may undergo any other desired treatment
In order to render the description more comprehensible, I have hereto annexed a
drawing of the apparatus used for carrying out my process into practise. The heat
may be supplied to the apparatus by a pipe arranged centrally therein, for the
passage of the steam, but from experiments, I have found that it is more practical
and more economical to heat the apparatus directly by a small charcoal fire, for
the desired pressure may be maintened more regularly, by merely withdrawing the
fire as soon as the determined degree of heat has been attained.
In fig 1 A. is the apparatus into which are first introduced the melted fats and
afterwards 20 per cent by weight of water. Bis the steam inlet pipe & C agitators
by means of which the material is constantly kept in motion during the treatment.
D is brickwork serving for two purposes; that of preventing the radiation of heat
during the treatment & that of holding the water employed for cooling the
apparatus, in order to produce vacuum E is the water inlet pipe & F the water
outlet pipe, G is a pipe provided with a cock, by means of which the gases set
free during the treatment, escape at intervals. The agitator arms C are secured
upon a vertical shaft to which rotary motion is imparted by means of the bevil
wheels H, driven by a horizontal shaft I, connected to a driving shaft, J is a
vertical pipe passing through the brickwork D, & entering the bottom of the
apparatus A, the said pipe serves for the removal of the glycerines & K is a
second pipe, placed at a certain height above the bottom of the apparatus A, for
the removal of the acid fats. L, L, L, is a series of vats receiving the said acids,

page_text: where they undergo the bleaching process above mentioned or any other. C². is a
metal partition at the lower part within the apparatus: it divides the latter into
two chambers. In this plate C2 are secured two upright pipes C₁ C' which establish
a communication between the said chambers. The steam fed into the lower
chamber rises into the said pipes & then enters the upper chamber, where its
acts upon the fats. In the said partition or plate C2 are adapted four or more
valves which open upwardly & allow the fats to pass from one chamber to another.
The bleaching operation may be effected either before or after the separation to be
effected by pressure, of the stearic & oleic acids
In fig 2 & 3 I have shown a modification of the foregoing apparatus According
to this arrangement the apparatus is horizontal instead of being vertical & may be
advantageously used in place of the former. The principles remain the same, but
the results obtained may vary & offer an economy in heating, whilst at the same
time less pressure is required. The time employed for the operation is also
economised. This apparatus may also advantageously work for producing stearic
acid by saponification, it has the advantage of working by using only one half
per cent of alkalis & one half per cent of acids for causing the separation of the
glycerine from the acid fats (desempâtage) to take place. Both these operations
(empâtage & desempâtage) are successively performed in the same appartus &
only necessitate a pressure varying three to five atmospheres & a maximum
duration of six hours.
Fig 2 is a longitudinal section & fig 3 is a cross section
through A A fig 2.
A is the boiler which is charged with the fatty substances to be treated: it is
provided on its whole length with a perforated sheet iron B. Through the same
passes a shaft C having hollow trunnions & serving both for supporting the boiler
& for conducting the steam to be fed into the apparatus. When once charged that
apparatus receives a continuous rotary motion by the wheels D, E. & the fast &
loose pullies F. G, The Boiler A is surronded by a stationary jacket H for
receiving the water at the required moment upon the whole length through two
tubes II, which join together & form one single pipe near a cock J. The water
for cooling may be fed from a reservoir K, situated at any convenient height above
the level of the apparatus.
After charging the apparatus, the boiler is heated by a system of heating the
hydrocarbons or heavy oils. The heavy oils are fed from a reservior L by a feed
pipe M or two burners set within the jacket and forming the boiler A In order
to facilitate combustion, air is blown in through the pipe Ñ in the direction of the
arrow and issues at the same place as the hydrocarbon. The escape of the products
of combustion takes place through a chimney o The boiler A is charged through
a manhole P which is accessible by raising the chimney O by means of the counter
weights Q, connected to ropes or chains passing over pullies, as shown in fig 3.
The shaft C which supports the boiler A, is hollow at both ends; the steam enters
into the said shaft in the direction of the arrow, fig 2 & enters the boiler: it then
can have access to the steam guage R, through the hollow parts of the trunnion.
The said shaft C¹ passes in stuffing-boxes in order to ensure tightness.

page_text: machine. The fats are then melted & charged in a liquid state into the apparatus
through the man hole P. The man hole is then closed & the apparatus is heated
externally to 150 degrees centigrade for six hours, while it is kept constantly in
rotation, the diaphragm B thus effecting the mixture. Heat is then removed & a
shower of cold water is caused to take place upon the apparatus still in motion,
until a partial vacum is produced, reducing the temperature of the tallow in the
apparatus to a minimim of 50 degrees centigrade; this may require about half an
hour. The operation is thus completed, i.e. the chemical separation of the tallow
into stearine, oleine & glycerine is effected. The apparatus is emptied either by
causing steam pressure to take place upon the surface, the contents passing through
an internal inclined pipe R & escaping outwardly through a suitable piping
connected thereto. For this purpose, an opening is made in the jacket H which
is closed by a tight cover S. Or the emptying may, be effected at the bottom,
through an opening closed by a tight cover T; in this case, the material issues the
apparatus by its own weight. The material is received into suitable vats containing
about 25 kilograms, where it is allowed to settle until it is cooled, thus producing
granulation The three products are superposed according to their gravity;
glycerine, stearine & oleine, the fatty substance alone remaining in a solid state.
They are remelted, the stearine & the oleine are removed by directing steam into
the mass, when they have become liquid; with a view to bleach them. I
add 1/1000 exalic acid & 1/10th water, of the mass. I then stir the whole by means
of steam for about fifteen minutes In order to remove the said acid & the coloring
matters which it has taken up, I add to the mass its equivalent of water by
weight: I stir again by means of steam for fifteen minutes, the material is left to
settle for say ten minutes & the stearine with the oleine are drawn off & again
washed in their weight of water by the means of the agitation produced
by the free steam. The material is then again drawn off again into moulds
containing about 25 kilograms, which moulds are placed in a room heated
to from 45 to 50 degrees centigrade until the stearine has granulated. The
material is then pressed in a hydraulic press in the ordinary manner for
the purpose of separating the oleine. The mass of stearine is melted with its
equivalent by weight of water added thereto and stirred by the free steam
for about fifteen minutes for the purpose of discolouring or bleaching the same in a
more complete manner. The result is a product called stearine of commerce which
is beautifully white, dense & hard. Besides the oleine thus separated is of a
superior quality & the glycerine is chemically pure without any trace of acid or
alkali and can be sold to the trade, especially for the manufacture of nytro-
glycerine by simply recovering the water therefrom by ebullition until it assumes
22°. Beaumé.
I do not limit myself to the use of carbonate of magnesia, as above stated, for I
may use any neutral product which does not contain either alcalies or acids, such
as talc, pipe clay, chalk &tc for causing the molecular division of the substances
under treatment, but I find however that carbonate of magnesia is best suited for
the purpose and is at the same time the cheapest.
Having thus explained this invention as well as the best means I am acquainted
with for carrying the same into practise, I claim :-
First. The use of carbonate of magnesia or of either of its above mentioned
equivalents in the proportion of 10 per cent of the fatty substance for effecting
the subdivision & the coagulation of the albumine in the fatty substances under
treatment. -
Second. The above described process, consisting in the molecular subdivision of
all fatty or oily substances treated by water & heat for the purpose of obtaining
the base glyceric oxyd, as well as the stearic & oleic acid.
Third. The application of vacumn for separating the fatty substances according
to their gravity, after the chemical separation has taken place.
Fourth. The construction & arrangement of apparatus herein before described

page_text: with regard to fig 1. of the drawing, for obtaining glycerine, stearic acid & oleic
acid for commerce, economically without saponification or use of acids or alcalis.
Fifth. The construction & arrangement of the apparatus described & shewn in
fig 2 & 3 of the drawing and
Sixth. The products obtained by the combination of the above described
processes, on account of the difference existing between the said products thus
obtained and those previously obtained by the industrial means hitherto known.
.
In witness whereof, I the said Raphael Hunter Brandon have hereunto set
my hand & seal this sixteenth day of November in the year of our Lord
1882
Witness:
P. SCHOLTAS
A. LE CANU
R. H. BRANDON. (L.S.)