IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF THE LIQUORS USED IN SCOURING OR CLEANING WOOL
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes
and Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lanc, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
OF THE LIQUORS USED IN SCOURING OR CLEANING WOOL."-A communication
from abroad by Louis Gustave Ghilain Daudenart and Edmond
Verbert, of 34, Rue du Progrès, Schaerbeek, Brussels.
Scaled the 11th September 1874, and dated the 13th March 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 13th March 1874.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent
Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT OF THE LIQUORS USED IN SCOURING OR CLEANING WOOL," a communica.

page_text: strontia employed.
The process comprises the following operations :-
First. The treatment of the washing liquors with baryta or strontia.
The water for washing wool at a temperature of about 80 degrees centi-
grade is mixed with a solution of baryta or strontia at a temperature of
about 60 degrees centigrade, dissolved in water previously treated, and
the possibility of dissolving the exide of the alkaline earth in water in
which a previous operation has been performed has the advantage of not
augmenting the cost of the evaporation of the liquids employed, and avoids
the great inconvenience which on the account of the slight solubility
of these oxides would occur if at each time they were dissolved in fresh
water. The quantity of the water of baryta or strontia to be employed
it is evident must vary according to the density of the washing liquor,
but in any case it is easy to be determined by experiment. After the
temperature has been maintained for about an hour, and stirred from
time to time, the mixture is allowed to settle, and the separation of the
precipitate is rapid and complete, and if the liquid is a clear yellow
colour it is certain that if not an excess at least enough of the solution
of the baryta or strontia has been employed, for if a sufficient quantity
had not been used the liquid would remain unsettled and greasy, and

page_text: the required quantity of baryta or strontia that ought to be used for each
operation.
By representing the greasy matter by the symbol G, supposing that
strontia is used, the reaction can be traced or followed out by the
following operation :―
G. KO+Sro. Ho. + Aq. = Ko Ho + G. Sro + Aq:
The liquors separated from the precipitate is evaporated and calcined,
and the product obtained consists of carbonate of potash with a small
quantity. of chloride of potassium mixed with insoluable matters, and in
order to procure a pure potash capable of being used in the manufacture
of glass or crystal it is only necessary to submit this matter to a refining
process similar to that employed for purifying the rough potash of
commerce.
The next operation is the treatment of the preciptate. The preciptate
is pressed in its cold state to remove any alkaline liquor it may contain,
and then the soap of baryta or strontia contained in the precipitato is
decomped by hydrochloric acid. For this purpose the precipitate is
subjected to two series of washing, the first in a hot solution of hydro-
chloric acid of from 4 to 5 degrees Baumé, and the second in puro
water, and by these means the greasy matters are removed and the
baryta or strontia is dissolved, and become chlorides of barium or
strontium, which are afterwards transferred into carbonates and then into
caustic baryta or strontia.
1
The reaction which takes place between the alkaline carthy soaps and
the hydrochloric acid is shown by the following equation, supposing it to
be made with a soap having strontia for its base :-
G. Sr. O. C. I H + Aq.
-
C. I. Sr+G. + Aq.
After each washing the separation of insoluable residue is effected, and
the greasy matter removed is first pressed in its cold state, then in a

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
+
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Edward Thomas Hughes,
Her special licence that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, mý
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edward Thomas Hughes, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF THE LIQUORS USED IN
SCOURING OR CLEANING Wool,” a communication to me from abroad by Louis
Gustave Ghilain Dandenart and Edmond Verbert, of 34, Rue du Progrès,
Shaerbeek, Brussels, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 :—
The object of this Invention is,―

page_text: And, Thirdly. To effect the continuous revivification of the baryta and
strontia employed..
The process comprises the following operations :-
-
First. The treatment of the washing liquors, with baryta or strontia.
The water for washing wool at a temperature of about 80 degrees centi-
grade is mixed with a solution of baryta or strontia at a temperature of
about 60 degrees centigrade dissolved in water previously treated, and
the possibility of disolving the oxide of the alkaline earth in water in
which a previous operation has been performed has the advantage of not
augmenting the cost of the evaporation of the liquids employed, and
avoids the great inconvenience which, on account of the slight solubility.
of these oxides, would occur it at each time they were dissolved in fresh
water. The quantity of the water of baryta or strontia to be employed
it is evident must vary according to the density of the washing liquor,
but in any case it is easy to be determined by experiment. After the
temperature has been maintained for about an hour, and stirred from
time to time, the mixture is allowed to settle, and the separation of the
precipitate is rapid and complete, and if the liquid is a clear yellow
colour it is certain that if not an excess at least enough of the solution
of the baryta or strontià has been employed, for if a sufficient quantity
had not been used the liquid would remain unsettled and greasy, and
thus it is easy to regulate_by these appearances, and also by a few essays
the required quantity of baryta or strontia that ought to be used for each
operation.
.
By representing the greasy matter by the symbol G, and supposing
that strontia is used, the reaction can be traced or followed out by tho
5
G. KOS1 O. HO + Aq.
=KO. HO+ G. Sr O+ Aq.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of the said Invention I claim, the
"improvements in the treatment of the liquors used in scouring or
cleaning wool, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-
four.