Improvements in the Preparation or Manufacture of Petroleum for Domestic and other Purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 21st Dec.; 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Preparation or Manufacture of Petroleum for
Domestic and other Purposes.
We, PETER SMITH, of 36, Broughton Lane, Salford, in the County of Lancaster,
and JOHN PEARSON, 8, Egerton Street, Alexandra Park, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Oil refiners and manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates principally to the preparation or manufacture of hydrocarbon
oils of the petroleum series in a solidified or concentrated form chiefly for domestic
purposes.
It consists essentially in deodorising the oil by electrolysis and when purified
treating it in a still with the addition of a small percentage of soap to solidify it..
We take petroleum or paraffin oil purified or refined for commerce, of any specific
gravity and place it in a suitable tank or vat connected to an electric battery or
generator and pass a current of electricity through the oil which has the effect of
deodorising it. If the oil is in an impure or unbleached state a suitable salt such as
a chloride of magnesium which will be decomposed by the electric current liberating
a bleaching agent may be mixed with the oil and after the electrolysing process has
been carried out the oil will be decanted and filtered through bone charcoal or washed
to remove all traces of the salt. During the electrolysing process the oil may be
either in a hot or cold state, the heat being applied preferably by steam in a jacket
round the pan or by a coil. The deodorising process may be carried out by forcing
dry air charged with electricity through the oil.
When bleached and deodorised the oil is run into a still heated by steam and
provided with a stirrer or agitator, in this it is heated up to about 250° F (more
or less according to the density of the oil) and from 3 to 5 per cent. of finely
powdered or granulated and dessicated soap or saponaceous compound is added the
whole being violently agitated for about 10 minutes or so until the oil will solidify
or thicken. After this the heat is raised to from 300° to 400° F, when the oil will
again liquefy and is maintained at that temperature for about 10 or 15 minutes, the
agitation being continued during the whole time. The oil remaining in the still is
then drawn off into suitable moulds or shapes and solidifies on cooling. This product
is clear and should it be desired any colouring matter or perfume may be added.
Such colouring matter or perfume must in that case be introduced into the still
immediately before the completion of the process and drawing off of the oil.
The soap we prefer to use is one containing but little free alkali and with as small
a percentage of water as possible as either in any appreciable quantity will be detri-
mental to our process.
The product will be found very useful for various domestic purposes. Such as a
substitute for, or for use in combination with soap for washing also for lighting and
heating, and may also be found applicable for other purposes.
It will readily dissolve in boiling water, but will not melt on the application of
moderate heat.
We are quite aware that solid paraffin wax and petroleum jelly have been prepared,
but the processes for preparing such are entirely distinct from our invention and the
products differ physically from our solid petroleum in that they melt at a moderate
temperature and do not mix with water when melted therein.
Dated this 10th day of February 1889
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Preparation or Manufacture of Petroleum for
Domestic and other Purposes.
We, PETER SMITH, of 404 Mill Street, Openshaw, Manchester,.in the County of
Lancaster, and JOHN PEARSON, 8, Egerton Street, Alexandra Park, Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Oil refiners and manufacturers, 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 the preparation or manufacture of hydrocarbon oils of the
petroleum or paraffin series in a solidified or concentrated form chiefly for domestic
purposes.
Solidified or concentrated petroleum or paraffin oils of the lighter bydrocarbon
series are unknown and hitherto the only solid or viscous form of petroleum or
paraffin produced is what is known as paraffin wax, which is a product produced in
the refining of certain oils of the petroleum or paraffin series when the lighter oils
have been separated.
The invention consists essentially in treating refined and preferably deodorised oil
in a still or other vessel at a high temperature with a small percentage of soap to
solidify it.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show
the apparatus designed for carrying it out.
Fig. 1, diagram showing the apparatus in elevation.
Fig. 2 sectional elevation of still.
Fig. 3 plan of same from top.
Fig. 4 plan of same in section showing agitator.
Petroleum, or paraffin oil, of any specific gravity, as purified or refined for commerce
and preferably deodorised is treated as hereinafter described. When the oil requires
to be deodorised it is placed in a vat or tank A, to which is connected an electric
battery B, or other generator of electricity and a current of electricity is passed
through the oil.
If the oil be in an impure or unbleached siate a suitable salt
such as a chloride of magnesium which will be decomposed by the electric current
and will liberate an oxidising and bleaching agent may be mixed, with the oil and
after the electrolysing process has been carried out the oil will be decanted and
filtered through bone charcoal or washed to remove all traces, of the salt or the
deodorising process may be carried out by forcing dry air charged with electricity
through the oil. During the electrolysing process the oil may be either in a hot or
cold state, if the former, the heat may be applied by steam in a jacket round the
tank or vat or in a coil placed inside. No specific claim, however, is made for this
method of deodorising oils as the process has already been in operation.
After being refined and deodorised the oil is run into a still or pan C, heated by
steam where it is treated. The still C, is constructed with a steam jacket e, in which
heated steam circulates and is provided with an agitator or stirrer D, which is prefer-
ably worked as shown by bevel gearing E on shaft e or it may be worked by hand by
means of a hand wheel or lever on shaft d. The still is further provided with an inlet
pipe F, discharge pipe G and an outlet pipe H, from the top, which communicates
with a condensing coil or worm I. K is a measure of any given capacity to measure
the quantity of oil supplied to the still, and M. a pivoted opening or lid through
which the other substances or materials may be added to the oil from time to time
and through which the heat or other particular respecting the mass may be ascertained
during the operation. care the pipes which connect the steam jacket c with the
boiler or steam generator.
The oil is run into the still C, through the measure K, where it is heated up to
about, from 280° to 350° Fahrenheit (more or less according to the density of the
oil) by means of steam in the jacket c. Through the opening or lid M, in the top of
the still, there is added to the heated oil from 3 to 5 per cent. of soap or saponaceous

page_text: compound in a finely powdered and desiccated state or in other form. When the
soap is added the oil is kept well stirred up or violently agitated by means of the
agitator or stirrer D, for about 10 minutes, until it has partially solidified or become
thickened. After this the heat is raised to, from 350° to 400° Fahrenheit, when the
oil will again liquefy and it is maintained at that temperature for about 10 or 15
minutes, the agitation being continued during the whole time. It is preferred to
carry out the process without subjecting the oil under treatment to pressure and
therefore the outlet pipe H is provided, communicating with the condensing coil or
worm I, so that any of the oil which volatilizes during the process may be condensed
and collected. When the operation is completed the oil remaining in the pan C, of
the still is while hot drawn off into suitable moulds or shapes, where it solidifies
on cooling. This product is clear and should it be desired any colouring matter or
perfume may be added. Such colouring matter or perfumes must in that case
he introduced into the still immediately before the completion of the process and
drawing off of the oil.
The soap that it is preferred to use in the operation is one containing but little free
alkali and with as small a percentage of water as possible, as either in any appreciable
quantity will be detrimental to this process.
The resulting product from this treatment of petroleum or paraffin will be found
very useful in the cleansing or bleaching of clothes or fabrics or other substances also
as a pomatum and ointment and may be applied to other purposes such as burning
and lubricating purposes.
When intended to be used for medical or surgical purposes it may be found
desirable to mix with the paraffin or petroleum oils a greater or less quantity of a
vegetable or animal oil such as olive oil or fat to increase or modify the healing
properties of the product. In this case the other oil in a pure state would be added
to, or mixed with the petroleum or paraffin oil in any required quantity preferably
before adding the soap either in the still or before being placed therein and the sub-
sequent process carried out in the manner hereinbefore described.
We are quite aware that solid paraffin wax and petroleum jelly have been prepared,
but the processes for preparing such are entirely distinct from our invention and the
products differ physically from our solid petroleum in that they melt at a moderate
temperature and do not mix with water when melted therein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we wish it to be understood
that we make no claim for the electrolysing process for deodorising oil per se as we
have become aware that such process has been already known but we declare that
what we claim is :-
1. The process for solidifying or rendering partially solid, petroleum or paraffin,
which consists in heating the oil in a still or pan and adding thereto a small percentage
of soap in a dry powdered state, (or in other form) and then further heating the
oil, substantially as described.
2. As a new article of manufacture a solidified or semi-solidified petroleum or
paraffin oil substantially as described.
3. A solid or semi-solidified preparation of petroleum or paraffin oil with a vegetable
or animal oil combined therewith substantially as and for the purpose described.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.