IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF CAUSTIC SODA FROM LIQUORS OBTAINED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALKALI, AND APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF SOAP
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Deacon, of the Wood End Chemical Works,
Widnes Dock, near Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, Manu-
facturing Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF CAUSTIC SODA FROM
LIQUORS OBTAINED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALKALI, AND APPLICABLE ALSO TO
THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF SOAP."
Sealed the 25th May 1858, and dated the 30th November 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Deacon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th November 1857.
I, HENRY DEACON, of the Wood End Chemical Works, Widnes Dock,
near Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF CAUSTIC SODA FROM
LIQUORS OBTAINED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALKALI, AND APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE
MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF SOAP," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture or production of caustic soda
from liquors obtained in the manufacture of alkali which contain a consider-
able proportion of caustic soda, and also to the boiling of soap, and consists of
a peculiar construction and arrangement of apparatus for boiling such liquors

page_text: or soap, whereby they are prevented from boiling or effervescing over the sides
of the vessel whilst being boiled or evaporated, or whilst the said caustic
soda liquors are acted upon by nitrate of soda or other oxidising agent.
This apparatus consists of a tube or tubes placed in the liquors to be
treated, and reaching to or nearly to the bottom of the vessel or vessels con-
taining such liquors. These tubes extend a few inches above the level
of the liquors in the vessels, and admit of such liquors entering freely therein
at the lower extremity or mouth, so that the boiling- or effervescence takes
place over the upper lip of the tube into the vessel, in place of over the
sides of such vessel, and becoming thereby wasted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Deacon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th May 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
DEACON, of the Wood End Chemical Works, Widnes Dock, near Warrington,
in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first
year of Her reign, did, for Ierself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Henry Deacon, Her special license, that I, the
said Henry Deacon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as, the said Henry Deacon, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTE IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF CAUSTIC
SODA FROM LIQUORS OBTAINED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ALKALI, AND APPLICABLE
ALSO TO THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF SOAP," upon the, condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Deacon, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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 Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said.
Letters Patent.
-

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Deacon, 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, reference being had to the accompanying: Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to the manufacture or production of caustic sodą
from liquors obtained in the manufacture of alkali which contain a consider-
able proportion of caustic soda, and also to the boiling of soap, and consists of
a peculiar, construction and arrangement of apparatus for boiling such liquors
or soap, whereby they are prevented from boiling or effervescing over the sides
of the vessel whilst being boiled or evaporated, or whilst the said caustic
soda liquors are acted upon by nitrate of soda or other oxidising agent. This
apparatus consists of a tube or tubes placed in the liquors to be treated, and
reaching to or nearly to the bottom of the vessel or vessels containing such
liquors. These tubes extend a few inches above the level of the liquors in the
vessels, and admit of such liquors entering freely therein at the lower
extremity or mouth, so that the boiling or effervescence takes place over the
upper lip of the tube into the vessel in place of over the sides of such vessel,
and becoming thereby wasted.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe. the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures in the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in both Figures.
Fig. 1 of my Drawings represents a vertical section of an ordinary
caustic soda pot. heated by a furnace and fitted with my improved apparatus.
Fig. 2 represents a similar view of a soap copper heated by coils of steam
pipes, and also fitted with my improved apparatus of a slightly modified form.
In Fig. 1, A is the caustic soda pot, which is set in suitable-brick work B,
and heated by the furnace at C. In the middle of this pot is placed vertically
a tube D, which I call the "geyser" tube, as it is through the centre of this
tube that the ebullition or effervescence takes place. In practise, I have found
that the best result will be obtained by making the diameter of the "geyser"
tube at its smallest part about one-eighth the diameter of the surface of the
liquor at the top of the pot, and having its upper end projecting about six
inches above the surface of the liquor. For ordinary soap coppers, one-fourth
the diameter of the copper will be found a convenient size for the diameter
of the smallest part of the tube with a rise of about three or four feet above
the surface of the liquor. As a general rule, in proportion as the liquor is
viscid, or the heat rapidly applied, so must the diameter of the tube and its

page_text: rise above the surface of the liquor be increased. In order that the boiling
over the liquors may take place mainly within the "geyser" tube or tubes,
it is desirable that a considerable portion of the heating surface be covered by
such tube or tubes, or that there should be a flat or slightly dished or concave
plate with an opening in its centre fitting over such heating surface. This
plate, which is shewn at E in my Drawings, I call the "gathering" plate, and
from it the "geyser" tube or tubes may rise, as shown in the Drawings. By
incans of this plate, the steam and vapour or gases generated in the liquors
will be conducted, as shewn by the arrows, up the centre of the "geyser" tube
or tubes. When steam pipes are used for heating the liquors, as shewn at
F, F, in Fig. 2, they may either be placed wholly within the diameter of tho
geyser" tubes, or à "gathering" plate E may be used of sufficient diameter
to cover the steam pipes. And should the copper be heated by the combined
action of internal steam pipes and external fire heat or steam, then the
"gathering" plate should be sufficiently large to cover an area of each of such
heating surfaces proportionate to the amount of heat derived therefrom..
The "geyser" tube and "gathering " plate shewn in Fig. 1 are united, and
this I find to be the most convenient arrangement for caustic soda or other
boiling vessels which do not require the apparatus to be of a very large size,
but for soap-boiling coppers, where large apparatus is required, a telescopic
construction of "geyser" tube similar to that shewn in Fig. 2, will be found
most convenient.
"
be
On referring to this Figure, it will be observed that the tube is made in
several lengths or sections, fitting one within another, the inner sections resting
on the bottom of the copper when the tube is collapsed, whilst the outer ones
aro supported by the "gathering" plate. By this arrangement the number
of parts is diminished, whilst free access for the steam to 'the tube is provided
so soon as the first or inner portions of such tube are raised, which
may
accomplished by means of a chain or rope G passing over an overhead pulley,
and attached by a metal strap or bar II to the upper edge of the inner section
of the tube. As the outer sections of this telescopic "geyser" tubo rest upon
the "gathering" plate, the steam is prevented from rising or entering between
their joints. The dotted lines in Fig. 2 represent the position of the "geyser"
tubo when partly raised. Openings may be made in the "gathering" plate,
closed by doors, for the introduction therein of pumps or other apparatus:
The "geyser" tube and "gathering" plate need not be united, nor is it
necessary that the tube should be perpendicular, or in the centre of the vessel.
Where a variable height of tube is required, a flange may be formed round its
upper lip, the raising or lowering of the upper lip in relation to the surface

page_text: of the liquor being effected by moveable rings, which are put on or taken off
the flange at pleasure.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to
the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe or
refer to, as variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the
principles or main features of my said Invention; but what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st, the general construction, arrangement, and combination of apparatus
employed in the manufacture or production of caustic soda, and in the boiling
of the liquors used in the manufacture of soap, as herein-before described.
2nd, the application and use to and in the vessels employed in the manufac-
ture of caustic soda from the liquors obtained in the manufacture of alkalies,
and to and in the vessels in which liquors are boiled in the manufacture of
soap of a tube or tubes placed partly in and partly out of the liquors contained
in such vessels whereby the boiling or effervescence of such liquors will take
place within and over the upper lip or edge of such tube or tubes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Deacon, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-eight.
HENRY DEACON.
(L.8.)