A New or Improved Process for the Manufacture of a Filtering, Deodorizing, and Decolorising Substance or Medium from
Year: 1885

page_text: A New or Improved Process for the Manufacture of a Filtering,
Deodorizing, and Decolorising Substance or Medium from
I, GEORGE HENRY ELLIS, of Moor View Lodge, Pennsylvania, Exeter, in the
county of Devon, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF A FILTERING,
DEODORIZING AND DECOLORIZING SUBSTANCE OR MEDIUM FROM CARBONACEOUS OR
"
LIGNITE CLAY to be as follows
"
My invention has for its object the treatment of carbonaceous, or "lignite" clay,
which exists in the district of Bovey Tracey, in the county of Devon, for the
production of a filtering, deodorizing and decolorising substance or medium.
In carrying out my invention, I take such carbonaceous or "lignite" clay, and,
either in a dry or semi-dry condition, I thoroughly crush or pulverise it. I provide
suitable tanks or vessels, which can be heated either externally by fire, or internally
by steam coils; into which I pour water which is charged or impregnated with
from 5% to 20% of soda, borax, or any suitable alkali. When the alkali is
thoroughly in solution and the liquid moderately heated, I introduce the pulverised
clay and, by means of stirrers or agitators I effect perfect amalgamation of the
contents of the tank or vessel under treatment until it is in a thick or pulpy
condition; maintaining, as nearly as possible, a uniform temperature of 212° F.
After the mixture is perfectly blended I remove it from the tanks and spread it
upon drying floors to remove the surplus moisture; and, when that is accomplished,
I break up the material into rough lumps and then place it inside suitable retorts
or ovens where it is heated until it is carbonized. During the process of
carbonization, and in order to remove all traces of sulphur inherent in the raw
material, I employ a special form of rabble made of a wrought iron tube, fitted at its
furthest end with a radial-shaped perforated plate. The other end nearest the
operator is connected with a steam pipe by means of flexible hose, and, while steam
is made to pass freely through it, the perforated end is introduced into the
material contained within the retorts or ovens and actively moved to and fro
through the same. This operation is several times repeated until the sulphur is
released from the mass and carried off in fumes or vapour into suitable condensers
connected therewith; and until the charge is sufficiently carbonized. In order to

page_text: further provide against any traces of sulphur and uncombined alkalis, which may
have lingered behind, I withdraw the material, as previously treated, into vessels
or receivers containing cold water, and, when it is thoroughly quenched, it is
removed from the receivers and then dried and granulated in the usual manner.
In certain cases, where it is desirable to fortify or add to the "lignite" clay
a higher amount of carbon than exists in natural association with it,
take a
quantity of pure "lignite" which exists in seams or beds in the same district, and
I incorporate this in a finely ground condition with the carbonaceous clay, in
quantities ranging from 3 to 15 per cent. This may be done either in the mixing
tanks previous to carbonization, or it may be placed together with the "clay" in
the retorts or ovens.
The particular treatment, as described, for impregnating the carbonaceous or
"lignite" clay with an alkaline solution may be modified or varied as to its details.
What I claim is substantially the impregnation of such clay with an alkaline
solution, for the purpose of making the product sufficiently hard and firm in its
structure; and also the method of eliminating sulphur from the material.
Dated th: 07
ст
1008

page_text: I GEORGE HENRY ELLIS, of Moor View Lodge, Pennsylvania, Exeter, in the
county of Devon, Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF A
DECOLORIZING SUBSTANCE OR MEDIUM FROM
FILTERING, DEODORIZING, AND
and in what manner the same is to bo
CARBONACEOUS OR "LIGNITE
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
"
CLAY
"
"
My invention has for its object the treatment of carbonaceous or "lignite" clay
which exists in the district of Bovey Tracey, in the county of Devon, for the
production of a filtering deodorizing and decolorizing substance or medium.
In carrying out my invention I take such carbonaceous or "lignite" clay and,
either in a dry or semi-dry condition, I thoroughly crush or pulverize it. I provide
suitable tanks or vessels, which can be heated either externally by fire or internally
by steam coils, into which I pour water which is charged or impregnated with from
5% to 20% of soda, borax or other suitable alkali. When the alkali is thoroughly
in solution and the liquid moderately heated, I introduce the pulverised clay and,
by means of stirrers or agitators, I effect perfect amalgamation of the contents of
the tank or vessel under treatment until it is in a thick or pulpy condition,
maintaining, as nearly as possible a uniform temperature of 212° Fahrenheit.
After the mixture is perfectly blended, I remove it from the tanks and spread it
upon drying floors to remove the surplus moisture; and when that is accomplished,
I break up the material into rough lumps-and then place it inside suitable retorts
or ovens where it is heated until it is carbonized. During the process of
carbonization, and in order to remove all traces of sulphur inherent in the raw
material, I employ a special form of rabble made of a wrought iron tube, fitted at
its furthest end with a radial-shaped perforated plate. The other end nearest the
operator is connected with a steam pipe by means of flexible hose and, while
steam is made to pass freely through it, the perforated end is introduced into the
material contained within the retorts or ovens and actively moved to and fro
through the same. This operation is several times repeated until the sulphur is
released from the mass and carried off in fumes or vapour into suitable condensers
connected therewith, and until the charge is sufficiently carbonized. In order to
further provide against any traces of sulphur and uncombined alkali, which may
have lingered behind, I withdraw the material as previously treated, into vessels
or receivers containing cold water and, when it is thoroughly quenched, it is
removed from the receiver and then dried and granulated in the usual manner.
In certain cases, where it is desirable to fortify or add to the "lignite" clay
a higher amount of carbon than exists in natural association with it, I take a
quantity of pure "lignite "which exists in seams or beds in the same district, and
I incorporate this, in a finely ground condition, with the carbonaceous clay, in

page_text: quantities ranging from 3 to 15 per cent. This may be done either in the mixing
tanks previous to carbonization, or it may be placed, together with the "clay," in
the retorts or ovens.
.
It will be obvious that the particular treatment described, for impregnating the
carbonaceous or "lignite" clay with an alkaline solution, may be modified or
varied as to its details.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The process herein described for producing a filtering, deodorizing, and decolorizing
substance or medium by impregnating carbonaceous or lignite clay of the kind
herein described, with an alkaline solution, for the purpose of making the product
sufficiently hard and firm in its structure; and also the method of eliminating
sulphur from the material as hereinbefore described.