AN IMPROVED MODE OF RECOVERING THE FATTY MATTERS CONTAINED IN WASTE WATERS OF WOOLLEN MILLS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Charles Theodor Schaeffer, of Stanhope
Terrace, Ilyde Park Gardens, in the County of Middlesex, Analytical
Chemist, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF RECOVERING THE
FATTY MATTERS CONTAINED IN WASTE WATERS OF WOOLLEN MILLS."
Sealed the 21st April 1854, and dated the 21st February 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Charles Theodor
Schaeffer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Peti-
tion, on the 21st February 1854.
I, WILLIAM CHARLES THEODOR SCHAEFFER, of Stanhope Terrace, Hyde Park
Gardens, in the County of Middlesex, Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF RECOVERING THE
FATTY MATTERS CONTAINED IN WASTE WATERS OF WOOLLEN MILLS" to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a mode of recovering the fatty matters from the
waste waters of woollen mills. To this end I run the waters into evaporating
pans, and throw into the pans (when the liquor is boiling) ox fat, or lard by
preference, in suitable quantities for forming a nucleus for concentrating the
particles of grease as the water is being driven off in vapor; or in place of
the fats above-mentioned, other fats may be employed.. Instead of using fats
for this purpose, I throw into the liquor potash or soda, and continue the
evaporating process; and in this case I obtain a kind of rough soap as a
residuum.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Charles Theodor Schaeffer in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th August 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CHARLES THEODOR SCHAEFFER, of Stanhope Terrace, Hyde Park Gardens, in the
County of Middlesex, Analytical Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Charles Theodor Schaeffer, Her special license that I, the
said William Charles Theodor Schaeffer, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Charles Theodor Schaeffer,
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 "AN IMPROVED MODE OF RECOVERING
THE FATTY MATTERS CONTAINED IN WASTE WATERS OF WOOLLEN MILLS," upon the
condition (amongst others), that I, the said William Charles Theodor Schaeffer,
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Charles Theodor Schaeffer,
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 (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a mode of recovering the fatty matters from the
waste waters of woollen mills.
To this end I run the waste waters into an evaporating pan or pans, and
throw into the pans (when the liquor is boiling) ox fat, lard, or other fat, in
suitable quantities for forming a nucleus for agglomerating or drawing together
the particles of grease while the water is subjected to violent ebullition. By
throwing into the liquor potash or soda, which will throw down the refuse

page_text: matters held in suspension, and continuing the boiling process, I obtain a kind
of rough soap as a residuum.
In carrying out this Invention, I provide a vessel or evaporating pan of iron
or other metal, and of any suitable shape and size, and fill this vessel with the
waste water which is intended to be operated upon. To every ton of this waste
water I add two pounds of lard or other fat more or less in a fluid state, and by
means of fire applied to the under side of the vessel, or by the application of
steam heat I boil the said waste water violently. So soon as there is an indi-
cation that the fatty matters are separating from the water, I add for every
ten tons of the waste water three pounds more or less of alkali (preferring soda
ash), for the purpose of throwing down the refuse matters suspended in the.
waste water. The fat will now rise to the top of the waste water, and by
means of any suitable skimming instrument I remove the fat as it is thrown
up to the surface of the boiling liquor, and put it into a cask or other receptacle.
This operation I continue until I find that no more fatty matter rises. The
recovered product thus obtained will be found to contain a portion of water;
and to remove this, I subject the fat to heat in a shallow evaporating pan, and
thereby drive off the water therefrom. I ascertain if it is free from water by
taking up a portion from time to time on the blade of a knife; when it gets
thick in a minute or two, it is an indication that the water is driven off. The
water remaining in the first vessel after the skimming operation has been com-
pleted, still contains some fatty matter mixed with dirt and other substances,
and to recover this I evaporate the water therefrom. The remaining mass I
take out of the vessel, and put into linen, flannel, or hair bags, which I subject
to hot pressure, and thereby discharge the grease therefrom, leaving behind the
dirt and other extraneous matters. The fatty matter obtained by the first
operation will also contain some dirt, to remove which I likewise subject this
product to hot pressure in linen, flannel, or hair bags, and drive out the grease
through the pores of the bags, as will be well understood. In this way I get
the real pure grease and the dirt or so-called manure separated.
Instead of adding lard to the boiling liquid, whereby the agglomeration of
the grease of the waste waters is facilitated, I in some cases recover the
grease without this addition by merely using an alkali for throwing down
the refuse matters, and skimming off the grease as it rises to the surface of
the boiling liquid.
Having now set forth the nature and operation of my Invention of "An
Improved Mode of Recovering the Fatty Matters contained in Waste Waters
of Woollen Mills," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,

page_text: I wish it to be understood that, under the above in part recited Letters Patent,
I claim treating the waste waters of woollen mills in the manner and for the
purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Charles Theodor Schaeffer, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
FRED. WALKDEN,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. SCHAEFFER. (L.S.)