IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING FATTY AND OILY MATTERS, CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF SOAP, CANDLES, AND GLYCERINE
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Albert Tilghman, of Philadelphia, United
States of America, Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TREATING FATTY AND OILY MATTERS, CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE
OF SOAP, CANDLES, AND GLYCERINE."
Sealed the 25th March 1854, and dated the 9th January 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Albert Tilghman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th January 1854.
1, RICHARD ALBERT TILGHMAN, of Philadelphia, United States of America,
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TREATING FATTY AND OILY MATTERS, CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF
SOAP, CANDLES, AND GLYCERINE," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention consists in a new method of obtaining free
fat acids and solution of glycerine from animal and vegetable fatty and oily
bodies which have glycerine as their base. Two processes are now practiced
for this purpose, one called the saponification process, making use first of lime
to decompose the fat (forming a lime soap), and then of some strong acid to
eutralize and remove the lime, leaving the fat acids in a free state.
In the other process the fat is heated with concentrated sulphuric acid,
which so acts upon or combines with the glycerine of the fat that boiling with
water removes both of them, leaving the fat acids in a free state.

page_text: Now my Invention consists in exposing the aforesaid fats and oils to the
action of water at a high temperature and pressure, the effect of which is to
cause the combination of the water with the elements of the neutral fats, so as
to produce at the same time free fat acids and solution of glycerine. Those
fats, which like palm oil are highly colored, are also to some extent bleached
by the process, and the strong smelling oils are more or less deodorized. The
operation is performed in a continuous manner by pumping an intimate
mixture of the fat and water through a very strong metallic vessel heated to
the requisite degree. From it the mixture (now changed into free fat acids
and solution of glycerine) escapes through a safety valve so heavily loaded as
not to open by the mere pressure of the steam. The solution of glycerine
settles from the hot fat acids, and may be purified as usual. The fat acids may
be used for making soap and candles at once, or bleached by any of the ordinary
methods, or may be distilled with hot steam in the usual manner.
The second part of my Invention relates to the manufacture of soap. It is
performed in the same apparatus and manner just described for fat acids, but
first dissolving in the water used the alkaline and other matter required to
produce soap, with the neutral or acid fatty matter employed. The soap as it
issues from the safety valve may be put into the frames at once, or washed and
finished in the usual manner. By this process carbonated alkalies act as well
as the more expensive caustic ones. Colored and bad smelling fats by this
treatment make bleached and deodorized soaps, but sometimes require a higher
heat than when white and inodorous fats are used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Albert Tilghman in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th July 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ALBERT TILGHMAN, of Philadelphia, United States of America, Chemist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight bundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Richard Albert Tilghman, Ifer special license that 1, the said Richard Albert
Tilghman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the
said Richard Albert Tilghman, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns,

page_text: 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-
MENTS IN TREATING FATTY AND OILY MATTERS, CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO THE MANU-
FACTURE OF SOAP, CANDLES, AND GLYCERINE," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Richard Albert Tilghman, 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 Richard Albert Tilghman, 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 thereof (that is to say):-
The first part of my said Invention consists of a mode or modes or mode of
obtaining free fat acids and solution of glycerine from those fatty or oily bodies
of animal and vegetable origin which contain glycerine as their base.
For this purpose I subject these fatty or oily bodies to the action of water at
a high temperature under pressure, so as to cause the elements of those bodies
to combine with water, and to obtain at the same time free fat acids and
solution of glycerine.
I mix the fatty body to be operated upon with from a third to a half of its
bulk of water, and the mixture may be placed in any convenient vessel in
which it can be subjected to the action of heat to a temperature about the same
as that of melting lead until the operation is complete; and the vessel must be
closed so that the requisite amount of pressure may be applied to prevent the
conversion of the water into steam.
The process may be performed more rapidly and also continuously by causing
the mixture of fatty matter and water to pass through a tube or continuous
channel heated to the temperature already mentioned, the requisite pressure for
preventing the conversion of the water into steam being applied during the
process; and this I believe is the best mode of carrying this part of my
Invention into effect.
In the Drawing hereunto annexed are shewn Figures of an apparatus for
performing this process speedily and continuously, but which apparatus I do not
intend to claim as any part of my Invention. Figure 1 of the said Drawings
is a vertical section of this apparatus; and Figure 2 shews the various parts of
the apparatus in horizontal section; similar parts in these Figures being marked

page_text: with similar letters of reference. I place the fat or oil in a fluid state in the
vessel a, with from one third to one half its bulk of warm water; the disk or
piston b, perforated with numerous small holes, being kept in rapid motion up
and down in the vessel a, causes the fat or oil and water to form an emulsion
or intimate mechanical mixture. A force pump c. like those in common use
for hydraulic presses, then drives the mixture through a long coil of very strong
iron tube d, d, d, d, which being placed in a furnace e, e, is heated by a fire f
to about the temperature of melting lead. From the exit end g of the heating
tubes d, d, the mixture, which has then become converted into free fat acids
and solution of glycerine, passes on through another coiled iron tube h, h, h,
immersed in water, by which it is cooled down from its high temperature to
below two hundred and twelve degrees of Fahrenheits thermometer, after which
it makes its escape through the exit valve i into the receiving vessel. The iron
tubes I have employed and found to be convenient for this purpose are about
1 inch external diameter and about half an inch internal diameter, being such as
are in common use for Perkins hot water apparatus. The ends of the tubes
are joined together by welding to make the requisite length; but where welding
is not practicable I employ the kind of joints used for Perkins hot water appa-
ratus, which are now well known. The heating tube d, d, d, is coiled several
times backwards and forwards so as to arrange a considerable length of tube in
a moderate space. The different coils of the tube are kept about one quarter
of an inch apart from each other, and the interval between them is filled up
solid with cast iron, which also covers the outer coils or rows of tubes to the
thickness of half or three quarters of an inch, as shewn in Figure 2. This
casing of metal insures a considerable uniformity of temperature in the different
parts of the coil, adding also to its strength and protecting it from injury by
the fire.
The exit valve i is so loaded that when the heating tubes d, d, d, are at the
desired working temperature, and the pump C is not in action, it will not be
opene by the internal pressure produced by the application of heat to the
mixture; and therefore when the pump c is not in action, nothing escapes from
the valve if the temperature be not too high. But when the pump forces
fresh mixture into one end of the heating tubes d, d, d, the exit valve i is
forced open to allow an equal amount of the mixture which has been operated
upon to escape out of the cooling tubes h, h, at the valve i, placed at other end
of the apparatus. No steam or air should be allowed to accumulate in the
tubes, which should be kept entirely full of the mixture.
For this purpose,
whenever it may be required, the speed of the pump should be increased, so
that the current through the tubes may be made sufficiently rapid to carry out

page_text: with it
any air remaining in them. Although the decomposition of the neutral
fats by water takes place with great quickness at the proper heat, yet I prefer
that the pumpe should be worked at such a rate in proportion to the length or
capacity of the heating tubes d, d, d, that the mixture while flowing through
them should be maintained at the desired temperature for about ten minutes
before it passes into the refrigerator or cooling parts h. h, of the apparatus.
The melting point of lead has been mentioned as the proper heat to be used
in this operation, because it has been found to give good results; but the change
of fatty matters into fat acids and glycerine takes place with some materials
(such as palm oil) at the melting point of bismuth, yet the heat has been carried
considerably above the melting point of lead without any apparent injury, and
the decomposing action of the water becomes more powerful as the heat is
increased. By starting the apparatus at a low heat and gradually increasing it,
the temperature giving products most suitable to the intended application of the
fatty body employed can easily be determined.
To indicate the temperature of the tubes d, d, d, I have found the successive
melting of metals and other substances of different and known degrees of fusi-
bility to be convenient in practice. Several holes half an inch in diameter and
two or three inches deep are bored into the solid parts of the casting surrounding
the tubes, each hole being charged with a different substance. The series I
have used consist of tin melting at about four hundred and forty degrees,
bismuth at about five hundred and ten degrees, lead at about six hundred andi
twelve degrees, and nitrate of potash at about six hundred and sixty degrees.
A straight piece of iron wire passing through the side of the furnace to the
bottom of each of the holes enables the workman to feel which of the substances
are melted and to regulate the fire accordingly. It is important for the quick-
ness and perfection of the decomposition that the oil and water during their
entire passage through the heating tubes should remain in the same state of
intimate mixture in which they enter them. I therefore prefer to place the
series of heating tubes in a vertical position, so that any partial separation which
may take place while the liquids pass up one tube may be counteracted as they
pass down the next. I believe that it will be found useful to fix at intervals
in the heating tubes of such apparatus as may admit of such an addition.
diaphragms pierced with numerous small holes, so that the liquids being forced
through these obstructions may be thoroughly mixed together. I deem it
prudent to test the strength of the apparatus by a pressure of ten thousand
pounds to the square inch before taking it into use; but I believe that the
working pressure necessary for producing the heat I have mentioned will not
e found to exceed two thousand pounds to the square inch. When it is

page_text: desired to diminish the contact of the liquids with iron, the tubes or channels
of the apparatus may be lined with copper.
The hot mixture of fat acids and solution of glycerine which escape from the
exit valve of the apparatus are separated from each other by subsidence;
the fat acids may then be washed with water, and the solution of glycerine
concentrated and purified by the usual means.
The fat acids thus produced may like those obtained by other methods be
used in the manufacture of candles and soap, and applied to various purposes
according to their quality; and when desired they may also be first bleached
or purified by distillation or otherwise, as is now well understood.
I prefer that the fatty bodies should be previously deprived, as far as prac-
ticable, of such impurities as would cause the discoloration of the fat acids
produced; but when the fat acids are to be finally purified by distillation,
this preliminary purification is of less importance.
When any acid or other corrosive agent shall have been used for purifying,
hardening, or otherwise preparing the fatty body to be operated upon, I take
care that all traces of it shall be washed out or neutralized before passing it
through the apparatus. Some fatty bodies (particularly when impure) generate
during the process a portion of acetic or other soluble acid which might tend
to injure the iron tubes; in such cases I add a corresponding quantity of
alkaline or basic matter to the water and oil before they are pumped into
the tubes.
The second part of my said Invention consists of a mode of treating a
mixture of fatty matters (whether acid or neutral) and a carbonated alkali for
the purpose of manufacturing soap.
For this purpose I mix the fatty bodies in a liquid state with the quantity of
carbonated alkali in solution which may be necessary to convert it into soap, and
then subject the mixture to a high temperature under pressure, in like manner
as herein-before described in practising my mode of obtaining fatty acids and
glycerine. And for this purpose the apparatus herein-before described for
pro-
ducing the fatty acids and glycerine by a continuous process may be used for
the production of soap in a similar manner. The carbonated alkali may be
dissolved merely in the quantity of water which is intended to remain in the
soap produced. If resinous or other matters are intended to be used in the
manufacture of the soap, they may be dissolved either in the alkaline solution 3
or the oil, or may be combined with the soap after it has left the apparatus.
The degree of heat required is less than that which is necessary to produce
free fat acids, and should generally be kept between the melting points of tin
and bismuth. At about three hundred and fifty degrees of Fahrenheit the

page_text: neutral fats will form soaps, with the solution of alkaline carbonates, but a
higher temperature will produce the result more quickly.
The carbonic acid expelled from the alkali in this process when performed
in the apparatus above described escapes as the soap issues from the exit valve;
if but little water has been used and the quality of the soap is sufficiently good
without further purification, it can be put into frames to harden at once, or it
may be put into the coppers, boiled up, and separated from the glycerine
(when neutral fats have been used), and finished in the usual manner.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I hereby declare that I claim as of my Invention.
First, the manufacturing of fatty acids and glycerine from fatty bodies by
means of water and heat acting thereon, as herein-before described.
And, secondly, the manufacturing of soap by treating a mixture of fatty
matters and a carbonated alkali, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Albert Tilghman, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE.
R. A. TILGHMAN. (L.S.)

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Albert Tilghman, of Philadelphia, United
States of America, Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TREATING FATTY AND OILY MATTERS, CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE
OF SOAP, CANDLES, AND GLYCERINE."
Sealed the 25th March 1854, and dated the 9th January 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Albert Tilghman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th January 1854.
I, RICHARD ALBERT TILGHMAN, of Philadelphia, United States of America,
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TREATING FATTY AND OILY MATTERS, CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF
SOAP, CANDLES, AND GLYCERINE," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention consists in a new method of obtaining free
fat acids and solution of glyceriue from animal and vegetable fatty and oily
bodies which have glycerine as their base. Two processes are now practiced
for this purpose, one called the saponification process, inaking use first of lime
to decompose the fat (forming a lime soap), and then of some strong acid to
neutralize and remove the lime, leaving the fat acids in a free state.
In the other process the fat is heated with concentrated sulphuric acid,
which so acts upon or combines with the glycerine of the fat that boiling with
water removes both of them, leaving the fat acids in a free state.

page_text: Now my Invention consists in exposing the aforesaid fats and oils to the
action of water at a high temperature and pressure, the effect of which is to
cause the combination of the water with the clements of the neutral fats, so as
to produce at the same time free fat acids and solution of glycerine. Those
fats, which like palm oil are highly colored, are also to some extent bleached
by the process, and the strong smelling oils are more or less deodorized. The
operation is performed in a continuous manner by pumping an intimate
mixture of the fat and water through a very strong metallic vessel heated to
the requisite degree. From it the mixture (now changed into free fat acids
and solution of glycerine) escapes through a safety valve so heavily loaded as
not to open by the mere pressure of the steam. The solution of glycerine
settles from the hot fat acids, and may be purified as usual. The fat acids may
be used for making soap and candles at once, or bleached by any of the ordinary
methods, or may be distilled with hot steam in the usual manner.
The second part of my Invention relates to the manufacture of soap. It is
performed in the same apparatus and manner just described for fat acids, but
first dissolving in the water used the alkaline and other matter required to
produce soap, with the neutral or acid fatty matter employed. The soap as it
issues from the safety valve may be put into the frames at once, or washed and
finished in the usual manner. By this process carbonated alkalies act as well
as the more expensive caustic ones. Colored and bad smelling fats by this
treatment make bleached and deodorized soaps, but sometimes require a higher
heat than when white and inodorous fats are used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Albert Tilghman in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th July 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ALBERT TILGHMAN, of Philadelphia, United States of America, Chemist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of January, 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
Richard Albert Tilghman, Her special license that I, the said Richard Albert
Tilghman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Richard Albert Tilghman, my executors, administrators, and assigns.

page_text: 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-
MENTS IN TREATING FATTY AND OILY MATTERS, CHIEFLY APPLICABLE TO THE MANU-
FACTURE OF SOAP, CANDLES, AND GLYCERINE," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Richard Albert Tilghman, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of tho
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 Richard Albert Tilghman, 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 thereof (that is to say) :-
-
The first part of my said Invention consists of a mode or modes or mode of
obtaining free fat acids and solution of glycerine from those fatty or oily bodies
of animal and vegetable origin which contain glycerine as their base.
For this purpose I subject these fatty or oily bodies to the action of water at
a high temperature under pressure, so as to cause the clements of those bodies
to combine with water, and to obtain at the same time free fat acids and
solution of glycerine.
I mix the fatty body to be operated upon with from a third to a half of its
bulk of water, and the mixture may be placed in any convenient vessel in
which it can be subjected to the action of heat to a temperature about the same
as that of melting lead until the operation is complete; and the vessel must be
closed so that the requisite amount of pressure may be applied to prevent the
conversion of the water into steam.
The process may be performed more rapidly and also continuously by causing
the mixture of fatty matter and water to pass through a tube or continuous
channel heated to the temperature already mentioned, the requisite pressure for
preventing the conversion of the water into steam being applied during the
process; and this I believe is the best mode of carrying this part of my
Invention into effect.
In the Drawing hereunto annexed are shewn Figures of an apparatus for
performing this process speedily and continuously, but which apparatus I do not
intend to claim as any part of my Invention. Figure 1 of the said Drawings
is a vertical section of this apparatus; and Figure 2 shews the various parts of
the apparatus in horizontal section; similar parts in these Figures being marked

page_text: with similar letters of reference. I place the fat or oil in a fluid state in the
vessel a, with from one third to one half its bulk of warm water; the disk or
piston b, perforated with numerous small holes, being kept in rapid motion up
and down in the vessel a, causes the fat or oil and water to form an emulsion
or intimate mechanical mixture. A force pump c, liko those in common use
for bydraulic presses, then drives the mixture through a long coil of very strong
iron tube d, d, d, d, which being placed in a furnace e, e, is heated by a fire f,
to about the temperature of melting lead. From the exit end g of the heating
tubes d, d, the mixture, which has then become converted into free fat acids
and solution of glycerine, passes on through another coiled iron tube h, h, h,
immersed in water, by which it is cooled down from its high temperature to
below two hundred and twelve degrees of Fahrenheits thermometer, after which
it makes its escape through the exit valve i into the receiving vessel. The iron
tubes I have employed and found to be convenient for this purpose are about
1 inch external diameter and about half an inch internal diameter, being such as
are in common use for Perkins hot water apparatus. The ends of the tubes
are joined together by welding to make the requisite length; but where welding
is not practicable I employ the kind of joints used for Perkins hot water appa-
ratus, which are now well known. The heating tube d, d, d, is coiled several
times backwards and forwards so as to arrange a considerable length of tubo in
a moderate space. The different coils of the tube are kept about one quarter
of an inch apart from each other, and the interval between them is filled up
solid with cast iron, which also covers the outer coils or rows of tubes to the
thickness of half or three quarters of an inch, as shewn in Figure 2. This
casing of metal insures a considerable uniformity of temperature in the different
parts of the coil, adding also to its strength and protecting it from injury by
the fire.
The exit valve i is so loaded that when the heating tubes d, d, d, are at the
desired working temperature, and the pump C is not in action, it will not be
opened by the internal pressure produced by the application of heat to the
mixture; and therefore when the punip c is not in action, nothing escapes from
the valve if the temperature be not too high. But when the pump forces
fresh mixture into one end j of the heating tubes d, d, d, the exit valve i is
forced open to allow an equal amount of the mixture which has been operated
upon to escape out of the cooling tubes h, h, at the valve i, placed at other end
of the apparatus. No steam or air should be allowad to accumulate in the
tubes, which should be kept entirely full of the mixture. For this purpose,
whenever it may be required, the speed of the pump should be increased, so
that the current through the tubes may be made sufficiently rapid to carry out

page_text: with it any air remaining in them. Although the decomposition of the neutral
fats by water takes place with great quickness at the proper heat, yet I prefer
that the pump c should be worked at such a rate in proportion to the length or
capacity of the heating tubes d, d, d, that the mixture while flowing through
them should be maintained at the desired temperature for about ten minutės
before it passes into the refrigerator or cooling parts h, h, of the apparatus.
The melting point of lead has been mentioned as the proper heat to be used
in this operation, because it has been found to give good results; but the change
of fatty matters into fat acids and glycerine takes place with some materials
(such as palm oil) at the melting point of bismuth, yet the heat has been carried
eonsiderably above the melting point of lead without any apparent injury, and
the decomposing action of the water becomes more powerful as the heat is
increased. By starting the apparatus at a low heat and gradually increasing it,
the temperature giving products most suitable to the intended application of the
fatty body employed can easily be determined.
To indicate the temperature of the tubes d, d, d, I have found the successive
melting of metals and other substances of different and known degrees of fusi-
bility to be convenient in practice. Several holes half an inch in diameter and
two or three inches deep are bored into the solid parts of the casting surrounding
the tubes, each hole being charged with a different substance. The series I
have used consist of tin melting at about four hundred and forty degrees,
bismuth at about five hundred and ten degrees, lead at about six hundred and
twelve degrees, and nitrate of potash at about six hundred and sixty degrees.
A straight piece of iron wire passing through the side of the furnace to the
bottom of each of the holes enables the workman to feel which of the substances
are melted and to regulate the fire accordingly. It is important for the quick-
ness and perfection of the decomposition that the oil and water during their
entire passage through the heating tubes should remain in the same state of
intimate mixture in which they enter them. I therefore prefer to place the
series of heating tubes in a vertical position, so that any partial separation which
may take place while the liquids pass up one tube may be counteracted as they
pass down the next. I believe that it will be found useful to fix at intervals
in the heating tubes of such apparatus as may admit of such an addition,
diaphragms pierced with numerous small holes, so that the liquids being forced
through these obstructions may be thoroughly mixed together. I deem it
prudent to test the strength of the apparatus by a pressure of ten thousand
pounds to the square inch before taking it into use; but I believe that the
working pressure necessary for producing the heat I have mentioned will not
be found to exceed two thousand pounds to the square inch. When it is

page_text: desired to diminish the contact of the liquids with iron, the tubes or channels
of the apparatus may be lined with copper.
The hot mixture of fat acids and solution of glycerine which escape from the
exit valve of the apparatus are separated from each other by subsidence;
the fat acids may then be washed with water, and the solution of glycerine
concentrated and purified by the usual means.
The fat acids thus produced may like those obtained by other methods be
used in the manufacture of candles and soap, and applied to various purposes
according to their quality; and when desired they may also be first bleached
or purified by distillation or otherwise, as is now well understood.
I prefer that the fatty bodies should be previously deprived, as far as prac-
ticable, of such impurities as would cause the discoloration of the fat acids
produced; but when the fat acids are to be finally purified by distillation;
this preliminary purification is of less importance.
When any acid or other corrosive agent shall have been used for purifying,
hardening, or otherwise preparing the fatty body to be operated upon, I take
care that all traces of it shall be washed out or neutralized before passing it
through the apparatus. Some fatty bodies (particularly when impure) generate
during the process a portion of acetic or other soluble acid which might tend
to injure the iron tubes; in such cases I add a corresponding quantity of
alkaline or basic matter to the water and oil before they are pumped into
the tubes.
The second part of my said Invention consists of a mode of treating a
mixture of fatty matters (whether acid or neutral) and a carbonated alkali for
the purpose of manufacturing soap.
For this purpose I mix the fatty bodies in a liquid state with the quantity of
carbonated alkali in solution which may be necessary to convert it into soap, and
then subject the mixture to a high temperature under pressure, in like manner
as herein-before described in practising my mode of obtaining fatty acids and
glycerine. And for this purpose the apparatus herein-before described for pro-
ducing the fatty acids and glycerine by a continuous process may be used for
the production of soap in a similar manner. The carbonated alkali may be
dissolved merely in the quantity of water which is intended to remain in the
soap produced. If resinous or other matters are intended to be used in the
manufacture of the soap, they may be dissolved either in the alkaline solution
or the oil, or may be combined with the soap after it has left the apparatus.
The degree of heat required is less than that which is necessary to produce
free fat acids, and should generally be kept between the melting points of tin
and bismuth. At about three hundred and fifty degrees of Fahrenheit the

page_text: neutral fats will form soaps, with the solution of alkaline carbonates, but a
higher temperature will produce the result more quickly.
The carbonic acid expelled from the alkali in this process when performed
in the apparatus above described escapes as the soap issues from the exit valve;
if but little water has been used and the quality of the soap is sufficiently good
without further purification, it can be put into frames to harden at once, or it
may be put into the coppers, boiled up, and separated from the glycerine
(when neutral fats have been used), and finished in the usual manner.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I hereby declare that I claim as of my Invention,―
First, the manufacturing of fatty acids and glycerine from fatty bodies by
means of water and heat acting thereon, as herein-before described.
And, secondly, the manufacturing of soap by treating a mixture of fatty
matters and a carbonated alkali, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Albert Tilghman, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE.
R. A. TILGHMAN. (L.S.)