US87157A - Improved refined heavy oil from petroleum - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFrIoa.

HIRAM B. EVEREST, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO VACUUM- OIL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

' IMPROVED REFINED HEAV V OIL FROM PETROLEUM.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 87,157, dated February 23, 1869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM B. EVEREST, of the city of Rochester, county of Monroe and Stateof New York, have invented a certain new and Improved Oil Product from Petroleum; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

My invention consists in the production of a new and improved material from petroleum, or from the distilled paraffine products of petroleum, or from coal-oils, which I denominate improved vacuum-oil.

By reference to Letters Patent of M. P. Ewing, dated September 11, 1866, No. 58,020, it will be observed that a heavy residuum-oil was claimed by him, when produced from crude petroleum by the evaporation therefrom of the lighter hydrocarbons in cacao by the use of steam, or its equivalent, to prevent burning. This oil has been successfully manufactured, and largely introduced for lubricating and carrying purposes, since the issue of said Letters Patent; but it is found to contain tarry matters, which attach to all crude rock-oils, and which are necessarily left in the product as manufactured under said Ewings patent; and these tarry matters render. the oil so thick and sticky as to partially unfit it for use in winter for currying purposes, and they also render the oil of so dark a color as to be an objection when offered for sale to curriers or to machinists; also, when the oil is applied to boots and shoes it is apt to color the stocking or foot, when too freely applied. It is free from odor, however, and in many respects Ewings patent vacuum-oil is an invention of great practical value.

The advantages which I claim for my improved vacuum-oil over that described in said Ewings patent are, first, it is free from those tarry matters which are necessarily incorporated in that product second, it is also lighter in color, which gives it a better appearance in the market, and renders it more valuable for use upon the finer kinds of machinery, for oiling boots and shoes, 860., and also for currying and finishing all uncolored grades of tanned leather. As compared with the paraffine-oils of commerce, as heretofore made, it is free from those disagreeable odors which attach to such oils, unless they have been subjected to the severest treatment with chemicals, which my oil does not require. Again, my improved vacuum-oil is entirely deprived of those lighter hydrocarbon qualities which render all parafiine-oils heretofore produced liable to evaporation, and which render them in some degree corrosive in their nature, and, consequently, injurious When applied to leather. Again, my oil is so deodorized and entirely free from corrosive properties that it may be used for making a poma' tum for the hair by the combination of perfumes with it in suitable proportions.

In order that those skilled in the art and manufacture of petroleum-oil products may be able to produce my improved vacuum-oil, I will state the method I employ, referring to any of the stills in common use at the present day for the manufacture of the so-called paraffine-oils of commerce as being suitable for conducting the former part of the process, and to the above-named Letters Patent of M. P. Ewing; also, the patent of H. B. Everest, dated September 3,1867,No. 68,426, for a representation of the requisite apparatus for conducting the latter part of the process.

When crude petroleum is used in the manufacture of my improved oil, the lighter hydrocarbons, such as naphtha and kerosene, are run off in the usual manner until the distillate reaches the gravity of 38, Baums hydrometer, and all the gravities of oil below. that point are run off rapidly down to the point of caking in the retort, and these latter oils of heavy gravity are retained for further treatment by the vacuum process.

When crude oils are used the usual method of producing those oils therefrom called paraffine-oils may be adopted.

When the tar of the stills, or residuum, is used, the retort in which it is to be distilled should be supplied with an open pipe for the purpose of throwing highly-heated steam into the body of the tar in the retort, to assist in the separation of the paraffiue properties from the tarry substance, and also to assist in carrying over the heavy distilling-vapors of the paraffine-oils. Direct fire is used, and the paraffine-oils are driven off as rapidly as possible, to prevent decomposition and the production of fixed gases.

Thus far I have simply described the first step necessary to be pursued in the production of my improved oil. It is evident that in practice it might be more economical to purchase the parafline products from refiners of petroleum, as they are necessarilyproduced in small quantities by each, than to be obliged to producelarge amounts of other products, as would be the case where it is desirable to manufacture large quantities of my improved oil from the natural crude petroleum.

The paraffine products described above are now in a condition unfit for the market, and would require to be redistilled and severely treated with chemicals, or both, in order to fit them for combination with the kerosene-oils; or, if used for the purpose to which paraffineoils may be and are generally applied, it would require severe treatment with acids and alkalies to deodorize and fit them for valuable use. But, to proceed with the explanation of my process, I now place this product in a vacuum retort or still, similar to those referred to in Letters Patent indicated above, and apply heat by injecting superheated steam into the body of the oil in the retort by means of an open or perforated pipe, and also through coils, as is usual where liquids are evaporated by steam under a vacuum or partial vacuum. The result of this part of the process is that a small portionsay, from ten to thirty per cent.-of the lighter portions of the parafline-oils in the retort is distilled over, which may be mixed with the lighter kerosene portions produced from the crude oil and sold for illuminating purposes. The remainder, which is left in the retort as a residuum of the paraffine-oil, is reduced to the standard gravity of 28 to 30 Beaum, or even less, according to the density of the paraifine-oils used.

The action of the vacuum-pump during the latter process has accomplished the efl'ect of removing all those odors which had been incorporated in the paraffine-oil by the first process, and I have a product free from offensive odor-free from light hydrocarbons, which are corrosiveand fitted for valuable use without further treatment; and this desirable result is accomplished at comparatively small cost and in a rapid manner.

By this method the distilled paraffine products of petroleum arerendered much more valuable for currying purposes, harness-oils, for oiling wool, lubricating machinery, and many other uses wherefreedom from odor, from acids, and other corrosive properties is desirable.

Now, having specified the process by which my invention is carried out, and explained distinctly the valuable properties of my improved product over the oils heretofore known or produced, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

As a new article of manufacture, the oil product resultingfrom fi rst distilling the parafiineoils from petroleum or its products, or from coal-oils, in a vacuum or other still, and the subsequent treatment of said paraffine-oils in the vacuumstill, for throwing off the lighter and injurious qualities, as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HIRAM B. EVEREST.

Witnesses:

R. F. OSGOOD, Gno. W. MiA'r'r.