USRE654E - Improvement in devices for putting up caustic alkalies - Google Patents

Description

To all whom it may concern:

' essary ,to keep these articles in air-tight pee "UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR PUTTlNG UP CAUSTlC ALKALLEQ Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 15,957, dated October 2 1, 11-356; Reissue No. 6-54; dated 7 February 1, 1859.

Be it known that I, GEORGE THOMPSON, of

, East Tarentnm, in the county of Allegheny audState of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Mode of Putting Up Caustic Alkalies; and I'do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention consists in putting up the hydrated alkalies of soda and potassa in small quantities (say ten pounds or less) in small air-tight wrappings, cases,-'or boxes, of such convenient sizethat when opened the contents may be used at once for the purposes required, thus forming a new article of commerce and manufacture by introducing into general use for -domestic unu otherpurposes, in small quantities, those concentrated alkalies which, owing to their peculiar chemical properties, have not, prior to my invention, been susceptible of such'use in small quantities. The hydrated alkalies of soda and po tassa, commonly known'a s ;eaustic soda and potash, are highly-edueentrated alkalies, which are well known in commerce and extensively used in large quantities in sundry manufactures.

.These articles would prove .very useful for domestic and other purposes in small quantities; but owing to the fact that they speedily deliquesce after beingexposed even for a short time to the" action of atmospheric air, and that by their caustic property they attack and destroy almost everything with which they are allowed to come in contact in their deliquescent state, their use for domestic and other purposes where a small quantity only at a time is requisite has been, prior to my inven tion, almost impossible, inasmuch as it is lie]:- ages, and, if once opened so as to' admit the air, the contents of these packages must be at once made use of, or they will at once deli;

quesceand become useless. These caustic a1- .kalies are ordinarily,whcn manufactured, put

up in large quantities, of about four hundred and fifty pounds each, in air-tight barrels, and in this shape they are for the reasons above stated totally unsuited for domestic purposes or use in small quantities, because the opening of an original package to take out a small portion of its contents would result in damage to the whole oi theremainder. Now, if caustic soda and potash can be made in small cakes or lumps of uniform size and with smooth exterior, so as to admit of their beingso closely enveloped in airtight wrappin'gs or coverings as to exclude any atmospheric air or moisture from the interior, or poured in a molten state into small air-ti 'htboxes canisters or other receptacles which will withstand the heat of the melted alkali, then these valuable articles 1 can be sold and kept on hand for use in small quantities, as occasion may require, and thus become accessible to the public.

Aftervarious experiments more or less suceessful, I invent-ed a mode of dividing the caustic soda, when in astate of fusion, into small cakes of uniform weight and size and smooth exterior surface, U01 which invention Lettels Patent of the United States were grant ed to me on the 24th day of July, A. 111535.) and I have also discovered a method of incasing those cakes, while yctso hot as not to be injuriously affected by the atmosphere, in a suitable covering, impervious alike to air and moisture. paper, or other suitable material, which I dip into a melted preparation of beeswax and rosin, or-meltcd tar and rosin, or other similar substances, which renders the wrapping inipervious to air or moisture. The cakes of caustic soda or potash, so soon as they are suiiiciently solid to bear handling, are immediately folded up carefully in the wrapping thus prepared, the sticky nature of the substance with which thewrapping is impregnated causing it to adhere together where the edges fold over each other, and thus serving to exclude on tirely the air and moisture from obtaining access to the case of caustic alkali within. The package thus wrapped may then, for

further protection, be immersed in the melted and may be kept without injury to the alkali foralmost any length of time. "When used for making soap, the inner covering of pro pared paper need not be removed, as the small I employ, as a Wrapping, muslin, l

quantity of rosin and beeswax will not injurt.

onsly affect the soap. It may be readily removed, however, itprcfcrred. Another met-h 'od which I have invented of accomplishing the same result is to provide small boxes or canisters of thin sheet-iron or other metal,

nnited at the joints with any suitable cement infusible at the degree ;of heat to which it will be exposed from'thc caustic soda or other caustic alkali. Into these boxes I pourtlie caustic alkali, in a molten state, until they are quite full. The lid of the box is'tlien pressed l down so close to the surface of the melted contents of the box as to exclude all air or moisture, and is secured by cement. The heat of the contents of the'box hardens the cement, and the whole box maythen be clipped in van. nish as an additional security against the entrance of the air. from that first described; but the principal is the same, both being designed to enable the.

This plan differs in detail manufacturer of these caustic elkalies to put them up iii original packages of uniform size and weight, andeach containing so small it quantity that when apeckage or box" is opened its whole contents may conveniently be used at. once. t

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The putting up of the caustic alkalies 0t soda and p'otassa in small quantitiessin airtight wrappings, cases, or boxes, in the manner hereinbefore described, or its "equivalent,

for the "purposes'of introducing into general I use for domesticand other purposes those articles, which, owing to their peculiar chemical properties, have not heretofore been susceptible of general use in small quantities.

, I v GEORGE THOMPSON. Witnesses: v 1

MARTIN G. CUsmNc, W. BAKEWELL.