1799] 
ing antifeptic properties, in a powdered or 
divided ftate, with an addition of a {mall 
proportion of diluted {ulphuric acid, fuf- 
ficient only to decompole the fall quan- 
tity of faponaceous matter ftill fufpended 
in the oil, which appears by the oil be- 
coming clear at the furface, the contents 
of this veffel are alfo agitated, and the 
coaly faline and aqueous particles left to 
fubfide, after which the oil is pafed 
through proper ftrainers, herein after de- 
icribed, and is thereby rendered perfectly 
tran{parent and fit for ule. 
The principle of the improved frainers, 
or filterimg machines, confifts in the means 
applied to combine hydroftatic prefiure, 
which increafes according to the perpen- 
dicular height of the fluid, with the mode 
of filtering per afcenfum, thereby procur- 
ing the new and peculiar advantage that 
the fluid and its fediment take oppolite di- 
rections. A great advantage attending this 
invention is, that the dimenfions of the 
chamber in which the fediment is received 
may be varied while the filtering furiace 
remains the fame. To adapt the ma- 
ehines not only to the purpole of families, 
work-houles, hofpitals, public charities, 
the navy, or the merchant fervice, but 
alfo to all the purpoies of oil-men, of dif- 
tillers, of the laboratory, the brewery, 
&c. chambers of various capacities mutt 
be provided for the fediment and _precipi- 
tated matter. With refpect to the oil- 
trade, the {pace required is very great, 
elpecially for fpermaceti, or Brafil bot- 
toms. In the various purpoies of the la- 
boratory, no limits ¢an be fixed, but all. 
dimenfions will be oceafionally required : 
in diftilleries and breweries they may be 
faller in proportion, and in that de- 
figned for water and for domeftic ufe, a 
very {mall chamber will be fufficient. 
When water is to be fweetened, or freed 
from any putrid or noxious particles, it 
paifes, in its way to the filtering chamber, 
through an iron-box, or cylinder, con- 
taining charcoal finely powdered, or any 
other antifeptic fubftance intoluble in 
water, the water being forced into it by 
bydroftatic preflure, threugh a tube of 
any fufficient height. This box has two 
apertures to receive and deliver the fluid, 
and thefe are opened and clofed by cocks, 
or {crews, or any other method ufed for 
fuch purpofes, and being athxed to the 
machine by other fcrews, may he eafily 
detached from the fame. Thus, when- 
ever the charcoal begins to lofe its anti- 
feptic properties, the box is removed and 
heated, till it is red hot, by which means 
the foreign matter efcapes through the 
My. Cellier’s New Patent. 
63 
{mall apertures, after which the box is 
cooled, and the charcoal becomes {weet, 
pure, and équally fit for ufe as at frit, 
though the procelfs be ever fo otten re- 
peated. 
Another part of the invention confifts in 
filtering machines in the form of ftills, im 
which charcoal may be repeatedly burned, 
after any fluid fubftances have pafled 
through it, for the purpofe of freeing 
them either from putrid or noxious par- 
ticles or of difcharging their colouring 
matter, which filtering itills are fo con- 
trived, that the fluid may ps{s through in 
any quantity; without difplacing the 
charcoal; the part of the fluid remaining 
interfperfed among the charcoal, may be 
driven over by heat and be employed for 
many inferior purpofes of the arts or ma- 
nufactures. Laftly, the heat may be 
raifed fo as to purity the charcoal as has 
been before def{cribed in the machines for 
water. ‘The flue of thofe {tills is fo cone 
itructed that water may be employed to 
cool them without the lofs of time res. 
quifite for their gradually parting with 
their heat to the furrounding atmoiphere, 
fo. as to be fit for a fubfequent operation. 
‘The inftruments for afcertaining the 
comparative qualities of oils, depend in. 
part on the principle of their {pecific gra- 
vities ; {permaceti oil, contrafted with 
other fith oils, being as 875 to920. For 
this purpofe, a glafs veffel of any conve- 
nient fhape, is made ule of, furnifhed with 
a bubble alfo of glafs, and a thermometer. 
f the oil is pure, this bubble finks, when 
the mercury rifes to a certain ffandard, by 
the application of the hand, or any other 
heat to the veffel containing the oil. If 
the fpermaceti oil is impure, the bubble 
will {till oat, though it is of the tempe- 
rature required, and the degree of impure, 
or foreign matter, will be thewn by the 
itate of the thermometer at which the bub- 
ble finks. 
To determine what tendency oils ufed 
for burning have to congcal in cold wea- 
ther, a freezing mixture is put ina phial 
of thin glafs, or any other convenient 
veflel, into this a thermometer is im= 
merfed, and a fingle drop of the oil under 
experiment, fuffered to fall on the outifide 
ef the veflel, where it immediately con- 
geals; asthe cold produced by the mix- 
ture gradually ceafes, it is eafy to ob- 
ferve by the thermometer at what point ef 
temperature the oil becomes fluid, and 
runs down the fide of the glaf, 
References to the plate. 
Fic. 1. A.—The ciftern into which the 
Water Or other fluid to be filtered is put. 
