Process for anhydrous calcium 12-hydroxy stearate and estolide containing grease

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF PREPARING A STABLE SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS CALCIUM BASE LUBRICATING GREASE WHICH COMPRISES SAOINIFYING A HYDROXY FATTY ACID MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SUSBSTANTIALLY SATURATED MONO-AND DIHYDROXY FATTY ACODS CONTAINING FOM ABOUT 12 TO ABOUT 24 CARBOB ATOMS, AND THE GLYCERIDES THEREOF, WITH CALCIUM HYDROXIDE IN THE PRESENCE OF A SMALL AMOUNT EQUIVALENT TO ONLY A MINOR PROPORTION OF THE LIQUID OLEAGINOUS LUBRICATING BASE EMPLOYED IN THE GREASE OF A NAPHTJENIC DISTILLATE LUBRICATING OIL HAVING A VISCOSITY IN THE RANGE FROM ABOUT 40 TO ABOUT 600 SECONDS SAYBOLT UNIVERSAL AT 100*F., HEATING THE SAPONIFIED MASS AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF THE SOAP FOR A TIME SUFFICIENT TO SUBSTANTIALLY DEHYDRATE THE SAID MASS, AND THEREAFTER GRADUALLY ADDING ADDITIONAL LUBRICATING OIL WITH CONTINOUS STIRRING AS THE SAID MASS IS COOLED AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW THE MELTING POINT OF THE SAID SOAP, SAID HYDROXY FATTY ACID MATERIAL CONTAINING 3-15 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF ESTOLIDES HAVING AB AVERAGE MOLECULAR WEIGHT IN ABOUT THE RANGE 800-1200.