Continuous process for the preparation of dithiophosphate acid esters

Claim 1

IN THE PROCESS OF REACTING A PHOSPHORUS SULFIDE AND AN ALCOHOLIC BODY TO FORM A DITHIOPHOSPHATE ACID ESTER AND HYDROGEN SULFIDE, THE STEPS OF CONTINUOUSLY CIRCULATING IN A CLOSED SYSTEM A SLURRY OF SAID PHOSPHORUS SULFIDE, THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE LIQUID PHASE OF SAID SLURRY BEING THE DITHIOPHOSPHATE ACID ESTER, INTRODUCING INTO SAID CLOSED SYSTEM SAID PHOSPHORUS SULFIDE AND ALCHOLIC BODY AT RATES SO AS TO MAINTAIN SAID PHOSPHORUS SULFIDE AT EVERY POINT IN SAID SYSTEM IN AMOUNTS GREATLY IN EXCESS OF THE MINIMUM AMOUNTS REQUIRED FOR A COMPLETE REACTION WITH THE AMOUNT OF ORGANIC HYDROXY COMPOUND PRESENT AT THAT POINT, AMINTAINING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CONTINUOUSLY CIRCULATING STREAM OF SLURRY FOR A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF ITS CIRCULATING CYXLE AT A TEMPERATURE FAVORAVLE TO THE DESIRED REACTION AND DRAWING OFF FROM THE SYSTEM THE LIQUID DITHLI-OPHOSPHATE ACID ESTER AT ABOUT ITS RATE OF FORMATION.