Refining of lubricant oils

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE FINISHING TREATMENT OF REFINED LUBRICATING OIL FRACTIONS TO IMPROVE THE ODOR AND COLOR AND STABILITY THEREOF BY CATALYTIC ACTION OF HYDROGEN WITHOUT AFFECTING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SULPHUR CONTENT OF SAID FRACTIONS, THE STEPS WHICH COMPRISE PROVIDING A CATALYST FOR SAID CATALYTIC HYDROGEN ACTION INCLUDING AN OXIDE OF A METAL SELECTION FROM GROUPS VI AND VIII OF THE PERIODIC TABLE, SAID METAL OXIDE CATALYST BEING DEPOSITED ON A SUPPORTING MATERIAL THEREFOR INCLUDING AN OXIDE OF A METAL SELECTED FROM GROUPS II AND III AND IV OF THE PERIODIC TABLE, ACTIVATING AND ENHANCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SAID CATALYST IN A PRE-TREATING STEP BY SUBJECTING SAID CATALYST ON SAID SUPPORTING MATERIAL IN THE PRESENCE OF HYDROGEN TO THE ACTION OF A PETROLEUM DISTILLATE DIFFERENT FROM SAID LUBRICATING OIL FRACTIONS AND INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF REACTIVE AND REMOVABLE SULFUR WITH CONSEQUENT REMOVAL OF SULFUR FROM SAID PETROLEUM DISTILLATE, AND THEREAFTER SUBJECTING SAID LUBRICATING OIL FRACTIONS TO THE ACTION OF HYDROGEN IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID THUS ACTIVATED AND ENHANCED CATALYST EFFECTING SAID FINISHING IMPROVEMENT IN THE ODOR AND COLOR AND STABILITY OF SAID FRACTIONS SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE ABSENCE OF SULFUR REMOVAL THEREFROM.