Granular herbicidal composition and preparation thereof

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PREPARING A GRANULAR HERBICIDAL COMPOSITION OF DRY, FREE-FLOWING, COLD WATER-SOLUBLE LITHIUM SALT OF 2, 4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID FROM EQUIMOLAR REACTING AMOUNTS OF LITHIUM BASE AND 2, 4 - DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID COMPRISING REACTING AT ABOUT 70*C. TO ABOUT 100*C. WHILE STIRRING THE AMOUNT OF SUBSTANTIALLY PURE, FINELY DIVIDED, 2, 4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID WITH THE EQUIMOLAR AMOUNT OF FINELY DIVIDED, SOLID LITHIUM BASE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ANHYDROUS LITHIUM HYDROXIDE, LITHIUM HYDROXIDE MONOHYDRATE AND LITHIUM CARBONATE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN AMOUNT OF WATER AS WILL AFTER DRYING AND GRANULATING PROVIDE LESS THAN 25% BUT MORE THAN 1.8% OF WATER INCLUDING WATER OF REACTION AND WATER OF HYDRATION DERIVED FROM SAID LITHIUM BASE TO FORM A MIXTURE OF HYDRATED AND NON-HYDRATED LITHIUM SALT OF 2, 4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID, CONTINUING SAID HEATING TO REDUCE THE WATER CONTENT TO LESS THAN 10.2% OF WATER, COOLING TO ROOM TEMPERATURE, AND GRANULATING SAID SALT TO FINELY DIVIDED PARTICLE SIZE TO OBTAIN AS A RESULT OF THE CONTROLLED REACTION IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID PREDETERMINED QUANTIES OF WATER A NONCAKING, STORAGE-STABLE, FREE FLOWING DRY PARTLY HYDRATED PRODUCT CONTAINING FROM 1.8% TO 10.2% BY WEIGHT OF WATER OF HYDRATION AND NO OTHER WATER, SAID PRODUCT WHEN SIEVED THROUGH A 30 MESH SCREEN ONTO A 100 MESH SCREEN DISSOLVING COMPLETELY IN WATER AT 20-25*C. AT AN AMOUNT OF ONE POUND OF DRY PRODUCT PER 10 GALLONS OF WATER WITHIN 1 MINUTE.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF PREPARING A GRANULAR HERBICIDAL COMPOSITION OF DRY, FREE-FLOWING, COLD WATER-SOLUBLE LITHIUM SALT OF 2, 4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID FROM EQUIMOLAR REACTING AMOUNTS OF LITHIUM BASE AND 2, 4 - DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID COMPRISING REACTING AT ABOUT 70*C. TO ABOUT 100*C. WHILE STIRRING THE AMOUNT OF SUBSTANTIALLY PURE, FINELY DIVIDED, 2, 4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID WITH THE EQUIMOLAR AMOUNT OF FINELY DIVIDED, SOLID LITHIUM BASE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ANHYDROUS LITHIUM HYDROXIDE, LITHIUM HYDROXIDE MONOHYDRATE AND LITHIUM CARBONATE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN AMOUNT OF WATER AS WILL AFTER DRYING AND GRANULATING PROVIDE LESS THAN 25% BUT MORE THAN 1.8% OF WATER INCLUDING WATER OF REACTION AND WATER OF HYDRATION DERIVED FROM SAID LITHIUM BASE TO FORM A MIXTURE OF HYDRATED AND NON-HYDRATED LITHIUM SALT OF 2, 4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID, CONTINUING SAID HEATING TO REDUCE THE WATER CONTENT TO LESS THAN 10.2% OF WATER, COOLING TO ROOM TEMPERATURE, AND GRANULATING SAID SALT TO FINELY DIVIDED PARTICLE SIZE TO OBTAIN AS A RESULT OF THE CONTROLLED REACTION IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID PREDETERMINED QUANTIES OF WATER A NONCAKING, STORAGE-STABLE, FREE FLOWING DRY PARTLY HYDRATED PRODUCT CONTAINING FROM 1.8% TO 10.2% BY WEIGHT OF WATER OF HYDRATION AND NO OTHER WATER, SAID PRODUCT WHEN SIEVED THROUGH A 30 MESH SCREEN ONTO A 100 MESH SCREEN DISSOLVING COMPLETELY IN WATER AT 20-25*C. AT AN AMOUNT OF ONE POUND OF DRY PRODUCT PER 10 GALLONS OF WATER WITHIN 1 MINUTE.