Abstract Items to be cleaned of rosin are confined within the vapor end of a refluxing chamber. A two-phase liquid solvent system is contained in the bottom of the chamber. The solvent system comprises an aqueous solution of a base of sufficient strength to saponify the organic acid on the items to be cleaned, and an organic solvent immiscible with the aqueous solution. The solvent is boiled and forms a vapor phase consisting of the vapors of the organic solvents and water vapor, which vapor phase contacts the enclosed item. The base, being of low volatility, does not vaporize. The organic solvent dissolves the rosin and, by condensation, the solution of rosin in organic solvent drips back into the turbulating liquid phase where it is contacted by the base. The base saponifies the rosin; the resulting soap is the waste of the process. The soap dissolves in the water, and the organic solvent is available again in the cleaning system. The water and water vapor dissolve any other salts present as a contaminant in the rosin and carry such contaminants back into the turbulating liquid phase.
THE METHOD OF CLEAINING AN ARTICLE CONTAINED WITH ORGANIC ACID MATERIAL SO AS FORM A BIODERGRADABLE WASTE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: INSERTING THE ARTICLE TO BE CLEANED OF ORGANIC ACID RESIDUES INTO THE VAPOR SECTION OF A VAPOR DEGREASER, SAID VAPOR DEGREASER HAVING A TWO-PHASE LIQUID SOLVENT LOCATED IN THE SUMP THEREOF, SAID TWO-PHASE LIQUID SOLVENT COMPRISING FIRST LIQUID CONTAINING AN ORGANIC SOLVENT AND A SECOND LIQUID CONTAINING WATER AND AN INORGANIC BASE OF LOW VOLATILITY, SAID INORGANIC BASE BEING SUFFICIENTLY STONG TO NEUTRALIZE SAID ORGANIC ACID MATERIAL, AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND LIQUIDS BEING IMMISCIBLE IN ONE ANOTHER; HEATING SAID MIXTURE TO BOIL SAID TWO-PHASE LIQUID SOLVENT WHEREIN SAID SOLVENT IS IN A STATE OF TURBULANCE AND A VAPOR OF WATER AND ORGANIC SOLVENT IS CREATED IN SAID VAPOR SECTION AND REFLUXING SAID MIXTURE, WITHOUT VAPORIZING SAID INORGANIC BASE.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
140 words
THE METHOD OF CLEAINING AN ARTICLE CONTAINED WITH ORGANIC ACID MATERIAL SO AS FORM A BIODERGRADABLE WASTE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: INSERTING THE ARTICLE TO BE CLEANED OF ORGANIC ACID RESIDUES INTO THE VAPOR SECTION OF A VAPOR DEGREASER, SAID VAPOR DEGREASER HAVING A TWO-PHASE LIQUID SOLVENT LOCATED IN THE SUMP THEREOF, SAID TWO-PHASE LIQUID SOLVENT COMPRISING FIRST LIQUID CONTAINING AN ORGANIC SOLVENT AND A SECOND LIQUID CONTAINING WATER AND AN INORGANIC BASE OF LOW VOLATILITY, SAID INORGANIC BASE BEING SUFFICIENTLY STONG TO NEUTRALIZE SAID ORGANIC ACID MATERIAL, AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND LIQUIDS BEING IMMISCIBLE IN ONE ANOTHER; HEATING SAID MIXTURE TO BOIL SAID TWO-PHASE LIQUID SOLVENT WHEREIN SAID SOLVENT IS IN A STATE OF TURBULANCE AND A VAPOR OF WATER AND ORGANIC SOLVENT IS CREATED IN SAID VAPOR SECTION AND REFLUXING SAID MIXTURE, WITHOUT VAPORIZING SAID INORGANIC BASE.