Encapsulated bleaches and methods for their preparation

Claim 1

A method for coating granulated agents, said agents being capable of substantially passing through a U.S. sieve size of about 10 mesh and at least about 80% of said agents being substantially retained on a U.S. sieve size of about 45 mesh comprising: a. agitating said agents in a mixer sufficiently to insure thorough contact of a spray coating and containing said agitation throughout said spray coating; b. spraying about 15 to about 25% of the total encapsulate weight of a melted solventless first coating on said agents to form a first coated agent, said spraying being accomplished initially at a rate and internal mixer temperature near the melting point of said coating sufficient to agglomerate any fines present in the agent and after said agglomeration at a rate sufficiently low to prevent substantial further agglomeration of said agents and at an internal mixer temperature within the softening range of said first coating, said first coating consisting essentially of a major portion of an alkanoic fatty acid being substantially non-reactive with said agents and having a melting point range of about 85° F to about 135° F and a plasticizing amount of a microcrystalline wax having a melting point range of about 125° F to about 210° F; and c. spraying about 30% to about 40% of the total encapsulate weight of a melted solventless second coating on said first coated agent, at a rate sufficiently low to prevent substantial agglomeration of said first coated agent and at an internal mixer temperature within the softening range of said coating, said second coating consisting essentially of a major proportion of a fatty acid, a sufficient amount of said microcrystalline wax to plasticize said second coating and about 5 to about 20% of the total encapsulate weight of a polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene copolymer having at least about 65% by weight of polyoxyethylene and having a molecular weight of about 8000 to about 16,500, said second coating being reactive with said granulated agents.

Claim 2

A method for coating granulated agents, said agents being capable of substantially passing through a U.S. sieve size of about 10 mesh and at least about 80% of said agents being substantially retained on a U.S. sieve size of about 45 mesh comprising: a. agitating said agents in a mixer sufficiently to insure thorough contact of a spray coating and containing said agitation throughout said spray coating; b. spraying about 15 to about 25% of the total encapsulate weight of a melted solventless first coating on said agents to form a first coated agent, said spraying being accomplished initially at a rate and internal mixer temperature near the melting point of said coating sufficient to agglomerate any fines present in the agent and after said agglomeration at a rate sufficiently low to prevent substantial further agglomeration of said agents and at an internal mixer temperature within the softening range of said first coating, said first coating consisting essentially of a major portion of an alkanoic fatty acid being substantially non-reactive with said agents and having a melting point range of about 85° F to about 135° F and a plasticizing amount of a microcrystalline wax having a melting point range of about 125° F to about 210° F; and c. spraying about 30% to about 40% of the total encapsulate weight of a melted solventless second coating on said first coated agent, at a rate sufficiently low to prevent substantial agglomeration of said first coated agent and at an internal mixer temperature within the softening range of said coating, said second coating consisting essentially of a major proportion of a fatty acid, a sufficient amount of said microcrystalline wax to plasticize said second coating and about 5 to about 20% of the total encapsulate weight of a polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene copolymer having at least about 65% by weight of polyoxyethylene and having a molecular weight of about 8000 to about 16,500, said second coating being reactive with said granulated agents.

Claim 9

A method for coating granulated agents, said agents being capable of substantially passing through a U.S. sieve size of about 10 mesh and at least about 80% of said agents being substantially retained on a U.S. sieve size of about 45 mesh comprising: a. agitating said agents in a mixer sufficiently to insure thorough contact of a spray coating and continuing said agitation throughout said spray coating; b. spraying about 5 to about 15% of the total encapsulate weight of a melted solventless first coating on said agents to form a first coated agent, said spraying being accomplished initially at a rate and internal mixer temperature near the melting point of said coating sufficient to agglomerate any fines present in the agent and after said agglomeration at a rate sufficiently low to prevent substantial further agglomeration of said agents and at an internal mixer temperature within the softening range of said first coating, said first coating consisting essentially of a major portion of a an alkanoic fatty acid being substantially non-reactive with said agents and having a melting point range of about 85° F to about 135° F and a plasticizing amount of a microcrystalline wax having a melting point range of about 125° F to about 210° F; c. spraying about 25% to about 40% of the total encapsulate weight of a melted solventless second coating on said first coated agent, at a rate sufficiently low to prevent substantial agglomeration of said first coated agent and at an internal mixer temperature within the softening range of said second coating, said second coating consisting essentially of a major proportion of a fatty acid, a sufficient amount of said microcrystalline wax to plasticize said second coating and about 5 to about 20% by weight of the total encapsulated weight of a polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene copolymer having at least about 65% by weight of polyoxyethylene and having a molecular weight of about 8000 to about 16,500 said second coating being reactive with said granulated agents; and d. spraying about 5% to about 15% of the total encapsulate weight of a melted solventless third coating on said second coated agent at a rate sufficiently low to prevent substantial agglomeration of said second coated agent and at an internal mixer temperature within the softening range of said third coating, said third coating consisting essentially of a major portion of said fatty acid and a sufficient amount of said microcrystalline wax to plasticize said third coating.

Claim 10

A method for coating granulated agents, said agents being capable of substantially passing through a U.S. sieve size of about 10 mesh and at least about 80% of said agents being substantially retained on a U.S. sieve size of about 45 mesh comprising: a. agitating said agents in a mixer sufficiently to insure thorough contact of a spray coating and continuing said agitation throughout said spray coating; b. spraying about 5 to about 15% of the total encapsulate weight of a melted solventless first coating on said agents to form a first coated agent, said spraying being accomplished initially at a rate and internal mixer temperature near the melting point of said coating sufficient to agglomerate any fines present in the agent and after said agglomeration at a rate sufficiently low to prevent substantial further agglomeration of said agents and at an internal mixer temperature within the softening range of said first coating, said first coating consisting essentially of a major portion of a an alkanoic fatty acid being substantially non-reactive with said agents and having a melting point range of about 85° F to about 135° F and a plasticizing amount of a microcrystalline wax having a melting point range of about 125° F to about 210° F; c. spraying about 25% to about 40% of the total encapsulate weight of a melted solventless second coating on said first coated agent, at a rate sufficiently low to prevent substantial agglomeration of said first coated agent and at an internal mixer temperature within the softening range of said second coating, said second coating consisting essentially of a major proportion of a fatty acid, a sufficient amount of said microcrystalline wax to plasticize said second coating and about 5 to about 20% by weight of the total encapsulated weight of a polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene copolymer having at least about 65% by weight of polyoxyethylene and having a molecular weight of about 8000 to about 16,500 said second coating being reactive with said granulated agents; and d. spraying about 5% to about 15% of the total encapsulate weight of a melted solventless third coating on said second coated agent at a rate sufficiently low to prevent substantial agglomeration of said second coated agent and at an internal mixer temperature within the softening range of said third coating, said third coating consisting essentially of a major portion of said fatty acid and a sufficient amount of said microcrystalline wax to plasticize said third coating.