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US4772434A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Soap making process

Assignee: Dail Corp
•
Filing: 1986-10-03
•
Granted: 1988-09-20
•
Expires: 2006-10-03
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Abstract

Abstract A process for the preparation of soap and soap/synthetic detergent products from raw materials normally employed in the manufacture of such products including fatty acids, triglycerides and caustic by subjecting such raw materials to intensive countercurrent mixing whereby saponification takes place in a relatively short time, and whereby cooling and moisture removal of the soap mass is accomplished by making the mixing vessel substantially air tight and applying a vacuum to the soap mass within the vessel to yield a product, preferably in granular form, which requires no further drying for most uses. The resulting product can, if desired, can then be subjected to plodding, extrusion and stamping to form soap in bar form. The starting material can also be a mixture of such raw materials where neutralization has already proceed to some degree, preferably to the neat soap stage.

Inventors

  • 👤 E. Gary Myers

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 20:08
CPC Classifications
C; C11; C11D; C11D13/00; C11D13/10; B; B01; B01F; B01F27/00; B01F27/05; C11D13/14; C11D13/20

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim 142 words
A process for making water soluble soap granules from raw materials normally employed in soap manufacture including a fatty acid source, caustic and water, the amount of water present being such that the concentration of caustic is from 10% to 70% by weight of the water, comprising the steps of introducing said materials into an enclosed mixing vessel, causing said materials in said vessel to rotate in a generally circular path while simultaneously bringing said materials into contact with a rotating means mounted within said vessel, said means rapidly rotating in a direction counter to the initial direction of flow of said materials in said vessel whereby saponification takes place, making the vessel substantially air tight and applying a vacuum to said materials within said vessel whereby soap granules are formed having a moisture content of less than about 20% by weight.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 142 words
A process for making water soluble soap granules from raw materials normally employed in soap manufacture including a fatty acid source, caustic and water, the amount of water present being such that the concentration of caustic is from 10% to 70% by weight of the water, comprising the steps of introducing said materials into an enclosed mixing vessel, causing said materials in said vessel to rotate in a generally circular path while simultaneously bringing said materials into contact with a rotating means mounted within said vessel, said means rapidly rotating in a direction counter to the initial direction of flow of said materials in said vessel whereby saponification takes place, making the vessel substantially air tight and applying a vacuum to said materials within said vessel whereby soap granules are formed having a moisture content of less than about 20% by weight.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 14 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein said materials also include a synthetic detergent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein said fatty acid source are long chain monocarboxylic acids having a chain length of from 6 to 18 carbon atoms.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein said counter rotating means are mounted eccentrically within said vessel and at a distance from the wall of said vessel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 28 words
The process according to claim 1 whereby the contact of said materials with the rapidly rotating means creates a series of whirlpools of said materials within said vessel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 27 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein said soap granules are removed from said vessel and thereafter subjected to plodding, extrusion and stamping to form soap bars.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 34 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein said materials in said vessel are initially in a liquid phase and with continued mixing become a viscous dough-like mass, thereafter into strands and finally into granules.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 112 words
A process for making water soluble soap in the form of granules from materials normally employed in soap manufacture including a fatty acid source, caustic and water, the amount of water present being such that the concentration of caustic is from 10% to 70% by weight of the water, comprising the steps of introducing said materials into an enclosed mixing vessel, causing said materials to be subjected to intensive countercurrent mixing for a period of time sufficient to saponify said materials, making the vessel substantially air tight and applying a vacuum to said materials within said vessel to form soap granules having a moisture content of less than about 20% by weight.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 112 words
A process for making water soluble soap in the form of granules from materials normally employed in soap manufacture including a fatty acid source, caustic and water, the amount of water present being such that the concentration of caustic is from 10% to 70% by weight of the water, comprising the steps of introducing said materials into an enclosed mixing vessel, causing said materials to be subjected to intensive countercurrent mixing for a period of time sufficient to saponify said materials, making the vessel substantially air tight and applying a vacuum to said materials within said vessel to form soap granules having a moisture content of less than about 20% by weight.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 17 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein said fatty acid source and caustic are in liquid form.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 14 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said synthetic detergent is an alpha olefin sulfonate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 159 words
A process for making water soluble soap in granular form from raw materials normally employed in soap manufacture including a fatty acid source, caustic and water, the amount of water present being such that the concentration of caustic is from 10% to 70% by weight of the water, comprising the steps of introducing said fatty acid source into an enclosed mixing vessel provided with a pan and a rotating means mounted within said pan and said vessel, each of said pan and said means being rotatable in a direction counter to each other, starting the rotation of said pan and said rotating means, introducing said caustic and water into said pan, making said vessel substantially air tight, beginning the application of vacuum to the materials within said vessel after saponification is essentially complete and continuing the rotation of said pan and rotating means until soap granules having a moisture content of less than about 20% by weight are obtained.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 159 words
A process for making water soluble soap in granular form from raw materials normally employed in soap manufacture including a fatty acid source, caustic and water, the amount of water present being such that the concentration of caustic is from 10% to 70% by weight of the water, comprising the steps of introducing said fatty acid source into an enclosed mixing vessel provided with a pan and a rotating means mounted within said pan and said vessel, each of said pan and said means being rotatable in a direction counter to each other, starting the rotation of said pan and said rotating means, introducing said caustic and water into said pan, making said vessel substantially air tight, beginning the application of vacuum to the materials within said vessel after saponification is essentially complete and continuing the rotation of said pan and rotating means until soap granules having a moisture content of less than about 20% by weight are obtained.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 25 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the resulting product is in powder form and has a moisture content of less than about 10% by weight.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the amount of vacuum is increased as the processing of said materials takes place.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 153 words
A process for making water soluble soap granules from a mixture of a fatty acid source, caustic or alkali and water, the amount of water present being such that the concentration of caustic is from 10% to 70% by weight of the water, wherein neutralization of said fatty acid source has proceeded to some degree comprising the steps of introducing said mixture into an enclosed mixing vessel, causing said mixture in said vessel to rotate in a generally circular path while simultaneously bringing said mixture into contact with a rotating means mounted within said vessel, said means rapidly rotating in a direction counter to the initial direction of flow of said mixture in said vessel whereby saponification, if required, takes place, making said vessel substantially air tight and applying a vacuum to said mixture within said vessel whereby soap granules are formed having a moisture content of less than about 20% by weight.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 153 words
A process for making water soluble soap granules from a mixture of a fatty acid source, caustic or alkali and water, the amount of water present being such that the concentration of caustic is from 10% to 70% by weight of the water, wherein neutralization of said fatty acid source has proceeded to some degree comprising the steps of introducing said mixture into an enclosed mixing vessel, causing said mixture in said vessel to rotate in a generally circular path while simultaneously bringing said mixture into contact with a rotating means mounted within said vessel, said means rapidly rotating in a direction counter to the initial direction of flow of said mixture in said vessel whereby saponification, if required, takes place, making said vessel substantially air tight and applying a vacuum to said mixture within said vessel whereby soap granules are formed having a moisture content of less than about 20% by weight.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 14 words
A process according to claim 14 wherein said mixture also includes a synthetic detergent.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 27 words
The process according to claim 14 wherein said fatty acid source are long chain monocarboxylic acids having a chain length of from 6 to 18 carbon atoms.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process according to claim 14 wherein neutralization of said fatty acid source is essentially completed prior to introduction into said mixing vessel.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 27 words
A process according to claim 17 wherein said counter rotating means are mounted eccentrically within said vessel and at a distance from the wall of said vessel.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 27 words
A process according to claim 17 wherein said soap granules are removed from said vessel and thereafter subjected to plodding, extrusion and stamping to form soap bars.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process of claim 14 wherein the amount of vacuum is increased as the processing of said materials takes place.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the concentration of caustic is about 50% by weight of the water.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the concentration of caustic is about 50% by weight of the water.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the concentration of caustic is about 50% by weight of the water.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process of claim 14 wherein the concentration of caustic is about 50% by weight of the water.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1722687A Cited
US2730539A Cited
US2753363A Cited
US3657146A Cited
US4294771A Cited
WO1983000502A1 Cited
US4397760A Cited
US4474683A Cited
US4636084A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-09-20 1992-03-21 1992-09-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-09-20 1996-03-21 1996-09-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-09-20 2000-03-21 2000-09-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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