Process of converting substances ionized in solution, with the help of ion exchangers

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR REGENERATING AN ION-EXCHANGER BY PASSING A SOLUTION OF A REGENERATING AGENT SUCCESSIVELY THROUGH A SERIES OF COLUMNS CONTAINING THE ION-EXCHANGER LOADED WITH THE ION TO BE REPLACED, WHEREIN THE SERIES OF COLUMNS IS DIVIDED INTO A FIRST GROUP AND A SECOND GROUP, AND PERIODICALLY THE FIRST COLUMN OF SAID FIRST GROUP CONTAINING A REGENERATED ION-EXCHANGER IS REMOVED FROM THE SERIES, THE FIRST COLUMN OF SAID SECOND GROUP IS MADE THE LEAST COLUMN OF SAID FIRST GROUP, AND A NEW COLUMN CONTAINIG UNTREATED ION-EXCHANGER LOADED WITH THE ION TO BE REPLACED IS CONNECTED AT THE END OF SAID SERIES, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES PASSING AN EXCESS OF SAID REGENERATING AGENT THROUGH SAID FIRST GROUP, REMOVING AN AMOUNT OF SAID REGENERATING AGENT SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THAT ORIGINALLY PRESENT AS EXCESS FROM THE EFFLUENT DISCHARGED FROM SAID FROM GROUP, AND THEREAFTER PASSING SAID EFFLUENT FREE FROM EXCESS REGENERATING AGENT THROUGH SAID SECOND GROUP WHEREBY A SOLUTION OF SPENT, SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY CONVERTED REGENERATING AGENT IS WITHDRAWN FROM THE LAST COLUMN OF SAID SERIES.