IMPROVEMENTS IN BLEACHING FIBRE, FIBROUS MATTER, GARN, OR WOVEN FABRICS WITHOUT THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHLORINE OR CHLORE."
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Thomas, of the Town of Elberfeld, in the Kingdom
of Prussia and Gernian Empire, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BLEACHING FIBRE, FIBROUS MATTER, GARN, OR WOVEN FABRICS WITHOUT
THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHLORINE OR CHLORE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Thomas at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th February 1882.
PETER THOMAS of the Town of Elberfeld in the Kingdom of Prussia and
German Empire. IMPROVEMENTS IN BLEACHING FIBRE, FIBROUS MATTER, GARN
OR WOVEN FABRICS WITHOUT THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHLORINE OR CHLORE.
This Invention relates to improvements in bleaching fibre, fibrous matter, garn
or woven fabrics without the employment of chlorine or chlore.
This said Invention is carried into effect in the following manner:
The object or objects, material or materials is or are placed in an earthenware,
wooden, iron, enamelled or other suitable vessel or receptacle and boiled for a given
time in a weak solution of caustic soda.
As soon as this process is ended, the material or materials are cooled and then
placed in a warm bath consisting of a solution of hypermanganesiate of potassa
or its equivalent for a given time.
The material or materials are now removed from this hypermanganesiate of
potassa bath, cooled and placed in a bath of sulphuretted borax, that is to say,
borax is dissolved in water and sulphurous gas led into this said solution or a
suitable combination of sulphurous matter and borax can be employed.
The fibre, fibrous matter, garn, woven fabric or other object or articles are now
well washed and rinsed and then dried in the open air, by means of centrifugal
machines or in a suitable drying room.
The matters or materials treated according to this my said process now show a
brilliant white color.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Peter Thomas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd August
1882.
PETER THOMAS of the Town of Elberfeld in the Kingdom of Prussia and
German Empire. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLEACHING FIBRE, FIBROUS MATTER,
GARN OR WOVEN FABRICS WITHOUT THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHLORINE OR
CHLORE."
This Invention relates to improvements in bleaching fibre, fibrous or vegetable
matter, yarn or woven fabrics; without the employment of chlorine or chlor.
This said Invention is carried into effect in the following manner
The object or objects, material or materials shall be first boiled; and this may
be conveniently done by placing them in an earthenware, wooden, iron enamelled,
or other suitable vessel or receptacle (preferably) in a weak solution of caustic
Boda.
The quantity of caustic soda I have used and with which I have obtained good
results, is three and one half pounds of caustic soda to one hundred pounds of
material
When the materials are not required to be a pure white the boiling may
be dispensed with, the materials being simply soaked for about an hour in hot
water.
As soon as the boiling is ended, the material or materials are cooled and rinsed
or cleansed-in cold water (or the dirt removed in any other way) and then placed
in a luke warm bath of permanganate or hypermanganate of potassa for a few
minutes. The time required and the quantity used varying according to the
character and condition of the materials treated. In making my solution I have
dissolved from one and a half pennyweights troy in one pint of water up to four
and one half pennyweights troy in three pints of water.
1 have found that the average quantity of the hypermanganate required for one
thousand pounds of material treated would be about eight pounds.
After the material is passed through this bath of hypermanganate, it is cooled
and then placed for a few minutes in a bath of sulphuretted borax.
This bath is prepared by dissolving about two and one quarter pounds of borax
in about twenty two gallons of water, and then passing through this solution
sulphurous gas. Or the borax and sulphur may be united by any other suitable
method. The quantity of sulphur required is very slight, and should not exceed
one degree Baume. As before stated the proportions used in this bath will also
vary with the character, and condition of the materials treated, but the average
quantity required for one thousand pounds of material will be about five pounds
of borax.
The fibre, fibrous or vegetable matter, yarn, woven fabric or other objects or
materials, are then well washed, rinsed, and cleansed by the usual means, and the
material treated according to this my said process, will then possess a brilliant
white colour.
Having now described my Invention I would have it understood that I do not
claim or confine myself to the boiling of the fabrics, yarns, or materials to bo
treated, in a bath of caustic soda, for such and many other materials have before
been used for this purpose But what I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is
The process of bleaching fibre, fibrous or vegetable matter, yarn, or woven fabrics,
by treating the said materials, which have previously been boiled in a caustic soda,

page_text: or other suitable boiling or steeping bath, first in a bath of permanganate or
hypermanganate of potassa and secondly in a bath of sulphuretted borax
substantially as described in the foregoing Specification.
In witness whereof I the said Peter Thomas have hereunto set my hand
and seal this First day of August in the year of our Lord 1882.
PETER THOMAS. (L.S.)