IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF A RED COLORING MATTER
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF A RED COLORING MATTER."--A
communication from abroad by Alexander Clavel, of Basle,
Switzerland.
Sealed the 4th December 1868, and dated the 22nd July 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd July 1868.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF A RED COLORING MATTER,"
a communication to me from abroad by Alexander Clavel, of Basle,
Switzerland, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the production of a red coloring matter from
and by means of a substance or product derived from napthaline, and

page_text: which I considered to be isomeric with napthylamine. This substance or
product may be obtained by acting upon napthaline by means of nitric
acid, and after separation of the free acid from the nitro-napthaline or the
product thus resulting it is subjected to the reducing action of either zinc
or iron or other reducing agent in conjunction with an acid, by preference
acetic acid. The result of this reducing process is collected and placed
in a retort or other suitable distillatory apparatus; or napthylamine
prepared by other processes may be substituted and be submitted to a
distillatory process. On the application of the necessary degree of heat
napthylamine will first pass over, and subsequently at a higher tempera-
ture the substance or products which I consider to be isomeric with
napthylamine are obtained, and which may be collected in a separate
receiver. The isomeric substance or product thus obtained is then to
he acted upon at a temperature of about 120 degrees Centigrade with
acetic acid, by preference crystallisable, and with a nitrite, by preference
nitrite of soda, and to this mixture or to the substance thus acted upon
I add napthylamine, and allow the mixture to remain at about the
temperature indicated until the desired color has been produced. I then
remove the same, and after having subjected the erude materials to the
action of water, and then to the action of hot water containing an acid,
by preference acetic acid, the eoloring matter is obtained in solution,
from which it may be separated either by means of common salt or
otherwise, as is well understood by manufacturers of aniline colors.
The coloring matter thus obtained may be dissolved in alcohol or
other solvent, and may be employed for the purposes of dyeing and
printing.
The proportions in which the several before-mentioned substances
may be employed will vary, but I have found that good results may be
obtained by employing the product which I have called the substance or
product isomeric with napthylamine acetic acid, a nitrite, by preference
nitrite of soda, and the napthylamine in about equal parts by weights,
but I do not confine myself to these proportions.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd January 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middle-
sex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PRODUCTION OF A RED COLORING MATTER," a communication from abroad by
Alexander Clavel, of Basle, Switzerland, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to the production of a red coloring matter
from and by means of a substance or product derived from napthaline.
This substance or product may be obtained by acting upon napthaline
by means of nitric acid, and after the separation of the free acid from
the nitro-napthaline or the product thus resulting it is subjected to the

page_text: reducing action of either zinc or iron, or other reducing agent in con-
junction with an acid, by preference acetic acid. The result of this
reducing process is collected and placed in a retort or other suitable
distillatory apparatus; or napthylamine prepared by other processes
may be substituted and the product obtained as before mentioned; or
napthylamine obtained by other processes is to be submitted to a
distillatory process. On the application of the necessary degree of heat
napthylamine will first pass over, and subsequently at a higher tempera-
ture the desired product obtained, which may be collected in a separate
receiver. The product thus obtained is then to be acted upon at a
temperature of about 120° Centigrade with acetic acid, by preference
crystallisable, and with a nitrite, by preference nitrite of soda, and to this
mixture or to the substance thus acted upon I add napthylamine and
allow the mixture to remain at or about the temperature indicated until
the desired color has been produced. I then remove the same, and
after having subjected the crude materials or result to the action of
water and then to the action of hot water containing an acid, by
preference acetic acid, the coloring matter is obtained in solution,
from which it may be separated either by means of common salt or
otherwise, as is well understood by manufacturers of aniline colors.
The coloring matter thus obtained may be dissolved in alcohol or
other solvent, and may be employed for the purposes of dyeing and
printing.
In carrying out this Invention it will be found that the proportions
in which the several before-mentioned substances may be employed may
be varied, but I have found that good results may be obtained by
employing the product resulting from the distillation of napthylamine in
the manner herein-before described with napthylamine acetic acid, a
nitrite (by preference nitrite of soda) in about equal parts by weight,
but I do not confine myself to these proportions.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the pro-
duction of a red coloring matter by the employment of napthylamine
and of the product obtained by the distillation of the same in con-

page_text: junction with an acid, and also with a nitrite, substantially in the
manner as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day
of January, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)