IMPROVEMENTS IN EFFECTING THE BLEACHING OF COTTON AND OTHER FABRICS PRODUCED FROM VEGETABLE FIBRES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Holliday, of Huddersfield, in the
County of York, Manufacturing Chemist, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN EFFECTING THE BLEACHING OF COTTON AND OTHER
FABRICS PRODUCED FROM VEGETABLE FIBRES."-A communication from
abroad by Alexandre Schultz, of Paris, in the Republic of
France.
Sealed the 27th July 1875, and dated the 10th February 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Holliday
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th February 1875.
I, THOMAS HOLLIDAY, of Huddersfield, in the County of York,
Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EFFECTING THE BLEACHING OF COTTON AND
OTHER FABRICS PRODUCED FROM VEGETABLE FIBRES," (a communication to
me from abroad by Alexandre Schultz, of Paris, in the Republic of
France,) to be as follows:-
For the purpose of bleaching cotton fabric it has heretofore been con-

page_text: been that the lime might form with the greasy matters combined with
the fabric as woven an insoluble lime soap, which by the action thereon
of a solution of muriatic acid produced fatty acids soluble by means of
resin soap.
The Invention consists in effecting the bleaching of cotton fabric and
other fabric produced from vegetable fibre without the necessity of
the use of such lime, by which simplicity and economy are obtained.
The fabric to be bleached is submitted to the action of a weak
solution of, say, 2 degrees (Beaumé) of hydrochloric acid, when it is
washed with water, and then submitted to a washing in liquor con-
taining resin soap, in which it is boiled and then again washed with
water.
After the boiling in the resin soap and the washing in water, the
fabric is submitted to the action of chloride of lime of the strength of
about one degree (Beaumé). The fabric is then again subjected to the
action of a weak solution of two degrees (Beaumé) of hydrochloric
acid.
These two last processes, viz., the action by the chloride of lime and
the hydrochloric acid may be repeated two or more times. The fabric is
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Holliday in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 10th August 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS 2
HOLLIDAY, of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Manufacturing
Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the 3
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Holliday, Her
special license that I, the said Thomas Holliday, my executors,

page_text: administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Holliday, my executors, administrators, and 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 Ircland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EFFECTING THE BLEACHING OF COTTON AND OTHER FABRICS
PRODUCED FROM VEGETABLE FIBRES," (a communication to me from abroad
by Alexandre Schultz, of Paris, in the Republic of France,) upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Holliday, my exe-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, 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
Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters.Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Holliday, 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 thereof, that is to say :—
For the purpose of bleaching cotton fabric it has heretofore been
considered essential to employ an alkali as the first process after being
wetted, and caustic lime is the alkali generally so used; and the object
of such use has been that the lime might form with the greasy matters
combined with the fabric as woven an insoluble lime soap, which by the
action thereon of a solution of an acid (generally muriatic acid) produced
fatty acids soluble by means of resin soap.
The Invention consists in effecting the bleaching of cotton fabric and
other fabric produced from vegetable fibre without the necessity for such
use of lime.
The fabric to be bleached after being wetted is submitted to the
action of a weak solution of an acid, and hydrochloric acid is found to
be the most convenient for the purpose. When using hydrochloric acid,
a strength of about 2 degrees (Beaumé) answers the purpose well. The
fabric after being acted upon by this acid solution is washed with water
and then submitted to a washing in liquor containing soap (by
preference resin soap) in which the fabric is boiled, and then in some

page_text: water.
After the boiling in the resin soap and the washing in water, the
fabric is submitted to the action of chlorine by the use of chloride of
lime of the strength of about 1 degree (Beaumé). The fabric after being t
again washed, if desired, is then again subjected to the action of a weak
solution of an acid, generally hydrochloric acid, and of about one or it
may be two degrees (Beaumé) is used.
The action on the fabric by the chloride of lime for the chlorine and
the hydrochloric acid may be repeated. The fabric is then well washed 1
and dried.
By these means the use of lime is rendered unnecessary, and the
formation of lime soap is thereby avoided, but the various after processes
herein referred to may be considerably varied.
Having thus described the Invention, as communicated to me, I 1
would have it understood, that I do not confine myself to the specific
proportions and relations indicated, as these may be varied without
departing from the peculiar character of the Invention; but what I do
claim is, the means or process for effecting the bleaching of cotton and
other fabrics produced from vegetable fibres without necessitating the 2
use of lime, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Holliday, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.