IMPROVE- MENTS IN SIZING, MORDANTING, DYEING, PRINTING, AND FINISHING TEXTILEISHING AND OTHER MATERIALS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Justus Wolff, of 181, Chapel Street, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Consulting Chemist, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SIZING, MORDANTING, DYEING, PRINTING, AND FINISHING TEXTILE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Justus Wolff at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th August 1881.
JUSTUS WOLFF, of 181, Chapel Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Consulting Chemist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIZING, MORDANTING, DYEING, PRINTING,
AND FINISHING TEXTILE AND OTHER MATERIALS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
solution of
This Invention consists in producing or fixing size, finish, mordants, and dyes
either on the whole or in part (in case of printing), of textile fabrics or other
suitable materials by the aid of light in combination with that of chemicals.
In carrying out this Invention I apply to the material to be sized
any suitable compound, which is rendered insoluble by the action of light.
The light used for that purpose can be sunlight, day light, magnesium light,
electric light, oxyhydrogen light, or any other light containing the necessary
quantity of actinic rays.
The exposure to light can take place in any suitable way, either by passing the
material through or round a space containing the light. If the size is to be
insoluble on both sides of the material, then of course the light has to act on both
sides of it.
Thus, for example, I either impregnate or pad the material with a suitable
solution of what is called in photography chrome gelatine or brom-gelatine, or any
such compound which becomes insoluble by the action of light.
I then dry the material with this compound on it, and expose it to the action of
light for a sufficient length of time to render it insoluble. After this is effected I

page_text: wash out the soluble parts contained in the compound (in case of chrome gelatine
I wash out the chromate of ammonia or potassium or the like) with hot or cold
water with or without a suitable addition, as, for example, ammonia or the like,
and then I dry the material with the insoluble size on it.
This process can be varied, as, for example, the sizing material like gelatine
or its equivalent could be applied first, and then the sensitive compound, or vice
versa.
I also dye the size by dissolving suitable colors, or adding suitable colour solu-
tions or pigments to it before or after the sensitive compounds are added; then I
dry and expose to the action of light until the size is insoluble, then I wash and
dry as explained above.
I also size in the manner above described with the sensitive compound materials
which had been dyed beforehand in either fast or loose colours, and expose them
to light, and then wash and dry them. I also size the materials, as above described,
with the sensitive compound, as, for example, chrome gelatine or its equivalent,
expose the material to light until the sensitive compound is rendered.insoluble,
and after washing out the soluble compound I dye the material thus sized in a
manner similar to that of dyeing wool in case of the material being made of
vegetable fibre or vegetable fibres mixed with wool or other animal fibre.
I also when needed add suitable mordants to the sensitive size in order to fix
colors, and proceed as explained above.
I also print in the usual way the sensitive size with or without any color or
pigment on to the material, and dry and expose it to light until the sensitive size
is insoluble, and then wash and dry.
If printed without color or pigment and exposed to light and washed, then I dye
in a way similar to dyeing wool; then I wash out the colour of the parts which
do not contain the insoluble size, and dry.
The time of exposure varies according to the quantity of actinic rays acting on
the sensitive compound, and the sensitiveness of the sensitive compound.
I also obtain a print by impregnating padding or covering textile and other
materials or objects with a solution of a sensitive material or compound, such as,
for example, chrome gelatine or its equivalent, with or without the addition of
colors or pigments, then dry and expose the material to the action of actinic rays
passing to the surface of the material or object which contains the sensitive
compound through any suitable open or closed work or material, or through a
positive or negative transparency for a sufficient length of time until those parts
of the sensitive layer on the material upon which the actinic rays passing through
the meshes of the open or closed work, or through the light parts of the trans-
parencies had acted, are rendered insoluble.
I then dissolve that part of the sensitive layer to which the actinic rays had no
access by any suitable means, as, for example, in case of chrome gelatine or its
equivalent with cold or hot water or by other means, with or without addition of
other substances, as, for example, ammonia and the like.
Of course the impregnating or padding of the material with the sensitive
compound and the drying of it must be done in a room where no actinic light
has access.
If the sensitive layer had contained any colour or pigment then a positive or
negative fac-simile of the open work or material or picture or design or object
of the transparency will appear on the surface as soon as all unchanged sensitive
material, as, for example, the unchanged chrome gelative or its equivalent is removed
by dissolving.
If required then, in case of the textile fabric or material being of vegetable
origin, the parts where the chrome gelatine or its equivalent had been removed
may be dyed in the same way as cotton is dyed in figured Orleans of two colors.
If the chrome gelatine or its equivalent had been applied without color after having
removed the unchanged chrome gelatine or its equivalent by washing or otherwise,
I either dye in a way similar to that in which wool is dyed, or in a way in which

page_text: cotton is dyed in figured Orleans of two colours, or in both ways. For example,
I dye after exposure and washing with a strong boiling alkaline solution of
logwood extract several shades deeper than required, and after this I clear the
lights by several baths of boiling soap solution.
I also dye in a boiling alkaline solution of alkali blue, clear the whites with
several boiling soap solutions, pass through acidulated solution, and wash in water.
I also dye in a boiling solution of cochineal with scarlet spirit, and clear the lights
with boiling soap solutions. Of course many colours can be applied in similar
ways or otherwise, such as the azo scarlets, magenta, and other aniline colours, and
many others.
If the surfaces have to be dyed evenly and not printed, then I impregnate and
pad the material with the sensitive compound, and dry in a room without actinic
light, expose fully to actinic light, wash and dye in the same way as just
explained, but without clearing with soap. If only one side of the material is to
be dyed, then the light has to act only on one side, if both sides have to be dyed,
then the light must act on both sides.
The exposure to light in order to obtain prints as explained above I carry out
in the following different ways:-I place or fix the open work or object or
transparency upon the outside of a cylinder; this cylinder is mounted so that
it may revolve in suitable bearings, and the cylinder is made of glass or other
suitable transparent substance or material. While the cylinder revolves I cause
actinic rays to act inside it through the sides of the cylinder, and through the open
work or object or transparency upon the textile fabric or material, with the
sensitive layer which is caused to pass round the cylinder and with the same
velocity as the cylinder; the material issues from a room without actinic rays, and
after passing over the cylinder it immediately passes into a room without actinic
rays.
The velocity of rotation has to be according to the power of actinic rays inside
the cylinder and to the sensitiveness of the sensitive layer; it has to be regulated
in such a way that after the material has left the cylinder the sensitive layer must
be insoluble in the places where the light could act upon it.
After this is effected the material is washed in hot or cold water and then dyed
and cleared, as explained above. The back of the textile fabric or material has to
be protected against the actinic rays whilst going round with the cylinder.
Another arrangement is to fix the open work or transparency in the form of an
endless apron round a number of parallel rollers, over which the material to be
printed passes with the same velocity as the rollers and the open work or
transparency, whilst the actinic rays act inside the apparatus thus formed by the
rollers through the open or closed work or transparency, and on the material to be
printed.
Another arrangement of exposure to light in order to print according to this
my Invention is this, that I cause a roller upon which is fixed the open work,
or design, or picture, or other object to be printed on the textile fabric or material,
to rotate behind a black screen with a narrow slit parallel to the axis of the roller,
so that only a stripe of the open work or design or object on the roller can be seen
through the slit.
Before this slit is placed a camera obscura, with a photographic lens in such a
way that a fac-simile of the stripe of the open work, or design, or object, appears
on the back side of the camera obscura.
As the roller is moving this fac simile is moving also.
Now I cause the textile fabric or material to pass through the back side of the
camera obscura at the same distance from the lens at which the fac simile appears,
so that this fac-simile can be seen on the textile fabric or material which has to
pass through the camera in the same direction with exactly the same velocity as
the fac simile moves.
Of course these arrangements can be modified to any extent, and have to be
taken as examples shewing how to carry out this my Invention.

page_text: Of course designs in different colours can also be obtained by this my Invention
by means of blocking out the corresponding places of the corresponding colors or
shades in the open work, or design, or transparency. By subsequently dyeing and
clearing, the blocked out parts come forth undyed. The parts dyed (after clearing)
are covered with a resist; the textile fabric or material is then impregnated or
padded with the sensitive compound again; it is dried and exposed to the same
open work, or transparency, or design, or object as before, but with all parts blocked
out, which had not been blocked out before, and those which had been blocked
out before either fully or partially open according to the number of shades
or colours required. After exposure, the textile fabric or other material is washed
and dyed and cleared. If more colors or shades are wanted these operations have
to be made as many times as a new shade or color is required. The apparatus
above described may be applied to various uses where designs have to be reproduced
by the action of light.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Justus Wolff in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th February
1882.
JUSTUS WOLFF, of 181, Chapel Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Consulting Chemist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIZING, MORDANTING, DYEING, PRINTING,
AND FINISHING TEXTILE AND OTHER MATERIALS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention consists in producing or fixing size, finish, mordants, and dyes,
either on the whole or on part (in case of printing), of textile fabrics or other
suitable materials by the aid of light in combination with that of chemicals.
In carrying out my Invention I apply to the material to be sized a solution of
any suitable compound, which is rendered insoluble by the action of light.
The light used for that purpose can be sunlight, daylight, magnesium light,
electric light, oxyhydrogen light, or any other light containing the necessary quantity
of actinic rays.
The exposure to light can take place in any suitable way, either by passing the
material through or round a space containing the light. If the size is to be
insoluble on both sides of the material, then of course the light has to act on both
sides of it. Thus, for example, I either impregnate or pad the material with a
suitable solution of what is called in photography chromegelatine or bromgelatine
or any such compound which becomes insoluble by the action of light.
I then dry the material with this compound on it, and expose it to the action of
light for a sufficient length of time to render it insoluble. After this is effected I
wash out the soluble parts contained in the compound (in case of chromegelatine
I wash out the chromate of ammonia or potassium or the like) with hot or cold
water, with or without a suitable addition, as, for example, ammonia or the like,
and then I dry the material with the insoluble size on it."
This process can be varied, as, for example, the sizing material, like gelatine or
its equivalent, could be applied first, and then the sensitizing compound, or vice
versa.
I also dye the size by dissolving suitable colors, or adding suitable color solutions
or pigments to it before or after the sensitizing compounds are added; then I dry
and expose to the action of light until the size is insoluble; then I wash and dry as
explained above.
I also size in the manner above described with the sensitive compound materials
which had been dyed beforehand in either fast or loose colors, and expose them to
light, and then wash and dry them. I also size the materials as above described
with the sensitive compound, as, for example, chromegelatine or its equivalent,
expose the material to light until the sensitive compound is rendered insoluble, and
after washing out the soluble compound I dye the material thus sized in a manner
similar to that of dyeing wool in case of the material being made of vegetable fibre
or vegetable fibres mixed with wool or other animal fibre.
I also when needed add suitable mordants to the sensitive size in order to fix
colors, and proceed as explained above.
I also print in the usual way the sensitive size, with or without any color or
pigment, on to the material, and dry and expose it to light until the sensitive
size is insoluble, and then wash and dry.
If printed without color or pigment and expose to light and washed, then I dye

page_text: in a way similar to dyeing wool; then I wash out the color of the parts which do
not contain the insoluble size and dry.
The time of exposure varies according to the quantity of actinic rays acting on
the sensitive compound and the sensitiveness of the sensitive compound.
I also obtain a print by impregnating padding or covering textile and other
materials or objects with a solution of a sensitive material or compound, such as,
for example, chromegelatine or its equivalent, with or without the addition of
colors or pigments, then dry and expose the material to the action of actinic rays
passing to the surface of the material or object which contains the sensitive
compound through any suitable open or closed work or material, or through a
positive or negative transparency for a sufficient length of time until those parts of
the sensitive layer on the material upon which the actinic rays, passing through the
meshes of the open or closed work, or through the light parts of the transparencies
had acted, are rendered insoluble.
I then dissolve that part of the sensitive layer to which the actinic rays had no
access by any suitable means, as, for example, in case of chromegelatine or its
equivalent with cold or hot water or by other means, with or without addition of
other substances, as, for example, ammonia and the like (of course the impreg-
nating or padding of the material with the sensitive compound and the drying of
it must be done in a room where no actinic light has access). If the sensitive
layer had contained any color or pigment then a positive or negative facsimile of
the open work or material, or picture or design, or object of the transparency will
appear on the surface as soon as all unchanged sensitive material, as, for example,
the unchanged chromegelatine or its equivalent is removed by dissolving. If
required then, in case of the textile fabric or material being of vegetable origin, the
parts where the chromegelatine or its equivalent had been removed may be dyed
in the same way as cotton is dyed in figured Orleans of two colors. If the chrome-
gelatine or its equivalent had been applied without color, after having removed the
unchanged chromegelatine or its equivalent by washing or otherwise, I either dye
in a way similar to that in which wool is dyed, or in a way in which cotton is dyed
in figured Orleans of two colors, or in both ways. For example, I dye after
exposure and washing with a strong boiling alkaline solution of logwood extract
several shades deeper than required, and after this I clear the lights by several
baths of boiling soap solution.
I also dye in a boiling alkaline solution of alkali blue, clear the whites with
several boiling soap solutions, pass through acidulated solution, and wash in water.
I also dye in a boiling solution of cochineal with scarlet spirit, and clear the lights
with boiling soap solutions. Of course many colors can be applied in similar ways
or otherwise, such as the azo-scarlets, magenta, and other aniline colors, and many
others.
If the surfaces have to be dyed evenly and not printed, then I impregnate and
pad the material with the sensitive compound and dry in a room without actinic
light, expose fully to actinic light, wash and dye in the same way as just explained,
but without clearing with soap. If only one side of the material is to be dyed then
the light has to act only on one side, if both sides have to be dyed then the light
must act on both sides.
The exposure to light in order to obtain prints, as explained above, I carry out
in the following different ways:—
I place or fix the open work or object or transparency upon the outside of a
cylinder; this cylinder is mounted so that it may revolve in suitable bearings, and
the cylinder is made of glass or other suitable transparent material or substance.
While the cylinder revolves I cause the actinic rays to act inside it through the
sides of the cylinder, and through the open work or object or transparency upon
the textile fabric or material, with the sensitive layer which is caused to pass round
the cylinder, and with the same velocity as the cylinder; the material issues from a

page_text: room without actinic rays, and after passing over the cylinder it immediately passes
into a room without actinic rays.
The velocity of rotation has to be according to the power of actinic rays inside
the cylinder and to the sensitiveness of the sensitive layer; it has to be regulated
in such a way that after the material has left the cylinder the sensitive layer must
be insoluble in the places where the light could act upon it.
After this is effected the material is washed in hot or cold water, and then dyed
and cleared, as explained above. The back of the textile fabric or material has to be
protected against the actinic rays whilst going round with the cylinder.
Another arrangement is to fix the open work or transparency in the form of an
endless apron round a number of parallel rollers, over which the material to be
printed passes with the same velocity as the rollers and the open work or trans-
parency, whilst the actinic rays act inside the apparatus thus formed by the
rollers through the open or closed work or transparency and on the material to be
printed.
Another arrangement of exposure to light in order to print according to my
Invention is this, that I cause a roller upon which is fixed the open work, or
design, or picture, or other object to be printed on the textile fabric or material to
rotate behind a black screen with a narrow slit parallel to the axis of the roller,
so that only a stripe of the open work or design or object on the roller can be seen
through the slit. Before this slit is placed a camera obscura with a photographic
lens, in such a way that a facsimile of the stripe of the open work or design or
object appears on the backside of the camera obscura.
As the roller is moving this facsimile is moving also.
Now I cause the textile fabric or material to pass through the backside of the
camera obscura at the same distance from the lens at which the facsimile a ppears,
so that this facsimile can be seen on the textile fabric or material which has to
pass through the camera in the same direction with exactly the same velocity as
the facsimile moves.
Of course these arrangements can be modified to any extent, and have to be
taken as examples, showing how to carry out my Invention.
Of course designs in different colours can also be obtained by my Invention by
means of blocking out the corresponding places of the corresponding colors or
shades in the open work or design or transparency. By subsequently dyeing and
clearing the blocked out parts come forth undyed. The parts dyed (after clearing)
are covered with a resist; the textile fabric or material is then impregnated or
padded with the sensitive compound again; it is dried and exposed to the same
open work, or transparency, or design, or object as before, but with all parts
blocked out which had not been blocked out before, and those which had been
blocked out before either fully or partially open according to the number of shades
or colors required. After exposure the textile fabric or other material is washed
and dyed and cleared. If more colors or shades are wanted these operations have
to be made as many times as a new shade or color is required. The apparatus
above described may be applied to various uses where designs have to be repro-
duced by the action of light.
Having stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same,
I declare that I claim,-
1. A process of sizing, or stiffening, or covering materials with an insoluble size
or stiffening compound or layer, wherein the size or stiffening is rendered insoluble
by the action of light, as and for the purpose herein described.
2. A process of dyeing or fixing colors to materials of vegetable origin wherein
the colors are fixed by the action of light, as berein described.
3. A process of producing prints in fast or loose colours on materials of vegetable
or animal origin by the action of light, as described above.
4. The use of apparatus whereby the design or figure is printed or formed

page_text: continuously on the material under operation by the action of light admitted
through a space or spaces, or a transparency or transparencies moving between the
light and the material, as herein described.
5. The use of a camera obscura, as and for the purpose herein described..
In witness whereof, I, the said Justus Wollf, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of February, One thousand eight hundred and
eighty two.