AN IMPROVED SUBSTITUTE FOR COW DUNG USED IN PRINTING AND DYEING TEXTILE FABRICS OR YARNS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Higgin, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED SUBSTITUTE FOR COW DUNG USED IN PRINTING AND DYEING
TEXTILE FABRICS OR YARNS."
Sealed the 28th January 1868, and dated the 5th August 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Higgin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
August 1862.
I, JAMES HIGGIN, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED SUBSTITUTE FOR COW DUNG USED IN PRINTING AND DYEING
TEXTILE FABRICS OR YARNS," to be as follows:-
I take a solution in water of bi-arseniate of lime, and add to the cisterns or
becks in which the process termed dunging is performed, and which are
supplied with the usual quantity of water, a solution of tungstate or molybdate
of an alkali, stirring well, the pieces or yarns are passed through, this mix-.

page_text: ture in the manner usual when dung substitutes are used. Or I add to the
cisterns or becks a solution in water of bi-phosphate of lime, and then a
solution of tungstate or molybdate of an alkali, and perform the dunging
operation as usual. Or. 1 mix together solutions in water of bi-arseniate of
lime and tungstate or molybdate of an alkali or solutions of bi-phosphate of
lime and tungstate or molybdate of an alkali, and add the mixture to the
'cisterns or becks instead of each solution separately.
The total quantities of the salts and the relative quantities of them may be
varied according to the style of goods to be operated upon, so as sometimes
to have a neutral reaction in the diluted bath, and sometimes an alkaline
reaction, and a stronger or weaker bath; but for most purposes I find the
following to be useful proportions:-1,000 gallons of water, a quantity of
bi-arseniate of lime, containing '8,098 grains weight of dry arsenic acid, and
a quantity of tungstate of soda containing 16,666 grains weight of tungstic
acid. Or, on the other hand, 1,000 gallons of water, a quantity of bi-phosphate
of lime, containing 5,000 grains weight of dry phosphoric acid and a quantity
of tungstate of soda, containing 16,666 grains weight of dry tungstic acid.
Where molybdate of soda is used I add a quantity of molybdate of soda,
containing 10,057 grains weight of dry molybdic acid to the above quantity of
bi-arseniate of lime or bi-phosphate of lime in place of the 16,666 grains of
tungstic acid in the form of tungstic of soda.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Higgin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th February 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HiGGIN, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing
Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of August, iu the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Hér heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Higgin, Her special licence that I, the said James
Higgin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,.
the said James Higgin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times s

page_text: 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 "AN.
IMPROVED SUBSTITUTE FOR Cow DUNG USED, IN PRINTING AND DYEING TEXTILE
FABRICS OR YARNS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
James Higgin, my executors 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
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 James Higgin, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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):
When to the mono-arseniate of lime in solution in water an alkali is added,
arseniate of lime is precipitated, and arseniate of the alkali, remains in
solution; if lime or carbonate of lime is added instead of an alkali, di-arseniate
of lime is precipitated, which is nearly insoluble in water. A similar result
takes place with mono-phosphate of lime, on the addition of an alkali or
lime.
.
A mixture of phosphate of lime and phosphate of soda, the result of the
addition of soda or its carbonate to solution of acid phosphate of lime, has
been extensively used as a substitute for cow dung in the process of calico
printing. The use of this mixture has been found to be adapted only to
certain styles, in consequence of its alkaline constitution, and, moreover, the
phosphate of lime being insoluble, or nearly so in water, is of small importance.
in the process, and the mixture becomes needlessly expensive, from the waste
of the phosphoric acid united with the lime.
I have discovered that certain alkaline salts, namely, the tungstates and
molybdates may be used for neutralizing acid phosphates and arseniates
without any insoluble compound being precipitated, and consequently without
any loss or waste of phosphoric or arsenic acid. The compound salts thus
produced form a convenient substitute for cow dung, in the "dunging
process,"
," without the disadvantages found inseparable from the old phosphate
of lime and soda..
'
I am aware that tungstate of soda has been previously used as a substitute
for cow dung, and I make no claim to its use alone; but I claim the use of the

page_text: double or compound salts produced with it and acid arseniates or phosphates.
The method I employ is as follows:-I take a solution of mono-arseniate or
mono-phosphate of lime in water, and add to the cisterns or becks in which
the process termed "dunging" is performed, and in which the usual quantity
of hot water has been put. To this I add a solution in water of tungstate or
molybdate of an alkali, by preference soda, and stir well; the proportions
should be such that the resulting dilute bath should have a neutral reaction
on test paper. The mordanted fabrics or yarns are now to be passed through
the bath in the manner usual when cow dung or it substitutes are employed,
or 'I mix together solutions of mono-arseniate or mono-phosphate of lime, and
tungstate or molybdate of an alkali, whereby a white precipitate or paste is
produced, which I add to the dunging cisterns charged with hot water, the
paste dissolves, and the required double compound salt is produced. The
total quantities of the salts used, and their relative proportions, may be varied
according to the sort of mordanted goods to be dunged off, so as sometimes
to have a neutral reaction in the bath, and sometimes an alkaline one, as also
a weaker or stronger bath; but for most purposes I have found the following
to be useful proportions:-Where mono-arseniate of limo is used to 1,000
gallons of water I add a quantity of mono-arseniate of lime, containing 8,098
grains of arsenic acid and a quantity of crystallized tungstate of soda in
solution, containing 16,666 grains of tungstic acid, or a quantity of molybdate
of soda solution, containing 10,057 grains of molybdic acid. Where mono-
phosphate of lime is used, to 1,000 gallons of water I add a quantity of
mono-phosphate of lime containing 5,000 grains of phosphoric acid and the
above proportions of tungstate or molybdato of soda. These solutions in the
above or other proportions may be, if desired, mixed together previously to
adding to the water, but I have found that the best result is obtained by
.adding the solutions separately to the water.
Now although, in the above process, mono-arseniates and mono-phosphates
of lime have only been mentioned, I do not wish to confine myself to the
lime salts, since mono-arseniate and phosphates of the alkalies will answer as
well, nor must it be understood that tungstates or molybdates of soda alone
can be used, since any soluble alkaline salt of these acids can be used,
but the various salts I have mentioned, being the cheapest, are the most
convenient.
Having thus fully described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of carrying the same into practicable effect, I wish it to be understood
that I claim the use of double or compound soluble salts of tungstic or molybdic

page_text: acid, and arsenic or phosphoric acid with alkaline or earthy bases, in the
process termed dunging in calico printing.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Higgin, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named James Higgin, in the
presence of
E. J. HOGUES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JAMES HIGGIN. (L.S.)