IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING MIXED TEXTILE FABRICS AND YARNS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest Posselt and Rudolf Peters, of the Firm of
E. Posselt & Co., of Bradford, in the County of York, Merchants, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING MIXED TEXTILE FABRICS AND
YARNS." A communication from abroad by Jules Joseph Leloir, of Tourcoing,
in the Republic of France, Manufacturer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest Posselt & Rudolf
Peters at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th January
1880.
ERNEST POSSELT and RUDOLF PETERS, of the Firm of E. Posselt & Co., of
Bradford, in the County of York, Merchants. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING MIXED
TEXTILE FABRICS AND YARNS." [A communication from abroad by Jules Joseph
Leloir, of Tourcoing, in the Republic of France, Manufacturer.]
The said Invention relates to the employment of acid baths, and of mordants
composed of salts of zinc, copper, chrome, and tin. Heretofore the dyeing of fabrics
made with cotton warps and woollen or worsted wefts has been defective on account
of the action of the atmosphere on the colours, the action of the atmosphere causing
the colours to fade and lose their brilliancy, thereby producing varied shades, as for
example, the black colours turn or change from a deep black into green or reddish
black, and these defects are caused by the bad application of the dyeing materials,
especially when wood dyes are employed.
The present improvements in dyeing prevent these defects and produce fast
colors and blacks that will not change from the effect of the atmosphere, and
which will resist the action of acids, especially sulphuric acid; and this Invention
relates to the application of the colouring materials with acid -baths, and of the
employment of mordants composed of zinc, copper, chrome, and tin.
The mordants are thus formed, viz., about,-
4 parts water.
2 parts muriatic acid.
1 part sulphuric acid.
In which is dissolved some zinc, and to which is added some bichromate of potash
and a sulphate of iron or of copper, and in about the following proportions, viz.,
ō narte of bichromate to one of sulphate

page_text: Modus operandi.-The pieces or fabrics having had the cotton warps dyed either
before the weaving or in the piece, such cotton warps having been dyed with a fast
dye, and by preference with aniline black, are boiled during an hour or two in a
bath containing the hereinbefore described mordant. The fabrics when mordanted
are washed in cold water, and they are then ready to be dyed blue, black, green,
brown, claret, and other colours, and for that purpose they are placed in a bath in
which is placed a decoction of wood dyes, and the fabrics are boiled an hour or two.
As for example, to obtain a claret colour in the bath is placed a decoction of Lima
and Cuba woods, care being taken to acidulate the bath with the mordant or liquor
of water, muriatic acid, sulphuric acid, and zinc.
To dye blue or black we operate in a similar manner, but we can replace the
mordant or liquor of water, muriatic and sulphuric acids, and zinc, by an energetic
acid, such as sulphuric acid; the mordant will then be composed of sulphuric acid,
bichromate of potash, and sulphate of iron or copper.
And sulphuric acid can be replaced by nitric acid, and the zinc by tin; and the
tin may be employed for all colours except black.
The fabrics or pieces after having been dyed are washed in cold water.
'

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ernest Posselt and Rudolf Peters in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th July 1880.
ERNEST POSSELT and RUDOLF PETERS, of the Firm of E. Posselt and Co., of
Bradford, in the County of York, Merchants. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING MIXED
TEXTILE FABRICS AND YARNS." A communication from abroad by Jules Joseph
Leloir, of Tourcoing, in the Republic of France, Manufacturer.
The said Invention relates to the employment of acid baths, and of mordants
composed of salts of zinc, copper, chrome, and tin. Heretofore the dyeing of fabrics
made with cotton warps and woollen or worsted wefts has been defective on account
of the action of the atmosphere on the colours, the action of the atmosphere causing
the colours to fade and lose their brilliancy, thereby producing varied shades, as for
example, black colours turn or change from a deep black into green or reddish
black, and these defects are caused by the bad application of the dyeing materials,
especially when wood dyes are employed. The present improvements in dyeing
prevent these defects, and produce fast colours and blacks which will not change
from the effect of the atmosphere, and which will resist the action of acids, especially
sulphuric acid; and this Invention relates to the application of the wood colouring
materials with acid baths, and of the employment of mordants composed of zinc,
copper, chrome, and tin. The mordants are thus formed, videlicet, about,-
Four parts water.
MODUS OPERANDI.
The pieces or fabrics having had the cotton warps dyed either before the weaving
or in the piece, such cotton warps having been dyed with a fast dye, by preference
with aniline black, are boiled during about an hour or two in a bath containing the
herein before described mordants.
The fabrics when mordanted are washed in cold water, and they are then ready
to be dyed blue, black, green, brown, garnet, and other colours, and for that purpose
they are placed in a bath in which is placed a decoction of wood dyes. The fabrics
are boiled an hour or two.
For example, to obtain a garnet colour in the bath is placed a decoction of Lima
and Cuba woods, care being taken to acidulate the bath with the mordant or liquor
of water, muriatic acid, sulphuric acid, and zinc.
To dye blue or black we operate in a similar manner, but we can replace the
herein before described liquor of water, muriatic acid, and sulphuric acid, and zinc,
by an energetic acid, such as sulphuric acid; the mordant will then be composed of
sulphuric acid, bichromate of potash, and sulphate of iron or copper.
The sulphuric acid can be replaced by nitric acid, and the zinc by tin, and the tin
may be employed for all colours except black.
The fabrics or pieces after having been dyed are washed in cold water.
But, in order to enable these improvements to be better understood, we will
proceed to describe the same by reference to the accompanying Drawing, which
represents a side view of the apparatus we employ to dye the cotton warps of the
pieces.
Mixed textile fabrics are woven either with white warps, or the warps are dyed
aniline black before being woven. To dye the woven white warps aniline black
we employ cisterns similar to those which are usually employed in .dye works,

page_text: to which we apply an apparatus fixed by preference over the cistern, and this
apparatus is constructed of a tank to which are fitted pipes having a tap and
connected to a tube bored with small holes. In the tank are placed the colouring
materials, which fall through the pipes and escape through the small holes, falling
on the fabrics in a shower.
The fabrics having first been prepared in the usual way are passed in the cistern,
which is not filled, as heretofore has been the practice, with dyeing materials, but
is nearly empty, only an inch or two in height of the coloring materials being
retained in the cistern. The fabrics pass over the roller A, under the roller, B, and
over the roller C, then through the squeezing rollers D, and are delivered when
ready by the folder on a board or any suitable receiver. Between the rollers A
and C is fitted a tube E bored with a number of small holes which extend across
the tube, and the tube is fitted the width of the cistern. The tube E is connected
to a pipe F to which is secured a tap G, and to the top of the tap is fitted a pipe H
fixed in the bottom of the tank I placed above the cistern. The tap allows of 1
regulating the supply of liquid or colouring materials passing from the tank, and of
giving a supply of the liquid equal or nearly so to that which is taken up by the
fabrics in passing through the cistern, thus allowing the liquid impregnating the
fabrics to be kept up to an equal degree of concentration. The tank I contains a
mixture to produce aniline black on the cotton warps. A suitable mixture for this 2
purpose is composed as follows, videlicet :-
Water
Solution of chloride of iron
Aniline oil
Muriatic acid
Chlorate of potash
Sulphate of copper
about thirteen and one quarter gallons.
about thirteen and one quarter gallons.
about three and one quarter gallons.
about four and a half gallons.
about six and a half pounds.
about four and three quarter pounds.
But these proportions will vary according to the weight of the fabrics and the
depth of shade required.
The said mixture or liquid passing from the tank and through the small holes of 3
the tube E falls in a shower on the fabrics and impregnates them with the liquid,
and when the fabrics are sufficiently impregnated they are removed and allowed to
remain in a suitable place for about eight or ten hours or more, the time necessary
to oxydize the aniline; when the oxydizing action is completed the fabrics can be
washed in an acidulated bath if required, and are passed through another cistern 3
fitted with a similar apparatus to that hereinbefore described and shewn in the
Drawing, but in the tank is placed a solution of concentrated bichromate of potash
mixed with muriatic acid; the solution passes from the tank to the tube bored with
small holes and falls in a shower on the fabrics, impregnating them with the
solution. After this second operation the cotton warps of the fabrics are dyed fast 4
black; the fabrics are then well washed in water and dried, and are then ready to
receive the dyeing of the wefts.
Instead of employing the tube bored with small holes and letting the mixture
fall in a shower on the fabrics the pipe fitted to the bottom part of the tap may be
made to enter the cistern and nearly touch the bottom of the cistern; the tap can 4
be so regulated that the required quantity of the dyeing mixtures admitted may be
equal or nearly equal to that which the fabrics will imbibe in passing through the
cistern, and to keep a constant level in the bottom of the cistern a hole O is made
near the bottom which is fitted with a plug or tap so as to regulate the discharge
of the mixture which is in excess of what is required, thus keeping the mixture at 5
nearly an equal degree of concentration. The bottom of the tank can also be made
curved so as to give an easy flow to the mixtures which enter the cistern through
the pipe in limited quantities.
To dye the weft of mixed fabrics either with the cotton warps dyed as herein-
before described, or with the dyed warps woven in the fabrics, we employ two 5
baths, the first bath to mordant the pieces, and the second bath with solutions of
colouring woods; both baths are made strongly acid.

page_text: The mordant is composed as follows, videlicet:-
Water
Muriatic acid
Sulphuric acid
Zinc
about ten and a half gallons.
about five and a quarter gallons.
about two and three quarter gallons.
about thirteen and a quarter pounds.
These proportions will vary according to the weight and depth of shades required.
To the mixture is added bichromate of potash and sulphate of copper in the
proportion of about five parts of bichromate and one of sulphate. The ingredients
of the mordant having been well mixed and the bath heated the fabrics are boiled
therein for about one hour and a half. The fabrics are then taken out of this first
strong acid bath and are well washed in cold water; they are afterwards placed in
the second or colouring bath, and the requisite colouring matter is placed therein
according to the colour required, which may be black, blue, green, maroon, or
garnet.
For example, to dye garnet:-The bath will be prepared with a decoction of red
wood (Lima) and a decoction of yellow wood (Cuba) in the required proportions to
obtain the shade of the pattern given; the bath is also strongly acidulated with the
zinc mordant hereinbefore described, or by sulphuric acid.
To dye black or blue we operate in a similar manner, but the bath is composed
of a solution of log wood.
The zinc liquid can be replaced by sulphuric acid only or by bitartrate of potash,
and the sulphuric acid can be replaced by nitric acid, and the zinc by tin, for all
colours except for black.
The fabrics after having passed through the bath the required time to obtain the
required shade are removed and well washed in cold water.
Having thus described the Invention communicated to us, and the best means we
are acquainted with for carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood
that we do not confine ourselves to the exact proportions given, as they may be
varied without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention, but what we
do claim is,
Firstly. The employment for dyeing the warps and wefts of woven mixed textile
fabrics (cotton and worsted) of the hereinbefore described mordants, substantially as
herein before described.
Secondly. The method of dyeing the cotton warps of the pieces by the employment
of a shower bath instead of plunge baths, or by admitting the dyeing materials or
mixtures in such quantity that the fabrics will imbibe them or nearly imbibe them
in passing through the cistern, keeping the mixture in an equal or nearly equal
degree of concentration, substantially as herein before described and represented in
the accompanying Drawing.
Thirdly. The employment of strong acid baths with zinc bases, bichromate of
potash, and sulphate of copper or iron for fixing the wood colouring matter on
mixed cotton and worsted textile fabrics, substantially as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Ernest Posselt and Rudolf Peters, have
hereto set our hands and seals, this Third day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
WALTER JAMES TURNER, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Bradford.
ERNEST POSSELT. (L.S.)
RUDOLF PETERS.
(L.S.)