Improvements in the Treatment of Fibres and Fibrous or Textile Materials to Improve the Appearance or Finish and Facilitate the Operation of Dyeing.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in the Treatment of Fibres and Fibrous or Textile
Materials to Improve the Appearance or Finish and Facilitate
the Operation of Dyeing.
I, JOSEPH SCHNEIDER of Rivershill Ashton on Mersey in the County of Chester,
Technical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The process of "mercerizing" vegetable fibres or textile materials or treating them
with a solution of sodium hydrate or caustic soda to facilitate the absorption of dyes
is well known. The use of caustic soda for this purpose is objectionable in that it
absorbs or combines with carbonic acid and oxygen of the atmosphere rendering it
inoperative and produces irregular results.
I find that by the use of sodium sulphide Na,S or potassium sulphide K,S with the
addition to the solution of aethyl or methyl alcohol, sulphonated or oxydised oils
benzene benzol solvent naphtha or naphtha oil or petroleum much better results are
obtained and that a permanent lustre is imparted to the fibre not otherwise obtainable.
I treat the material either in the form of yarn or after it has been woven.
In operation the material is immersed for a short period either in a solution of
sodium or potassium sulphide or in a solution of one of these agents to which has
been added the desired quantity of a suitable solvent such as benzene, sulphonated or
oxydised oils (olein Turkey red oil) or the like. During the process of immersion or
immediately after the material is subjected to the mechanical operation of stretching
to prevent the shrinkage that would otherwise take place.
Instead of immersion the solution may be applied by means of a spray or otherwise
caused to saturate the material.
The sodium or potassium sulphide may be employed without the solvents but I at
present consider it better to employ both.
I have also found that the addition of one or more of the above named solvents to
a solution of the sodium or potassium hydrate which have hitherto been employed
alone give much improved results.
The use of the solvents I consider of considerable importance as their use greatly
facilitates the absorption by the material of the alkaline medium and shortens the
process.
The solvent may be used separately and may be poured over the material or it may
first be immersed therein.
This process renders the fibres bright lustrous and glossy in appearance almost
like silk.
Dated this g1st day of Ano 1806

page_text: Improvements in the Treatment of Fibres and Fibrous or Textile.
Materials to Improve the Appearance or Finish and Facilitate
the Operation of Dyeing.
I, JOSEPH SCHNEIDER, of Rivershill, Ashton-on-Mersey, in the County of Chester,
Technical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
The process of mercerizing cotton yarns and fabrics with sodium hydrate for dyeing
purposes and to give the fibre a lustrous appearance is well known.
The use of sodium hydrate or caustic soda for this purpose has certain objections
because it absorbs or combines with the carbonic acid thereby reducing its strength
or active properties and consequently giving irregular results.
I find that the use for this purpose of sodium sulphide Na.S or potassium
sulphide K,S with the addition of methyl or aethyl alcohol, benzol, anilin oil, paraffin,
petroleum, turpentine or other solvent of fat or grease much better results are
obtainable and that a permanent silky lustre is produced upon the fibre.
I treat the material either in the form of yarn or after it has been woven.
In the accompanying drawing is illustrated the apparatus I have designed for
treating yarn in the hank.
Fig. 1. Side elevation.
Fig. 2. Elevation partly in section.
Fig. 3. Plan.
I prepare a bath containing about a 30% solution of sodium sulphide NaS or
potassium sulphide K,S and to this is added about 10% of one of the following fat
solvents (or a mixture of two or more of them)-methyl or aethyl alcohol, benzol or its
homologues anilin oil, paraffin, petroleum or turpentine.
The bath when thus prepared has the solvent floating on top.
The material to be treated yarn or fabric is immersed in this bath and passing
through the solvent on the top it is first saturated or impregnated therewith and the
fatty or greasy matter in the fibres dissolved before entering the alkaline solution.
The action of these solvents is as follows:-The yarn or the fabric absorbs the fat
solvent rapidly which they do not with an aqueous solution of alkaline salts and then
when immersed in the solution the solvent is rapidly displaced by the solution so
that the fibres are saturated with the alkaline solution much more rapidly and more
evenly than if no solvent had been used.
To prevent shrinkage or contraction of the fibres which would otherwise take place
and to retain them at their original length the material is during the period of
immersion kept stretched to its normal length by mechanical means, or the material
is stretched after being removed from the bath before the fibres have set.
For yarn in the hank I employ the apparatus or frame A shown in the drawings
upon the Arms B and C. of which the yarn is first placed. The lower arms B are
mounted upon a pillar D and the upper arms C are carried by the stays E and screw F
by which latter they can be adjusted and drawn away from the lower arms B to give
the desired amount of stretching to the fabric.
The yarn or material when stretched is immersed in the bath for a period of from
15 to 30 minutes and is then immersed in a tank of water or otherwise thoroughly
washed to remove all trace of the solution of alkaline sulphide for about 10
or 15 minutes. The duration of the yarn or fabric in the bath is dependent upon
the nature and quality of the yarn or fabric.
The yarn or fabric may be separately treated with the solvent before being treated

page_text: with the solution and the solution may be applied by being sprinkled or poured over
the material by means of a spray or the like.
These solvents may also be applied to the ordinary mercerizing process with sodium
hydrate.
The use or employment of these solvents I find to be of great advantage as their
use facilitates the saturation of the yarn or fabric with the solution and renders it
more regular.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The process of treating yarns or textile fabrics to give them a glossy appearance
and render them capable of the better absorption of dyes or colours which consists in
subjecting the material to the action of a solvent (such as methyl or aethyl alcohol,
benzol or its homologues anilin oil paraffin petroleum or turpentine) and then
saturating with a solution of sodium sulphide Na,S or potassium sulphide K,S and
stretching the material during the operation to prevent shrinkage substantially as
described.
2. The process of treating yarn or fabrics to improve their appearance or for dyeing
purposes consisting in subjecting them to the action of sodium sulphide Na,S or
potassium sulphide K,S with or without a solvent and stretching to prevent shrinkage
substantially as described.
3. In the process of treating yarns or fabrics to improve their appearance or for
dyeing purposes treating them with a solvent before subjecting them to the action of
an alkaline solution substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of April 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool and London, Patent Agents.