IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING PRINTED PAPER TO REMOVE THE INK AND TO OBTAIN PULP; AND ALSO IN TREATING PRINTERS' RAGS TO REMOVE THE INK THEREFROM."
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Lambert, of 4, Warner Street, Dover
Road, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING PRINTED PAPER
TO REMOVE THE INK AND TO OBTAIN PULP; AND ALSO IN TREATING PRINTERS'
RAGS TO REMOVE THE INK THEREFROM."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Lambert at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
July 1860.
I, BENJAMIN LAMBERT, of 4, Warner Street, Dover Road, do hereby declare
the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING PRINTED PAPER
TO REMOVE THE INK AND TO OBTAIN PULP; AND ALSO IN TREATING PRINTERS' RAGS
TO REMOVE THE INK THEREPRON," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in treating printed paper to
remove the ink and to obtain pulp; and also in treating printers' rags to re-
move the ink therefrom. For these purposes the printed paper is by preference
first reduced into pulp, but this is not essential. The pulp or broken up printed
paper is then boiled in a weak caustic alkaline ley for some time in a covered
vessel, and then allowed to soak for several hours in the same ley without
heat. The ley is then removed and a fresh one introduced into the vessel, and
the pulp or broken up printed paper is boiled therein. If there is much ink

page_text: present, and the color bad, it is desirable after the second boiling to again
allow the pulp or broken-up paper to stand and soak for a time. The pulp
or broken-up printed paper is then well washed till the color of the ink is
removed, when the pulp will be suitable for being used in the manufacture of
white paper. In treating copper-plate printers' rags and other printers' rags
impregnated with printers' ink, such rags are boiled for a time in a weak
caustic alkaline ley, the ley is removed and the rags are then again boiled, but
in another weak alkaline ley. The rags are then to be washed till the ink
has been completely removed, when the rags will be again suitable for use.
The coloring matter of the ink when sufficiently valuable may be again
obtained from the alkaline ley and wash waters by precipitation and eva-
poration.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Lambert in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th January 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
LAMBERT, of 4, Warner Street, Dover Road, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Benjamin Lambert, Her special licence that I, the said Benjamin Lambert.
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Benjamin Lambert, 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, exer-
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TREATING PRINTED PAPER TO REMOVE THE INK AND TO OBTAIN PULP; AND ALSO IN
TREATING PRINTERS' RAGS TO REMOVE THE INK THEREPROM," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Lambert, my executors or admi-
nistrators, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Benjamin Lambert, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in treating printed paper to
remove the ink and to obtain pulp; and also in treating printers' rags to
remove the ink therefrom. For these purposes the printed paper is by pre-
ference first reduced into pulp, but this is not essential. The pulp or broken
up printed paper is then boiled in a weak caustic alkaline ley for some time
in a covered vessel, and then allowed to soak for several hours in the same ley
without heat. The ley is then removed and a fresh one introduced into the
vessel, and the pulp or broken up printed paper is boiled therein. If there is
much ink present, and the color bad, it is desirable after the second boiling to
again allow the pulp or broken up paper to stand and soak for a time. The
pulp or broken up printed paper is then well washed till the color of the ink
is removed, when the pulp will be suitable for being used in the manufacture
of white paper. In treating copper-plate printers' rags and other printer's
rags impregnated with printers' ink, such rags are boiled for a time in a weak
caustic alkaline ley. The ley is removed, and the rags are then again boiled,
but in another weak alkaline ley. The rags are then to be washed till the ink
has been completely removed, when the rags will be again suitable for use.
The coloring matter of the ink when sufficiently valuable may be again
obtained from the alkaline ley and wash waters by precipitation and eva-
poration.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
In carrying out the first part of my Invention, the printed paper is by pre-
ference roughly or completely reduced to the state of pulp in the ordinary or
any convenient manner, and it is then boiled in a weak caustic alkaline ley
for about two hours, and the strength of ley used is of a specific gravity of
about 1001, water being 1000, and then the reduced printed paper is allowed
to stand for about twelve hours to soak and to get cold in the ley. It should
be stated that this soaking in the ley for several hours after being boiled
therein is most important, as I have found that by boiling and then allowing
the pulp or broken paper to soak for only a few hours, say, for three hours,
that the process fails to produce a beneficial result. The ley is then removed,
and a fresh one of like strength or specific gravity is applied, in which the
reduced printed paper is boiled for about one hour. In some cases where the
color remains unsatisfactory the material is allowed to soak for some time in

page_text: the ley after boiling. The use of the second ley and of the second boiling may
be dispensed with by employing a somewhat stronger ley, viz', one of a
specific gravity 1002. The process above described having been completed,
the product is to be well washed with clear water; but before washing the
pulp or broken paper is to be well pulped or beaten in the ley in which it has
been boiled and soaked; the washed pulp is then converted into paper in the
ordinary manner. In the above description I have been particular in describ-
.ing precisely the strengths and natures of the alkaline ley used by me, and
also the time occupied in the process. I do not, however, confine myself to
the details above given, as they may be varied without departing from my
.Invention.
I will now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention. Printers'
rags after being used and being impregnated with printer's ink are boiled in a
weak alkaline ley for about two hours; tho ley is then to be removed and a
.fresh ley of like strength added, in which the rags are again to be boiled for
about an hour, after which the rags are to be well washed in clean water and
dried, when they will be again suitable for use. The alkaline ley preferred is
.about 1010 specific gravity, water being 1000.
I would state that these details may be varied without departing from
my Invention, but I have preferred to give the precise process as practised
.by me.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Benjamin Lambert, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.