IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOORCLOTHS, FELT, AND PAPER, AND IN THE MEANS OF COLORING AND PRINTING THE SAME OR OTHER TEXTILE OR WOVEN FABRICS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Downing, of Lachmere, Battersea, in the
County of Surrey, Chemist, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOORCLOTHS, FELT, AND PAPER, AND IN THE
MEANS OF COLORING AND PRINTING THE SAME OR OTHER TEXTILE OR WOVEN
FABRICS."
Sealed the 27th December 1872, and dated the 29th June. 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Downing-at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th June 1872.
I, WALTER DOWNING, of Lachmere, Battersea, in the County of
Surrey, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOORCLOTHS, FELT, AND PAPER,
AND IN THE MEANS OF COLORING AND PRINTING THE SAME OR OTHER TEXTILE OR
WOVEN FABRICS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture of
floorcloths, or a substitute therefor, of felt and paper, and also in the
means of coloring the same or of printing them, as well as other fabrics
of a textile or woven description, the coloring matter being obtained as a
residue from the primary manufacture.
I propose to use cork as a basis, which should be reduced to shavings,
dust, or powder, but it may be in pieces of larger size, and subject the

page_text: same to the action or influence of nitric or nitrous acid (diluted if
required). The acids may be either in the gaseous or liquid state, and
they may be in combination with any other mineral or vegetable acids,
but I prefer to use the nitric and hydrochloric acids in equal parts;
water, glycerine, or any kind of fixed or volatile oil may be added.
I employ suitable vessels or receptacles for treating the cork, and if
necessary I accelerate the process of reduction by aid of heat applied by
any suitable means until the cork is reduced to a soft flocculent mass,
after which I draw off the liquid and mix therewith about an equal
weight of yeast, whereby I produce a coloring matter or pigment after
such mixture has been subjected to heat. Or I propose to mix the yeast
with the cork in the first instance (although I prefer to treat them
separately, spreading them on woollen, silk, or any description of
fabric made from vegetable fibre. Or I mix them together or separately
with silk or wool or any kind of vegetable fibre, ground cork, leather
shavings, or other like materials, so as to form fabrics to supply the
ordinary floorcloths, or to form a substitute for them, also for felt and
various descriptions of paper printing, or coloring them, or being
applicable to coloring or printing other textile or woven fabrics.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Walter Downing in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th December 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER
DOWNING, of Lachmere, Battersea, in the County of Surrey, Chemist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Walter Downing, Her special licence
that I, the said Walter Downing, my executors, administrators,.
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Walter Downing, 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, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,

page_text: the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, au Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLOORCLOTHS, FELT, AND PAPER, AND IN THE MEANS OF
COLORING AND PRINTING THE SAME OR OTHER TEXTILE OR WOVEN FABRICS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Walter Downing, 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 Walter Downing, 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 thereof, that is to say :—
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture of
floorcloths, or a substitute therefor, of felt and paper, and also in the
means of coloring the same, or of printing them, as well as other fabrics
of a textile or woven description, the coloring matter being obtained as a
residue from the primary manufacture,
I propose to use cork as a basis, which should be reduced to shavings,
dust, or powder, but it may be in pieces of larger size, and to subject the
same to the action or influence of nitric or nitrous acid (diluted if
required). The acids may be either in the gaseous or liquid state, and
they may be in combination with any other mineral or vegetable acids,
but I prefer to use the nitric and hydrochloric acids in equal parts;
water, glycerine, or any kind of fixed or volatile oil may be added.
I employ suitable vessels or receptacles for treating the cork, and if
necessary I accelerate the process of reduction by aid of heat applied by
any suitable means until the cork is reduced to a soft flocculent mass,
after which I draw off the liquid, and mix therewith about an equal
weight of yeast, whereby I produce a coloring matter or pigment after
such mixture has been subjected to heat, or I propose to mix the yeast
with the cork in the first instance (although I prefer to treat them
separately). I then wash the products and mix them together, or I
use them separately, spreading them on woollen, silk, or any description
of fabric made from vegetable fibre, or, I mix them together or separately
with silk or wool or any kind of vegetable fibre, ground cork, leather
shavings, or other like materials, so as to form fabrics to supply the

page_text: ordinary floorcloths, or to form a substitute for them, also for felt and
various descriptions of paper, the printing or coloring them being
applicable to coloring or printing other textile or woven fabrics.
Having described the mode or manner of making the said materials, I
now proceed to describe the means employed for printing or coloring the
same, which process is also applicable to the printing or coloring of
other textile or woven fabrics. I construct frames made of sheet copper
or tin, and of any desired size, in which I form divisions or patterns.
The fabric to be printed I damp and place upon a gauze of wire or per-
forated plates forming the top or lid of a trough or cistern containing
water on the top of the fabric; I then place the frames containing the
pattern it is desired to give the said fabric. When the frames are thus
well placed, so as to prevent air getting to the under side of the fabrie
only through the openings formed by the pattern in the frame, the
coloring matter is placed on the same in a position that will allow it to
percolate through the fabric in the spaces only formed by the pattern in
the copper frames. The water in the cistern being drawn therefrom by
a syphon when the color or colors are placed in the openings of the
frames forming the pattern cause such colors to be drawn through, thus
printing or coloring the whole of the fabric through to the back, which
as it wears will still exhibit a device or pattern.
I also treat yeast with nitric, nitrous, sulphurous, sulphuric, hydro-
chloric, phosphoric, chronic, gallic, or acetic acids alone or combined in
various numbers and proportions with chlorine alone or in combination
with water, glycerine, resinous, or oleaginous matter, potassium, sodium,
calcium, ammonium, alluminium, cromium, magnesium, or silicum
salts, their homologues and derivatives, combined or separately; but for
economy I prefer pyroligneous acid in combination with hydrochloric
acid mixed in a suitable still, and heat being applied I distil off the
acetic acid, which I preserve, being of value, the residue being a com-
bination of yeast, tarry matter, creosote, eupione, and other incidental
vegetable products in slight proportion. This residue I mix with silk,
wool, or any kind of vegetable fibre as it is, or combined with resinous or
oleaginous matter, to form paper of various descriptions, felt for inner
soling and lining of shoes and boots, and when curried or japanned the
uppers of boots, cartridge cases, for blasting purposes, hat bodies, cards
used in the manufacture of silk, wool, and vegetable fibres.
The compound or coloring matter made as described from yeast is

page_text: capable of taking any of the colors employed in dying, and can be used
for printing upon silk, wool, or vegetable cloth in combination with
albumen or other agent employed for fixing topical colors. It will also
act alone or in combination with gum and farenacious or amylaceous
matters for thickening coloring matters used for printing textile or
woven fabrics.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, together with
the method of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be
distinctly understood in conclusion, that I claim,
Firstly. The novel and peculiar formation and manufacture of an
adhesive matter compounded from cork and nitric acid alone or in
combination with other acids or neutrals, in the manner and for the
purpose as herein substantially described.
Secondly. I claim the novel formation and production from yeast of
a coloring matter or substance to be employed for coloring textile or
woven fabrics alone or in combination with other coloring pigments, or
as a thickening therewith, in the manner and for the purpose as herein
substantially described.
And, lastly. I claim the novel application and use of such coloring
matter for the purpose of printing devices or patterns upon textile or
woven fabrics, in the manner as substantially described and set forth
herein.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Downing, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two
Witness,
JOHN TYAS,
Solicitor,
Barnsley.
HENRY HORSFIELD,
His Clerk.
WALTER DOWNING. (L.S.)