AN IMPROVED PREPARATION OF COLOURING MATTER FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF INK, ARTISTS': COLOURS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES FOR WHICH SUCH COLOURING MATTER MAY BE APPLICABLE
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Wood, of the Caledonian Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Chemist, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
PREPARATION OF COLOURING MATTER FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF INK, ARTISTS':
COLOURS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES FOR WHICH SUCH COLOURING MATTER MAY
BE APPLICABLE."
Scaled the 22nd January 1856, and dated the 24th July 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Wood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
July 1855.
I, BENJAMIN Woon, of the Caledonian Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED PREPARATION OF COLOURING MATTER FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF INK,
ARTISTS COLOURS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES FOR WHICH SUCH COLOURING MATTER
MAY BE APPLICABLE," to be as follows:-
One of the objects of this Invention of an improved preparation of colouring
matter is to produce a colouring matter that may be employed for the manu-
facture of ink, which will not be liable to corrode or act on the metal of steel
or other metallic pens. The substance which I employ in the manufacture of
my improved preparation of colouring matter is cochineal. In carrying out
my improvement I take, say, nine ounces of common carbonate of soda, and

page_text: dissolve the same in twenty-seven quarts of water, to which I add about eight
ounces of citric acid, and when this solution is brought to the boiling point I
put in one pound and a half of cochineal, and continue the boiling operation for
about one hour and a half, after which I strain the liquor and allow it to settle
and become cool; the clear liquor is then boiled up again and about nine
ounces of alum added thereto, and the mixture kept boiling for five minutes,
after which the liquid is drawn off into coolers and allowed to precipitate for
two or three days, which it will do as the liquid gradually cools. When the
precipitation has finished, I draw off the supernatant liquid, and filter the pre-
cipitate, so as to drain off as much of the liquid as possible. The precipitate is
then washed in distilled water, in order to remove any acid that may be con-
tained therein, and is again filtered to draw off the water, and the solid
precipitate is dried; the latter is then subjected to the action of a solution of
caustic ammonia, which will dissolve the solid matter and hold it in solution.
In order to produce a red ink I add to the solution of colouring matter distilled
water, the quantity thereof varying, according to the tint required for the ink.
In order to prevent the ink from decomposing or becoming mouldy, I some-
times add a few drops of essential oil of cloves or oil of creosote.
The dried precipitate above mentioned may be also employed in the manu-
facture of artists' colours, for which purpose the subsequent operation of
dissolving in caustic ammonia will not be required. It will also be evident
that the above improved preparation of colouring matter may be used for
staining or dyeing, or for any of the various purposes to which colouring
matters are now applied.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Wood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th January 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS. SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
WOOD, of the Caledonian Road, in the County of Middlesex, Chemist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Benjamin Wood, Her special licence that I, the said Benjamin Wood,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said

page_text: Benjamin Wood, 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,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED PRE-
PARATION OF COLOURING MATTER FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF INK, ARTISTS' COLOURS,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES FOR WHICH SUCH COLOURING MATTER MAY BE APPLICABLE,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Wood, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Benjamin Wood, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 (that is to say) :-
One of the objects of this Invention of an improved preparation of coloring
matter is to produce a coloring matter that may be employed for the manufac-
ture of ink, which will not be liable to corrode or act on the metal of steel or
other metallic pens. The substance which I employ in the manufacture of my
improved preparation of coloring matter is cochineal.
In carrying out my improvement I take, say, nine ounces of common car-
bonate of soda, and dissolve the same in twenty-seven quarts of water, to which
I add about eight ounces of citric acid, and when this solution has been
brought to the boiling point I put in one pound and a half of cochineal, and
continue the boiling operation for about one hour and a half, after which I
The clear liquor is
strain the liquor and allow it to settle and become cool.
then boiled up again, and about nine ounces of common alum added thereto,
and the mixture kept boiling for five minutes, after which the liquor is drawn
off into coolers and allowed to precipitate, which it will do as the liquid
gradually cools. The liquid should be allowed to remain quiescent for two or
three days, in order that all the solid matters may be deposited and the liquor
become perfectly clear.
When the precipitation has finished, I draw off the supernatant liquid by
means of a syphon, and filter the precipitate, so as to drain off as much of the
liquid as possible. The precipitate is then washed in distilled water, in order
to remove any acid that may be contained therein, after which it is to be again
filtered, in order to drain off the water, and then the solid precipitate may be

page_text: dried; and if required to be used in a liquid state it must be subsequently sub-
jected to the action of a solution of caustic ammonia, which will dissolve the
solid matter and hold it in solution. The coloring matter thus prepared may
be employed for any of the purposes for which a liquid preparation may be
required. And in order to produce a red ink with the above improved pre-
paration, I add to the solution of coloring matter above described a suitable
quantity of distilled water, the quantity thereof varying according to the tint
required for the ink. In order to prevent the ink from decomposing or
becoming mouldy, I sometimes add a few drops of essential oil of cloves or
oil of creosote.
The dried precipitate above mentioned may be also employed in the
manufacture of artists' colors, for which purpose the subsequent operation
of dissolving in caustic ammonia will not be required. It will also be evident
that the above improved preparation of coloring matter may be used for
staining or dyeing, or for any of the various purposes to which coloring
matters are now applied.
Having now described my Invention of an improved preparation of coloring
matter, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim in conclusion
the mode above described of preparing cochineal as a coloring matter for the
manufacture of ink, artists' colours, and for other purposes for which such
coloring matter may be applicable.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Wood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
BENJ WOOD. (L.S.)