IMPROVEMENTS IN BLEACHING FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Harold Potter, of the City of Manchester, Com-
mission Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLEACHING FIBROUS
SUBSTANCES."
Sealed the 16th December 1864, and dated the 25th August 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Harold Potter at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his. Petition, on the
25th August 1864.
I, HAROLD POTTER, of the City of Manchester, Commission Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BLEACHING FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
My Invention is particularly applicable in bleaching jute and other waste
of flax, but it may be employed in bleaching other fibrous substances. The
fibrous substance to be bleached is first bowked in the ordinary manner, it is
then washed with water, and then subjected to the action of a solution of
sulphuric or other suitable acid; it is then again washed and afterwards treated
with an alkali. The fibrous substance with the alkali is then submitted to the
action of chlorine gas, after which it is placed in a vacuum pan in which a
vacuum is formed, and then a solution of chlorine is, admitted and passed
through the fibrous substance; the operations of forming a vacuum and
passing the solution of chlorine are repeated as often as may be found
requisite.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Harold Potter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st February 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HAROLD
POTTER, of the City of Manchester, Commission Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Harold Potter, Her special license that I, the said
Harold Potter, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as J, the said Harold Potter, 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
IMPROVEMENTS IN BLEACHING FIBROUS SUBSTANCES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Harold Potter, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Harold Potter, 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):-
My Invention is particularly. applicable, in bleaching jute and the outer
bark or waste of flax commonly called "shove" or "shew.". The " shove."
or other fibrous substance to be bleached is, first bowked or boiled in an
alkaline solution in the manner well known to bleachers; it is then washed
with water and then subjected to the action of a solution of sulphuric or other
.suitable acid of the strength of about one or two degrees of Twaddle's hydro-
meter; it is then again washed with water, to remove the acid, and afterwards
.it is steeped in an alkaline solution of the strength of about one or two degrees
of Twaddle's bydrometer, in which it remains for about one hour. The "shove
or other fibrous substance with the alkali is then hung on to rails placed
horizontally in a closed chamber and submitted for about ten or twelve hours
"

page_text: to the action of chlorine gas, which may be generated by pouring sulphuric
acid on a mixture of manganese and common salt placed in a leaden still and
heated by a steam casing; or the chlorine gas may be produced in any other
convenient manner, after which the fibrous substance is removed from the
closed chamber and placed in a covered pan in which a partial vacuum is
formed to prepare the fibrous substance for being impregnated with a solution
of chlorine liquor of about five degrees of Twaddle's hydrometer, which is
admitted into the covered pan and passed through the fibrous substance. The
operations of forming a partial vacuum and admitting a solution of chlorine
liquor are repeated as often as may be found requisite to remove the im-
purities from and to bleach the fibrous substance, the chlorine liquor may then
be washed out to complete the operation. I wish to observe that the
strengths of the solutions named and the time required for the various pro-
cesses may be considerably varied according to the nature of the fibrous
substances to be bleached.
In witness whereof, I, the said Harold Potter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-five.
HAROLD POTTER. (L.S.)