IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING DARK SHADES OF PIECE GOODS, WOOLLEN WASTE, HAIR, AND RAGS A LIGHT FAST YELLOW OR FAWN COLOUR, DYEING FAST ANILINE BLUE AND OTHER COLOURS, UTILIZING THE WASTE PRODUCTS FOR TREATING SEWAGE AND MANURE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Rydill, of Pontefract Villa, Highgate, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING DARK SHADES OF PIECE
GOODS, WOOLLEN WASTE, HAIR, AND RAGS A LIGHT FAST YELLOW OR FAWN
COLOUR, DYEING FAST ANILINE BLUE AND OTHER COLOURS, UTILIZING THE
WASTE PRODUCTS FOR TREATING SEWAGE AND MANURE."
Sealed the 2nd February 1877, and dated the 5th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Rydill at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th December 1876.
GEORGE RYDILL, of Pontefract Villa, Highgate, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DYEING DARK SHADES OF PIECE GOODS, WOOLLEN WASTE, HAIR, AND RAGS A LIGHT
FAST YELLOW OR FAWN COLOUR, DYEING FAST ANILINE BLUE AND OTHER COLOURS,
UTILIZING THE WASTE PRODUCTS FOR TREATING SEWAGE AND MANURE."
My Invention consists in the employment of nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash
treated with dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid for dyeing a fast light
yellow or fawn colour, and for producing light yellow shades from one dark dyed
piece goods composed wholly or in part of previously dyed wool, woollen material,
and woollen waste, and for dyeing piece goods, wool, woollen rags, alpacca, mohair,
camel's hair, woollen flock, hair, silk, rags, waste silk, rabbit or hare down, shoddy
or mungo, a light yellow or fawn colour; also for dyeing the same when required a
fast scarlet, blue, maroon, and other colours.
Or nitric acid and nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash are treated with dilute
sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid for producing a fast light yellow or fawn
colour; but as nitric acid is a manufactured article by distillation and very costly,
evaporates quick and stains the skin, I prefer to use nitrate of soda and sulphuric
acid, as they do not evaporate so quickly, neither do they stain the skin, besides
being cheaper, more effectual, and not liable to turn so red with heat or alkali in
cleansing, milling, and removing the acid.
With respect to nitrate of potash and its use in dyeing a yellow or fawn colour
with acids, nitrate of soda is not only cheaper than nitrate of potash, but it has the
advantage of containing nine per cent. more of nitric acid.
These improvements are not only for dyeing piece goods, woollen material, hair,
shoddy, mungo, and woollen rags a fast light yellow or fawn colour, but I introduce

page_text: and use nitrate of soda without any previous treatment or distillation with acid
as an useful assistant material for dyeing wool, piece goods, woollen rags, and
fibrous substances fast colours by being united with dye colouring matter.
I first thoroughly cleanse wool, piece goods, woollen material, alpacca, mohair,
camel's hair, woollen rags, hair, silk rags, waste silk, flock, rabbit or hare down or
wool, and then dye, stain, or change the colour of the animal fibres a fast light
yellow or fawn colour in a cold liquid as follows:-I prepare in a vessel containing
any required quantity of dilute sulphuric acid at a strength from 6 to 30 or more
degrees on Twaddell's hydrometer; I then dissolve with water nitrate of soda, of
weight according to quantity of liquid required, then mix the dissolved nitrate of
soda with the dilute sulphuric acid in the vessel, place in the piece goods wool, silk,
animal hair, or woollen rags, and let them lay in the liquid a few days or a week.
The time required to dye or stain the fabrics or material a fast light yellow or fawn
colour is according to the strength of the liquid, such being effected without labour
or attention except an occasional turn over with a stick. I find by experiment that
this method is one to preserve the elasticity of the fibres.
Or I prepare in a vessel any required quantity of dilute sulphuric acid at a
strength from 6 to 30 or more degrees on Twaddell's hydrometer, then dissolve with
water nitrate of potash, weight' according to the liquid required to be used, mix the
dissolved nitrate of potash with the dilute sulphuric acid, place on the wool piece
goods, woollen material, alpacca, mohair, camel's hair, woollen rags, hair, silk rags,
waste silk, flock, rabbit or hare down or wool, and let them lay in the liquid the
required time to stain or dye the fabrics a fast light yellow or fawn colour. The
time required to dye or stain with cold liquids the fabrics or fibres a fast yellow or
fawn colour is according to the strength of the liquid.
Or dilute muriatic or hydrochloric acid may be used with nitrate of soda or
nitrate of potash for staining or dyeing wool piece goods, woollen rags, animal fibres
or substances a fast light yellow or fawn colour.
Or sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid may be used and mixed together in
any required proportion with nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash, or a nitrate in
solution for staining or dyeing wool, piece goods, woollen rags, animal fibres or
substances a fast light yellow or fawn colour in a cold liquid at a strength according
to the time required for staining or dyeing the fibres or fabrics.
Or I use seperately or mixed together in a vessel dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or
hydrochloric acid, together with any required proportions of dilute nitrate, of soda
or citrate of potash liquid with dilute nitric acid, making the liquids at a strength
on Twaddell's hydrometer from 6 to 30 degrees or more, place in the wool piece
goods, silk, woollen rags, animal fibres or substances, and let them lay in the acid
liquid the time required to stain or dye the fabrics a fast light yellow or fawn
colour. A small quantity of logwood, alum, salt, ammonia, potash, or caustic soda
may be introduced when required to bring up the colour.
In dyeing or staining large quantities of material with cold liquid a number of
vessels, as described, require to be charged. When the material is dyed or stained
a fast yellow or fawn colour, as required, it is then removed from the vessel and tho
same liquid is reused for dyeing and staining other chargings of material.
Having described what sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric or nitric acid and
nitrate of soda and nitrate of potash, or nitrate in solution will do cold in dyeing
or staining animal fibres and substances a light yellow or fawn colour, I will now
explain what results such acid nitrate liquids are capable of accomplishing when
made hot.
In a vessel made of stone, wood, earthenware, glass, lead, iron, platinum, gold, or
any other suitable material or vessel, I prepare any required quantity of dilute
sulphuric acid at a strength from 6 to 20 or more degrees on Twaddell's hydrometer,
then dissolve with water nitrate of soda, weight according to the quantity of liquid
and strength required to be used, and then inix the dissolved nitrate of soda with
the dilute sulphuric acid; or the nitrate of soda may be dissolved in the prepared
peid liquid, which acid liquid I heat with steam passing through a coil of lead pipe

page_text: or a jacketed vessel, or a vessel heated with water or steam acting on the outside
heat from mineral or vegetable oils, fire gas, waste products of combustion; or a
vessel may rest on a hot hearth, or hot air may be used either to pass through the
acid liquid or to act on the outside of the vessel to heat the same." When the acid
liquid in the vessel is made hot I place in the wool piece goods, silk, animal fibres,
hair, yarns or woollen rags which may have been previously dyed blue, green,
scarlet, black, or any other colour, when the same becomes dyed or stained a light
yellow or fawn colour in the short space of from one minute to five, ten, or more
minutes, according to the strength and warmth of the material to be dyed.
If a quantity of material is introduced wet and cold it is not stained or dyed so
quickly as when the material is warm or taken from hot water, and the surplus
moisture removed with a hydro-extractor, but under all circumstances piece goods
and material to be dyed, stained, or the colour changed are entirely under the
control of the person in attendance.
Or I prepare a liquid any required strength with muriatic or hydrochloric acid
and nitrate of soda to dye or stain wool, piece goods, animal fibres, hair, yarns, or
woollen rags a fast light yellow or fawn colour by heating the acid liquid, as herein
described.
Or sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid may be mixed together in any
required proportions with nitrate of soda for dycing or staining wool, piece goods,
silk, animal fibres, hair, yarns, rabbit or hare down, or wool or woollen rags a fast
light yellow or fawn colour with hot acid liquid, as herein described.
Or dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid may be used, each separately
with nitrate of potash in any required proportion, for dyeing or staining wool,
piece goods, animal fibres, and woollen rags a fast light yellow or fawn colour.
Or dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid are mixed together in any
required proportions with nitrate of potash for dyeing or staining wool, piece goods,
animal fibres, and woollen rags a fast light yellow or fawn colour with hot acid
liquid, as herein described.
Or dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid may be mixed with either
nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash and dilute nitric acid at any required strength
or in any required proportions of one to each other, and heat the same, as herein
described, for dyeing and staining wool, piece goods, silk, animal fibres, hair, yarns,
or woollen rags a fast light yellow or fawn colour. A small quantity of logwood,
alum, salt, ammonia, potash, or caustic soda may be introduced, when required, to
bring up the colour, or other colouring liquids or substances may be mixed with
the nitrate liquids, also borax is advantageously used.
When piece goods and animal fibres to be dyed or stained a fast light yellow or
fawn colour are perfectly free from dye colouring matter, such as white piece goods,
wool and white woollen rags, I then mix with dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or hydro-
chloric acid, nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash, a little logwood or any other dye,
colouring matter, or spent dye liquors may be utilised for the acids to act upon;
or dye refuse, bark, or other colouring substances may be employed to feed the acid
or acids, nitrate of soda, or nitrate of potash, or a nitrate in solution with colouring
matter, or sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid liquids which have been used
for saturating shallies, linsey skirting or woollen rags previous to and for removing
vegetable substances from woollen material by means of heat, called extracting,
and which acid liquids contain a little dye colouring matter removed from the
rags while being steeped or saturated in acid liquid.
By experiments I find these acid liquids to be most useful and cause the acid or
acids to serve for two purposes, or aniline or other colours may be introduced to
colour and dye with.
In dyeing aniline and other colours fast on piece goods, wool, and other animal
fibres and substances I use nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash, which I find most
useful agents, particularly the nitrate of soda, for its cheapness and effect. For
example, I place in a vessel of hot water aniline blue and nitrate of soda; I then
put in the wool, piece goods, woollen rags, extract wool, or other animal fibres or

page_text: substances to be dyed, and boil for five, ten, or thirty minutes; I then raise the
material and pour in a small quantity of dilute sulphuric acid, which with the
nitrate of soda causes the aniline blue colour to become fast on the fabrics, so that
the anililine blue will stand the test of nitric acid, muriatic, or hydrochloric or
sulphuric acid, without the colour being effected; maroon and other colours aro
dyed fast with a like result, also dark dyed coloured piece goods, shoddy, mungo,
and woollen rags are readily dyed fast blue.
By steeping or saturating piece goods, wool, silk, animal fibres, woollen or linsey
rags composed partly of animal and vegetable fibres and substances in dilute sul-
phuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid, and nitrate of soda, liquid or dilute sulphuric,
muriatic, or hydrochloric acid and nitrate of potash liquid mixed together in any
required proportions after removing surplus liquid and steaming the fabrics or
material in a steam-tight room, or drying the same with heat or steam of
120 degrees or more, the cotton or vegetable substances are destroyed, and the
fabrics or material are changed, stained, or dyed a light yellow or fawn colour.
When the piece goods or fabrics are to be steamed I make the liquid into a kind of
liquid paste with starch.
By this improvement dark dyed mixed coloured woollen material and hair, which
would serve only for some common purpose, if made into picce goods and yarns,
are dyed into a light yellow or fawn colour, which colour can now only be obtained
from white wool, alpacca, mohair, or light valuable shades of woollen material or
hair.
Another advantage is that mixed woollen waste, containing almost every colour,
woollen piece goods, as well as woollen rags, are dyed or stained a light yellow or
fawn colour, which when pulled up by a rag or Garnett machine, and then carded,
one even colour is produced. Not only this, but a light foundation or ground is
formed for re-dying any other light colours or light shades upon the fabrics or
material, so that cloth, blankets, carpets, and other woven or knitted fabrics are
thereby produced at a most reasonable cost, and the process of dyeing simplified.
The following classes are some of the material which contains mixed dark and
faded colours, much enhanced in value when dyed a light yellow or fawn colour,
such as-Scotch and other woollen waste, hosiery waste and clippings, alpacca,
mohair, shirtings, French merinoes, coloured flannels, coloured serges, woollen fringe,
woollen braids, Coburgs, woollen comforters, extracted linsey stockings, indigo
stockings, extract wool, hard stuffs, or woollen skirting, coloured stockings, cloth
rags, extracted waste silk, silk rags, flocks, rags, and other woollen material.
It has been shown by many careful and accurate experiments that nitrogen in
the form of nitric acid exerts a more powerful influence on the growth of graminea
than an equal weight of nitrogen in the form of ammonia, and that the application
of nitrate acts on grains and grasses in the growing seasons with extraordinary
rapidity, and its action is not so much diminished by rain. I therefore cleanse the
dyed or stained fabrics or material or other dyed colours when nitrate of soda is
used from the nitrate or nitric acid with cold' or hot water, ammonia, potash, lime
water, borax, caustic soda, or other alkali, and utilize the same for treating sewage,
liquid manure for growing crops, or watering manure, earths, ashes, refuse animal
charcoal, or other manurial substances to retain the nitrate or nitric acid or nitrate
of ammonia.
The dirty or spent acid liquids or condensed vapours in dyeing or staining yellow
I also utilize for treating sewage, growing crops, or manure, as described, so that
the nitrate of soda, nitrate of potash, and acids, ammonia, and other alkalies which
in the first instance are rather expensive are not wasted, but turned to useful
purposes, instead of a nuisance:
To bring up the spent liquids and make them useful after once used in dyeing or
staining fabrics or material a fast light yellow or fawn colour with dilute sulphuric,
muriatic, or hydrochloric acid and nitrate of soda liquid, or dilute sulphuric,
muriatic, or hydrochloric acid and. nitrate of potash, or dilute sulphuric, muriatic,
or hydrochloric acid mixed with nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash and dilute.

page_text: nitric acid, I place in the vessel or vessels of the acid liquid or liquids iron borings
or filings, turnings, refuse card wire, or scrap iron, which converts the acid liquids
into nitrate of iron, nitro-sulphate of iron; or other valuable chemical products are
formed with the acids, alum, salt, and alkalies. Sulphate of iron and nitrate of
iron produced from those refuse acid chemicals are most useful in dyeing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Rydill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th June
1877.
GEORGE RYDILL, of Pontefract Villa, Highgate, London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
DYEING DARK SHADES OF PIECE GOODS, WOOLLEN WASTE, HAIR, AND RAGS A
LIGHT FAST YELLOW OR FAWN COLOUR, DYEING FAST ANILINE BLUE AND OTHER
COLOURS, UTILIZING THE WASTE PRODUCTS FOR TREATING SEWAGE AND MANURE."
My Invention consists in the employment of nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash
treated with dilute sulphuric, muriatic or hydrochloric acid, for dyeing a fast light
yellow or fawn colour, and for producing light yellow shades from once dark dyed
piece goods composed wholly or in part of previously dyed wool, woollen material,
and woollen waste, and for dyeing piece goods, wool, woollen rags, alpacca, mohair,
camels' hair, woollen flock, hair, silk rags, waste silk, rabbit or hare down, shoddy or
mungo, a light yellow or fawn colour; also for dyeing the same when required a
fast scarlet, blue, maroon, and other colours.
Or nitric acid and nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash are treated with dilute
sulphuric, muriatic or hydrochloric acid, for producing a fast light yellow or fawn
colour; but as nitric acid is a manufactured article by distillation, and very costly,
evaporates quickly, and stains the skin, I prefer to use nitrate of soda and sulphuric
acid, as they do not evaporate so quickly, neither do they stain the skin, besides
being cheaper, more effectual, and not liable to turn so red with heat or alkali in
cleansing, milling, and removing the acid.
With respect to nitrate of potash and its use in dyeing a yellow or fawn colour
with acids, nitrate of soda is not only cheaper than nitrate of potash but it has the
advantage of containing nine per cent. more of nitric acid.
These improvements are not only for dyeing piece goods, woollen material, hair,
shoddy, mungo, and woollen rags a fast light yellow or fawn colour, but I introduce
and use nitrate of soda, without any previous treatment or distillation, with acid as
an useful assistant material for dyeing wool, piece goods, woollen rags, and fibrous
substances fast colours by being united with dye-colouring matter.
I first thoroughly cleanse wool, piece goods, woollen material, alpacca, mohair,
cainels' hair, woollen rags, hair, silk rags, waste silk, flock, rabbit or hare down or
wool, and then dye, stain, or change the colour of the animal fibres a fast light
yellow or fawn colour in a cold liquid as follows:-I prepare in a vessel containing
any required quantity of dilute sulphuric acid at a strength from 6 to 30 or more
degrees on Twaddell's hydrometer; I then dissolve with water nitrate of soda, of
weight according to quantity of liquid required, then mix the dissolved nitrate of
soda with the dilute sulphuric acid in the vessel, place in the piece goods, wool,
silk, animal hair, or woollen rags, and let them lay in the liquid a few days or a
week. The time required to dye or stain the fabrics or materials a fast light yellow
or fawn colour is according to the strength of the liquid, such being effected without
labour or attention, except an occasional turn over with a stick. I find by experiment
that this method is one to preserve the elasticity of the fibres.
Or I prepare in a vessel any required quantity of dilute sulphuric acid, at a
strength from 6 to 30 or more degrees on Twaddell's hydrometer, then dissolve with
water nitrate of potash, weight according to the liquid required to be used, mix the
dissolved uitrate of potash with the dilute sulphuric acid, place in the wool, piece

page_text: goods, woollen material, alpacca, mohair, camels' hair, woollen rags, hair, silk rags,
waste silk, flock, rabbit or hare down or wool, and let them lay in the liquid the
required time to stain or dye the fabrics a fast light yellow or fawn colour. The
time required to dye or stain with cold liquids the fabrics or fibres a fast yellow or
fawn colour is according to the strength of the liquid.
Or dilute muriatic or hydrochloric acid may be used with nitrate of soda or
nitrate of potash for staining or dyeing wool, piece goods, woollen rags, animal
fibres or substances a fast light yellow or fawn colour.
Or sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid may be used and mixed together in
any required proportion with nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash, or a nitrate in
solution, for staining or dyeing wool, piece goods, woollen rags, animal fibres or
substances a fast light yellow or fawn colour in a cold liquid, at a strength according
to the time required for staining or dyeing the fibres or fabrics.
Or I use separately or mixed together in a vessel dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or
hydrochloric acid, together with any required proportions of dilute nitrate of soda
or nitrate of potash liquid with dilute nitric acid, making the liquids at a strength
on Twaddell's hydrometer of from 6 to 30 degrees or more, place in the wool, piece
goods, silk, woollen rags, animal fibres or substances, and let them lay in the acid
liquid the time required to stain or dye the fabrics a fast light yellow or fawn
colour. A small quantity of logwood, alum, salt, ammonia, potash, or caustic soda
may be introduced when required to bring up the colour.
In dyeing or staining large quantities of material with cold liquid a number of
vessels, as described, require to be charged. When the material is dyed or stained
a fast yellow or fawn colour as required it is then removed from the vessel, and the
same liquid is re-used for dyeing or staining other chargings of material.
Having described what sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric or nitric acid and
nitrate of soda and nitrate of potash, or a nitrate in solution will do cold, in dyeing
or staining animal fibres and substances a light yellow or fawn colour, I will now
explain what results such acid nitrate liquids are capable of accomplishing when
made hot.
In a vessel made of stone, wood, earthenware, glass, lead, iron, platinum, gold, or
any other suitable material, I prepare any required quantity of dilute sulphuric
acid, at a strength from 6 to 20 or more degrees on Twaddell's hydrometer, then
dissolve with water nitrate of soda, weight according to the quantity of liquid and
strength required to be used, and then mix the dissolved nitrate of soda with the
dilute sulphuric acid, or the nitrate of soda may be dissolved in the prepared acid
liquid, which acid liquid I heat with steam passing through a coil of lead pipe or a
jacketed vessel, or a vessel heated with water or steam acting on the outside; heat
from mineral or vegetable oils, fire, gas, waste products of combustion; or a vessel
may rest on a hot hearth, or hot air may be used, either to pass through the acid
liquid or to act on the outside of the vessel, to heat the same. When the acid liquid
in the vessel is made hot I place in the wool, piece goods, silk, animal fibres, hair,
yarns, or woollen rags, which may have been previously dyed blue, green, scarlet,
black, or any other colour, when the same becomes dyed or stained a light yellow or
fawn colour in the short space of from one minute to five, ten or more minutes,
according to the strength and warmth of the material to be dyed.
If a quantity of material is introduced wet and cold it is not stained or dyed so
quickly as when the material is warm or taken from hot water and the surplus
moisture removed with a hydro-extractor; but under all circumstances piece goods
and materials to be dyed, stained, or the colour changed are entirely under the
control of the person in attendance.
Or I prepare a liquid of any required strength with muriatic or hydrochloric acid
and nitrate of soda to dye or stain wool, piece goods, animal fibres, hair, yarns, or
woollen rags a fast light yellow or fawn colour by heating the acid liquid, as herein
described.
Or sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid may be mixed together in any
required proportions with nitrate of soda for dyeing or staining wool, picce goods,

page_text: silk, animal fibres, hair, yarns, rabbit or hare down or wool, or woollen rags a fast
light yellow or fawn colour with hot acid liquid, as herein described.
Or dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid may be used each separately
with nitrate of potash in any required proportion for dyeing or staining
wool, piece goods, animal fibres, and woollen rags a fast light yellow or fawn
colour.
Or dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid are mixed together in any
required proportions with nitrate of potash for dyeing or staining wool, piece goods,
animal fibres and woollen rags a fast light yellow or fawn colour with hot acid
liquid, as herein described.
Or dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid may be mixed with either
nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash and dilute nitric acid at any required strength
or in any required proportions of one to each other, and heat the same as herein
described, for dyeing or staining wool, piece goods, silk, animal fibres, hair, yarns, or
woollen rags a fast light yellow or fawn colour. A small quantity of logwood,
alum, salt, ammonia, potash, or caustic soda may be introduced when required to
bring up the colour, or other colouring liquids or substances may be mixed with the
nitrate liquids; also borax is advantageously used.
When piece goods and animal fibres to be dyed or stained a fast light yellow or
fawn colour are perfectly free from dye colouring matter, such as white piece goods,
wool, or white woollen rags, I then mix with dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or hydro-
chloric acid nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash, a little logwood, or any other
dye-colouring matter or spent dye liquors, may be utilized for the acids to act upon;
or dye refuse, bark, or other colouring substances may be employed to feed the acid
or acids, nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash, or a nitrate in solution with colouring
matter or sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid liquids which have been used for
saturating shallies, linsey skirting or woollen rags, previous to and for removing
vegetable substances fro;n woollen material by means of heat (called extracting),
and which acid liquids contain a little dye-colouring matter removed from the rags
while being steeped or saturated in acid liquid.
By experiments I find these acid liquids to be most useful and cause the acid or
acids to serve for two purposes; or aniline or other colours may be introduced to
colour and dye with.
In dyeing aniline and other colours fast on piece goods, wool, and other animal
fibres and substances, I use nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash, which I find most
useful agents, particularly the nitrate of soda for its cheapness and effect.
For
example, I place in a vessel of hot water aniline blue and nitrate of soda; I then
put in the wool, piece goods, woollen rags, extract wool or other animal fibres or
substances to be dyed, and boil for five, ten, or thirty minutes; I then raise the
material and pour in a small quantity of dilute sulphuric acid, which with the
nitrate of soda causes the aniline blue colour to become fast on the fabrics, so that
the aniline blue will stand the test of nitric acid, muriatic, or hydrochloric or
sulphuric acid without the colour being effected. Maroon and other colours are
dyed fast with a like result; also dark dyed coloured piece goods, shoddy, mungo,
and woollen rags are readily dyed fast blue.
By steeping or saturating piece goods, wool, silk, animal fibres, woollen or linsey
rags, composed partly of animal and vegetable fibres and substances, in dilute
sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid, and nitrate of soda, liquid or dilute
sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid, and nitrate of potash liquid mixed together
in any required proportions, after removing surplus liquid and steaming the fabrics
or material in a steam-tight room or drying the same with heat or steam of
120 degrees or more, the cotton or vegetable substances are destroyed, and the
fabrics or material are changed, stained, or dyed a light yellow or fawn colour.
When the piece goods or fabrics are to be steamed I make the liquid into a kind of
liquid paste with starch.
By this improvement dark dyed mixed coloured woollen materials and hair
which would serve only for some common purpose if made into piece goods and

page_text: yarns are dyed into a light yellow or fawn colour, which colour can now only be
obtained from white wool, alpacca, mohair, or light valuable shades of woollen
materials or hair.
Another advantage is that mixed woollen waste containing almost every colour,
woollen piece goods as well as woollen rags, arc dyed or stained a light yellow or
fawn colour, which when pulled up by a rag or Gammett machine, and then carded,
one even colour is produced. Not only this, but a light foundation or ground is
formed for redyeing any other light colours or light shades upon the fabrics or
materials, so that cloth, blankets, carpets, and other woven or knitted fabrics are
thereby produced at a most reasonable cost and the process of dyeing simplified.
The following classes are some of the materials which contain mixed, dark, and
faded colours, much enhanced in value when dyed a light yellow or fawn colour,
such as: Scotch and other woollen waste, hosiery waste and clippings, alpacca,
mohair, shirtings, French merinoes, coloured flannels, coloured serges, woollen fringe,
woollen braids, coburgs, woollen comforters, extracted linsey stockings, indigo
stockings, extract wool, hard stuffs or woollen skirting, coloured stockings, cloth
rags, extracted waste silk, silk rags, flocks, rags, and other woollen materials.
It has been shown by many careful and accurate experiments that nitrogen in
the form of nitric acid exerts a more powerful influence on the growth of graminea
than an equal weight of nitrogen in the form of ammonia, and that the application
of nitrate acts on grains and grasses in the growing seasons with extraordinary
rapidity, and its action is not so much diminished by rain. I therefore cleanse the
dyed or stained fabrics or materials when nitrate of soda is used from the nitrate or
nitric acid with cold or hot water, ammonia, potash, lime water, borax, caustic soda,
or other alkali, and utilize the same for treating sewage, liquid manure for growing
crops, or watering manure, earths, ashes, refuse, animal charcoal, or other manural
substances to retain the nitrate or nitric acid, or nitrate of ammonia.
The dirty or spent acid liquids or condensed vapours, in dyeing or staining
yellow, I also utilize for treating sewage, growing grops, or manure as described, so
that the nitrate of soda, nitrate of potash, and acids, ammonia, and other alkalies,
which in the first instance are rather expensive, are not wasted, but turned to useful
purposes instead of a nuisance.
To bring up the spent liquids and make them useful after once used in dyeing or
staining fabrics or materials a fast light yellow or fawn colour with dilute
sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid and nitrate of soda liquid, or dilute
sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid and nitrate of potash, or dilute sulphuric,
muriatic, or hydrochloric acid mixed with nitrate of soda or nitrate of potash and
dilute nitric acid, I place in the vessel or vessels containing the acid liquid or
liquids iron borings, filings or turnings, refuse card wire, or scrap iron, which
convert the acid liquids into nitrate of iron or nitro-sulphate of iron, or other
valuable chemical products are formed with the acids, alum, salt, and alkalies.
Sulphate of iron and nitrate of iron produced from those refuse acid chemicals are
most useful in dyeing.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly. The dyeing, staining, or changing the colour of wool, woollen waste, hair,
silk, woollen rags, animal fibres, and materials, in a vessel, a light fast yellow or
fawn colour, either in a cold or hot dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid
and nitrate of soda liquid, and removing such dye or colouring surplus liquid with
water and alkalies, as herein described.
Secondly. The dyeing, staining, or changing the colour of woollen piece goods,
animal fibres, and substances, in a vessel with dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or hydro-
chloric acid and nitrate of potash, a fast light yellow or fawn colour, as herein
described.
Thirdly. The dyeing, staining, or changing the colour of woollen piece goods,
animal fibres, and substances, in a vessel with dilute sulphuric, muriatic, or hydro-
chloric acid and dissolved nitrate of soda, nitrate of potash, and nitric acid, being

page_text: mixed one with the other and forming a cold or hot acid liquid, for dyeing, staining,
or producing in various ways a fast light yellow or fawn colour, as herein
described.
Fourthly. The use of nitrate of soda or nitrate in solution in dyeing or staining
animal fibres and materials fast colours with aniline or other dye colouring matter
and steaming the animal fibres and materials in a room, as described.
Fifthly. Heating the water or dye liquid with hot air passing through the liquid
or through a coil of pipe or a jacketed vessel, or heating the same as herein
described.
Sixthly. Utilizing the sulphuric or muriatic or hydrochloric acid liquid used in
saturating animal fibres and substances for extracting, as well as the use of alum,
salt, ammonia, potash, caustic soda, and spent dye liquids, as herein described.
Seventhly. Producing dye colouring matter with the refuse acid nitrate chemical
acting on metal, as herein described.
Eighthly. The utilizing of the refuse acid nitrates and alkalies as a manure or for
treating sewage water, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Rydill, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this First day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-seven.
GEORGE RYDILL. (L.S.)