NEW APPLICATIONS OF HYPOCHLORIDE OF ALUMINA TO BLEACHING AND DYEING, AND то THE DISINFECTION AND PRESERVATION OF ORGANIC MATTERS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Zephirin Gaspard Alexandre Nathan Petrone Orioli,
of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engi-
neer, for the Invention of "NEW APPLICATIONS OF HYPOCHLORIDE OF
ALUMINA TO BLEACHING AND DYEING, AND то THE DISINFECTION AND
PRESERVATION OF ORGANIC MATTERS."
Sealed the 30th December 1859, and dated the 20th July 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Zephirin Gaspard
Alexandre Nathan Petrone Orioli, at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th July 1859.
I, ZEPHIRIN GASPARD ALEXANDRE NATHAN PETRONE ORIOLI, of 29, Boulevart
St. Martin, Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "NEW APPLICATIONS OF HYPOCHLORIDE OF
ALUMINA TO BLEACHING AND DYEING, AND TO THE DISINFECTION AND PRESERVATION
OP ORGANIC MATTERS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the application of the hypochloride of alumina
to bleaching, dyeing, and to the disinfection and preservation of organic
matters.
This new agent, which, I utilize for the purposes herein-after explained,
exists only in solution in water, and is obtained by a double decomposition of
hypochlorite of lime and sulphate of alumina in equal quantities. By mixing
solutions of these two salts a chemical action is produced, forming instanta-
neously sulphate of lime, an inert body which gives the water a slightly milky

page_text: appearance; hypochloride of alumina is also produced, which may be known
by its peculiar odour. This salt acts very rapidly on all coloring matters of
organic origin. This rapidity of action it has in common with chlorine & hypo-
chlorite of lime with the addition of an acid, but it has the inestimable advan-
tage over these several agents of remaining entirely neutral during the whole
time of the action. It is well known that in the actual processes of bleaching,
notwithstanding the repeated washings to which fabrics and paper pulp arc
subjected after decoloration, it is impossible to completely eliminate the hydro-
chloric acid produced by the action of the chlorine, or like matters on the
hydrogen of the coloring matter. It is the presence of this acid that causes
fabrics that have been bleached by ordinary processes to become brown, and
perish more or less rapidly. This great inconvenience cannot arise when
using hypochloride of alumina as a decoloring salt, since it bleaches when
losing its oxygen, and becomes changed into chloride of aluminium. Expe-
rience, confirming the theory, has proved to me that organic matters, and paper
in particular, thus bleached, preserves all its tenacity and appearance without the
usual amount of washing. As regards paper pulp, a simple washing operation
occupying half an hour is all that is necessary for climinating the coloring
matter, which is rendered soluble by the bleaching.
The chloride of aluminium formed in this operation being an antiseptic salt,
a further advantage is obtained by my process of preserving the pulp from
fermentation, which would otherwise be produced by the joint action of the air
and humidity. This great result will permit of the preparation of the bleached
pulp in paper mills in winter to be used in the summer following. For this
purpose the bleached pulp may be preserved in mass without washing. When
this pulp is used several months after it is made it is only necessary to wash it
for about half an hour, to eliminate the coloring matter which has become
soluble by the bleaching action.
The proportions of hypochloride of alumina necessary for bleaching paper
pulp and tissues or fabrics varies according to the color which is to be acted
on, and also to the nature of the pulp or tissue and the rapidity with which
the operation is effected, but from 3 to 5 per cent. of hypochloride of alumina
is sufficient for ordinary bleaching purposes. My improved process does not
require special apparatus, and it may be operated in the open air, since it does
not emit any disagrecable odour; the matters may also be perfectly bleached
in masses.
If it is required to bleach thread or hemp, linen or cotton cloths, the
operation should be conducted in the following manner:-The thread or cloth
is washed in lye, and plunged in a bath containing about 2 lbs. of hypochloride

page_text: of alumina for every 100 lbs. of bleaching material; after two or three hours
immersion the thread or cloth is withdrawn from the bath, and left in masses
in a suitable receptacle for the night; the next day it should be rinsed, and a
second washing in lyc effected; it is then bleached a second time in a similar
manner to the preceding, after which it is again washed and bleached a third
and fourth time, which gives to the fibre all the brightness desired without
deteriorating its original strength. The hypochloride of alumina which is so
valuable for bleaching has also other important applications, which I claim as of
my Invention. Thus, I have found that this salt may be very advantageously
substituted for acctate of alumina as a mordant in dyeing, for this purpose
the same proportions must be observed as in the preceding operation, and
gradually raising the heat of the bath up to the boiling point, all the hydro-
chloric acid will disengage itself while the alumina remains in combination
with the material as a mordant. This mordant, which is much more economical
than the acetate of alumina, is obtained by the double decomposition of sul-
phate of alumina and acetate of lead, and produces with similar proportions
shades of equal richness, but much more lasting in purity, as this salt does not
contain the least trace of iron.
In the manufacture of printed calicos, and other printed cloths, hypochloride
of alumina, suitably thickened with gum, dextrine, or other suitable matter may
also be used as a mordant in printing, taking care to submit the stuff to heat,
for the purpose of removing the hypochlorous acid. If the material is already
colored, the hypochloride of alumina, thus thickened and impressed, will produce
white parts at the will of the manufacturer. The instability of hypochloride
of alumina, which is much greater than that of hypochlorite of lime, or of
potash, or soda, allows of its being advantageously substituted for these sub-
stances, for the purposes of rapid disinfection of unhealthy localitics and of
putrified animal matters.
Lastly. I apply this salt to the preservation of animal matters, anatomical
preparations, and also for embalming bodies and other matters..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed:
by the said Zephirin Gaspard Alexandre Nathan Petrone Orioli in. the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th January 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ZEPHIREN
5 GASPARD ALEXANDRE NATHAN PETRONE ORIOLI, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin,
Paris, in the Empire of France, Civil Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Zephirin Gaspard Alexandre Nathan Petrone Orioli, Her special licence
that I, the said Zephirin Gaspard Alexandre Nathan Petrone Orioli, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Zephirin
Gaspard Alexandre Nathan Petrone Orioli, my exccutors, 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 "NEW APPLICATIONS OF HYPOCHLORIDE OF ALUMINA TO BLEACHING
AND DYEING, AND TO THE DISINFECTION AND PRESERVATION OF ORGANIC MATTERS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Zephirin Gaspard
Alexandre Nathan Petroue Orioli, 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 Zephirin Gaspard Alexandre Nathan
Petrone Orioli, 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, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to the application of the hypochlorite of alumina
to bleaching, dyeing, and to the disinfection and preservation of organic
matters.
This new agent, which I utilize for the purpose hereafter explained, exists
only in solution in water, and is obtained by a double decomposition of
hypochlorite of lime and sulphate of alumina in equal quantities. By mixing
solutions of these two salts, a chemical action is produced, forming instan-
taneously sulphate of lime, an incrt body which gives the water a slightly
milky appearance, hypochlorite of alumina being also produced, which may be
known by its peculiar odour. This salt, by reason of its instability, acts very
rapidly on all coloring matters of organic origin. This rapidity of action it has
in common with chlorine and hypochlorite of lime with the addition of an acid,
but it has the inestimable advantage over those several agents of remaining
entirely neutral during the whole time of the action. It is well known, that

page_text: in the actual processes of bleaching, notwithstanding the repeated washings
to which fabrics and paper pulp are subjected after decoloration, it is impossible
to completely eliminate the chlorhydric acid produced by the action of the
chlorine or like matters in the hydrogen of the coloring matter. It is the
presence of this acid that causes fabrics which have been bleached by ordinary
processes to grow more or less rapidly brown and friable. This fact has, after
many experiments, been entirely elucidated by M. Pelouze, who has lately
ascertained the perfect solubility of the cellulose in the chlorhydric acid. This
great inconvenience cannot arise when using hypochlorite of alumina as a
decoloring salt, since it bleaches when losing its oxygen, and becomes changed
into chloride of aluminum. Experience, confirming the theory, has proved to
me that organic matters, and paper in particular, thus bleached, preserves its
tenacity and appearance without the usual amount of washing. As regards
paper pulp, a simple washing occupying half an hour is all that is necessary
for climinating the coloring matter, which is rendered soluble by the bleaching.
The chloride of aluminum formed in this operation being an antiseptic salt,
a further advantage is obtained by my process of preserving the pulp from
fermentation, which would otherwise be produced by the joint action of the
air and humidity. This great result will, in paper mills, allow of the prepar-
ation in advance in winter, for instance, to be used in the summer following,
of the bleached pulp unwashed, which may be thus preserved in mass in
suitable receptacles, without losing any of its tenacity. When this pulp is
used several months after it is made, it is only necessary to wash it for about
half an hour, to climinate the coloring matter which has become soluble by
the bleaching action.
The proportions of hypochlorite of alumina necessary for bleaching paper
pulp and tissues or fabrics varies according to the color which is to be acted
on, and also to the nature of the pulp or tissue, and the rapidity with which
the operation is effected, but from 3 to 5 per cent. of hypochlorite of alumina
is sufficient for ordinary bleaching purposes. My improved process does not
require any special apparatus, and it may be operated in the open air, since it does
not emit any disagreeable odour. The matters are perfectly bleached in the
mixing engines (piles). I pour into the mixing engine, according to the nature
of the stuff, from 6 to 12 lbs. of sulphate of alumina in solution, adding imme-
diately after another solution from 6 to 8 lbs. of chloride of lime, the hypo-
chlorite of alumina is thus formed in the mixing engine, it sticks on the pulp,
and after ten minutes the pulp yet unbleached is decanted into the dropping
vessel, where, notwithstanding the droppage, the bleaching is completed This
operation lasts twelve hours from the last heap, for which a double quantity of

page_text: the two salts should be used on account of the contact of the air, which is
prejudicial to the bleaching.
If it be required to bleach hemp thread, linen or cotton cloth, the operation
should be conducted in the following manner:-The thread or cloth is washed
in lyc, and plunged into a bath containing 4 lbs. of hypochlorite of alumina
for every 200 lbs. of bleaching materials. After two or three hours' immersion,
the thread or cloth is withdrawn from the bath, and left in masses in a suitable
receptable for the night. The next day it should be rinsed, and a second
washing in lyc effected. It is then bleached a second time in a similar
manner and washed again, bleached a third and fourth time, which gives the
fibre all the brightness desired without deteriorating its original strength. The
hypochlorite of alumina which is so valuable for procuring a perfect bleaching
has also other important applications which I wish to secure. Thus I have
found that this salt may be advantageously employed instead of the acctate of
alumina as a mordant in dyeing. For this purpose the same proportions must
be observed as in the precedent operations, and by gradually raising the heat
of the bath up to the boiling point, all the hypochlorous acid will disengage
itself while the alumina remains in combination with the material as a
mordant. This mordant, which is much more economical than the acctate of
alumina, is obtained by the double decomposition of sulphate of alumina and
acetate of lead, and produces with similar proportions shades of equal richness,
but much more lasting in purity, as this salt does not contain the least trace
of iron.
In the manufacture of printed calicoes and other printed cloths, hypochlorite
of alumina suitably thickened with gum, dextrinc, or other suitable matter
may also be used as a mordant in printing, taking care to submit the fabric
to heat for the purpose of removing the hypochlorous acid. If the material is
already colored, the hypochlorite of alumina thus thickened and impressed,
will produce white parts at the will of the manufacturer. The unstability
of hypochlorite of alumina which is much greater than that of hypochlorites
of lime or of potash or soda allows of its being advantageously substituted
for these substances, for the purpose of rapid disinfection of unhealthy
localitics, and of putrified animal matters.
Lastly, this salt may be applicable to the preservation of animal matters,
anatomical preparations, and also for embalming bodies, since as a salt of
alumina on one hand, it is entirely antiseptic, and on another hand as a
chlorined compound, it forms with the proteic and gelatinous tissues very
stable combinations, while it destroys the fermenting matters with which they
are impregnated.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or is to be carried into effect, I desire it to be distinctly
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein described,
as such may be varied and modified without departing from the principle of
action thereof; but I claim as new and of my Invention,―
First. Applying hypochloride of alumina in the bleaching of paper pulps,
thread, linen, and cotton cloths.
Secondly. Applying hypochlorite of alumina as a mordant for printed
calicocs and other printed cloths.
Thirdly. Applying hypchlorite of alumina to the disinfection of unhealthy
localities, to the preservation of organic azoted matters, and also to the embalm-
ing of bodies, &c.
In witness whereof, I, the said Zephirin Gaspard Alexandre Nathan
Petrone Orioli, have hereunto set my hand and scal, this Sixth day of
January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty.