New or Improved Means or Process of Producing Coloured Patterns or Designs upon Silk Plushes, or upon Wool or Velvet Plushes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Means or Process of Producing Coloured
Patterns or Designs upon Silk Plushes, or upon Wool or Velvet
Plushes.
We, R. DEWHURST AND COMPANY LIMITED, of Birstall, near Leeds, in the
County of York, Woollen and Stuff Printers, and ALBERT STOCKDALE of the
same place, Print Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new means or method or process for producing
coloured designs or patterns upon silk plushes or upon wool or velvet plushes.
Attempts or experiments have been made to print coloured patterns upon wool and
cotton plushes, but the results have hitherto been unsatisfactory in consequence of
the pressure, during the printing operation, laying down the pile of the fabric, and
also because the starch-paste or other solution which was employed for the process
of printing, was difficult to remove as wool and cotton plushes cannot advantageously
be washed in either hot or cold water.
In producing coloured designs upon plushes according to our invention, it is
effected by the fibres absorbing the solution with which they are treated, it being
well known that the fibres possess great porosity and capillarity properties.
In order to change a colour it is necessary either to alter or destroy or to replace
the colouring substance, and it is well known that many dye-stuffs, such azo-colours,
the so-called basic dies and others, possess this peculiarity, that they can be changed
into colourless products by means of tin chloride, a property we propose to employ
to effect our purpose.
According to one method, we dissolve five ounces of tin chloride (SN, Cl,)
in one quart of water forming a solution which we spread by a brush or other
suitable means upon the raised portions of a wooden printing block or the raised
portions of a copper or wood roller, which we place or cause to rest for a few
seconds upon a piece of (for example say) olive coloured silk plush which has been
previously warmed. On the moistened printing block being removed, scarcely any
alteration in the colour of the plush is noticeable, whilst the liquid or moisture will
have been absorbed by the fibres from the block. The fabric so treated is
afterwards subjected to the action of steam, which, in a few minutes decomposes the
colouring substance on the fibre, and simultaneously therewith a light green
coloured pattern will appear standing out clear on the olive ground of the fabric.
If however the solution of tin chloride is sufficiently strong or concentrated, the
colour will altogether disappear from the effected parts leaving the fibre white.
Example 2: We also find that other salts of the protoxide of tin will re-act in
the same
manner to (SN, Cl,). Therefore we treat sugar of lead with tin
crystals, after which we filter the product from the precipitated chloride of lead and
then employ the solution acetate of tin in a similar manner to that already described
in example 1 which we find gives exceedingly satisfactory results, the colours being
changed as desired whilst the fibre remains intact.
Other reducing agents may likewise be applied provided they do not diminish the
strength, elasticity or other qualities of the fibres.
In order to insure a more equal absorption of the liquid into the pile of the
fabric, we cover the raised parts of the printing block or roller with pieces of felt,
corresponding with the figures of the pattern, and instead of moistening the wood or
roller, we moisten the felt from which the heated fibres of the plush absorb the
liquid quite evenly and with great rapidity after which the fabric is steamned and
dried.

page_text: By the foregoing process, single coloured silk plushes are converted into fancy
plushes of various colours. The process is equally applicable to wool plushes, as
the animal fibre possesses porosity and capillarity in the same proportion.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1892.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Means or Process of Producing Coloured
Patterns or Designs upon Silk Plushes, or upon Wool or Velvet
Plushes.
We, R. DEWHURST AND COMPANY, LIMITED, of Birstall, near Leeds, in the
County of York, Woollen and Stuff Printers, and ALBERT STOCKDALE, of the
same place, Print Works Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a new means or method, or process for producing
coloured designs or patterns upon silk plushes or upon wool or velvet plushes.
Attempts or experiments have been made to print coloured patterns upon wool and
cotton plushes, but the results have hitherto been unsatisfactory in consequence of
the pressure during the printing operation laying down the pile of the fabric, and
also because the starch-paste or other solution which was employed for the process
of printing was difficult to remove, as wool and cotton plushes cannot advantageously
be washed in either hot or cold water.
In producing coloured designs upon plushes according to our invention, it is
effected by the fibres absorbing the solution with which they are treated, it being
well known that the fibres possess great porosity and capillarity properties.
In order to change a colour it is necessary either to alter or destroy or to replace
the colouring substance, and it is well known that many dye-stuffs, such as azo-
colours, the so-called basic dyes and others, possess this peculiarity,-that they can
be changed into colourless products by means of tin chloride, a property we propose
to employ to effect our purpose.
According to one method, we dissolve five ounces of tin chloride (Sn. Cl³) in one
quart of water forming a solution which we spread by a brush or other suitable
means upon the raised, portions of a wooden printing block or the raised portions of
a copper or wood roller, which we place or cause to rest for a few seconds upon a
piece of for example say-olive coloured silk plush which has been previously
warned. On the moistened printing block being removed, scarcely any alteration
in the colour of the plush is noticeable, whilst the liquid or moisture will have
been absorbed by the fibres from the block. The fabric so treated is afterwards
subjected to the action of steam, which, in a few minutes decomposes the colouring
substance on the fibre, and simultaneously therewith a light green coloured pattern
will appear standing out clear on the olive ground of the fabric. If however, the
solution of tin chloride is sufficiently strong or concentrated, the colour will
altogether disappear from the effected parts leaving the fibre white.
Example 2: We also find that other salts of the protoxide of tin will re-act in
the same manner to (Sn. C1'); therefore we treat sugar of lead with tin crystals,
after which we filter the product from the precipitated chloride of lead and then
employ the solution acetate of tin in a similar manner to that already described in
example one, which I find gives exceedingly satisfactory results, the colours being
changed as desired whilst the fibre remains intact.
Other reducing agents may likewise be applied provided they do not diminish the
strength, elasticity or other qualities of the fibres.
In order to insure a more equal absorption of the liquid into the pile of the
fabric, we cover the raised parts of the printing block or roller with pieces of felt,.

page_text: corresponding with the figures of the pattern, and instead of moistening the wood
or roller, we moisten the felt from which the heated fibres of the flush absorb the
liquid quite evenly and with great rapidity after which the fabric is steamed and
dried.
By the foregoing process, single or self coloured silk plushes are converted into
fancy plushes of various colours. The process is equally applicable to wool plushes,
with the ordinary thickenings as the animal fibre possesses porosity and capillarity
in the same proportion, and an ordinary engraved copper roller can be used
therein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
Firstly. The hereinbefore described art or process for producing coloured
patterns or designs upon silk plushes, or upon wool or velvet plushes, consisting of
a solution of a suitable salt of the protoxide of tin prepared as specified, said
solution being spread over the raised pattern surfaces of the printing block or
roller, then applied by the latter to the face of the previously warmed fabric and
absorbed therefrom by the fibres in contact with said raised surfaces, the absorbed
solution, on the fabric being steamed, which decomposes or removes the colour
from the fibres or changing it to a colour or to a white different and distinct to the
ground or self colour of the fabric substantially as herein set forth.
Secondly. In the art or process for producing coloured or white patterns or
designs upon silk, wool, or velvet plushes by decomposing or removing the ground
or self colour of portions of the fabric with a solution of a salt of the protoxide
of tin as herein specified, the combination therewith of a felt covering to the raised
pattern surfaces of the printing block or roller, for applying the solution to the pile
of the fabric as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of March 1893.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.