IMPROVEMENTS IN MOR- DANTING, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PRODUCTS TO BE USED AS MORDANTS AND OTHERWISE
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Townsend, Manufacturing Chemist, and
James Walker, Analytical Chemist, both of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOR-
DANTING, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PRODUCTS TO BE USED AS MORDANTS
AND OTHERWISE."
Sealed the 9th July 1861, and dated the 18th January 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Townsend and
James Walker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 18th January 1861.
We, JOSEPH TOWNSEND, Manufacturing Chemist, and JAMES WALKER,
Analytical Chemist, both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MORDANTING, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PRODUCTS TO BE USED AS MORDANTS
AND OTHERWISE," to be as follows:-
This Invention comprises, firstly, an improvement in mordanting, which
consists in using sulphite or hyposulphite of alumina as a mordant for variou;
colors; and, secondly, certain improved processes whereby sulphite and
hyposulphite of alumina is obtained. In one modification of these processes

page_text: the "oxidized liquor" obtained from "soda or potash wastes' by processes
for which the present applicants obtained Provisional Protection, bearing date
the 11th December 1860 (No. 3038), is mixed with a solution of alum or of
sulphate of alumina. The mixture is allowed to settle, when an antichlore is
precipitated (the obtainment of such antichlore being one of the objects of the
processes referred to as already the subject of Provisional Protection), whilst
the supernatant liquor consists of sulphite and hyposulphite of alumina in solu-
tion, one of the objects of the present Invention. Or sulphite and hyposulphite
of alumina may be obtained by substituting for the "oxidized liquor" other
alkaline or carthy hyposulphites. The sulphite and byposulphite of alumina,
besides answering as an effective mordant, may be used otherwise; for
example, alumina may be obtained by boiling the solution of sulphite and
hyposulphite of alumina, when the alumina is deposited, and may be separated
and purified.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Townsend and James Walker in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 17th July 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
TOWNSEND, Manufacturing Chemist, and JAMES WALKER, Analytical Chemist,
both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Joseph Townsend and James Walker, Her special licence that we, the
said Joseph Townsend and James Walker, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Joseph Townsend and James Walker,
our 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 MORDANTING,
AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PRODUCTS TO BE USED AS MORDANTS AND OTHERWISE,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Joseph Townsend
and James Walker, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in

page_text: writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particu-
larly 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 we, the said Joseph Townsend and James Walker,.
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner.
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in.
and by the following statement in writing, that is to say :-
Our said Invention consists in using hyposulphite and sulphite of alumina
as a mordant in Turkey-red dyeing instead of the mordants hitherto employed
therein, and also comprises certain improved processes whereby hyposulphite
and sulphite of alumina and other products are obtained.
The hyposulphite and sulphite of alumina is prepared by the following
methods: We employ the "oxidised liquor," containing hyposulphite and
sulphite of lime obtained from," soda and potash wastes," by processes described
in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to us, the said Joseph Townsend
and James Walker, and bearing date the 11th December 1860. (No. 3038)..
This oxidised liquor." is mixed with a solution of alum or of sulphate of
alumina in such proportion that the sulphate of alumina will be all converted
into hyposulphite and sulphite of alumina. The proportions preferred are
about 54 ounces of commercial sulphate of alumina or 75 ounces of alum to
every gallon of "oxidised liquor" of a specific gravity of 1.25 or 50 degrees
Twaddle. The mixture is allowed to settle, when hydrated sulphate of lime
is precipitated, whilst the supernatant liquor contains hyposulphite and sulphite
of alumina in solution, and this, when separated from the precipitate, con-
stitutes the mordant. The precipitate, when washed and dried, we designate
as." precipitated antichlore.". It consists of hydrated sulphate of lime with a
sufficient proportion of hyposulphite and sulphite salts to render it available
for use as an antichlore in the manufacture of papor. The production of such
"precipitated antichlore" by other processes is described in our earlier Spe-
cification berein-before referred to, in which Specification are contained further
particulars. of the nature and use of such "precipitated antichlores."
We also prepare the aforesaid mordant by substituting for the "oxidised
liquor" any of the supernatant liquors containing hyposulphite and sulphite of
soda, potash, ammonia, or magnesia separated from the "precipitated anti-
chlore" produced by processes all particularly described in our earlier Speci-
fication herein-before referred to. In mixing a solution of alum or sulphate

page_text: of alumina with any of the hyposulphites aud sulphites of soda, potash,
ammonia, or magnesia, no precipitate will be produced, as is the case when
the solution is mixed with hyposulphite and sulphite of lime, the corresponding
sulphates of soda, potash, ammonia, or magnesia being soluble in water, and
remaining in the mordant.
We also prepare the aforesaid mordant by substituting for alum or sulphate
of alumina, chloride of aluminium or nitrate of alumina. They are mixed
with any of the hypesulphite and sulphite salts already referred to in the
proportion of their chemical equivalents, hyposulphite and sulphite of alumina
being thereby produced, mixed with the corresponding chlorides or nitrates, as
the case may be.
In using the aforesaid mordant for Turkey-red dyeing it is reduced with
water to a specific gravity of about 1·06 or 12 degrees Twaddle, or until it
contains in solution not more than about 1,000 grains of alumina per gallon.
The cloth, prepared with oil in the usual way well known to Turkey-red
dyers, is then run through the reduced solution, and afterwards dried at a tem-
perature of 120 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. After drying it is passed through
a solution of cowdung or dung substitute heated to a temperature of about
140 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is then washed and dyed, and finally cleared
in the manner ordinarily followed by Turkey-red dyers.
The mordant may also be used for general madder styles, including reds,
pinks, and chocolates. For this purpose we prefer to boil the thickening
(starch, flour, or other material) by itself, and then add while still hot the
mordant (hyposulphite and sulphite of alumina) in such proportion as will
produce the desired depth of colour. When thus prepared it is printed on or
applied to the cloth, and dried without any deviation from the method already
practised in using acetate of alumina.
Having thus particularly described the nature of our said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, we
have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the precise details herein-
before described, as such may be varied and modified without departing
from the principle of our Invention, and that we do not claim to have invented
every separate detail herein-before described or referred to; but that what we
consider to be new and original, and claim as the Invention secured to us by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The using of hyposulphite and sulphite of alumina as a mordant for
Turkey-red dyeing, substantially in the manner herein-before described.
Second. The preparing of hyposulphite and sulphite of alumina from alum

page_text: or from sulphate, chloride, or nitrate of alumina, substantially in the manner
herein-before described.
Third. The preparing of "precipitated antichlore" from hyposulphite and
sulphite of lime by means of a solution of alum or of sulphate of alumina,
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Townsend and James Walker,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eleventh day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
EDMUND IIUNT,
Patent Agent,
28, St. Enoch Square,
Glasgow.
JOSEPHI TOWNSEND. (L.S.)
JAB. WALKER.
(L.S.)