IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF TREATING MADDER FOR PRINTING, DYING, AND DISTILLING PURPOSES, AND ALSO IN THE PREPARATION AND TREATMENT OF SILK, COTTON, AND WOOLLEN CLOTH FOR PRINTING AND DYING
Year: 1857

page_text: application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed
by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Wright at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st November
1857. A communication.
I, JAMES WRIGHT, of 10, Alfred Place, Newington Causeway, County.
Surrey, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF TREATING MADDER FOR PRINTING,
DYING, AND DISTILLING PURPOSES, AND ALSO IN THE PREPARATION AND TREATMENT
OF SILK, COTTON, AND WOOLLEN CLOTH FOR PRINTING AND DYING," "being a com-
munication," to be as follows:-
I mix the madder to be used with water, and then subject it to pressure.
In some cases a minute quantity of sulphuric acid may be used with the water.
The expressed liquid is collected, and after standing forms a jelly, which again
upon standing still longer separates into a liquid and a partly solid form; the
liquid being decanted, I wash the residuum, which when mixed with gum is
ready for printing or dying. The liquid which runs from the jelly, if it con-
tains an acid or alkali, 1 neutralize, and having raised it to a suitable tempe-
rature I add yeast to it, and allow it to ferment, afterwards distilling it in the
usual manner.
In order to obtain a deeper crimson color than can be got from the last-
described preparation, I subject the latter, that is, the washed insoluable
residuum to the action of dilute sulphuric acid, and after a little time wash it

page_text: clear of the acid; the product when mixed with gum or other suitable
thickening matter, is ready for dying or printing purposes. The spent
madder remaining after being subjected to pressure, I treat in the usual way
with water and obtain an extract; this extract I precipitate by any of the
known methods. I then make use of the precipitate by mixing it up with
the jelly before mentioned, and treat it along with the latter in the way before
described.
In cases were cow dung is used in printing or dying, I propose to employ
as a substitute for the same a soluable phosphate.
My process for treating the cloth is to immerse it in a weak solution of
acetate of alumina; then I pass it through a batb, containing any soluable
phosphate, wash it with water, print with the color, dry it, and then steam it.
If, however, it be thought preferable to use cowdung, then in order to get
rid of the bad color imparted to the cloth by the action of the said cowdung,
I mix the latter with a suitable proportion of water, and pass the mixture
through a filter bed of charcoal, using the purified liquor to effect the purpose
of the dung.
I propose also in the process of "steaming the cloth," to arrange that the
temperature of the steam when first admitted to the cloth shall be below that
of boiling water, and afterwards increased to a higher temperature. 1 propose
also to effect "top printing" with madder by the following method:-I make
use of the extract obtained from the jelly before mentioned, or that combined
with the precipitate obtained from the spent madder, and mix with it the
proper mordant, reducing it to a proper consistency; with this I print the cloth,
steam, dry, and then wash it.