AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND MEANS FOR DYEING HAIR
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND MEANS FOR DYEING HAIR."-A com-
munication from abroad by William Patton, of Springfield, Massa
chusetts, United States of America.
Sealed the 8th January 1869, and dated the 13th October 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th October 1868.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the International Patent Office,
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND MEANS FOR DYEING HAIR," a
communication, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a method of dyeing hair by means of a
preparation or preparations which being applied to convenient articles

page_text: made for the purpose in a peculiar manner will form a hair dyeing appa-
ratus, whereby the hair, beard, moustache, or eyebrows can be dyed to
any desirable tinge from light auburn to jet black. The preparations
used may be applied singly or in connection with each other to produce
different effects.
The two substances producing these effects are nitrate of silver and
gallic acid. These substances are prepared for use in the following
manner and proportions :-Nitrate of silver one part, and gum arabic
eight parts dissolved in water and heated to one hundred and twenty-
five degrees Fahrenheit, and formed into a glutinous paste, and gallic
acid one part, and gum arabic twelve parts, dissolved in water and
formed into a paste. In place of the gum arabic any suitable glutinous
substance of a similar character which will easily dissolve in water and
possesses sufficient adhesiveness to hold when dried the gallic acid and
nitrate of silver upon the implement will answer.
For dying the moustache, beard, or eyebrows, where more delicate
handling is required, the apparatus consists of a cylindrical projection
rounded at the extreme end, and provided with a handle. This pro-
jection is coated with the dyeing material by means of a soft brush.
In preparing my apparatus for use one of the same may be prepared
with both compositions, or two of the same kind may be used, each
coated with one of the compositions. In the first case the coatings are
put on alternately, beginning with the nitrate of silver, and ending with
an outside coating of the gallic acid; and in the second case a coating is
put on each implement, one being coated with the preparation of nitrate
of silver, and the other with the preparation of gallic acid. In this case
the implements are used alternately, or one of them may be used by
itsclf.
"
For dyeing the hair I use a comb which may be also prepared in two
ways, one having alternate coats of the nitrate of silver and gallic acid
upon the teeth put on as already described. The compositions wear off
together or nearly so as the comb is drawn through the hair, which
must be moistened. One comb may be provided with two rows of
teeth, each coated with a different preparation; or each set of teeth may
have a separate handle, such combs being used separately or alternately
according to the effect desired. The said preparations or preparation
being thus brought into contact with the hair (which has been previously

page_text: wetted), the moisture disengages the dye by melting the gluten from the
comb or handle.
My improved preparations will not rub off or stain the clothes
when dry, so that there is no difficulty with regard to packing or
transportation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th April 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, send greeting,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my
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 "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF
AND MEANS FOR DYEING HAIR," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the saino

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings forming a part of this Specification :-
=:
This Invention relates to a method of dyeing hair by means of a
preparation or preparations which being applied to convenient articles
made for the purpose in a peculiar manner will form a hair dyeing
apparatus, whereby the hair, beard, moustache, or eyebrows can be dyed
to any desirable tinge from light auburn to jet black. The preparations
used may be applied singly or in connection with each other to produce
different effects.
The two substances producing these effects are nitrate of silver and
gallic acid. These substances are prepared for use in the following
manner and proportions:-Nitrate of silver one part, and gum arabic
eight parts, dissolved in water and heated to one hundred and twenty-
five degrees Farenheit, and formed into a glutinous paste; and gallic
acid one part, and gum arabic twelve parts, dissolved in water and
formed into a paste. In place of the gum arabic, which is only
employed as a vehicle, I may use any suitable glutinous substance of a
similar character which will easily dissolve in water, and which possesses
sufficient adhesiveness to hold when dried the gallic acid and nitrate of
silver upon the implement.
The implement shown in Figure 1 is intended only for the moustache,
beard, or eyebrows, where very delicate handling is required, and consists
of a cylindrical projection a, rounded at the extreme end, and provided
with a handle b; this projection is coated with the dyeing material by
means of a soft brush.
In preparing my implements for use one of the same may be prepared
with both compositions, or two implements of the same kind may be
used, each coated with one of the compositions. In the first case the
coatings are put on alternately, beginning with the nitrate of silver and
ending with an outside coating of the gallic acid; and in the second
case a coating is put on each implement, one being coated with the
preparation of nitrate of silver and the other with the preparation of
gallic acid. In this case the implements are used alternately or one of
them may be used by itself.
The device for dyeing the hair shown in Figure 2 is a comb, which
may
be also prepared in two ways, onc, A, having alternate coats of the
nitrate of silver and gallic acid upon the teeth e put on as already

page_text: described, while the other B is provided with two rows of teeth, each
coated with a different preparation, and the combs C and D are made on
the same principle, but each one has a separate handle. The comb A is
used by itself, the alternate layers of the composition wearing off together
or at nearly the same time as the comb is drawn through the moistened
hair, as is also the case with the single apparatus first described. In the
other cases the separate combs may be used alternately or each by itself,
or only one of them, in order to produce different effects. The operation
of applying these devices consists merely in bringing the preparation or
preparations in contact with the hair (which has been previously wetted)
and the moisture disengages the dye by melting the gluten from the
comb or handle. A very convenient article is thus obtained for the
purpose, requiring but little skill and care in using it, and which is not
liable to stain the skin or clothes.
Another advantage of my Invention is that the preparations or
substances used will not rub off or stain the clothes when dry, so that
there is no difficulty with regard to packing or transportation.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim,―
First. Combining with a comb or other suitable device alternate
coats of nitrate of silver and gallic acid attached to such comb or other
device by means of gum arabic or other suitable vehicle, for the purpose
and substantially in the manner herein described.
Second. Combining the nitrate of silver with the gum arabic or
other suitable gelatinous vehicle, and preparing and applying the same
substantially in the manner described.
Third. Constructing a comb with two rows of teeth, one row prepared
with nitrate of silver, and the other with gallic acid, for the purpose
and in the manner described,
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-nine.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)