Improved Combined Processes and Treatment of Cotton or like Vege- table Fibres in the Operations of Boiling, Purifying, or Extracting, and Bleaching and Mercerising.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Sept., 1900-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1900
PROTACIONAL DE MUITICATION.
Improved Combined Processes and Treatment of Cotton or like Vege-
table Fibres in the Operations of Boiling, Purifying, or Extracting,
and Bleaching and Mercerising.
I, JAMES FREDERICK COPLEY, of Grove House, Newmill, near Huddersfield, in
the County of York, Technical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the boiling or purifying, bleaching and mercerising
of cotton or like vegetable fibres, and consists in combining the processes of boil-
ing or purifying (for the removal from cotton fibre of the fatty matter and
natural impurities, which give to its water repellent properties), and of bleaching,
in one process or simultaneous treatment; and alternatively, of combining in
one process or simultaneous treatment, the two separate processes of bleaching
and mercerising cotton fibre; or more particularly, and as may be preferred by
reason of the resulting advantages of treating the fibre partly under one combined
process and partly under the other, the bleaching of the fibre thus being com-
menced in the first combined bath and completed in the second combined bath.
For the purpose of combining in one process the separate processes of boiling,
or purifying, and bleaching cotton fibre, I use a solution of sodium or potassium
hypochlorite and add thereto some substance having detergent or alkaline pro-
perties, or a mixture of such substances. Any of the following re-agents may
be employed, namely:-Soaps, Turkey red oil or oleine, carbonate of soda or
potash, caustic soda or potash, ammonia, silicate of soda, borax or phosphate of
soda, and substances of like nature. The operation may be performed either cold
or hot, but, at a high temperature the action of the bleaching agent is more
powerful, and should not be used in a concentrated form or the cotton fibre may
be tendered. Turkey red oil, or oleine, is the most suitable detergent to add
to the bath when working in the cold, or at only comparatively low temperatures,
while soaps and the other re-agents mentioned are more applicable when work-
ing at higher temperatures.
A cold solution of sodium or potassium hypochlorite of 2 to 5° Twaddle, to
which 2 to 4% of Turkey red oil has been added, will almost immediately pene-
trate and speedily bleach the cotton fibre.
In order to bleach and mercerise simultaneously in cases where the cotton
fibre has been boiled or purified only, I add to the mercerising bath consisting
of caustic soda or potash of suitable strength, a quantity of the sodium or potas-
sium hypochlorite, the quantity added depending upon the length of time the
cotton fibre is to be left in the mercerising bath and the amount of bleaching
desired. The shorter the time of immersion the greater the quantity of hypo-
chlorite required. If it is desired to give the cotton the well known silky lustre
it is necessary that it should be in a state of tension, either during its immersion
in the mercerising and bleaching bath, or after its immersion therein, and before
the mercerising agent has been eliminated.

page_text: The cotton fibre may be passed through both of the before described combined
processes being first wet out and partly bleached by a limited immersion or
reduced treatment in the hypochlorite and Turkey red oil bath, and then mer-
cerised and further bleached in the caustic soda and hypochlorite bath, thus effect-
ing a considerable saving of time and cost.
The alkaline hypochlorite more readily removes the foreign bodies, such as
seed and the like, from the fibre and gives a clearer fibre in all respects.
In employing the above combined processes severally or jointly, there is no
lime to remove from the treated fibre and several separate processes for washing-
off, souring, and neutralising purposes, such as are necessary under the present
method of bleaching by chloride of lime are dispensed with. The small amount
of Turkey red oil carried over from the first combined bath assists the caustic
soda of the mercerising bath to penetrate the fibre.
The combined process of boiling, clearing or purifying and bleaching, may be
used in the treatment of cotton fibre or yarn not intended for mercerisation.
Dated this 4th dox of December 1800.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Patent Agents, Huddersfield, Agents for Applicant.
Improved Combined Processes and Treatment of Cotton or like Vege-
table Fibres in the Operations of Boiling, Purifying, or Extracting,
and Bleaching and Mercerising.
I, JAMES FREDERICK COPLEY, of Grove House, Newmill, near Huddersfield, in
the County of York, Technical Chemist, 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 the boiling or purifying, bleaching, and mercerising,
of cotton or like vegetable fibres and consists in combining the processes of boil-
ing or purifying (for the removal from cotton fibre of the fatty matter and
natural impurities which give to it its water repellent properties) and of bleach-
ing, in one process or simultaneous treatment; and, alternatively of combining
in one process or simultaneous treatment the two separate processes of bleaching
and mercerising cotton fibre; or more particularly, and as may be preferred by
reason of the resulting advantages, of treating the fibre partly under one com-
bined process and partly under the other, the bleaching of the fibre thus being
commenced in the first combined bath and completed in the second combined
bath.
For the purpose of combining in one process the separate processes of boiling,
or purifying, and bleaching, cotton or like vegetable fibre, I use a solution of
sodium or potassium hypochlorite and add thereto some substance having deter-
gent or alkaline properties, or a mixture of such substances. Any of the follow-
ing re-agents may be employed, namely, soaps, Turkey red oil, carbonate of
soda, or potash, caustic soda, or potash, ammonia, silicate of soda, borax, or phos-
phate of soda, and substances of like nature.
The operation may be performed either cold or hot, but at a high temperature
the action of the bleaching agent is more powerful and should not be used in a
concentrated form or the cotton fibre may be tendered. Turkey red oil is the
most suitable detergent to add to the bath when working in the cold or at only

page_text: comparatively low temperatures, while soaps and the other re-agents mentioned
are more applicable when working at higher temperatures.
A cold solution of sodium or potassium hypochlorite of 2 to 5° Twaddle to
which 2 to 4% of Turkey red oil has been added will almost immediately pene-
trate and speedily bleach the cotton fibre.
The following is given by way of example of the practical working of the
above combined process:
For, say, 100 lbs. of cotton yarn: To about 400 gallons of warm water (400
to 50° Centigrade) add two gallons of Turkey red oil and two gallons of a solu-
tion of sodium hypochlorite containing 15% available chlorine. Work the dry
yarn in the bath until the bleaching is complete, the time usually occupied
being about 30 minutes. The yarn may then be washed off at once, or the wet
yarn may be exposed to the air for a time which causes the bleaching effect to
be continued until the liquor saturating the yarn is quite exhausted.
For bleaching and mercerising simultaneously in cases where the cotton fibre
has been boiled or purified only, I add to the mercerising bath, consisting of
caustic soda or potash of suitable strength, a quantity of the sodium or potassium
hypochlorite, the quantity added depending upon the length of time the cotton
fibre is to be left in the mercerising bath and the amount of bleaching desired.
As an example :-
To the ordinary caustic soda mercerising bath add 5% of the sodium hypo-
chlorite (of the same strength as in the previous combined process) and work
the yarn in the bath from 15 to 30 minutes.
The shorter the time of immersion the greater the quantity of hypochlorite
required.
If it is desired to give the cotton the well known silky lustre, it is necessary
that it should be in a state of tension either during its immersion in the mer-
cerising and bleaching bath, or after its immersion therein and before the mer-
cerising agent has been eliminated.
The fibre may be passed through both of the before described processes, being
first wet out and partly bleached by a limited immersion or reduced treatment
in the hypochlorite and Turkey red oil bath, and then mercerised and further
bleached in the caustic soda and hypochlorite bath, the small amount of Turkey
red oil carried over from the first combined bath assisting the caustic soda of
the mercerising bath to penetrate the fibre. This partial treatment first in one
combined bath and then in the other is advantageous, as a considerable saving
of time and cost is effected.
The alkaline hypochlorite used in the baths more readily removes the foreign
bodies, such as seed and the like, from the fibre and gives a clearer fibre in all
respects.
In employing the above combined processes severally or jointly there is no
lime to remove from the treated fibre and several separate processes for washing
off, souring, and neutralising purposes, such as are necessary under the present
method of bleaching by chloride of lime, are dispensed with.
The combined process of boiling, clearing, or purifying, and bleaching, may
be used in the treatment of coton fibre or yarn not intended for mercerisation.
· Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
(1) The boiling, purifying or extracting, and bleaching, of cotton or like vege-
table fibres in one combined process by immersion in a bath containing a solu-
tion of sodium or potassium hypochlorite to which has been added Turkey red
oil, soaps, carbonate of soda or potash, or other suitable re-agents having deter-
gent or alkaline properties, or a mixture of such re-agents, substantially as herein
set forth.
(2) The bleaching and mercerising of cotton or like vegetable fibre in one com-

page_text: bined process by adding to the mercerising bath a suitable quantity of sodium or
potassium hypochlorite varying according to the period the fibre has to be im-
mersed and the amount of bleaching desired, substantially as herein described.
(3) The combined process of boiling or purifying and bleaching, and bleaching
and mercerising, cotton or like vegetable fibre by partly treating same by
immersion first in the sodium or potassium hypochlorite bath to which has been
added Turkey red oil or equivalent detergent or alkaline re-agent, and subse-
quently completing the treatment in the caustic soda (mercerising) and hypo-
chlorite bath, substantially as described.
I
Dated this 1st day of September 1900
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Patent Agents, Huddersfield, Agents for Applicant.