IMPROVED PROCESS FOR BLEACHING JUTE, AND OTHER TEXTILE FIBRES, AND FOR PREPARING THE SAME FOR THE RECEPTION OF COLOURS, AND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER
Year: 1873

page_text: Scaled the 20th October 1873, and dated the 8th May 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Frederick William
Hodges at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 8th May 1873.
I, JOHN FREDERICK WILLIAM HODGES, of Belfast, Ireland, Chemical
Assistant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED PROCESS FOR BLEACHING JUTE, AND OTHER TEXTILE FIBRES, AND FOR
PREPARING THE SAME FOR THE RECEPTION OF COLOURS, AND FOR THE MANUFACTURE
OF PAPER," to be as follows:-
The object of this improved process is to remove from jute and other
textile fibres the substances which discolor them, and to render such
fibres of a pure white, without producing any injury to the strength of

page_text: employed by Dicacners.
The method is applicable not only to textile fibres, but also to yarn
and woven fabrics made therefrom.
The plan of proceeding which I adopt is,-
1st. To steep the yarn or cloth in a weak solution of an alkaline
carbonate for two hours, and afterwards to heat the liquid to boiling,
and to boil it for two hours.
2nd. I steep the fibre for one hour in a weak solution of hydrchloric
acid and then wash it.
3rd. I place the fibres or yarn in a solution of an alkaline carbonato
(weaker than that first used) for one hour and heat to boiling.
4th. In the next place the yarn or fibre is introduced into a solution
of oxychloric of magnesium and allowed to remain until the required
effect is produced.
5th. The fibre is on its removal from the bath of oxychloride to be
steeped in weak hydrochloric acid solution for half an hour, then well
washed and dried.
]
In the treatment of heavy woven goods preparatory to printing or
dyeing the same, or for preparing fibre for the manufacture of paper a
the process may if required be repeated or the material may after the
application of the method described, be steeped in a weak solution of
chloride of lime, and again placed in a bath of weak hydrochloric acid.
In certain cases, depending upon the kind of fibre to be operated
upon, I find it advantageous to use in addition to the solutions a
described solutions of alkaline sulphites.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Frederick William Hodges in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 8th November 1873.

page_text: of our
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of May in the year
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Frederick William Hodges, Her
special licence that I, the said John Frederick William Hodges, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Frederick William Hodges, 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 PROCESS FOR BLEACHING JUTE,
AND OTHER TEXTILE FIBRES, AND FOR PREPARING THE SAME FOR THE RECEPTION OF
COLOURS, AND FOR THE MANUFACTURE or Paper," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Frederick William Hodges, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 Oflice within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Frederick William Hodges, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement (that is to say) :-
The object of this improved process is to remove from jute and other
textile fibres the substances which discolour them, and to render such
fibres of a pure white, without producing any injury to the strength of
the fibres, such as is occasioned by the methods of treatment hitherto
employed by bleachers. The process is applicable not only to textile
fibres in the manufactured state but also to yarn and woven fabrics
made therefrom and may be applied to the fibres in any condition or
state of manufacture, and for the preparation of the same for the
manufacture of paper..

page_text: boiling and boil the fabrics or goods in it for some time, after which the
goods are to be thoroughly washed. Some kinds of jute I do not boil
but steep in a cold solution of an alkaline carbonate and then reel in
hypochlorito of magnesia solution and without washing or souring. I
expose the goods to the atmosphere, after which, without washing I sour 5
very slightly and wash.
Second. I recl or steep in a solution of an alkaline carbonate and heat
to a moderate temperature, avoiding boiling.
Third. I then reel or steep the fabrics, yarns, or goods while in a warm
state (which is important) in a solution of hypochlorite of soda and 1
magnesia, or hypochlorite of magnesia or any other suitable hypochlorite
cither alone or mixed with any other hypochlorite, taking care to expose
them freely to the air and to avoid pressure during the operation until
the desired colour is produced.
As a modification of this process I first reel the yarn through a 1
mixture of tartaric acid or any other suitable acid and glucose till well
saturated and then reel it through a solution of bleaching powder or of a
hypochlorite of soda or magnesia, or a mixture of the two.
Fourth. The fibre, fabric, or yarn on its removal from the bath of
oxychloride is well washed and then reeled or steeped in weak 2
hydrochloric acid solution, then again well washed and dried as rapidly
as possible.
It is important to wash the goods before putting them in the acid
solution, as otherwise there will be a disengagement of gas which will
tend to roughen or feather the yarn.
2
In the treatment of heavy woven goods, preparatory to printing or
dyeing the same or for preparing fibre for the manufacture of paper, the
process may if required be repeated or the material may (after the appli-
cation of the operations described) be recled or steeped in a weak
solution of chloride of lime and again placed in a bath of weak hydro- 3
chloric acid. I prefer to use hydrochloric acid for the purpose of my
process as all hydrochloric acid compounds are more soluble than
sulphuric acid compounds.
In certain cases (depending upon the kind of fibre to be operated upon)
I find it advantageous to use in addition to the solutions described 3
solutions of alkaline sulphites alone with an acid and I finish off some
kinds of goods with soap.

page_text: Having now described my Invention of "An Improved Process for
Bleaching Jute and other Textile Fibres and for Preparing the same for
the Reception of Colours, and for the Manufacture of Paper," and having
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would observe
that one of the principal advantages of my improved process above
described is that by it I am enabled to effect the bleaching of the fibres
by the use of much weaker solutions than have heretofore been employed
by bleachers, I therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent as aforesaid treating jute and other textile fibres or yarns, or
fabrics made therefrom in the manner and with the chemical substances
herein set forth for the purpose of bleaching and preparing the same
for the reception of colours and for the manufacture of paper.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Frederick William Hodges,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of November
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.