Process for Printing and Dyeing Textiles, Fibres, Hair, Feathers, and the like by Means of Metal Salts.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Process for Printing and Dyeing Textiles, Fibres, Hair, Feathers, and
the like by Means of Metal Salts.
I, EDGAR ODERNHEIMER of 62 Friedrichsstrasse, Stuttgart, in the Empire of
Germany, Doctor of Philosophy, 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:-
The object of this invention is a process consisting in subjecting textiles, fibres,
hair, feathers and the like saturated with a solution of metal salt to the pressure
of hot cylinders or plates etc. with or without the action of a reduction agent.
The cylinders or plates may be either smooth or provided with patterns.
By this operation most metal salts are decomposed, and deposited so as
to firmly adhere to the fibre either in the shape of basic salts, low oxides or reduced
to metal.
These products obtained are either themselves to serve as colouring matters or to
be employed as mordants for producing and fixing colouring matters on the fibre.
The following examples may serve to explain the improved process :
I. DYEING AND PRINTING BY MEANS OF GOLD SALTS.
a. To produce grey
colour shades, the textile fibres are saturated or the finished
fabrics printed with a diluted aqueous solution of a gold salt and then immersed in
the solution of a reducing agent. Thereby the gold instantaneously separates on
the fibre as a beautiful "gris perle" precipitate.
The process takes place already in the cold. According to the concentration of
the solution of gold or to the selection of the reduction agent, the most variegated
shades of blackish, reddish or blueish grey can be produced. The colours are proof
against light, acids and alkalis.
The following proportions are for instance employed for dyeing 200 grammes of
half-silk stuff:
1st gold bath: 0-2 grammes of auro-chlorate of sodium, dissolved in 500,
of water.
grammes
2nd reduction bath: 0-5 grammes of oxalic acid dissolved in 500 grammes
of water.
b. Producing gold purple on the fibre. When heating the materials dyed grey
as described under a. for instance by causing the same to pass hot cylinders under
pressure, a beautiful red with metallic reflection is formed at the places of contact.
Materials which are dyed intensively grey, result in a darker red, lighter greys in
pink colours.
In this manner one-coloured fabrics as well as also red patterns on grey ground
can be produced.
Red patterns on white ground are obtained by subjecting the materials saturated
with solution of gold direct to the pressure of hot cylinders without previous treat-
ment with a reduction agent.
c. Producing metallically shining gold direct on the fibre etc.
The gold purple precipitated on the fibre as described under b. can be converted
into metallically shining gold by long and increased pressure with hot cylinders.
The gold thus produced on the fibre has a dark bronze-like tone.
Beautiful shining gold is produced on the textile as follows:
The textiles saturated with solution of gold or printed therewith by the aid of
thickening matter are exposed when still moist to the action of reducing gases or
vapours, for instance phosphuretted hydrogen, hydrogen etc., and after the reduction

page_text: of the gold which with the application of phosphuretted hydrogen takes place
momentaneously, subjected to the pressure of hot cylinders.
By this operation the fine and easily removable gold skin deposited on the fibre
is firmly connected with the fibre.
A similar process is employed with other metal salts, for instance:
II. SILVER SALTS,
When treated in the same manner as gold salts depose metallic silver on the fibre.
III. COPPER SALTS,
According to the selection of the reduction agent and to the degree of heating with
hot iron, various shades up to the separation of metallic copper.
IV. IRON SALTS.
Dark brown, ferro cyanide of potassium, green or blue at the placed touched by the
hot iron.
V. URANIUM SALT
From beautiful light yellow to orange with metallic reflection.
Green, violet to black etc. etc.
VI. CHROME SALTS.
By this method, metal salts can be deposited on the fibre, which salts can other-
wise be fixed only with difficulty or in insufficient quantities.
From a solution containing muriate of aniline, chlorate of kalium, chloride of
ammonium and sulphate of copper, aniline black is instantaneously deposited on the
textile at the place of contact with the hot iron. In this manner aniline black can
also be easily fixed on wool.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
A process for dyeing and printing fibres and textiles etc. consisting in subjecting
the fibres saturated with a solution of metal salt or the fabric printed with such a
solution, to the pressure of hot cylinders or plates-which may be smooth or
engraved with or without the application of a reduction agent, whereby the com-
pounds or metals thus deposited on the fibre or textile either themselves serve as
colouring matters or are employed as mordants for producing and fixing colouring
matters on the fibre or textile, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of October 1891.
EDGAR ODERNHEIMER,
Per Huelser & Co.,
His Agents.