IM- PROVEMENTS IN PREPARING WOOL FOR SPINNING
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Irving, of Dalton, in the Parish of
Kirkheaton, in the County of York, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PREPARING WOOL FOR SPINNING."
Sealed the 28th December 1853, and dated the 3rd November 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Irving at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd November 1853...
I, THOMAS IRVING,. of Dalton, in the Parish of Kirkheaton, in the
County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING WOOL FOR SPINNING" to be as follows:-.
Heretofore in preparing wool, or wool combined with other fibres, it
has been usual, as is well known, to employ oils in processes preparatory.
to spinning. Now my improvements consist of employing rosin com-
bined with potash or soda and water; for which purpose the rosin is
by preference boiled in water having carbonate of potash dissolved
therein, and the compound is used with or without oil as oils have
heretofore been employed.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Irving, Her special
licence that I, the said Thomas Irving, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Irving,
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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING WOOL FOR SPINNING," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Irving, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW, YE, that I, the said Thomas Irving, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
Heretofore in preparing wool, or wool combined with other fibres, it
has been usual, as is well known, to employ oils in processes preparatory
to spinning. Now my improvements consist of employing rosin com-
bined with potash or soda and water; for which purpose the rosin is
by preference boiled in water, having carbonate of potash dissolved
therein, and the compound is used with or without oil as oils have
heretofore been employed.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed
to describe the manner of performing the same. I prefer to employ
white or purified rosin for the purposes of my Invention, but the other
qualities of rosin may be used, and I prefer to use potash, though soda
may be employed. I boil in about twelve gallons of water for about
three hours at the rate of nineteen of rosin and twenty pounds (weight)

page_text: of carbonate of potash; I then add about ninety gallons more water.
When this mixture is at a temperature of about one hundred and
thirty degrees to one hundred and fifty degrees of Fahrenheit I stir in
the oil which is to be used, preferring olive oil for such purpose; the
mixture is then ready for use, and it is to be employed in like manner
in the processes of preparing wool for spinning to what oils have before
been used. I have found that one third by measure of oil to two
thirds by measure of the mixture is very suitable for the coarser qualities
of wool, and about half and half for the finer qualities of wool; but this
may be varied, and I have even used the mixture without any oil for
coarse wool, but I believe that it is better to use some oil.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the matters
and the precise qualities thereof which I prefer to employ, I would
state that I do not confine myself thereto so long as the above-
mentioned materials are employed. But what I claim is, the employ-
ment of rosin combined with potash or soda and water in preparing wool
for spinning.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Irving, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
four.
THOMAS IRVING. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the said Thomas Irving in the
presence of
DP STAFFORD,
Clerk to Messrs. Jacomb & Son,
Solicitors, Huddersfield.