MENTS IN COMPOUNDS FOR AND IN THE TREATMENT OF FABRICS TO RENDER THE SAME WATERPROOF AND UNINFLAMMABLE.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Donald Nicoll, of St. Paul's Churchyard, in
66
the City of London, Manufacturer, for the Invention of IMPROVE
MENTS IN COMPOUNDS FOR AND IN THE TREATMENT OF FABRICS TO RENDER THE
SAME WATERPROOF AND UNINFLAMMABLE.'
و"
"
SAME WATERPROOF AND UNINFLAMMABLE.
Sealed the 10th September 1872, and dated the 19th March 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Donald Nicoll at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th March 1872.
I, DONALD NICOLL, of St. Paul's Churchyard, in the City of London,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOUNDS FOR AND IN THE TREATMENT OF FABRICS TO RENDER
THE SAME WATERPROOF AND UNINFLAMMABLE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to means for obtaining two distinct objects
either in combination or apart from each other, viz., the rendering of
textile fabrics impermeable to water and removing the inflammability
of textile fabrics.

page_text: In treating woollen goods and mixtures of wool and cotton I prepare
a waterproof compound by combining with alum and borax, which are
well known water repellants, à material that will fix these substances
in the fabric to which they are applied and thereby render the fabric
permanently repellant to water. This office of fixing the water repellant
materials in the fabric will I find be performed by the material known
as dextrine. The three substances I reduce to an impalpable powder,
and I dissolve the same in soapy water. The fabrics to be treated I
submit to this solution, keeping it well agitated until the fabric is
thoroughly saturated. I next remove the fabric from the solution, and
place it in a hot or drying chamber. When dry the fabric may be
brushed to remove any crystals which may have deposited on its
surface, and the fabric can then be finished by hot pressing. When
treating fabrics to render them both waterproof and uninflammable,
I add to the above compound tungstate of soda, which substance the
dextrine in the compound will also serve to fix in the fabric.
When treating washing fabrics to render the same uninflammable
I mix with the starch used in getting up the fabric (muslin for example)
a compound of tungstate of soda and dextrine. This mixture may be
used in the same way as the starch solution commonly employed by
laundresses, and when the fabric is saturated with the solution it is to
be smoothed and dried by hot pressure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Donald Nicoll in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th September 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DONALD
NICOLL, of St. Paul's Churchyard, in the City of London, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Donald Nicoll, Her special licence
that. I, the said Donald Nicoll, my executors, administrators, and

page_text: assigns, or such others as I, the said Donald Nicoll, 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
COMPOUNDS FOR AND IN THE TREATMENT OF FABRICS TO RENDER THE SAME WATER-
PROOF AND UNINFLAMMABLE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Donald Nicoll, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Donald Nicoll, 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, reference being had to the Drawing here
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :-
This Invention relates to means for obtaining two distinct objects
either in combination or apart from each other, viz., the rendering of
textile fabrics impermeable to water and removing the inflammability
of textile fabrics.
In treating woollen goods and mixtures of wool and cotton I prepare
a waterproof compound by combining with alum and borax (which are
well known water repellants) a material that will fix these substances
in the fabric to which they are applied, and thereby render the fabric
permanently repellant to water. This office of fixing the water repellant
materials in the fabric will, I find, be performed by the material known
as dextrine.
In carrying out this Invention I take of alum six parts by weight
and borax three parts, and to this I add one part by weight of dextrine.
These three substances I reduce to an impalpable powder, and I dissolve
the same in about forty parts by weight of soapy water. The fabrics
to be treated I submit to this solution, keeping it well agitated until

page_text: the fabric is thoroughly saturated. I next remove the fabric from the
solution and place it in a drying chamber heated to a temperature, say,
of boiling water. When the fabric has become dry it may be brushed
to remove any crystals which may have deposited on its surface, and
the fabric can then be finished by hot pressing.
When treating fabrics according to this Invention to render them
both waterproof and uninflammable I add to the above compound
'tungstate of soda, which substance the dextrine in the compound will
also serve to fix in the fabric. Of the tungstate of soda I use one part
by weight in lieu of one part of the borax, and I submit the fabrics to
the solution and afterwards dry them as above explained.
When treating washing fabrics to render the same uninflammable
I mix with the starch used in getting up the fabric (muslin for example)
a compound of tungstate of soda and dextrine in equal proportions.
The relative proportions of this compound and the starch may vary,
but a good result may be obtained by using equal weights of the starch
and the compound. This mixture is to be dissolved in the usual way
of preparing starch for use, and it may be used in the same way as
the starch solution commonly employed by laundresses, and when the
fabric is saturated with the solution it is be to smoothed and dried by
hot pressure.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements
in Compounds for and in the Treatment of Fabrics to render the same
Waterproof and Uninflammable," and explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above
in part recited Letters Patent I claim, the employment of dextrine in
the manner and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Donald Nicoll, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
DONALD NICOLL. (L.S.)