Improvements in Indigo Printing.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 31st Mar., 1890-Accepted, 17th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Indigo Printing.
We, JAMES VALENTINE HULME, of 33 Shepley Street, Longsight, in the City of
Manchester, Chemist, and JOSEPH ARTHUR WALTON, of 9 Mincing Lane, in the City
of London, Indigo and Colonial Broker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
According to this invention we print with a soluble solution of indigo and fix it by
the combined action of air and water.
We prepare the solution in the following manner :- -We take a solution of bisulphite
of soda containing as much zinc as it will dissolve, and add ground indigo in the
proportion of about one pound of indigo to one pint of the solution. When the indigo
is dissolved we add about three pounds of caustic soda and afterwards gradually add
powdered zinc until no more can be dissolved. We then filter out the undissolved zinc
and add gum.
With this solution we print upon unprepared cloth in any suitable machine, and we
lead the cloth after it has been printed over rollers in such a way as to expose it to
the air which partially oxidizes the indigo and thus more or less fixes it. We then
lead the cloth in front of a perforated water pipe so that jets of water are thrown
against it. The cloth is then led up and down through water tanks and between the
tanks it is exposed to the air. After the indigo has been thoroughly oxidized in this
manner the cloth is led through an acid bath by which the superfluous material is
removed, and it is then treated with soap and water and washed and dried in the
ordinary manner.
1000
J. V. HULME.
J. A. WALTON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Indigo Printing.
We, JAMES VALENTINE HULME, of 33 Shepley Street, Longsight in the City of
Manchester, Chemist, and JOSEPH ARTHUR WALTON of 9 Mincing Lane, in the City
of London, Indigo and Colonial Broker, 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 :-
According to this Invention we print with a soluble solution of indigo and fix it by
the combined action of air and water.
We prepare the solution in the following manner :-We take 1 lb. of indigo ground
in water and we add 3 lbs. of caustic soda stirring till the soda is completely dissolved
we then add 1 lbs. of zinc powder by degrees. When the zinc is dissolved we add
more caustic soda until the yellow solution produced will remain yellow when its
surface is exposed to the air for say five minutes. We then add a mixture of gum
water and soda solution until the mixture becomes a guminy paste.
With this solution we print upon unprepared cloth in any suitable machine and we
lead the cloth after it has been printed over rollers in such a way as to expose it to
the air which partially oxidizes the indigo and thus more or less fixes it. We then
lead the cloth in front of a perforated water pipe so that jets of water are thrown
against it. The cloth is then led up and down through water tanks and between the
tanks it is exposed to the air for about half a minute. The water jets may be omitted.
After the indigo has been thoroughly oxidized in this manner the cloth is led through
an acid bath by which the superfluous material is removed, and it is then treated with
soap and water and washed and dried in the ordinary manner.

page_text: When it is desired to colour the whole of both surfaces the cloth may be .run
through an ordinary indigo vat or a vat containing the above mentioned indigo
solution weakened to the desired tint by soda gum solution, and various new effects
may be produced by the use of such a vat in combination with the above mentioned
printing process. Thus the cloth, after having been printed and exposed to air and
cold water as above described is run through the vat and again treated as before the
result being that the portions printed upon receive a second coating and become
darker, whilst the unprinted portions of the face and the whole of the back are dyed a
lighter shade.
In this process as well as in the simple printing process two or more printing rollers
may be employed, printing with solutions of different strengths.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we would state that we are aware
that attempts have been made to print with indigo without a mordant but in all such
cases the printing had afterwards to be developed, probably because the solutions
employed did not contain properly dissolved indigo and therefore it was necessary
to afterwards dissolve the indigo to fix the colour. We make no claim to such
methods, but what we claim is :-
1. Printing with dissolved indigo and then fixing the colour by exposure to air
and water, substantially as described.
2. Printing with a mixture of ground indigo, zinc, caustic soda and gum and then
fixing the colour by exposure to air, and water, substantially as described.
3. Our improved process of printing with indigo substantially as described.
Dated this 91st day
March 1890.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.
טפת וnern et משה חתונט AeoT
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.