IMPROVEMENTS IN MORDANTING AND DINING FABRICS OF COTTON AND OTHER VEARTABLE FIBRES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Perkin, King David Fort, Saint
George-in-the-East, in the County of Middlesex, and Matthew Gray, of
the Dalmonach Print Works, Bonhill, Dumbartonshire, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MORDANTING AND DINING FABRICS OF COTTON AND
OTHER VEARTABLE FIBRES."
ealed the 27th October 1859, and dated the 21st May 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Perkin
and Matthew Gray at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 21st May 1859.
We, WILLIAM HENRY PERKIN, King David Fort, Saint George-in-the-East,
in the County of Middlesex, and MATTHEW GRAY, of the Dalmonach Print
Works, Bonhill, Dumbartonshire, do hereby declare the nature of the Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MORDANTING AND DYEING FABRICS OF COTTON AND
OTHER VEGETABLE FIBRES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in mordanting and dyeing
fabrics of cotton and other vegetable fibres. In mordanting fabrics of cotton
and other vegetable fibres with salts of lead preparatory to dyeing such fabrics,
considerable difficult has been experienced in fixing the lead in the fabric in
such a form as to act efficiently as a mordant in the subsequent dyeing opera-
tion. For this purpose we employ ammonia mixed with carbonate of soda or
other alkaline carbonate. The fabric when the mordant (by preference, acetate

page_text: of lead,) has been applied to it, either by printing or otherwise, is immersed in
the fixing bath of ammonia and alkaline carbonate, and the lead becomes
fixed. A bath consisting entirely of ammonia will produce the same effect,
although not so beneficially, or ammonia may also be used in combination with
other alkaline salts. In some cases we mordant the fabric both with lead and
other mordants, such as iron, for example, before placing the fabric in the
fixing bath, which then serves to fix both or all of the mordants applied. The
fabric thus prepared may then be at once dyed; in some cases, however, it is
preferred to wash the fabric in soap and water before dyeing it. In dyeing
fabrics of cotton or other vegetable fibre, dyes are sometimes employed which
strike into the fibre without requiring any mordant. Such are the coloring
matters manufactured in the manner described in the Specification of a Patent
granted to one of us, and dated Twenty-sixth August, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six. Now the object of this part of our Invention is to
prevent such dyes from striking into the fibre except when mordanted, and
this we do by mixing soap or oil and fatty matter in the dye bath in which
the fabric is dyed. We prefer that the fabric should be mordanted with load
in the manner already described, and washed in soap and water; it is then
placed in the dye bath, which contains, as before mentioned, the coloring
matter, together with a solution of soap, and has oil or fatty matter floating on
its surface. The color will then be found to strike into such parts of the
fabric as are mordanted without affecting the other parts. The oil or fatty
matter is not essential to the success of the operation, but renders the action
much more perfect.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Henry Perkin and Matthew Gray in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 21st November 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
HENRY PERKIN, King David Fort, St. George-in-the-East, in the County of
Middlesex, and MATTHEW GRAY, of the Dalmonach Print Works, Bonhill,
Dumbartonshire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said William Henry Perkin and Matthew Gray, Her special licence that we,

page_text: the said William Henry Perkin and Matthew Gray, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Henry Perkin
and Matthew Gray, our 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
MORDANTING AND DYEING FABRICS OF COTTON AND OTHER VEGETABLE FIBRES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Henry Perkin
and Matthew Gray, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal
of one of us or them, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters'
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Perkin, on behalf of
myself and the said Matthew Gray, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
that is to say-
This Invention has for its object improvements in mordanting and dyeing
fabrics of cotton and other vegetable fibres. In mordanting fabrics of cotton
and other vegetable fibres with salts of lead preparatory to dyeing such fabrics,
considerable difficulty has been experienced in fixing the lead in the fabric in
such a form as to act efficiently as a mordant in the subsequent dyeing operation;
for this purpose we employ ammonia mixed with carbonate of soda of other
alkaline carbonate. The fabric, when the mordant (by preference, acetate of
lead, has been applied to it, either by printing or otherwiso, is immersed
in the fixing bath of ammonia and alkaline carbonate, and the lead becomes
fixed. A bath consisting entirely of ammonia will produce the same effect,
although not so beneficially, or ammonia may also be used in combination
with other alkaline salts. In some cases we mordant the fabric both with
lead and other mordants, such as iron, for example, before placing the fabric in
the fixing bath, which then serves to fix both or all of the mordants applied.
The fabric thus prepared may then be at once dyed; in some cases, however, it
is preferred to wash the fabric in soap and water before dyeing it. In dyeing
fabrics of cotton or other vegetable fibre, dyes are sometimes employed which
strike into the fibre without requiring any mordant. Such are the coloring

page_text: and
matters manufactured in the manner described in the Specification of a Patent
granted to one of us, and dated 26th August 1856. Now the object of this
part of our Invention is to prevent such dyes from striking into the fibre except
when mordanted, and this we do by mixing soap and oil or fatty matter in the
dye bath in which the fabric is dyed; we prefer that the fabric should be
mordanted with lead in the manner already described, and washed in soap
water; it is then placed in the dye bath, which contains, as before mentioned,
the coloring matter, together with a solution of soap, and has oil or fatty
matter floating on its surface. The color will then be found to strike into such
parts of the fabric as are mordanted without effecting the other parts. The
oil or fatty matter is not essential to the success of the operation. The soap
may also be dispensed with in the dye bath, providing the mordanted fabrics or
fibres be washed or rinsed in a sufficiently strong solution of soap and water'
after being fixed, and previous to being dyed or printed. This strong solution
acts as a resist on the parts not previously mordanted, and also prepares the
mordanted parts the better to receive the color.
:
The manner in which we carry out our Invention is as follows:-If the
cloth to be acted upon is afterwards intended to be dyed in a hot solution of
the coloring matter, we first print on the acetate of lead thickened with starch
of a strength that will give the desired depth of color. If a medium shade be
wanted two pounds of acetate of lead to a gallon of water thickened with starch
or gum will be found sufficient. This mordant is then printed on the cloth by
itself or along with any other mordants that may be wanted, and afterwards
passed through a bath composed of, say, 100 gallons water, 200 lbs. carbonate
of soda, and 5 gallons liquid ammonia. The cloth is afterwards washed well
and rinced through in a solution of soap.
If soap is intended to be used in the dye bath, four ounces of soap for every
twenty-five yards of cloth will be sufficient. If no soap is intended to be used
in the dye bath, it has been found advantageous to use one pound to each
twenty-five yards of cloth; the cloth is then ready for dyeing. If the small
quantity of soap has been used in preparing the cloth, a further quantity, say,
four ounces to each 25 yards, is to be added to the dye bath; if the large
quantity of soap has been used, no soap is necessary. The cloth and coloring
matter is then put into the bath, and the bath is heated up to 180° Fahrenheit
in 30 minutes, and allowed to remain at that heat for 30 minutes more. The
cloth is then washed and soaped, and finished in the usual way. If the coloring
matter is intended to be printed on the cloth after the mordants have been
fixed on it, then the cloth is passed through or wholly covered with the
mordant wanted, such as acetate of lead or acetate of iron, and afterwards

page_text: fixed and soaped in the same way as already stated; the cloth is then ready
to receive color by printing. Such color may be mixed up or thickened with
gum or starch.
We claim, first, the use of ammonia and carbonate of soda, or other alkaline
carbonates, for fixing lead as a mordant.
Second, the use of soap in preparing metallic mordants previous to dyeing
or printing.
Third, the use of soap when put into a dye bath along wtih coloring matter
used for dyeing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Perkin, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.