IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING COTTON
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Albert Gatty, of Accrington, in the County of
Lancaster, Dyer and Calico Printer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DYEING COTTON."
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. left by the said Frederick Albert Gatty at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th March 1879.
FREDERICK ALBERT GATTY, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, Dyer
and Calico Printer: "IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING COTTON."
My Invention consists in an improved method of dyeing cotton in its raw state,
or after having gone through an opening machine, by impregnating the fibres with
the dye in a liquid state prepared beforehand, and containing all the component
parts or materials necessary to produce the desired colours, instead of applying the
same substances or materials as in the ordinary way of dyeing in several operations,
as is generally done. This is of considerable advantage, as in the first place I save
much labour, and in the second place I preserve the natural oil of the cotton, which
is generally removed in the ordinary way of dyeing, by which removal the cotton
is rendered harsh and brittle, which diminishes its strength and renders the spinning
more difficult.
In dyeing cotton it is usual to boil it in water, and when aniline colours are used
to immerse it for some hours in a solution of tannin, or any substance containing
tannin, such as sumac or nut galls. The cotton so prepared is then dyed in a weak
solution of an aniline colour, which is usually heated and the cotton worked in it
for the requisite time, the proportions varying according to the depth of colour
required.
'
In performing my Invention when dyeing the same class of colours I make a
solution of an aniline colour, for instance, mauve. I take 1 gallon of water, in
which I dissolve from 1 to 3 ounces of mauve crystals, according to the depth of
colour required, and add from 4 to 8 ounces of tannin, and about 1 pint of acetic

page_text: acid at 8° Twaddel's hydrometer. Green and other colours I prepare in the same
way, using green, red, or other crystals. In this solution, which I prefer to use
cold, I immerse the cotton, and as soon as it is impregnated I take it out and squeeze
out the excess of liquid and then dry it, and in some cases expose it to the action of
steam in order to drive away the acetic acid.
In dyeing other colours made from dye woods I prepare the same by mixing
decoctions of wood with the necessary mordants, such as tin, alumina, or iron.
For alizarine colours I use alizarine with the necessary proportion of aluminous
mordants.
.
In these mixtures I immerse the cotton and proceed as before described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frederick Albert Gatty in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th September 1879.
FREDERICK ALBERT GATTY, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, Dyer
and Calico Printer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DYEING. COTTON."
My Invention consists' in an improved method of dyeing cotton in its raw state,
or after having gone through an opening machine, by impregnating the fibres with
the dye in a liquid state prepared beforehand, and containing all the component
parts or materials necessary to produce the desired colours, instead of applying the
same substances or materials as in the ordinary way of dyeing in several operations,
as is generally done. This is of considerable advantage, as in the first place I save
much labour, and in the second place I preserve the natural oil of the cotton, which
is generally removed in the ordinary way of dyeing, by which removal the cotton
is rendered harsh and brittle, which diminishes its strength and renders the
spinning more difficult.
In dyeing cotton it is usual to boil it in water, and when aniline colours are
used to immerse it for some hours in a solution of tannin, or any substance con-
taining tannin, such as sumac or nut galls. The cotton so prepared is then dyed
in a weak solution of an aniline colour, which is usually heated and the cotton-
worked in it for the requisite time, the proportions varying according to the depth
of colour required.
In performing my Invention when dyeing the same class of colours I make a
solution of an aniline colour, for instance, mauve. I take 1 gallon of water, in
which I dissolve from 1 to 3 ounces of mauve crystals, according to the depth of
colour required, and add from 4 to 8 ounces of tannin and about 1 pint of acetic
acid at 8 degrees of Twaddel's hydrometer. Green and other colours I prepare in
the same way, using green, red, or other crystals. In this solution, which I prefer
to use cold, I immerse the cotton, and as soon as it is impregnated I take it out
and squeeze out the excess of liquid, and then dry it, and in some cases expose it
to the action of steam in order to drive away the acetic acid and fix the colour more
permanently.
In dyeing other colours made from dyewoods I prepare the same by mixing
decoctions of wood with the necessary mordants, such as tin, alumina, or iron.
For alizarine colours I use alizarine with the necessary proportion of aluminous
mordants.
In these mixtures I immerse the cotton, and proceed as before described.
The following are a few examples of my improved modes of dyeing cotton :-I
prepare a black with 1 gallon of logwood liquor at 4 degrees of Twaddel's hydrometer,
1 quart of acetate of chrome at 12 degrees of Twaddel's hydrometer, and 4 ounces
of chlorate. of potash, and I impregnate the cotton with the above mixture, and
squeeze out the excess of liquor, dry, and then expose it to the action of steam for
half an hour. Ordinary blacks prepared with iron may also be used, but I prefer
the black prepared with acetate of chrome, which I prepare with 3 lbs. of chrome
alum and 2 lbs. of acetate of lead to one gallon of water, but these proportions may
be varied. For a logwood violet I take one quart of logwood liquor at 4 degrees
Twaddel's hydrometer, six quarts of water, and 1 quart of red liquor at 10 degrees
of Twaddel's hydrometer. This colour is used in the same way as the black described
above.
•
I prepare an olive colour by mixing logwood liquor, fustic liquor, and iron liquor
in various proportions, according to the shade required.
All these colours can be made in great varieties by using different proportions
and different ingredients. Most of them are well known to and are used by calico
printers

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim the com-
position of the colours mentioned, but what I do claim as my Invention is, the
application of the same for dyeing cotton in its raw state.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Albert Gatty, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of September, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy nine.
F. A. GATTY. (L.S.)