AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR WATER-PROOFING CLOTHS, PAPER, AND ANALOGOUS FABRICS, AND A SOLUTION THEREFOR
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philip Middleton Justice, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED
PROCESS FOR WATER-PROOFING CLOTHS, PAPER, AND ANALOGOUS FABRICS,
AND A SOLUTION THEREFOR." A communication from abroad by Jose Maria
Aulestia, of Madrid, in the Kingdom of Spain.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philip Middleton Justice at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th November 1880.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR WATERPROOFING CLOTHS,
PAPER, AND ANALOGOUS FABRICS, AND A SOLUTION THEREFOR." A communication
from abroad by Jose Maria Aulestia, of Madrid, in the Kingdom of Spain.
This Invention relates to that class of processes by which garment cloths,
bagging, canvas, paper, and analogous fabrics are rendered water proof, as also
to the solutions, compounds, or ingredients employed for such water proofing. By
the use of the Invention, as hereinafter set forth, materials of the above description
may be rendered repellant to the action of water, while the cloth or fabric will
retain its original appearance.
To attain these desirable results I take,-
First. A soap made from a good quality of carbonate of soda and best oil
(preferably olive) free from grease (fatty matters) or other impurities. Said soap is
cut into small pieces, and 57 grammes 5 decigrammes (about 2 ounces full) are
placed for 24 hours in a suitable vessel or basin containing four litres (about
34 quarts full) of filtered water, the liquid is then slowly heated to a boiling point,
and the water lost by evaporation is replaced.
Second. In a second vessel (preferably of earthenware) 60 grammes (2 ounces 11
drachms full) of pure bees wax (which may be either in its natural state or refined
and whitened where it is to be used upon delicate fabrics) is heated until it becomes
a liquid mass, when it is added to solution No. 1, into which a further quantity of
four litres (3 quarts full) of boiling water is poured.
The combined solution is then thoroughly mixed by stirring, or in any other
convenient manner, until a perfectly homogenous liquid solution is obtained. I have

page_text: found the following to be a convenient method of applying the water proofing
solution :-
The cloth or other material having been thoroughly washed (in pure or filtered
water) and dried is wound around a cylinder which may be placed at the end of a
table, the cloth being fed across this table to a receiving cylinder at the other end.
As the cloth passes over the table its upper side is thoroughly and evenly washed
over with the waterproofing liquid, while its then under side is washed over as the
cloth is wound upon the receiving cylinder. A convenient manner of applying said
liquid to the cloth is by means of fine sponges.
The cloth is then treated with a solution composed in the proportions of four
litres (3 quarts full) of filtered water to 40 grammes (1 ounce 3+ drachms scant)
of alum. This solution may be applied by sponges in the manner above indicated,
but it must be borne in mind that the colours of many prints (calicoes) are not
fast," and in certain cases the proportion of alum must be varied as also the
temperature at which the solution is applied, and these points can best be determined
by experiment with a piece of the particular cloth under treatment.
"
It should be understood that both these solutions are preferably applied in a
heated state to the cloth, the hotter the better. Before calendering the cloth may
be moistened by submitting it to the action of steam at a low pressure, and this
may be conveniently done by passing the cloth over a steam box, the top of which
consists of a fine wire gauze netting.
This final treatment by steam is advantageous for the purpose of rendering the
surface of the cloth smooth and to prepare it for calendering, but is not absolutely
necessary, as it is evident the cloth may be hot calendered. I do not confine myself
to the exact proportions of the various solutions or to the method described by
which said solutions are applied, as these may be altered or modified to meet
existing circumstances as to machinery or labour at hand, and the quality or
description of the cloth or fabric to be treated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Philip Middleton Justice in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th April 1881.
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR WATERPROOFING CLOTHS,
PAPER, AND ANALOGOUS FABRICS, AND A SOLUTION THEREFOR." A communication
from abroad by Jose Maria Aulestia, of Madrid, in the Kingdom of Spain.
This Invention relates to that class of processes by which garment cloths,
bagging, canvas, paper, and analogous fabrics are rendered waterproof, as also
to the solutions, compounds, or ingredients employed for such waterproofing. By
the use of the Invention, as hereinafter set forth, materials of the above description
may be rendered repellant to the action of water, while the cloth or fabric will
retain its original appearance.
To attain these desirable results I take,-
First. A soap made from a good quality of carbonate of soda and best oil
(preferably olive) free from grease (fatty matters) or other impurities. Said soap
is cut into small pieces, and 57 grammes 5 decigrammes (about 2 ounces full) are
placed for 24 hours in a suitable vessel or basin containing four litres (about 3
quarts full) of filtered water, the liquid is then slowly heated to a boiling point,
and the water lost by evaporation is replaced.
Second. In a second vessel (preferably of earthenware) 60 grammes (2 ounces 1
drachms full) of pure bees wax (which may be either in its natural state or refined
and whitened where it is to be used upon delicate fabrics) is heated until it becomes
a liquid mass, when it is added to solution No. 1, into which a further quantity of
four litres (3 quarts full) of boiling water is poured. The combined solution is
then thoroughly mixed by stirring, or in any other convenient manner, until a
perfectly homogeneous liquid solution is obtained. I have found the following to
be a convenient method of applying the waterproofing solution:-The cloth or other
material having been thoroughly washed (in pure or filtered water) and dried, is
wound around a cylinder, which may be placed at one end of a table, the cloth
being fed across this table to a receiving cylinder at the other end. As the cloth
passes over the table its upper side is thoroughly and evenly washed over with the
waterproofing liquid while its then under sido is washed over as the cloth is wound
upon the receiving cylinder. A convenient manner of applying said liquid to the
cloth is by means of fine sponges. The cloth is then treated with a solution
composed in the proportions of 4 litres (31 quarts full) of filtered water to 40
grammes (1 ounce 31 drachms scant) of alum. This solution may be applied by
sponges in the manner above indicated, but it must be borne in mind that the
colors of many prints (calicoes) are not "fast," and in certain cases the proportion
of alum must be varied as also the temperature at which the solution is applied,
and these points can best be determined by experiment with a piece of the
particular cloth under consideration. It should be understood that both these
solutions are preferably applied in a heated state to the cloths, the hotter the
better. Before calendering the cloth may be moistened by submitting it to the
action of steam at a low pressure, and this may be conveniently done by passing
the cloth over a steam box, the top of which consists of a fine wire gauze netting.
This final treatment by steam is advantageous for the purpose of rendering the
surface of the cloth smooth and to prepare it for calendering, but is not
absolutely necessary, as it is evident the cloth may be hot calendered. I do not
confine myself to the exact proportions of the various solutions or to the method
described by which said solutions are applied, as these may be altered or modified

page_text: to meet existing circumstances as to machinery or labor at hand, and the quality
or describtion of the cloth or fabric to be treated. I am aware that it has hereto-
fore been proposed to use various mixtures for waterproofing fabrics, and some of
which said mixtures have contained soap, some alum, and some beeswax, but as far
as I am aware no one has used these substances in conjunction with each other and
in the manner herein before indicated.
Having thus described the Invention as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
First. The improved process of waterproofing cloths, paper, or analogous fabrics
herein before described, said process consisting in first treating the materials to a
solution of water, soap, and beeswax, and then to a solution of water and alum,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The improved waterproofing solution consisting of water, soap, and
beeswax, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Philip Middleton Justice, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
1001
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
said Philip Middleton Justice in
the presence of
ALLEN P. JONES,
14, Southampton Bldgs.,
Chancery Lane, W.C.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE. (L.S.)