IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF COLOURS SUITABLE FOR DYEING AND PRINTING
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Chambers Nicholson, of the Atlas Works,
Lock's Fields, in the County of Surrey, Manufacturing Chemist, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF COLOURS SUITABLE FOR
Sealed the 8th July 1862, and dated the 20th January 1862...
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Chambers.
Nicholson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 20th January 1862.
I, EDWARD CHAMBERS NICHOLSON, of the Atlas Works, Lock's Fields, in
the County of Surrey, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature
of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF COLOURS SUITABLE
FOR DYEING AND PRINTING," to be as follows:-
I take red dye such as is made from aniline or its homologue, and without
the admixture either of aniline or its homologue, I heat it carefully in a
suitable apparatus to a temperature by preference between 390° and 420°
Fahrenheit, the substance quickly assumes the appearance of a dark semi-
solid mass, the red dye being transformed into a dark substance. With
evolution of ammonia the mass may afterwards be be extracted with acetic

page_text: acid, or other convenient solvent. The solution obtained is of a deep violet
or purple colour, and may be used directly for dyeing purposes, or may be
further purified by any of the well-known methods.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Chambers Nicholson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th July 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
CHAMBERS NICHOLSON, of the Atlas Works, Lock's Fields, in the County of
Surrey, Manufacturing Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Chambers Nicholson, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
Chambers Nicholson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edward Chambers Nicholson, 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 THE PREPARATION OF COLORS SUITABLE FOR
DYEING AND PRINTING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Edward Chambers Nicholson my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Edward Chambers Nicholson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:―
I take red dye, such as is made from aniline or its homologue, and without
the admixture either of aniline or its homologue, I heat it carefully in a
suitable apparatus to a temperature by preference between 390° and 420°
Fahrenheit. The substance quickly assumes the appearance of a dark semi-

page_text: solid mass, the red dye being transformed into a dark substance with evolution
of ammonia. The mass I prefer afterwards to extract with acetic acid, using a
quantity of acid about equal in weight to the amount of red die treated, and
this acid I dilute with enough alcohol to make a dye of convenient commercial
strength. The solution obtained is of a deep violet. or purple color, and may
be used directly for dyeing purposes.
What I claim is, the producing a violet or purple color from red die, such
as is made from aniline or its homologues, by carefully heating it as described,
without admixture either of aniline or its homologue.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Chambers Nicholson, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
EDWARD CHAMBERS NICHOLSON. (L.S.)