IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF CERTAIN COLOURING MATTERS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Dugdale Kay, of Accrington, in the County
of Lancaster, Manufacturer of Patent Fabrics, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF CERTAIN COLOURING MATTERS." -
A communication from abroad by Dollfus Mieg & Cie., residing at
Mulhouse, France.
Sealed the 8th July 1859, and dated the 7th May 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Dugdale Kay
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th May 1859.
I, RICHARD DUGDALE KAY, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster,
Manufacturer of Patent Fabrics, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF CERTAIN COLOURING
MATTERS," a communication from abroad by Dollfus Mieg & Co., residing at
Mulhouse, France, to be as follows:-
The said Invention consists of a mode of producing colouring matter from
aniline or other similar products obtained from coal or other bituminous.
substances.
I combine or mix the aniline or similar product with an acid, so as to form
a salt, the base of which is the aniline or other similar product. I mix the
compound thus obtained with a quantity of peroxide of manganese, rather

page_text: more than sufficient to combine with the acid contained in the compound, and
I heat and stir the mixture until it ceases to produce any more precipitate.
The liquid product containing the colouring matter in solution I separate from
the precipitate by filtration. I also digest the precipitate in a dilute acid
(I prefer sulphuric acid), so as to dissolve any colouring matter which it may
contain, and I then filter this solution. These solutions being added together,
I mix with them an alkali (I prefer amonia) in sufficient quantity to
combine with and neutralize all the acid which they contain, by which the
colouring matter is thrown down together with manganese. The precipitate
is separated by filtration, after which it is washed and dried, and when dry
digested in alcoholic spirit to dissolve and separate the colouring matter from
the other matters of the precipitate. To the colouring matter contained in
this solution I give the name of "har.naline."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Dugdale Kay in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th November 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
DUGDALE KAY, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer of
Patent rubrics, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letter
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of May, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-nine, the twenty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her.
heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Richard Dugdale'
Kay, Her special license that I, the said Richard Dugdale Kay, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard
Dugdale Kay, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF CERTAIN COLOURING MATTERS," a communi-
cation from abroad by Dollfus Meig & Cie., residing at Mulhouse, France,
upon the condition [among others] that I, the said Richard Dugdale Kay,
by any instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Office of the

page_text: Commissioners for Patents for Inventions within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Dugdale Kay, do hereby:
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):-
The said Invention consists of a mode of obtaining the colouring matter
produced from aniline or other similar products obtained from coal or other
bituminous substances.
I combine or mix the aniline or similar product with an acid, so as to form
a salt, the base of which is the aniline or other similar material. I find an.
excess of acid better than a neutral proportion, and I obtain good results from
acetic, hydrochloric, and sulphuric acid. When I use the last-named acid,
which I prefer, I mix about 50 parts aniline with about 40 parts sulphuric
acid, specific gravity 1-85, diluted with about 1,400 parts of water.
I mix
with the compound thus obtained about 200 parts of peroxide of manganese,
and I heat this mixture to about 212° F., and stir it at this temperature till it
ceases to produce any more precipitate.
I do not, however, claim the oxidation of aniline or any similar material,
nor the use of oxide of manganese for ozidizing the aniline or similar product
as being separately any part of my Invention, as other agents, such as peroxide
of lead and chloride of lime, may be used for the purpose of oxidation.
The liquid product containing colouring matter in solution I separate from
the precipitate by filtration; I also digest the precipitate in a dilute acid
(I prefer sulphuric acid), so as to dissolve any colouring matter which may be
contained in the precipitate; and I then filter this solution. These solutions
being added together, I mix with them an alkali (I prefer ammonia) in
sufficient quantity to combine with and neutralize all the acid which they
contain, by which the colouring matter is thrown down together with
manganese. The last-mentioned precipitate is separated by filtration, after
which it is washed and dried, and when dry, digested in alcoholic spirit to
dissolve and separate the colouring matter from the other matters of the
precipitate. The alcoholic spirit may be either alcohol, or methylic alcohol, or
a mixture of the two. To the colouring matter contained in this solution
I give the name of harmaline.
Instead of separating the liquid from the precipitate produced by adding
peroxide of manganese to the acid solution of aniline or other similar material,
an alkali may be added to the whole mixture as soon as the oxidation has
been completed, so as to throw down all the colouring matter which may

page_text: remain in solution, and the whole of the precipitate being then separated from
the fluid and washed repeatedly with water, it may be treated with spirit, so
as to dissolve the colouring matter, as above described.
When the colouring matter has been precipitated in the manner last
described, the strength of the spirit used to dissolve should be much reduced,
in order to avoid dissolving any of the resinous or bituminous matter which
may be mixed with it.
A spirit of the strength which I prefer to use is obtained by diluting one
part of concentrated spirit, such as alcohol of 60 over proof, or mythylic
alcohol of a similar strength, with about three parts of water, taking care to
mix them intimately previously to their being added to the precipitate.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Dugdage Kay, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
RICHARD DUGDALE KAY. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named Richard Dugdale Kay, in the
presence of
J. HARGREAVES KAY,
Solicitor and Patent Agent,
Blackburn.