IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATERIALS FOR WASHING AND CLEANSING PURPOSES, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR DISINFECTING PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Frederick Redfern, of the General Patent Office,
4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MATERIALS FOR
WASHING AND CLEANSING PURPOSES, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR DISINFECTING
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Heinrich Buczkowski, of
Vienna, in the Empire of Austria.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Frederick Redfern
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd December 1881.
GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office, 4, South Street,
Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF MATERIALS FOR WASHING AND CLEANSING PURPOSES, APPLICABLE
ALSO FOR DISINFECTING PURPOSES." [A communication from abroad by Heinrich
Buczkowski, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria.]
The Invention communicated to me relates to improved means or materials for
washing, which may also serve for disinfecting purposes.
Hitherto soap, when used as a means for washing, has generally been employed
either in the form of solid cakes or in a liquid form. The use of either form of
soap possesses disadvantages, particularly when required for use away from home,
or when travelling or on a campaign, because when in a solid form it has, after use,
to be placed in a suitable receptacle to keep it from wetting or soiling articles with
which it may come in contact; and when liquid, it must of course be kept in a
suitable vessel, which necessitates care.
"
The Invention communicated to me has for object to do away with these
inconveniences, and presents the advantage that only as much soap is used as is
required for each washing operation, which is not the case when hard soap is
employed, as its volume is reduced even after use.

page_text: In carrying out the Invention, sheets of paper, silk, linen, or of other woven
material, or of other suitable substance capable of absorbing liquid soap or soap
solutions are coated with a layer of soap, and these soap-sheets or parts thereof can
be used in the same way as ordinary soap is used.
For this purpose soap of any kind is melted, and afterwards dissolved in alcohol
or other suitable solvent. Paper or woven fabric, or any other material capable of
absorbing soap, is then drawn through the solution, or coated with a more or less
thick layer of the soap. The sheets are then dried in the open air, or in a drying
chamber or stove.
The drying being finished, the soap material thus manufactured is made up in
the form of rolls, leaflets, books, blocks, or the like.
When required for use a leaf is torn from the book, or a sheet from the block,
or a piece cut off the roll or leaflet, as the case may be, and is then used with water
in the same way as ordinary soap.
Carbolic acid or other suitable disinfectant may be added to the herein before 1
described solution, in order to produce soap leaflets or soap-sheets, which, besides
their cleansing qualities, will possess disinfecting properties, thus rendering them
specially applicable for use in hospitals, barracks, schools, and like places.
Instead of first melting the soap and then dissolving it in alcohol or other solvent
as herein before described, the soap, before being cast in the ordinary moulds, may
be directly dissolved, or an emulsion may be prepared therefroin by the aid of any
suitable liquid, and the leaflets or sheets may be coated with this solution or
emulsion as above; in this case also any suitable disinfectant may be added to
the soap solution or emulsion.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Frederick Redfern in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th May 1882.
GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office, 4, South Street,
Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF MATERIALS FOR WASHING AND CLEANSING PURPOSES, APPLICABLE
ALSO FOR DISINFECTING PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Heinrich
Buczkowski, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria.
The Invention communicated to me relates to improved means or materials for
washing the person or body, which may also at the same time, if desired, serve for
disinfecting purposes, the same being a convenient substitute for soap, as usually
prepared in solid cakes or in a liquid form, and the Invention consists in the
process or method of making the material, and in the material made by such
process, all as hereinafter more particularly set forth.
Hitherto soap, when used for washing the person or body, has generally been
used in solid cakes or in a liquid form.
Its use in either of these forms is attended with many inconveniences, especially
when the person using it is away from home, or travelling, or on a campaign,
because when the soap is in a solid form, it has after use to be put away in some
suitable receptable to keep it from wetting or soiling clothing, furniture, or other
articles with which it may come in contact; and when in a liquid form, it must of
course be kept in a suitable vessel, which must be tightly closed and handled, and
disposed of or packed away with care.
The Invention communicated to me has for object to do away with these
objections, and possesses moreover the advantage that only so much soap is used as
is actually required for each washing operation, and which is not the case when
cake soap is employed, the volume of which is reduced and wasted after use by the
unavoidable moisture left on it, and by being dissolved.
In carrying out the Invention, sheets of paper, silk, linen, or other suitable woven
or fibrous or textile material, or of other suitable substance capable of absorbing
liquid soap or soap solutions, are coated or saturated with a layer of liquid soap
and dried; these soap sheets or parts thereof can be used in the same way as
ordinary soap is used.
For this purpose soap of any kind is melted and afterwards dissolved in alcohol
or other suitable solvent.
Paper or woven fabric, or any other material capable of absorbing soap, is then
drawn through the solution. The sheets are then dried in the open air or in a
drying chamber or stove.
The drying being finished the soap-material thus manufactured is made up or
arranged in the form of rolls, leaflets, books, blocks, or the like.
When required for use a leaf or part of a leaf, as may be required, is torn from
the book or a sheet from the block, or a piece cut off the roll or leaflet, as the case
may be, and is used with water instead of the ordinary soap being used.
Carbolic acid or other suitable disinfectant may be added to the hereinbefore
described solution in order to produce soap leaflets or soap-sheets, which in addition
to their cleansing qualities will possess disinfecting properties, thus rendering them
specially applicable for use in hospitals, barracks, schools, and like places, where in
cousequence of the large number of people assembled therein there is risk of the
germs of infectious diseases being transmitted.
Instead of first melting the soap and then dissolving it in alcohol or other

page_text: solvent, as herein before described, the soap before being cast in the ordinary moulds
may be directly dissolved, or an emulsion may be prepared therefrom by the aid of
any suitable liquid, and the leaflets or sheets may be coated or treated with this
solution or emulsion as above; in this case also any suitable disinfectant may be
added to the soap solution or emulsion.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that what is claimed and intended
to be protected by the herein in part recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly. The hereinbefore described method or process of manufacturing material
as a substitute for soap, consisting in treating sheets or leaflets of paper or fibrous
or textile material, as set forth, with a soap solution or soap emulsion.
Secondly. The hereinbefore described method or process of manufacturing a
disinfecting and washing material, consisting in treating sheets or leaflets of paper
or other material, as set forth, with a soap solution or soap emulsion, and also with
a disinfectant.
Thirdly. The manufacture and use of sheets or leaflets made of paper or other
fibrous or textile material, treated as above set forth, with a solution or coating of
soap.
Fourthly. The manufacture and use of sheets or leaflets made of paper or other
fibrous or textile material, treated as above set forth, with a solution or coating of
soap and carbolic acid, or other disinfectant.
In witness whereof, I, the said George. Frederick Redfern, have hereto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of. May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.