CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MATERIALS AND PROCESSES EMPLOYED IN DRESSING, CLEARING, SCOURING, AND BLEACHING CERTAIN TEXTILE FABRICS, AND THE MATE-
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HECTOR
SANDEMAN, of Tullochfield, in the County of Perth, Bleacher, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Thirty-first day of
July, One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, in the eleventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Hector Sandeman, my exors, adñññors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Hector
Sandeman, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Hector Sandeman, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in the
Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her
said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MATERIALS AND PROCESSES EMPLOYED IN DRESSING,
CLEARING, SCOURING, AND BLEACHING CERTAIN TEXTILE FABRICS, AND THE MATE-

page_text: RIALS OF WHICH SUCH FABRICS ARE COMPOSED;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso that I, the said Hector Sandeman, should cause a
particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear: And whereas, subsequent to the
date of the said Letters Patent, I discovered that the part of the said Invention
relating to " dressing" was not wholly new as to the public knowledge, use,
and exercise thereof, and I have, in pursuance of the Statute in such case
made and provided, applied for and obtained the leave of Her Majesty's
Attorney General to enter with the Clerk of the Patents in England a Memo-
randum of Alteration, whereby the title of the said Invention is altered from
the words herein-before recited to the following:-" Certain Improvements in
the Materials and Processes employed in Clearing, Scouring, and Bleaching
certain Textile Fabrics, and the Materials of which such Fabrics are
composed.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Hector Sandeman, hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, are fully described in and by
the present Specification thereof, that is to say:
Whereas, according to the modes or systems now followed of clearing,
scouring, and bleaching textile fabrics composed of cotton, flax, tow, China
grass, phormium tenax or New Zealand flax, straw, hemp, silk, wool, and
other fibrous materials, and of similarly treating the said materials in their
crude state, or in a spun state, as yarn, thread, or twist, it is usual to employ
potash, pearlash, barilla, soda, soda ash, hard and soft soap, lime, and
other alkalis or alkaline earths in aqueous solutions or mixtures at the
boiling temperature, or at a temperature closely approximating to boiling.
Now my first improvement consists in employing the said solutions and
mixtures in a cold state, only preferring to use them at the temperature of the
atmosphere at the time, and never in any case at a temperature higher than
can be obtained without the aid of fire, wherefor, and in contradistinction
to the hot or boiling processes commonly followed, I designate mine "the cold
process of clearing, scouring, and bleaching." The details of this process are
as follows: When the goods to be subjected to the process consist of any
of the materials aforesaid in a woven state, I first give them a preparatory
steeping in warm water in order to soften and expand their fibres and make

page_text: them thereby more open to the subsequent action of the alkaline solutions,
but when the materials are in a crude or spun state, this preparatory steeping
may be dispensed with. The goods being either so prepared or in the
original state in which they are sent to the bleachers, I immerse them in the
said cold alkaline solutions in such manner as that every fibre shall be
thoroughly soaked or impregnated with them; and the better to ensure such
result I leave the goods so immersed for several hours, say twelve, more or less,
as may seem necessary. Any of the alkalis and alkaline substances before
enumerated may be used, but I prefer lime, and in the state commonly called
milk of lime, because while sufficiently effectual it is cheap, and because also
a much larger quantity of it can be dissolved by cold than by boiling water.
In preparing this hydrate of lime I first sift slaked lime to a very fine powder,
and then steep it in water for several hours. In afterwards mixing it with
cold water to form the alkaline mixture in which the goods are to be immersed
as aforesaid, I find it of advantage that more lime should be used than can be
dissolved by the quantity of water employed, because the oils or oily matters
usually contained in the goods form chemical combinations with portions of
the lime in the solution, which would by such abstraction of its activity as
a detergent, unless there were an excess of lime sufficient to keep up the
solution to its full point of causticity. Solutions of chloride of lime or potash
or dilute sulphuric acid are to be employed in aid of this cold process, in the
same way as they have been heretofore used in other processes of. bleaching.
In a great many, if not a majority of cases, the goods may be brought to
a sufficient degree of clearness and whiteness by the cold process alone.
When, however, a still greater degree of whiteness is required than the cold
process is capable of accomplishing, my usual practice is to take the goods
after they have gone through the said process, and steep or buck them in
a weak solution of any of the fixed alkalis or soap, either in a state of
ebullition or of approximation to it. The quantity of lime expended in this
cold process is much the same as when lime is used according to the ordinary
hot or boiling processes. When lime alone is used throughout the process
all the difference between the cost of this cheap article and the cost of any of
the fixed alkalis is saved. And so also when none but cold solutions are
employed there will be a saving of all the cost and trouble of furnaces and fuel.
But in every case whether any of the fixed alkalis are used in aid of the milk
of lime or not, or whether solutions of a higher temperature are partially had
recourse to or not, the saving in materials and labour effected by this cold pro-
cess is very great compared with the cost of the ordinary hot or boiling processes.
Moreover, yarns, thread, or twist which have gone through this cold process

page_text: are found to retain more of their original strength, firmness, levelness, and
weight, and to be much freer from ooziness of fibre than those which have
been treated according to the ordinary hot or boiling processes. In like
manner all cloth bleached by this cold process retains more of its original
.strength, firmness, elasticity, and weight, than that which is bleached by the
hot or boiling processes heretofore pursued.
Secondly, my Invention consists in clearing, scouring, and bleaching the
fabrics and materials before enumerated, by a process, to distinguish which
equally from the "cold process," first herein-before described, and from the
hot or boiling processes ordinarily followed, I call the "thermal process."
In this second process I use the alkaline solutions and mixtures aforesaid
at temperatures, which, though higher than those observed in the cold process,
are yet much lower than those at which they are employed in the ordinary hot
or boiling processes, and proportionally more beneficial than the latter. If the
milk of lime be made use of (which I prefer in this case as well as in the cold
process) I employ it with more or less advantage at temperatures varying
from the mean temperature of the atmosphere up to one hundred and seventy
degrees Fahrenheit. If any of the other alkaline solutions and mixtures
aforesaid are made use of, the temperatures at which they are employed
cannot with any degree of utility be carried beyond one hundred and fifty
-degrees Fahrenheit.
Thirdly, my Invention consists in the employment in clearing, scouring,
and bleaching the fabrics and materials before enumerated of what I call a
"binary compound," prepared in manner following:-To milk of lime I add
a clear solution of chloride of lime, and stir the two substances well together.
The quantity of lime used may be much about the same as that now used
by bleachers in their hot or boiling processes, and the strength of the chloride
solution may be such as is commonly employed in bleaching operations, using
it stronger or weaker according to the degree of dispatch with which the
bleaching process is required to be performed. I prefer using this binary
compound in the cold state, but it may be used with more or less advan-
tage at any degree of temperature not injurious to the goods. I immerse
the goods in this binary compound for a period of from twelve to twenty-
four hours, more or less, according to the strength of the compound, and to
convenience. In general I find that the bleaching process goes on as well by
one steeping of the goods in this compound as if they had been first steeped in
the milk of lime and then in chloride of lime solution (as is usual in bleaching
by the hot or boiling processes), so that not only one operation out of the two
is dispensed with, but the entire process of bleaching is effected in less time;

page_text: besides which there is a great saving in washing, and in other subordinate
manipulations. Although I have mentioned and prefer the hydrate and
chloride of lime as the materials to be used in my "binary compound," yet
any alkali or alkaline earth in solution or state of mechanical suspension as the
case may be, will, on being mixed with the solution of the chloride of an
alkali or alkaline earth form a similar bleacking compound. My reason for
prefering the bydrate and chloride of lime is simply because of their cheapness,
while, as far as my experience goes, they are as effective as any materials that.
can be used.
Fourthly, my Invention consists in employing common salt or chloride of
sodium in clearing, scouring, and bleaching the fabrics and materials before
enumerated in manner following: -I dissolve the salt in water either cold or
hot. The proportion of salt to the water is of little importance. I find one
pound weight of salt to the gallon of water answers very well. In this
solution I steep the goods for an hour or two, more or less; the goods
are then taken out, and when drained (but not washed) are steeped for
an hour or two, more or less, in dilute sulphuric acid, or some other dilute
acid which has a greater affinity for the sodium or soda than the chlorine
or muriatic acid with which in common salt it is combined. The goods
are taken out of this liquor, and after being well washed are steeped either
in milk of lime or in the " binary compound" aforesaid, or they may be
subjected to any of the common processes of clearing, scouring, or bleaching.
The steepings in the common salt solution and in the acid solution may
be repeated as often as may be found advantageous to the cleansing pro-
cess, and it is of no consequence whether the goods have been first steeped
in the salt or in the acid liquor. It is the decomposition that takes place when
the salt and the acid come together, which produces the cleansing or scouring
effect on the goods.
The four improved processes which I have thus described are applicable
more particularly to the cleansing, scouring, and bleaching of fabrics com-
posed of cotton, flax, tow, China grass, phormium tenax or New Zealand
flax, straw, and hemp, and to treating similarly the said materials in
a crude or spun state, and all the four are applicable thereto; but when
fabrics composed of silk or wool, or when silk or wool in a crude or spun
state are to be cleared, scoured, or bleached, I prefer employing the first
and the fourth of the processes before described (but without restricting myself
to the use thereof). In some cases, such as the bleaching of textile fabrics when
reduced to the state of rags, or the waste of flax, tow, &c., in order to their being
employed in the manufacture of paper, I find it advantageous to. keep the

page_text: solution in agitation while the goods are being steeped in them, and this is
readily done either by hand stirring or by suitable machinery. By the term
"crude state," as hitherto used in this Specification, it has been my intention
to designate the state in which the materials before enumerated are after
being cut and gathered, but before they are spun into thread or yarn; but it
is not in all cases necessary that they should be so cut and gathered in order
to their being treated according to my said Invention, for solutions such as
those specified under the first and fourth heads of this Specification may be
applied with advantage immediately before shearing to the washing, cleansing,
and scouring of wool while it is yet on the bodies of live sheep and other fleecy
.animals.
In what is called " milling of yarns" by the ordinary processes, the yarns
are first steeped in water for twelve or fourteen days, so that before they are
taken out the liquid is apt to pass from the acetous into the putrefactive state
of fermentation, which cannot fail to affect most injuriously the strength of the
substances subjected to it. But such yarns may be subjected to one or other of
my improved processes, and their preparation for ulterior manufacture be thereby
completely effected, while their strength will remain entirely unimpaired.
In regard to the bleaching of cotton fabrics, the great proportion of them
can be brought to a sufficient degree of whiteness by steeping them as often as
need be in any of the mixtures described under the first, second, and third
heads of this Specification, but I use by preference the third one, in which the
"binary compound" is employed. After the goods have been steeped for the
usual time in lukewarm water, and well washed out of it, I place them in this
"binary compound" for a period of from twelve to twenty-four hours, more
or less, then wash them well, and repeat the operation if necessary. I next
inmerse them in a clear solution of chloride of lime of the usual strength
employed by bleachers, and when well washed from it finish off by souring in
dilute sulphuric acid as usual.
For the bleaching of cotton goods which after being printed with mordants
have to be subjected to the madder die, the following method may be
adopted: Steep in lukewarm water for a period of from twelve to twenty-
four hours; wash; steep in the "binary compound" for a like period; wash
again; steep in the binary compound as before; wash once more; boil or
buck for from four to eight hours with a solution of soda ash or other alkali of
the usual strength; wash again; then finish by souring and washing as usual.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that the improvements which I
claim as constituting my said Invention, are as follows:
-

page_text: First, I claim the employment in the clearing, scouring, and bleaching of
textile fabrics composed of the materials herein-before enumerated, and of the
said materials in a crude or spun state, of the "cold process" described under
the first head of this Specification, whether such process is made use of by itself
or combined wholly or partially with any of the ordinary or other processes of
bleaching.
Second, I claim the employment in the clearing, scouring, and bleaching of
the fabrics and materials aforesaid of the "thermal process," before described,
and whether also such process is made use of by itself, or combined wholly or
partially with any of the ordinary or other processes of bleaching.
Third, I claim the employment in the clearing, scouring, and bleaching of
the textile fabrics and materials aforesaid of the "binary compound" before
described. And,
Fourth, I claim the employment in the clearing, scouring, and bleaching
of the textile fabrics and materials aforesaid of common salt or chloride of
sodium in the manner before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hector Sandeman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.

page_text: HECTOR SANDEMAN. (L.S.)
To the Clerk of the Patents of England.
This is to certify that Hector Sandeman, of the Tulloch Bleachfields, in the g
County of Perth, Bleacher, has applied to me for leave to enter with you the
above-written Disclaimer of a certain Invention for which Letters Patent
were granted to hin under the Great Seal, date the 31st day of July, 1847,
and having considered the said application, and no objection having been made
to the same, I have according granted leave to the said Hector Sandeman to
file his said Disclaimer, pursuant to the Statute passed in the 5th & 6th

page_text: years of the reign of His late Majesty, entitled an Act to amend the Law
touching Letters Patent for Inventions.
JOHN JERVIS.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-eighth day of January,
in the year of our Lord 1848, the aforesaid Hector Sandeman came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Dis-
claimer aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Disclaimer aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.