AN IMPROVED COMPOUND FOR CLEANSING CARPETS AND OTHER WOVEN FABRICS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED COMPOUND FOR CLEANSING CARPETS
AND OTHER WOVEN FABRICS." - A communication from abroad by
-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd April 1872.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED COMPOUND FOR CLEANSING
CARPETS AND OTHER WOVEN FABRICS," a communication, to be as follows:-
The present Invention relates to a compound more especially intended
for the cleansing and restoring of carpets, rugs, and other similar fabrics,
but it is useful for other fabrics, such as woollen cloths and the like,

page_text: and therefore while it is more particularly described herein in connection
with carpets I do not intend to limit its use thereto.
This improved compound is composed of the following ingredients, in
or about in the proportions specified, viz., ten (10) pounds of soap, by
preference that known as "Bell and Company's chemical soap," although
other soap may be employed; thirteen (13) gallons of water, either
warm or cold, or other suitable medium for dissolving the soap; three
and one-half (3) pounds of sal soda; one-half (2) pound of ammonia,
and one-half () pound of alcohol.
These ingredients are compounded as follows:-I dissolve the soap
in the water or other medium; and to facilitate and expedite the dis-
solving of the soap I slice or cut it up into fine particles, I also use a
warm liquid, and thoroughly stir or agitate the liquid and soap. While
the soap is being thus dissolved I add the three and one-half (32)
pounds of sal soda, continuing to stir the whole, and then pour gradually
into the vessel containing the above the one-half (1/2) pound of ammonia
and the one-half (2) pound of alcohol; the whole making, with an
addition of water, about fifty gallons in quantity.
To the compound made of the materials and prepared substantially as
above described, it is best to add three (3) ounces of the substance
known in commerce as washing crystal," although it is not absolutely
necessary to employ this "washing crystal," as by practice and experience
good results have been found to be produced with a compound made
simply of the ingredients first above named, but the "washing crystal,"
because of its well-known cleansing quality, its preservative principle,
and its great restorative action upon colours when used upon fabrics
most delicate in texture and colour, greatly enhances the effect attained
or produced by the use of the compound above described. Should the
washing crystal" be employed it is best to add it to the solution of soap
and water when the sal soda is added, but it can be added either after
the whole compound is prepared or at the same time, or before or after
either the ammonia or alcohol.
66
"
When it is desired to clean a carpet with this improved compound, the
carpet should first be swept with a broom to remove the surface dust,
lint, and other dirt. A good mode of using the compound is to provide
two buckets, one containing the compound and the other water, and
with a brush wet with the compound to rub well the carpet, the com-
pound and the rubbing operation loosening the dirt and removing stains,

page_text: grease spots, and the like from the carpet. I now rub the carpet with
a wooden rubber or other suitable scraper which collects and removes
from the carpet the dirt loosened by the rubbing of the compound
thereon, so that by then using a sponge saturated with water upon the
carpet surface the entire removal of the dirt is secured; and by the use
of a wiping cloth the cleansing of the carpet is completed, the colours
in the carpet coming out in all their original brightness. I proceed as
above upon the different portions of the carpet surface until the whole
is cleansed.
In lieu of using water alone after the compound a compound of water,
alcohol, and ammonia may be employed, the alcohol and ammonia being
first thoroughly mixed together in any suitable manner in about the
proportions of one-half pound of alcohol and one-half pound of ammonia,
this compound of alcohol and ammonia being added to about one gallon
of water, warm water being preferable.
The improved compound herein described has no injurious effect on
the carpets; it serves to protect carpets from ravages of moths and
other vermin, it prevents carpets from being hard and stiff, and causes
them to remain soft, pliable, and elastic; its use does not require the
carpets to be removed or taken up from the floor, and with two buckets-
full of the compound at least forty yards of carpeting can be cleaned,
the carpet being simply moistened or dampened with the compound and
not saturated.
5
)
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd October 1872.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of April, in the year' of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant 'unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence

page_text: that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 "AN IMPROVED COMPOUND FOR
CLEANSING CARPETS AND OTHER WOVEN FABRICS," a communication to me
from abroad by Louis Stern, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
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 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 William Robert Lake, 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 :—
The present Invention relates to a compound more especially intended
for the cleansing and restoring of carpets, rugs, and other similar fabrics,
but it is useful for the same purposes with other fabrics, such as woollen
cloths and the like, and therefore while it is more particularly described
herein in connection with carpets it is not intended to limit its use
thereto.
This improved compound is composed of the following ingredients, in
or about in the proportions specified, viz., ten (10) pounds of soap, by
preference "Bell and Company's chemical soap," although other soap
may be employed; thirteen (13) gallons of water, either warm or cold, or
other suitable medium for dissolving the soap; three and one-half (3½)
pounds of sal soda; one-half (1/2) pound of ammonia, and one-half (½)
pound of alcohol.
These ingredients are compounded as follows:-I dissolve the soap in
the water or other medium; and to facilitate and expedite this dissolving
of the soap I slice or cut it into fine particles, I use a warm liquid, and
thoroughly stir or agitate the liquid and soap. While the soap is being

page_text: thus dissolved I add the three and one-half pounds of sal soda, continuing
to stir the whole; I then pour gradually into the vessel containing the
above the one-half pound of ammonia and the one-half pound of alcohol;
the whole making, with an addition of water, about fifty gallons in
quantity.
66
To the compound made of the materials and prepared substantially as
above described, it is best to add three (3) ounces of the substance known
in commerce as washing crystal," although it is not absolutely
necessary to employ this "washing crystal," as by practice and expe-
rience good results have been produced with a compound made simply
of the ingredients first above named, but the "washing crystal," because
of its well-known cleansing quality, its preservative principle, and its
great restorative action upon colours when used upon fabrics most delicate
in texture and colour, greatly enhances the effect desired to be attained
or produced by the use of the compound above described. Should the
"washing crystal" be employed it is best to add it to the solution of
soap and water when the sal soda is added, but it can be added either
after the whole compound is prepared or at the same time, or before or
after either the ammonia or alcohol.
When it is desired to clean a carpet with this improved compound, the
said carpet should first be swept with a broom to remove the surface
dust, lint, or other dirt. A good mode of using the compound is to
provide two buckets, one containing the compound and the other water,
and then with a brush wet with the compound rub well the carpet, the
compound and the rubbing operation loosening the dirt and removing
stains, grease spots, and the like from the carpet. I now rub the carpet
with a wooden rubber or other suitable scraper, which collects and
removes from the carpet the dirt loosened by the rubbing of the com-
pound thereon, then by using a sponge saturated with water upon the
carpet surface the entire removal of the dirt is accomplished, and by
the use of a wiping cloth the cleansing of the carpet is completed, and
the colours in the said carpet come out in all their original brightness.
I proceed as above upon the different portions of the carpet surface until
the whole is cleansed.
In lieu of using water alone after the compound a compound of water,
alcohol, and ammonia may be employed, the alcohol, and ammonia being
first mixed together in any suitable manner in or about in the proportions
of one-half pound of alcohol and one-half pound of ammonia, this

page_text: compound of alcohol and ammonia being added to about one gallon of
water, preferably warm water.
The improved compound herein described has no injurious effect on
the carpets; it serves to protect them from the ravages of moths and
other vermin, it prevents their becoming hard and stiff and causes them
to remain soft, pliable, and elastic; its use does not require the carpet
to be removed or taken up from the floor, and with two buckets-full of
the compound at the least forty yards of carpeting can be cleaned, the
carpet not being saturated but simply moistened or dampened with
the compound..
Although I have herein specified certain proportions in which the
several essential elements or ingredients of the above described improved
compound may be used, I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise proportions stated, as they may be varied,
but with a compound made substantially as hercin described most
satisfactory results have been secured.
The particular mode described of mixing the ingredients of the com-
pound may be changed, as also the manner of using it may be varied
somewhat from that herein stated, but the mode of preparation and
manner of using aforesaid are found practical and efficient in the highest
degree.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Second day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two
Witness,
W. J. LOWE.
W". ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.).