A NEW OR IMPROVED COLOURING MATTER AND PROCESS FOR OBTAINING THE SAME
Year: 1884

page_text: 24
I WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors
6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster, Fellow of the Institute of
Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for A NEW OR
IMPROVED COLOURING MATTER AND PROCESS FOR OBTAINING THE SAME" and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and.
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of coloring matter from the so-called
yellow colored tannic wood and plants which possess the characteristics of the class
of coloring matters known as "Catechus" and because the woods or plants treated
are principally found in America, the products obtained are designated "American
Catechus." The invention however, is not confined to coloring matters produced
from American woods or plants only.
The following is a full, clear and exact description of the said process.
The invention relates to the treatment of such woods and plants as contain
coloring matter in sufficient quantity to be practically useful in the arts for dyeing.
woven fabrics, furs, skins, wood or other articles to which it is desired to give an
artificial color. These woods and plants contain also in addition to the coloring
natters the substance known as "tannin," and they may be divided into two
classes, that is, tannic woods or plants colored red, and tannic woods or plants
colored yellow. The process as set forth in this specification relates to the treatment
of the tannic plants colored yellow.
When a wood or plant contains "tannin," or in other words, tannic or gallio
substances and little or no coloring matter either red or yellow, it is usually easy to
obtain therefrom all the extractive substances by simply treating it with boiling
water. But it is different when the wood or plant contains at the same time a large
proportion of "tannin," and also a large proportion of coloring matter. In such
case water alone even at a boiling temperature will dissolve only a portion of the
tannin," much of it remaining in the wood and with it most, and sometimes, all
the coloring matter red or yellow as the case may be.
д
In order to obtain the coloring matter from these woods and plants, that is, those

page_text: containing "tannin" and coloring matter, red as well as yellow, in large quantities,
various processes have heretofore been employed, but in them all strong applications
of alkali or alkaline salts have been employed to act as solvents on the coloring
matter and " tannin."
Now the use of alkali or alkaline salts seriously deteriorates the dyeing qualities
of the extract obtained.
This invention, which as stated has special reference to the treatment of the
yellow tannic woods and plants, consists in a process by which one is enabled to
secure all the coloring substances contained in such woods or plants together with
the tannin without the deterioration incident to the use of alkalies or alkaline
salts as heretofore used, and is as follows, to wit:
"
"
First bruise, crush, powder or finely divide the yellow colored tannic wood.or
plant, and then place the same in any suitable vat, caldron, or other vessel capable
of being heated in any desired manner, then add to the wood or plant sufficient
water to cover it. Then raise the temperature to the boiling point and add a
quantity of animal or vegetable oil or equivalent fatty body preferably using only
such substances as are soluble in water, such as glycerine or substances easily
saponified by a small percentage of alkali. The proportion of the oil or fatty body
to the wood is about a quart of oil, or two pounds of fatty matter, to a hundred
pounds of the wood or plant. Then thoroughly stir the mass together and cause
the mass to boil for about half an hour, and then for the purpose of saponifying
the oil or fatty body pour in a quantity of measured (titrée) solution of alkali
sufficient to saponify the oil or fatty body but no more. Upon which the liquor
becomes clear.
Instead of using the oil and the fatty body and the alkaline solution thus
effecting saponification, there can be used as a substitute therefor, and producing
the same result, a solution of ordinary soap, either potash or soda. The percentage
of alkali being so small in it, and it also being saponified, that it does not act
detrimentally on the extract. Draw off the clear liquor which will be found to be
heavily charged with the yellow coloring matter and the "tannin" of the wood or
plant, and evaporate it in any approved manner, and the result is the first extract,
which will compare very favorably with the favorite brands of "Catechus," of the
same class. The colors being so called "fast" colors.
In the residues left at the bottom of the vat is contained a proportion of coloring
matter of the same character as that which has been removed. To remove this
remaining coloring matter proceed as follows:
To eliminate all trace of the alkali, thoroughly wash the residues with water.
Then pour on boiling water preferably maintaining the mass meantime in a boiling
condition, and gradually add ordinary commercial alum say in the proportion of
one pound of alum to one hundred pounds of residues. And continue the boiling,
or at all events a heated condition of the mass, until all the coloring matter is
extracted.
Then draw off the resulting liquor and evaporate the same as usual.
If desired to form a single extract only, mix the two liquids and evaporate them
both at the same time. When this is done however, care must be taken to
redissolve by ordinary methods such precipitate as may be formed in consequence
of the action of the alkali contained in the soap in the first extract on the alum
contained in the second. This is done in order that no coloring matter may
be lost.
These extracts may be treated with the ordinary chemical agents and reactives
as now well known and practised in the art in connection with "Catechus," and
the same colors and shades of color will be obtained, and they may be used singly
or combined with such other colors or shades of color or coloring materials as the
dyer may desire.
These extracts have been found particularly applicable for finishing, charging
and dyeing silks and when charging silks the said extracts can be beneficially
combined with tannic extracts.

page_text: I do not limit myself to the specific proportions stated because they can be
departed from, according to the nature of the wood or plant being treated.
Having thus described the nature of the said invention as communicated to me
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim in
the treatment of tannic woods or plants colored yellow is:
First: The described process consisting in treating the wood or plant with an oil
or a fatty body saponified with an alkaline solution, or with a soap solution under
the influence of heat, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Second: The described process consisting in treating the wood or plant with an
oily or fatty body saponified with an alkaline solution or with a soap solution, then
drawing off the resulting liquor, then washing the residues and then treating them
with alum, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Third: The described process consisting in treating the residues after the first
extract has been removed with alum, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
Fourth: As a new article of manufacture, the extract produced by treating the
wood or plant with an oil or a fatty body saponified by an alkaline solution, or a
Boap solution, as set forth.
Fifth As a new article of manufacture the extract produced by treating the
residues after the first extract has been removed with alum as set forth.
Dated this eighth day of January 1884