AN IMPROVED PREPARATION OF COLOURING MATTER
Year: 1878

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Alston Whitaker, of Bradford, in the County of
York, Merchant, for the Invention of AN IMPROVED PREPARATION OF
COLOURING MATTER." A communication from abroad by William. Stein, of
Moreuil in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Alston Whitaker at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th August 1878.
HERBERT ALSTON WHITAKER, of Bradford, in the County of York, Merchant.
"AN IMPROVED PREPARATION OF COLOURING MATTER." [A communication from
abroad by William Stein, of Moreuil, in the Republic of France.]
This Invention has for its object an improved mode of preparing in an economical
manner a coloring matter of great richness and superior quality from catechu, cutch,
or terra japonica. To this end in a boiler or cauldron I place two cwt. of catechu
in the rough unprepared state, and add thereto from 3 to 4 pints of water, and
heat the mass at a moderate heat until the catechu is completely dissolved. I then
add from 20 to 25 lbs. weight of alum dissolved in about 2 quarts of hot water, and
I boil all these ingredients for about two hours, taking care to keep the whole mass
constantly stirred with an iron bar. I then run the heated mass (thus prepared)
into a receptacle lined with paper, and when the mass has become cool and hard it
may be turned out of the receptacle without difficulty, as the paper lining will
prevent the prepared substance from adhering to the sides of the case.
It is scarcely necessary to say that the proportions in which the several ingredients
are mixed may be varied somewhat if desired, but the proportions above given are
those which have been found to answer satisfactorily.
I would also observe that the coloring matter prepared in the manner above set
forth is used in the same manner as catechu prepared in the usual way.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert Alston Whitaker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th February 1879.
HERBERT ALSTON WHITAKER, of Bradford, in the County of York, Merchant.
"AN IMPROVED PREPARATION OF COLOURING MATTER." A communication from
abroad by William Stein, of Moreuil, in the Republic of France.
This Invention has for its object an improved mode of preparing in an economical
manner a colouring matter of great richness and superior quality from catechu,
cutch, or terra japonica. To this end in a boiler or cauldron I place two hundred-
weight of catechu, cutch, or terra japonica, in the rough unprepared state as it is
imported, and I add thereto from three to four pints of water. The mass of catechu
is heated at a moderate temperature until it is completely dissolved. I then add to
the pasty mass from twenty to twenty-five pounds weight of common alum dissolved
in about two quarts of hot water, and I boil all these ingredients for about two
hours, taking care to keep the whole mass constantly stirred with an iron bar. I
then run the heated mass (thus prepared) into a receptacle lined with paper, and
when the mass has become cool and hard it may be turned out of the receptacle
without difficulty, as the paper lining will prevent the prepared substance from
adhering to the sides of the case.
This mode of preparing the catechu is a simple and very economical one, and
the catechu so treated will yield in abundance a colouring matter of superior
quality.
It is scarcely necessary to say that the proportions in which the ingredients are
mixed may be varied somewhat if desired; for instance, a greater quantity of water
may be used, but the proportions above given are those which have been found to
answer satisfactorily, and will be found to be convenient in practice.
I would also observe that the colouring matter contained in the catechu, when
treated and prepared in the manner above set forth, may be dissolved out and used
in the same manner as the colouring matter obtained from catechu prepared in the
usual way.
Having now described the Invention of "An Improved Preparation of Colouring
Matter" that has been communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and having
explained the manner of carrying. the same into effect, I claim as the Invention
secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, treating catechu, cutch, or terra
japonica with alum, as and for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Herbert Alston Whitaker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
בדה תחת
TITTA' D
HERBERT A.
A. WHITAKER. (L.S.)