AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR TREATING FILAMENTS, THREADS, AND FABRICS TO RENDER THEM SUITABLE FOR DYING
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas James Smith, of the Firm of Robertson,
Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Patent Agents, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR
TREATING FILAMENTS, THREADS, AND FABRICS TO RENDER THEM SUITABLE FOR
DYING." A communication from abroad by Armand Muller, of
Hard. Switzerland, Chemist.
Sealed the 26th March 1872, and dated the 9th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas James Smith
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th October 1871.
I, THOMAS JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and
Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, do
"AN IMPROVED
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
PROCESS FOR TREATING FILAMENTS, THREADS, AND FABRICS TO
BUITABLE FOR DYING," to be as follows :—
RENDER THEM
The processes at present employed for dyeing cotton are very expensive
and difficult of application, and are far from giving satisfactory results.

page_text: Notwithstanding the employment of mordants and other chemical
preparations, it has been hitherto impossible not only to produce vivid
and brilliant colors but also to fix certain classes of colours such as those
derived from aniline.
These inconveniences and the use of mordants are removed by this
Invention, which consists in incorporating silk with the cotton to be
dyed, or in other words in animalizing the cotton so as to render it silky
and to enduc it with all the superior qualities of silk for dying.
The process preferred and the means employed for putting it into
practico are as follows:-The first thing is to prepare a solution of silk. 1
A quantity of pure or waste silk containing about 40 per cent. of animal
fibre is placed in a suitable vessel, and 6 or 8 times as much of a solution
of hydrochloric acid 25° Beaumé strong is poured over it. Oxide of
copper, or oxide of ammoniacal nickel, or any other chemical agent
capable of dissolving silk may be substituted for the hydrochloric acid. 1
This silky solution is at first of a pasty consistenco, but after being
stirred for ono or two hours it becomes perfectly limpid, and is brought
to brown violet colour. The solution can be clarified by simple decan-
tation. It is then filtered by making it pass, if necessary, across quartzy
sand or other filtering substance, and water is then added until the 2
solution appears to be disturbed. The cotton to be dyed is treated with
this solution. But the cotton either in the state of fibre or tissue before
being subjected to the solution is soaked in water. When dyed it is
plunged into the silky bath or solution, and left there for two or three
minutes. As soon as removed the cotton is squeezed, and then washed 2
for one or two hours in a current of water. The washing may be per-
formed in water sharpened by an acid or alkali according to the chemical
agent employed to dissolve tho silk. By this means the fibrine of the
silk is precipitated upon the cotton threads and penetrates them so
intimately as to incorporate with them, and this renders them exceed- 3
ingly well disposed for dyeing. Upon the cotton thus animalized the
same operations of dyeing are effected as those upon silk, which as is
well known are much easier than those for cotton. All colours, including
those of aniline, can now be fixed in a rapid and economical manner;
and cotton fabrics dyed by this process possess lustre and touch 3
resembling those of silk.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas James Smith in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
5 JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of
166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas James Smith, Her special
licence that I, the said Thomas James Smith, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas James Smith,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agreo
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR TREATING FILAMENTS, THREADS, AND FABRICS TO
RENDER THEM SUITABLE FOR DYEING," (a communication to me from abroad
by Armand Muller, of Hard, Switzerland, Chemist,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas James Smith, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and scals, 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 Thomas James Smith, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
The processes at present employed for dyeing cotton are very expensive
and difficult of application, and are far from giving satisfactory results.
Notwithstanding the employment of mordants and other chemical

page_text: and brilliant colours, but also to fix certain classes of colours such as
thoso derived from aniline.
These inconveniences and the use of mordants are removed by this
Invention, which consists in incorporating silk with the cotton or other
textile material to be dyed, or in other words in animalizing the cotton
so as to render it silky and to endue it with all the superior qualities of
silk for dyeing.
The process prefered and the means employed for putting it into.
practice are as follows:-The first thing is to prepare a solution of silk.
A quantity of pure or waste silk containing about 40 per cent, of animal
fibre is placed in a suitable vessel, about one part of hydrate of potash
is added, and 6 or 8 times as much of a solution of hydrochloric acid 25°
Beaumé strong, or of sulphuric acid ¼° Beaumé strong, is poured over it.
Oxide of copper, or oxide of ammoniacal nickel, or any other chemical
agent capable of dissolving silk may be substituted for the acids. This
silky solution is at first of a pasty consistence, but after being stirred for
one or two hours it becomes perfectly limpid and is brought to a brown
violet colour. The solution can be clarified by simple decantation. It
is then filtered by making it pass, if necessary, across quartzy sand or
other filtering substance, and water is then added until the solution
appears to be disturbed. The cotton or other substance to be dyed is
treated with this solution. But it is soaked in water either in the stato
of fibre or tissue before being subjected to the solution. When dried it
is plunged into the silky bath or solution and left there for two or three
minutes. As soon as removed the cotton is squeezed and then washed
for one or two hours in a current of water.
formed in water sharpened by an acid or
chemical agent employed to dissolve the silk.
of the silk is precipitated upon the cotton threads, and penetrates them
so intimately as to be incorporated with them, and thus render them
exceedingly well disposed for dyeing. Upon the cotton or material thus
animalized the same operations of dyeing are effected as those upon
which as is well known are much easier than those for cotton. All
colours, including those of aniline, can now be fixed in a rapid and
economical manner; and cotton fabrics dyed by this process possess a
lustre and touch resembling those of silk.
The washing may be per-
alkali, according to the
By this means the fibrine
silk

page_text: And having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which it is carried into effect, I declare that I claim,—
First. The process, substantially as herein-before described for the
animalizing preparation of cotton and other material in the state of
thread or fabric.
Secondly. Dissolving silk in a solution of hydrochloric or sulphuric
acids already containing solid hydrate of potash of the proportions and
strength substantially as herein-before described.
And, Thirdly. Treating cotton and other material with the said silk
solution in order to endue them with the properties of silk so far as their
capacity to receive and hold dyes is concerned.
•
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas James Smith, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of April One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-two.