IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAINTS AND PIGMENTS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arnold Morton, of Wakefield, in the County of York,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAINTS AND
PIGMENTS."
Sealed the 17th June 1856, and dated the 5th April 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arnold Morton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th April 1856.
I, ARNOLD MORTON, of Wakefield, in the County of York, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF PAINTS AND PIGMENTS, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements upon a former Patent, dated
13th July 1853, No. 1667, by which the processes therein described are by
these improvements simplified and rendered more efficient; and further, by an
improved mode of combining the materials, the colors are rendered faster and
more permanent than by the mode of manufacturing paints and pigments as
set forth in the said former Patent, No. 1667; and the principal features of
novelty of these improvements consist in a new mode of combining and treating
the materials referred to in the Specification of the said former Patent, which I
effect, firstly, by reducing or re-subduing the coloring matters (after they have
been subdued by acids or sulphates in the manner set forth and described in

page_text: the Specification of my said former Patent). This I effect by the use of
dissolved soap only previous to or after the color has been incorporated with
the vehicles, or, in entirely or partially reducing or subduing the coloring
matters by the use of dissolved soap only, when such colors have or have not
previously been reduced or subdued by acids or otherwise, as mentioned in the
said former Patent.
The nature of these improvements will be better understood by the following
explanation of the means by which they may be effected; and, first, as regards
colors, I combine and treat them as follows:-I take eight ounces of yellow or
other soap
and dissolve it in as little water as possible by heat; I then take
from two to three pints of skimmed milk and mix the same with the dissolved
soap; I then add to the above mixture, when perfectly cold, from 6 to 8 ounces
of the best alum powdered, and mix the whole well together, and afterwards
pass them through an horizontal color mill, the grinding surfaces whereof
should be capable of resisting the action of acids, so as not prejudicially to
affect the color; I next take China clay, and add thereto sufficient alum to be
in excess of the clay, and incorporate the two by grinding. I take of soap,
say, 8 ounces dissolved in about 1 pint of water by heat, and when cold I
partly or wholly subdue the above mixture of alum and clay by the dissolved
soap, and to this mixture I add as much of the vehicle No. 1, herein-after
described, as will properly fix the same; to render it a durable paint and, if
necessary, a saponaceous solution may be passed over the mixture, as in the
former Patent.
Another mode of combining and treating colors is as follows:-I take
sulphate of lead, sulphate of barytes, or dry zinc, white, adding thereto a
sufficient quantity of the dissolved soap to partly reduce or wholly subdue any
acid which may exist, and to these may be added any of the vehicles, according
to their affinities, as herein-after referred to, for fixing the same. In like
manner I treat white lead, using the sulphate of lead vehicle described in my
former Specification as a fixer.
Another mode of combining and treating colors is as follows:-I take lime,
and prepare it according to the mode set forth in the Specification of my said
former Patent, and then incorporate it with dissolved soap only, and fix the
saine with either of the vehicles hereafter referred to. And in this manner I
treat all the other colors or stainers subdued by acids or otherwise, as men-
tioned in the Specification of my said former Patent, by the use of dissolved
soap as above mentioned."
The following is the improved mode, above referred to, of manufacturing
the vehicle No. 2 :-I reduce the soap to a semifluid state in a pug mill

page_text: with cold skimmed milk, by mixing the soap cut in slices in a pug mill
with the milk, and then passing the same through the color mill before
mentioned, until the soap and milk are perfectly incorporated; I then add
alum thereto, as before mentioned, so as to be slightly in excess, and pass the
mixture through the color mill. And by these means I preserve the nature of
the milk, and dispense with the necessity for employing heat and water, as in
the former above-mentioned process. After having subdued body, colors, and
stainers, by the means mentioned in the Specification of my said former
Patent, I further entirely or partly subdue the same by the use of the above-
mentioned dissolved soap only, and add thereto any of the vehicles mentioned
either in this or in the Specification of my said former Patent, according to
the affinities of the ingredients, vehicle No. 8. I add to the above mentioned
milky and saponaceous compounds a sufficient quantity of pure or rough
sulphate of zinc as that, when the whole is incorporated into a mixture by
grinding, the zinc shall be moderately in excess, or in lieu of sulphate of zinc
or alum, I employ sugar of lead.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Arnold Morton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th October 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ARNOLD
MORTON, of Wakefield, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Arnold Morton Her special licence, that I, the said Arnold Morton, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Arnold
Morton, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF PAINTS AND PIGMENTS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Arnold Morton, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my or their, or one of their hands and seals,

page_text: 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 Arnold Morton, 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:-
My Invention relates to certain improvements upon a former Patent, dated
Thirteenth July, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, No. 1667, by.
which the processes therein described are by these improvements simplified,
and rendered more efficient; and further, by an improved mode of combining
the materials, the colors are rendered faster and more permanent than by the
mode of manufacturing paints and pigments as set forth in the said former
Patent, No. 1667; and the principal features of novelty of these improvements
consist in a new mode of combining and treating the materials referred to in
the Specification of my said former Patent, which I effect, firstly, by reducing
or re-subduing the coloring matters (after or before they have been subdued by
acids or sulphates in the manner set forth and described in the Specification
of my said former Patent). This I effect by the use of dissolved soap only, or
a semi-vehicle hereafter mentioned, previous to or after the color has been
incorporated with the vehicles, or, in entirely or partially reducing or subduing
the coloring matters by the use of dissolved soap only or semi-vehicle afore-
said, when such colors have or have not previously been reduced or subdued
by acids or otherwise, as mentioned in the said former Patent.
The nature of these improvements will be better understood by the following
explanation of the means by which they may be effected; and, first, as regards
colors, I combine and treat them as follows:-I take eight ounces of yellow or
other soap and dissolve it in as little water as possible by heat; I then take
from two to three pints of skimmed milk, and mix the same with the dissolved
soap; I then add to the above mixture, when perfectly cold, from 6 to 8
ounces of the best alum powdered, and mix the whole well together, and after-
wards pass them through an horizontal color mill, the grinding surfaces
whereof should he capable of resisting the action of acids, so as not pre-
judicially to affect the color; I next take China clay and add thereto sufficient
alum to be in excess of the clay, and incorporate the two by grinding. I take
of soap, say, 8 ounces dissolved in about 1 pint of water by heat, and when
cold 1 partly or wholly subdue the above mixture of alum and clay by the
dissolved soap or semi-vehicle hereafter panied, and to this mixture I add as

page_text: much of the vehicle No. 1, herein-after described, as will properly fix the same
to render it a durable paint; and, if necessary, a saponaceous solution may be
passed over the mixture, according to the mode set forth in a former Patent,
dated Thirteenth July, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, No. 1667,
intituled "Improvements in the Manufacture of Paints, Pigments, and
Materials for House Painting, Paper Staining, and Decorative Purposes
generally."
Another mode of combining and treating colors is as follows:-1 take
sulphate of lead, sulphate of barytes, or dry zinc, white, adding thereto a
sufficient quantity of the dissolved soap only; or I use vehicle aforesaid to
partly reduce or wholly subdue any acid which may exist, and to these may be
added any of the vehicles, according to their affinities, as hereafter referred
to, for fixing the same. In like manner I treat white lead, using the sulphate
of lead vehicle, described in my former Specification as a fixer.
Another mode of combining and treating colors is as follows:-I take lime,
and prepare it according to the mode set forth in the Specification of my said
former Patent, and then incorporate it with dissolved soap only, or semi-
vehicle aforesaid, and fix the same with either of the vehicles herein-after
referred to, and in this manner I treat all the other colors or stainers subdued
by acids or otherwise, as mentioned in the Specification of my said former
Patent, by the use of dissolved soap only, or semi-vehicle aforesaid, as above
mentioned.
The following is the improved mode above referred to of of manufacturing
the vehicle No. 2:-I reduce the soap to a semi-fluid state in a pug mill with
cold skimmed milk, by mixing the soap cut in slices in a pug mill with the
milk, and then passing the same through the color mill before mentioned
until the soap and milk are perfectly incorporated; I then add alum thereto,
as before mentioned, so as to be slightly in excess, and pass the mixture
through the color mill, and by these means I preserve the nature of the milk,
and dispense with the necessity for employing heat and water, as in the former
above mentioned process. After having subdued body colours and staiuers by
the means mentioned in the Specification of my said former Patent, I further
entirely or partly subdue the same by the use of the above mentioned dissolved
soap only, or semi-vehicle hereafter named, and add thereto any of the vehicles
mentioned, either in this or in the Specification of my said former Patent,
according to the affinities of the ingredients.
To form vebicle No. 8, I add to the above mentioned milky and saponaceous
compounds a sufficient quantity of pure or rough sulphate of zinc as that, when

page_text: the whole is incorporated into a mixture by grinding, the zinc shall be
moderately in excess; or, in lieu of sulphate of zinc or alum, I employ sugar
of lead.
I now proceed to describe the mode practised by me for preparing the
several vehicles employed; and, first, as regards No. 1 vehicle, I take 10 gallons
of skimmed milk, and slice into same 26 pounds of best pale yellow soap;
these I put into a pug mill and agitate same by steam power, or otherwise,
until the whole is dissolved, and pass the same through a color mill or fine
sieve;
I then add 10 gallons more milk, and about 20 pounds of alum
powdered, more or less, and mix same well in a pug mill, and afterwards
incorporate the whole by grinding through a horizontal color mill, whose
surfaces must resist the action of alum, etcetera; when thoroughly incorporated
the alum must be only slightly in excess, or I put the whole 20 gallons of
milk in at first.
To form No. 2 vehicle, I take 26 pounds best pale yellow soap, and dissolve
same by steam or otherwise in as little water as possible; I then add 20 gallons
of skimmed milk, perfectly incorporating the whole by a moderate heat; then
pass the same through a fine sieve, and, when cold, mix same (in a pug mill
as before stated) with about 20 pounds of alum, more or less, and when ground
the alum should be slightly in excess.
To prepare vehicle No. 3, I take same quantity of skimmed milk, same of
soap, treated in either way as above stated, using pure or rough sulphate
of zinc (in lieu of alum,) which also when ground together must be slightly
in excess.
To prepare vehicle No. 4, called a semi-vehicle, I take skimmed milk and
soap in same proportions, and treat them the same way as either Nos. 1 or 2
vehicles; this requires neither alum nor acids.
To prepare vehicle No. 5, I take same quantities of skimmed milk, and
soap, and treat them as stated in Nos. 1 or 2 vehicles in every respect, but
using sugar of lead in lieu of alum or zinc. It may be convenient, in some
instances, to mix same proportions of milk and soap by hand, using a plunger,
until the soap is so far dissolved as to require only a little heat to incorporate
the whole, treating the same when cold as stated in Nos. 1, 2, 3, or 5.
To prepare a body, white, from China clay, take any quantity, say 56
pounds sifted, to this add 14 to 28 pounds ground alum, saturate same with hot
or cold water, and incorporate same by grinding, the alum to be slightly in
excess; I then partly subdue the whole by dissolved soap only, or by semi-
vehicle No. 4, and again pass the whole through the mill; I then add any

page_text: of the vehicles Nos. 1, 2, 3, or 5, it being optional as all will agree, to
render same permanent and usable as a paint, passing the whole through a
mill or fine sieve.
'
To prepare a white from sulphate of lead, I saturate same in a pug mill
with semi-vehicle No. 4, or dissolved soap only sufficient to grind it, adding
sufficient zinc, vehicle No. 3, to fix same as a paint, and if found necessary I
partly subdue any excess of acid by dissolved soap only or semi-vehicle No. 4. In
like manner I treat dry white lead, dry zinc, white sulphate of barytes, etcetera.
To prepare a body, white, from lime, take Gibraltar, Plymouth marble, or
stone lime, preference being given in the order above stated, slack the same
to the consistence of very thin mortar, and when cold take any given quan-
tity of the same, first picking out the core.
Take also an equal quantity by
measure of pulverized genuine alum, passed through a sieve of 8 or 10
meshes to the inch, put the lime into a pug mill driven by any useful power,
diluting the same with water to the consistence of cream. Let this settle about
half an hour, then draw off the fine solution into another vessel. To this
sediment add the alum, continuing the motion, the more speed the better;
this must be continued for half an hour, when the alum will be found to have
decomposed the lime. You may then add gradually the finer solution of lime,
already drawn off which acts very visibly, and the whole mass becomes heated
until it has received nearly sufficient to decompose the alum. The working of
the same must be kept up at least three hours, and must not cease any length
of time until the operation is complete. The best test for ascertaining the
sufficiency of the quantity of lime, is by applying the tip of the tongue to the
same; if there be not sufficient lime no readily appreciable effect will be felt
by the tongue, but, if sufficient, a very sharp acrid effect will be felt; this
being ascertained, continue the working for another hour, repeatedly testing the
tongue as before, and if the acrid effect ceases more lime must be cautiously
added, and worked until it returns and remains. Let this stand twenty-four
hours at least, or any longer time convenient. Set the mill in motion, adding
water gradually, until it is sufficiently thinned to admit of being plunged
in more water. Draw off the same into another vessel, adding more water
gradually, continuing the plunging until the same is thinned to the consistence
of milk, and pass it through a sieve (of 110 or 120 meshes to the inch) into
a strainer, and when the water has passed off through the strainer, the same
must be pressed to the consistence of satin, white, as at present used by paper
stainers, but differing as it possesses a superior body, approaching more to
enamel. To this I add dissolved soap only, or semi-vehicle No. 4, so as
partially to impregnate same; I then add vehicle No. 1 to fix same.

page_text: As regards stainers, I treat them according to their affinities (as follows) :—
I take burnt umber, raw umber, stone ochre, raw or burnt, raw sienna, burnt
sienna, Vandyke brown, brown ochre, Venetian red, Indian red, or any other
colors of the nature of clays or argillaceous earths, burnt or raw, and subdue
them slightly with powdered 'alum, sulphate of zinc, or acetic acid, by grinding,
and afterwards partially re-subdue the same by soap only or by semi-vehicle
No. 4, passing the whole through a color mill, then incorporate them with
either of the vehicles Nos. 1, 2, 3, or 5, sufficiently to render them as a fixed
paint, incorporating the whole by passing the same through the mill or a fiue
sieve. Red lead may be ground in semi-vehicle No. 4, or not, and incor-
porated with any of the vehicles Nos. 1, 2, 3, or 5, or ground in 1, 2, 3,
or 5 vehicles only. Ultramine blue and Prussian blue may be ground in
semi-vehicle No. 4, or weak solution of soap only, and afterwards incor-
porated with any of the vehicles, or may be only ground in any of the vehicles
Nos. 1, 2, 3, or 5, or if necessary by soap only or semi-vehicle. Chrome yellows
I saturate with semi-vehicle No. 4, sufficiently to grind it, adding any of the
vehicles Nos. 1, 2, 3, or 5, or ground in 1, 2, 3, or 5 vehicles only. In like
manner I treat mineral vegetable drop or lamp blacks. Vermillion and lakes may
be ground and fixed with vehicles Nos. 3 or 5 alone, or previously saturated in
semi-vehicle No. 4. Emerald greens, Persian red, and Vandyke red, saturate
and grind same in vehicle No. 4, and fix same with vehicles Nos. 1, 2, 3, or 5,
or grind in 1, 2, 3, or 5 vehicles only. Brunswick greens may be mixed in
"semi-vehicle No. 4, diluted or not, and fixed by vehicles Nos. 2, 3, or 5, very
slightly in excess of acid.
In preparing paints, pigments, and colors as above stated, it will be necessary
to observe great care in duly admixing and compounding the same; and this
must be especially kept in view with the finer kind of colors, such as lakes for
instance.
In using these paints and pigments when they are required, after drying
on the wall or work, to become hard and impervious to water and soaps it will
become necessary to coat the same with a saponaceous solution composed
of soap (by preference the best pale yellow) dissolved by boiling in water to
the consistence of boiled linseed oil when in a warm state (in which state it
should be used) and sufficient to decompose any acid that may be in the work ;
or, the same may be passed over cold when dry; and in mixing and compounding.
these paints, pigments, or colors it will be sufficient test that they are duly
admixed and compounded when such solution, on being applied to a surface
painted or colored therewith, does not curdle thereon; and, should any such
curdling take place, then in order to rectify the paint, pigment, or color, resort

page_text: must be had to thoroughly incorporating therewith a sufficient quantity of..
semi-vehicle No. 4 to prevent such curdling; and if a painter should find any
such curdling arise on the surface, upon using any such paint or pigment, he
must rinse off the curdle and allow the work to dry, re-applying the solution.
I also treat the following body colors or stainers, with semi-vehicle No. 4, only.
by saturating them and grinding them in the same, (viz.) China clay, burnt.
umber, raw umber, stone ochre, raw or burnt, raw sienna, burnt sienna,
Vandyke brown, brown ochre, Venetian red, Indian red, or any other colors of
the nature of clays, or argillaceous earths, either burnt or raw.
These may.
be partially or wholly subdued or ground in semi-vehicle No. 4, and after-
wards treated with alum, sulphate of zinc, acetic acid, or sugar of lead, and.
ground as aforesaid, allowing a slight excess of either acid to remain, and, if.
necessary, subdued by semi-vehicle or soap only. The semi-vehicle No. 4:
might even be incorporated with any dry pigment, color, or material for painting.
prepared in the manner heretofore practised, and then painted with, by passing.
over the same when dry an acid solution, and when this is dried in the sapo-.
naceous solution aforesaid. The before-mentioned vehicles 1, 2, 3, and 5 may.
be incorporated with any of the pigments or colors used by paper stainers, or
any other pigments or colors not enumerated, according to the affinity of such
vehicles, and it might even be sufficient simply to first grind such pigment or
color in water without any other preparation, and no gums, oils, dryers, or
spirits will be required on being applied as aforesaid; and, in compounding or
finally preparing these paints, pigments, or colors for painting, paper staining,
and coloring, they are to be thinned or reduced by water only, or diluted
vehicles, according to affinities as found necessary. And it may be remarked
that, although I have given directions for the preparing, mixing, and com-
pounding of paints, pigments, colors, or materials for painting, paper staining,
and decorative purposes generally, yet, as regards distemper colours, it might be
sufficient to paint a surface with them as prepared in the ordinary manner, and
when dry to coat the same with any of the vehicles aforesaid, except No. 4,
and afterwards pass over a solution of soap only. The saponaceous solution
which I use in subduing or re-subduing is made by dissolving best pale yellow
soap in sufficient water to form a paste, and which, if found necessary, may be
thinned with water.
The above vehicles, Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 5, may be passed over all distemper
colors after being thoroughly dry, if they have been properly fixed as practised
by paper stainers, &c., and thereby rendered washable to a great extent, and if
necessary a saponaceous solution may be passed over the same, which will
render it more wearable. Excess of acid in any of the before-mentioned

page_text: mixtures may be lessened by a solution of soap only, or semi-vehicle No. 4
diluted or not, passing the whole through a mill or fine sieve, thus requiring
less saponaceous solution as an after application. Notwithstanding all I have
stated above, all colors, heretofore named, may be ground in semi-vehicle No. 4,
and afterwards subdued by any of the acids according to their affinities as
aforesaid, and re-subdued at option.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention of
"Improvements in the Manufacture of Paints and Pigments," together with
the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect,
I would remark, in conclusion, that I do not intend to limit or confine myself to
the exact quantities above set forth, as they will entirely depend on the relative
qualities and strengths of the various ingredients used, and which are not
always to be had of uniform quality. But what I claim as my Invention is,
the use of dissolved soap only, or semi-vehicle, for reducing or re-subduing
coloring matters employed in the manufacture of paints and pigments, after
they have or not been subdued by acids, as above described, and also in the
compounding of the vehicles aforesaid.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arnold Morton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of October, in the year of our Lord,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
ARNOLD MORTON. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALEX PRINCE, Patent Agent,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.