AN IMPROVED METHOD OF COLORING KEROSINE AND OTHER MINERAL OIL
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of the firm of A. M. and
W Clark of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents for an Invention of AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
COLORING KEROSINE AND OTHER MINERAL OIL communicated to him from
abroad by Howard Richard Burk, of Brooklyn in the County of Kings and
State of New York United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th April 1883.
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A M and W. Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents
"AN IMROVED METHOD OF COLORING KEROSENE AND OTHER MINERAL OIL
[communicated to him from abroad by Howard Richard Burk, of Brooklyn in
the County of Kings and State of New York United States of America]
The object of this Invention is to impart the desired color to kerosene and other
mineral oil in such a manner that the quality of the oil shall not be impaired and
that the color shall be retained and will not settle. Coloring matter will not
combine with keresone oil, nor dissolve in the same on account of the peculiar
qualities of kerosene and if finely divided or powdered coloring matter is mixed
with kerosene oil it is only suspended mechanically and will settle after a certain
time, and the kerosene will lose its artificial color and resume its natural color.
Besides, the mixture of finely divided coloring matter impairs the quality of the
kerosene oil. The present Invention relates to a method designed to obviate the
above objections and to give the kerosene a permanent color and consists in coloring
very intensely some solid or fluid substance or vehicle which will dissolve in or
thoroughly mix with the kerosene oil. For instance any fat, grease, oil, etc. that
will readily dissolve in or mix with kerosene and will not impair the quality of the
same, is colored very intensely and is then dissolved in or mixed with, the kerosene,
and imparts its color to the same in such a manner that the color will be permanent,

page_text: and the quality of the kerosene will not be impaired. For example, salts of copper,
or any other analogous salts, are dissolved in some oil that will readily mix with
kerosene, for instance olive oil—and then the intensely colored olive oil is mixed
with the kerosene. With one quart of olive or other oil, colored as described
above, I can color from two to three hundred quarts of kerosene oil. The color is 5
not given to the kerosene for the purpose of giving it the color of a better quality
of oil, as all qualities of kerosene oil can be colored in this manner, but only for
appearance as most kerosene is burned in glass lamps and thus can be seen, and
for that reason it is desired to give the kerosene as pleasing a color as possible.
I do not limit myself to the coloring of kerosene oil in the manner described 1
above but can color any mineral oil by the above described method.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
i. by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th October 1883.
"
.
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and W, Clark, of 53, Chancery
Lane; in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents
AN IMPROVED METHOD OF COLORING KEROSENE AND OTHER MINERAL OIL A
communication to me from abroad by Howard Richard Burk, of Brooklyn, in
the County of Kings and state of New York, United States of America
As kerosene oil is generally burned in glass lamps and can thus be seen it is
desirable that the oil shall have a color that is pleasing to the eye, a blue or bluish
color being the favorite and kerosene oil having this color is consequently more
saleable than the ordinary oil.
The object of this invention is to impart to kerosene and other mineral oil the
desired blue or bluish color in such a manner that the quality of the oil shall not
be impaired and that the color shall be retained and not settle.
Coloring matter will not combine with kerosene oil, nor dissolve in the same on
account of the peculiar qualities of kerosene and if finely divided or powdered
coloring matter is mixed with kerosene oil it is only suspended mechanically and
will settle after a certain time, and the kerosene will lose its artificial color and
resume its natural color. Moreover the mixture of finely divided coloring matter
impairs the quality of the kerosene oil..
The present invention relates to a method designed to obviate the above objection
and to give the kerosene a permanent color. The invention consists in coloring
very intensely some solid or fluid substance or vehicle which will dissolve in or
thoroughly mix with the kerosene oil. For instance any fat, grease, oil, etc, that
will readily dissolve in or mix with kerosene and will not impair the quality of
the same, is colored very intensely and is then dissolved in or mixed with the
kerosene, and imparts its color to the same in such a manner that the color will be
permanent, and the quality of the kerosene will not be impaired. For example,
salts of copper, or any other analogous salts, are dissolved in some oil that will
readily mix with kerosene,-for instance olive oil,-and then the intensely colored
olive oil is mixed with the kerosene. With one quart of olive, or other oil, colored
as described above I can color from two to three hundred quarts of kerosene oil.
The color is not given to the kerosene for the purpose of giving it color of a
better quality of oil, as all qualities of kerosene oil can be colored in this manner,
but only for appearance as most kerosene, as above mentioned, is burned in glass
lamps and can thus be seen, and for that reason it is desired to give the kerosene
as pleasing a color as possible.
I do not limit myself to the coloring of kerosene oil in the manner described
above but can color any mineral oil by the above described method.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same I would observe that I am aware that broadly it is not new to color
kerosene by introducing therein a coloring substance unaccompanied by a vehicle or
agent conducive to the intimate union of the same with the kerosene but that what
I claim as the invention to be protected by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent is:-
1 The method herein described of coloring kerosene and other mineral oil which
consists in coloring a substance soluble in or capable of being thoroughly mixed
with the kerosene or other mineral oil and then dissolving or mixing the said

page_text: substance or vehicle with the kerosene or other mineral oil as and for the purpose
Bet forth.
2nd The described vehicle for coloring kerosene or other mineral oil which
consists of a substance soluble in or capable of being thoroughly mixed with the
kerosene or other mineral oil and of a coloring material dissolved in the said
substance as and for the purpose set forth.
In Witness whereof I the said Alexander Melville Clark have hereunto set
my hand and seal this eighteenth day of October in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three..
A M CLARK (L.S.)