IMPROVEMENTS DA DE TRADIO
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Duncan Proudfoot, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Drysalter, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
DA DE TRADIO"
Sealed the 5th April 1864, and dated the 10th October 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Duncan Proudfoot at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition on the
10th October 1863.
I, DUNCAN PROUDFOOT, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Drysalter, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRINTING OR DYEING TEXTILE FABRICS," to be as follows, that is to
say:―
This Invention relates to improvements in the mode or process of producing
and clearing certain colours used in printing textile fabrics, more particularly
those colours known as "madder purples" or lilacs.
Under one modification or system of procedure the goods after coming from
the dye vat are steeped in or passed through an alkaline solution. The alkali
preferred is common soda, but other alkalies may also be used, such as pearl-
ash, potash, and others, the strength of the solution varying according to the

page_text: class of goods under treatment, but as a general rule about fifteen degrees of
strength is that used, that is, about 15 pounds of alkali to the 100 pounds of
solution. The effect of this treatment upon the goods subjected to it is that
it removes the superfluous matter or impurities of the madder employed in
the dyeing operation, and which are deposited on the cloth in a very effectual
manner, and without requiring the use of soap for this purpose. The goods
are then washed and again steeped or passed through an alkaline solution,
usually weaker than that of the first, but not always so, to which is added a
proportion of chlorine, which, as well as that of alkali in this solution, varies
according to the class of printed or dyed goods under treatment, but as a
general rule about forty degrees of chlorine to sixty degrees of the alkali is
used. The goods are next passed through a steaming chest, or through a
cistern of boiling water, and from thence into clear water. Or in lieu of
passing the goods under treatment a second time through an alkaline or
alkaline and chlorine solution, they may be finished at one operation by
passing them through either the first or last-mentioned solutions direct from
the dye vat and without the use of soap.
With these modes of treatment the
colours of the printed or dyed goods are heightened in brilliancy, and the
grounds or unprinted or undyed portions are left clear and pure. These modes
of treating or preparing printed or dyed textile fabrics are applicable to all
goods printed or dyed with madder not previously treated with acids and
alkalies. And by these means the ordinary mode of treating the goods and
cleansing them with soap is dispensed with, and a considerable saving in the
prime cost is effected.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Duncan Proudfoot in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th April 1864,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DUNCAN
PROUDFOOT, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Drysalter,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign did, for, Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the

page_text: said Duncan Proudfoot, Her speciál license, that I, the said Duncan Prouda
foot, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Duncan Proudfoot, my executors, administrators, .or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter;
5. 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
PRINTING OR DYEING TEXTILE FABRICS;" upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Duncan Proudfoot, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of
one of them, 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 Duncan Proudfoot, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to improvements in the mode or process of pro-
ducing and clearing certain colours used in printing textile fabrics, more
particularly those colours known as "madder purples" or "lilacs."
Under one modification or. system of procedure the goods after coming from
the dye vat are steeped in or passed through an alkaline solution. The alkali
preferred is common soda, but other alkalies may also be used, such as pearl-
ash, potash, and others, the strength of the solution varying according to the
class of goods under treatment, but as a general rule about fifteen degrees of
strength is that used (that is about fifteen pounds of alkali to the hundred
pounds of solution). The effect of this treatment upon the goods subjected to
it is that it removes the superfluous matter or impurities of the madder
employed in the dyeing operation, and which are deposited on the cloth in a
very effectual manner, and without requiring the use of soap for this purpose.
The goods are then washed and again steeped or passed through an alkaline
solution, usually weaker than that of the first, but not always so, to which is
added a proportion of chlorine, which as well as that of alkali in this solution
varies according to the class of printed or dyed goods under treatment, but as
a general rule about forty degrees of chlorine to sixty of the alkali is used.
The goods are next passed through a cistern of boiling water, and from 'thence.
into clear water. Or in lieu of passing the goods under treatment a secondi

page_text: time through an alkaline or alkaline and chlorine solution, they may be
finished at one operation by passing them through either the first or last
mentioned solutions direct from the dye vat and without the use of soap.
With these modes of treatment the colours of the printed or dyed goods are
heightened in brilliancy, and the grounds or unprinted or undyed portions are
left clear and pure. These modes of treating or preparing printed or dyed
textile fabrics are applicable to all goods printed and dyed with madder not
previously treated with acids and alkalies. And by these means the ordinary
mode of treating the goods and cleansing them with soap is dispensed with,
and a considerable saving in the prime cost is effected.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I shall
now proceed to describe the system, mode, or manner of carrying the same into
practical effect, that is to say, the goods after having been well washed are
steeped, passed through, or "winced" in an alkaline solution of about fifteen
After this they are
degrees of strength for a period of about ten minutes.
taken out from the cold alkaline solution and well washed in cold water, after
which the moisture is driven off from the goods either by the extractor, or by
drying them with heat in any convenient manner.
The second part of the process consists in making a solution of alkali and
chlorine, the proportions of which found to be most advantageous to employ
for ordinary purposes is one gallon of chlorine at eight degrees of strength,
seven gallons of water, and two gallons of alkali at fifteen degrees, these are
all well mixed together, after which they are put into a box or trough, and the
goods are "
padded" or passed through this, thence into a steaming chest or
If
hot water, after passing from which they enter a bath of cold water.
the effect desired to be produced is not brought about at this stage of the
process, they are again passed through a similar solution of the same or
different strength to that herein-before described. Or instead of passing the
goods through both the first and second solutions as herein-before described
they may be finished by passing them through the last solution only until the
desired shade is arrived at.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner in
which the same is or may be carried into practical effect, I would observe in
conclusion that I do not confine myself to the precise details of the processes
which I have described, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles of the Invention, but what I consider novel and
original, and therfore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent, is, the treatment of textile fabrics dyed with

page_text: madder not previously treated with acids or alkalies by the process or processes
herein-before described or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Duncan Proudfoot, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-four.
DUNCAN PROUDFOOT. (L.S.)
Witness,
J. H. YOUNG,
one of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace
for Lanarkshire.