AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE BLEACHING OF FLAX AND HEMP, AND ALSO IN THE BLEACHING OF YARN AND CLOTH, OR OTHER GOODS MADE OF EITHER OF THOSE ARTICLES
Year: 1817

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLELAND, of Bolton-le-Moores, in the County Palatine of Lancaster, Gentle-
man, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-second day of
December, in the fifty-eighth year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the
said William Cleland, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, His special licence, full
power, sole priviledge and authority, that I, the said William Cleland, my
exors, admiors, and assigns, during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
BLEACHING OF FLAX AND HEMP, AND ALSO IN THE BLEACHING OF YARN AND CLOTH,
OR OTHER GOODS MADE OF EITHER OF THOSE ARTICLES;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso that if I, tho said William Cleland, shall
not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and iminediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent
should be void, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, may
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Cleland, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained as follows (that is to say) :-
That my said improvement consists in the use of yeast, and in the use of
the different kinds of saccharine and farenacious substances, which, by the pro-
cess of fermentation, are capable of being converted into artificial yeast, such
as potatoes, carrets, turnips, the flour of wheat, barley, peas, &c., &c., &c.
The mode of converting these substances into yeast being well known to
chemists, it will not be necessary to repeat it in this place. I shall therefore
proceed to shew more particularly the nature of my improvement, and the
manner in which the operation is to be performed. I take potatoes in pre-
ference as an example, as they are to be had in abundance everywhere, and
at a cheap rate, and on this account are more likely to answer the purpose of
the bleacher.
Process first-For one ton of linen yarn or cloth take half a ton of
potatoes, and about three hundred gallons of water. Boil the potatoes in the
water till they are reduced into a perfect pulp, free of lumps; having done so,
throw the said pulp into a large wooden or other fit vessel, and when it has
cooled down to 60° or 70° Fahrenheit, mix with it a bucket of yeast (which
in the course of business may be preserved from previous operations), and in
three or four days, according to the temperature, the whole will be converted
into that substance well known under the term artificial yeast. When the
yeast is thus prepared and ready for use, add as much water to it as shall be
sufficient for the whole liquid to cover a ton of yarn or cloth. The most con-
venient fermenting tun is a large square stone or brick cistern joined with
Roman cement, and into the bottom of this or other proper cistern you first
proceeed to put a layer of yarn or cloth a foot in thickness, the yarn to be
spread out the whole length of the hank, so that it may lay perfectly loose in
the liquid. After the yarn is so placed, you pour upon it as much of the
yeast liquor as is sufficient to cover it, and then another layer of yarn or
cloth and yeast liquor alternately, till the vessel is nearly full. In five or six
days, more or less, according to the temperature, the goods are to be taken
out of the fermenting ton, and washed extremely well. The remaining part
of the process of bleaching is to be executed in the usual manner by alkali
and oxymuriate of lime, and which of course forms no part of my improve-
ment.
Second process-So soon as the mixture of pulp and water has cooled
down to sixty or seventy degrees, add your bucket of yeast, as above directed,
mix the whole well together, and put it immediately upon your goods.
Third process. Take the potatoes and grate them down, and after having

page_text: made the addition of the necessary quantity of water and a bucket of yeast,
immerse your goods immediately, and proceed as specified above; and in
every case a wine gallon of liquid, or nearly so, will be necessary to cover one
pound of yarn.
In the second and third process the pulp of the potatoes, carrots, flour, or
whatever material is employed, is not converted into yeast previous to its being
put upon the yarn or cloth, &c., and by this mean a portion of time and
expence are saved; nevertheless the first process, by incans of the yeast, will
be found most advantageous.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Cleland, have hereunto set my