IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COLORING MATTERS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Laurent and John Casthelaz, of No. 19,
Rue Ste. Croix de la Bretonnerie, Paris, Chemists, for the Invention of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Laurent and
John Casthelaz, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 24th December 1861.
We, FRANÇOIS LAURENT, and JOHN CASTHELAZ, of No. 19, Rue Ste. Croix
de la Bretonnerie, Paris, Chemists, do hereby declare the nature of the
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COLORING MATTERS," to
be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
coloring matters. For this purpose we take nitro-benzine or nitro-toluine, or
other homologue of nitro-benzine, or a mixture of these substances, or a
substance containing some or one of them, and by a process of deoxidization we
obtain the color required, which may be either red, blue, or violet, according
to the method in which the deoxidizing process is conducted, and the extent
to which it is carried. The deoxidizing process, which we prefer is to mix
with the nitro-benzine, or other material, iron filings, and hydrochloric acid,

page_text: but in place of iron and hydrochloric acid, some other metals and acids, or some
salts may be employed. The coloring matters when formed, may be purified
by dissolving them in water, and precipitating them by saline solutions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said François Laurent and John Casthelaz in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 24th June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FRANÇOIS
LAURENT and JOHN CASTHELAZ, of No. 19. Rue Ste. Croix de la Bretonnerie,
Paris, Chemists, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said François Laurent and John Casthelaz, Her special licence
that we, the said François Laurent, and John Sasthelaz, our executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said François Laurent
and John Cast helaz, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 COLORING MATTERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said François Laurent, and John Casthelaz, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands
and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or 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 we, the said François Laurent and John Casthelaz,
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 :-
This Invention bas for its object improvements in the manufacture of
coloring matters. For this purpose we take nitro-benzine or nitro-toluine

page_text: or other homologue of nitro-benzine, or a mixture of these substances, or a
substance containing some or one of them, and by a process of deoxidization
we obtain a red color, varying somewhat in shade, according to the method in
which the deoxidizing process is conducted, and the extent to which it is
carried. The deoxidizing process which we prefer is to mix with the nitro-
benzine, or other material, iron filings and hydrochloric acid, but in place of
iron and hydrochloric acid some other metals and acids or some salts may be
employed. The coloring matter when formed, may be purified by dissolving
it in water and precipitating it by saline solutions.
And in order that our said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, we will proceed to describe more in detail the
processes we employ. The nitro-benzine to be treated need not be in a pure
state, but may be mixed with nitro-toluine, and other of its homologues, or
one or a mixture of several of the homologues of nitro-benzine may be
substituted for this substance. In preparing the red coloring matter which
we call "erythro-benzine" we take 12 parts of nitro-benzine, preferring
that prepared (with nitric acid in the usual manner) from benzine, boiling at
a temperature from 85° to 100° Centigrade, or even it may be to 140°
Centrigrade, to this we add 24 parts of fine iron filings, and 6 parts of concen-
trated commercial hydrochloric acid, this mixture we allow to stand for twenty-
four hours or thereabouts at the ordinary temperature, without application of
artificial heat. We thus obtain a solid mass having a resinous appearance
containing iron, chloride of iron, and erythro-benzine, this we crush and
extract with water, the clear solution we precipitate by adding to it chloride
of sodium or other salts. The color thus precipitated, after being again
dissolved and precipitated, is ready for use, and it may be employed for dyeing
and printing. In place of employing iron filings, in conjunction with hydro-
chloric acid, some other metals and acids, which in acting on each other,
generate hydrogen gas may be employed, as, for example, zinc and sulphuric
acid, as may also some substances which have a tendency to combine with
oxygen, or deoxidizing agents which are not too energetic in their action may
be employed, but the process which we have described is that which we
prefer: If nitro-benzine is exposed to the action of a powerful deoxidizing
process, it becomes changed, as is well known, into aniline, so that it is
necessary that the deoxidizing process should be properly regulated, as it is
in the process which we have described.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we do not confine

page_text: to the exact
What Wo
producing reu
coloring matters, as herein described by the action of a deoxidizing agent or
nitro-benzine and it homologues.
In witness whereof, we, the said François Laurent and John Casthelaz,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twentieth day of June, in 5
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JN. CASTHELAZ. (L.S.)
(L.S.)
F. LAURENT.