IMPROVEMENTS IN BLUE COLORING MATTERS FOR WASHING PURPOSES, AND IN RECEPTACLES FOR CON- TAINING THE SAME READY FOR USE."
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Henry Rees, of Dennett Road, Hatcham, in
the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLUE
COLORING MATTERS FOR WASHING PURPOSES, AND IN RECEPTACLES FOR CON-
TAINING THE SAME READY FOR USE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Henry Rees at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th May 1864.
I, THOMAS HENRY REES, of Dennett Road, Hatcham, in the County of
Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BLUE COLORING MATTERS FOR WASHING PURPOSES, AND IN RECEPTACLES FOR
CONTAINING THE SAME READY FOR USE," to be as follows:-
One part of my Invention consists in the manufacture and employment of
a compound blue coloring matter for washing purposes, composed of. Prussian
blue (ferrocyanide of potassium) mixed with the juice or extract of litchens.
The composition may consist of about equal volumes of each of the substances,
but I do not limit myself to that proportion. The advantages of this compo-
sition are, that it is soluble in water, which indigo is not, and is more brilliant
than that color; it is furthermore equally permanent, both in acids and alkalies,
and is therefore not affected by the soda used in washing.
Another part of my Invention consists in mixing with the before described

page_text: or any other blue coloring matter that is used as wasbing blue, other materials,
by preference of a soluble nature, such as magnesia, that are of a less specific
gravity than water, and that do not injure linen or other textile fabrics that
require to be colored, and in enclosing such mixture in small bags of flannel,
serge, or other suitable textile fabric ready for use. Such bags so filled will,
on account of the specifically light substance mixed with the blue contained
in them, float on the surface of the water, and will consequently be convenient
for washing purposes. The proportion of the specifically light material to be
employed will depend upon the nature of the same, as also of the blue coloring
matter as regards their specific gravity.
Another part of my Invention consists in enclosing the before described or
any description of washing blue, by preference in a powdered or granulated
form, in small bags of flannel, serge, or other suitable textile fabric ready for
use, which bags are provided with handles of any suitable form, by preference
of materials such as wood or cork that are specifically lighter than water and
that will cause such bags to float in the water. In some cases I form the piece
of wood or other material of which the handle is made so as to pass through
the bag to the bottom of the same, and fix the bag to the wood by means of a
brass or tinned nail.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Henry Rees in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd November 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,. I, THOMAS
HENRY REES, of Dennett Road, Hatcham, in the County of Surrey, send
greeting.
3
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year of, our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto.
me, the said Thomas Henry Rees, Her special licence that I, the said.
Thomas Henry Rees, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Thomas Henry Rees, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,

page_text: an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BLUE COLORING MATTERS FOR WASHING PUR-
POSES, AND IN RECEPTACLES FOR CONTAINING THE SAME READY FOR USE," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Henry Rees, my execu-
tors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, 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 Thomas Henry Rees, 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 follow-
ing statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
One part of my Invention consists in the manufacture and employment of
a compound blue coloring matter for washing purposes composed of Prussian
blue (ferrocyanide of potassium) mixed with the juice or extract of lichens.
If the Prussian blue be manufactured for the purpose, so as to be in a liquid
state, then the compound blue is obtained in a liquid state by simply mixing
together about equal volumes of the Prussian blue, and the extract or juice of
lichens, the latter being obtained by mascerating the orchella root, or the roots,
stalks, or leaves of lichens, in a weak alkaline solution, or by dissolving the
dry extract of lichens (cudbear) in an alkaline solution. If, however, the
Prussian blue to be employed is in the solid form, then in order to dissolve
it for the purpose of mixing with the extract of lichens, I place, say, ten
pounds of the Prussian blue in an earthenware pan, and add to it five pounds
of oxalic acid and five gallons of cold water. This mixtare is allowed to
stand for about twenty-four hours, being frequentiy stirred until all is dissolved,
after which five gallons of the strongest extract of lichens is added. The
compound blue thus prepared may be employed either in the liquid form, or it
may be reduced to a paste or powder by evaporation, or it may be formed into
a powder by the admixture of muriate of soda (common salt), sulphate of
soda, sulphate of magnesia, or any other suitable soluble salt or substance
that exerts no chemical action injurious to the color, but I prefer to employ
muriate of soda for the purpose in the proportion of about five hundredweight
of the same to the quantities of other ingredients above mentioned. This is
thoroughly incorporated with the other ingredients in a mixing mill, and is
then spread upon canvas, strainers to dry. The advantages of the above
described compound blue color are, that it is soluble in water, which indigo is

page_text: .
not, and that it is more brilliant than that color. It is furthermore equally
permanent, both in acids and alkalies, and is therefore not affected by the soda
used in washing..
Another part of my Invention consists in mixing with the before described
or any other blue coloring matter that is used as "washing blue" other
materials, by preference of a soluble nature such as magnesia, that are of a
less specific gravity than water, and that do not injure linen or other textile
fabrics that require to be colored, and in enclosing such mixture in small bags
of flannel, serge, or other suitable textile fabric ready for use. Such bags so
filled will, on account of the specifically light substance mixed with the blue
contained in them, float on the surface of the water, and will consequently be
convenient for washing purposes.
In applying my before described compound blue to this part of my Invention
I prefer to place it in the bags mixed merely with the muriate of soda or
other suitable salt or substance as above described with reference to the first
part of my Invention. Such compound blue is by preference first packed into,
paper cases whilst still slightly damp, whereby it is rendered more compact
and firm, and it is then enclosed in. bags of coburg, linsey, cashmere, serge,
flannel, or of any other suitable porous fabric. When the blue is first
enclosed in a paper case the latter should be pierced previous to placing it in
the flannel or other bag, so as to allow the water to enter it quickly when
required for use.
Another part of my Invention consists in enclosing the before described
compound blue or any description of washing blue, by preference in a powdered
or granulated form, in small bags of coburg, linsey, cashmere, serge, flannel,
or of any other suitable porous fabric ready for use, which bags are pro-
vided with handles of any suitable form, by preference of materials such as
wood or cork, that are specifically lighter than water, and that will cause such
bags to float in the water. In some cases I form the piece of wood or other
material of which the handle is made so as to pass through the bag to the
bottom of the same, and fix the bag to the wood by means of a brass or
tinned nail.
Figure 1 on the accompanying Drawing shews such a bag A, with à looped
handle B formed of blind cord or other material for the convenience of hanging
up. Figure 2 shews a section of a bag A, with a handle B of wood, cork, or
other suitable material that will cause the bag to float in the water, and
Figure 3 shews a section of a bag A, in which the piece of wood, cork, or
other material forming the handle B passes through to the bottom of the bag,
which is secured to it by a nail C.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself
to the proportions of the ingredients as herein-before set forth for making my
compound blue coloring matter for washing purposes, as they may be variously
modified without departing from the nature of that part of my Invention, nor
do I limit myself to the precise form of the bags as shown on the accompanying
Drawing, but what I claim is,―
First, the manufacture and employment of a compound blue coloring
matter for washing purposes consisting of Prussian blue (ferrocyanide of
potassium) mixed with extract of lichens, whether such compound be employed
alone or mixed with muriate of soda, sulphate of soda, sulphate of magnesia,
or other suitable soluble salts or substances, and whether contained in bags
or not.
Second, mixing the said compound blue coloring matter, or any other
blue coloring matter that is used for washing purposes, with powdered or
granulated substances, such as magnesia, wood, or cork, that are of a specifi-
cally light nature, and enclosing such mixture in bags of coburg, linsey,
cashmere, alpaca, serge, flannel, or other suitable porous fabric ready for
use.
Third, enclosing the said compound blue coloring matter, or any other blue
coloring matter that is used for washing purposes, in bags of coburg, linsey,
cashmere, alpaca, serge, flannel, or other suitable porous fabric ready for use,
which bags are provided with any description of handle of wood, cork, or
other suitable material, substantially and for the purposes as herein-before set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Henry Rees, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
THOMAS HENRY REES. (L.S.)