IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF BLEACHING FIBROUS AND OTHER SUB- STANCES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Cyprien Marie Tessié du Motay and Edmond
Louis Duflos, of No. 2, Rue Drouot, in the City of Paris, in
France, Chemist and Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Cyprien Maric
Tessié Du Motay and Edmond Louis Duflos at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 9th Septem-
ber 1853.
We, CYPRIEN MARIE TESSIE DU MOTAY and EDMOND LOUIS DUFLOS,
of No. 2, Rue Drouot, in the City of Paris, in France, Chemist and
Merchaut, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF BLEACHING FIBROUS AND OTHER SUB-
STANCES" to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists of subjecting the articles to be bleached to
the action of a current of air or oxygen gas which has been acted upon

page_text: in such a manner as to convert oxygen into its allotropic form, such as
bringing it in contact with phosphorous, or acting on it by electricity,
or by the combustion of metals therein or otherwise, and we arrange
the apparatus in such a manner that the same portion of air or oxygen
gas is caused to act again and again.
Our Invention also consists of bleaching by immersing the articles
to be bleached in fluids which have the property of absorbing oxygen.
and afterwards, when heated, of releasing it in the allotropic form, or
of immersing the articles to be bleached in fluids which have the
property of yielding allotropic oxygen when acted on by other sub-
stances of the first class of fluids; the liquid hydro-carbons, oils, and
water containing green plants are examples; and of the second class,
the soluble hypochlorites and chlorates acted on by peroxide of man-
ganese or the peroxides of other metals are examples.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Cyprien Marie Tessié du Motay and Edmond
Louis Duflos in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th March
1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
CYPRIEN MARIE TESSIE DU MOTAY and EDMOND LOUIS DUFLOS, of
No. 2, Rue Drouot, in the City of Paris, in France, Chemist and
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Cyprien Marie Tessié du Motay and
Edmond Louis Duflos, Her special licence that we, the said Cyprien
Marie Tessié du Motay and Edmond Louis Duflos, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Cyprien
Marie Tessié du Motay and Edmond Louis Duflos, our 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

page_text: 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 MODE OF BLEACHING FIBROUS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Cyprien Maric Tessié du
Motay and Edmond Louis Duflos, by an instrument in writing under
our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, 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 Cyprien Marie Tessió du Motay
and Edmond Louis Duflos, 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 state-
ment thereof (that is to say):
Our Invention consists of subjecting the articles to be bleached to
the action of a current of air or oxygen gas which has been acted upon
in such a manner as to convert oxygen into its allotropic form, such as
bringing it in contact with phosphorus, or acting on it by electricity,.
or by the combustion of metals therein, or otherwise, and we arrange
the apparatus in such a manner that the same portion of air or oxygen
gas is caused to act again and again.
Our Invention also consists of bleaching by immersing the articles
to be bleached in fluids which have the property of absorbing oxygen,
and afterwards, when heated, of releasing it in the allotropic form, or
of immersing the articles to be bleached in fluids which have the
property of yielding allotropic oxygen when acted on by other sub-
stances of the first class of fluids; the liquid hydro-carbons, oils, and
water containing green plants are examples; and of the second class
the soluble hypochlorites and chlorates acted on by peroxide of man-
ganese or the peroxides of other metals are examples. And in order
that our said Invention may be more fully understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
A, is a chamber, in which the fibrous or other substances to be
bleached are placed when in a moist state. B, and C, are two smaller
chambers, one at each end of the chamber A. In the chamber C, is a
pump X, which draws the air or oxygen gas contained in the cham-
ber A, along the tube Y, and then forces it through the tube Z, back
into the chamber B, from whence it passes through the small tubes
a, b, c, d, e, f, g, &c. into the chamber A.
In the tubes a, b, &c. are placed sticks or pieces of phosphorus par-
tially immersed in water or other substance which acts in a similar
manner, and which converts the oxygen into its allotropic form, in
which form it acts on the substances, and produces the bleaching
effect. Thus the action goes on, the oxygen, being again and again
converted into its allotropic form until all the phosphorous is oxidised,
when it must be replaced by fresh, and the oxide may be again
reduced to phosphorus or used in any other convenient manner.
In carrying out the second part of our Invention we prefer to use a
liquid hydrocarbon, but any other liquid which absorbs oxygen and
which, when heated, liberates it in an allotropic form, may be used.
The liquid is prepared for use by exposing it for several days in thin
layers to the action of air and light. The substances to be bleached
are then immersed in the liquid, which is then heated, but the heat
should in no case exceed 250° or 260° Fahrenheit, and if the liquid is
of a volatile nature this heating must be effected in a close vessel.
When the bleaching is complete, the matters are freed from the
adhering bleaching liquid, and if this is of a fatty nature alkaline
leys may be used for this purpose.
In carrying out the third part of our Invention we dissolve the
soluble hypochlorite or hypochlorate employed in water in the propor-
tion of one part to about 300 parts water. In this liquid we immerse
the substances to be bleached. We then add the peroxide employed,
in small pieces or powder, and raise the temperature of the liquid to
about 100° Fahrenheit, when the effect will be produced.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner

page_text: of performing the same, we would have it understood that we do
not confine ourselves to the exact details described; but what we
claim is,-
Firstly, the bleaching of fibrous and other substances by means
of a current of oxygen in an allotropic form, as herein herein described;
and,
Secondly, the bleaching of fibrous and other substances by means of
a liquid in which oxygen in an allotropic form is liberated.
In witness whereof, we, the said Cyprien Marie Tessié du Motay
and Edmond Louis Duflos, have hereunto set our hands and
seals, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
T. BASSET,
2, Ruc Drouot.
C. M. T. DU MOTAY. (L.S.)
E. L. DUFLOS.
(L.S.)