IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING TEXTILE FABRICS AND MATERIALS IN ORDER TO BLEACH OR REMOVE COLOR, OR TO APPLY OR BRIGHTEN COLOR GENERALLY OR TOPICALLY; AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Ballingall Hutcheson and James Johnston Dobbie,
M.A., D.Sc., both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Chemists, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING TEXTILE FABRICS
AND MATERIALS IN ORDER TO BLEACH OR REMOVE COLOR, OR TO APPLY
OR BRIGHTEN COLOR GENERALLY OR TOPICALLY; AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ballingall Hutcheson
and James Johnston Dobbie at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 18th February 1882.
JOHN BALLINGALL HUTCHESON, and JAMES JOHNSTON DOBBIE, M.A., D.Sc. both
of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Chemists. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TREATING TEXTILE FABRICS AND MATERIALS, IN ORDER TO BLEACH or
REMOVE COLOR, OR TO APPLY OR BRIGHTEN COLOR, GENERALLY OR TOPICALLY;
AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR.”
This Invention has for its object the treatment of textile fubrics or materials in
a novel and improved manner, in order to bleach or remove color, or to apply or
brighten color, generally or topically, and it also comprises apparatus specially
designed for effecting the said object.
In carrying out the Invention according to one modification, for the purpose of
bleaching a woven fabric of cotton for example, the fabric moistened with a solution
of a suitable chloride is passed between a pair of rollers of a suitable hard
conducting carbon having connected to them the wires of a galvanic battery or of
a dynamo-electric machine. The positive wire is connected to one roller and the
negative wire to the other roller, and the electric current in passing from one roller
to the other through the fabric causes an action to take placo which bleaches the
fabric or removes color from it. If the rollers and their surfaces aro uniform
throughout, a general and uniform bleaching action will be effected over the entire
fabric; but if a non-conducting substance is interposed at any parts, or if the
resistance to the electric current is increased at any parts, the bleaching action will
•

page_text: not take place at such parts, so that topical effects will be produced which may be
made according to ornamental patterns or designs. By modifying the strength of
the electric current, and by using solutions of suitable salts, fabrics which have
been previously printed or dyed or which have been prepared with mordants or
with substances capable of yielding color, may have colors applied or developed
upon them, or colors already on them may be brightened or otherwise improved.
The Invention is susceptible of being carried out according to several
modifications. The chlorides used may be those of hydrogen, sodium, potassium,
ammonium, magnesium, barium, calcium, manganese, iron and zine; other chlorides
also might be used but preference is given to those named and they may be used
singly or in any combination. Also with water alone an action is obtainable which
may be sufficient in some cases; and instead of preparing special solutions of
chlorides; sea water may be employed with satisfactory results. In some cases it
is advantageous to add an alkali or alkaline earth, and in other cases hydrochloric
or other suitable acid; to the solution or liquid. The rollers employed may be of
various constructions; or plates may be used in combination with each other or
with rollers. For topical work a series of movable plates or pieces connected in an
endless chain or band may be used in combination with one or more stationary or
movable plates or rollers. The rollers may consist of solid carbon or of hollow
carbon cylinders or of wood or other material covered or coated with carbon.
Rollers, plates, sheets or bands of any suitable conducting material may be
employed, preference being given to carbon as the material; but in some cases
copper rollers may be used, or rollers coated with platinum foil or plated with
platinum; or endless bands of sheet copper or of copper wire gauze may be used.
The rollers or plates or sheets or endless bands of any of the substances named
may be covered with parchment paper, or common paper or cloth or any other
suitable material which when wet will be a sufficiently good conductor of
electricity. The parchment paper or other material may be arranged to cover or
encompass a single roller, or it may be in the form of an endless band passing round
two or more rollers. When an uncovered carbon or other roller or plate or band is
used for topical action, a resinous or other suitable non-conducting substance is
applied to those parts of it at which the action is not to be produced. When a
cover or interposed sheet of parchment paper or the like is used with a carbon or
other roller or plate the parts of the cover or sheet corresponding to those at which
no action is desired are cut out or treated with a non-conducting substance. When
the parts are cut out the slightly increased resistance to the electric current at the
cut out parts is sufficient to prevent action taking place at those parts.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Ballingall Hutcheson and James Johnston Dobbie in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 17th August 1882.
26
JOHN BALLINGALL HUTCHESON, and JAMES JOHNSTON DOBBIE M.A. D.Sc. both
of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Chemists. IMPROVEMENTS
IN TREATING TEXTILE FABRICS AND MATERIALS IN ORDER TO BLEACH OR
REMOVE COLOR, OR TO APPLY OR BRIGHTEN COLOR, GENERALLY OR TOPICALLY;
AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR.”
Our said Invention has for its object the treatment of textile fabrics or materials
in a novel and improved manner, in order to bleach or remove color, or to apply
or brighten color, generally or topically; and it also comprises apparatus specially
designed for effecting the said object.
In carrying out our Invention according to one modification, for the purpose of
bleaching a woven fabric of cotton for example, the fabric moistened with a
solution of a suitable chloride is passed between a pair of rollers of a suitable hard
conducting carbon having connected to them the wires of a galvanic battery or of
a dynamo-electric machine. The positive wire is connected to one roller and the
negative wire to the other roller, and the electric current in passing from one roller
to the other through the fabric causes an action to take place which results in
bleaching the fabric or removing color from it. If the rollers and their surfaces are
uniform throughout, a general and uniform bleaching action will be effected over
the entire fabric; but if a non-conducting substance is interposed at any parts, or
if the resistance to the electric current is increased at any parts, the bleaching
action will not take place at such parts, so that topical effects will be produced
which may be made according to ornamental patterns or designs. By modifying
the strength of the electric current, and by using solutions of suitable salts, fabrics
which have been previously printed or dyed, or which have been prepared with
mordants or with substances capable of yielding color, may have colors applied or
developed upon them; or colors already on them may be brightened or otherwise
improved or altered.
In some
Our Invention is susceptible of being carried out according to several
modifications. The chlorides used for bleaching or removing color may be those of
hydrogen, sodium, potassium, ammonium, magnesium, barium, calcium, manganese,
iron and zinc; other chlorides also might be used but preference is given to those
named, and they may be used singly or in any combination. Instead of preparing
special solutions of chlorides sea water may be employed with satisfactory results;
and it may be more or less concentrated if found desirable in any case.
cases it is advantageous to add an alkali or alkaline earth, and in other cases
hydrochloric acid or other suitable acid to the solution. When the solution with
which the textile fabric or material is moistened whilst being acted on by the
electric current is neutral or alkaline the fabric or material must be subsequently
passed through or treated with weak or dilute acid in order to complete the
bleaching action, but when the solution is acid this subsequent treatment is
unnecessary. The textile fabrics or materials may be passed between two or more
carbon rollers in succession; and various arrangements and constructions of rollers
or plates or other appliances may be substituted for the rollers as hereinafter more
particularly specified.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood we hereunto append a Sheet of explanatory Drawings
to be hereinafter referred to and showing various modifications of apparatus to be
used in carrying out our improvements.

page_text: Figure, 1, on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a side elevation, and
Figure 2, is a transverse vertical section of a machine for applying our electrical
bleaching process according to one modification. Figures, 3, and 4, represent
details appertaining to the machine shown in Figures 1 and 2. Figure, 5, is a
section showing a mode of applying a single roller in combination with a portion
of a hollow cylinder. Figure, 6, is a plan and Figure, 7, is a side elevation
explanatory of a mode of using plates; and Figures, 8, 9, and 10, are views
explanatory of a mode of using two endless series of plates; whilst Figures, 11,
shows a pair of rollers as arranged for topical or pattern bleaching. In these
Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated.
In the machine shown in Figures 1 and 2 there are carried upon a framing 12,
which may be of wood, two horizontal rows of rollers, 13, indicated by dotted
circles in Figure, 1. The lower rollers, 13, are held in fixed bearings in the side
frames, 12, but the bearings of the upper rollers are in movable frame pieces, 14,
which can be raised, lowered, and adjusted by means of screws, 15, which work
through a cover, 16. The rollers, 13 are made of hard carbon and are fixed on
metal shafts or spindles, 17, the ends of the spindles being by preference passed
through stuffing box bearings as shown. The cavities of the bearings are packed
with asbestos or other suitable material to prevent the passage of corrosive gas;
and washers of glass or earthenware are by preference interposed between the ends
of the rollers and the inner sides of the framing to prevent or diminish leakage of
the electric current. The fabric to be bleached after being drawn through the
solution containing one or more chlorides is led over a guide roller, 18, so as to
pass between the two rows of carbon rollers, 13, and after traversing the length of
the machine is delivered over a guide roller, 19, at the other end. The carbon
rollers, 13, may be driven in any convenient way; but in the arrangement shown
in the Drawings, each spindle or shaft, 17, has fixed on one end of it a worm
wheel, 20, which is insulated from the spindle by a bush or interposed square or
other piece of vulcanite or other suitable material. The several worm wheels, 20,
both upper and lower gear with a worm or screw shaft, 21, which has on one end
of it fast and loose pulleys, 22, for a driving belt. The conducting wires from the
galvanic battery or dynamo-electric machine, are fixed to two metal bars or
plates, 23, shown separately in Figure, 3, and these bars being made with holes for
the purpose are placed on the ends of the spindles, 17, of the carbon rollers, 13.
Or separate wires may be connected to the several rollers. A dish or trough, 24,
indicated by dotted lines in Figure, 1, and provided with an overflow pipe is placed
under the carbon rollers, 13, to catch any liquid which the rollers may express out
of the textile fabric or material as it passes between them. A pipe, 25, is fitted to
the cover, 16, to lead off any gases evolved by the electric action, and this pipe
may first communicate with a vessel or chamber charged with a substance or
substances which will absorb the gases or some of them. In Figure, 4, there is
shown in section a modified construction of the carbon roller, 13, the spindle, 17,
where it projects from the end of the carbon roller and passes through the frame
piece, 12, having upon it a tube or covering, 26, of vulcanite or other suitable
insulating or protecting material to prevent the spindle from being corroded.
It is not necessary for the textile fabric or material to be closely compressed by
the two carbon rollers of each pair between which it passes, and if it passes in
close contact with one of the carbon rollers there may be a slight space between its
other side and the other carbon roller. The carbon roller which does not touch
the fabric or material obviously does not require to turn and any suitable stationary
piece may be substituted for it. It thus becomes possible for the fabric or material
to be in contact with a considerable portion of a single carbon roller, 13, in the
manner, for example, indicated in Figures, 5, provided there is opposite or facing
the contact part a stationary surface parallel and sufficiently near to it.
stationary surface may, as shown in Figure, 5, be that of one or more segments, 27,
of carbon. Guide rollers, 28, are placed in proper positions for leading the fabric
This

page_text: or material to and from the carbon roller, 13. The action obtained with a single
carbon roller arranged as in Figure, 5, will be equal to that of several pairs of
carbon rollers arranged as in Figure, 1, and one or two carbon rollers so arranged
may be sufficient for a complete bleaching operation.
Figure, 7, represents a simple screw press fitted with lower and upper carbon
plates, 29, 30, which are connected respectively with the positive and negative
wires from the galvanic battery or dynamo-electric machine. The textile fabric or
material is passed between the plates, 29, 30, but is stationary whilst each
successive portion corresponding to the size of the plates is being acted upon; and
during such action the upper plate is lowered into contact or nearly so with the
fabric or material, being raised whilst the fabric or material is being moved through.
For topical work a series of movable plates or pieces of carbon may be connected
into one or two endless chains or bands as shown in Figures, 8, 9, 10. As shown
on an enlarged scale in Figures, 9, and 10, the ends of the carbon plates, 31, are
fixed in sockets in links, 32, which are jointed together to form the chain. One
endless chain of carbon plates may be used in combination with a stationary plate;
or two such endless chains may be used as shown in Figure, 8, the textile fabric
or material being passed between them. The endless bands are carried upon and
moved by guide rollers, 33, of which in addition to those at the ends there are
intermediate ones to keep the parts of the chains between the ends in their proper
positions.
The rollers (13) may consist of solid carbon or of hollow carbon cylinders, or of
wood or other material covered or coated with carbon. Rollers, plates, sheets, or
bands of any suitable conducting material may be employed preference being given
to carbon as the material; thus in some cases copper rollers may be used, or rollers
coated with platinum foil or plated with platinum or endless bands of sheet copper
or of copper wire gauze may be used. The rollers or plates or sheets or endless
bands of any of the substances named may be covered with parchment paper, or
common paper, or cloth or any other suitable material which when wet will be a
sufficiently good conductor of electricity. The parchment paper or other material
may be arranged to cover or encompass a single roller, or it may be in the form of
an endless band passing round two or more rollers.
When an uncovered carbon or other roller or plato or band is used for topical
action, a resinous or other suitable non-conducting substance is applied to those
parts of it at which the action is not to be produced. When a cover or interposed
sheet of parchment paper or the like is used with a carbon or other roller or plate,
the parts of the cover or sheet corresponding to those at which no action is desired
are cut out or treated with a non-conducting substance. When the parts are cut
out the slightly increased resistance to the electric current at the cut-out parts is
sufficient to prevent action taking place at those parts.
Figure 6, is a face view of one of the carbon plates of the press shown in
Figure, 7; but represented as having on it a mask or cover of a thin non-con-
ducting material to confine the bleaching or other action due to the electric current
to certain parts forming a pattern or design. This mask or cover may be of thin
vulcanite or other suitable non-conducting material or it may consist of a suitable
adhesive varnish or composition applied with a brush or otherwise. When the
parts at which the action is to take place are like the lozenge-shaped devices shown
in Figure, 6, confined or unconnected, provision must be made for the escape of
gas from them; and this may be done when a mask or cover is used by forming
fine grooves such as are indicated by dotted lines either on the back or inner side
of such mask or cover or on the surface of the plate or roller itself. In Figure, 11,
a pair of carbon rollers are shown as prepared for topical work, the provision for
restricting the electric action to parts corresponding to the desired pattern, having
to be applied however to only one of the rollers. The upper roller may be taken
in Figure, 11, as represented with a cover or mask having square portions cut out
to form the pattern and where the action is to take place; or the squares shown
may be taken as representing indentations formed in the surface of the roller itself

page_text: or in a conducting covering, the action in that case taking place at all parts
excepting the squares.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the precise
details herein described or delineated but that what we believe to be novel and
original and claim as the Invention secured to us by and in terms of the hercin-
before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1. The treatment of textile fabrics and materials in order to bleach or remove
color, or to apply or brighten color, generally or topically by means of an electric
current or currents applied in the improved manner and by means of apparatus
substantially such as is herein before described.
2. The bleaching of textile fabrics or materials by passing them when wet or
moistened with a solution containing a chloride or chlorides between one or more
pairs of carbon or other suitable conducting rollers, and subjecting the said fabrics
or materials to the action of an electric current or currents directed so as to pass
from one roller to the other of each pair substantially as herein before described.
3. The bleaching of textile fabrics or materials or the removal of color therefrom
generally or topically by means of combinations of rollers, or combinations of rollers
and curved or other plates, or combinations of plates, or of combinations of plates
and endless bands, or of combinations of endless bands, such rollers, plates, or bands,
being arranged to act as electrodes for the direction of electric currents through the
textile fabrics or materials when wet or moistened with a solution containing a
chloride or chlorides all substantially as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Johnston Dobbie, on behalf of the said
John Ballingall Hutcheson and myself, have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Sixteenth day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness
EDMUND HUNT.
Patent Agent.
Glasgow.
JAMES J. DOBBIE. (L.S.)