Improvements in Means for Using Washing Blue.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th June, 1892-Accepted, 30th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Using Washing Blue.
I HENRY CARTER of 2 Nelson Street Horwich, near Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, Grocer and Draper, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to the bags or receptacles used to contain or carry washing
blue and consists in means whereby such bags or receptacles are rendered of less
specific gravity than the water and whereby they are caused to float on the top of
the water. In making a washing blue bag in accordance with my invention I fill
the bag with a mixture of washing blue and cork the latter being preferably
chipped or ground or broken up so as to mix with the blue. A blue bag filled in
this manner will float on the surface of the water instead of sinking and settling at
the bottom as is the case with existing blue bags. My improved blue bag floats
about, mixing the blue all through the water and the combination of cork with the
blue prevents the blue from becoming soaked into a pasty mass and greatly assists
in distributing it. Being at all times visible it can be easily recovered and removed
or handled when it is desired to squeeze more blue from the bag. Although I have
indicated cork as a good means for giving floating powers to the blue bag it will be
understood that I might use any other material or compound of less specific gravity
than water and capable of being assimilated with the blue without affecting it. In
some cases instead of being assimilated or combined with the blue the floating agent
might be apart from the blue. For example I might attach the blue to a float of
cork or wood or to an inflated bladder or body, or I might place an inflated ball or
balls in the bag along with the blue. It will thus be apparent that the particular
mode of giving floating power to the blue may be varied so long as the gist of my
invention is retained, that is to say causing the blue bag or receptacle or container
to float instead of allowing it to sink to the bottom as at present.
Deted this 5th day of Octob 1001
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James' Square, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Using Washing Blue.
I HENRY CARTER of 2 Nelson Street, Horwich, near Bolton, in the County of
Lancaster, Grocer and Draper, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings
My invention relates to the bags used to contain or carry washing blue and
consists in a particular construction of floating blue bag. In making a washing
blue bag in accordance with my invention, I take a ball of blue or blue powder and
surround it with chipped or granulated cork the whole being tied in a muslin bag
and surrounded by an outer covering of flannel, flannelette, chamois leather or other
suitable material. A blue bag filled in this manner will float on the surface of the
water and is much cleaner and more economical than existing blue bags. Being at
all times visible it is easily recovered and removed or handled when it is desired to
squeeze more blue from the bag.
To render my invention more clear 1 will now disclose with the assistance of the
annexed drawing the manner in which I make my improved floating blue bag.
Referring to the said drawing I take a ball of blue or it might be a portion of

page_text: blue powder A represented by the black circle in the centre of the fig. and surround
at with a quantity of granulated cork B.
The cork with the centre blue is tied up in a muslin bag represented by the
dotted line C. The tied mouth of the muslin envelope is marked C¹. The muslin
bag with its contents is now tied up in an outer covering D of flannel, flannelette
or chamois leather. The tied mouth of this outer covering is marked D¹.
It will be observed that the tied mouths of the inner muslin covering and the
outer flannelette or other covering are preferably as far apart as possible.
When the bag is placed in water the cork gives it buoyancy. At the same time
the water easily permeates the cork and reaches the blue. The granulated cork
filters and regulates the flow of blue towards the outside of the bag and the
muslin C also assists in regulating the passage of the blue. The outer covering D
of flannel, flannelette prepared leather or other suitable material still more
effectually checks and regulates the distribution of the issuing blue.
By these means there is no undue or irregular discharge of blue, the hand of the
user is not stained or discoloured and the clothes are not streaked and over-blued
as is constantly the case in using ordinary blues.
More than two successive enclosing bags might be used.
The proper way to use my improved floating blue bag is to submerge and squeeze
it in the water. When finished using, the bag should be lifted from the water and
squeezed dry.
In my Provisional Specification I alluded to several methods of combining the
cork and the blue and also referred to means of floatation other than cork but I
have since discovered that such other modes of construction were either of little
practical use or that they were not entirely novel. I therefore adhere only to that
part of my Provisional in which I speak of the floating agent (viz. cork) being
apart from the blue as set forth and illustrated in my present Complete Specification.
The other forms I discard and disclaim.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
A floating blue bag in which there is a central mass or ball of blue or blue
powder entirely surrounded by granulated cork the whole being tightly tied up or
contained in a permeable bag or in two or more successive bags substantially as
described and illustrated.
Dated this 29th day of June 1892.
Dated this 29th day of June 1892.
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.