IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LAUNDRY BLUE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Henry Hargreaves and Theophilus Lessey.
Hargreaves of Cleveland Street Hull and James Edward Hargreaves of
Freshwater Isle of Wight for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF LAUNDRY BLUE"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Henry Hargreaves,
Theophilus Lessey Hargreaves and James Edward Hargreaves at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st May 1883.
MATTHEW HENRY HARGREAVES and THEOPHILUS LESSEY HARGREAVES of
Cleveland Street Hull and JAMES EDWARD HARGREAVES of Freshwater Isle of
Wight "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LAUNDRY BLUE"
This invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of Laundry
Blue by which it is rendered useful for purifying as well as tinting the articles to
which it is applied.
We prepare laundry blue by grinding together Ultramarine, Gum-arabic or
acacia and Sanatas so as to mix them intimately and when so mixed we mould the
slightly moistened powder into blocks of convenient size by pressure in moulds.
The blocks when dry are ready for the market
In place of Sanatas we can employ Terebine, Carbolic acid, borax, Salicylic
acid or other disinfectant of like nature.
Sometimes we substitute Prussian Blue or Indigo for the Ultramarine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Matthew Henry Hargreaves, Theophilus Lessey Hargreaves and James
Edward Hargreaves in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st November
1883.
MATTHEW HENRY HARGREAVES and THEOPHILUS LESSEY HARGREAVES of
Cleveland Street Hull and JAMES EDWARD HARGREAVES of Freshwater Isle of
Wight "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LAUNDRY BLUE'
»
The object of this invention is to provide for Laundry use a compound or
composition especially adapted for disinfecting and at the same time whitening or
bleaching clothes.
For these purposes we prepare an improved laundry blue-it consists of a
compound of Ultramarine Blue, "Sanitas Oil," and Gum Arabic or other adhesive
substance in the proportions by weight of 85 parts or thereabouts of Ultramarine
Blue, 10 parts or thereabouts of "Sanitas Oil" and 5 parts or thereabouts of Gum
Arabic or other adhesive substance.
:
These ingredients are designed to be thoroughly mixed together in the following
manner: first, the Gum Arabic is dissolved in clean cold water to the consistency
of thick cream and then carefully strained in order to procure the pure liquid, to
this is added the "Sanitas Oil" taking especial care that the two ingredients
become thoroughly and completely blended; the mixture is then gradually
added to the Ultramarine Blue and the whole stirred and ground by Machinery
for 30 minutes till the Blue becomes impregnated in every part with the
disinfectant.
The moist powder is then moulded into cakes or blocks of any convenient size
or shape for use, and when dried they may be coated with a solution of Gum
Arabic, Gelatine, or other adhesive substance to better prevent the evaporation and
loss of the "Sanitas Oil" from the compound-The above ingredients in the
said proportions may be dissolved in water and put up in bottles or other suitable
vessels and be sold and used as a liquid disinfectant blue
The advantages of this invention are that where clothing and bed linen are
exposed to contact with persons suffering from contagious and infectious diseases if
a suitable quantity of the compound be added to the water in which the clothes
are finally washed the "Sanitas Oil" will operate to destroy the germs of disease
with which they are contaminated while the Ultramarine Blue whitens and bleaches
the clothes in as effective a manner as though they had been exposed for a long
time to the action of the Sun and air
The gum arabic or other adhesive substance in the compound serves to hold
the ingredients thereof together that it may be moulded into suitable shapes.
Other kinds of blue such as Indigo and Prussiate of Blue and other disinfecting
agents such as Terebene, Carbolic Acid, Thymol, Salicylic Acid or Borax may be
used in lieu of or in addition to the ingredients already named without departing
from the nature of our invention which is especially to make a combined
disinfecting and blueing or bleaching compound suitable and desirable for use in
washing clothing or clothes that have been worn and used by those suffering from
contagious or infectious diseases and also to provide an article which if regularly
used in the clothes of other persons will greatly lessen and diminish the risk of
being attacked by such diseases.
We are aware that Borax and Gum Arabic are sometimes used in a Starch polish

page_text: and we are also aware that Carbolic acid is sometimes used in Soap but we do not
claim either of these as our invention
What we claim is,
I
First, A disinfecting blueing and bleaching compound consisting of Ultramarine
or other Blues, Gum Arabic and a disinfecting agent in substantially the
proportions specified
Second A disinfecting blueing and bleaching compound consisting of Ultra-
marine Blue, Gum Arabic and "Sanitas Oil" of substantially the proportions
specified mixed together and made up for use as set forth
In witness whereof I the said Theophilus Lessey Hargreaves have hereunto
set my hand and seal this thirteenth day of
in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
THEOPHILUS LESSEY HARGREAVES. (L.S.)