AN IMPROVED PROCESS OR METHOD OF TREATING VEGETABLE TEXTILE MATERIALS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED TO FACILITATE THE DYEING OF THE SAME
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"AN IMPROVED PROCESS OR METHOD OF TREATING VEGETABLE TEXTILE
MATERIALS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED TO FACILITATE THE DYEING OF THE SAME."
A communication from abroad by Axel Ferdinand Ivar Bang and Constant
Victor Clolus, both of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OR METHOD
or TREATING VEGETABLE TEXTILE MATERIALS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED TO FACILITATE
THE DYEING OF THE SAME." [A communication from abroad by Axel Ferdinand
Ivar Bang and Constant Victor Clolus, both of Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to the preparation of vegetable textile materials to
facilitate the dyeing thereof, and for other purposes, the process or method which
I employ in such preparation consisting essentially in transforming the cellulose
contained in the said vegetable textile materials into a slightly azotized product,
capable of being dyed directly by using colors or dyes containing azote, and of
being mixed or combined with wool, silk, or the like, and then dyed and otherwise
treated with the said wool or silk as a mixture for the manufacture of velvet,
ribbon, and other fabrics, and for any purposes to which wool and silk are applied.
It is not generally known that poly-nitrocellulose gun-cotton can be dyed
directly without mordants, by means of dyes which contain azote, such as aniline
dyes, soluble indigo, litmus, and the like, but it was impossible to make inflammable
and even explosive yarns and fabrics.
According to the present Invention I provide a practicable and easily effected
treatment by means of which vegetable textile material, such as cotton, flax, hemp,

page_text: and the like can be brought to such a state or condition of nitrification that it is
capable of being dyed as easily as gun cotton, and without being more inflammable
than ordinary cotton. In this condition the said vegetable textile materials may
be dyed directly without the use of mordants, by employing colours or dyes
containing azote, as in the case of wool, silk, and the like; they may also be
employed when mixed or combined with the last named materials, then woven and
afterwards dyed with them.
more,
In carrying the said Invention into practice I immerse the vegetable textile
material (either in its natural state or when spun or woven) into cold azotic acid,
which is nearly monohydrated and still contains about 10% of water or
economically into a mixture of commercial azotic acid with sulphuric acid of 66°.
The proportions may be considerably varied, but in no case is a mixture to be used
which would be strong enough to transform the cotton into gun-cotton.
I prefer to use the following mixture, that is to say, 220 parts of azotic acid
of 40° and 90 parts of sulphuric acid of 66°, the mixture being sufficiently cooled
to avoid any rise of temperature during the operation. I proceed as follows:-The
cold acid mixture is poured into a large vat of enamelled earthenware or other
suitable material, and the skeins or banks of previously boiled or scoured cotton
are immersed therein and kept entirely plunged in the liquid. The reaction is
allowed to proceed for several hours without heating, and without the necessity of
stirring. The duration of the immersion varies according to the thickness of the
yarn and the intensity of the dye to be afterwards used, and may vary from two
to twelve hours. The skeins or hanks are then taken out, drained and dried either
in a small centrifugal apparatus constructed of metal capable of resisting acids, or
by other means. The hanks when dry are immersed in cold water and freely
washed till perfect neutrality is obtained; they are then stretched and dried.
When so prepared the cotton (or other vegetable fibres) can be dyed directly
without mordants by aniline dyes, indigo, litmus, carmine, and the like.
After treatment by the above described process it is evident that the vegetable
material has been transformed into a nitro-cellulose formed by one or two molecules
of A. O taking the place of one or two molecules of hydrogen. The product so
obtained is therefore a transformed product.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th October 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. AN IMPROVED PROCESS OR METHOD
OF TREATING VEGETABLE TEXTILE MATERIALS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED TO FACILITATE
THE DYEING OF THE SAME." A communication from abroad by Axel Ferdinand
Ivar Bang and Constant Victor Clolus, both of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to an improved process or method of treating or preparing
vegetable textile materials, such as cotton, flux, hemp, jute, or the like, to facilitate
the dyeing thereof and for other purposes, the said process or method consisting
essentially in transforming the cellulose contained in the said vegetable textile
materials into a slightly azotized product capable of being dyed directly by means
of colors or dyes containing nitrogen or azote, such as aniline, soluble indigo,
litmus, and the like, and of being mixed or combined with wool, silk, or the like,
and then dyed and otherwise treated with the said wool or silk as a mixture for the
manufacture of velvet, ribboo, and other fabrics, and for any purposes to which
wool and silk are applied.
"
It is a fact, though not generally known, that poly-nitrocellulose gun-cotton can
be dyed directly without mordants by means of dyes or colours, which contain
azote, such as aniline dyes, soluble indigo, litmus, and the like, but it would be
obviously impossible to use yarns and fabrics that are inflaminable or explosive.
The present Invention provides a practicable and easily effected treatment by
means of which vegetable textile material, such as cotton, flax, hemp, and the like
can be brought to such a state or condition of nitrification that it is capable of
being dyed as easily as gun-cotton, and without being more inflammable than
ordinary cotton. In this condition the said vegetable textile materials may be
dyed directly without the use of mordants by the employment of colours or dyes
containing nitrogen or azote, as in the case of wool, silk, and the like; they may
also be employed when mixed or combined with the last nained materials then
woven and afterwards dyed with them.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I immerse the vegetable textile
material (either in its natural state or when spun or woven) in cold azotic acid,
which is nearly mono-hydrated and contains about 10 per cent. of water; or the
said material may be immersed with greater economy in a mixture of commercial
nitric or azotic acid with sulphuric acid of 66°. The proportions may be con-
siderably varied, but in no case is a mixture to be used which would be sufficiently
strong to transform the cotton into gun-cotton.
I prefer to use the following mixture, that is to say, 220 parts of nitric or azotic
acid of 40° and 90 parts of sulphuric acid of 66°, the mixture being sufficiently
cooled to avoid any rise of temperature during the operation. I proceed as
follows, that is to say, the cold acid mixture is poured into a large vat of enamelled
earthenware or other suitable material, and the skeins or hanks of previously boiled
or scoured cotton are placed therein and kept entirely immersed in the liquid.
The reaction is allowed to proceed for several hours without heating or stirring.
The duration of the immersion varies according to the thickness of the thread or
yarn, and the intensity of the dye or colour to be afterwards obtained, and may
vary from two to twelve hours. The skeins or hanks are then taken out, drained
and dried, either in a small hydroextractor constructed of metal capable of resisting
acids, or by other suitable means. The hanks or skeins when dry are immersed in
cold water and freely washed until the required neutrality is obtained; they are
then stretched and dried.

page_text: When so prepared the cotton (or other vegetable fibres) can be dyed directly
without mordants by aniline dyes, indigo, litmus, carmine, and the like. After
treatment by the above described process, it is evident that the vegetable material
has been transformed into a nitrocellulose formed by one or two molecules of an
oxide of nitrogen (A,O) taking the place of one or two, molecules of hydrogen.
The product so obtained is therefore a transformed product.
:
Having thus, fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,-
The above described process or method of preparing vegetable textile material
such as cotton, flax, hemp, jute, or the like, to facilitate the dyeing thereof, and for
other purposes, the said process or method consisting essentially in the trans-
formation of the cellulose of these vegetable materials into a slightly nitrogenized
product, capable of being dyed directly by means of colours or dyes, which contain
nitrogen or azote, such as aniline, soluble indigo, litmus, and the like, or of being
employed as a mixture with wool or silk to be afterwards worked up and dyed
together with these materials, and to be then utilized in the manufacture of velvets,
ribbons, and other fabrics, and for any purposes to which wool and silk are
applied.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)