Improvements in the Bleaching of Wool, Hair, Silk, Cotton, Flax, and other Animal and Vegetable Fabrics and Fibres, Paper Pulp, and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 19th June, 1893-Accepted, 18th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Bleaching of Wool, Hair, Silk, Cotton, Flax,
and other Animal and Vegetable Fabrics and Fibres, Paper Pulp,
and the like.
We, CARL ADOLPH SAHLSTRÖM, of 14, Griffin Street, York Road, Lambeth,
in the County of London, Engineer, and ELLIS PARR, of Brazil House, Isleworth,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the bleaching of wool, hair, silk, cotton, flax and other
animal and vegetable fabrics and fibres, paper pulp and the like.
According to our invention we utilize oxydizing mediums, such as air, oxygen or
a solution of permanganate of potash in connection with sulphurous acid in the
manner hereinafter more particularly described.
In carrying out our invention we place the fabric, fibre or pulp to be bleached,
after it has been boiled washed or prepared in the usual manner in a suitable
vessel containing a solution of permanganate of potash and leave it there until
it has become sufficiently treated which can be ascertained by subjecting it to
sulphurous acid fumes or water impregnated with sulphurous acid fumes.
If a stronger and quicker action of the permanganate is desired an electrical
current is passed through the contents of the vessel.
After removal from the permanganate bath the material, while still in a damp
state, is exposed to the air and afterwards, while still damp, is exposed to the action
of liquid or gaseous sulphurous acid until all of the precipitate of manganate is
dissolved, it is then well washed, and if necessary treated a second and even more
times by the same process.
For the finer kinds of fabrics and fibre such as linen and flax it is advantageous
to treat the material with the permanganate of potash in an airtight vessel to which
vacuum can be applied; this opens the fibres and makes them more sensitive to
the oxydizing influence of liquid.
Dated this 10th day of A1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Bleaching of Wool, Hair, Silk, Cotton, Flax,
and other Animal and Vegetable Fabrics and Fibres, Paper Pulp,
and the like.
We, CARL ADOLPH SAHLSTRÖM, of 14, Griffin Street, York Road, Lambeth,
in the County of London, Engineer, and ELLIS PARR, of Brazil House, Isleworth,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, 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:-
This invention relates to the bleaching of wool, hair, silk, cotton, flax and other
animal and vegetable fabrics and fibres, paper pulp and the like.
According to our invention we utilize oxydizing mediums, such as a solution of
permanganate of potash in connection with sulphurous acid, or oxygen or ozonized
oxygen in the manner hereinafter more particularly described.
In carrying out our invention we proceed as follows, that is to say, the fabric,
fibre or pulp (which has been previously boiled, washed or prepared in the usual
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page_text: manner) is treated with permanganate of potash in a suitable vessel containing a
bath or solution of say 1 to 3 ounces of permanganate of potash to 30 gallons of
water, either cold or hot and preferably at a temperature of 100° Fahrenheit, and
left there until it has become sufficiently impregnated, say until it assumes a deep
coffee colour.
The fabrics, fibres or the like treated as hereinbefore described are, after removal
from the permanganate bath and while still in a damp state, exposed to the air
and afterwards, and also while still damp, to the action of liquid or gaseous
sulphurous acid until all of the precipitate of permanganate is dissolved. The
material is then well washed, and, if necessary, treated a second or even more times
by the same process.
To complete the operation the fibre, fabric or pulp is treated with either oxygen
or ozonized oxygen being placed, preferably in a damp condition, into a closed
vessel and a current of oxygen or ozonized oxygen forced through it. The vessels
in which fibre or fabric are treated are preferably provided with means for suspending
these materials therein whilst those in which pulp or the like are to be treated are
provided with agitators or otherwise arranged so that the oxygen or ozonized oxygen
will pass through the body of the same.
The oxygen or ozonized oxygen used as described is not allowed to escape but
collected in a suitable vessel so that they may be used again and again.
For some kinds of fabric and fibre and especially the finer kinds such as linen
and flax it is advantageous, when treating the material with permanganate of
potash, to carry out the operation in an air-tight vessel to which vacuum can be
applied, whereby the fibres are opened and rendered more sensitive to the oxydizing
influence of liquid.
In treating closely woven fabrics or coarse fibres which would require to remain
in the bath of permanganate of potash some time in order to become thoroughly
impregnated we advantageously pass an electric current through the bath as we
find that this considerably accelerates the process. For this purpose metal plates
or the like are advantageously fixed to the two ends of the tank or vessel and
connected with the pole of an electric battery or with a dynamo electric machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. In bleaching wool, hair silk, cotton, flax or other animal or vegetable fabrics
or fibres, paper pulp or the like, subjecting the material to be treated successively
to the action of permanganate of potash, sulphurous acid and oxygen or ozonized
oxygen, substantially as herein before described.
2. The use in the process referred to in the preceding claiming clause of an
electric current, substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
Dated this 19th day of June 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.