IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING BLUE COLOUR, AND IN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING BUCH. COLOUR TO WATER
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Mowbray Gilbert, of 1, Albany Terrace,
Britannia Square, Worcester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PREPARING BLUE COLOUR, AND IN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING BUCH. COLOUR
TO WATER."
Sealed the 4th April 1862, and dated the 28th October 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Mowbray Gilbert
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th October 1861.
I, GEORGE MOWBRAY GILBERT, of 1, Albany Terrace, Britannia Square,
Worcester, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PREPARING BLUE COLOUR, AND IN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING SUCH COLOUR TO
WATER," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in preparing blue color, and
in apparatus for applying such color to water. In order to prepare water for
laundry purposes a preparation of indigo is used, this is made up in the form
of a paste or semi-fluid, which is preserved for use in suitable flexible vessels.
The paste consists of the extract of indigo combined with starch and honey, or
golden syrup, or nitrate of magnesia, and it is placed in vessels of metal, tin
or lead, which are each divided into two compartments; the upper one encloses

page_text: a porous bag of flannel or other suitable fabric, and is divided from the lower
compartment by a partition of wood or other suitable material, there being a
hole in the partition through which the paste can be caused to pass by com-
pressing the compartment of the vessel containing the same. The upper end
of the vessel is perforated with holes. By this arrangement the blue coloring
preparation can, as it is required for use, be forced into the upper end of
the vessel, and this, on being moved about in the water, imparts the color
thereto.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Mowbray Gilbert in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
MOWBRAY GILBERT, of 1, Albany Terrace, Britannia Square, Worcester, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Mowbray Gilbert, Her special licence that I, the said George Mowbray
Gilbert, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Mowbray Gilbert, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PREPARING BLUE COLOR, AND IN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING SUCH COLOR TO
WATER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Mowbray
Gilbert, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I; the said George Mowbray Gilbert, 'do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The preparations of blue coloring matter, according to my Invention, are
made up in the form of paste or semi-fluid, which is preserved for use in
suitable flexible vessels. The preparation of blue coloring matter suitable for
laundry purposes may, according to my Invention, be varied in its composition
so long as the object of the Invention is accomplished, viz., that the blue
coloring matter shall be made up into a soluble paste or semi-fluid condition
in such manner and contain such ingredients that the paste or semi-fluid com-
position will retain its partially fluid state and not be liable to become dry
when out of use for a length of time. These paste-like or partially fluid com-
positions of blue coloring matter are packed in suitable cases which, when they
are to be used in place of the ordinary blue bags of the laundry, are made of
metal, tin or lead, similar to those which have heretofore been used for storing
artists' colors and other matters where the colors have been expressed from
one end by compressing the other end progressively till the contents of a vessel
or case have been drawn out. But in order to render such descriptions of
vessels suitable to be employed in storing blue coloring matters and at the
same time suitable for use in place of the ordinary blue bags used in laundrys,
the ends of these cases or vessels at which the blue coloring matters are to be
driven out are to be formed somewhat differently from those heretofore
employed for storing artists' colors. Near the outlet end of a case or vessel
there is a partition of wood or other suitable material, around which and
between it and the interior of the case or vessel the edges of a porous bag, of
flannel or other suitable material, are tied before forcing the partition into the
case or vessel, so that the upper end of the vessel is lined with such bag. The
upper end of the vessel or case is perforated with numerous holes, so that
when a quantity of the paste or semi-fluid preparation of soluble blue coloring
matter is pressed through a hole in the partition into and is contained in the
bag, the vessel or case may be used by placing the outlet end thereof into
water, and by moving it therein the desired quantity of blue color may be
diffused in the water. In place of having the upper or outlet end of the case
or vessel perforated the porous bag may be caused to protrude through the
outlet end of the case or vessel, and the case or vessel may in such case have
a cover or cap to fit over the bag. The protruding portion of the bag, when
the cover or cap is removed, will be uncovered, and in that state it may be
dipped into and moved about in water in which it is desired to diffuse a certain
quantity of the blue coloring matter.

page_text: The preparations of coloring matters which are preferred are as follows:-
For heavy linen-One part indigo, two parts ultramarine, four parts honey,
ten parts chloride of: sodium, two parts terra alba.
For fine linen-Three parts ultramarine, six parts honey, ten parts chloride
of sodium, two parts terra alba.
It should be stated that other ingredients may be used in preparing these
compositions either in place of or in combination with those mentioned so
long as they are such as will increase or not materially interfere with the
preparations retaining their partial fluidity.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Mowbray Gilbert, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
GEO. M. GILBERT. .(L.S.)