Improvements in Process of Impregnating Chamois Skin with Rouge.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1887
Specification Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Process of Impregnating Chamois Skin
with Rouge.
We, JOHN E. DARBY, of No. 837, Superior Street, physician, and ELSON BLAKESLEE
of No. 37, Fifth Avenue, manufacturer, and both residing in Cleveland, Cuyahoga
County, Ohio, 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 :-
Heretofore when chamois and rouge have been jointly used in burnishing silverware,
jewellry, and like articles, they were separate and distinct from each other as articles
of manufacture and sale. In no instance, as far as we are aware, have they been
known or used in such combination and union as to constitute a single and complete
article of merchandise. Ordinarily when used together the practice was to dip the
chamois in the rouge and to replenish it in this way as often as was deemed necessary.
But the rouge was applied merely to the surface of the chamois, and being exceedingly
fine and light was easily and quickly wasted and dissipated under the rubbing and
handling incident to its use.
By our process of saturating the chamois with the rouge the rouge is so completely
incorporated in the body and pores of the chamois that it is made a part of it, and is
inseparable therefrom except by the disintegration of the chamois. The distinctive
character of the separate articles is thus destroyed, and a new article is produced
into which the elements of each enter to modify and change the character of the other.
The chamois can no longer be used alone as chamois, nor the rouge merely as rouge,
but the two are henceforth united and constitute a manufacture embracing the con-
stituents of both. In this way we obtain a product essentially new as a whole and of
exceptional utility and value wherever the combined properties of chamois and rouge
are useful in the arts.
To carry our invention into effect the chamois skin is first cleaned of all dust and
grit by brushing, heating, and shaking the skin, and by washing it if necessary, it
being important that the chamois should be divested of everything which might mar
or injure the article upon which it is to be used. When this has been done the skin
is ready to receive the rouge. For the purpose of this manufacture only the best
silver or gold rouge should be used.

page_text: The next step in the process is to moisten the rouge with aqua ammonia or other
alkaline solution in such manner that the rouge may be rolled into balls or other con-
venient forms, and when dry be readily applied to the chamois. This application is
made by rubbing the rouge thus formed into a mass, over the inside surface of the
skin until the skin is thoroughly covered, when a brush or pad should be used to
distribute the rouge evenly over the surface and at the same time work it into the
meshes of the skin to some extent.
The chamois is then ready for treatment with the permeating or impregnating agent,
which may consist of alcohol, ether, chloroform, gasoline, or other volatile liquid
sufficiently penetrating and active to accomplish the purpose. We have obtained
very satisfactory results from ordinary commercial gasoline, and any of the lighter
distillates of petroleum, which evaporate quickly, would answer as well. This liquid
is applied to the chamois by means of a pad saturated with the liquid which wets the
rouge and rapidly penetrates and permeates the skin, opening the meshes of the skin
in its passage and carrying the rouge with it thoroughly into the skin. The skin is in
this way filled or saturated with the rouge, and as the liquid evaporates it leaves the
rouge in the meshes of the skin. Indeed so powerful and penetrating is the liquid
when used in this way that we have been able to drive the rouge through five or six
thicknesses of chamois at the same time and by a single application.
A convenient and simple form of pad for applying the permeating liquid may be
made out of scraps of chamois suitably wrapped and bound, and the pad can be
saturated by passing the liquid into its ends.
Instead of using aqua ammonia or other alkaline solution to moisten the rouge a
small quantity of soda or potash might be added to the rouge, and water used instead
of the ammonia or solution, the purpose being to give the rouge an alkaline property
which will enable it to neutralize the greasy or acid properties of a tarnished surface
and thus act with much greater facility and thoroughness.
By this process we obtain an article for polishing the precious metals which is
complete in itself and always ready for use; in which the polishing properties are
evenly distributed and retained without diminution or change until the chamois is
worn out, and which is much more cleanly and pleasant to use, as well as more
effective than when the rouge is simply applied to its surface.
After the process of filling the chamois with the rouge is completed, and the skin
becomes dry, it is brushed lightly to remove any superabundance of rouge from its
surface, when it is ready for use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is:
1. The process of impregnating chamois skin with rouge, which consists in working
the
rouge while dry more or less into the tissues of the skin, and then applying a
permeating liquid to drive the rouge into the skin, substantially as set forth.
2. In the impregnation of chamois skin with rouge by means of a penetrating liquid,
the process of driving the rouge into the skin which consists in applying the rouge to
the inside surface of the skin and then saturating a suitable pad with the penetrating
liquid and rubbing it over the rouge and skin, substantially as set forth.
3. As a new article of manufacture, chamois skin impregnated with rouge, substan-
, tially as set forth.
4. As a new article of manufacture, chamois skin impregnated with rouge containing
alkaline properties, substantially as set forth.
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100-
JOHN E. DARBY.
ELSON BLAKESLEE.