An Improved Method or Process of Bleaching Cotton and other Vegetable Textile-Materials.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 12th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method or Process of Bleaching Cotton and other
Vegetable Textile-Materials.
I, JOHN KENT, of 14 Hadley Street, Kentish Town, in the County of London,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide for the bleaching of cotton, hemp and
like vegetable textile materials, whether manufactured or unmanufactured, in a better
and more expeditious and economical manner than heretofore.
By my said invention, not only is the necessity for boiling the goods to be
bleached and for subsequently beating the same or subjecting them to pressure,
entirely obviated, and the time required for bleaching them greatly diminished, but
the goods lose less in weight than heretofore in the process of blenching, and, when
bleached, are stronger than goods of the same quality bleached by the process
hitherto usually adopted. Moreover the goods bleached by my process are softer
and more supple than those bleached by the ordinary process, being entirely free
from the hard or matted parts usually due to the lime and other sediment left in the
bleached goods. And my process is very advantageous for bleaching pattern or
figured goods, as the raised patterns are left in their original condition instead of
being flattened down by the beating or pressing to which the goods are subjected
in the ordinary process.
In carrying on my improved method or process of bleaching, instead of putting
the goods into a vessel together with lime and soda and boiling the whole together
as heretofore practised, I treat the goods in clear solutions without boiling them,
and preferably without the application of heat.
For this purpose I first prepare a bath as follows, viz. -I mix lime and soda in
suitable proportions and crush or grind the same to a fine powder, and then pour
boiling water over them in a vat or other suitable vessel, at the same time stirring
or agitating the mixture; and I then leave the mixture to settle and draw off the
clear solution. I put the goods to be bleached into this clear solution, preferably
in a vessel having a perforated false-bottom, allowing them to remain therein for
about one hour, after which I take them out and allow them to drain for about
twenty minutes, and then well wash and wring them.
The goods thus treated 1 subject once or oftener as may be required to the usual
"chemicking" and "souring" processes, leaving the goods in each of the solutions
for about one hour and then allowing them to drain for about twenty minutes and
washing and wringing them.
It will be seen, therefore, that by my process the goods can be bleached and ready,
for drying in about four hours, more or less. It will also be evident, that no lime
or other sediment can come in contact with the goods bleached by my process, as the
bath which I employ contains none of the sediment, which, in the ordinary process,
is boiled into or through the goods. Therefore the goods treated by my process
require no beating or pressing between rollers and much less washing than those
treated by the usual boiling process, and yarns treated by my improved process will
have much more "life" and will be much better adapted for weaving or face-making
than varns bleached in the ordinary manner.

page_text: In preparing the lime and soda solution, I find it advantageous to mix one pound
of common lime with two pounds of soda ash. These proportions will, however,
be varied according to the quality and condition of the goods to be bleached.
The time during which the goods are kept in the different baths may also be
somewhat varied.
My improved process is also applicable for half-bleaching goods before dyeing
the same.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Method or Process of Bleaching Cotton and other
Vegetable Textile Materials.
I, JOHN KENT, of 14 Hadley Street, Kentish Town, in the County of London,
Manufacturer, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide for. the bleaching of cotton, hemp and
like vegetable textile fibres or materials, whether manufactured or unmanufactured,
in a better and more expeditious and economical manner than heretofore.
By my said invention, not only is the necessity for boiling the goods to be bleached
and for subsequently beating the same or subjecting them to pressure, entirely
obviated and the time required for bleaching them greatly diminished, but the
goods lose less in weight than heretofore in the process of bleaching, and, when
bleached, are stronger than goods of the same quality bleached by the process
hitherto usually adopted. Moreover the goods bleached by my process are softer
and more supple than those bleached by the ordinary process, being entirely free
from the hard or matted parts usually due to the lime and other sediment left in
the bleached goods. And my process is very advantageous for bleaching pattern or
figured goods, as the raised patterns are left in their original condition, instead of
being flattened down by the beating or pressing to which the goods are subjected
in the ordinary process in order to remove as far as practicable the lime and other
sediment which has been boiled into or through them.
In carrying on my improved method or process of bleaching, instead of putting
the goods into a vessel together with lime and soda and boiling the whole together
as heretofore practised, I treat the goods in clear solutions without boiling them,
and preferably without the application of heat.
For this purpose I first prepare a bath as follows, viz. :-I mix lime and soda
in suitable proportions and crush or grind the same to a fine powder; I then pour
boiling water over them in a vat or other suitable vessel, at the same time stirring
or agitating the mixture; and I then leave the mixture to settle and draw off the
clear solution. I put the goods to be bleached into this clear solution, preferably
in a vessel having a perforated false-bottom, allowing them to remain therein for
about one hour, after which I take them out and allow them to drain for about
twenty minutes, and then well wash and wring them. The said clear solution is prefer-
ably used cold; it may, however, if deemed desirable, be used before it has quite
cooled down, or its temperature may be slightly raised by the application of heat in
any convenient manner.
The goods thus treated I subject once or oftener as may be required to the usual
"chemicking" and "souring" processes, leaving the goods in each of the solutions

page_text: for about one hour, and allowing them to drain for about twenty minutes and
washing and wringing them after each operation.
It will be seen, therefore, that by my process the goods can be bleached and
ready for drying in about four hours, more or less. It will also be evident that no
lime or other sediment can come in contact with the goods bleached by my process,
as the bath which I employ contains none of the sediment, which, in the ordinary
process, is boiled into or through the goods. Therefore the goods treated by my
process require no beating or pressing between rollers and much less washing than
those treated by the usual boiling process, and yarns treated by my improved
process will have much more "life" and will be much better adapted for weaving,
lace-making, hosiery or similar manufactures than yarns bleached in the ordinary
manner.
In preparing the lime and soda solution, I find it advantageous to mix one pound
of common lime with two pounds of soda ash. These proportions will, however, be
varied according to the quality and condition of the goods to be bleached. The
time during which the goods are kept in the different baths may also be somewhat
varied.
My improved process is also applicable for half-bleaching goods before dyeing
the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
First. The bleaching or half-bleaching of cotton, hemp and other vegetable textile
fibres or materials by a process in which the goods are soaked in a clear solution of
lime and soda, for the purpose above specified.
Second. The improved process of bleaching cotton, hemp and other vegetable
fibres or materials, consisting in first soaking the goods (without boiling them) in
a clear solution of lime and soda prepared as hereinbefore described, and then
subjecting them to the usual "chemicking" and "souring" processes, substantially
as set forth.
1007
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.