AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCING YELLOW COLORING MATTERS AND OTHER COLORS WHICH MAY BE DERIVED THEREFROM
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCING YELLOW COLORING
MATTERS AND OTHER COLORS WHICH MAY BE DERIVED THEREFROM."-A com-
munication from abroad by David Clovis Knab, of Colmar, in the
Empire of France.
Sealed the 18th September 1863, and dated the 30th March 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th March 1863.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCING YELLOW COLORING
MATTERS AND OTHER COLORS WHICH MAY BE DERIVED THEREPROM," to be as
follows:-
This Invention of an improved process for producing yellow colouring
matters and other colours which may be derived therefrom, consists in
obtaining a yellow colouring matter from naphthaline. To this end I take
naphthaline obtained from coal tar, and when it has been well washed in a
solution of caustic soda and dried, it is placed in a cast iron or other suitable
boiler or vessel, and is distilled over into a chamber in which the volatilized
naphthaline condenses on the sides in the form of bright white flakes.
In order to obtain the yellow color from this prepared naphthaline, it is
treated with nitric acid in the following manner :-I place in an earthen vessel,
say two pounds of fuming nitric acid, and I add thereto in small quantities at

page_text: a time the same weight of the prepared naphthaline. The addition of the
naphthaline to the acid causes considerable effervescence, and the well-known
red nitrous vapours aro disengaged. The solid matter on cooling will be
found to be a beautiful orange yellow, which is then to be pulverized and
treated with a weak solution of ammonia, which dissolves a considerable
portion of this product. The solid matters are separated from the solution by
filtration, and if the ammoniacal solution be saturated with an acid, an abundant
precipate will be produced, and when collected and washed with water it will
be a beautiful yellow colour, of sufficient purity to be used in dyeing when
dissolved in a slightly alkaline liquid. This liquor, even when greatly diluted,
will, when warmed, dyo silk and wool. The bath may be slightly acidified if
desired, for dyeing, as the colouring matter will not precipitate from a heated
weak solution. The yellow colouring matter obtained in the nanner above
stated, may be used as the base for various other colours and shades, by adding
or treating it with suitable chemical reagents, according to the shade or colour
desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said William
Edward, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Edward Newton, 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
"AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCING YELLOW COLOURING MATTERS AND OTHER
COLOURS WHICH MAY BE DERIVED THEREPROM," being a communication from
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward
Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-

page_text: ticularly 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 William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
This Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
consists in a novel process for obtaining from naphthaline a yellow dye, which
may be used either alone for dyeing yarns or threads and piece goods, or may
be treated with suitable chemical reagents for varying its hue as desired.
The following is the mode of carrying out the improved process :-Take one
hundred kilogrammes of naphthaline, and boil the same for a few hours in an
acid solution composed of two hundred kilogrammes of water and twenty
kilogrammes of nitric acid, thirty-four degrees Beaumé. The naphthaline
must be kept well stirred whilst dissolving in the boiling water and acid, and
the agitation must be maintained until the mixture has become cold. Next
draw off the mother liquor, and the naphthaline will then present the appear-
ance of brown crystals. These crystals are now to be well washed in cold
water to remove the acid.
In order to obtain a yellow solution of colouring matter, the crystalline
product is be treated with boiling water, to which is added five kilogrammes
of liquid ammonia. The solution thus obtained is to be filtered, and sub-
sequently evaporated to a concentrated state. The concentrated solution must
in like manner be filtered, and when cold, it will be ready for use.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention for producing yellow
colouring matters, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent
I claim treating naphthaline in the manner and for the purpose above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-eighth day of August, in the year