NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ULMIN-BROWN
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of Kensington, Middlesex for an
Invention of NEW OR IMPROVED PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
ULMIN-BROWN a communication to him from abroad by la Banque Industrielle
de Belgique, of Paris, France
}
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th April 1883.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex, "NEW. OR IMPROVED
PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ULMIN-BROWN," a communication to me
from abroad by la Banque Industrielle de Belgique, of Paris, France,
This invention has for its object to extract the colouring substances or tannic or
gallic acids from mahogany, birch, cedar-wood, chestnut, oak, elm, quebracco, sumach
and other wood.
'
According to the object in view for instance the dyeing of ordinary textile
fabrics or the dyeing of silk, it is not indifferent which kind of acid is employed
for saturation
In the preparation of ulmin-brown for the dyeing of ordinary textile fabrics
organic acids should be exclusively employed for the operation of saturating.
The best organic acid which may be employed for this purpose is acetic acid or
pyrolignous acid. This acid has the energy of mineral acids without, however,
altering the tannin with which it combines easily, nor the extractive substances,
but it dissolves the colouring substances obtained by subjecting wood containing
tannic acid to an alkaline bath.
By the application of the above acid as thorough a saturation as possible may
therefore be obtained, without risk of losing or of precipitating parts of the colouring
substance of the products..
On the other hand it has already been mentioned that the acetic acid is suited
for all kinds of combinations with tannic or gallic acids.
A relatively considerable quantity of tannin is required in the composition of
ulmin-brown to enable this colour to fix itself on the textile fibres.
CD

page_text: :
The acetic acid consequently permits to combine with the saturated product as
much tannic or gallic acid as will be found necessary.
The manufacture of saturated ulmin-brown is carried out in the following way:
Wood containing tannic or gallic acid, for instance oak, elm, birch, sumach,
mahogany, quebracco, chestnut, cedar-wood is subjected to a concentrated alkaline
bath.
The alkalis or alkaline salts employed in the present process are those generally
used for this operation, such as carbonate of soda or of potash, or soluble alkalis.
The wood is left to macerate for several days at an elevated temperature, and
care must be taken to cause the mass from time to time to boil.
The liquid is then drawn off and saturated, either with ordinary acetic acid, or
with pyrolignous acid obtained from the manufacture of charcoal.
When the aerometer indicates a suitable saturation, a decoction of concentrated
tannic acid is mixed with the liquid thus treated.
When this mixture has been obtained, it is evaporated by means of the usual
apparatus, or on an oven.
The selection of the various tannins to be combined with the liquids used for the
manufacture of ulmin-brown requires a certain method of classification. The
tannins are classified according to their reaction on the salts of iron. I repeat,
therefore, that to saturate the alkaline liquors for the purpose herein described,
either acetic or pyrolignous acid may be employed.
Preparation of ulmin-brown for dyeing silk.
The amylaceous matter contained in ulmin-brown (which matter has the
properties of organic acids and is similar to the substance of the same order
contained in catechu) contributes as much as tannin or gallic acid towards dyeing
the silk.
In this case the oxidizing action of the mineral acids is of less consequence, and
either hydrochloric or pyrolignous acid may be employed. The hydrochloric acid is
to be preferred to all other acids owing to the nature and the particular properties
of the salts which it forms.
Resting on the facts above mentioned, that is to say; that the amylaceous matter,
whether oxydized or unoxydized, contributes as much as tannic or gallic acid
towards dyeing silk, ulmin-brown required for this process is prepared in the
following way.
The alkaline decoction is saturated with hydrochloric or pyrolignous acid, until
the amylaceous substance is completely precipitated.
This substance is then separated from the liquid by filtering the mixture through
a cloth or other filter.
5
The amylaceous substance thus won is then dissolved in as small a quantity
of alkali as possible, so that such substance is never more than partially dissolved.
These partial dissolutions are then mixed together.
When this solution of amylaceous matter has been conveniently concentrated, I
add a tannic decoction or a tannin suitable in regard to the nature of the wood
treated, as described above.
The proportions of tannin and of amylaceous substance may in this manner be
varied ad libitum, whereby a product is obtained, the properties of which approach
those of catechu nearer than any other compound, and which has also the advantage,
to be as little colouring as possible.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th October 1883.
"
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Kensington, Middlesex NEW OR IMPROVED
PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ULMIN-BROWN," a communication to me
from abroad by la Banque Industrielle de Belgique, of Paris, France
This invention has for its object to extract the colouring substances or tannic or
gallic acids from mahogany, birch, cedar-wood, chestnut, oak, elm, quebraces, sumach
and other wood.
According to the object in view, for instance, the dyeing of ordinary textile
fabrics or the charging of silk, different kinds of acid should be employed for
saturation.
In the preparation of ulmin-brown for the dyeing of ordinary textile fabrics
organic acids should be exclusively employed for the operation of saturating.
The best organic acid which may be employed for this purpose is acetic acid or
pyrolignous acid. This acid has the energy of mineral acids without, however,
altering the tannin with which it combines easily, nor the extractive substances,
but it dissolves the colouring substances obtained by subjecting wood containing
tannic acid to an alkaline bath.
By the application of the above acid as thorough a saturation as possible may
therefore be obtained, without risk of losing or of precipitating parts of the
colouring substances of the products.
On the other hand it has already been mentioned that the acetic acid is suited
for all kinds of combinations with tannic or gallic acids.
A relatively considerable quantity of tannin is required in the composition of
ulmin-brown to enable this colour to fix itself on the textile fibres.
The acetic acid consequently permits to combine with the saturated product as
much tannic or gallic acid as will be found necessary.
The manufacture of saturated ulmin-brown is carried out in the following way:
Wood containing tannic or gallic acid, for instance oak, elm, birch, sumach,
mahogany, quebraces, chestnut, cedar-wood is subjected to a concentrated alkaline
bath.
The alkalis or alkaline salts employed in the present process are those generally
used for this operation, such as carbonate of soda or of potash, or soluble alkalis.
The wood is left to macerate for several days at an elevated temperature, and
care must be taken to cause the mass from time to time to boil.
The liquid is then drawn off and saturated, either with ordinary acetic acid, or
with pyrolignous acid obtained from the manufacture of charcoal.
When the aerometer indicates a suitable saturation, a decoction of concentrated
tannic acid is mixed with the liquid thus treated.
When this mixture has been obtained, it is evaporated by means of the usual
apparatus, or on an oven.
The selection of the various tannins to be combined with the liquids used for
the manufacture of ulmin-brown requires a certain method of classification. The
tannins are classified according to their re-action on the salts of iron. I repeat,
therefore, that to saturate the alkaline liquors for the purpose herein described,
either acetic or pyrolignous acid may be employed.
Preparation of ulmin-brown for charging silk. The amylaceous matter contained
in ulmin-brown (which matter has the properties of organic acids and is similar
to the substance of the same order contained in catechu) contributes as much as
tannins or gallic acid towards charging the silk.

page_text: In this case the oxidizing action of the mineral acids is of less consequence,
and either hydrochloric or pyrolignous acid may be employed. The hydrochloric
acid is to be preferred to all other acids owing to the nature and the particular
properties of the salts which it forms.
Resting on the facts above mentioned, that is to say; that the amylaceous
matter, whether oxydized or unoxydized, contributes as much as tannic or gallic
acid towards the charging of the silk, ulmin-brown required for this process is
prepared in the following way.
{
The alkaline decoction is saturated with hydrochloric or pyrolignous acid, until
the amylaceous substance is completely precipitated.
This substance is then separated from the liquid by filtering the mixture
through a cloth or other filter.
"
The amylaceous substance thus won is then dissolved in as small a quantity of
alkali as possible, so that such substance is never more than partially dissolved.
These partial dissolutions are then mixed together.
When this solution of amylaceous matter has been conveniently concentrated,
I add a tannic decoction or a tannin suitable in regard to the nature of the wood
treated, as described above.
The proportions of tannin and of amylaceous substance may in this manner be
varied ad libitum, whereby a product is obtained, the properties of which approach
those of catechu nearer than any other compound, and which has also the
advantage, to be as little colouring as possible.
From the above it will be seen that the invention comprises two processes,
namely:
1. A process of saturation by organic or special acids with the addition of tannin
for the purpose of obtaining ulmin-brown.
2. A process of obtaining ulmin-brown either for charging silk, or for dyeing by
alcaline saturation.
In witness whereof I the said Herbert John Haddan have hereunto set my hand
and seal this 18th day of October A.D. 1883.
H I HADDAN (ra)