IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF BLEACHING VEGETABLE FIBROUS SUBSTANCES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Tribelhorn, of St. Gall, Manufacturer,
and Dr. Pompejus Bolley, of Aarau, Professor of Chemistry,
both of Switzerland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PROCESS OF BLEACHING VEGETABLE FIBROUS SUBSTANCES."-A com-
munication from Charles Custer, of Altstaetten, near St. Gall, in
Switzerland.
Sealed the 11th March 1854, and dated the 19th December 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Tribelhorn
and Dr. Pompejus Bolley at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 19th December 1853.
We, JOHN TRIBELHORN, of St. Gall, Manufacturer, and Dr.
POMPEJUS BOLLEY, of Aarau, Professor of Chemistry, both of Switzer-
land, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PROCESS OF BLEACHING VEGETABLE FIBROUS SUBSTANCES" to
be as follows:-
It consists in the admixture of certain metallic solutions, more espe-
cially of the oxide of tin with caustic alkaline solutions. By this means
the boiling of the yarns or fabrics is dispensed with, the mechanical
operations otherwise remaining the same. The above mentioned
metallic solutions prepare the fibres for the process of bleaching, and
render them more susceptible of absorbing coloring matter. This pro-

page_text: cess causes a considerable saving in time, and dispenses with the use of
fuel. The novelty of this Invention consists in the application of
chemical agencies for the purpose of avoiding the process of boiling.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Tribelhorn and Dr. Pompejus Bolley in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
JOHN TRIBELUORN, of St. Gall, Manufacturer, and Dr. POMPEJUS
BOLLEY, of Aaran, Professor of Chemistry, both of Switzerland, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said John Tribelhorn and Pompejus
Bolley, Her special licence that we, the said John Tribelhorn and
Pompejus Bolley, our exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said John Tribelhorn and Pompejus Bolley, our
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 THE PROCESS OF BLEACHING VEGETABLE FIBROUS SUB-
STANCES, upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John
Tribelhorn and Pompejus Bolley, or one of us, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and scals, 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 John Tribelhorn, on behalf of
myself and the said Ponipejus Bolley, do hereby declare the nature, of
'

page_text: our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):
:-
In the bleaching of vegetable fibrous substances as hitherto practised
those substances have been subjected to boiling in the caustic alkaline
solutions. Now by the use of certain metallic solutions, such as the
oxide of tin mixed with caustic alkaline solutions, in the bleaching of
vegetable fibrous substances, whether it be the bleaching of yarns or
fabrics for the market or the bleaching as a preparation for dying and
printing, such boiling may be dispensed with.
The oxide of tin which we employ is contained in a preparation
known as "preparing salt," which is obtained by diluting 1 lb. of oxide
of tin with water to 12° or 14° Twaddle, and adding thereto a solution
of crystal of soda to the point of saturation, the quantity of crystal of
soda required being about 1 lb. 14 oz. This "preparing salt" is used
in various proportions and degrees of strength, according to the nature
of the substance and the degree of bleaching required. The treatment
of the fibrous substances is as follows:-
First, as regards cotton fabrics to bo bleached for the market. The
fabrics are, 1stly, steeped in lukewarm water for 12 hours; 2ndly,
washed; 3dly, steeped in a lixivium composed of 3 lbs. of "preparing
salt" dissolved in one gallon of caustic soda of 68° Twaddle, and diluted
to 1° Twaddle, for two hours; 4thly, passed through the squeezers for
the purpose
of expressing and collecting the lixivium; 5thly, steeped in
vitriol diluted to 1° Twaddle half an hour; 6thly, washed; 7thly,
steeped in a weak solution of bleaching powder, or passed through the
bleaching liquor and laid on a heap for four hours; 8thly, steeped in
vitriol diluted to 21° Twaddle for three hous; 9thly, washed; 10thly,
boiled in a solution of carbonate of sodn of from 14° to 14° Twaddle
for three hours; 11thly, washed (N.B. the two last-mentioned opera-
tions are performed only in case the fabrics are to be bleached to the
greatest perfection); 12thly, steeped in a solution of bleaching powder
diluted to Twaddle for four hours; 19thly, steeped in vitriol diluted
to 2° Twaddle for three hours; 14thly, washed.
Secondly, as regards cotton fabrics intended to be dyed or printed
with spirit colours or steam colours. The treatment of the fabrics is the

page_text: same as the foregoing; the lixivium, however, instead of being diluted
to 1° is diluted to 2° Twaddle.
Thirdly, as regards the bleaching of yarns (say 200 bundles). The
yarns are, 1stly, boiled in a solution of caustic soda of 2° Twaddle, in
which is dissolved 1 lb. of "preparing salt," for three hours; 2ndly,
washed in the yarn washing machine; 3rdly, steeped in a weak solution
of bleaching powder for one hour; 4thly, washed; 5thly, boiled in
water for half an hour; 6thly, steeped in a weak solution of bleaching
powder for one hour; 7thly, washed; 8thly, steeped in vitriol diluted
to 1° Twaddle, and of 110° to 120° Fahrenheit, for half an hour;
9thly, washed; 10thly, steeped in a solution of soap of the temperature
of 140° Fahrenheit (4 oz. of soap to one gallon of water); 11thly,
washed.
If the yarns are to be bleached without boiling in the lixivium the
operations from the third to, and inclusive, the ninth have to be repeated
in the above-named rotation till the desired degree of whiteness is
attained.
The lixivium retains its properties for several months, care being
only taken every time after it has been used to add to it as much of a
stronger solution as may be necessary to raise it again to the required;
strength.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and in what
manuer the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that
what we claim as our Invention is, the use of the oxide of tin in com-
bination with caustic alkaline solutions, for the purposes and in the
manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Tribelhorn, on behalf of
myself and of the said Pompejus Bolley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
JOHN TRIBELHORN. (L.)
St. Gallen, 12 June, 1854.