IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING PIG- MENTS AND OTHER COLORING MATTERS ON TEXTILE FABRICS AND YARNS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Lightfoot, of Accrington, in the County of
Lancaster, Chemist, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING PIG-
MENTS AND OTHER COLORING MATTERS ON TEXTILE FABRICS AND YARNS."
Sealed the 3rd August 1860, and dated the 25th February 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Lightfoot at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
February 1860.
I, JOHN LIGHTFOOT, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING
PIGMENTS AND OTHER COLORING MATTERS ON TEXTILE FABRICS AND YARNS," to be
as follows:-
My Invention consists in the use of glue or gelatine in certain methods, and
also in the peculiar use of tannin. For fixing pigments, I make a solution of
glue in water of such a strength as can be easily printed, and mix in the
pigment or pigments I wish to print. After printing and drying, I steam the
goods in the usual manner for steam colors, and afterwards pass them through
a solution of any salt of a metallic oxide, which will precipitate or form an
insoluble compound with the glue, then wash and dry. The salt I prefer to
use is a salt of mercury, by preference corrosive sublimate.
Another portion of my Invention relates to the fixing of coloring matters
other than pigments, such as the various preparations from aniline, or from
coal tar, or the other vegetable or animal coloring matters, or generally any

page_text: soluble coloring matter not liable to be injured by steaming, the process
followed being identical with that for pigments.
Another portion of my Invention consists in the fixing of murexide; I dis-
solve glue in water, add a salt of a metallic oxide suitable for combining with
murexide, by preference nitrate of lead and murexide according to the shade
required. Print dry, and give an alkaline treatment with ammonia solution
or ammoniacal gas, or solution of a mineral alkali or alkaline salt, wash and
pass through a solution of mercurial salt, by preference. corrosive sublimate,
wash and dry. It will be obvious that combinations of colors may be obtained
by mixtures of the above pigment colors with the other glue preparations
above described, and that also the pigment colors may be mixed with the
murexide glue preparation; the raising process being as above described for
the murexide color.
Another portion of my Invention consists in the use of compounds of glue
as mordaunts for the various preparations from aniline, or the class of coloring
matters produced by analogous processes; I print or pad in solution of glue,
steam, and fix in a salt of mercury or other suitable salt of a metallic oxide.
In some cases steaming may be dispensed with. I wash and dye with the
coloring matter desired in the usual manner, or I print or pad in a solution
of gluc, dry, and pass through a solution containing tannin, wash, and dye
with the desired coloring matter.
Another portion of my Invention consists in the use of tannin or tannic
substances as a mordaunt for the fixing of, coloring matters obtained from
aniline or coloring matters obtained by analogous processes. I steep cloth or
textile fabrics or materials in a solution of tannin or tannic substance, wring
out and dry, then dye with the above class of coloring matters, or the drying
after treatment' with tannin may be dispensed with, and the goods dyed
at once
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Lightfoot in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd August 1860.
TO ALL TO-WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
LIGHTFOOT, of Accrington, in the County of Lancaster, Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the

page_text: said John Lightfoot, Her special licence that I, the said John Lightfoot, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Lightfoot, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIXING PIG-
·MENTS AND OTHER COLOURING MATTERS ON TEXTILE FABRICS AND. YARNS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Lightfoot, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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 Lightfoot, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following:
statement (that is to say):
.
My. Invention consists, firstly, in a certain method or certain methods of
fixing colors on textile fabrics or yarns by glue or gelatine; and, secondly, in
the use of tannin or tannic substance as a mordaunt for the class of coloring.
matters obtained from "aniline" or bases of a similar nature...
When I wish to fix insoluble coloring matters or pigments on fabrics or
yarns, I make a color as follows:-I steep good. gluo or gelatine in cold
water until thoroughly permeated, and then dissolve by the aid of heat so as to-
make a solution in water, containing about three pounds weight of dry glue per
gallon, or in any other convenient manner I mako a solution of glue in water
at about the above strength; to this I add pigments or lake colors according to
the shade of color required; after printing, I steam the printed material in.
the manner usual for steam colors, and afterwards pass through or steep in a
solution of a salt of mercury or subacetate of lead. I am aware that pigments.
have been heretofore fixed by the aid of glue, and subsequent treatment with
aluminous salts, and that such glue colors have been steamed before passing
into the aluminous preparation; but I claim as new the passing or steeping
a fabric on which has been printed a, color composed of glue and pigment, or
lake, and which is afterwards subjected to steam, into a solution of a salt of
mercury, or into a solution of subacetate of lead. I have also found that many
soluble coloring matters may be advantageously fixed in this manner. Where

page_text: the use of glue proves inconvenient from its gelatinizing property, I make a
glue solution which will not gelatinize when cold, by dissolving in it neutral
salts of alkaline or other metals which have no injurious action on the pigment
or coloring matter; from two pounds weight to four pounds weight of nitrate
of soda or potash per gallon of color I have found an advantageous mixture,
the pigment or coloring matter being then added, the fixing process being as
above described. I also use glue as a thickening and fixing substance for
murexide colors in place of starch, gum, &c. To carry out this part of my
Invention, I make a solution of glue in water as before, to which I add nitrate
of lead at the rate of two pounds weight to four pounds weight per gallon,
and "murexide" or "murexan" according to the shade-required; I print, dry,
and pass through ammoniacal vapour, or through solution of ammonia or other
alkali, or an alkaline salt solution, wash slightly, and pass through or steep in
a solution of a mercurial salt. In this process the murexide is carried down
in combination with the above-named compound of glue and mercury..
Another method of fixing murexide by glue consists in passing the fabric after
printing in a dilute solution of tartro-stannate of soda or potash made by neu-
tralizing stanṇate of soda or potash by tartaric acid (or double salts of stannate
of soda with other acids will answer my purpose), when a murexide lake is
precipitated in. combination with the glue. Pigments may be fixed also by
following the former process for fixing murexide, by substituting the pigment
for murexide, and by adding ultramarine or other pigments or coloring matters
to the above murexide color, and following the same process of fixing as for
murexide and glue alone, compound shades may be produced, which are of
great beauty and solidity.
Another part of my Invention consists in the use of tannin either alone or
combined with glue as a mordant for the class of coloring matters obtained
from "aniline," or artificial coloring matters produced from similar basic sub-
stances. When I use tannin alone, I pad or steep the material in a solution
of tannin, either pure or as contained in any of the usual tannic substances,
such as galls, sumach, valonia, &c., wring out, dry, and dyo in the usual
manner with the artificial coloring matters obtained from "aniline," or from
similar basic substances, or the drying may be dispensed with, and the dyeing
proceeded with after wringing out and washing. And when I use tannin
combined with glue, I pad or steep the material in a solution of glue, and
subsequently in a solution of tannin or decoction of a tannic substance, or
the process may be reversed, and the tannic solution may be used first; in
either case the fabric is ready for dyeing as above, or may be dried before
dyeing.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be distinctly understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein set forth; but I claim
as my Invention, and which to the best of my knowledge and belief has not
been hitherto used within the realm,-
First, the "steaming" of goods printed in "glue colors," and afterwards
fixing in a "mercurial salt solution" or subacetate of lead solution.
Secondly, the use of "glue" as a "thickening" and "fixing" substance for
"murexide" or "murexan."
Thirdly, the "fixing of pigments" or other "coloring matters" by making
the color with "gluo" and "nitrate of lead," fixing in "ammonia" and a "salt
of mercury."
Fourthly, making "colors" with "glue" "incapable of gelatinizing when
cold, by the introduction of "neutral salts" of "alkaline" or other metals.
Fifthly, the use of "tannin" or "tanno-gelatine" as a mordant for the class
of coloring matters derived from "aniline," or similar artificial coloring matters
made from basic substances of a similar nature.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Lightfoot, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named John Lightfoot, in
the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
JOHN LIGHTFOOT. (L.S.)
Patent Agent,
Manchester.