IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOAP, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO THE SCOURING, CLEANSING, AND FULLING OF WOOLLEN OR OTHER CLOTHS
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Fawcett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
March 1862.
J, JAMES FAWCETT, of Wakefield, in the County of York, Corn and
Fulling Miller, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOAP, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO THE
SCOURING, CLEANSING, AND FULLING OF WOOLLEN OR OTHER CLOTHS," to be as
follows:-
These improvements consist in manufacturing soap by the application and
addition of the following preparation to the. ordinary materials used in the
manufacture of soap, which, it is well known, consist mainly of alkaline and
fatty or oily matters.
According to this Invention I propose to use lichen commonly called and
known as Iceland moss, or Irish or other moss containing gelatinous matter,
which is to be boiled in water, whereby a solution will result capable of pro-
[Price 8d.]

page_text: ducing, when cool, a thick jelly; or I propose in some instances to subject the
lichen or moss to the action of steam when I consider it preferable so to
operate. The solution is to be freed from any refuse or insoluble particles or
residuum by straining the same so as to obtain a clear solution of moss or
lichen in order to produce a clean jelly. In other cases I propose to dry the
lichen or moss and grind it to a powder; water is then to be added, and the
whole is to be boiled or steamed as before. By this method a jelly is produced
free from residuum. To this jelly the alkaline matters are to be added,
whether potash or soda, or other suitable alkali or compound thereof, in
combination with any suitable oily or fatty matter used ordinarily in the
manufacture of soap. The whole is then to be thoroughly incorporated and a
soap will be produced applicable not only to all ordinary and domestic purposes
but especially applicable to the scouring, cleansing, and fulling of woollen and
other cloths. I also propose to apply the jelly and alkali to refuse or waste
oil to form a soap useful for many purposes.
Although I have proposed one course of incorporating the ingredients
specified others may be adopted, the substances used being the same, the
principle of the Invention being the application, use, and addition of the jelly
produced from lichen or moss to the manufacture of soap.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Fawcett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
September 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
FAWCETT, of Wakefield, in the County of York, Corn and Fulling Miller,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for llerself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Fawcett, Her special licence that I, the said James
Fawcett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Fawcett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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

page_text: THE MANUFACTURE OF SOAP, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO THE SCOURING, CLEANSING,
AND FULLING OF WOOLLEN OR OTHER CLOTHS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Fawcett, 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 James Fawcett, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement :-
My Invention consists in manufacturing soap by the application and addition
of a new preparation to the ordinary materials used in the manufacture of
soap, which, it is well known, consists mainly of alkaline and fatty or oily
matters.
In order that my said Invention may be completely understood I will now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, as follows:-
I take lichen, commonly called and known as Iceland moss, or Irish or
other moss containing gelatinous matter, which is to be boiled in water,
whereby a solution will result capable of producing, when cool, a thick jelly;
or in some cases I subject the lichen or moss to the action of steam, whereby
a similar result may be obtained. I then free the solution from any refuse or
insoluble particles or residuum by straining the same, so as to obtain a clear
solution of moss or lichen in order to produce a clean jelly. In other cases I
propose to dry the lichen or moss and grind it to a powder. I then add
water and boil or steam the whole as before. By this method and. by straining
I produce a jelly free from residuum. To this jelly I add alkaline matters,
whether potash or soda, or other suitable alkali or compound thereof, in com-
bination with any suitable oily or fatty matter used ordinarily in the
manufacture of soap. I then thoroughly incorporate or mix the whole by
boiling or otherwise, whereby I produce a soap applicable not only to all
ordinary and domestic purposes, but especially applicable to the scouring,
cleansing, and fulling of woollen and other cloths. In some cases I apply the
jelly and alkali to refuse or waste oil so as to form a soap useful for many
purposes.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention and
the manner in which the same is to be performed. I would. remark in con-

page_text: clusion that I do' not limit myself to the precise details herein expressed, as
the same may be obviously varied or modified in many ways without departing
from the principles of my Invention; but what I claim and desire to be
secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent is the application,
use, and addition of the jelly produced from lichen or moss to alkalis and oily
or fatty matters in order to manufacture soap which is particularly applicable
to the scouring, cleansing, and fulling of woollen or other cloths, substantially
as herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Fawcett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of September, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
ALFRED SMITH, Solicitor,
Wakefield.
JAMES FAWCETT. (L.S.)