IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COMBINATION OF CHEMICAL MATERIALS,. FORMING A MORDANT' FOR DYEING WOOL AND WOOLLEN GOODS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to E. Freeman Prentiss,. of the City of Philadelphia,.
in the United States of America,. Manufacturing Chemist, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COMBINATION OF CHEMICAL MATERIALS,.
FORMING A MORDANT' FOR DYEING WOOL AND WOOLLEN GOODS."
Sealed the 30th April 1861, and dated the 5th November 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said E. Freeman Prentiss at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th November 1860.
I, E. FREEMAN PRENTISS, of the City of Philadelphia, in the United States
of America, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COMBINATION OF CHEMICAL MATERIALS,.
FORMING A MORDANT' FOR DYING WOOL AND WOOLLEN GOODS," to be as
follows (that is to say):-
This Invention consists in combining the sulphates of iron, copper, and
zinc, and useing the compound thereby formed as a "mordant," in the
manner herein-after described.
This "mordant" is better calculated for dying black and the colour of the
fruit of the mulberry tree than anything yet discovered, the colour being
perfectly fast and very brilliant, and is not affected by exposure to a saline
atmosphere or the sun. A piece of goods dyed with it may be exposed for
months to the sun or weather without the slightest injury to the colour, whilst

page_text: goods dyed in the ordinary way of the same make with the same exposure
will be very much impaired in colour.
The three sulphates are thus combined :-
746 lbs. weight of sulphate of iron,
254 lbs. weight of sulphate of copper, and
110 lbs. weight of sulphate of zinc.
These are disolved in water, and then reduced by evaporation to chrystali-
zation by any of the known ways. These proportions may be slightly varied
without materially affecting the process.
The mode of using this "mordant" is as follows:-For dying 100 lbs.
weight of wool or woollen goods black. In water dissolve 7 lbs. of the
mordant, 2 lbs. of red tarter, and boil the wool or woollen goods in the
solution for two hours. Next day finish by boiling the woollen for 1 hours
in an infusion made with 55 lbs. of logwood, and 7 lbs. of fustic.
boiling, add 2 buckets of urine, or, in place thereof, use 1 quart of ammonia
(single F.), then boil a quarter of an hour longer.
After
For dying 100 lbs. weight of wool or woollen goods mulberry. Form a
solution of 35 lbs. of camwood, in which boil the wool or woollen goods about
1½ hours; then make a new liquor with clean water, and 3 lbs. of the
"mordant" chrystalls, and 1 lb. of red tarter. Boil in this 1½ hours; next
day finish off with 10 lbs. of logwood. The shade can be varied, and be made
much lighter, if desired, by useing less logwood.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said E. Freeman Prentiss in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th May 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, E. FREEMAN
PRENTISS, of the City of Philadelphia, in the United States of America,
Manufacturing Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, 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 said E. Freeman Prentiss, Her special licence that I, the said E.
Freeman Prentiss, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said E. Freeman Prentiss, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time, agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all

page_text: 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 COMBINATION OF CHEMICAL MATERIALS, FORMING A
'MORDANT' FOR DYING WOOL AND WOOLLEN GOODS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said E. Freeman Prentiss, 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 E. Freeman Prentiss, 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
following statement (that is to say):-
This my said Invention consists in combining the sulphates of iron, copper,
and zinc, and using the compound thereby formed as a "mordant" in the
manner hereafter described.
This my improved "mordant" is better calculated for dying black and the
colour of the fruit of the mulberry tree than anything yet discovered, the
colour being perfectly fast and very brilliant, and is not effected by exposure
to a saline atmosphere or the sun. A piece of goods dyed with it may be
exposed for months to the sun or weather without the slightest injury to
the colour, whilst goods dyed in the ordinary way of the same make with the
same exposure will be very much impaired in colour.
The three sulphates are thus combined :-
746 lbs. sulphate of iron,
254 lbs. sulphate of copper,
110 lbs. sulphate of zinc.
These sulphates I dissolve in water, and then reduce, by evaporation, to
crystalization by any of the known ways. These proportions may be slightly
varied without materially effecting the process.
The mode of using my improved "mordant" is as follows:- For dying
black 100 lbs. wool or woollen goods. In water I dissolve 7 lbs. of the
mordant, and 2 lbs. of red tartar, and boil the wool or woollen goods in the
solution for two hours; next day I finish, by boiling the woollens for one
and a half hours in an infusion made with 55 lbs. logwood, and 7 lbs.
fustic. After boiling, I add two buckets of urine, or, in place thereof, I

page_text: use one quart of ammonia (single F), then boil about about one-quarter
of an hour longer.
For dying 100 lbs. wool or woollen goods mulberry. I form a solution of
35 lbs. of camwood, in which I boil the wool or woollen goods about one and
a half half hours; then I make a new liquor with clean water and 3 lbs. of
the mordant crystals, and 1 lb. of red tartar. I boil in this one and a half
hours, and next day I finish off with 10 lbs. of logwood. The shade can be
varied, and be made much lighter, if desired, by using less logwood.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, and how I believe the same may be best carried into practical 1
effect, what I claim as new and my Invention is, the employment of a com-
pound of the sulphate of iron, sulphate of copper, and sulphate of zinc as a
"mordant," combined and used substantially and in the manner herein-before
described and set forth, or any mere modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said E. Freeman Prentiss, have hereunto 1
set my hand and affixed my seal, this Third day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
E. FREEMAN (L.S.) PRENTISS.