ELE New or Improved Bleaching Compound.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1892-Accepted, 18th June, 1892
COME ELE
New or Improved Bleaching Compound.
A communication by WILLIAM BAYNUM BRITTINGHAM, of No. 206, West
Twenty-third Street, New York, in the County and State of New York,
United States of America, Chemist and Physician.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates broadly to the employment and utilisation of tungsten
combined with soda, potassa or any other alkali adapted to be employed in the
manner hereinafter indicated, but, in carrying the invention into effect (although
tungstate of potassa or tungsten combined with any other suitable alkali may be
employed), tungstate of soda is preferred and tungstate of soda is spoken of
specifically, although it must be understood that the invention is not limited in
this respect. but tungsten may be employed in combination with any other alkali
as aforesaid.
The invention further consists in mixing and combining, with the aforesaid
tungstate of soda, various substances and in different quantities which will be
more specifically set forth in the Specification, and utilising the substances and
compositions resulting therefrom for the purpose of bleaching cloth, paper, or any
other known fabric.
Several methods of utilising the discovery will now be specifically described
which, however, may be varied within certain limits and according to the nature
of the fabrics to be treated without departing from the spirit of the invention or
avoiding the essential and most important feature of the discovery, to wit, the
employment of tungstate of soda or its chemical equivalent and combining therewith
the substances hereinafter mentioned and employing it in the manner substantially
as will be described.
In carrying the invention into effect, a pint of water is taken and therewith is
mixed half an ounce of tungstate of soda, and, in this solution, the fabrics to be
treated are immersed, the goods having been previously washed in a manner similar
to the washing employed in other bleaching processes, leaving the goods in the
above solution for five, ten or fifteen minutes according to the nature of the
fabrics. They can remain in longer if desired, and while so immersed are
agitated.
To this solution, at the proper moment and while the fabrics are still immersed,
is added hypo-chlorite of lime or bypo-chlorite of soda (the ordinary bleaches
of commerce) in the following proportion, to wit; half a pound to four gallons of
water. The whole is then stirred and the operation is completed in a period of
time varying from ten minutes to an hour. At the end of such period, the fabrics
will be entirely bleached.
When adding the hypo-chlorite of lime or soda to the mixture, the resultant
solution may be heated, as the operation is carried into effect much better under a
high temperature than under a low. But the heat is not absolutely necessary, and
the entire process may be carried on with cold water.
When it is desired to prolong the efficiency of the aforesaid composition, another
mixture is added consisting of chloride of sodium, sulphuric acid and water, after
preparing the mixture in the following manner :-
Two ounces of chloride of sodium, two ounces of sulphuric acid and two ounces

page_text: of water are taken, and these are mixed together. This mixture is then heated
over a stove fire until gases are generated; when in this condition, one quart of
water is added, and the mixture is well shaken. By taking one half ounce of this
mixture and adding it to the aforesaid composition, it produces the effect of
prolonging the efficiency of said composition.
In lieu of employing hypo-chlorite of lime or hypo-chlorite of soda in connection
with the tungstate of soda, the following may be employed for securing the
necessary chlorine in the composition, that is to say, one ounce of carbonate of
soda, one ounce of hydro-chloric acid, and one gallon of water are taken, the same
mixed thoroughly and added to the tungstate of soda dissolved in water in the
proportions before mentioned.
Another modification of the discovery is in the employment of arsenious acid in
connection with the tungstate of soda.
In carrying this process into effect, one half drachm of arsenious acid is taken,
and thereto hypo-chlorite of soda and water are added in the proportions herein-
before set out and this composition is added to the tungstate of soda in the manner
herein before described.
In bleaching unbleached linen, the tungstate of soda dissolved in water is
employed as aforesaid for bleaching such fabrics, but to remove fixed dyes or colours
from straw, fabrics, etcetera, it is necessary to bring into play the element of
chlorine and the compositions mentioned for producing this effect, rapidly
dissolve and remove colours or dyes of any kind from all classes of goods
or fabrics.
Also, in de-gumming flax, the tungstate of soda may be employed with advantage
as it has been ascertained by experiment that, when properly applied, the gummy
substances and colours are at once dissolved and, upon agitation, easily removed.
Tungstic acid dissolves but slightly in water, but, in combination with soda and
chlorine, the composition dissolved in water is immediately transformed into a
powerful bleaching agent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A bleacher composed of the tungstate of an alkali.
2. A bleacher composed of tungsten combined with an alkali and with
chlorine.
3. A bleaching compound consisting of tungstate of soda combined with hypo-
chlorite of lime or soda.
4. The combination, in a bleaching compound, of tungstate of soda, arsenious
acid and hypo-chloric acid, substantially as set forth.
5. In a bleaching compound, the combination of tungstate of soda with hypo-
sulphite of lime, soda or potassa.
6. The combination of tungstic acid, soda and chlorine dissolved in water, as
set forth.
Dated this 10th day of May 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.